Gu Fuyou unexpectedly came out on top in the competition, much to the shock and surprise of the elder Jiu Yuan as she took away the bottle of Zhuling Pills.
Returning to her room, she lay on her bed, hugging her pillow and holding the bottle of Zhuling Pills in her hand, turning it over and over, filled with joy as if she were soaring into the sky.
It wasn't just the Zhuling Pill that made her so happy, it was something else.
She had witnessed Zhong Michu splash a cup of tea that made Yuan Changsui unable to move and scared a group of spirit beasts into submitting to her.
She realized that this person was too powerful. The joy in her heart stemmed from her admiration for power.
Moreover, she found that Zhong Michu might not be as cold and distant as she appeared on the surface. This meant that there was a chance for them to communicate.
"Regarding our contract, I need to talk to her."
The contract was firmly established. No matter how much she tried to avoid it, it was there. Given the situation, it was better to face it head-on. She thought that perhaps Zhong Michu was also troubled by this contract, and she wanted to assure her that she wouldn't use it to blackmail her, hoping to ease her worries and prevent her from seeking a drastic solution to break the contract. If they could peacefully coexist, that would be the best outcome
She also had another thought. If Zhong Michu was kind-hearted and willing to lend a helping hand, that would be even better. It's always good to rely on a powerful ally.
If she could secure such a backer, it wouldn't need to last forever, just enough to ensure peaceful days at the Xuan Miao Sect.
Si Miao was refining a pill in her room and remarked, "She didn't come to settle accounts with you, so you should just be quietly grateful. Why do you want to approach her? Are you seeking death?"
Gu Fuyou rolled over, holding the pill bottle to her chest, looking up at the ceiling and laughing, "I'm just going to tell her that I won't act as a master. If there's trouble in the future, can I summon her again? Si Miao, you don't know how powerful she is."
"More powerful than your Eldest Brother?"
"It's different from my Eldest Brother; I can't summon him from miles away in an instant."
As she spoke, Gu Fuyou suddenly sat up, looking at Si Miao, cutting off what she was about to say, "I think it's feasible. Remember when I summoned her at the Jiansu Peak? She didn't blame me, and even helped."
Si Miao dismissively said, "She just thought you were being bullied too pitifully."
Gu Fuyou didn't listen and wondered aloud, "What do you think I should say to her?"
Si Miao, adding fuel to the fire, ignored her.
At that moment, Gu Huaiyou arrived.
The three of them had different schedules, and male and female disciples stayed in separate quarters, so they didn't see each other often.
Si Miao chuckled, "Gu Huaiyou, you came at the right time. Quickly persuade your foolish younger sister. She's thinking of ways to seek death."
Knowing about the incident at the Jiansu Peak from other disciples, Gu Huaiyou came to check if Gu Fuyou was hurt. On hearing Si Miao's words, thinking that she might have been bullied, he quickly entered the room.
An elated Gu Fuyou rushed out and jumped onto Gu Huaiyou, hugging his neck and shouting, "Gu Huaiyou!"
Gu Huaiyou wrapped his arms around her waist, staggered back a step, and exclaimed, "What's gotten into you?"
Knowing Gu Fuyou's temperament, and seeing her joyful demeanor, he knew she wasn't bullied but must have something on her mind.
Just as he was pondering what it could be, Gu Fuyou excitedly started telling him about Zhong Michu and her plan to rely on her as a powerful ally.
Gu Huaiyou seriously considered the feasibility of her idea.
Ever since Gu Fuyou summoned Zhong Michu and formed a contract, he had been worried every day.
Zhong Michu was extraordinarily talented and was the disciple of the sect leader, Ji Chaoling. If nothing went wrong, she might inherit the position of sect leader in the future.
How could someone of her stature tolerate being subordinate to someone like Gu Fuyou, who had a mere four spirit roots? And how would the Xuan Miao Sect allow their future pillar to be constrained by someone else?
However, the pact was already sealed, and the only known way to dissolve it was through the master's death.
He feared that both the Xuan Miao Sect and Zhong Michu might harbor murderous intentions. When that time came, even if Gu Wanpeng stepped in to protect her, it would not be an easy task.
Therefore, he secretly inquired about information on Zhong Michu everywhere. If he discovered any abnormality, he would take Gu Fuyou and run away.
Gu Fuyou knew that he had inquired about Zhong Michu's background. She was very interested and pulled him to a table, poured him tea, and urged him to explain everything.
He said, "Zhong Michu is the beloved disciple of the sect leader, Ji Chaoling, and has been with him since she was young…"
Gu Fuyou interrupted, "I know all this, get to the main point."
"Do you know that Yunran Xuanzun is Zhong Michu's mother?"
Gu Fuyou looked surprised, took the cup of water she poured for him and drank it herself, asking, "I knew that Yunran Xuanzun and the sect leader were fellow disciples. But I heard that Yunran Xuanzun practiced the way of heartlessness, cutting off emotions and love. How could she marry and have a child?"
With that thought, she mysteriously leaned close to Gu Huaiyou, covered her mouth with her hand, and whispered, "Could it be that Zhong Michu is actually the daughter of the sect leader and Yunran Xuanzun?"
Yunran Xuanzun was a renowned figure in the Five Continents, with profound cultivation and stunning beauty. She was the lofty flower of Xuan Miao Sect, with many admirers across the Five Continents and Four Seas.
Gu Fuyou once found a biography of famous people in which Yunran Xuanzun was described. The book didn't mention much about her cultivation methods and achievements, but rather focused on her romantic entanglements with several men.
There was a passage in the book that described Yunran Xuanzun as the darling of heaven and said that Ji Chaoling was a once-in-a-millennium talent. The two were childhood sweethearts.
Everyone thought Yunran Xuanzun would end up with Ji Chaoling, but in a twist, she practiced the heartless way, abandoning emotions and love, becoming pure and indifferent.
This gave many writers the room to imagine tragic romances for her, speculating she must have been heartbroken to choose the path of heartlessness.
Gu Fuyou wasn't sure how much of this she could believe.
He tapped her head and said, "You shouldn't gossip about the sect leader like this."
Gu Fuyou asked, "So who is Zhong Michu's father?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Zhong Michu was raised in the Gushen Peak and rarely came down. I heard that when she was young, she hardly ever left the peak. Most of the sect disciples only knew her name and had not seen her. It was only when she grew older that she began to venture out."
What came to Gu Fuyou's mind was the elegant figure of that person.
He said, "Ah Man, Zhong Michu is a bit indifferent to human emotions. Although she wouldn't harm anyone's life easily or hurt you to dissolve the pact, your personalities are too different. Every meeting has been more awkward than the last; becoming friends with her will be difficult."
Si Miao chimed in, teasing, "Difficult is an understatement. With her wild personality compared to someone elegant and dignified, it's like comparing heaven and earth. Unless the impossible happens, I don't see them getting along."
Gu Fuyou, however, was determined and not disheartened. She said with a smile, "Nothing is impossible in this world."
She had to at least give it a try.
Based on his description and recalling her few encounters with Zhong Michu, Gu Fuyou could roughly understand what kind of person she was.
With this kind of person, one had to reason with her…
But encountering Zhong Michu wasn't easy since she rarely left the peak. Gu Fuyou didn't dare to summon her either, as starting a negotiation with a summoning seemed very insincere.
For several days, Gu Fuyou couldn't find Zhong Michu. In the end, she decided to proactively visit her at the Gushen Peak.
Gushen Peak is located behind Jingdu Mountain. It's a quiet and secluded peak, rarely visited by anyone.
Carrying a food box, Gu Fuyou had just reached the foot of the mountain when she was stopped by someone.
The person who stopped her was a guard at the base of the peak. He sternly said to Gu Fuyou, "This place is off-limits to ordinary disciples. Leave immediately!"
Raising an eyebrow, Gu Fuyou thought to herself how mysterious the place seemed.
She decided it wasn't worth forcing her way through and turned around to leave, discreetly making her way around to the back of the peak.
The back of the peak had no guards, but there was a layer of formation that ordinary disciples couldn't enter.
Gu Fuyou couldn't help but want to put her hands on her waist, raise her head to the sky, and laugh out loud. Heaven was helping her!
This kind of barrier formation didn't pose a challenge for her; after modifying the formation, she smoothly made her way up the mountain.
Upon reaching the bluestone steps, she could already see the courtyard at the peak.
It was late autumn, and it had rained the night before. Fallen red leaves covered the fragrant steps. Looking back down the mountain, thin mist lingered, and a gentle breeze arrived, giving a sense of the unique desolation and loneliness of autumn.
This place seemed much quieter than the main peak.
Gu Fuyou, having ascended from the back of the mountain and walked the stone steps, arrived at the back courtyard.
The courtyard wall blocked her path, and the rustling sounds reached her ears.
She walked to the front of the white wall. This courtyard wall was low, and just by standing, she could rest her elbow on top of it.
Leaning over the top of the wall, she peered inside and saw someone practicing with a sword, recognizing the figure as Zhong Michu.
The courtyard was elegant and serene, with fragrant orchids and grass planted all around. There was also a ginkgo tree leaning against the courtyard wall.
From outside the wall, Gu Fuyou watched Zhong Michu practice with her sword.
Her movements with the long sword were incredibly versatile, and the figure in the courtyard moved as gracefully as a crane stepping through clouds or a jade deer leaping across a ravine, her demeanor both ethereal and exquisite. The ginkgo leaves fluttered down in the breeze created by her sword, scattering like broken gold upon the ground.
She remembered that Zhong Michu's spirit sword seemed to be called "Gengchen," its spiritual light sparkling and dazzlingly bright.
Zhong Michu practiced both internal and external cultivation techniques. Internal cultivation focused on refining the spirit, while external cultivation focused on tempering the body. One emphasized techniques, while the other emphasized martial arts.
External cultivation was much more difficult than internal cultivation, and transcending tribulation was also more challenging. It was a lot of work with little reward, so few people practiced it nowadays.
Cultivating both internal and external techniques was even more difficult than ascending to the heavens. Except for those with extraordinary talent, no one would overestimate their abilities and attempt this deadly feat.
If Zhong Michu had not been a dual cultivator, she might have been beyond just the early stages of the Golden Core by now.
Gu Fuyou was so engrossed in watching that she propped her cheek in her hand.
Suddenly, Zhong Michu's sword movements changed, and she turned swiftly, pointing her sword right at Gu Fuyou's nose.
Gu Fuyou heard a humming sound from the sword, which stopped just a finger's width from her face.
A golden leaf slowly fell, touched the blade, and was instantly split in two, disappearing as if it had never been.
Gu Fuyou smiled, straightened her hand resting on the wall, and waved to Zhong Michu.
She noticed a slight twitch at the corner of Zhong Michu's eyes.
It seemed Zhong Michu wasn't happy to see her.
Zhong Michu asked, "How did you get in?" Her voice remained cold and clear, pleasant to hear, like a cool spring on a hot summer day. But now, in autumn, it felt a bit too cold.
Gu Fuyou replied, "I walked in."
Zhong Michu looked skeptical, advancing her sword slightly, "There are guards at the front of the mountain, and a formation at the back."
Gu Fuyou pretended not to understand, carefully grabbed the sword with her fingers to push it away, then lifted the food box she was carrying onto the white wall, smiling and striking up a conversation with Zhong Michu, "A few days ago, you helped me at Jiansu Peak. I made some food as a way to thank you."
Gu Fuyou opened the food box, and a sweet fragrance filled the air.
Zhong Michu drew her sword, which transformed into a flash of light and vanished into her sleeve. Turning around, she headed back to her room and remarked, "Thank you for your kindness, but I have already abstained from food. Ordinary disciples are not allowed in here. Please go down the mountain."
Her words were delivered in one smooth flow – expressing gratitude, rejection, and then dismissal.
In a rush of emotions, Gu Fuyou blurted out, "Wait! Nanzhu Jun!"
Zhong Michu's footsteps paused, and she suddenly turned her head back, her brows lowered, and her gaze cold.
Gu Fuyou sensed her clear displeasure. "It seems you don't like me addressing you that way, but I don't know your real name. My name is Gu Fuyou!"
The title 'Nanzhu Jun' is an elegant pseudonym for Zhong Michu. The Nanzhu is a flower that blooms in the mountains, graceful in appearance and able to thrive in harsh conditions, even in winter. Every part of the plant has medicinal properties, and as such, it's not just a beautiful thing without substance. To be given this pseudonym, it must mean others truly admire her, and it's a mark of honor for her.
But now, she had overlaid another layer of meaning onto the three characters "Nan Zhu Jun." These three characters had become the shackles binding Zhong Michu.
She probably didn't want to hear this title coming out of Gu Fuyou's mouth.
Facing Zhong Michu's gaze, Gu Fuyou curved her lips into a smile.
After a moment, Zhong Michu replied coolly, "Zhong Michu."
Gu Fuyou thought to herself that even though Zhong Michu seemed upset earlier, she still responded, which showed her level of restraint. She said, "Senior Sister Zhong,I actually came to talk to you about the spirit beast contract."
Zhong Michu's face turned even more gloomy. The weather today was already bad, with dark clouds blocking the sun and bursts of cool wind. At this moment, Gu Fuyou didn't know if it was because of her own feelings, but she felt that the light around her had dimmed.
She shrank her neck but still mustered up the courage to say, "I don't know why I summoned Senior Sister Zhong that day; it was like I was possessed when I made that pact, and it somehow succeeded. I know Senior Sister Zhong is a genius and wouldn't willingly be controlled by anyone. I've been terrified for months, afraid that Sister Zhong would want to forcefully break the pact."
Zhong Michu remained unmoved. "Elder Liuhe told mentioned you're skilled with formations."
Gu Fuyou already understood the implication of her words. Zhong Michu suspected that she had secretly done something to summon her over.
Gu Fuyou raised four fingers to the sky and solemnly declared, "That day, I did indeed make some slight modifications to the formation, but it was still a formation for summoning spirit beasts. It absolutely wouldn't summon a person. I can swear to the heavens about this. If there is even half a sentence of falsehood, may I, Gu Fuyou, not have a good death!"
This was the truth.
Hearing her words, Zhong Michu's eyes suddenly moved, and she lowered her head as if in thought.
Gu Fuyou added, "I know that my talent is mediocre and I'm not worthy of commanding Senior Sister Zhong. Therefore, I absolutely, absolutely will not use the power of the contract to force Senior Sister Zhong to do anything she is unwilling to do." She raised her hand again, "Otherwise, may I be struck by lightning and not have a good death!"
Zhong Michu's gaze shifted to her, still impassive. "The Sect Leader and Elder Liuhe are already looking for a way to dissolve the pact. It won't be long"
Although currently, the only known way to break the pact is for one party to die, it doesn't mean other methods don't exist.
Learning that the Sect Leader and Elder Liuhe weren't planning on endangering her life to break the pact, Gu Fuyou thought, "They have a conscience!" This knowledge also brought her great relief.
"Senior Sister Zhong, I'm not delusional enough to think this pact can bind you forever. But since the pact still exists for now, let's make a deal," Gu Fuyou gave Zhong Michu a sweet smile, like a ray of sunshine on this gloomy day.
"I don't know why fate allowed this pact to be formed, but it's here. You've taken the spot of my spirit beast, which means I can't summon another one. This has caused me a lot of inconvenience. For instance, at Jiangsu Peak, they bullied me because I didn't have a spirit beast. So, when I'm in trouble, could I call on you?"
Gu Fuyou spoke in a negotiating tone, biting her lower lip, putting away her usual ferocity and showing a well-behaved appearance.
Zhong Michu stared at her, falling into a prolonged silence.
Just as Gu Fuyou began to wonder if Zhong Michu thought she was too shameless and was silently refusing to respond…
Zhong Michu suddenly said, "Once a day."
Gu Fuyou was shocked. Zhong Michu continued sternly, "You can only summon me once a day, limited to times of absolute necessity."
The smile on Gu Fuyou's face instantly bloomed. As if fearing that she would change her mind, she quickly said, "Thank you, Senior Sister!"
She didn't expect to win Zhong Michu over so easily, yet it happened just like that.
She lifted the food box she'd brought and extended it over the wall, saying, "Senior Sister Zhong, these are pastries I made. They're steamed with pure cheese, topped with cherry syrup, and sprinkled with honey-soaked osmanthus petals. They taste quite good. Would you like to try?"
Zhong Michu replied, "No need."
"Those who cultivate often abstain from regular food because it contains impurities that can hinder cultivation. However, the ingredients I used are all spiritual plants. They won't obstruct your cultivation; in fact, they might even slightly aid it. Are you sure you don't want any?"
Zhong Michu, with an indifferent expression, said, "This place is not suitable for you to stay long. You should go down the mountain."
It was the second time she was being told to leave. Gu Fuyou, holding her food box, smiled cheerfully, "Alright, alright."
After bidding Zhong Michu farewell, she made her way down the back of the mountain.
Walking down the stone steps, she took a bite from one of the pastries, mumbling, "This is my specialty. What a pity she doesn't appreciate it."
After finishing a pastry, Gu Fuyou licked her fingertips. When she looked back at the courtyard wall, she smiled sweetly.
She was aware that she and Zhong Michu were very different and might not get along.
There are many kinds of friendships. Although she finds Zhong Michu's reserved demeanor off-putting, and Zhong Michu might find her frivolity annoying, she still wanted to be around her. Gu Fuyou admired Zhong Michu's talent, appreciated her excellence, and was curious about why the summoning circle had brought Zhong Michu into her life.
For now, Zhong Michu couldn't avoid her.
There's an old saying "Fate has its own plans."
When she didn't want to believe this kind of saying, she didn't believe it. When she wanted to believe it, she felt it made sense.
By the time Gu Fuyou reached the foot of the mountain, she decided that she should cater more to Zhong Michu's tastes the next time.
As she approached the front peak, she saw the guard, her expression shifted, and she walked up holding the food box with a sweet, ingratiating smile, "Guard brother…"