The Abused-Novel Female Lead Holds a Mad Brush - Chapter 23
Chapter 23: Beep Beep Beep
The scene instantly fell dead silent.
Who didn’t know that Master Wanren disdained female disciples the most? Furthermore, he believed that female disciples were inherently unfit to use swords and would never be able to unleash the true strength and soul of a blade.
Master Wanren choked on his words. As the sudden urge to claim a promising talent faded, doubt began to creep into his mind.
The Sect Master had a point—she was, after all, a female disciple.
It wasn’t that Master Wanren looked down on female disciples, but it was universally accepted that women were simply softer-hearted than men.
Toward feelings, toward the Dao, and toward all living things in this world.
Women always harbored an indescribable, tender grief; even seeing falling flowers in a flowing stream or the suffering of complete strangers would cause them to lament.
Even Ninggui, a formidable woman, had once suffered a tumultuous trial of passion in her youth.
It was only because she endured and passed through it that she became today’s renowned True Monarch Ninggui, someone no one dared to casually offend.
But what if one failed to endure it?
Then they would simply become part of the “majority.”
Master Wanren shifted his gaze back to the Water-Moon Mirror, his mind wavering unpredictably.
“Her mind and character are acceptable, but as for the rest, I dare not judge,” he finally remarked.
If this female disciple truly possessed an unyielding spirit, he might reluctantly take her in and teach her the Dao of Relentlessness among brush cultivators.
That, at least, could be considered a virtuous deed on his part.
With just a single glance, Master Ninggui could tell what kind of scheme Master Wanren was brewing, and she couldn’t help but find it amusing.
Speaking of which,Master Wanren’s Chanjuan Peak focused primarily on the soul mark of the sword.
Yet the mind of this Peak Master was even more convoluted and unpredictable than that of Daoist Master Yuanru from Yuge Peak, who specialized in depicting the romantic entanglements of mortals.
“Alright, let us focus on the trial first,” Sect Master Xihe-jun said with a hearty chuckle after enjoying his fill of the drama, stepping in to smooth things over.
“Speaking of which, these young Daoist friends have already begun to forget their names.”
This was the first hurdle of the Floating Life Dream.
Upon entering the Floating Life Dream, someone would first query your name.
If you could resist the temptation, remember your own name, and manage to write it down, then in the upcoming dream of a floating life, you would still be able to maintain a thread of clarity.
If you even forgot your name…
Then this dream would become the hardest trial to endure.
“Isn’t that right!” a certain outer disciple whispered in the crowd. “Back then, I failed this exact step and completely forgot my own name!”
“Sigh, forgetting your name is still okay. At that time, I even forgot whether I was a man or a woman! I was almost dragged onto a bridal sedan chair and forced into marriage!”
“Ha, what does that amount to? I heard that back then, a disciple didn’t even remember he was human—he insisted he was a mushroom growing in the water!”
The last person’s words instantly piqued the curiosity of most disciples around.
“Whoa! There was such a bizarre occurrence? I wonder where that Daoist friend is now?”
The disciple who had brought it up quickly pulled down the arm of the inquiring disciple, gesturing with a nod toward the side.
“Keep your voice down! That person had incredible luck and didn’t get lost in the Floating Life Dream. In the end, he actually entered the inner circle of the Seven Peaks!”
That individual had buried himself in the water the moment he entered the Floating Life Dream—with such a uniquely unhinged maneuver, who could possibly find a way to make things difficult for him!
Some surrounding disciples showed expressions of realization, while younger disciples who had joined the sect more recently were even more astonished, their tongues tying into knots from shock.
“May I ask which peak is so… so… uniquely styled?”
“Which other peak could it be?” someone replied in a low voice.
“Think about it. Among the Seven Peaks, which one possesses such an unconventional flair?”
The moment these words were uttered, a tacit understanding washed over all the disciples; no further explanation was needed.
The Seven Peaks were brimming with talents, boasting tens of thousands of soul marks.
Some were adorned with fluttering butterflies and overflowing floral scents, while others turned written words into prophecies, where a single stroke in the void felt as sharp as a blade or sword.
Yet only one peak was completely different.
That was Wangshu Peak.
Not to mention that Wangshu Peak’s Peak Master, Qingyunzi, had been missing for years, even the disciples on Wangshu Peak, each with their own eccentric personalities—
Er, not to put too fine a point on it, but even a passing ant would shake its head upon hearing about them.
To the side, Yu Yinglian rolled his eyes and was about to step forward to argue, but Shen Xuezhu intercepted him with his brush.
“Just idle chatter, no need to act recklessly,” Shen Xuezhu said gently, a faint smile gracing his lips.
“Let us see how the water mirror unfolds.”
Yu Yinglian glanced at Shen Xuezhu strangely.
The corners of the man’s mouth were turned upward, and his usually vacant eyes were now tinged with laughter, like a candle flame ignited amidst the deep snow on a mountain peak—so much so that it felt as though even the mountain top might melt away because of it.
Of course, Yu Yinglian couldn’t see all those poetic details; he simply felt that Shen Xuezhu was in an exceptionally good mood right now.
Whether as True Monarch Jiuyou or as the Eldest Senior Brother of the Xihe Sect, Shen Xuezhu had always been cold, aloof, and restrained.
He didn’t think he had ever seen Shen Xuezhu in such a good mood before.
Taking advantage of the time while everyone was chatting, many disciples inside the Floating Life Dream had sequentially answered the inquiry.
“What is your name?”
“Bai…” That person’s eyes were dazed.
“What was my name again…?”
Everyone outside the mirror shook their heads and sighed.
This meant they had failed.
“What is your name?”
“…Pei… Pei Tianming…”
“…I, I seem to be called Dahuang?”
“Ergou, probably…”
“…Du, my surname is Du… I’m called… called Piaopiao!”
Yet among all these voices, one disciple answered with ringing confidence.
“I am a son of the Xuan family.”
The handsome youth in the water mirror stood with an arrogant posture.
Even if his eyes were dazed, it couldn’t hide the firmness in his voice.
“My name is Yeyang.”
Not only that, when he lifted his brush to write the three characters “Xuan Yeyang” in the void, there was not the slightest hesitation or freeze.
His brushstrokes were sharp as blades, elegant and imposing as dragons and phoenixes.
Such calm and extraordinary performance was indeed exceptionally eye-catching among the crowd of panicked and dazed disciples who couldn’t even hold a brush properly.
Master Yiyao couldn’t help stroking his beard, sweeping a triumphant glance across the members of the Seven Peaks present.
“It’s not that this old man was exaggerating earlier, but look at this batch of disciples—who else can match Yeyang? They are all overshadowed by his brilliance!”
Good grief, in just a short moment he’s already calling him by his first name.
Daoist Master Yuanru rolled his eyes impatiently and was just about to speak when someone else cut in first.
“Ha? You’re asking who I am? I am—”
The water mirror reflected the exquisite, peerless posture and charm of a young woman.
Even Master Yiyao had to admit that this female’s grace and demeanor were extraordinary, perfectly aligning with the aesthetic values of the Xihe Sect.
There were virtually no ugly people in the cultivation world, and the Xihe Sect emphasized “elegance,” with its disciples paying even greater attention to their attire.
Yet even so, Yu Jiaxue’s appearance was top-tier and standout.
She seemed less like a mortal visitor and more like an immortal from beyond the heavens.
Master Yiyao instinctively glanced at Shen Xuezhu and picked up the teacup by his side.
He wondered if this disciple named Yu would actually be able to remember her own name…
“Your ancestor!”
Pfft—
Master Yiyao spat out a mouthful of tea.
He wasn’t the only one; sound after sound of spurting tea and suppressed gasps echoed across the venue.
Yet at this moment, no one in the Xihe Sect cared about their so-called image or demeanor.
Everyone stared at the water mirror in absolute shock—
The peerlessly beautiful girl stood before the Floating Life Gourd.
Though her eyes were dazed, a burning light still flickered within them.
She appeared entirely calm and composed, declaring with supreme confidence: “I am your ancestor!”
As everyone knew, one’s self-perception before entering the Floating Life Dream would influence the direction of the plot within the dream.
So if this Daoist Friend Yu’s self-perception was “your ancestor,” then given her ability to lead everyone to crawl up the steps on the Hongmeng Scroll, wouldn’t things become far too, too—
The disciples below exchanged glances, their eyes shining brightly, on the verge of screaming out in excitement.
By True Monarch Jiuyou above!
This was way too thrilling!
“Hey, Senior Sister,” an outer disciple lowered his voice, which was high-pitched with excitement.
“Do you think this Daoist Friend Yu will actually write down the three characters for ‘Your Ancestor’?”
If it really turned out like that…
What kind of unprecedented, wildly unhinged development would that be?!
The Senior Sister being asked was similarly red-faced with excitement, clearing her throat to barely suppress the scream that was about to burst from her throat.
“The outcome is yet undecided; may True Monarch Jiuyou protect us!”
Not just her, but the disciples below looked at one another, their eyes filled with eager sparks!
—They really, really wanted to see it!
Y-Your ancestor?!
Yu Yinglian’s eyes widened. True Monarch Ninggui and Daoist Master Yuanru exchanged glances, curiosity evident in their eyes, while Sect Master Xihe-jun twirled the handle of his horsetail whisk, filled with the excitement of a bystander watching a spectacle unfold.
Shen Xuezhu raised his eyes, swept a glance across the crowd, and curled his eyes into a soft smile.
They perhaps hadn’t realized how vibrant and full of life their expressions were at this moment.
For how many years had the Xihe Sect—steeped in the title of “the second greatest sect in the cultivation world”—prided itself on elegance? Aside from the occasional sparring with the Wushang Sect, it had never been this lively at any other time.
A faint smile couldn’t help but appear on Shen Xuezhu’s ethereal and stunning face.
He was naturally a gentle person to begin with, but back when heavenly punishment descended upon him, anyone connected to him would be dragged down.
Only then did Shen Xuezhu become cold-hearted and detached, choosing to seal himself at the bottom of the cliff, rarely appearing to avoid bringing misfortune upon others.
He was meant to remain all alone until the next great calamity.
Who would have thought he would be fortunate enough to encounter the sole anomaly?
Thinking of that young friend who did not belong to this world, as well as her uniquely marvelous behavior, the light in Shen Xuezhu’s eyes grew increasingly clear, warm, and gentle.
The laughter deep in his eyes almost overflowed like a pool of clear wine—not enough to intoxicate, yet making one unable to resist lingering and looking back.
Pure and frank, interesting and vibrant—perhaps compared to himself, she was the one who truly resembled a sprout of “All Living Things.”
It was likely because he had never been so unrestrained before that, upon seeing Yu Jiaxue, aside from the so-called fate and heavenly punishment, Shen Xuezhu couldn’t help but develop a sense of genuine curiosity.
This was a curiosity belonging exclusively to Shen Xuezhu, completely unrelated to heavenly Dao or destiny.
Shen Xuezhu smiled gently and genuinely, so much so that his face—which usually kept people a thousand miles away—softened at this moment.
The indescribable, cold, and dark charm surrounding him also faded significantly.
At the very least, quite a few disciples dared to take advantage of this opportunity to boldly and secretly steal a few more glances at this legendary “Eldest Senior Brother.”
Aloof and ethereal like an immortal, yet the slightly raised corners of his mouth pulled him down into the mundane realm, touching him with the dust of the mortal world.
This Eldest Senior Brother, who was rumored to sever immortal souls and spiritual bones—did he really not seem as cold and terrifying as the rumors claimed?
Amidst the noise and bustle of the world, Master Yi Yao only found it noisy.
Happiness belonged to others; he had nothing.
When Yu Jiaxue blurted out “Your ancestor,” Manster Yiyao’s face turned green then pale, becoming incomparably dramatic in an instant.
Just an incense stick’s time ago, he had dispatched his eldest disciple, Yu Guanghao, into the Floating Life Dream to test Yu Jiaxue’s true capabilities…
Now, how on earth was he supposed to test her???!
