Two Roommates

After reading Steward Chen Yu’s message, Su Qing dove into course selection.

Though her university days were cut short by transmigration, she had some experience with this. The key: act fast. Hand speed, brain speed, and network speed all had to align.

Otherwise, missing her preferred courses and getting stuck with unwanted ones would be bad enough, but failing to graduate would be worse.

The Sword Sect’s first-year curriculum included mandatory courses, electives, and sect trials. Mandatory courses were auto-assigned once she chose her cultivation path. Sect trials were issued by the sect later.

Today, she needed to pick her cultivation path and two electives.

Su Qing opened the system, consulting Lin Hebai’s course guide.

The guide’s first page outlined the sect’s seven major paths: Sword Cultivation, Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Body Cultivation, Talisman Crafting, Formation Arrays, and Beast Taming.

Each path had sub-specializations. For example, Sword Cultivation included Heavy Sword, Light Sword, Dual Swords, and Whip Sword. Artifact Refining split into Weapons, Magical Artifacts, and Lifestyle Aids.

The divisions were detailed but not very useful for first-years, who focused on foundational courses with few advanced options. In Su Qing’s terms, the first year was mostly general education, with specialized courses later.

She just needed to choose two major paths.

Sword Cultivation was non-negotiable at the Sword Sect, so one path was set. The second had to come from Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Body Cultivation, Talisman Crafting, Formation Arrays, or Beast Taming.

It felt like picking a faction in a game, each option exciting her.

Artifact Refining: Crafting treasures sounded cool and cost-saving.

Alchemy: Making pills could save and earn money.

Talisman Crafting: Creating talismans seemed frugal and survival-friendly.

Everything sounded appealing.

But with her poor starting aptitude, spreading herself thin was a mistake. Focusing on one path while broadly exploring was smarter.

She ruled out Formation Arrays and Beast Taming first.

Formations were out because her spatial geometry was terrible. She couldn’t tell north from south, only up, down, left, right. Without navigation, she relied on asking strangers or fate. Without Xiu Fu’s guidance during the trial, she’d have wandered into a ditch.

Beast Taming was off because she lacked animal affinity. Not that animals hated her, but they didn’t love her either.

That left Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Body Cultivation, and Talisman Crafting. She was interested in all, and, admittedly, she was decent at cooking, with a knack for controlling heat.

She flipped through the guide.

The next sections detailed each path.

Sword Cultivation, mandatory, she skipped. The Body Cultivation section was blunt: Body Cultivation strengthens the body. Suitable.

She was suited for it.

No rush, though—she’d choose carefully. Good paths required scrutiny.

The Alchemy section had one line: Have family wealth?

Translation: Got money?

Hu Sang’s advice: Alchemy bankrupts three generations.

No money, no alchemy. Could she afford a furnace or herbs? Did she know high-tier pills needed pricier materials? Or the cost of alchemy equipment?

Higher-tier alchemists needed better gear. Did she think pills were hand-rolled? No funds, no progress.

Convinced, Su Qing admitted her finances couldn’t support alchemy early on.

Next, Artifact Refining: Have family wealth?

Hu Sang again: Artifact Refining bankrupts three generations.

No money, no refining. It wasn’t blacksmithing with a bellows. Materials—rare treasures, spiritual ores—didn’t fall from the sky. Furnaces weren’t free either; public ones rented at 100 spirit seeds per hour now.

Did she know how long it took to forge a basic sword?

Got it: no refining for her.

She flipped to Talisman Crafting, hoping paper and ink were cheap.

The guide crushed her: Have family wealth?

Ordinary paper couldn’t hold spiritual energy. Talisman paper came from high-tier beast hides or spiritual plants—hardly cheap. Pens and pigments required rare materials too. It wasn’t just about skill.

In short: poor folks couldn’t afford talismans.

Undeterred, she checked Formation Arrays and Beast Taming.

Formations were costlier, terrifying her.

Beast Taming? She thought catching critters in the woods—ones slower than her—would do.

Nope.

The guide insisted on taming high-potential, evolvable divine beast embryos. Rare beasts were harder to find than genius humans. The Qi Clan’s obsession with the Nether Wolf cub, Moon, made sense—it was a once-in-a-lifetime talent.

The guide screamed one word: Poor.

It shouldn’t be called a course guide but Body Cultivation Recommendation.

Lin Hebai’s summary for all six paths: Wealthy, suitable. Poor, difficult. Persist, possible.

Lacking strong preferences, Su Qing followed Lin Hebai’s advice, selecting Sword Cultivation and Body Cultivation in the system.

Her two paths were set.

For electives, she browsed options like Ancient Astrology, Quadrant Compass Secrets, Basic Longevity Techniques, Complete Martial Arts, Marriage Divination, Weapon Maintenance, Spirit Nurturing, Cultivation Psychology, Arena Duels, Secret Realm Compendium, Spiritual Plant Cultivation, Beast Taming, Contracts and Karma, Music Cultivation Intro, Cultivation Traditions Overview, Heavenly Tribulation Theory and Methods, and Exotic Cuisine Principles and Practice. She chose Weapon Maintenance—practical for a sword cultivator—and Exotic Cuisine, a personal interest.

Sadly, Cuisine was full, likely too popular. She tried Ancient Astrology and Marriage Divination, but they were taken too. After scrambling, she settled on Spirit Nurturing.

The system confirmed instantly: “Course selection successful.” The smoothness felt eerie, like stepping onto a doomed path.

Spirit Nurturing sounded tough, tied to creating life. Oh well—she’d chosen it. No turning back.

Course selection done, it was time to move dorms.

Her new dorm was Yimei Pavilion, Room 707.

She wondered what roommates Chen Yu had arranged. Hopefully, kindred spirits who’d support her in studies and life—new companions.

Room 707 was on the seventh floor. Luckily, her belongings were light, carried in two hands.

Unlike spring semester returns at university, lugging heavy bags, climbing seven floors would’ve killed her.

But at the door, something felt off.

First, it was open.

Second, despite heated arguing inside, no one came to watch. That defied human nature.

In a world where disagreements could spark bloodshed, Su Qing had learned caution. Pretending to pass by, she stole a glance.

Inside, two groups—red and white—faced off, tension thick.

One glance, and her hairs stood on end.

The white-clad group’s leader was Qi Liwei.

The Qi Clan!

She knew they’d pass the trial, but sharing a room with Qi Liwei? That was a death sentence.

She’d have to sleep clutching her head.

Was Chen Yu’s “arrangement” putting her with Qi Liwei to force reconciliation?

Impossible.

But Su Qing calmed herself. She trusted Chen Yu; there had to be a reason.

Composed, she walked to the corridor’s end, turned back, and passed 707 again, listening closely. She caught two unfamiliar names.

“This bed’s ours—we got here first!”

“First come, first served? Got your name on it?”

They were just setting up the dorm.

The argument grew fiercer, hinting at a confrontation.

Not wanting to face Qi Liwei, Su Qing hurried downstairs.

Lugging her belongings, she loitered outside the dorm, unsure where to go.

When in doubt, eat.

Her stuff wasn’t valuable. Tossing it in a corner, she wiped her face and headed to the cafeteria.

Still lost in the vast Sword Sect, she’d memorized the path to food.

Good news: tonight featured mini hot pots.

A gleaming copper pot held creamy broth, golden oil flecks floating atop.

No fire beneath, but the stone tray under the pot was scalding, keeping the broth bubbling.

She picked her ingredients: two bowls of vegetables, two of meat slices. She added rice noodles first, cooked briefly, then bamboo shoots, mushrooms, bean sprouts, and tofu skin. Finally, she laid thin, tender meat slices over the bowl.

The heat cooked them instantly.

Blowing on it, she ate slowly.

The bamboo shoots were crisp yet pliable, the meat firm and juicy. Even bland bean sprouts absorbed rich flavors. As ingredients melded with the broth, they created a simple yet vibrant taste.

She ate the noodles, cleared the ingredients, and drank every drop of soup.

Her stomach felt full.

Time to check the dorm again.

For food like this, she’d endure a few nights there.

Room 707’s door was closed now, the corridor quiet. The red and white-clad girls were gone.

Steeling herself, Su Qing pushed open the door.

She nearly collided with a black-clad girl carrying an armful of items.

“Sorry…” Su Qing started.

The girl didn’t spare her a glance, her face cold as she flung everything out.

In a blur, Su Qing saw items scatter like spilled ink.

After a clatter, she realized what happened.

The girl was throwing things out—like garbage.

But they weren’t ordinary items.

Gleaming magical weapons, spirit-overflowing pills, cloud-like garments, exquisite ornaments, misty spiritual plants, even gold-embroidered bedding—all tossed mercilessly, crashing onto the corridor.

Su Qing had never seen such treasures, stunned as they were discarded.

The black-clad girl returned, holding only storage pouches.

The pouches seemed to seek their owner, returning despite being thrown.

Irritated, the girl flicked her foot, picked up a fallen sword, and slashed a pouch.

With a rip, it burst, spilling a cascade of spirit stones, flooding the corridor like a mountain, blocking the passage.

A literal treasure mountain.

Spirit stones kept pouring, spraying in all directions, some sliding to Su Qing’s feet, bouncing before stopping.

One stone, two, a hundred… Thousands, maybe tens of thousands, radiant with dense spiritual energy, their clarity marking them as high-grade.

Su Qing’s brain stalled. How much silver is this?

Despite the commotion, the corridor stayed silent—no one dared peek.

The black-clad girl passed Su Qing and reentered the room.

Su Qing stood frozen.

First, as a country bumpkin, she’d never seen such wealth, let alone seen it treated as trash.

Second, this roommate was too striking.

Her black attire deepened her cold, aloof aura, but her black hair, pale skin, ink-dark eyes, and refined features made her a rare beauty, like a mountain spirit.

And oddly familiar, like…

Su Qing paused.

Like the Qi Clan’s Daozi.

The resemblance was uncanny, almost twin-like.

Suppressing her urge to flee, Su Qing entered.

Inside, a red-clad girl leaned on her hand, chuckling. “Your family’s girl worked hard to set this up, nearly dueling my Tang Clan. You threw it all out—pretty heartless.”

She was beautiful too, not otherworldly like the black-clad girl but lively and proud, like a fox in snow.

The black-clad girl’s area—her bed and desk—was bare, like a snow-swept cave.

She replied coldly, “None of your business.”

The room’s temperature seemed to plummet.

The red-clad girl’s smile vanished, her face hardening. She shoved an ornament, making a loud clatter.

Su Qing entered this stifling atmosphere.

Chen Yu’s chosen roommates were clearly noble-born misses, far above her.

How was she supposed to live with them?

The awkwardness was palpable. She considered introducing herself, but their aloof attitudes suggested it’d be like slapping a cold backside. Better not.

While debating, she noticed they ignored her.

The black-clad girl read a book. The red-clad girl fiddled with her collection. Her clothes and jewelry overflowed the dorm’s wardrobe, so she’d brought two tall and two short silk pearwood cabinets with glossy linings, elevating the dorm’s aesthetic.

Still not enough, her excess clothes—vibrant as clouds—spilled onto her bed, shelves, and desk.

She’d also custom-ordered a crystal cabinet for her curated magical artifacts, making the room glow.

She took up most of the shared space, but Su Qing didn’t mind. It upgraded the dorm’s vibe.

The black-clad girl cared even less. The Qi Clan had lavishly decorated her space, sparking a clash with the red-clad girl’s family. She’d ripped it all down and tossed it.

The dorm was split: one half opulent, the other ravaged.

As for Su Qing—

Her belongings were pitifully few. Bed made, clothes hung, toiletries placed—done.

The room was quiet, save for soft page-turning and the clink of artifacts. Each ignored the others, the deliberate silence making Su Qing squirm.

She missed her phone desperately.

The dorm was meant for four, but with 891 female freshmen, one would be a triple. Hers was supposed to be a quad, but the fourth roommate, upon seeing the roster, paid heavily to switch to another dorm.

So, a triple it was.

The black-clad girl finished reading and meditated. The red-clad girl, face cold, practiced talisman drawing. Neither eased the tension.

Su Qing: This isn’t what I expected.

By bedtime, no one had spoken.

The atmosphere was abysmal.

Su Qing felt safe yet uneasy. Curled in bed, she didn’t know what to do. Unable to cultivate like them, she could only… stare.

She missed Xiu Fu terribly.