Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A few days later, the trial at Qingxu Peak commenced.

Elder Qingxu stood at the valley entrance alongside several of his personal disciples, awaiting the arrival of participants from the various peaks.

Aside from Qingxu Peak, disciples from the other five peaks—as well as ordinary inner sect disciples—had formed their own teams. Lu Shitu stood alone among them.

Since no other disciples from Breaking Mountain Peak had entered the trial, and given Lu Shitu’s youth and striking black robes, he stood out even more, drawing curious glances from all around.

“Lu… He looks quite spirited, doesn’t he?”

“Of course—he’s been living well lately. After all, he’s now a direct disciple of an elder…”

“Really? I almost didn’t recognize him. But what good does it do? He’s still a waste…”

Over the past few days, Lu Shitu had undergone a remarkable transformation. He’d grown slightly taller, his complexion had improved markedly, and he stood there calmly—quietly confident, exuding an air of dignity that evoked memories of his former glory as a prodigy.

In just a few months, the scrawny, battered, pitiful figure once struggling helplessly in the mud had vanished entirely.

Jiang Ziliu stood within the Ling Xiao Peak contingent, observing Lu Shitu as well. The longer he stared, the more jealousy gnawed at him. He let out a cold snort inwardly and turned away. *So Taiqing Elder has been treating you quite well. Too bad your good days are about to end!*

Lu Shitu could feel the probing gazes surrounding him—some envious, some disdainful, some merely curious—but he paid them no heed.

He gazed ahead absently, raising a hand to his chest and gently touching it, the tips of his ears turning faintly red.

Beneath his layers of clothing, nestled close to his heart, hung a jade pendant—the very one Rong Yu had worn upon his brow.

Lu Shitu couldn’t help but recall that morning: his master had removed the jade pendant he always wore on his forehead and tied it carefully around Lu Shitu’s neck, his fingers slowly knotting the cord behind his nape.

At that moment—unaccountably—Lu Shitu’s heart had raced, pounding like a drum. He hadn’t dared lift his eyes to meet his master’s, fearing he might notice.

Throughout the morning, the jade pendant had remained cool against his skin, emitting a faint chill—much like Rong Yu himself, who always seemed to carry an aura of quiet coldness. This inexplicably left Lu Shitu feeling restless, as though something were subtly amiss—yet also strangely at peace.

Rong Yu, sensing this, spoke through the pendant: “Are you nervous? Don’t worry—you’ll surely win.”

Lu Shitu shook his head slightly, then realized Rong Yu might not see it, so he transmitted his voice instead: “Master, I’m not nervous.”

Rong Yu felt reassured—and glanced around, noticing the young woman standing beside Elder Qingxu not far away.

She wore a demure smile and carried herself with graceful delicacy. Even clad in the sect’s garish green robes, her elegance remained undimmed—like a blooming blue lotus in summer, breathtakingly beautiful.

Wait—this was unmistakably You Weiwan, the story’s female protagonist!

Rong Yu felt a jolt of excitement. He transmitted his voice: “Shitu, do you recognize the person beside Elder Qingxu?”

Lu Shitu looked up—and happened to meet You Weiwan’s gaze. She curved the corners of her eyes and smiled at him.

Rong Yu was utterly charmed. *So cute, so well-behaved, so beautiful! Truly worthy of being the beauty of the entire story. At such a young age, she’s already this remarkable—the original story didn’t lie!*

Lu Shitu nodded calmly, withdrew his gaze, and replied indifferently: “I recognize her. She’s a junior disciple under Elder Qingxu—a personal disciple of the elder. Does Master have any instructions?”

Rong Yu couldn’t help but inwardly facepalm. *This silly child is such a blockhead! Clearly, he likes her—yet he’s making no move!*

In the original story, both the male protagonist Jiang Ziliu and the cannon fodder Lu Shitu inevitably fell for the same person—You Weiwan.

The male protagonist took center stage before the beauty—drawing her attention, saving her to win her heart, and ultimately claiming her. The cannon fodder, by contrast, served only as background scenery—occasionally stepped on by the male protagonist to highlight his brilliance.

You Weiwan was famously beautiful within the sect—the childhood crush of countless young disciples—and neither Jiang Ziliu nor Lu Shitu was an exception.

Her first appearance—meeting both the male protagonist and the cannon fodder—was happening right here, right now.

In the original story, just before the trial began, a fifth-tier spirit tiger suddenly appeared. Most disciples were still at the Foundation Establishment stage—no match for a spirit beast equivalent to a Golden Core cultivator. Chaos erupted.

Amid the chaos, You Weiwan nearly fell victim to the spirit tiger—only to be rescued by Jiang Ziliu, who subdued it and claimed its fifth-tier demon core, stealing the spotlight. From that moment, You Weiwan secretly gave her heart to him. Despite her outstanding background, beauty, and talent, she eventually settled for becoming just one of the male protagonist’s harem members.

What no one noticed was that, when You Weiwan was first about to be attacked, it was Lu Shitu who diverted the spirit tiger’s attention—quietly saving her while nearly sacrificing his own life. Jiang Ziliu, seizing the tiger’s distraction, ambushed it with a magical tool—achieving victory effortlessly.

*Isn’t this just *The Little Mermaid*?!*

When Rong Yu read the original story, one of the things that frustrated him most was how Lu Shitu’s beloved female protagonist was taken away—only to become an insignificant part of someone else’s harem.

Jiang Ziliu harbored little genuine affection for You Weiwan—mostly possessiveness and novelty. Later, he amassed a harem of women, causing her endless heartbreak. Meanwhile, Lu Shitu silently pined for her—giving selflessly, without regret—only to end up with nothing.

This time, Rong Yu—hidden within the jade pendant—had accompanied Lu Shitu precisely to prevent history from repeating itself.

It was almost time. Elder Qingxu cleared his throat and began speaking with a smile: “Have all of you received your invitation jade slips? And have you activated them via registration? Good. This year’s rules remain unchanged. Within seven days, you may gather spirit herbs and place them in your storage jade slips. After the trial, your scores will be calculated based on the herbs you’ve collected. The top three will be permitted to select a cultivation technique from the sect’s library.”

“The scoring for spirit herbs is complex. In addition to grade, they will also be evaluated for rarity, versatility, efficacy, and other criteria. Furthermore, all herbs you collect may be kept—but if you fail to submit them, they won’t count toward your score, risking disqualification. Please consider carefully.”

“All right—please enter the valley now. The trial begins.”

Once the rules were announced, You Weiwan led the disciples into the valley. She was the guide for this trial.

Rong Yu perked up as well, preparing to confront the impending crisis—and enjoy the scenery.

The valley selected for this year’s trial was a famed scenic spot on Qingxu Peak—not for its spirit herbs, but for its natural beauty.

A light drizzle fell, yet the valley’s colorful flowers remained vibrant, swaying gently in the rain and releasing a fresh, watery fragrance.

You Weiwan led the way, softly reminding everyone: “The deeper parts of the valley contain richer spiritual energy and rarer spirit herbs, whereas the outer areas are comparatively thin. However, the deeper regions are also more dangerous—home to more exotic beasts. Moreover, rare herbs are harder to locate, harvest, and preserve. If you intend to gather them, remember to follow the herbology class instructions carefully.”

A quick-witted disciple seized the opportunity to strike up conversation: “Junior Sister Wan, how far will you lead us?”

You Weiwan smiled faintly: “Once we reach an area abundant with spirit herbs, everyone may begin gathering independently. Don’t worry, Senior Brother—I’ll be completing a spirit herb planting task and will remain in the valley to await everyone.”

The disciple launched into extravagant praise of You Weiwan’s beauty and kindness, prompting the young girl to chuckle lightly, her cheeks flushing.

Rong Yu, watching the scene unfold, couldn’t help but shoot Lu Shitu a frustrated look.

Lu Shitu walked steadily and solemnly within the group, his expression calm. He gazed straight ahead, not glancing at anyone else—yet one hand unconsciously rested over his chest, as if he felt… happy?

*Happy about what, my dear child?! Your dream girl is about to fly away!*

Seeing Lu Shitu remain utterly clueless, Rong Yu had no choice but to shift his attention to Jiang Ziliu—to see what his love rival was up to.

Jiang Ziliu walked surrounded by several disciples, moving confidently as part of a group. Rong Yu focused his hearing and caught their words: “Senior Brother Jiang, not only are you handsome—you’re exceptionally talented, too. No wonder our master values you so highly.”

“With Senior Brother Jiang leading us, Ling Xiao Peak is sure to take first place!”

Another disciple, noticing Jiang Ziliu frequently glancing at You Weiwan, flattered him: “Junior Sister Wan is exceptionally beautiful. She and Senior Brother would make a perfect match.”

Jiang Ziliu smiled shyly at You Weiwan—but Rong Yu saw the steely determination in his eyes.

Rong Yu rolled his eyes. *Have these people all been hit by a stupidity debuff from the protagonist’s halo?!*

In the original story, after Jiang Ziliu’s rise to power, he was perpetually surrounded by sycophants—and women throwing themselves at him.

Jiang Ziliu then feigned modesty, glancing briefly toward Lu Shitu and saying humbly: “I dare not claim such praise. As for winning first place—Senior Brother Lu is here. He was once the ‘number one in the sect’ among us. I am nothing compared to him.”

The other disciples all showed expressions of disdain and contempt, and cast disdainful glances toward Lu Shitu.

"Him? The so-called 'number one in the sect' is a thing of the past. How dare he be compared with you, Senior Brother?"

"Look at him—so weak a gust could knock him over. He’s not even one-tenth as handsome and dashing as Senior Brother!"

"Who knows how he even got Taiqing Elder to..." one disciple began.

"Shh! Silence! Do not speak recklessly about the elder!" another disciple cut in sharply. The first disciple shuddered and immediately fell silent.

It was said that three disciples had once insulted an elder to his face, and they all eventually left the sect, one after another. One could only imagine what they had suffered and what fate awaited them after leaving the mountain.

Lu Shitu overheard some of it but remained composed, as if hearing nothing. Only when he faintly caught the words "Taiqing Elder" did he lift his eyes to glance at them.

Rong Yu, however, grew furious, yet he remained hidden within the jade pendant, unable to vent his anger.

Here it comes, just as expected. After the lackeys' bootlicking, it's time for the cannon fodder to serve as foils! In the original story, without these weak, foolish, and unattractive characters to contrast, how could the protagonist’s excellence be highlighted?

He noticed Jiang Ziliu growing more and more pleased as he listened, subtly glancing at Lu Shitu’s reaction, the smugness in his eyes practically spilling over.

Rong Yu rolled his eyes, thinking, ...Let’s see how much longer this guy can keep swaggering!