The snow was becoming heavier as time passed. Due to the snow, as well as the fact that she had yet to recover, Lu Mingshu stayed in the valley during the winter.
These days, Gao Xiang couldnât be seen anywhere either.
Lu Mingshu wrote a letter to Gao Xiang. He replied by saying that he had been grounded by his master, and An Tongchen had been keeping such a close eye on him that he had to write this letter in secret at night when his master was asleep.
Reading the letter, an image of Gao Xiang pouting appeared in her mind. Lu Mingshu chuckled and shook her head.
Days continued to pass. Life in Green Jade Valley remained unchanged â peaceful and fine. The only thing that changed were the red numbers in the Heavenly Wheel.
The new year came, and Lu Mingshu felt better as time passed. Her meridians and nerves felt refreshed bit by bit.
True energy ran through her body. All the lost mystic force came back to her at once.
She let out a deep breath. Lu Mingshu felt that she had been revived.
She entered the Heavenly Wheel immediately, and Xiao Sangâs voice rang in her head, âCongratulations. Youâve fully recovered.â
Looking at the Heavenly Wheel covered in mist, she asked Xiao Sang, âXiao Sang, Iâm still in debt, the portals to the other worlds are inactive⊠what can I do to gain points?â
âGiven your current health, I suggest you stay here.â
âSo, Iâm able to gain points here? The points I gained during the Heavenly Door competition, were they because I improved or because I became famous?â
âIâm sorry, but you do not have enough points to know that.â
âFine,â Lu Mingshu sighed. âWait, one last question; by when should I pay my debt?â
Xiao Sang answered relatively quickly for that question, âThe Heavenly Wheel will inform you the day before it bans you.â
âSo⊠when is that?â
âIâm sorry, but I canât answer that question.â
ââŠâ Lu Mingshu smiled bitterly. âThereâs really nothing you can answer, huh?â
Xiao Sang remained silent.
She shook her head and faded away slowly.
As soon as Lu Mingshu came out of the Heavenly Wheel, she started to plan what she could do. ââŠwill inform you the day before it bans you,â but it seems like there isnât a specific deadline to meet.
Perhaps thereâs something the Heavenly Wheel needs my help in fulfilling.
Lu Mingshu dared not think of this within the Heavenly Wheel; Xiao Sang wouldâve found out if she did.
âMingshu! Lu Mingshu!â Someone shouted from outside.
Lu Mingshu looked out the window to see Gao Xiang riding his wolf toward her. He smiled at her widely and waved his hands at her.
She walked toward the courtyard garden just as Gao Xiang reached it. He dismounted from his wolf and held her hand tightly in excitement, âHave you heard?â
âThe Qilin Festival! You know, the Qilin Festival?â
Yeah, I heard about it three months ago. But seeing how Gao Xiang was so excited, she didnât want to kill his excitement, âYeah, I know about the Qilin Festival. What about it?â
Gao Xiang, who was still out of breath, rushed into the house and gulped down a cup of tea before continuing, âI just went to the Great Dao Hall, and guess what? Zhongzhou Wang is hosting the Qilin Festival at the start of the year, and our clan is sending representatives there! All ten representatives will be disciples in the Harmonization Realm!â
âYouâre interested?â
âOf course!â Gao Xiangâs eyes shone with excitement as he ran around the house, âItâs the Qilin Festival, man! The festival where the best martial artists in China gather! It will be such an eye-opener! And- and what if we did well there? We would become ranked! How famous would we be?â
âMingshu, letâs go, letâs go!â He grabbed her shoulders and started jumping up and down.
Even though Liu Jizhen had mentioned it, Lu Mingshu didnât want to promise anything without confirmation from her master, âLet me ask my master.â
âYeah! I will go back and ask my master too! Iâm sure he would agree, man! Hahahaha.â
Gao Xiang smiled like the Cheshire Cat as he ran out of the house and mounted his wolf. In the blink of an eye, he was no longer within Lu Mingshuâs sight.
Lu Mingshu shook her head at that as she walked toward Liu Jizhen, âMaster, regarding the Qilin FestivalâŠâ
âAh, no worries. You need not register,â Liu Jizhen replied. âYour Senior Uncle An has already done it for you.â
After three days, the confirmed list of disciples who were participating was released. Lu Mingshu spotted her name on it, but not Gao Xiangâs.
Was Senior Uncle Zhuo opposed? But Senior Uncle An will be going tooâŠ.
And indeed, that night, Gao Xiang came to her crying.
âMy master didnât allow it! I already registered, and yet he asked someone to remove my name!â
Lu Mingshuâs eyes widened in shock. This is such a rare occasion. The next festival will probably only be held after ten or twenty years. Even if he didnât allow Gao Xiang to participate, it could at least serve to widen his horizons.
âHe said my thoughts arenât calm enough and that I sucked yet I want to play monkey!â Gao Xiang sobbed in resentment, âI replied saying that Iâm already a genuine successor disciple, how am I not good enough? And guess what he replied?â
âHe said that I was only given the title because the sect leader wanted to give him and my Martial Grandfather face, not because I deserved it!â Gao Xiang bawled. âHow could he say such things? He has gone too far! I donât deserve it? Come fight me then! Fight me!â
Lu Mingshu secretly agreed that An Tongchenâs words had gone overboard. Gao Xiang may not be a match for Kuai Xin or Jie Wenhan, but he was still way better than Shao Zhengyang, Ban Qin, and the rest. Looking at all the disciples of Nine Jade Palace, Gao Xiang was one of the better ones and taking his age into consideration, he was one of the best.
However, that was Senior Uncle Anâs decision for his disciple. She didnât have any right to comment about it.
âWhat about your Martial Grandfather?â
âHe doesnât give a shit!â
Gao Xiang shouted at the top of his lungs. âGod, why? What did I do wrong? Why do you treat me like this!? Everyone gets to go out and I get to rot at home!â
âThere must be a reason why both of them would say such things, no?â Lu Mingshu tried to calm him down.
She failed, obviously. Gao Xiang then grabbed her shoulders and started shaking her vigorously, âYou are standing on their side? You all are evil!â
Lu Mingshu felt very dizzy after his continuous shaking.
âOkay, okay, Iâm on your side. They have gone too far. Stop shaking me now!â
Gao Xiang than let go of her and kneeled on the floor, âI donât care, I donât care! I want to go!â Suddenly, an idea came to his mind, âPerhaps Iâll do a makeover? I can wear a wig, put on some makeup, and secretly tag along! What do you think? Itâs a good idea, right?â His eyes shone with hope.
With sympathy, Lu Mingshu asked softly, âIsnât there a high chance that he would recognize you right away?â
Upon hearing that, Gao Xiang burst into tears again, âI donât care, I donât care, I want to go!â
No matter how pitiful Gao Xiang looked or how much he wanted to go, he dared not play any tricks under the eyes of his master and Martial Grandfather.
The other residents of Green Jade Valley came to send Lu Mingshu off.
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Before she took off, Liu Jizhen gave her a book, âI wrote this from my experience. Itâs good to refer to since you donât have any of your own.â
Lu Mingshu took the book, and her eyes teared up when she realized that it wasnât calligraphy that her master had been doing every day, it was this book for her.
Hui Niang and Ah Sheng sent her out of Green Jade Valley. Hui Niang wept as Lu Mingshu left, and Ah Sheng stood there silently, looking at her walking further away.