Chapter 14: The Strange Transformation of the Peach Branch

Jiang Min cheered in excitement, leaping up from her bed. Unexpectedly, the force of her jump, unaccustomed to her new strength at the second stage of Qi Refinement, caused her to crash her head heavily against the beam above.

"Ouch! That hurts..." she cried, clutching her head and crouching down, wailing in pain.

Was the enhancement from the second stage of Qi Refinement truly so great? Her strength and agility had both increased yet again. Though her head still ached, feeling the surge of spiritual power within her, Jiang Min couldn’t help but grin. Now that she had crossed the threshold into the second stage, further transformations would come much more easily.

As for the challenges looming further ahead in her cultivation, those were concerns for another day. It was still early yet.

After her initial joy, she stilled her mind. The spiritual energy in her core gradually subsided, until it matched that of someone at the first stage of Qi Refinement. Concealing one's cultivation like this was simple to learn—anyone could do it. As long as she didn’t make a move, no one would be able to tell her true level. When traveling outside, the cultivation others displayed was not always real.

Jiang Min preferred to keep a low profile. After all, reaching the second stage of Qi Refinement in just a year made her an oddity among the outer servants.

She glanced out the window. Night still reigned, cold and quiet, accompanied only by the faint, clear cry of cicadas.

"Since it’s not yet dawn, I’ll continue cultivating," she murmured, sitting cross-legged to enter her meditative state.

Though weak for now, one day she would surpass even Jiang Ziyi and the likes of her—become stronger, greater.

From a wild sprout hidden deep in the grass, now she began to sense her own growth. The world might not yet recognize a tree destined to pierce the clouds, but when it finally soared skyward, then would its true height be known.

...

In the blink of an eye, three and a half years passed—gone like a fleeting white colt dashing past a crack, all in a moment.

On the Flowing Cloud Peak, in the plum grove behind the mountain, the cold blossoms adorned the jade-like branches. Even amid the snow, one could sense the promise of approaching spring. Between the clusters of frosty plum blossoms, a slender figure darted by—swift as an illusion, leaving only a rush of crisp wind that sent a flurry of petals drifting to the ground.

Yet not a single footprint marked the snow.

When the figure finally halted, her true form was revealed: a girl in servant’s grey robes, her hair coiled up, a short sword in hand, her expression light and lively, a bright smile blooming on her face.

With her left sleeve drawn up, she revealed a yellow talisman hidden in her palm.

"A single spirit talisman," she mused. "There are three ways to cast a spell: aloud, in a whisper, and with the mind alone. Speaking aloud is the most obvious. Silent chanting in the heart, undetectable by others, has long been lost. Whispered incantations, audible only to oneself, are hard to master, but after much practice, I’ve finally learned them."

"I’ve also learned ventriloquism. This way, even when facing a tricky opponent, I can rely on my footwork to maneuver, quietly activate the talisman, and recite the incantation with ventriloquism—so they won’t realize what I’m doing. It might just catch them off guard."

"Hopefully, this will help me earn a reward at the Azure Cloud Gathering. My resources are limited, and I lack quality spiritual tools and martial skills—so this is the only way I can face my foes..."

The maiden practicing her swordplay in the plum grove was none other than Jiang Min.

Over these three years, thanks to the mysterious peach branch, she had smoothly cultivated to the third stage of Qi Refinement, far surpassing her peers among the outer servants.

But soon after, she was forced to stop consuming demon core embryos.

The peach branch had begun to go awry!

Because she had absorbed too much demonic energy, several blood-red flower buds, strange and almost sinister, had quietly sprouted on the branch within her core, as if about to come alive.

Worse yet, ever since those sinister buds appeared, the peach branch began to emit a powerful demonic aura. Her core could not contain such force; pain throbbed within her constantly.

Jiang Min had no idea what was happening, nor dared she ask anyone.

But one thing was certain: for the time being, she could no longer rely on the peach branch to aid her cultivation.

Desperately needing resources, she risked a journey to Zixia Mountain to retrieve a spatial pouch she had hidden nearby. Using the fifty-three spirit stones inside, she continued her cultivation, since those stones could not be openly spent and were only suitable for private use.

To her surprise, however, the spiritual energy in a single low-grade spirit stone was barely equal to that in one demon core embryo. She used up all fifty-three stones and still saw no sign of breaking through to the fourth stage of Qi Refinement.

What now? If she followed the usual path, it might take years to reach the fourth stage and finally shed her servant status.

She hadn’t forgotten Jiang Ziyi, who refused to let her go. If Jiang Ziyi became an inner disciple, she would be at her mercy. Inner disciples, after all, enjoyed privileges.

So Jiang Min set her sights on the upcoming Azure Cloud Gathering.

The Azure Cloud Gathering—the greatest opportunity for outer servants! Only those under thirty years of age could participate. Contestants would fight on the stage, and the top ten winners would receive three rewards:

A spiritual pill to advance their cultivation.

Ten days of training in the Spirit Gathering Valley.

A chance to enter the Library Pavilion.

These rewards were hugely attractive to outer servants, and every Azure Cloud Gathering was a brutal, bloody competition.

Originally, Jiang Min hadn’t planned to participate. She had hoped to quietly cultivate and reach the fourth stage aided by the peach branch. But now, with that path closed to her, she had no choice but to chase her own fortune.

"This time, I must make it into the top ten," she resolved.

As the sun set, the peaks were swiftly swallowed by dusk. Only then did Jiang Min realize she had been training most of the day and should return.

"It’s New Year’s today—time to go home and put up the Spring Festival couplets!"

Jiang Min skipped back to the small courtyard behind the Library Pavilion. There, a large pot had already been set over the fire, bubbling with hot soup, the savory aroma of beast meat rising from within.

Three people bustled around the pot: the white-haired Elder Zhao Ji, Brother Zhong Qu in his forties, and Qin Gengyun, a fellow servant who had entered the sect the same year as Jiang Min. Qin was the son of a servant in an immortal cultivation family, sent to Dongling Sect by his father in search of opportunity.

"You’ve started cooking already?" Jiang Min asked in surprise, then hurriedly added, "Oh, I’m so late! Let me help with the couplets!"

Elder Zhao Ji stirred the bubbling meat, chuckling, "Not late at all—we were just greedy and got the pot going early. Nothing else has been done. Why don’t you rest for a bit and let Gengyun handle the couplets?"

"Yes, I’ll do it," Qin Gengyun replied cheerfully. He was a dark-skinned youth whose honest smile belied a shrewdness in handling people.

But Jiang Min was quick; she snatched up the couplets from the table, declaring solemnly, "Let me do it! On New Year’s, the one who puts up the couplets gets the most good fortune."

Her words made everyone laugh.

In truth, it was Jiang Min who had suggested celebrating the New Year at all. In past years, Flowing Cloud Peak had always been cold and quiet, even during the festival. As cultivators, they had long since lost interest in worldly holidays, instead honoring only those sacred to the immortal path—like the annual birthday of the Dongling Sect’s founder, when grand ceremonies were held to pay homage to the founder’s spirit.

Jiang Min took the couplets, pasting one at each doorway. As she bustled about, Elder Zhao Ji asked, "You’ve been practicing in the back mountain lately—are you planning to join the Azure Cloud Gathering in a few days?"

Flowing Cloud Peak was neither large nor small, but with cultivators’ keen senses, her training could hardly go unnoticed.

Standing on tiptoe to paste a banner, Jiang Min replied, "Yes—just joining in for the excitement."

At this, the others were startled.

Jiang Min was still young, and, as far as anyone knew, only at the first stage of Qi Refinement. She’d be at a disadvantage in the Azure Cloud Gathering.

Brother Zhong Qu put down what he was doing and hurriedly urged, "Are you sure? Most of those who participate are at the second stage, some at the third. The gap between stages is huge, and those bold enough to compete have spiritual tools and talismans. It can be deadly if you’re not careful!"

"Sister, the Azure Cloud Gathering isn’t a place for fun. Didn’t you see how fierce the last competition was? Two servants were gravely injured and died soon after," added Qin Gengyun anxiously.

Zhong Qu’s face darkened with concern. "You’re still young. If you really want to participate, you can wait for the next one, or the one after that. For now, just focus on your cultivation, all right?"

Jiang Min felt warmth in her heart, knowing they cared for her.

With her hands pressed together in a pleading gesture, she said innocently, "Thank you, brothers. I know my limits—please trust me. I really want to give it a try."

Seeing he couldn’t dissuade her, Zhong Qu turned away, sulking in frustration.

Elder Zhao Ji simply smiled. "Just be careful. There are many hidden talents among the servants, some with powerful backgrounds or spiritual tools. If you can’t win, surrender immediately."

"I will, I will. If I can’t beat them, I’ll run at once," Jiang Min promised with a grin.

Though she said this, in truth, if any chance presented itself, she would fight with all her might for the Azure Cloud Gathering’s reward.

Now, all that remained was to wait for the day of the gathering to arrive.