The Immortal Venerable Regrets That It Wasn't Done Sooner - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Boom—

Crushed stones fell to the ground along their trajectory. The fine dust blurred the figure reflected in the water. Li Mu gently flicked her hand and covered her nose and mouth. Her body sank slightly lower in the water. “What is it?”

“All the major sects have arrived. The recruitment competition is about to begin. The Sect Master asked me to invite you over.”

Su Yue bowed respectfully, not daring to meet her gaze. Li Mu was the oldest Elder of Qingyun Sect. Although her health was poor, her strength was paradoxically the strongest among them. Her nature, however, was lazy, and she never interfered with sect affairs, nor had she ever taken on a disciple.

She furtively wiped away a bead of sweat. Moreover, Elder Li would feel unwell a few days each month and always needed someone to wait on her. Her own Master had already warned her that if she went near Li Mu again, her legs would be broken off.

Li Mu stood up straight, her smooth back exposed to the air. Her shoulder blades rose and fell with her movement, and water droplets clung to the curve of her waist. Water dripping from her hair landed on her eyes. She lowered her gaze, fluttering her eyelashes. Her lips were pale from the cold. She turned around, her bare foot landing on a stone. A black string was tied around her ankle.

Her face was gorgeous, and she was born with a pair of captivating eyes, yet the emotion in them was very faint. She waved her fingers casually in the air, and the water on her body instantly dried completely. Li Mu pulled the clothes from the side and put them on, tying a silk sash around her waist. She looked at Su Yue and lightly hummed.

“Weren’t I not required to attend in previous years?” Li Mu slightly bent her waist. A black dragon coiled around her wrist. “Or did the Sect Master say something?”

Su Yue quickly looked up. Li Mu was wearing white robes but carelessly, which only suited her inherent lazy spirit. The gaze directed at Su Yue was ostensibly gentle, yet it inexplicably made her nervous.

She bent her waist: “My Master said that you should also take a disciple. You will be feeling unwell these days, and constantly soaking in the cold pond is not the solution. It would be better to have someone by your side.”

Li Mu said, “Ah,” a smile surfacing in her eyes. She lifted Su Yue’s chin, holding it casually. “Don’t you have me?”

Su Yue was practically sweating cold. She was on the verge of tears: “My Master said that if I serve you again, I fear my life will be in danger.”

Li Mu impatiently “tsk’d.” She strode out. “How stingy. Fine, I’ll go see for myself.”

The cold pond was on a secluded peak. Li Mu moved her shoulders. Just as she was about to follow the path down, Su Yue chased after her, swiftly drew her sword, and said sincerely: “Elder Li, walking is too slow for you. Use your sword!”

Li Mu looked at her suspiciously. “You?”

Su Yue: “Yes.”

“Then I—” Li Mu chuckled. “It would be faster to just jump down directly.”

Su Yue: “…”

Li Mu waved her hand behind her. She coughed twice. “It’s fine. Even if you rode three swords, you still wouldn’t catch me.”

“I’m going.”

With that, Li Mu instantly vanished from Su Yue’s sight, leaving the little disciple sighing heavily as she stepped onto her sword, slowly wobbling towards the competition venue.

Li Mu reached the bottom of the mountain at an extremely high speed. She poked the little black dragon’s chin with her finger, then suddenly yanked the dragon out. She looked around to make sure no one was present and asked suddenly, “What kind of disciple do you think I should look for? After all, I am an Immortal Venerable.”

She was the child of the Child of Heaven and Earth and the former Demon Realm Venerable—a little highness of both the Immortal and Demonic Realms. But when she reached three thousand years old, she was suddenly told she had to descend to the mortal world for tribulation and could only return after achieving complete merit. Luckily, her magic and memories remained, and her mother even gave her the black dragon by her side.

The black dragon sighed, sticking out its tongue and playing dead: Dragon doesn’t want to answer.

Li Mu helplessly flicked the black dragon’s neck. “Little Black, why still haven’t you learned to pretend to be a snake?”

A mischievous smile flashed in her eyes. Watching the black dragon retreat tearfully, she walked in a good mood towards the bustling crowd.

“Speaking of which, Junior Sister Duan. Do you have any Elder you particularly fancy?”

The speaker looked at Duan Liqing beside her. The latter wore tight-waisted black clothes, cradling a sword in her arms. Her jaw was tight, and her cold expression revealed a chilling solemnity. Her entire being exuded a fearful aura.

Even though she was the most junior among them, she had become the person the group relied on.

Duan Liqing had a reserved personality. She glanced up, then lowered her eyes. “No.”

“Hiss, why not? A person should have ambition. I think the Sect Master is quite good! If you were chosen by her, our sect would become a branch of Qingyun Sect! It would bring honor to our ancestors—”

Duan Liqing interrupted her: “You do it.”

Sectmate: “…”

Duan Liqing observed the Elders out of the corner of her eye, her gaze flat. She was the Ghost King of the Ghost Realm. She had been sent down to the mortal world after awakening from years of slumber, told it was for tribulation and that she could never return without overcoming it. She sighed silently, wondering what kind of tribulation this was.

“Hey!” Someone across the way shouted at Duan Liqing, “Duan Liqing! Look here!”

Duan Liqing looked towards the sound. It was a disciple from another sect who had been pursuing her for quite some time. She pressed her lips together and silently took two steps back.

Seeing her resistance, the person became annoyed and casually picked up an arrow nearby and threw it over. “Acknowledge me!”

Her skill wasn’t great—she missed the mark.

Duan Liqing frowned slightly. Her gaze hadn’t moved when she suddenly heard many people gasp. Even the expressions of several Qingyun Sect Elders changed. Just as she turned her head, she heard a laugh.

“Such a warm welcome for me.” Li Mu spun the arrow with her fingers, then casually tossed it forward. It accurately pierced the ground right next to the person who had thrown it. “Oh my, let me see who it is.”

Her eyes seemed full of affection, and she had lightly dabbed rouge on her lips, making her look much healthier. She settled into her seat, seemingly boneless, slumping against it. “I apologize for being late.”

The crowd suddenly erupted in private whispers. Duan Liqing’s gaze instantly fell on Li Mu and couldn’t leave. She bore a striking resemblance to an old acquaintance of her own, but upon closer inspection, there were differences. She lowered her eyes. Just a mortal, an accidental coincidence.

Her arm was poked. Duan Liqing frowned and looked over. “Hmm?”

The sectmate was very excited: “I’m telling you, you’re incredibly lucky. Elder Li never participated in these events before. It would be amazing if you could be chosen by her!”

Duan Liqing was puzzled. “Why would it definitely be me?”

The sectmate looked at her plaintively: “Do you think we are worthy?”

Duan Liqing: “Ah… I see.”

The Qingyun Sect Master announced the start of the competition upon Li Mu’s arrival. The smaller sects drew lots to decide the order, with only one person allowed to be sent out each time. Duan Liqing’s sect was ranked lower. She sat formally in her chair, her eyes constantly returning to Li Mu.

She still looks very similar.

Li Mu changed her sitting posture. She propped her chin up, feeling sleepy. Her waist ached in throbs. Sensing the gaze on her, she slowly lifted her eyes to look back. With that look, she realized something significant.

What a thick demonic aura. Duan Liqing was a Ghost King undergoing mortal tribulation? She pinched the little black dragon’s horn.

A hint of a smile flashed in her eyes. Interesting.

Li Mu’s eyes lowered, subtly flickering, and then moved back. She raised her hand and rubbed the bridge of her nose. The black dragon on her wrist was glaring fiercely. She deliberately avoided looking at the other party and focused her attention on the competition instead.

Frankly, it was extremely boring.

She yawned, tapping her finger repeatedly on the table. After the little black dragon protested multiple times, she finally picked up a pastry and stuffed it into the dragon’s mouth. She complained softly, “Why are you so good at eating? No wonder Mother always wanted you to lose weight.”

The black dragon, who had opened its mouth, silently closed it, looking utterly depressed.

Li Mu: “Eat, eat, eat. My fault.”

Just as she was coaxing the dragon, she suddenly heard a name called out: “Duan Liqing.”

Li Mu stopped her hand movements. She lifted her eyes to look. It was indeed the Ghost King stepping onto the stage. She suddenly thought of something and called out sharply, “Wait.”

Everyone looked at her. The highly talked-about beautiful Elder walked down from her seat and onto the arena stage. “I’ll fight you.”

Duan Liqing: “…”

Some people felt this was inappropriate. Li Mu let out a drawn-out, “Ai,” but her gaze was fixed on Duan Liqing: “What’s the fear? Rules are made by people.”

Li Mu lifted her chin. She looked up at Duan Liqing, her voice soft: “Are you willing?”

Duan Liqing quietly “hmm’d” in assent. She drew her sword, letting it hang gently by her side.

“Then… forgive my offense.” Li Mu drew a soft silk sash from her waist. Her sleeve slid down, and the black dragon coincidentally met Duan Liqing’s gaze.

Duan Liqing: “Is that a dragon?”

Li Mu’s face was unblushing: “No, this is a snake. Little Black, stick out your tongue and show her.”

The black dragon: Pthhh.

She looked utterly convinced: “See? Purebred.”

As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes instantly sharpened. The soft sash wrapped around Duan Liqing’s sword as if it were alive. Li Mu seemed physically frail; when Duan Liqing pulled slightly, she stumbled forward.

Duan Liqing braced herself. She quickly broke free from the sash’s restraint, looking coldly at Li Mu. She flipped her wrist, narrowly dodging the sash that struck toward her side. The sword should have counterattacked, but Li Mu acted as if she were playing a game, suddenly letting the sash loop around Duan Liqing’s neck.

The soft touch wasn’t tight. Duan Liqing paused her movements for a moment, watching Li Mu slowly walk over.

“Why so much force?” Li Mu tilted her head at her. “Actually, I’m a person with a lot of bad intentions.”

The next moment, Duan Liqing squinted. With a flick of her finger, she instantly broke free of the tightening sash. She looked at Li Mu with vigilance.

Duan Liqing called out softly, “Elder Li.”

Li Mu answered her. She rubbed her aching waist and whispered, “But I don’t have any intentions toward you. I just wanted to ask—”

The silk sash flew out like a sharp sword, whistling past Duan Liqing’s ear. It missed by a hair’s breadth; she would have been injured, but Li Mu didn’t seem to have that intention.

Duan Liqing raised her hand and grabbed the sash. She tugged hard, looking at Li Mu with confusion. The other party coughed twice, her face considerably paler, and even her eyes were moist.

Li Mu walked over and gently pulled her sash back. She looked up, her voice light: “Are you willing to become my disciple?”