Rubbing Shoulders with Heavenly Tribulation, Fleecing the Sheep, part 2

“They’re saying—”

“What?”

“Beast Sect’s Teacher Hu Sang—can he win over Teacher He Bai? Anyone betting? I’m betting no, ten chicken legs minimum.”

“No one’s betting with you. We all think he’s got no shot. Can’t start a pool like that…”

“Poor Teacher Hu Sang. As Sword Sect students, I’ll toss him a pity vote.”

“You’re just saying that because he complimented your fashion sense last time, right?”

“Heh.”

“He’s got no chance with Teacher He Bai. Her perfect muscles, her raw power—she’s the woman among women, the body cultivator among body cultivators!”

“Hu Sang’s flirting is like winking at a blind man. His slim waist is wasted—He Bai doesn’t even glance.”

“Totally agree. But his waist *is* pretty slim.”

“No ‘buts.’ Though his waist *is* pretty pale.”

“…Is this about his waist?”

“Not really. He Bai’s not dumb—Hu Sang’s crush is so obvious, how could she miss it?”

“Oh, oh, oh! You’re saying He Bai’s pretending not to notice? To avoid rejecting a colleague awkwardly?”

“Yeah, rejecting a sect romance is awkward.”

“No, no, no. It’s actually because—they’re different species.”

“???”

“Hu Sang’s a Beast Sect demon cultivator, remember? He’s a snake! He Bai *hates* snakes. Last time she led a team to Ten Thousand Poison Valley—she was *unhinged*.”

“Right! I remember! She tore a troublemaking snake spirit in half, heart flying out, landing by my feet, still beating! Other sects thought our Body Sect was savage. We’re not—it was just He Bai that day, inexplicably furious. No one dared invite us to team up after.”

“She really hates snakes!”

“Totally. Remember that day I wore a snake hairpin? He Bai drilled me so hard I nearly died. So that’s why!”

“No wonder Hu Sang complimented your style.”

“I take back my pity vote. I’m tossing that hairpin. Sorry, Hu Sang—your doomed crush isn’t worth my life.”

“So, to sum up, He Bai’s been enduring the fact that her nemesis has a crush on her.”

“She’s holding back from tearing Hu Sang apart?”

“Poor He Bai, suffering in silence.”

“Keeping a polite poker face under that pressure—I’m falling for Hu Sang all over again.”

“Can I say it? I could *never* handle my nemesis crushing on me.”

“Totally get it.”

“Me too.”

“…What are we even getting? I don’t get it!”

“Like, imagine an Array Sect disciple secretly crushing on you, sending you flirty glances. Wherever you are, they’re watching, memorizing your every move…”

“Definitely up to no good! Spotting my weaknesses, then—kill, kill, kill!”

“Ugh—”

“Stop, my lunch is coming up. If I puke and get hungry, you’re buying me food.”

“You said you didn’t get it!”

“I asked for an explanation, not my life!” @Infinite Good Reads, Only at Jinjiang Literature City

Su Qing raised her hand quietly. “Question: Is the Body Sect on bad terms with the Array Sect?”

The gossiping Body Sect seniors froze, faces turning grave.

The air stilled. Su Qing thought she’d touched a taboo. “Just asking casually—no need to answer.”

Xu Jiuxing forced a smile. “Not exactly bad…”

Her face darkened, fierce. “It’s *really* bad.”

Zhuxu slammed a fist into her palm. “Awful.”

Others chimed in: “Terrible.”

“Horrible.”

“Like fire and water!”

“Array Sect’s sneaky snakes!”

“Only good for backstabbing, not straight-up fights. I look down on them.”

“Trash Array Sect, get out of Sword Sect!”

Someone shouted, “Crush the Array Sect! Take their peak! Drag them to body training!”

Others echoed, “Agree, totally agree!”

Su Qing feared Array Sect folks would show up for a duel. She’d side with Body Sect, but at Qi Refining Layer 1, she’d lose to anyone. @Infinite Good Reads, Only at Jinjiang Literature City

The friendly senior who urged her to eat earlier now raged, “Let them try! Those scheming rats wouldn’t dare face us, or I’d respect them more!”

“Junior Sister, beware! Don’t let Array Sect trick you! Beat them down before they grow stronger!”

The truth emerged: the sects despised each other.

Body Sect folks were straightforward, favoring brawn and direct combat, disdaining schemers. Array Sect preferred cunning, planning behind the scenes.

Like oil and water, Array Sect’s traps always caught Body Sect off guard. But Body Sect wasn’t soft—they’d climb out and thrash Array Sect until their brains rattled.

The sects just didn’t mesh, mutually loathing, lucky to be on separate peaks or they’d be spitting at each other. @Infinite Good Reads, Only at Jinjiang Literature City

Their cultivation paths differed, with no right or wrong. Su Qing caught one detail: arrays were costly, pricier than pills or talismans. Body cultivators were often dirt-poor, their foundations rough.

Maybe wealth gaps fueled their feud too.

She hadn’t met Array Sect folks yet, so she reserved judgment, noting only: *Be cautious around them. Caution’s never wrong.*

Lingering with Body Sect, Su Qing’s ears filled with gossip—about famous cultivators, teachers, staff, students, spirit beasts, even stray dogs.

She learned things she probably shouldn’t have.

The sky stayed overcast, no sign of a tribulation forming.

The thunder to strike Elder Danxia was still on its way.

With work at the tea shop looming, Su Qing bid the second-years farewell, grabbing her empty food box and boarding a cloud boat.

By evening, she returned, fully equipped.

She’d told Tang Yueling and Tianning about catching the tribulation or pill fragrance. Whether they came was their call—she was definitely in.

At noon, while eavesdropping, she noticed over forty stalls but none selling food. Waiting for a sunrise—or a tribulation—without sausages or instant noodles?

In the cold night, with biting winds, not eating a hot sausage to warm up was a shame!

She had to cash in.

Su Qing bulk-bought a hundred sausages and a vat of braised beef offal at the second cafeteria, plus wooden skewers, nutshell bowls, charcoal, and fire crystal stones.

If time allowed, she’d have carved the skewers and bowls herself. Rushed, she spent about 150 spirit seeds.

Sausages were three spirit seeds each—100 made 300. She borrowed a grill, promising to return it. The offal vat cost 350; she borrowed an insulated bucket, vowing to clean and return it.

Giving her student ID and name, mentioning her tea shop job, she said they could report her if she didn’t return them. Her sincerity and honest face convinced the vendors.

All her gear needed a cart, but as a body cultivator, what couldn’t she carry?

She was strong.

Tying everything with hemp rope, she strapped it on like a walking freight truck. Channeling spiritual energy, she set off.

Solid. Steady.

Perfect.

This time, she took up half the cloud boat. It sank under her weight, barely squeezing in three others before departing.

The breeze carried the warm scent of sausages and offal, wafting through the ethereal boat.

Amid the jostling, someone swallowed hard. “Can I get a sausage?”

“Me too?”

“Sell the offal?”

Su Qing sold three sausages on the boat, holding off on the offal.

At Dan Peak, she circled to a windy spot, unloading to set up her stall.

She assembled the grill, laid charcoal and fire crystals, then set up the net, lining up sausages. The offal bucket sat over more charcoal and crystals.

Everything ready, she channeled spiritual energy into the fire crystals. Flames leapt, charcoal glowed, and cooled sausages sizzled, oil popping.

The meaty aroma, carried by white steam, spread across the peak with the wind. The offal bubbled, its rich broth simmering.

Food’s fragrance materialized in the cold night air. Someone swallowed; another’s stomach growled.

No sign needed—the smell was her billboard. From the moment she started grilling, eyes turned her way.

“What’s that smell? So good!”

Soon, a customer couldn’t resist. “How much for your stuff?”

Su Qing arranged bowls and skewers. “Sausages, eight spirit seeds each. Offal, fifteen a bowl.”

“Are you robbing me?” he gasped, eyes wide. “Second cafeteria sells sausages for three, offal for six!”

“I know,” Su Qing said, smiling candidly. “But this isn’t the cafeteria—this is scenic pricing. You eating or not?”

“…Two sausages, one bowl of offal.”

He took a sausage in one hand, offal in the other, inhaling deeply.

*So good!*