Volume 3, Chapter 279 – Testing Again

Lu Zhuxin had barely settled into her chair when noise broke out from outside.

She furrowed her brows.

She stood up and pushed open the door, and came face to face with Bu Lianshuang, who had planted herself in the courtyard entrance with a broom, wide-legged and unyielding.

“You can’t go in!”

The little wolf swung the broom like a halberd raised against an enemy.

“Miss is already resting. She’s in a bad mood today, and no one is allowed to disturb her!”

Hiss …

Lu Zhuxin raised a hand and pressed it to her forehead.

This little wolf was this fierce?! How had she never noticed before?

The person Bu Lianshuang was blocking at the courtyard gate was someone Lu Zhuxin recognized. Steward Liu, Chi Jingwen’s trusted aide.

Behind Steward Liu was a group of warriors in fitted clothing, swords at their waists, their bearing imposing.

But Bu Lianshuang was no pampered house dog. She was a wolf of the ice plains, who had run wild across frozen, desolate lands. A handful of warriors wasn’t going to rattle her.

Lu Zhuxin walked over quickly. “What’s going on?”

“Miss!” Bu Lianshuang said. “They came barging in all of a sudden saying they needed to find you. I was afraid they meant you harm!”

“Second young lady.” Steward Liu gave an awkward smile. “Your maidservant has the wrong idea. The family head wishes to see you and sent us to escort you over.”

Lu Zhuxin understood.

It was because of the Sword Dao Sacred Body.

Bu Lianshuang quietly tugged at Lu Zhuxin’s sleeve and sent her a voice transmission. “Little fox lady, these people’s cultivation is strong. I’m worried they don’t come with good intentions.”

Bu Lianshuang had been suppressing her own cultivation and couldn’t gauge their exact level, but as a wolf clan member, she instinctively felt the danger in the people before her. Their strength was no less than her own.

Reαd οn КаtReaԁіոgСαfe

The little fox lady’s cultivation was nothing to dismiss, but the fox clan were physically fragile and not suited for direct combat. Letting the little fox lady go alone with these people was far too risky.

Bu Lianshuang held onto Lu Zhuxin’s sleeve, her gaze firm. “Miss, let me come with you. I’ll protect you.”

Steward Liu said helplessly, “Miss, the family head did not ask for you to bring your maidservant.”

“Mm. I understand.” Lu Zhuxin replied.

There was no shortage of powerful cultivators inside the Chi residence.

If it came to a real fight, having Bu Lianshuang there would only be a burden. Better to leave her here. If something did go wrong, splitting up and running separately made escape more likely.

Lu Zhuxin gave Bu Lianshuang’s arm a light pat. “You stay here. Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”

With that, she stepped out. “After you, seniors.”

Steward Liu said, “Second young lady, please follow me.”

Worry filled Bu Lianshuang’s eyes, but the little fox lady had made it clear that inside the Chi residence, she had to follow her word.

So Bu Lianshuang had no choice but to remain in the courtyard.

She watched Lu Zhuxin follow those people until they disappeared from sight.

Her fists tightened without thinking.

Again, like this…

Little fox lady, why won’t you tell me what’s happening?

What exactly is the fox clan trying to do in the Chi family?

Bu Lianshuang felt a helplessness settle over her.

She felt like an outsider to everything. Whatever happened, she was shut out.

Rеaⅾ oո ΚаtRеαⅾiոɡСafe

She didn’t know the fox clan’s purpose. She didn’t know what she was supposed to be doing.

She had come to the Chi residence, only to end up doing the petty chores of a servant.

With a sharp crack, the broom in Bu Lianshuang’s hand shattered in her grip.

…

On the other side of the residence, Lu Zhuxin followed Steward Liu to a hall in the main mansion.

Chi Xiyan and Chi Jingwen were already waiting.

“Sister.” Lu Zhuxin spotted Chi Xiyan and half-jogged straight to her side. She grabbed Chi Xiyan’s sleeve and glanced at Chi Jingwen with a timid look. “Family Head.”

Chi Jingwen narrowed his eyes and let out a light scoff. “You’re very close with your sister, I see. Not a single thought for this father of yours.”

“I didn’t mean…” Lu Zhuxin shuffled further behind Chi Xiyan.

Chi Xiyan sighed and reached back to pull Lu Zhuxin out from behind her.

“Little Xue, stop fussing. Father wants to test your spirit root again.”

Lu Zhuxin blinked her wide, innocent eyes. “Test it again? So the first result really was wrong, wasn’t it!”

“Stop jumping to conclusions,” Chi Xiyan said. “The Chi family has no ancient lineage like the Song family. When it comes to cultivation talent, our bloodline has never been exceptional. Your level of talent, even setting the Chi family aside, is something no one in all of Beihe Commandery has ever seen. That’s precisely why Father…”

“Ahem.” Chi Jingwen gave a pointed cough. “What are you going on about?”

“This old man has heard of the legendary Sword Dao Sacred Body,” he said.

“However, seeing the real thing with my own eyes is a first. So I wanted to test it personally.”

Lu Zhuxin was at a loss for words.

This crafty old fox had already been suspicious of her identity long before this. With the spirit root test kicking up such a commotion, it would be stranger if he wasn’t suspicious.

He clearly just didn’t believe the result. Yet he had to come up with such a tedious excuse.

Rеαԁ οո KαtRеαԁіոgCаfе

As for that wretched Sacred Body, I don’t even want it.

Grumbling aside, Lu Zhuxin carefully asked, “How would the family head like to conduct the test?”

Chi Jingwen produced a crystal-clear gemstone. “This spirit stone also has the ability to detect spirit roots, and its accuracy is somewhat higher than the testing platform at the school. Hold it in your hand and let your mind wander freely.”

Lu Zhuxin took the stone.

It was heavy, carrying real weight in her palm.

She gave it a gentle squeeze. The stone in her hand suddenly turned scalding hot.

A familiar force swept through Lu Zhuxin’s body, just as it had on the testing platform at the school.

This time, however, Lu Zhuxin had learned her lesson.

She used her demon power to seal off the sword cultivator’s mark inside her first, then slowly let the force sweep through her body.

The process played out exactly as before. The force could make nothing of Lu Zhuxin’s constitution and could only circle through her meridians without result.

“What is this.” Chi Jingwen’s brow furrowed. “Strange. Results have never taken this long before.”

“Maybe the first test really did have a problem,” Lu Zhuxin said. “Sister said the Chi family has never produced anyone of exceptional talent in its history. Without any basis for it, how could something this good just fall into my lap?”

“It’s not like the Chi family’s ancestral graves suddenly started giving off lucky smoke, is it.”

The corner of Chi Jingwen’s eye twitched.

He had the distinct feeling this little brat was mocking the Chi family’s ancestors. And the evidence was damning.

Chi Jingwen walked forward with a dark expression and lightly tapped the spirit stone with one finger.

With the infusion of his spiritual energy, the force within the spirit stone intensified instantly.

A far more powerful force barged into Lu Zhuxin’s body without ceremony.

Reаd оո КαtRеadiոgСаfe

Lu Zhuxin felt the pressure. She kept her spirit platform sealed tight.

She let the force rampage through her freely, flooding every part of her.

Then suddenly, she felt the sword cultivator’s mark inside her tremble again.

It was like a dog that had already marked its territory, going berserk the moment it sensed an intruder.

Lu Zhuxin lost her grip on it for just a moment.

That pure, unyielding yang sword qi erupted instantly and shredded the intruding force to nothing.

With a sharp crack, the spirit stone in Lu Zhuxin’s hand split apart.

The three of them stared at each other.

“That’s not my fault…” Lu Zhuxin immediately deflected. “It broke on its own…”

Chi Xiyan looked at Chi Jingwen. “Father, did you feel it? That sword qi just now.”

Chi Jingwen’s brow was drawn tightly together. “I’ve never seen anything like this before. The legends say the Sword Dao Sacred Body is the reincarnation of a Sword Venerable. Perhaps there is something to that after all.”

Lu Zhuxin weakly argued, “But the stone cracked. That doesn’t really prove anything…”

“Actually, there is one more method to test this.”

“What method?”

Chi Jingwen said, “If the Sword Dao Sacred Body is truly the reincarnation of a Sword Venerable, then by nature their sword heart is perfectly clear. Any sword technique or form will click the moment they see it.”

“I have a sword manual here that I came across by chance in my early years. It has never circulated in the world, and aside from myself and Xiyan, no one has ever practiced it. Look through it once, then demonstrate it for me.”

Lu Zhuxin took the sword manual, her eye twitching slightly.

It’s not like I’m Huang Rong. I can’t memorize the Nine Yin Manual after seeing it twice.