Cultivation: Starting from a Mortal Bone

As everyone knows.

You can’t sail a boat on land.

This kind of common sense, that little boat girl actually doesn’t know, which just shows—she’s a newbie too.

She sat on the boat, face full of anxiety, but it was all useless.

...

...

[Emotion Point +1 from Su Xiyue]

Fairy Xiyue left.

She came in a hurry and left in a hurry, as if afraid of being discovered by someone.

So, the flame only managed to draw four emotion points from her.

Maybe it was because she’d been worried the whole time, anxious, maybe a bit too tense, which led to her, during the process...

Involuntarily crying out.

Though she tried her best to suppress it, the result was... actually the opposite.

When leaving, she didn’t forget to glare at Qin Yu.

Qin Yu wanted to cry, but had no tears.

He really didn’t do anything, he was suppressed the whole time, how could she blame him?!

Sullenly got dressed and returned to Danxin Herb Hall.

Another wonderful day.

...

The sky was still dark.

Su Xiyue sensed the room next door, didn’t hear any movement, and let out a breath of relief.

She left in a hurry and returned in a hurry.

Of course, for fear Liu Zixiao might notice something odd.

Last night, she waited until Liu Zixiao was fully immersed in meditation, then used her body technique, and slipped out quietly.

Maybe even Fairy Xiyue herself didn’t expect—

She’d learned a special body technique, and now it was actually used for this sort of thing.

But it really did come in handy; Liu Zixiao didn’t notice at all.

Returning to her room, Su Xiyue prepared to take a bath.

The moment the water began to flow—

In the room next door, Liu Zixiao opened her eyes. She glanced at the dark sky, and muttered in confusion, "Weird, why is Xiyue bathing at this hour..."

But, it showed Su Xiyue was all right, so she didn’t think much and continued to meditate.

Next time she opened her eyes, the sky was already bright.

Liu Zixiao first busied herself with several trivial sect affairs.

But her thoughts were mainly entwined around the movements of the Ruins Rift.

As usual, only the occasional person entered, but very few came back alive.

It all still looked unchanged.

Yet, her brows couldn’t help but knit ever so slightly.

The Demon Sect leader Leng Ruyu had shown up in Lin Xian City and had a conversation with her—for such a big event, in theory, the Hundred Sword Sect’s sharp-eared spies should never have missed a thing.

According to Hundred Sword Sect’s usual modus operandi, they should have already reacted promptly and made a show of strength.

Yet what puzzled her was that all the informants placed outside reported the same thing.

The Hundred Sword Sect made no move at all.

They hadn’t even sent any of their disciples.

This was clearly abnormal, making Liu Zixiao all the more vigilant.

Her perception spread out silently, as gently as fine rain, infiltrating every inch of the surrounding space—yet all of Lin Xian City was as peaceful as usual.

"What the hell is Hundred Sword Sect up to." Liu Zixiao muttered.

Although somewhat worried, the Cyan Mountain Sect disciples were already stationed about—if the Hundred Sword Sect made a move, they’d notice.

She slowly got to her feet, thinking of Su Xiyue, and her steps unconsciously drifted toward her room.

She lightly knocked on the door, calling: "Xiyue, are you up?"

From inside came a soft but somewhat muffled reply: "Mm."

Hmm?

Su Xiyue’s voice made Liu Zixiao pause.

Wait.

That voice sounded... off, somehow.

Carefully recalling it, it seemed there was a faint—hoarseness—hiding inside. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Hoarse?!

Liu Zixiao’s heart tensed, doubt rising higher, so she probed again: "Xiyue, how’s your recovery since last night?"

This time, Su Xiyue didn’t respond.

Because she realized her voice was indeed off, and with Liu Zixiao’s probing, she obviously couldn’t answer again.

Seeing Su Xiyue silent, Liu Zixiao, who’d thought maybe she’d heard wrong, instead felt even more sure.

But all the more confused.

She’d been next door all night, after all, and heard no unusual movement from Su Xiyue’s room.

What had her own Saintess gone through all night long?

Her voice turned hoarse?!

No matter what she thought, Liu Zixiao just couldn’t figure it out.

You know, even if an old injury had acted up, there could be other consequences—but last night there hadn’t been a sound next door, so even if it was that, Su Xiyue must have endured it all.

If she hadn’t made a peep, there was no way her throat should be hoarse.

Hoarse.

Only one explanation!

Su Xiyue... spent the whole night shouting?!

How is that possible?!

Liu Zixiao had watched Su Xiyue grow up. Through all these years, after countless hardships, she fell and got back up, even suffered wounds from various experiments, yet every time she would grit her teeth and endure with dogged stubbornness.

In her memories, Su Xiyue was always so strong-willed, as if nothing in the world could shake her heart—she’d never even complained half a word.

What could possibly have happened that would make her shout, even scream until her voice was hoarse?

"Xiyue..."

Though she didn’t know what had happened, Liu Zixiao’s heart instinctively tightened with worry.

"Aunt Liu, my injuries are much better—don’t worry!"

Su Xiyue sensed her emotions shift, and promptly, to prove she was fine, surged her Spiritual Power, letting it flow out.

Though her voice was indeed a bit hoarse, now that Liu Zixiao had noticed, there was no use hiding—she could only urge Liu Zixiao to leave.

Liu Zixiao checked her state.

Indeed, there was no trace of instability—if the injury had relapsed, it’d be impossible to be so steady.

Only then did she finally sigh in relief.

"But..."

"All right."

Liu Zixiao ultimately didn’t keep pressing, her feelings twisted up inside, glancing back at the door every few steps as she left.

Back in her own room, she couldn’t wait to take out her Sound Transmission Stone.

"Liu Zixiao, if this isn’t important, you’d better be ready for me!"

From the other end came an extremely disgruntled voice, tinged with sleepiness.

Clearly, this Sect Leader had just been sleeping soundly and Liu Zixiao woke her up.

It had taken her a lot of effort to fall asleep for once!

Liu Zixiao was long used to such a Sect Leader.

Though Sect Leader, Su Xihe carried burdens unimaginable for most.

Over the long haul, weariness crept in, and she’d developed a habit of deep sleep—it was her way of easing the pressure.

Liu Zixiao relayed everything she’d just encountered.

"You’re saying... Xiyue’s voice is hoarse?"

After hearing everything, Su Xihe snapped wide awake, confirming once more.

How could it be?

Everyone knows Su Xiyue’s temperament is always cool and calm—she’s always laconic in speech, not much for chit-chat even with her.

How could her voice suddenly go hoarse for no reason?

"You’re sure it’s not her old injuries acting up—"

"Sect Leader, you don’t trust me anymore?"

Liu Zixiao fired back at her with a single sentence.