Side Story: Jade Tusk Spear

Chen Wentian and Long Yifei left for the Martial Brilliance Continent. It only took a few days for a gloomy fog to fall upon Ten Thousand Flower Valley and all the remaining disciples. There was no immediate danger. It was merely the fact that their master would not be back for some time.

Exactly how long he had to stay with Long Yifei was unclear but it would be at least two months out of the eight-month school year. He couldn't stay the whole time, unlike many other acolytes. It was a problem that didn't have a good solution as he couldn't just abandon Ten Thousand Flower Valley for one disciple.

This difficult situation was not lost on the other disciples. They felt bad for Long Yifei but at the same time, they were unwilling to lose their master to her alone.

Bei Yingluo was particularly affected by this melancholy atmosphere that took over the sect. Her status was the lowest. Her cultivation was the lowest. And she usually ended as the odd one out.

The first three disciples were a tight-knit bunch, with many shared experiences and history together. Although Wu Qianyu didn't mind being alone, Lin Qingcheng and Zhou Ziyun pulled her into their training sessions, unwilling to fall too far behind.

The ice sisters were an even more impervious group. They were true sisters in everything except blood. They ate together, trained together, bathed together, and even slept together. Trying to befriend them was an even more awkward affair for Bei Yingluo.

This left Jasmine but she was completely unapproachable. She was an immortal and did her own thing. She had a pack of giant dire wolves and a skulk of foxes to keep her company. Since Chen Wentian left, she had also not shown her face anywhere. The only clue to her presence was the constant flow of food to her burrow, the Moonlit Sanctum.

Bei Yingluo sighed and sat down on the bench beneath the shade. The heat of the midday sun was unbearable after many hours of morning practice. She was the only one at the training field, except for a few servants. A pile of dull spears lay next to several shattered combat dummies. The main sect building peeped over a small hill while a small grove of ancient trees hid from her view the vast tracts of farmland where hundreds of female workers tended to the sect's cash crops.

She leaned back in her chair after taking a swig of iced tea. One servant immediately started fanning her while another offered a chilled towel. The benefits provided to her as a disciple of the immortal were certainly immense. Even though she felt a little lonely, she didn't forget to appreciate her fortunate position.

"Sis! Sis!" A sweet voice interrupted her musings and she sat up.

Her younger sister, Bei Mingyu popped out from behind a nearby building and rushed over. She was a fast-growing girl of thirteen. The dusty-brown uniform of the Bei Clan hung loosely from her undeveloped frame. With an improved diet and steady training in martial arts, she was already quite tall, barely half a head shorter than Bei Yingluo.

"What are you doing here? Did you sneak in?"

Bei Mingyu usually wasn't allowed within the inner sect area where Bei Yingluo was. Branch sect members had a much lower status. Only direct disciples and servants were allowed here.

"Don't worry, nobody saw me! Mingyu is not a little girl anymore!" Bei Mingyu said while swiping a cup of iced tea.

"Did you do your morning exercises?" Bei Yingluo asked sternly.

Her sister waved her hand dismissively, "Yeah… but it was sooooo boring!"

Bei Yingluo shook her head and launched into a lecture. Although her sister was too young to begin cultivating, developing a good foundation through martial arts and physical exercise was important. When she hit puberty, she would be able to begin cultivation and her progress in the Body Refinement Realm would be much faster than someone with a weak physique who had never broken a sweat in their entire life.

"I know, I know! Sis, please!" Bei Mingyu whined, "I was practicing but I couldn't stand it in the manor anymore. You know how it's been lately, so many strange men coming and going. I swear I don't know what the aunties are thinking. And mother, she…"

She trailed off and looked away with a disgusted expression.

"What did mother do?" Bei Yingluo asked.

"She… she went and brought a man into her room."

Bei Yingluo sucked in a sharp breath. This wasn't something she had expected, at least not so soon.

Their aunts had all been collecting suitors left and right in order to expand the clan's numbers. There were marriages scheduled almost every week. They were trying to wash away the horrors they had suffered with a flood of offspring.

And now, their mother had finally jumped into the fray.

"She…" She began and trailed off, not knowing what to say.

The two sisters fell into silence and ruminated on the situation over cold drinks. It was not difficult to see why their mother would change her mind and follow their aunts. Bei Rongyin was still young enough to have children. She had physically recovered from the ordeal with the monkey beasts and had even managed to improve her cultivation by a level.

There was no reason for a woman in good health to not seek another husband and have more children. And since the Bei Clan was always matriarchal, the clan placed no emphasis on the men they married acting as father figures. In fact, Bei Yingluo and Bei Mingyu were half-sisters with different fathers, men they had never met and would probably never ever meet.

Bei Yingluo sighed in defeat, "I suppose there's nothing bad about having a little brother or sister."

"I guess not." Bei Mingyu said.

"So, when are you going to start bringing boys into your room? Am I going to be an aunt soon?" Bei Yingluo teased.

"No way! I don't want them!" Her sister protested, "I've already decided, I'm going to be the Lord Immortal's disciple!"

Bei Yingluo spat out a mouthful of tea.

"I'm serious! Why would I want to marry a bunch of useless men when he is right here in front of me?"

"Sure, sure. Then you can't slack off on your martial arts. Master is extremely picky!"

"I won't!"

The two sisters continued arguing and teasing each other. When lunch was served, they shared it together. And afterward, they sparred with each other in the training field. Since Chen Wentian, Jasmine, and Chen Mo were all nowhere to be found, there was nobody around to care about some small rules being broken.

They were undisturbed until mid-afternoon when a loud woof made them jump. A giant dire wolf padded into view with a wronged expression on its black-furred face. Each step was heavy and it was panting loudly from exertion.

The culprit seemed to be a large spear that was tied to its back. It was slightly longer than two meters and made of shiny white metal. The shaft was covered in intricate carvings. The blade was leaf-shaped and started with a broad base that tapered to a deadly tip.

It seemed heavy. It looked powerful. An immeasurable aura radiated from the weapon as if they were in the presence of a massive being the size of a mountain.

"Da Hei!" Bei Yingluo said as she walked up carefully.

The giant dire wolf, which stood as tall as her, nodded as if in understanding. It then reached around with its snout and undid the ropes keeping the spear in place.

"For me?"

The wolf nodded.

Bei Yingluo reached up and grabbed the spear shaft. It felt impossible heavily but then there was a pulse of energy. After it passed, the spear weighed no more than an ordinary one and she was able to wield it easily.

There was also a short note attached which she read aloud, "Yingluo, Master won't be back for a while. There are also too many pairs of eyes observing the sect at the moment so I cannot be by your side using other means. Take this spear as recompense. I had Jasmine pick it up before she returned. I've always promised an immortal item for you and I finally managed to make one for you. It is called the Jade Tusk Spear.

"It is made from jadeite steel which contains the power of the earth. It contains the immortal soul of a Jade Tusk Elephant which can protect you in times of need. These aspects allow the spear to change its weight according to your will. This means that it will remain a suitable weapon even when your unique power triggers. I hope to see your Bei Family Spear reach new heights!"

Bei Yingluo put away the note and held the spear with trembling hands. Tears welling in her eyes but she fought them back. She was overcome with happiness.

"Sis, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing is wrong at all!" She replied, laughing, "Master is the most amazing man in the world. Mingyu, if you want to be his disciple, I will support you but you better work hard!"

---

Thank you to all my patrons!

Support me and read ahead by 26 or even 52 chapters!

p atreon.com/kigreenwriting

Join my discord for updates, delays, and my ramblings :)

d iscord.gg/dY5UApw