Snow fell heavily, a swirling, swirling mass.
Walking on the road, one's calves sank half a foot deep, making it extremely difficult to walk steadily, resulting in few pedestrians and a desolate landscape.
An outer disciple of the Yunji Sect was tasked with shoveling snow, clearing a path for passersby.
A man and a woman stood in the snow, each holding an umbrella, watching the disciple work with wide eyes and smiles on their lips.
The disciple gave them a strange look, not recognizing them, and continued shoveling snow into the distance.
He didn't know Chu Ge to begin with. Chu Ge wasn't wearing the inner disciple's robes of the Yunji Sect; he was dressed in ordinary martial arts attire… and Qiu Wuji didn't look like Qiu Wuji anymore.
She was also dressed in ordinary martial arts attire, looking dashing, but lacking the solemn dignity she displayed within the sect. With a little makeup and minor alterations to his eyebrows and eyes, his features became quite ordinary.
Qiu Wuji wasn't good at disguise. To acquaintances, he was still Qiu Wuji, but to those who had only seen the sect leader from afar or whose images they didn't recognize, his aura was completely different. It was hard to immediately recognize him as the world-renowned Qiu Sect Leader.
The master and disciple left the mountain, flying on their swords for only a short while before stopping at a town on the outskirts of the Yunji Sect. They then began to travel cautiously, observing the world around them.
"Going out in this heavy snow... I haven't done this in almost thirty years over there. Oh, I guess I've never seen snow this heavy before." Chu Ge smiled, watching his disciple shovel snow. "The Yunji Sect actually has disciples responsible for the basic road maintenance of the outer mortal towns, that's really impressive."
Qiu Wuji said calmly, "Sect missions, you can exchange them for spirit stones and basic necessities. Of course, your Chu Tiange has never done such low-level work, leveling up by fighting monsters..."
"You're very dissatisfied with what I wrote?"
"There were already many things I was dissatisfied with. You missed too many scenes of the mortal world, otherwise why would I always feel that you must travel the world?" Qiu Wuji snorted, "At least the reputation of the Yunji Sect for chivalry is spread throughout the world, not because of those few lines you wrote!"
"Alright, alright..." Chu Ge chuckled, "There's a tavern ahead, want to go in and sit down?"
"Yes." Qiu Wuji looked at the wine flags in the distant town, a hint of joy in his eyes. This was what traveling the world with him meant! In the town's taverns, people warmed their wine, chatted and laughed, and engaged in lively discussions, creating a stark contrast between the harsh cold and desolation outside and the bustling activity inside.
"Hey, did you hear? Young Master Qijue recently broke through to the Nascent Soul stage."
"I heard? He's only about a hundred years old, right? The youngest Nascent Soul cultivator?"
"I heard Chu Tiange of the Cloud Realm Sect was even faster… During the war between the righteous and demonic paths, he escaped from a Nascent Soul cultivator from the demonic path. He was said to be a Nascent Soul cultivator then, at least half a step. He's only been cultivating for a dozen years, if that's true, it's unprecedented…"
"Chu Tiange has disappeared, he might even be dead. It's just a rumor, not to be believed."
"Whose is it? My neighbor's?" "My brother-in-law's childhood friend has joined the outer sect of the Yunji Sect. He heard that Chu Tiange's life tablet wasn't broken, and the elders all said Chu Tiange wasn't dead. Besides, the Yunji Sect has a worldwide reputation: anyone who dares to touch Chu Tiange, no matter how far away, will be punished. Isn't the meaning clear? He's not dead!"
"So this world still belongs to the Yunji Sect. Sect Master Qiu, though not officially the Emperor, is still an uncrowned empress."
"Creak..." The wooden door opened, and a man and a woman entered through the snow, shaking the snowflakes off their umbrellas. They both smiled at the "uncrowned empress" among the drinkers.
"Shopkeeper, two jiao of wine, two jin of cooked beef."
The woman added, "A dish of peanuts."
She whispered in his ear, "Our peanuts shouldn't be ninety-nine yuan a dish, and there aren't any random people dancing around."
The man laughed, and the two went side-by-side to a corner table, sitting down and watching the other drinkers chatter.
"Speaking of which, this 'Seven Absolutes Gentleman,' I've never even written about him. There's actually someone this awesome!"
"Of the billions in the world, can you even write a few dozen names?"
"Uh, well, maybe a hundred or so..."
"Extras don't count. I might as well just write 'Old Man in Green Robes' or 'Big Man in Brocade Robes'..."
"Hey, when it comes to writing, am I the master and you the master?"
"Hmph..."
"Tsk, the Uncrowned Empress, that's awesome."
"Any objections?"
"No, no..." The wine and meat were served, and the "master and disciple" temporarily stopped their whispering. Chu Ge raised the jug to pour wine; the wine was hot, and as it poured, steam rose, filling the air with its aroma.
The smell of an ancient tavern wafted through the air in this steam.
That was a beauty that words could never truly capture.
The patron continued, "What a pity. The Yunji Sect's selection process is so strict. I've tried to join for two years, but I haven't been able to get in..."
"Come on, the number one sect in the world isn't so easy to get into. Everyone's scrambling for it."
"But I didn't even want to become a disciple. Can't I just be a servant, serving tea and water?"
"They have low-ranking disciples who do chores, why bother recruiting from outside... What are you after?"
"I don't want anything else, just to catch a glimpse of Sect Master Qiu's beautiful face. I'd die happy for that." The patron sobbed, "My soul is bound to her, just for..." "That beauty..."
"This bastard..." the drinkers laughed. "Do you even know what Sect Master Qiu looks like? You're still dreaming about her."
"Everyone thinks she's the most beautiful woman in the world!" one drinker lamented. "Even if she isn't! Just imagine how it would feel to have a kiss from a powerful empress! If you could be a servant, sneaking up on her, and accidentally see her bathing... ah, who the hell threw that at me?" A peanut silently landed in his mouth, almost breaking a tooth.
Qiu Wuji smiled at Chu Ge, who sat with a stern face, looking displeased.
The peanut, of course, was thrown by him.
"You call that 'ten-thousand-year-old vinegar,' but yours, aged for twenty-odd years, is quite fragrant too, huh?" Qiu Wuji's eyes crinkled with laughter. "But it's just mortal ramblings, why are you taking it so seriously?"
"He's practically written a whole book out of his fantasies!" Chu Ge huffed. "I haven't even dared to write that!"
"You haven't written it, you've only acted it. How many times have you spied on the Sect Master while he's bathing?"
"Uh... well, they won't allow it!"
"All lecherous thieves in the world have the same thoughts." Qiu Wuji's eyes flickered, a hint of allure in his voice. "They just like the aloof Sect Master, right? If the Sect Master isn't enough, even the Empress has come." Chu Ge, like a thief... Right glanced over: "It's the Empress, it's the Empress."
"Pah, what kind of behavior is that!" Qiu Wuji's smile vanished, replaced by a stern face: "Your hidden weapon technique was alright. Watch carefully. Anyone else spouting nonsense? Another one, and remember, this time, knock out their teeth."
Chu Ge laughed: "Yes, sir!"
But then the other drinkers chimed in: "You're lucky you didn't break your teeth! Sect Master Qiu is practically a revered figure here, like a Buddha to all. How dare you entertain such lewd thoughts? Those hotheads aren't here today, otherwise, beating you would be the least of their worries."
The drinker covered his mouth and fell silent.
This was the area around the Yunji Mountains, a town surrounding the Yunji Sect. Just looking at how the Yunji Sect disciples were responsible for shoveling snow for everyone showed how good the Yunji Sect's reputation was here. Qiu Wuji wasn't just a revered figure here, he was practically an emperor.
Anyone daring to spout nonsense here was incredibly audacious.
However, he wasn't the only one spouting nonsense.
A sinister voice came from a corner: "To get a menial job at the Yunji Sect, you don't necessarily have to choose one of the sects."
Someone asked curiously, "What else?"
"The Yunji Sect's mines are always recruiting miners. In this freezing weather, the hard labor and exploitation are no better than those so-called 'heartless' rich. Who knows, there might be skeletons in the mines, yet you don't say a word. A living Buddha? Heh heh, nothing more." Qiu Wuji's previously cheerful expression instantly turned ashen.
Chu Ge scratched his head.
The sect mining is certain; he'd even mentioned it briefly in his writing.
But he hadn't written about the specifics of management, just glossed over it. Qiu Wuji obviously wouldn't pay attention to such details, so neither of them dared to say for sure whether what this person said was true.
This development… could it be that his first act of chivalry in the martial world turned out to be against him?