chapter 2

Honestly, the pressure was crushing.

I could only turn grief and indignation into appetite. I ate five bowls of rice at every meal.

Fortunately, many disciples lived on fasting pills, so the dining hall still had enough food for me. After a few months, I grew taller, and my hollow cheeks gradually filled out.

I still had not drawn qi into my body.

My sister disapproved of how much I ate and came to the dining hall specifically to lecture me.

“Your manners are unbelievably crude. You are a disgrace to the Shen family.”

She turned to the others. “Please forgive her, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters. My concubine-born younger sister has been coarse and unruly since childhood. I have tried to teach her countless times, but nothing works.”

I swallowed an enormous mouthful of rice, threw my arms around her leg, and began to wail with practiced ease.

“Please spare me, dear legitimate elder sister! Spare this poor, insignificant concubine-born girl! I know a noble young lady like you must never be offended, but I am simply too hungry. Back at the estate, I got one steamed bun every three days. I was so starved I chewed the soles of my shoes at night. Now that I can finally eat my fill, I cannot help eating a little extra!”

The passing disciples stared in shock. Their gazes toward my sister turned strange.

I buried my face. My shoulders shook and shook.

I was laughing so hard my whole body trembled.

The cultivation world cared nothing for legitimate or illegitimate birth. Only strength mattered. Using mortal status to oppress someone was considered particularly laughable.

Perhaps the others had never imagined that two sisters could be treated so differently—one draped in gold and silver, the other reduced to chewing shoe leather. They could not help feeling sorry for me.

Eldest Senior Brother looked as if he wanted to say something. Instead, he pulled my red-faced sister away.

As he passed, he tossed me two spirit stones. “Your sister is still young. Do not hold this against her.”

I accepted them meekly.

The senior brothers had shown me no open hostility these past few days, but in private they all resented my poor aptitude for lowering the standing of their peak.

How did I know?

I had stolen the knowledge with my own skills, of course!

I had to admit, Master’s art was magnificent. I could obtain the sect’s deepest secrets without lifting a finger.

For instance, the peach-blossom fragrance on Second Senior Brother’s personal handkerchief told me that he often met a senior sister from the neighboring peak in the peach grove.

Then there were the disciples of the Enforcement Hall. They rarely went on missions, yet their storage pouches held the most spirit stones. From the extra stones that appeared each month, I could even calculate the bribe required to make every category of offense disappear.

As for why my senior brothers favored my sister, the answer was obvious. The storage pouches they gave her overflowed with spirit stones and treasures, while they had not even given me a basic fasting pill.

The thought made me want to return to my cave, embrace all the spirit stones I had stolen, and cry.

When I reached Lingxiao Peak, the cave dwelling I had spent so long arranging lay in ruins.

My little orchid had been crushed beneath its pot, its newly opened petals ground into mud.

Shen Yuening stood there holding a sword. Her face was cold, her mouth apologetic, and her eyes mocking.

“I am sorry, little sister. I have only just learned the Wind-Riding Art, so my control is still poor.”

Eldest Senior Brother beamed. “Junior Sister, you have learned it already? Master will be delighted when he hears!”

He hurried away with Shen Yuening to teach her more spells, never sparing my wrecked home a glance.

“Senior Brother!” I called. “Where am I supposed to sleep tonight?”

He seemed to notice me only then. After some thought, he took two spirit stones from his storage pouch.

“Find somewhere you like. Just do not disturb Junior Sister Yuening’s cultivation.”

In a fit of rage, I became angry for approximately one second.

Boohoo. Both of them had cultivation. Punishing me would be as easy as training a dog.

So I could only hug the immortal herb I had just stolen from Eldest Senior Brother’s pouch and stuff it into my mouth between sobs.

I might not have drawn qi into my body, but my thieving skills were becoming increasingly refined. I no longer needed to touch a storage pouch. The moment someone opened one, its contents were mine for the taking.

Still, life had been difficult lately.

Some accursed wretch had spread a rumor that Master despised me, which was why he refused to teach me anything and intended to wait until my mortal lifespan ran out.

Since half a year had passed without me drawing qi into my body, more and more people looked down on me.

My standing in the sect could be summed up like this:

Anyone who wanted to bully me could bully me. Anyone who offended me could offend me.

I refused to accept it. I meditated with everything I had.

At last, I sensed the shadow of spiritual qi.

According to the teaching elder, I should feel the qi drifting around me and guide it into my body.

What I sensed was slightly different from what the other disciples described. Qi swirled around them in clouds. Only a few lonely motes floated near me.

I tried to guide the largest mote inside. After tremendous effort, I finally made it move—only for it to wobble twice, drift over to Shen Yuening, and slip effortlessly into her body with her next breath.

I ground my teeth and cursed Shen Yuening to die eight hundred times in my heart.

With so much qi in the world, why could she not spare me any?

Suddenly, I slapped myself.

Before going into seclusion, Master had taught me to rely on myself and seek my own “Dao.” If Shen Yuening would not give me any qi, I could take it.

At my thought, the spiritual qi around her began flowing slowly toward me. I could feel it struggling, but it could not overcome my will.

You there, purple qi. Come here!

Yellow qi. You too!

You, you, and you—every last one of you, get over here!

The moment the first thread of qi entered my body, a sinister cackle burst from my throat.

Master, I had achieved enlightenment!