NOVEL NEXT Chapter 67 - Given to a dog
The master observed Tang Yuan’s hesitation, worried she might not dare to choose, and selected three spatial pouches with the best resources for her. Keeping two, he tossed them to his other disciples.
“Take these and pick what you need. Distribute the rest to the diligent and talented disciples.”
Tang Yuan received more resources alone than the entire sect’s disciples combined, but none of the disciples voiced any objections to the apparent inequity.
When she accepted the three spatial pouches, her senior brothers and sisters even seemed delighted. One disciple smiled and said, “Senior Sister, next time, bring back more. Little Junior Sister’s spiritual roots are incomplete, her talent insufficient, and her health frail. She needs extra support.”
Incomplete spiritual roots, insufficient talent, and inherent frailty.
Thus, they believed it was only right to gather all the world’s treasures and present them to Little Junior Sister, as if no amount could ever suffice.
Jiang Zi, standing silently nearby, narrowed her eyes, her lips pressed tightly together.
Tang Yuan toyed with the spatial pouches in her hand, her gaze darting toward Jiang Zi, then shifting to the master beside her.
“Master, are all these things brought back by Senior Sister?”
Mistaking Tang Yuan’s question as hesitation or embarrassment, and noticing Jiang Zi’s lack of response, the master’s face darkened. He shot Jiang Zi a sharp glare, the pressure of his power descending on her.
Jiang Zi clenched her sword so tightly it trembled, but her back remained straight, as if unaffected.
Turning back to Tang Yuan, the master’s demeanor softened drastically. He even patted her head. “Ah Yuan, don’t worry about it. It’s all given to you willingly by your senior sister. Once it’s yours, it’s yours. Keep it well.”
Tang Yuan nodded with a sweet smile. “Got it, Master. Thank you.”
Their harmonious exchange left no room for thoughts of the senior sister who worked tirelessly for the sect.
When the oppressive force on her back dissipated, Jiang Zi wasted no time turning to leave.
She had just stepped outside when a soft, sweet voice called from behind her.
“Senior Sister.”
It was the first time Tang Yuan had addressed her.
Jiang Zi paused but didn’t turn around. She waited until Tang Yuan walked in front of her, lifting her eyes slightly to meet her gaze, her expression unreadable.
Tang Yuan twirled lightly, her dress sweeping in a graceful arc. Blocking Jiang Zi’s path, she smiled. “Senior Sister, can we talk?”
Without warning, Jiang Zi’s spirit sword appeared, separating the two. Tang Yuan flinched and instinctively took a step back. Jiang Zi seized the opportunity, grabbing her wrist and yanking her onto the sword. Before Tang Yuan could react, they were airborne.
The sudden ascent made Tang Yuan scream, clinging tightly to Jiang Zi. With her weak cultivation, she could not fly on a sword, and the precarious wobbling of the blade beneath her feet terrified her.
The only thing she could do was hold on for dear life.
Humans may die someday, but not from falling off a sword!
Jiang Zi let her cling on, offering no extra support. The helpless junior sister had no choice but to grip her “lifeline” firmly.
Five minutes later, they landed at Jiang Zi’s secluded courtyard.
As the sect’s most valuable asset, Jiang Zi was granted her own mountaintop and residence, protected by her personally crafted barriers. No one could enter without her permission.
Tang Yuan, finally back on solid ground, wobbled unsteadily, her hand still gripping Jiang Zi’s arm. Her face was pale, her expression shaken.
Jiang Zi raised a brow and commented, “Weak.”
“All those resources piled on you—if they were given to a dog, it would’ve cultivated to perfection by now.”
The words pierced Tang Yuan’s heart. She quickly let go of Jiang Zi, her voice defensive. “I don’t even like cultivating! No matter how good the resources are, I don’t want them!”
Jiang Zi crossed her arms, a faint smirk on her lips. “Yet, you still take them?”
“I didn’t know the things Master and the senior brothers gave me came from you. If they gift it to me, I’ll take it. Who wouldn’t?”
Tang Yuan held up the three spatial pouches she had just received, shoving them toward Jiang Zi. “Take them back. If it’s not given sincerely, I don’t want it.”
Jiang Zi glanced at them but didn’t accept, her chuckle cold. “What about the ones you’ve taken before? Returning those too?”
“That’s different! Those were sincerely given to Master and the senior brothers, and they genuinely wanted me to have them. It’s not the same.”
Her logic was surprisingly sound.
Tang Yuan shoved the pouches into Jiang Zi’s arms, but when Jiang Zi didn’t hold them, they fell to the ground, hovering slightly above the dirt due to a layer of spiritual energy.
Tang Yuan didn’t bother picking them up. She had returned them, and that was that.
“Senior Sister, as the sect’s strongest, you should use these resources yourself. They’ll do you more good than anyone else.”
“Stop treating yourself like a beast of burden, sacrificing everything without expecting anything in return.”
Having said her piece, she turned to leave, but paused, realizing the walk back to her residence would take two days without a sword.
She turned back with a hopeful look. “Senior Sister, can you take me back?”
Jiang Zi ignored her, stepping into her home and shutting the door behind her with a resounding bang.
Tang Yuan stared at the closed door, dumbfounded, before huffing in frustration and marching toward the courtyard gate.
Only to smack face-first into the invisible barrier.
Tang Yuan was knocked back several steps, pain shooting through her as she gritted her teeth. Never having been treated this way before, she was stunned by the impact. After coming to her senses, she crouched down, holding her forehead, and broke down into loud sobs.
Hearing her wails, Jiang Zi reopened the door, her gaze impassive. “You didn’t even notice the barrier?”
How low is her cultivation?
Tang Yuan didn’t answer, her sobs growing louder, her small figure trembling with each cry.
Jiang Zi sighed, her irritation giving way to helplessness. She walked over and lifted the girl to her feet. Seeing her tear-streaked face, Jiang Zi felt an unfamiliar pang of guilt.
Awkwardly, she muttered, “Stop crying.”
It sounded more like an order than comfort.
To her, a bump like that wasn’t even worth mentioning. Her own wounds from sect missions were countless times worse. But to Tang Yuan, it felt like the sky had fallen.
Jiang Zi moved Tang Yuan’s hand from her forehead and brushed her cold fingertips over the reddened spot. With a soft glow of spiritual energy, the mark vanished instantly.
She didn’t even need ointment or pills.
Tang Yuan couldn’t even do things that could be easily resolved with spiritual energy.
“Tang Yuan, I’ll teach you how to cultivate.”