A Web of Contradictions

“Where is he?”

Within the Minor Sword Sect, Mu Qingsi pushed open the door and spoke with a chilling tone.

Yun Qingyi, indifferent, continued to brew tea, paying her no mind.

“Speak! I asked you, where is he?!” Mu Qingsi’s voice rose, edged with impatience.

Finally, Yun Qingyi furrowed her brows and glanced up at Mu Qingsi.

A hint of annoyance flickered in Yun Qingyi’s phoenix eyes, but after taking a deep breath, she slowly closed them again.

‘Has this woman not caused enough trouble already?’

‘Gu Bei, Gu Buqi (TL Note: Gu Buqi is an alternative name for Gu Bei, often used informally or to express exasperation), you truly have spoiled your master rotten.’

Yun Qingyi lowered her gaze back to the tea table, her delicate hands resuming their meticulous care of the tea set.

****

Mu Qingsi’s gaze grew even colder. With a crisp clang, her longsword slid from its sheath, hovering beside Yun Qingyi’s neck. “I’ll ask one last time: where is he?”

The blade, poised at her throat, emanated a subtle chill.

Mu Qingsi was furious, but Yun Qingyi was even more so.

Yet, knowing that Mu Qingsi was not Gu Bei, she spoke with a faint voice, “In Sanchuan.”

“Where in Sanchuan?” Mu Qingsi pressed, barely concealing her impatience.

A torrent of words, a thousand thoughts, caught in her throat, desperate to burst forth yet held back at the last moment.

She lifted her eyes, her voice frigid. “You’ll know once you reach the commandery city!”

Yun Qingyi longed to tell her, ‘If you had any self-awareness, you’d calmly wait here at the Minor Sword Sect.’ She also wanted to retort, ‘Haven’t you caused enough trouble already?’

But in the end, only that single sentence escaped her lips.

She understood that any further words would only escalate the conflict without practical benefit, and that should Gu Bei return, he might well turn against her if she uttered them.

After receiving her answer, Mu Qingsi scoffed coldly and departed in a rush. Yun Qingyi’s hand, which had steadily held the teacup, gradually began to tremble.

Her breathing grew increasingly ragged.

Finally, with a furious sweep, she dashed the teacup to the ground.

‘Gu Buqi! If you die, this old woman will dig up your grave! I’ll seize your very soul!’

****

In its nascent stages, the Minor Sword Sect was sustained solely by Gu Bei’s arduous travels and tireless efforts across the land. It was only after Yun Qingyi’s arrival that the sect found itself in a much more prosperous state, truly gaining the means to ascend the ranks.

Yun Qingyi herself was, in essence, coaxed and tricked into joining by Gu Bei, though in a strange twist of fate, both the trickster and the tricked harbored mutual affection.

Before his acquaintance with Yun Qingyi, Gu Bei was acutely aware that he alone could not elevate the Minor Sword Sect to greatness—a greatness it had, in truth, never known.

At that time, Yun Qingyi, despite possessing considerable talent and a high aptitude, was not considered a peerless genius; among the younger generation, she ranked merely as upper-middle tier. However, she harbored a deep aversion to the endless pleasantries of welcoming and seeing off guests, and the constant cycles of seniority-based hierarchy, which ultimately led to her ostracization. Consequently, she, a cultivator directly affiliated with the Immortal Alliance, was cast aside as a casualty of internal strife.

One sought a capable individual, while the other desired an environment free from constraints on her abilities.

Such were the two individuals who serendipitously crossed paths.

****

Yun Qingyi disliked the endless formalities of welcoming and farewells, but Gu Bei excelled at them.

It was at a banquet that Yun Qingyi, recently dismissed from the Immortal Alliance’s official ranks, and Gu Bei, who had only just managed to scrape his way into the circle of chief disciples, coincidentally met.

As a Golden Core cultivator, Yun Qingyi exuded an aura that kept people at a distance, her face etched with the melancholic frustration of unrecognized talent.

Gu Bei immediately set his sights on her.

He was quite familiar with that expression; it mirrored his own existential doubt after twenty consecutive “loser MVP” awards in his previous life.

So, why was it said that she was ‘tricked into joining’?

After shamelessly badgering Immortal Yun into conversation, Gu Bei employed clever rhetoric to provoke her. Upon realizing her true capabilities, his demeanor became even more humble.

His sincere attitude somewhat softened Yun Qingyi, prompting her to leave him her contact information and address before departing.

Thereafter, Gu Bei became even more persistent, visiting her without fail whenever he had the chance.

As Yun Qingyi was currently idle at home, her gates often deserted and quiet, the fervent efforts of someone warming a ‘cold stove’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom referring to someone trying to curry favor or revive a neglected relationship/project) deeply touched her.

Thus, after several attempts where she dismissed him with ‘I’m very busy now, come again next time,’ Yun Qingyi finally confirmed that Gu Bei genuinely valued her abilities rather than merely coveting her person. Only then did she welcome him into her home.

****

Once formal negotiations began, Gu Bei first declared his sect’s desperate need for talent, then, employing the ‘Spring and Autumn Brushwork’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom referring to a writing style that subtly conveys praise or criticism, or implies more than is directly stated, often used for ambiguous or misleading statements), he presented a half-truthful account of the Minor Sword Sect’s current state.

Finally, he ‘drew a big pie’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning to make grand but often unrealistic promises or to paint an overly optimistic picture) for Yun Qingyi: she would receive seventy percent of the profits from all collaborations she facilitated for the Minor Sword Sect, and all such income would pass through her hands.

Stunned by this barrage of promises and his utterly humble demeanor, Yun Qingyi, in a daze, followed him back to the Minor Sword Sect.

Upon arrival, she took one look around.

‘By the heavens, I’ve been duped!’

”This is hardly ‘a hundred endeavors awaiting revival” (TL Note: A Chinese idiom describing a place or situation where everything is in ruins but poised for reconstruction or development); this is utter desolation!’

”And ‘great potential’?! You, Gu Buqi , and only two other disciples make up the entire sect!”

”Is a Nascent Soul stage sect leader considered ‘profoundly established yet lacking opportunity for ascent’? Your Minor Sword Sect was clearly registered with the Immortal Alliance as a new sect only ten years ago!”

”You said ‘Immortal Yun will receive seventy percent of the profits from collaborations she facilitates.’ So, your sect’s legitimate source of income was entirely dependent on me, wasn’t it?!”

”And ‘income passing through Immortal Yun’s hands’! Elsewhere, that’s power; in your Minor Sword Sect, it’s pure pressure!”

A dignified Golden Core Immortal had been utterly bamboozled by Gu Bei, a mere Qi Refining cultivator.

The Immortal Yun was so enraged she was half-dead; in a fit of pique, she immediately pounced on Gu Bei and gave him a thorough beating.

Gu Bei, far from being angry about the beating, merely grinned obsequiously and asked if she felt better.

Seeing Gu Bei, bruised and swollen, with a slightly embarrassed yet fawning smile, Yun Qingyi’s remaining anger dissipated.

****

Having, after all, given him a good beating, she ultimately felt too awkward to leave. Instead, with a displeased expression, she coldly asked, ”Are you truly the master of the Minor Sword Sect?”

Upon receiving an affirmative reply, she provisionally took on the role of guest elder within the Minor Sword Sect.

Yun Qingyi eventually came to a realization: perhaps all she truly desired was a leader with a broad mind, one who could tolerate and accommodate others. As for the sect’s size, that could always be developed.

After all, she had come for Gu Bei himself.

To be honest, Gu Bei possessed a good temperament, and he was kind to her. However, he was too kind to everyone.

He worked himself to exhaustion, all just to appease his master, ”Under your guidance, the Minor Sword Sect is flourishing.”

The junior sister within the sect was tolerable, but as for Nan Jiumu, the one disguised as a man, whose eyes were solely fixed on Gu Bei—Yun Qingyi knew full well the dissatisfaction in Nan Jiumu’s gaze when she looked at her.

It was simply Gu Bei trying to mollify both sides, barely maintaining a superficial peace.

He had to appease his master, Yun Qingyi, who initially didn’t understand but respected him. However, Yun Qingyi truly felt that Mu Qingsi had been objectively spoiled by him, as if everything she did and every decision she made were impeccably correct.

This was precisely because Mu Qingsi didn’t blindly interfere with every matter.

And it was also because Gu Bei was well aware of this, always apologizing and brewing tea for Yun Qingyi whenever such situations arose.

Furthermore, Mu Qingsi was essentially a figurehead; all sect affairs and income did not pass through her hands but were managed jointly by Gu Bei and Yun Qingyi.

Otherwise, Yun Qingyi would have long since erupted.

Initially, she felt it was inappropriate to speak so candidly with a new acquaintance and didn’t mention it to Gu Bei. Later, once their relationship deepened, she did bring up the matter with him.

However, Gu Buqi (TL Note: Gu Buqi is an alternative name for Gu Bei, often used informally or to express exasperation) candidly confided in her, explaining his reasons and thoughts. After that, Yun Qingyi harbored no further strong opinions about Mu Qingsi.

One could only say that Mu Qingsi was genuinely fortunate; she had simply stumbled upon a Gu Buqi (TL Note: Gu Buqi is an alternative name for Gu Bei, often used informally or to express exasperation) by chance.

Yet, while she held no prejudice, Mu Qingsi truly lacked any self-awareness.

What was she going there to do now?

To cause more trouble?

Moreover, Yun Qingyi couldn’t possibly tell her this directly. If she and Mu Qingsi fell out, it would ultimately be Gu Buqi (TL Note: Gu Buqi is an alternative name for Gu Bei, often used informally or to express exasperation) who would face the difficult consequences.

Consequently, she could only stew in silent resentment, waiting for Gu Bei to return so she could vent her frustrations on him.

Meanwhile, the departing Mu Qingsi, her face etched with worry, soared on her sword towards Sanchuan.

Traveling from the Minor Sword Sect to Sanchuan Commandery City by Dharma Boat would take approximately an hour and three quarters . However, Mu Qingsi never had the habit of using a Dharma Boat for travel; she always traveled directly by sword.

That method, however, consumed even more time, as even a Nascent Soul cultivator could not match the speed of a Dharma Boat.