She Dominates the Immortal Realm with Her HP Bar

◎The Chronicle Ruined Me!◎

The artifact-crafting competition had come to an end.

After seeing off the City Lord of Chiyu City, Yan Bixin also prepared to take his leave.

Noticing the black-robed artifact master showing signs of departure, the shopkeeper and Master Ding immediately stood up and approached to bid him farewell.

The two of them—one, Zhen Zhuo'er's trusted aide responsible for overseeing the event, and the other, representing the artisan guild of Ruyi City as a spectator—had initially been ready to broaden their horizons and feast their eyes on a spectacular show.

Who could have predicted such an anticlimactic conclusion to the contest, and that the shocking, brutal truth lying behind the scenes would emerge?

Even as they rose to send off Master Yan, the shopkeeper and Master Ding were still deep in contemplation.

They couldn’t help but wonder: If it were my loved one who had been replaced, would I be able to recognize them?

And if I did recognize them, would I have the resolve to strike them down?

When these thoughts crossed his mind, the shopkeeper couldn’t help but cast a look of envy toward the black-robed artifact master.

The shopkeeper thought genuinely: How fortunate—it’s a relief that Master Yan never has to worry about such problems.

Not only because Master Yan has such unparalleled skill in crafting artifacts, effortlessly creating items capable of detecting Chameleon Demons, but also because Master Yan is... well, extremely vigilant about his own life. The moment a Chameleon Demon makes its entrance, he could easily sense something was amiss.

And moreover, Master Yan doesn’t have to wrestle with the dilemma of “Should I wield the sword or not?”

After all, given Master Yan’s consistent habit of following his instincts, he never needs to agonize over questions of duty, responsibility, or other lofty concerns.

Instead, at the earliest opportunity, he’ll gather up his robes, dash into the street, and scream “Help!” at the top of his lungs.

Visualizing such a scene in his mind's eye made the shopkeeper’s lips curl into a slight smile, though he quickly straightened it out.

Yan Bixin was right in front of him—it was inappropriate to mock him to his face.

Besides, recalling how Yan Luoyue had made three eerily accurate predictions during the recent birthday banquet couldn’t help but make the shopkeeper embrace a touch of superstition.

With utmost respect, he asked, “Master, is there anything else you’d like to teach me?”

Suddenly being mistaken for a prophet, Yan Luoyue was left baffled: “?”

To Yan Luoyue, this question had no foundation or context—it made no sense at all.

She couldn't quite figure out what the shopkeeper was thinking, so she resorted to her catch-all response.

“...Uh, drink more warm water?”

The shopkeeper heard the wisdom of a sage in those words and promptly replied with the utmost sincerity, “Yes, I understand.”

Since Master Yan advised drinking more warm water, he vowed never to drink cold water or tea again after returning home.

The philosophy he had learned from Master Yan was simply: trust the master’s foresight and carry out her instructions unquestioningly.

Yan Luoyue: “???”

Master Ding glanced at his partner, who was now acting rather odd, and chuckled while stroking his beard.

The two accompanied the black-robed artifact master all the way to the flower-framed doorway. Once there, the shopkeeper hesitated before speaking up again.

“Regarding your earlier advice, I have taken it to heart. May I ask if you have any further instructions for me as a person?”

Yan Luoyue: “???”

No matter how hard Yan Luoyue tried to understand, she couldn’t make heads or tails of the shopkeeper’s peculiar behavior today.

If not for the fact that she had just crafted the Tracking Web artifact, she would almost suspect the shopkeeper of having been replaced by a Chameleon Demon!

The black-robed artifact refiner turned around and carefully scrutinized the shopkeeper, looking him up and down.

The shadow of the cloak concealed Yan Bixin’s face.

Nevertheless, the refiner’s gaze seemed almost tangible, resting on the shopkeeper's shoulders and body.

The shopkeeper subconsciously straightened his posture.

After a moment, Yan Bixin rasped, “The weather’s getting cooler. Shopkeeper, you should wear something warmer.”

Although cultivators are immune to the effects of cold and heat, winter was fast approaching. And yet, the shopkeeper was still dressed in a single thin layer. When the northern winds blew, the hem of his robes fluttered with an ethereal grace.

Indeed, this attire did lend him an air of refined elegance, but onlookers couldn’t help but feel a chill on his behalf.

The shopkeeper had an epiphany. “Ah, Master’s advice—I understand!”

He got it. He completely understood.

When Yan Bixin mentioned the "weather cooling," it obviously wasn’t referring to the present temperature—it was forewarning the chaotic times ahead, where demonic creatures would arise.

And the Master wasn’t genuinely urging him to wear more clothes; he was advising him to carry defensive artifacts at all times!

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Yan Luoyue had no intention of asking the shopkeeper what interpretation he’d conjured up this time.

In the split second before turning away, Yan Luoyue’s peripheral vision caught Master Ding’s shoulders trembling slightly—it seemed the man was stifling laughter.

As they escorted the black-robed artifact refiner out of the city lord’s manor, the shopkeeper bowed slightly, unable to resist asking one final question, “Master, do you think...”

Given his prior experiences of failing to confirm details, the shopkeeper figured it would be better to extract three pieces of advice at once from Yan Bixin and Yan Luoyue.

Yan Luoyue, thoroughly exasperated by the relentless questioning, reluctantly helped finalize the shopkeeper’s trio of precautionary measures against seasonal ailments.

The black-robed refiner chuckled softly and spoke in his raspy voice: “Wear a mask.”

The shopkeeper, puzzled, asked, “…A mask?”

Yan Bixin raised his hand, gesturing as if tracing something over his own face. “A breathable face covering.”

The late autumn season marked the arrival of transitional weather. Regardless of what the shopkeeper had decoded from his words, ensuring protection from contagious illnesses couldn’t lead to a misunderstanding.

Leaving behind these parting words, the black-robed refiner politely nodded at them.

Before the two had a chance to urge him to stay longer, Yan Bixin had already swept away with his billowing robes, leaving the still-contemplating shopkeeper behind in search of hidden meanings.

Yan Luoyue, observing Yan Bixin vanishing swiftly down the street corner, muttered internally: If I were to stay here any longer and endure further questioning from the shopkeeper, I’d have no choice but to recommend he start drinking Xiao Chai Hu herb tea!

Watching the black-robed refiner’s hurried departure and seeing his figure disappear down the road, Master Ding finally couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

“Old friend, this time you've truly shocked Master Yan.”

Just look at the speed at which he fled—it was practically an escape from the shopkeeper’s endless barrage of questions.

The shopkeeper cast Master Ding a solemn look. “You don’t understand. The Master's instructions must surely hold profound truths.”

Master Ding teased, “Friend, while Master Yan indeed showcased some extraordinary insight at the last birthday banquet, you can’t let one scare from a snake leave you fearful of every piece of rope.”

The shopkeeper snorted softly to himself, thinking: You weren’t the one who had Master Yan overturn your judgments six times in a row.

—You were just the man constantly undermining me from the sidelines!

The shopkeeper replied firmly, “Friend, let’s wait and see.”

...

Without wasting any time, just a day later, the shopkeeper eagerly sent a message to Master Ding, inviting his old friend to visit him at the store.

When Master Ding arrived at the appointment, his words were laced with mild complaints.

"The Hundred Refinements Assembly is just around the corner, and I've been busy honing my skills lately, making frantic last-minute preparations. If it weren’t for your personal invitation, old friend, I definitely wouldn’t have come."

After venting briefly, Master Ding continued, “So, what’s the matter? Has something happened?”

The shopkeeper sat upright, his eyes glowing with excitement, clearly still unable to calm down from whatever had exhilarated him.

"It's incredible, simply incredible. Do you know what happened yesterday?"

Master Ding looked puzzled.

The shopkeeper suddenly slapped the table, causing the tea cups on it to jump slightly.

"You told me the other day to drink more hot water. So when I got home, I asked my family to boil a pot of hot water instead of brewing tea with my cherished tea leaves.”

“And guess what happened? My youngest son actually came to me, hesitatingly, to confess something. It turns out he had been raising silkworms in my prized tea leaves! Oh, I was so furious with that little rascal. If he hadn’t thought he’d been caught because I stopped drinking tea, who knows how long I’d have been drinking tea leaves mixed with—you get it—silkworm waste!”

"Hahaha!"

Master Ding burst out into hearty laughter, unrestrained by the shopkeeper’s misfortune.

Raising an eyebrow, Master Ding teased, “That kid of yours has quite the nerve, but he’s smart enough to turn himself in. I dare say your youngest will grow up to be a talent someday.”

The shopkeeper snorted dismissively, clearly unconvinced.

“Bah, let’s not talk about that little troublemaker anymore—just thinking about him makes me annoyed. Old friend, do you remember the second thing that Master Yan told me the other day?”

Master Ding thought for a moment. “He said it’s getting cold, and that you should wear more layers?”

“Exactly. The moment Master Yan advised me, I immediately put on a set of defensive treasures.”

As he spoke, the shopkeeper raised his hand to show Master Ding the ring he was wearing, his excitement undiminished.

He continued enthusiastically, “It paid off just this morning! Earlier, a customer brought in a Thousand Mechanisms Box to have it appraised at my Zhaoxin Pavilion. You know how, centuries ago, it was common to use those boxes in burial customs, right? So you can never be sure what might be inside.”

Master Ding proved himself to be the shopkeeper’s longtime confidant—he understood instantly.

“That box contained traps meant to attack grave robbers?”

“Exactly,” the shopkeeper exclaimed, slapping his thigh vigorously. “Thankfully, I made sure to have my complete set of defensive treasures on me. Every single trap was neutralized!”

Master Ding tugged thoughtfully at his beard, the story both intriguing and a bit incredible.

“My old friend,” he said slowly, “if Master Yan hadn’t warned you beforehand, wouldn’t you have taken precautions anyway before opening the box? You can’t attribute the credit solely to him without more evidence.”

The shopkeeper shook his head knowingly. "I knew you'd say that—because you haven’t heard about the third thing yet."

Master Ding paused in surprise. "The third thing… did he tell you to wear a face mask?"

"That’s right," the shopkeeper said, his voice sounding almost ethereal with wonder.

"Look at Zhaoxin Pavilion—next door is the tea house run by the same owner. That tea house also sells some light alcohol on the side."

"Fate truly works in strange ways! Just yesterday, a young woman stumbled out of a building, completely drunk, and started kissing everyone she saw. My entire staff was dragged into this mess, one after another. Even I wasn’t spared... Oh, what shame!"

At this, the shopkeeper raised his sleeve to hide his flushed face.

Master Ding stood there, utterly dumbfounded. "H-How could such a thing happen?"

The shopkeeper stomped his foot heavily, venting his frustration. "And it gets worse! That young woman is a half-step Core Formation cultivator! Everyone in this shop, even combined, couldn’t take her on in a fight, nor could they outrun her."

Master Ding: "..."

Master Ding could only pity him as he asked, "And your wife? What did your lady say?"

He was familiar with the temper of his friend’s sharp-tongued wife. If she ever found out about this incident, the old man would surely have one foot in the grave.

To this, the shopkeeper let out a hearty laugh. "My wife didn’t say a word! Imagine that! Yesterday, I wore a mask the entire day; she didn’t even catch a glimpse of me."

At this point, the shopkeeper looked relieved, like a man narrowly escaping disaster.

"Take a look at Xiao Bing from our staff. He went home yesterday with a faint mark behind his ear. His wife made him kneel on a washboard all night. Now he’s still limping when he walks!"

"If it weren’t for Master Yan Bixin urging me to wear a mask, oh, my friend, who knows if you’d be seeing my arms and legs intact today?"

Master Ding: "..."

At that moment, Master Ding completely admitted his defeat. He was awestruck, convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt.

The facts spoke louder than words. The mysterious, black-robed artifact refiner had once again demonstrated his unfathomable foresight.

Master Ding began to suspect that there was some unknowable wisdom embedded in the name "Yan Bixin"—a hidden philosophy of unwavering confidence and trustworthiness...

He couldn’t help but exclaim in genuine admiration, "Master Yan is extraordinary!"

Next time he met Yan Bixin, he would definitely discuss some guiding principles of life with such an insightful master!

Meanwhile, Yan Luoyue had no idea that her reputation and expertise were once again on the verge of taking yet another enigmatic turn.

At this very moment, she was focused on opening a gift sent by Meng Zhun, the Lord of Chiyu City.

Yan Luoyue shook the small box gently, and a faint sound emanated from within, its contents rattling against the sides.

By all logic, she had repeatedly rejected Meng Zhun’s abundant offers of spiritual stones as payment and had also politely declined the deed for an expansive plot of land that he had sincerely offered.

Meng Zhun should have understood by now that the black-robed artifact refiner held firmly to her principles—they did not profit off money set aside to save lives in disaster-stricken areas.

Given that, whatever Meng Zhun had insisted on delivering before his departure was likely something of modest value but immensely meaningful to a craftsman like her.

Gently curious, Yan Luoyue mulled over it for a while, as if playing a game of guessing a blind box’s prize, before slowly, deliberately opening the lid.

Inside lay a humble scrap of aged paper.

Although someone had taken great care to mount and preserve it, the yellowed edges and hastily drawn lines still made the item appear distinctly shabby.

And yet, it was this very unassuming scrap that made Yan Luoyue’s eyes widen in astonishment.

She carefully held the piece of paper between her fingers, inspecting it, before reaching into her storage pouch for another small box.

Unlike Meng Zhun’s, this particular box was of a different style. It was a gift from Zhen Zhuo'er after the resolution of the infamous Ru family’s demonic incident. The item inside was rumored to hold clues linked to the legendary Heavenly Fires.

Opening the box revealed another fragment, one with an aged and weathered aesthetic strikingly similar to the piece she now held.

Yan Luoyue aligned the torn edges of the map fragments carefully, bringing them together seamlessly.

As soon as the pieces fused along the tear, a faint white light spilled out from the age-worn paper.

Immediately afterward, the two fragments bonded together of their own accord, and the ink marks on the paper began to shift.

"…So that's how it is."

Gripping the corners of the newly combined map fragment, Yan Luoyue held it up to the light and stared at it closely, speaking aloud in surprise.

Ever since she first obtained this map, she hadn't put much effort into studying it.

It wasn't until today, when she came across another fragment, that Yan Luoyue realized that this seemingly ordinary old scroll was anything but. Not only did it bear signs of intricate refinements, but it also held a special formation etched into its surface.

The unique refinement techniques ensured that the fragments, though separated, remained inherently connected, allowing them to bond spontaneously.

Meanwhile, the formation concealed the information recorded on the map.

Each time another piece was added, the ink on the map would transform yet again.

Only by gathering all the fragments could the map reveal its true path.

Yan Luoyue murmured to herself, "It seems what this map records must be incredibly important…"

Secrets guarded with such care and precision must surely be worth their weight in gold.

Gently, Yan Luoyue stored the newly combined map fragment away.

Now, her anticipation for the upcoming Hundred Refinements Assembly grew ever stronger.

Days later, two brothers from the Crane Clan arrived at the Turtle Clan's territory to request temporary lodging.

Though the Turtle Clan was busy preparing for the year's hibernation season, they warmly welcomed the visiting scholars of demon history with exceptional hospitality.

As soon as Ling Shuying and Ling Shuanghun stepped through the gates of the clan's territory, they were surrounded by enthusiastic Turtle Clan uncles and aunties.

"Come, this way—your rooms are already cleaned and ready for you."

"Oh no, no, no. You're esteemed scholars—how could we possibly charge you?"

"Please, don't be shy. Here in the Turtle Clan, we treat guests like family. And besides, our Turtle and Crane clans go way back!"

The Crane Clan, being another long-lived race, had a deep connection with the Turtle Clan. After all, phrases such as "longevity of the crane and tortoise" or "years as countless as tortoise and crane" had existed in the human world for centuries.

Moreover, as water-dwelling avian demons, the Crane Clan's tastes overlapped significantly with the Turtle Clan's.

It was no wonder, then, that the Turtle aunties regarded the two handsome young men with adoring smiles, happily stuffing their arms full of lovingly prepared snacks.

"Here, try my crispy dried caterpillars. They're chewy and authentic!"

"This is crushed shrimp—savory and flavorful! Just keep it on you for snacking."

Even Yan Yu couldn’t resist tossing a bag of powdered snowflake worms their way from a distance.

Seeing this, Yan Luoyue lowered her voice and asked Yan Yu, "Sister Yu, you're giving them snacks too?"

Yan Yu leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially, "Of course. Just look at how handsome these two young lads are!"

Yan Luoyue: "…"

Ah, so that's what it is. Apparently, everyone—turtles included—shares an appreciation for beauty.

Yan Luoyue pointed at the other snack pouch hanging from Yan Yu's waist. "Then why don't you throw that one over too?"

After all, there were two scholarly brothers. Just giving them one bag wouldn't be enough.

Yan Yu unfastened the cloth bag of small dried fish from her belt, twirled it lightly in the air, and… placed it straight into Yan Luoyue's palm instead.

Yan Yu gently patted Yan Luoyue's little head and squinted his eyes with an affectionate smile.

"This is for you—after all, my sister is quite the beauty."

Hand in hand, Yan Luoyue and Yan Yu admired the breathtaking looks of the crane brothers.

Back when Yan Luoyue was disguised under the alias Yan Bixin, she had seen these brothers a few times before. But the situations back then weren't quite right, and she had never been able to openly stare at them like she could now.

Now, taking the opportunity to observe them thoroughly, Yan Luoyue couldn’t help but remark inwardly that the cranes truly had impressively long legs. Even when concealed under their flowing robes, their legs appeared sleek and perfectly straight.

The crane brothers' necks were equally remarkable. Elegant and porcelain-white, their necks only accentuated their statuesque and graceful figures.

No wonder the younger brother, Ling Shuanghun, although only four or five years older than Yan Luoyue, gave off the impression of towering over her by half a person just with visuals alone.

Yan Luoyue was mystified. She couldn’t help but wonder—they must have some sort of secret technique when they transform into human form, right? Otherwise, why would their bodies seem to consist of just a neck connected to legs?

Both wore the same thin, single-layered robes. On the proprietor of Zhaoxin Pavilion, such attire would make people worry whether he might catch a chill.

But on the crane brothers, the attire transformed into flowing elegance: wide sleeves, expansive robes, their demeanor as ethereal as the wind itself—like jade trees standing against the breeze, suave and enchanting.

Yan Luoyue couldn’t help but think back to her own plans. At one point, hadn’t she considered that once she had enough money, she would buy a white crane beast to use as transportation...?

Wait a moment. What method of transportation did these brothers use to travel all the way from Ruyi City to the turtle clan’s territory? Could it be... they actually flew here themselves?

Upon hearing Yan Luoyue’s question, Yan Yu gave her a strange look.

"Flying that far on their own would be exhausting. They obviously ride cranes."

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Yan Luoyue mumbled in disbelief, "Cranes... riding cranes?"

That sounded so bizarre.

Yan Yu gave her a teasing slap. "What's so strange about that? Why don’t you say horse spirits shouldn’t ride horses or fish spirits shouldn’t eat fish?"

Humans even play around with monkeys!

Even their turtle clan, when divining, had to throw turtle shells into the fire. It’s not like they can theatrically detach their own shells on the spot, can they?

Yan Luoyue: "...Okay, fine. I don’t have questions anymore."

Wait—no, I do.

Three days later, Yan Luoyue stood behind a sparse clump of trees.

Not far away, the voices of the crane brothers speaking drifted to her through the long wind.

Her face composed, Yan Luoyue thought: Actually, I have many questions. And they’re getting bigger.

Initially, Yan Luoyue had just gone out wandering aimlessly.

When she passed behind the trees, she spotted the Ling brothers sitting in a pavilion and decided to head over to greet them.

But as Yan Luoyue approached, the key term "Yan Bixin" floated into her ears.

Instinctively, she stopped in her tracks.

Within the pavilion, the elder brother Ling Shuying furrowed his long brows and asked for the second time, "You’re sure about this?"

"I am."

The younger brother, Ling Shuanghun, stood up, his movements as fluid as clouds and water. Bowing with great courtesy, his snow-white sleeves billowed gently in the wind.

"I have made the decision and carefully planned this trip. If possible, I hope to continue writing *The Chronicles of Yan Bixin.*"

—Huh? *The Chronicles of Yan Bixin?*

Upon catching her own alternate name, Yan Luoyue's ears instantly perked up.

Ling Shuying pressed his palm down, motioning for his younger brother to sit.

In a gentle tone, he said, "I fully support your intention to attend the Hundred Refinements Assembly and record the grandeur of the event. As historians, we are meant to collect newsworthy events of the world; we must not let history slip into oblivion."

"The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍investigation and recording at the demon realm's seal site, I alone am sufficient for that."

At this point, Ling Shuying looked at his brother, hesitating, "But there is one thing... I really can't feel at ease about..."

Ling Shuanghun stood up once more, his posture erect and unyielding as bamboo, looking determinedly into his brother's eyes.

"Brother, let me go, let me write. Do you still remember how you taught me when I was young? — A historian's head can be severed by tyranny, but even if it means countless deaths, we must write the truth unwaveringly."

"…"

"No," Ling Shuying said with difficulty, "Shuanghun, this is not about writing truthfully or not..."

"Brother, I am..."

Before Ling Shuanghun could finish his sentence, he was cut off by his brother.

Ling Shuying looked at him deeply.

Sensing his younger brother's determined resolve, Ling Shuying had no choice but to speak more bluntly.

"You just mentioned that a historian's duty is to record events truthfully."

"Then tell me, Shuanghun: if a writer, while faithfully holding the pen, does not write truthfully but adds many extraneous details, can such a person still be called a historian?"

For a moment, Ling Shuanghun fell completely silent.

Moments later, he stood up again, arguing his point.

"Brother, even if I am stripped of the title of historian, I still hold my original view. Why do we record history? Not just to provide reference for future generations, but also to make people of the present willing to understand history!"

"If no one is willing to actively read these histories, then we would have nothing but a mass of bamboo slips, failing to fulfill history's educational purpose."

Ling Shuying took a deep breath. From his tone, it sounded like he was about to hit his brother.

"Let's not debate this further. Just tell me straight away, what have you stuffed into your records this time?"

Ling Shuanghun answered candidly, "Nothing much, just a few anecdotes to make the record more interesting and attractive for others to read."

Under the sharp gaze of his brother, Ling Shuanghun's lips were tightly pressed, but his chest was held proudly, standing firm without retreating a single step.

"Brother, recording history is important, but so is popularizing it. You and our predecessors emphasize documenting witnessed facts; however, I believe that folklore is also worth recording."

Ling Shuying rebuked, "This is heretical and reckless!"

Hearing the brothers' argument from behind the bushes, Yan Luoyue couldn't help but shake her head and smile.

In her view, both brothers' records were correct and valuable.

Senior brother Ling Shuying documented official history, which was beyond reproach.

As for his younger brother Ling Shuanghun, his aim to make history accessible to the public was a good approach too.

At the end of the day, the options provided by the demon tribe in historical record-keeping are just too restrictive.

If Ling Shuanghun were placed in modern times, he could definitely become a charismatic historical education influencer.

Yan Luoyue declared her silent support for Ling Shuanghun with a fist pump in the air.

She firmly believed that as long as Ling Shuanghun could persist, the passionate reactions from his audience would be the best reward for his endeavors.

However, Yan Luoyue’s fleeting thoughts lasted less than three seconds before the brothers' subsequent conversation shattered them.

Ling Shuying huffed as he sat down heavily on the stone bench. “Fine, then read aloud your recent work ‘The Chronicles of Yan Bixin’ for me!”

Yan Luoyue: “???”

Wait a second—how did the conversation suddenly turn to her?

She thought she had safely settled into being a bystander watching the drama unfold, only to realize that she was actually the center of the story?

Ling Shuanghun didn’t falter in the slightest.

He immediately pulled out the scroll on which he had recorded his notes, unrolled it with a flourish, and began reading aloud with great emotion and passion.

Understanding that the language in official historical records often feels overly formal, making it clunky and exhausting to read, Ling Shuanghun had gone the extra mile by creating a "translated version" for casual readers.

Notably, the style and tone of this translated version bore a striking resemblance to the kind found in middle-school Classical Chinese exams.

Which... inevitably led to this:

“Yan Bixin—formerly a resident of Ruyi City—is widely renowned for his exceptional artifact-crafting skills.”

“Bixin is famed for his dead-on accurate predictions of unfortunate events, earning him the moniker of the soothsayer. Shopkeeper Chen once remarked with a chuckle, ‘Bixin lives up to his name… He truly is Bixin.’”

Yan Luoyue: “……”

Excuse me, what kind of nonsense is “Shopkeeper Chen laughed and said: ‘Bixin lives up to his name.’”?

And absolutely no to this overly literal “Bixin lives up to his name” pun.

If she were a student prepping for exams, there's no way she’d tolerate such a contrived question.

The Ling brothers, blissfully oblivious, continued their antics while an intense wave of resentment brewed nearby.

Ling Shuanghun, engrossed, read on with great fervor:

“Furthermore, because Bixin often wore a jet-black robe, people back then began to refer to him as ‘Crow Lord’…”

At this point, Ling Shuying abruptly interrupted his brother’s recital.

“Hold on.” He turned to his sibling with a sharp reprimand.

“In the past two days, I’ve spent nearly all my time with you. Why have I only heard others say that ‘Master Yan’s attire makes him look somewhat like a crow’ but never once heard anyone actually call him ‘Crow Lord’?”

Being directly criticized by his elder brother, Ling Shuanghun lowered his head with embarrassment.

"I condensed and summarized the information. It seems I’ve fallen into the trap of ‘making emotion override fact.’ I admit my mistake,” he confessed.

Yan Luoyue’s face, alternating shades of red and green, finally softened a little.

Thank goodness, at least one of the brothers possessed some common sense.

Being reincarnated as a small, humble turtle was tragic enough—there was no need to amplify her misery by tacking on the nickname “Crow Lord.”

“Good,” Ling Shuying nodded approvingly, “Continue reading.”

As instructed, Ling Shuanghun immediately adjusted the narrative on the spot, replacing the line with: “Thus, Shuanghun himself bestowed upon Bixin this alternate nickname: ‘Crow Lord.’”

Yan Luoyue: “……”

The faint smile she had just displayed froze on her face.

Wait—how was this allowed?!

"You writers of unofficial histories think you're so great for making edits on the spot???"

Ling Shuanghun continued to recite:

"In the 128th year of Xuanyang, Yan Bixin appeared in Ruyi City for the first time. At that time, the young master of the Lu family was colluding with demons and intended to capture Yan Bixin as his servant. Thankfully, Madam Lu intervened and prevented this from happening."

"Yan Bixin, with his weak cultivation, wasted no time once he was rescued. He immediately rolled up his robe at the city gate, hugging the robe’s hem to his waist, and started running away as fast as his windmill-like legs could carry him..."

At this point, Yan Luoyue thought, "..."

Absurd. Absolutely absurd. Completely outlandish.

Besides, "This is ridiculously outrageous," Yan Luoyue couldn’t come up with a second thought to describe the matter at hand.

The cold wind howled, and autumn leaves danced in the air.

Yan Luoyue’s piercing gaze cut through the sparse grove of trees, fixing coldly on Ling Shuanghun.

She looked at this red-crowned crane and came to the undeniable conclusion: he was absolutely not taking the writing of *The Chronicle of Yan Bixin* seriously.

You're basically crafting "*The Dark History Collection of Yan Bixin*" instead, aren't you?

—Fine, call it a collection if you want, but you're forcing me into this!

If it weren’t for the inappropriate setting, Yan Luoyue would have jumped out on the spot and shouted, "Down with unofficial histories! Down with unethical trivia bloggers!"

At this moment, Yan Luoyue’s fervent and pleading eyes were fully directed at Ling Shuying.

She couldn’t possibly leap out to stop Ling Shuanghun’s grossly absurd behavior right now; instead, she pinned her hopes on Ling Shuying, praying that the elder brother would have a clear head and uphold justice for Yan Bixin.

At the very least… at the very least, don’t describe her panicky escape in such vivid detail, alright?

However, what Yan Luoyue never expected was that Ling Shuying did not stand firm on principles.

He merely pondered for a moment before his expression softened bit by bit.

Ling Shuying sighed and said, "From childhood to now, I've never seen you so persistent about doing something other than wanting to become a historian."

He squeezed his younger brother’s hand gently and said aloud, "If that's the case… Shuanghun, don't forget your original intention."

Upon hearing these words, Ling Shuanghun raised his head in delighted surprise!

Yan Luoyue raised her head in appalled horror!

Ling Shuanghun exclaimed incredulously, "Brother, you agree?"

Yan Luoyue gasped in shock—What? What happened to principles? Are you really going along with this?

"Mm." Ling Shuying curved his eyes into a smile.

The cinnabar mark at his brow shone as red as blood, setting off his youthful and handsome face like a flawless white wall.

"Go write. Make sure to complete this *Chronicle of Yan Bixin* wholeheartedly, alright?"

Ling Shuanghun nodded firmly and said, "Alright!"

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Seeing the matter settled, Yan Luoyue shuffled away from behind the grove in a daze.

As she left, she sighed to herself: Where’s the wildlife bureau? Why doesn’t this world have a wildlife bureau?

Sure, the red-crowned crane is a nationally protected species, but Yan Luoyue, a dignified wild little turtle, is also a nationally protected species categorized as level two!

For a level one species to bully a level two species so openly, especially to the point of altering the level two’s species identity in unofficial histories—does the wildlife bureau seriously have nothing to say about this?

The winter arrived alongside the howling northern wind.

This meant that Yan Luoyue’s birthday was soon approaching.

Apart from everything else, Yan Luoyue had also made preparations to attend the Hundred Refinements Assembly.

This was her first time traveling so far from home. Sang Ji and Yan Gan originally planned to accompany her, but they were stopped by both their family and Yan Luoyue herself.

Yan Luoyue admonished, "Focus on your studies, brothers. Make sure to leave a good impression on your instructors these days."

After all, once they advanced to the prestigious Yuan Class, they would be that much closer to earning a recommendation letter for graduation.

Yan Yu even considered resigning from his position at the Hatchery to accompany Yan Luoyue on this journey, but she gently declined his offer as well.

To ensure a smooth trip, Yan Luoyue brought along two capable helpers.

The first was none other than her peculiar crane-bloodline companion, Ling Shuanghun.

Yes, Ling Shuanghun planned to document the events of the Hundred Refinements Assembly. Conveniently, this allowed him to travel with Yan Luoyue as her companion.

Although Ling Shuanghun's attempts at writing often leaned toward being comically naive, his heart was genuinely kind.

After getting acquainted with these quirky brothers of the crane tribe, Yan Luoyue had casually mentioned the Hundred Refinements Assembly to them once.

Before she could elaborate, Ling Shuanghun was already asking if she planned to undertake the journey alone. Without waiting for her reply, he quickly offered to accompany her if she didn’t mind.

It was only after they had become closer that Yan Luoyue learned Ling Shuanghun was, in fact, only about four or five years her senior.

Even within the demon clans, who were known for their wild embrace of independence from a young age, this wasn’t exactly the age of full self-sufficiency.

However, being of avian lineage, they naturally had the advantage of flight from birth. As a result, Ling Shuanghun had traveled over thirty times as far as Yan Luoyue in his life.

Yan Luoyue couldn’t help but envy that: "So lucky!"

The second helper was Jiang Tingbai.

Upon hearing about Yan Luoyue’s plans to attend the Hundred Refinements Assembly, Jiang Tingbai went out of his way to prepare three sword talismans for her as a means of self-defense.

The sword intent within the talismans was infused by Jiang Tingbai himself, the talisman paper procured via the academy’s funds, and as for the expert talisman engraver who etched the sword intent into runes, that role had been filled as a friendly favor by Mr. Dong.

Thus, three essentially cost-free sword talismans came into existence.

Genuine, powerful, and broke — such was the care extended by a sword cultivator.

“…”

As Yan Luoyue clutched the three sword talismans, she found herself momentarily unsure whether to be moved to tears or to struggle to suppress her laughter.

Nonetheless, Jiang Tingbai’s care served to remind Yan Luoyue of another one of her shortcomings.

“Sir,” Yan Luoyue asked earnestly, “do you think I’m lacking in offensive techniques?”

After hearing her concern, Jiang Tingbai mulled it over thoughtfully.

“To my knowledge, regardless of which cultivation techniques they pursue, members of the turtle tribe very rarely excel at offense. This is tied to your innate traits. Like practitioners of Buddhist disciplines, turtles tend to specialize in defense and dislike conflict, which is why there are so many tales linking turtles to Buddhist teachings.”

At the mention of Buddhism, the first image that sprang to Yan Luoyue’s mind was the rapid-fire chanting of Shen Jingxuan.

From that perspective, wasn’t the Buddhist sect far more combative than the turtle tribe?

Jiang Tingbai offered a tactful observation: “Master Jingxuan... Even with all my years of meeting people, I must say she is a rather exceptional case among Buddhist practitioners. Besides, Buddhist cultivation methods have always been known for being jealously guarded and not taught to outsiders.”

Jiang Tingbai earnestly sought Yan Luoyue’s opinion. “If you plan to emulate Master Jingxuan, are you considering taking vows and shaving your head in the future?”

Yan Luoyue shook her head repeatedly.

“In that case, we’ll have to make up for it in other ways,” Jiang Tingbai remarked thoughtfully. “Have you ever considered learning another skill, such as... formations?”

“From my perspective, certain powerful formation techniques complement the Turtle Clan quite well.”

Formations?

The mention of this topic immediately brought to Yan Luoyue’s mind a fragment of a map she once saw.

She had never delved deeply into the knowledge of formations before.

But since Mr. Jiang recommended it so earnestly, there must be a good reason.

After giving it some thought, Yan Luoyue nodded readily. “Since you’re suggesting it, I’ll find an opportunity to give it a try.”

Jiang Tingbai smiled approvingly and gently patted the young girl on the head. “With your intelligence and talent, you won’t do poorly in anything you choose to learn.”

“Oh, by the way, Mr. Jiang,” Yan Luoyue added, suddenly remembering something. “Once I return from the Hundred Refinements Assembly, I’ll likely have advanced to the Yuan Class. At that time, could I ask you to write my recommendation letter?”

“Your recommendation letter…”

As soon as the topic came up, Jiang Tingbai’s gaze inexplicably became distant for a moment.

A fleeting smile quickly danced across his amber eyes, reflecting a glimmer of mischief, as if a playful child had just swung lightly across a tree branch.

“I already have a seventy percent plan for your recommendation letter. If you can master formations, my confidence will rise to ninety percent,” Jiang Tingbai said unhurriedly, watching Yan Luoyue’s eyes widen in predictable astonishment.

He added cheerfully, “And if the Hundred Refinements Assembly goes smoothly, I might even have full confidence.”

After all, he had already sent the letter, and it should have reached that person by now.

If circumstances had allowed and if Yan Luoyue had any interest in becoming a sword cultivator, Jiang Tingbai would have gladly taken her as his disciple.

However, on balance, the current arrangement seemed to be the better choice.

And besides, the outcome would not be too different.

Jiang Tingbai smiled warmly, leaning forward slightly to hang a freshly woven grass charm around Yan Luoyue’s neck.

“I’ve already heard about the Thousand-Faced Demon and the events in Chiyu City. The role you played as the artifact refiner ‘Yan Bixin’ was crucial. I am well aware of that,” he said.

“You’re so young that you should be the one we’re protecting, yet somehow you keep getting entangled with these demonic entities... Ah, this little charm should ward off evil for you.”

Hearing the familiar remark, Yan Luoyue instinctively picked up the grass charm hanging around her neck and examined it.

At least this time, it wasn’t Zhong Kui. Nor was it Zhong Kui’s sister.

This time, Jiang Tingbai had hung a long-necked giraffe—one conspicuously missing a backside—around her neck.

Yan Luoyue: “…”

She zeroed in on the keyword “evil ward” and then focused on the handcrafted charm’s most obvious characteristic.

Tentatively, Yan Luoyue asked, “This little craft... is it still a pixiu?”

How long had it been, and Mr. Jiang still hadn’t mastered crafting this design?

Even she had practically learned how to do it just from watching him by now!

Jiang Tingbai furrowed his brow in a bit of distress. "Since you're asking like this, could it be that I've botched it again?"

Yan Luoyue was speechless.

Have some confidence, sir. Don't use a question, and just drop the words "could it be."

But looking into Jiang Tingbai's eyes, which seemed wounded, Yan Luoyue really couldn't bring herself to be that direct.

She thought for a moment and then gently said, "Um, sir... do you know, there was once a man named Einstein. Let me tell you a story about Einstein and a bench..."

Jiang Tingbai was silent.