The Life of a Necromancer as a Swashbuckler

Chapter 35: Returning to Xiaoyao Valley

Ake suddenly realized they were still standing there completely naked and immediately blushed. She scrambled around looking for clothes to put on, but after searching for a long time, she discovered that Yechacha had taken her clothes. Not wanting to wear Yechacha’s clothes, she simply snatched Nameless’s clothes and put them on. Nameless could do nothing about it and had no choice but to ask the innkeeper for another set of old clothes to wear. By the time they were both dressed, dawn had broken, so they decided to return to Xiaoyao Valley first and report to their master later. Not just anyone could enter Xiaoyao Valley; the valley entrance was riddled with traps and ambushes. Fortunately, with Ake leading the way, Nameless was able to return to Xiaoyao Valley safely. It was the fourth month of spring in Xiaoyao Valley—a season of lush grass and singing orioles. The entire valley was ablaze with spring colors, brimming with vitality and exuding an atmosphere of flourishing prosperity. It truly resembled a place where immortals dwelled, living up to its name, “Xiaoyao” (Carefree). The moment Nameless entered Xiaoyao Valley, he felt his spirits relax, as if a traveler far from home had finally returned to the homeland he longed for—everything felt so familiar and peaceful. Master Xiaoyaozi seemed to have known long ago that the two would return; he had been waiting at the entrance to the main hall, looking out expectantly. When he saw Nameless and Ake, he was overjoyed, just like an elderly parent welcoming the return of a long-lost child. Upon seeing their Master, Nameless and Ake hurriedly knelt in reverence. “Nameless and Ake pay their respects to Master.” “Quick, get up! Xiaoyaozi used his inner energy to lift them both to their feet. “Ke’er, you’ve worked so hard. The Xian De Divination was indeed spot-on—finding Ming’er really did require your help,” Xiaoyaozi said with a cheerful smile. It turned out that ever since news of Nameless’s disappearance had reached them, both the Iron Palm Sect and the Carefree Sect had been searching for him. Xiaoyaozi had even used the Xian De Divination Art left behind by the Elder Xian De to cast a divination, and based on the omens, he had sent Ake to find Nameless—and she had actually succeeded. “Ke’er, did you have a smooth journey? How did you find Ming’er?” Xiaoyaozi asked with concern. It would have been better if he hadn’t asked. The moment he did, Ake was reminded of last night’s events—especially the intimate moments between Yechacha and Nameless, and the fact that Nameless had seen her naked. Her face flushed crimson, and she was momentarily at a loss for words. Nameless, standing nearby, naturally understood Ake’s predicament and quickly stepped in to explain, “Last night, my disciple was held hostage by the Yechacha. It was thanks to Senior Sister that I was rescued.” With that single sentence, he glossed over the details. Ake, too embarrassed to go into detail, could only nod in acknowledgment, her face flushed. Xiaoyaozi was, by nature, a laid-back sort of person, so he didn’t press the matter. Seeing Nameless, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, he said with satisfaction, “Ming’er, you’re finally back. This journey has truly brought fame to our Xiaoyao Valley.” Nameless, however, was taken aback by Xiaoyaozi’s words and looked at him in confusion. What did “making a name for yourself” refer to? Seeing that Nameless didn’t understand, Xiaoyaozi explained with a smile, “Nameless, you solved the case in Suiyang and were bestowed the title of ‘Xiaoyao Great Hero.’ You also outwitted the Tianmo Sect on Mogan Peak and rescued the Iron Palm Sect from encirclement. Aren’t these feats enough to make your name known throughout the land? You truly live up to being a disciple of the Xiaoyao Valley—I didn’t misjudge you. Your senior brother and Ke’er should both learn from you.” Ke’er nodded obediently in agreement from the side, while Nameless felt a pang of unease upon hearing such praise, though he could find no words to refute it. So the three returned to the main hall. Xiaoyaozi sat in the center, with Ake and Nameless seated to his left and right, respectively, though there was no sign of Gu Yuntian. Once everyone was seated, Xiaoyaozi asked, “I suppose you’ve all gotten to know one another by now.” Nameless and Ake were at a loss for words. They hadn’t spoken much along the way; every time Nameless tried to talk to Ake, she would blush and be unable to say anything—clearly, last night’s events were still affecting her. On the other hand, Nameless didn’t want to talk much about his situation with Yechacha, so their relative silence meant they actually didn’t know much about each other. Seeing the two of them like this, Xiaoyaozi guessed the situation: “‘I suppose you don’t know each other very well yet. It’s my fault for being negligent. Let me formally introduce you. I have three disciples in total: Senior Brother Gu Yuntian, whom you’ve both met; this is Second Senior Sister Jing Ke, a descendant of the Jing clan—she goes by Ake to avoid taboos; and my newly accepted third disciple, Nameless. Now you’ve basically all met one another.’ So that’s how it was. Only then did Nameless learn of Ake’s identity, though he still didn’t quite understand the mention of the Jing clan and taboos. “Ake and Yuntian both grew up in Xiaoyao Valley from a young age. Although Ke’er may be younger than you, she joined the sect earlier, so she’ll be your senior sister,” Xiaoyaozi explained. Nameless, of course, had no objections. After the introductions, the fellow disciples exchanged greetings. Ake still looked flushed and shy; she told her master she was a bit tired from last night and excused herself to leave. Nameless also wanted to leave, but was stopped by Xiaoyaozi. Only after Ake had gone did Xiaoyaozi fix Nameless with a piercing gaze and ask, “Nameless, did something happen between you and Yechacha?” Nameless was startled by his master’s question—it seemed nothing could be hidden from this old immortal. He made no attempt to conceal the truth and recounted the entire story to his master, omitting only the most intimate details. To Nameless’s surprise, Xiaoyaozi didn’t get angry after hearing this. Instead, he laughed heartily, as if he had insight into the ways of the world, and said with a smile, “Just as I thought. Ming’er, you’ve truly been blessed with good fortune.” Nameless had assumed his master would be angry; he never expected such a reaction and was thoroughly puzzled. He couldn’t help but ask his master cautiously, “Master, do you not mind that I’m associating with Yechacha from the Demon Cult?” Xiaoyaozi laughed heartily. “Ming’er, what’s the difference between the Demon Cult and the orthodox schools? It’s merely a matter of differing stances—there’s absolutely no need to get hung up on it. We call ourselves the Xiaoyao Sect; if we can’t even grasp this simple truth, what’s the point of talking about ‘Xiaoyao’? Our Xiaoyao Sect originated from the Yingyue Palace, yet the martial arts world labels the Yingyue Palace as a Demon Cult. How are we supposed to conduct ourselves then? The distinction between good and evil is nothing more than the self-inflicted worries of the mediocre.” Hearing his master’s words, Nameless felt deeply reassured. So the Xiaoyao Sect and the Yingyue Palace had a secret alliance, and there was still hope for him and Yechacha. The Xiaoyao Sect truly suited his personality. “However,” Xiaoyaozi’s expression suddenly turned serious again, “Ming’er, is there still any trace of the Xuan Nu Gong left in your body?” Nameless admired his master even more—he’d actually managed to guess that. The Xuan Nu Gong was indeed supposed to have been fully returned last night, but Ake had interrupted the process, so some of it still remained within him. “I have a secret technique for expelling energy. You must expel the Xuan Nu Gong from your body as soon as possible, and once it’s gone, you can begin cultivating the Xiaoyao Heart Method,” Xiaoyaozi said, his tone becoming very serious. Nameless was thoroughly puzzled. “How could you tell there were remnants of the Xuan Nu Art in my body? And why are you in such a hurry to have me expel it? Didn’t you just say it doesn’t matter whether a technique is ‘good’ or ‘evil’?” Nameless was a bit confused. Seeing Nameless’s confusion, Xiaoyaozi continued, “Although the Xuan Nu Art is excellent, it is not suitable for men to practice. If the Xuan Nu Art remains in a man’s body for too long, it will alter his physique, making him more feminine. In the most severe cases, it could even cause a change in gender.” Only then did Nameless have a sudden realization—no wonder his complexion had been improving and he’d been growing more and more beautiful. “So, seeing your changes and knowing you’ve spent a long time with Yechacha, I guessed where the problem lay. Since this was a transmission of cultivation—which is inherently beneficial and harmless—I’m afraid you haven’t completed the process. Therefore, you must expel the original Xuan Nu Gong from your body as soon as possible; otherwise, the transformation will be inevitable.” Nameless was startled—he had no intention of changing his gender just yet—and hurriedly bowed to thank his master for the guidance. Now that everything had been discussed, and seeing that Nameless was exhausted, Xiaoyaozi offered a few words of encouragement. He taught Nameless the method for expelling the energy, gave him a secret manual of the Xiaoyao Heart Method—instructing him to practice it only after he had dispelled the energy—and then sent him back to rest. Nameless returned to the room where he had once recuperated; it had now become his official residence. He couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of relief—he was finally back. Escorting Shi Jingyu on this journey had been fraught with peril, but the rewards were substantial: he had been bestowed the title of “Xiaoyao Great Hero,” acquired several secret manuals, and even shared an intimate moment with her. All in all, it had been a fruitful journey. Nameless was indeed exhausted. He returned to his room and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. He had no idea how long he’d been sleeping when he heard someone calling at the door: “Junior Brother Wu, Junior Brother Wu.” Nameless got up to see who it was and discovered a figure in white with a delicate figure standing at the doorway—it was his junior senior sister, Ake. Glancing at the sky, he realized it was already the middle of the night. What could she possibly want so late?