Transmigrating as the Heart Demon of the Ruthless Sword Venerable – Chapter 34
by Little PandaXunyang Ghost Market (Part 1)
New Character Debut
In the end, Yu Zhaoming didn’t give Tang Wenchun an answer.
The two arrived at the Main Hall. Over the past five years, Tang Wenchun had visited the Sect Master’s Main Hall quite often and had long become a regular guest of the Sect Master. But this time, the moment she entered, she sensed something was off.
Xuanjiu was no longer her usual self—the one who would rather lie down than stand, would rather lean against something than stand upright. Even her ever-present smoking pipe had obediently transformed back into a slender silver-white sword resting at her belt, projecting a seriousness she never normally wore. If you looked carefully, you could even detect a thread of poorly concealed displeasure.
“You’re all here.”
At the sound of the voice, Yu Zhaoming and Tang Wenchun bowed toward the Main Hall and called out in unison, “Greetings, Sect Master Martial Uncle.”
“No need for formality.”
Tang Wenchun looked up. The current Sect Master of the Sword Sect, Lang Xing, appeared as a jade-like youth—no more than thirteen or fourteen in appearance, dressed in a silver-white robe with a single red dot marked on his forehead. He looked nothing like a Sword Sect member; rather, he resembled one of those little golden boys stationed beside a Buddha or bodhisattva.
Unlike other cultivators whose appearances fixed at the peak of their vitality, rumor had it that he once suffered severe injuries and was forced to use a secret art to shrink his body, locking his life force in the form of a youth. Because his cultivation could no longer advance even an inch, he voluntarily took on the role of Sword Sect Master, pouring his heart and soul into sustaining the sect’s legacy.
Tang Wenchun glanced at the Sect Master, who was putting on a stern face despite his tender features, then glanced at her own Shizun, trying to read the situation.
Lang Xing didn’t let her scrutinize for long. He spoke: “As you know, the Grand Sect Competition is near at hand. I’ve discussed it with your Shizun, and among our generation’s disciples, you two are the most outstanding. Therefore, I’m sending both of you to compete.”
Grand Sect Competition? Tang Wenchun’s mind spun. She remembered—back when she transmigrated five years ago, she’d heard the name “Grand Sect Competition” mentioned frequently. But after entering the sect, the crushing weight of her studies had ground away her dreams, and she rarely thought about it anymore.
Lang Xing continued: “The Grand Sect Competition determines the rankings of the Six Major Sects. This year, I hear Treasure Gathering Pavilion has also sent formidable contenders, aiming to seize one of the Six Major Sects’ positions.”
“Petty upstarts like that show up every time.” Xuanjiu clicked her tongue.
Lang Xing looked helplessly at Xuanjiu. “shimei.” Xuanjiu turned her gaze away and said nothing more. Only then did Lang Xing turn back to the two disciples. “This Treasure Gathering Pavilion is a genuine threat. They make their living through trade and commerce, practicing the Commerce Grand Dao.”
“…Commerce Grand Dao?” Tang Wenchun’s mouth twitched.
“Trade and commerce, extending in all directions—hence the name Commerce Grand Dao,” Lang Xing explained. “They are extremely wealthy, and naturally have ample resources to pour into their disciples. You must not let your guard down.”
He looked at the two disciples before him—Tang Wenchun looking bewildered, Yu Zhaoming silent. Neither showed the slightest excitement at hearing about a formidable rival, which was entirely unlike Sword Sect tradition. Lang Xing felt an urge to sigh at the thought.
But without question, Tang Wenchun and Yu Zhaoming were indeed the most outstanding disciples of the Sword Sect’s current generation. If they could seize an opportunity and successfully step into the Nascent Soul realm, the Sword Sect’s future would give Lang Xing much peace of mind.
“The prize for this preliminary round is one Barrier-Breaking Pill.”
The Barrier-Breaking Pill was a breakthrough pill for advancing to Nascent Soul, capable of gathering massive amounts of spiritual qi to aid in breakthrough. Lang Xing noticed Yu Zhaoming finally lift her gaze to look at him and nodded inwardly. His martial niece was still devoted to her cultivation.
His expression turned grave. “The cultivation world has many sects today, but the Six Major Sects still lead. If we continued with the usual martial tournaments, there’s no telling how long they’d drag on. Therefore, a preliminary round has been added this time.”
“Stupid idea!” Xuanjiu spoke abruptly, clearly having held back her dissatisfaction for some time.
Lang Xing cast another helpless glance at his shimei before continuing. “Five years ago, you captured the soul of a Wuji Sect disciple who had fallen to demons. That disciple had been bullied for a long time and harbored deep resentment. He eventually purchased a so-called secret manual in the Xunyang Ghost Market. The techniques in the manual were sinister and bizarre, capable of rapidly increasing cultivation in a short time. He was tempted and walked step by step down the wrong path. This isn’t an isolated case. In every instance, the books were purchased in various city markets—some real, some fake.”
“The competition tasks you with investigating these cities, uncovering the truth, and tracking down the sellers. Your assignment is Xunyang City.”
Lang Xing raised his hand and flicked it forward. Two gleaming metal badges landed in their hands.
Tang Wenchun looked down. The metal badge had some heft to it, engraved with two large characters: “Tianji.”
“These are credentials issued by Tianji Pavilion. As for the judging criteria, Tianji Pavilion will determine them,” Lang Xing said. He noticed Yu Zhaoming remained expressionless, while Tang Wenchun immediately frowned—her transparency was refreshing—and he couldn’t help but smile. “But one thing is clear: whoever resolves this matter will receive the highest score.”
Tang Wenchun flipped the metal badge back and forth in her hands. In the novel she remembered, there was no such plotline at all. Perhaps in the grand scheme of things, this was nothing more than a trivial matter. With that thought, the weight in her heart instantly halved.
“Oh right, we also saved a Wuji Sect disciple back then—Thirteenth Young Master, was it?” Tang Wenchun recalled as well. That was in the Desolate Heaven Secret Realm; he had clearly been the Wuji Sect’s group leader. “Will he be there too?”
Lang Xing smiled. “That Thirteenth Young Master—after the incident, his cultivation plummeted, and he was no longer in Wuji Sect’s inner sect. But he does have considerable talent. I hear he’s recently achieved a breakthrough. As for whether you can work together, that will also be part of your evaluation.”
Tang Wenchun nodded at his words. It seemed that successfully resolving the matter wasn’t the only criterion—there were multiple evaluation methods.
Yu Zhaoming pocketed her badge, bowed, and was about to lead Tang Wenchun away when she heard her heart demon’s brazen voice: “Elders, since we’re going to compete in the Grand Sect Competition and bring glory to our Sword Sect, could you perhaps provide some assistance helpful for winning the championship?”
“Sword Sect disciples need only the sword in their hands,” Yu Zhaoming said.
Tang Wenchun countered: “Elder Chun taught that a cultivator’s practice hinges on Wealth, Companions, Methods, and Land1. Naturally, one should seize every advantage of timing, terrain, and harmony, bringing all factors under one’s control. The more support we have, the better our odds.”
These were indeed the exact words the Dharma-transmission Elder had taught.
Yu Zhaoming was momentarily speechless. Over the past five years, Tang Wenchun had been by her side every day. She had watched her stay up late memorizing texts, practicing swordplay while crying—and had gradually come to acknowledge that this person had genuinely put in the effort to learn.
She just never expected that one day, she would be rendered speechless by that very effort.
Her Dao was only the sword in her hands, because only the sword represented power—true power she could actually feel, could truly grasp in her hand.
But her heart demon was an entirely different existence from herself.
In every respect. It was as if she were her own mirror image, telling her that there was another way to live—being friendly with fellow disciples, staying close to elders, someone everyone liked very much. Another possibility.
Yu Zhaoming’s gaze fell on Tang Wenchun. Her hand moved slightly, and the moment her palm touched Cangfeng, her mind settled once more, firm as bedrock.
Tang Wenchun had no idea what Yu Zhaoming was thinking. Her words, however, drew warm laughter from the elders. Suddenly, her arms were full of various items, accompanied by earnest instructions.
“Zhaoming never likes relying on us elders. Thank goodness she has you.”
“If anything happens, make sure to hold her back. Don’t let her do anything reckless.”
“The sect has a bit of surplus funds now. We’re not as strapped as before. Take what you need and use it well.”
Cultivators—Sword Sect cultivators in particular—had homes with four bare walls. There was genuinely nothing much to pack. Since it had been decided that Yu Zhaoming and Tang Wenchun would represent the sect, Lang Xing waved his hand and sent the two on their way.
Even after leaving the sect gates, Tang Wenchun was still shaking her head. “I’ve never seen anyone set out on a journey so casually.”
Yu Zhaoming turned to look at her. “Did you want to fleece the entire Sword Sect top to bottom?”
“…Well, it’s not out of the question.” Tang Wenchun rubbed the tip of her nose, her eyes darting everywhere. “That would be my skill too.”
Yu Zhaoming shook her head. She turned back to Tang Wenchun. “Keep up. On your own, you wouldn’t find the place even by next year.”
Tang Wenchun scratched the back of her head, looking utterly incredulous. “You even know that?” Her eyes spun as she asked, “Yu Zhaoming, have you been secretly observing me?”
Yu Zhaoming was momentarily at a loss for words. Because they couldn’t be too far apart, she spent every waking and sleeping moment with Tang Wenchun. This person was strange—ignore her, and she’d amuse herself perfectly well alone. Just as she had in Yu Zhaoming’s Sea of Consciousness, she seemed to thrive no matter the environment.
When there were people around, she entertained herself.
When there was no one around, she still entertained herself.
As for the things Tang Wenchun had said… Yu Zhaoming turned her head away. Those were merely things she’d happened to notice and remember. How could they be called secretly observing Tang Wenchun?
Yu Zhaoming didn’t answer, and Tang Wenchun accepted the rebuff. The two traveled by sword flight, crossing mountain after mountain. Though the journey was rather taxing, these mountains and rivers were different from her own world, and Tang Wenchun found plenty to enjoy along the way.
After several days of travel, they finally reached their destination.
Xunyang City was a medium-sized city. From afar, they could see the city-defending formation flickering with light from time to time, indicating that the city was guarded by cultivators. Tang Wenchun had been in this world for five years and had gradually grown familiar with many of its rules.
This world had humans, monsters, gods, and demons.
But pure gods and demons had long since vanished after the great war tens of thousands of years ago. The demons of today were really just evil cultivators—still human at their core. Because this world was so complex, mortals often had to rely on sects or rogue cultivators to survive. There were no dynasties in this world; cities were independent yet interconnected through the powers behind them.
If the cultivator in charge was a good person, fine. But when villains ruled, they often preyed on the common people. In evil cultivators’ territories, some even killed for sport.
No wonder the Sword Sect disciples had all said they wouldn’t want to be mortals.
The two descended from their swords and surveyed Xunyang City from a distance. People came and went in lively crowds—clearly a prosperous hub of commerce and trade.
“What do we do now?” Tang Wenchun asked in a low voice.
Yu Zhaoming turned to her. “How does the 《Chronicles of the Nine Provinces》 describe Xunyang City?”
Tang Wenchun stiffened. She looked at Yu Zhaoming in disbelief. “No way. You’re going to quiz me at a time like this?” Her mouth twitched, recalling five years of Yu Zhaoming’s “loving encouragement” in her role as shijie.
Yu Zhaoming narrowed her eyes slightly. “Mm? I recall you said you’d memorize it within five days. It’s been half a month now.”
“Wait, let me think…” Tang Wenchun bit her thumb, cursing inwardly. Once she’d left the sect, she’d naturally been thinking about having fun—how could she possibly remember the study plan she’d promised?
This feeling—wasn’t this exactly like realizing on the eve of summer vacation that you still had to finish an entire practice exam before you could leave?
“Xunyang City, Xunyang City…”
“《Chronicles of the Nine Provinces, Volume Ten: Wuji Sect》 states that Xunyang City ranks eighth among Wuji Sect’s ten cities and nine counties. It produces fine jade and spirit pearls. The Xun River flows through the city, and because it sits on the sunny side of Mount Yangji, it is named Xunyang.”
Just as Tang Wenchun was stammering, a clear voice recited the passage with ease.
Tang Wenchun had found her savior. She whipped around and saw a brocade-robed young master standing behind them, in his early twenties. He held a folding fan, projecting an air of effortless charm. His cultivation, however, didn’t seem high—only early Golden Core. But behind him stood two beautiful sword-bearing maidservants, both at peak Golden Core.
The young master gently folded his fan and bowed with cupped hands. “Are you two Sword Sect’s Yu Zhaoming and Tang Wenchun? Forgive my forwardness. My name is Zhan Lun, from Treasure Gathering Pavilion.”
Treasure Gathering Pavilion? That Treasure Gathering Pavilion that wanted to steal the Sword Sect’s position!
Tang Wenchun’s expression immediately darkened. Yu Zhaoming said nothing and turned to leave.
“Ah, please wait, both of you!” Zhan Lun called out hastily. “Are you two looking to enter the city? This humble one has a business proposition to discuss with you.”
Tang Wenchun glanced at Yu Zhaoming. Yu Zhaoming ignored the calls behind her, her stride not slowing in the slightest.
“Thirty thousand spirit stones?”
“Fifty thousand!”
“One hundred— one hundred thousand!!”
Yu Zhaoming pivoted on her heel. In the next moment, she stood before Zhan Lun, still wearing her stoic expression. Tang Wenchun peeked out from behind her with a beaming smile. “Dear customer, you’re clearly so sincere—let’s have a proper chat about this business deal.”
The author has something to say:
After Tang Wenchun entered the Sword Sect
Tang Wenchun: What! Why do we have to get up so early?! Why is the schedule so packed with no weekends or holidays?! Why do I get my palm smacked for not memorizing the texts!!
Yu Zhaoming standing silently to the side
Tang Wenchun: Why why why
One year later
Tang Wenchun surrounded by other young disciples: blah blah blah blah
Young disciples: Oh~~~
Two years later
Tang Wenchun surrounded by other elders: blah blah blah blah
Elders: The Sword Sect has gotten much livelier
Three years later
Tang Wenchun surrounded by elders: blah blah blah blah
Elders: The Sword Sect has gotten much wealthier
Four years later
Yu Zhaoming grabs Tang Wenchun by the collar: Practice sword!
Tang Wenchun: ……
Ah, I kind of wanted to show everyone the scene Yu Zhaoming later recalls of them going out together during the Lantern Festival—I think I wrote it especially beautifully.
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