(Mount Xilean- Holy Sword Sect)
(Fifth Peak)
Xu Lu stepped off her floating sword and reluctantly landed on the grassy plain on top of the mountain where her master lived.
She looked around and saw that everything was exactly as she remembered.
"Master?" Xu Lu called out as she waited patiently for a response. There was no reply to her words and the mountain seemed even more desolate than before.
Well… hopefully her master would not be returning anytime soon.
Xu Lu slowly exhaled and felt a bit of relief in her heart. It had been a long day and she just wanted to relax.
She finally came out of the punishment hall after several weeks and then had to deal with four outer disciples trying to kill an innocent girl.
Bai Lu.
The name was unfamiliar and yet Xu Lu was pretty certain that she was the girl in her vision from the original Xu Lu.
But would that future change now that she had interfered? Xu Lu was initially considering trying to get another ally but eventually decided against it.
She needed to leave the Holy Sword Sect and join the demonic path.
It was a future that was fraught with danger and no doubt she would be hunted down by multiple righteous sects.
She could not in good conscience drag someone else into her mess.
Xu Lu walked towards the edge of the grassy plain and saw the simple wooden shack where she lived.
It was a flimsy structure with several holes in the roof so that when it rained water fell down from the ceiling.
Cultivators did not get sick but still… it was not a pleasant experience to wake up in the night with cold water dripping down on your body.
Xu Lu opened the door and stepped inside her humble abode.
Who would believe that the saintess lived like this when even inner disciple got their own palaces and servants to tend to their every needs.
The saintess walked towards her bed and collapsed on the mattress with a heavy thump.
She just wanted to close her eyes and forget all the troubles of the outside world. There were so many things that she still needed to do.
Squeak! Squeak!
Her little animal companion peaked out from the pocket of her robe and then jumped outside to freedom.
"Be careful!" Xu Lu warned the white mouse who nodded back at her before darting out of the open doors towards an unknown direction.
The saintess reached for the thin raggedy blanket at the edge of the mattress and tried her best to cover her body.
Damn it!
She knew that she had forgotten something.
She should have bought herself some proper bedding at one of the many stores in White Lotus City.
Well… live and learn.
Xu Lu closed her eyes and soon drifted off into dreamland. When she opened her eyes she found herself standing in an empty forest.
"What are you looking for?" a sweet voice asked.
Xu Lu turned in the direction of the sound and saw Camilla looking at her with a gentle smile on her face.
The vampire queen's crimson eyes stared directly at Xu Lu's body and carefully observed her appearance.
"You look a bit… different," Camilla teased as she pointed at Xu Lu's face. The saintess touched the corner of her cheek and discovered that she was wearing a mask.
But that didn't make any sense… why would she need a mask?
Xu Lu reached for the strange metal surface and was about to tug it off when a loud voice echoed through the forest.
(DON'T TAKE IT OFF!)
(DON'T TAKE IT OFF)
(NO ONE CAN SEE MY UGLINESS PLEASE! DON'T LET THEM SEE!)
Slap!
Xu Lu flinched in pain and opened her eyes to see her master staring down at her with an expression of disgust on her face.
"Well… well… the prodigal daughter has returned," Lei Ying mocked as she roughly grabbed Xu Lu by the arm and flung her out of bed.
The saintess crashed against a nearby wall with a fearsome thud. She could feel that her ribs were now cracked or at least bruised.
Xu Lu stumbled to her feet but Lei Ying was much faster. She disappeared from the spot and by the time she reappeared… it was too late.
"Arghh!" Xu Lu cried out in pain as a palm was driven into the centre of her stomach.
She collapsed on the ground and vomited as it felt as though her stomach had exploded under the force of the heavy blow.
"Do you know how shameful it was to know that my disciple… the great and powerful 'saintess' failed her first mission," Lei Ying hissed darkly.
"Do you think I don't hear the whispers? Do you know that your failure is a reflection of me as a teacher."
"You… aren't… a teacher…" Xu Lu gasped for breath as she stared at Lei Ying with hatred in her eyes.
"You… just… abuse me… as a tool… to boost your… self- esteem… picking on… someone weaker than… than… yourself."
"Pathetic."
There was a brief and terrible moment of silence. Xu Lu could not believe the words that just came out of her mouth.
She was supposed to quietly win the trust of her master in order to leave the Holy Sword Sect without any trouble.
Or at least not openly show her dislike of her master…
Why did she just say those words?
Maybe it was the aftereffects of the strange dream or perhaps the original Xu Lu's emotions were affecting her more than she realised.
Lei Ying stayed perfectly still and then her eyebrows slowly furrowed. She grabbed Xu Lu by the arm and pulled her in front of the mirror.
"Pathetic? Did you just call me pathetic?' Lei Ying spoke in a forced calm tone, but one could hear the irritation in her voice.
"Look… LOOK AT YOURSELF YOU HIDEOUS LITTLE MONSTER!"
She reached for the mask covering her apprentice's face and ripped it off. Xu Lu closed her eyes but her master forced her to open them.
She saw herself in the mirror.
A face that was covered in horrific scar tissue and long cuts that disfigured every inch of her skin.
Not a single trace of her beauty remained… it had all been destroyed.
Xu Lu forced herself to take deep breaths as an overwhelming sense of panic and self- disgust flooded her mind.
She was not the original Xu Lu.
She was not.
She was not.
She would not give Lei Ying the satisfaction of knowing that she had broken her.
"Master… I… I know my appearance is horrible," Xu Lu calmly spoke as her fingers curled up into a tight fist.
"But right now… you look uglier than me."
Lei Ying's face twisted in anger at her apprentice's words and for a brief moment she considered slitting her throat.
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