After Constantly Courting Death, I Became the White Moonlight - Chapter 23

“What does a pill refined from Tianxin Grass taste like?”

He Zhizhou leaned lazily against the doorframe, watching Ning Ning swallow a round little pill with unconcealed curiosity in his eyes.

She didn’t treat the moment with any special reverence—popping the pill into her mouth as casually as if she were snacking on an ordinary piece of candy, not consuming some legendary holy-grade spiritual herb.

“…Mint candy,” Ning Ning said, her tone flat.

Then her expression shifted instantly. With a wince, she added, “…With a bit of wasabi.”

He Zhizhou tilted his head, clearly unsatisfied. “And then? Shouldn’t there be some dramatic effect? Like, your inner cosmos bursting open, your qi transforming into a dragon stallion? Don’t you wanna shout something like ‘Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west! From now on, I’m done being human!’?”

…What on earth was he talking about.

After she swallowed the pill, it did bring a sense of clarity and refreshment to her whole being. But other than that, there wasn’t anything particularly spectacular.

The spiritual energy in her body was like a calm pool of spring water. The pill stirred up a ripple or two—faint, fleeting, and gone almost instantly. It stirred, it faded, and that was that.

“Maybe it needs some time to kick in.”

Ning Ning glanced down at her own palm, checking for any unusual signs. Nothing. She was just about to speak again when a loud female voice suddenly rang out from outside—sharp and jarring.

“Ning Ning, are you there—?!”

Ning Ning’s expression changed at once.

Ever since Senior Brother told Zheng Weiqi about Ning Ning secretly mastering the Golden Serpent Sword Technique, the former had—quite naturally—assumed that her little junior sister was also a hardcore sword maniac.

And as the wealthiest among the sect’s direct disciples, Senior Sister had long since achieved enlightenment: the more money you have, the fewer your worries. Life is about gains and losses—this was her grand epiphany.

After solemnly passing this profound truth on to Ning Ning, Zheng Weiqi patted her shoulder with deep meaning.
“In the same way, if you want to improve your swordsmanship, you’ll have to sacrifice a lot of time and energy—now come, follow me. We continue training.”

——Yes, for some reason, Senior Brother and Senior Sister seemed to have struck a secret deal. Taking turns in creative new formats, they’d begun personally tutoring her one after another.

Poor Ning Ning. Barely out of her teens, yet already forced to endure relentless tag-team beat downs from both male and female leads. At this point, she was as exhausted as an old mutt, hanging on by pure willpower and a single frayed nerve.

“Just tell them I went out! Goodbye, goodbye!!”

She shouted mid-run, not giving He Zhizhou the chance to say a single word.
Of course, part of the reason she fled like the wind was to escape becoming a human sword-swinging machine again.

But the main reason…

The system had issued a new quest:
Go to Qingxu Valley and seek out Wen Hemián.

In the original novel, Pei Ji completely stole the spotlight during the Xiaozhong Mountain Secret Realm arc. The original Ning Ning was furious, eaten alive by jealousy. But no matter how she looked at it, her talent still couldn’t hold a candle to his.

After much brooding, she made a decision—to go find Wen Hemián in Qingxu Valley.

——After all, based on the timeline, if not for that massive accident in her past, the Elder of the Star Division—the man she’d met years ago at the foot of the mountain—should’ve been her true master.

The original Ning Ning tried to use this old connection, pretending to be warm and respectful in order to worm her way closer and squeeze out whatever remaining value she could.

Unfortunately for her, despite her best attempts to hide it, her disdain still seeped through during their interactions. Wen Hemián saw through most of it in a heartbeat.

The novel described it like this:

“Ning Ning smiled gently, but a flicker of cold loathing crossed her eyes—completely unnoticed by her, yet fully captured by Wen Hemián.”

“She flattered him sweetly: ‘Ning Ning has never forgotten that you were the first to recognize my potential. I wonder if I still have the honor… to call you Master?’”

But after barely a few pleasantries, her mask slipped.

“Ning Ning made no effort to conceal her true aim: ‘I’ve heard the Elder of the Star Division possesses peerless swordsmanship. If I could receive even a bit of guidance, it would be my greatest honor.’”

Naturally, Wen Hemián grew even more disgusted with her.

As the saying goes: pitiful people often have hateful traits.

Looking back, the original Ning Ning’s life really was a tragedy.

She left home to study in a strange land—
Only to become the target of her senior brother’s contempt, her senior sister’s disdain, and her junior brother’s utter indifference.

She tried so hard to play the villain, sabotaging and scheming like it was her job—
But she never once succeeded.

Her failure rate was so high, she might as well have been the next Grey Wolf, eternally chasing lambs across Green Green Grassland, with only one catchphrase left to her name.

“I’ll definitely be back!”

They hadn’t spoken more than a few words before her true intentions were exposed.

“I’ve heard Elder Jiangxing’s swordsmanship is second to none,” Ningning said bluntly, without even trying to hide her motive. “If I could receive a pointer or two, I would consider it a great honor.”

And so, Wen Hemen naturally grew to despise her even more.

There’s an old saying: behind every hateful person is a pitiful story. Looking back on the original Ningning’s life, it was hard not to feel a little sorry for her.

She left home to study far away, only to end up being looked down on by her senior brother, disliked by her senior sister, and treated like air by her junior disciples. She put her heart and soul into every scheme and stunt, yet never succeeded in a single one.

Her failure rate was so astonishing, she could’ve taken over Grey Wolf’s role in Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf—her only signature line would be: “I’ll definitely be back!”

—

Qingxu Valley hadn’t changed much since her last visit. Shadows of trees interlaced with sunlight, and the air was rich with the scent of blooming flowers and lush greenery. Halfway through the winding path, Ningning caught the sound of a familiar guqin melody.

Though it still carried a hint of melancholy, compared to the previous time’s bleak despair, this tune now held a trace of quiet hope.

It was like sunlight filtering through the misty depths of a forest—soft beams breaking through the haze, casting a gentle glow that lit up the lonely stillness.

Then, the music suddenly stopped.

Wen Hemen had seen her.

Once a legendary Elder of the General Star Hall, he now looked sickly and frail, sitting quietly beneath a tree. The sunlight on his pale face made him appear almost translucent.

He wore a pale blue robe embroidered with delicate white clouds. His long hair was loose and unbound, cascading like fine silk. His features—sharp brows and cool, distant eyes—were as cold as ink on snow. The moment their eyes met, a flicker of surprise crossed his expression.

This time, Ningning had come with a clear purpose—to ask for help. Naturally, she couldn’t act high and mighty, so she offered a polite smile.
“Elder Jiangxing.”

Wen Hemen gazed at her with calm indifference.

Since their last encounter—and the letter she later sent—he’d spent the entire night reflecting deeply.

Though he had long lost his cultivation, his mind still retained countless peerless techniques. And this girl’s sudden reappearance, her inexplicable closeness… If it was all just an act to earn his trust—

Well, that wouldn’t be surprising.

For someone like him, now discarded and useless, this sort of manipulation was more likely than not.

Wen Hemen steadied his thoughts as she continued speaking.

“Ningning has never forgotten,” she said sincerely, “that you were the first to recognize my potential. I wonder if I still have the fortune… to call you Master.”

Master.

He let out a silent, self-deprecating laugh in his heart.

Only after learning her full name did he realize why there had always been a lingering sense of familiarity around her.

Years ago, while eliminating a demon threat in the mortal realm, he’d stumbled upon a young girl with remarkable potential. Moved by her talent, he’d wanted to take her as a disciple. But her parents had refused, saying she was too young. The idea was shelved.

He hadn’t expected… it would be her.

After losing his cultivation, Ningning had never visited him again. Instead, she joined the disciple selection for the Xuanxu Sword Sect and was chosen at a glance by someone else.

So for her to say this now—it was far too late.

And Ningning? She could tell that Elder Wen wasn’t fooled. That steady gaze told her he’d already seen right through her intentions.

—Which was perfect!

Finally, she could play the villain properly without worrying about breaking character! Elder Wen, you truly are the most reliable NPC!

It was a small step for villain-kind, but a giant leap for Ningning.

She took a deep breath and solemnly recited the line that would seal her fate.
“I—”

But the moment that single word left her mouth, Ningning immediately sensed something was off.

…Strange.

The young man let out a silent, self-mocking laugh.

Only after learning her full name did Wen Hemen finally understand why Ningning had always felt… oddly familiar.

Years ago, when he had descended the mountain to slay a demon, he’d stumbled upon a young girl with outstanding talent. Moved by her potential, he had the thought of taking her in as a disciple. Unfortunately, her parents declined on account of her young age, and the idea was quietly set aside.

He never expected—it would be her.

After Ningning found out he had lost his cultivation, she never visited again. Instead, she joined the selection process for the Xuanxu Sword Sect and was immediately taken in by someone else.

And now, to bring this up again… wasn’t it a bit too late?

Ningning knew perfectly well that Wen Hemen wasn’t easily fooled. The moment she saw how calm he remained, she knew—he had already seen through her purpose.

—Which was perfect!

Finally, she could embrace her role as a proper villainess without worrying about tripping up! Elder Wen, you’re still the most reliable NPC!

A small step for villain-kind, but a giant leap for Ningning.

She took a deep breath, braced herself, and solemnly delivered her iconic line:

“I—”

But the moment that word left her mouth, Ningning froze.

Something was wrong.

Why was the spiritual energy in her body surging uncontrollably… crashing and rampaging like it was about to burst through her veins and skin?

No… no way.

The medicinal effect of the Heavenly Heart Herb chooses now of all times to activate?!

Wen Hemen immediately sensed something—an unusual fluctuation in the air.

The next second, the spiritual energy began to ripple outward more and more violently. Rings of uncontained force swept through the area, wild and unruly, like a beast breaking free from its cage. A gust of wind rose from the surging energy, blowing down a curtain of fluttering flower petals.

The petals danced wildly in the air, blocking his view.

When they finally fell, Wen Hemen saw the girl not far away—her complexion deathly pale, her body already half-kneeling on the ground.

This was…

A classic case of someone ingesting a pill far too potent for their cultivation to handle—resulting in an overload of spiritual energy within.

Was that… why she came here today?

She must have realized something was off in her body, didn’t know what to do… and instinctively came to him for help?

Wen Hemen brushed aside his robe and stood. With a sweep of his sleeve, the fallen petals scattered, and he strode forward with a furrowed brow to reach her side.

It felt like a violent tide was rising inside her body, surging suddenly like a midnight flood. And she didn’t know how to resist it—only able to helplessly watch as the dam burst and everything began to overflow.

The rampaging spiritual energy churned through her veins like a storm, even her organs felt like they were being twisted out of place. Pain gripped her so tightly that she clenched her teeth. Her mind was slipping when she suddenly heard a cool, calm voice—like fresh snow falling in winter:

“Sink your breath to your dantian. Guide your spiritual sense. Try to gather the energy and draw it inward.”

It was Wen Hemen.

Ugh, just her luck! Last time she came to see him; a rock fell on her foot. This time? Even worse! Her own body was playing a game of minesweeper, and she just stepped on a bomb!

Though she grumbled in her heart, Ningning obediently followed his instructions. She lowered her gaze and focused on her sea of consciousness.

It was a vast, boundless space—normally serene and calm. But now, it was filled with rampaging thoughts and chaotic energy, thrown into total disorder by the turbulent spiritual force.

“Don’t rush,” Wen Hemen’s voice came again, clear and steady. “Breathe slowly. Picture your body forming a network of rivers—guiding the energy, smoothing the flow.”

His voice echoed softly beside her ears as wave after wave of overwhelming energy crashed inside her, threatening to drown her.

Ningning gritted her teeth and forced her trembling hands to clench into fists, following his guidance to absorb the energy little by little.

Her spiritual sea roiled, her blood surged wildly, but with each slow, deliberate breath, the chaos began to settle.

She could almost see it—her meridians transforming into flowing streams, steadily guiding and absorbing the once-destructive spiritual force, calming the riot within her body.

By the time the storm within her body finally settled, Ningning was drenched in cold sweat.

“Feeling better?”
Wen Hemen’s voice was soft, almost gentle. “Who gave you that pill?”

Ningning’s mind was still a fog, and she answered instinctively, “My master.”

After a pause, she added with a bit of aggrieved frustration, “He said his pill refining skills were top-notch. Even the Master of Nianchun Hall once wanted to take him as a disciple!”

—And yet somehow, he managed to turn a perfectly good Heavenly Heart Herb into this mess?!

Wen Hemen seemed to let out a faint chuckle. “Do you know what kind of person the Hall Master of Nianchun Hall is?”

Seeing her shake her head, he calmly added, “Nianchun Hall is known for its benevolence and healing. But its Hall Master? Completely walks his own path. He doesn’t care about anything else—except refining poison.”

Ningning: …

Ah.

Well played, Master. Well played.

The silly girl who once thought you were super cool is long gone. Standing before you now is Niuhulu Ningning. You chose this idol yourself.

“But still, while the pill’s nature was indeed aggressive, your master clearly calculated the dosage carefully. He brought out the herb’s full potential without letting it kill you outright—he is a genius in alchemy, I’ll give him that.”

After speaking, Wen Hemen hesitated for a moment. His voice dropped even lower.

“In the future, if something like this happens again… don’t—”

Don’t come to him.

He didn’t say the rest, but the meaning lingered in the air.

He had limited abilities now. He might not be able to help her much.

Yet somehow, the words just wouldn’t come out of his mouth.

After living alone in Qingxu Valley for so many years, the once-glorious Sword Saint had long faded from memory, reduced to nothing more than a forgotten legend in seclusion. He had grown used to being alone, used to not being remembered, not being needed.

And yet, when something went wrong, Ningning didn’t go to her master or her senior brothers or sisters.

She came to him.

For the first time in so long, Wen Hemen felt… a little helpless.

So someone still remembered him.

So he wasn’t entirely useless after all.

At least he could still do something for her.

Ningning watched him falter mid-sentence, his words left hanging. She tried to fill in the blanks herself.

“Don’t”—what?

Don’t panic? Don’t act recklessly? …Or don’t come to him?

Surely Wen Hemen didn’t think that she had intentionally come all the way to Qingxu Valley just to ask him for help?

“Don’t overthink it!”

Ningning abruptly sprang to her feet, her voice brimming with defiant bravado. “It’s not like I came here just to see you or anything! And I definitely didn’t come to ask for help! I only—only came here because—”

She stopped halfway.

Because what?

No matter how she twisted it, even she wasn’t stupid enough to blurt out.

“I came here to deliberately curry favor with you so I could trick you into giving me the sword manual.”

Ahhh! Damn it! What kind of stupid plotline is this?!

Wen Hemen lowered his gaze, a barely noticeable trace of amusement flickering in his eyes.

She really couldn’t find any other excuse.

He had always assumed no one in the world cared about him anymore. That someone who had lost his cultivation—who was now little more than a cripple—deserved nothing more than to be forgotten, wasting away alone in this quiet valley.

But those anonymous letters Ningning had sent him…
Even if the name she used was fake—mixed with half-truths and lies—some of the words might have been real.

Should he believe them?

“…Mhm.”

He went along with her tough-girl act, but his voice held a warmth that sounded suspiciously like indulgence.

“You didn’t.”

Ningning could tell he didn’t believe her. She clenched her fists and repeated it with extra emphasis, “I really didn’t!”

Wen Hemen: “Mhm.”

Ningning: …

This kind of blatantly perfunctory tone—what the heck was he trying to pull?! She really wasn’t here for that! Wasn’t Elder Wen supposed to be a master of wild assumptions in the original story? Come on, suspect her already!

It was just too hard. Ning Ning felt mentally and emotionally exhausted—really too hard.

The original Ning Ning had exhausted every trick up her sleeve trying to portray herself as an innocent, naive little fangirl. She told every lie under the sun, spun every kind of sweet nonsense—but no matter what she said, Wen Hemian had always remained cold and indifferent toward her.

But now, when she was finally telling the truth for once, why did it feel like he thought she was head over heels in love with him?!

===

When Ning Ning returned to her courtyard, still a mess of tangled thoughts, she found three letters waiting for her.

The first was from Wen Hemian. Among the three, his handwriting was the most elegant and refined—graceful, yet strong.

It was a reply to one of her earlier letters, the one she’d sent while pretending to be an anonymous little fangirl. His response was extremely formal and serious.

Cultivation should never be rushed; all progress must follow one’s heart and nature.

I heard the Xiao Zhongshan Mystic Realm opened recently, and that many elite disciples took part. Among them, a certain Ning Ning of the Xuanxu Sect made quite the name for herself—claiming two sacred-grade spirit herbs and seriously injuring the ancient Dragonblood Tree in the heart of the Gu Mu Forest.

Such accomplishments are truly commendable. I hope you take this as motivation, and break through to the Foundation Establishment stage soon.

…She was being praised.

Ning Ning pressed her lips together, but in the end couldn’t hold back the grin that spread across her face. She lowered her head, and gently knocked her forehead against the table—thunk, thunk.

Hmph. Wen Hemian absolutely had no idea that the Ning Ning mentioned in the letter… was the one writing to him right now.

Even if he didn’t mean to bring her up directly, it still kinda-sorta counted as praise to her face, didn’t it?

Her mood lifted immediately. Smiling without hiding it, she picked up her brush and wrote a reply:

I know, Elder!

I heard the Xiao Zhongshan Mystic Realm is super fun, filled with rare treasures beyond imagination. If I ever get the chance to take part in such a trial, that would be amazing!

I was practicing sword techniques with my senior sister yesterday. Nascent Soul cultivators really don’t seem to get tired—they were bouncing around the whole time while I felt like a dried-up fish on the floor.

But I’ll work hard to catch up!

How is Clear Void Valley lately? Are the flowers blooming?

I really hope I can visit one day and see it all for myself.

The second letter came from He Zhizhou.

Apparently bored out of his mind lately, he had decided to write a long, rambling essay trying to explain the world of cultivation using modern science.

Think about it, Ning Ning. Sure, a lot of things in this world seem bizarre and magical, but if you really break them down, they actually follow scientific principles.

Alchemy? That’s just chemistry in action.

Flying on swords may sound absurd, but the mechanics still follow Newton’s three laws of motion—it’s basically like riding a tiny aircraft. Newton’s coffin is shaking, but he’s still mostly at peace.

The fact that your pill took time to kick in proves our digestive systems work here too—hello, biology!

And as for spiritual consciousness—what if that’s just a form of brainwaves? When someone’s cultivation is deep enough, their brainwaves spread far and wide, even resonating with others. Our soundless voice transmissions? Not sound—waves.

There’s even a kind of technique that lets someone invade another’s consciousness. That’s brainwave hijacking, aka possession!

And at the end, he added.

I also heard there’s some ancient secret art that lets people travel back in time.

But according to relativity, exceeding the speed of light causes time dilation and length contraction. In simple terms: if someone moves faster than light, they’ll start seeing the light from the past—which looks like time moving backward. But it’s just personal perception; the rest of the world still ticks on normally.

So all in all, that secret art? Totally fake. A man-made legend.

Ning Ning burst out laughing and wrote him a reply:

You do realize we’re currently in a three-dimensional space, right?

Time and space are like the X and Y axes of a 3D world. But string theory proposes that the universe has nine spatial dimensions.

So, what if—just what if—those who ascend and disappear from this world aren’t gone, but have simply entered a higher-dimensional realm?

From a higher-dimensional perspective, they’d naturally seem to possess powers we can’t comprehend—like bending spatial coordinates to teleport instantly!

He Zhizhou replied with a flood of hahahas, followed by:

Genius. Absolute genius! I knew you’d be on the same wavelength! From now on, you’re the Madam Curie of the cultivation world!

The final letter came from Tian Xianzi.

His handwriting was as wild and free-spirited as he was—each stroke bold and swift, like a dragon soaring across the page:

I’ve just accepted a new mission. Your Golden Core has already formed, so it’s a good time to head down the mountain for your first real experience alongside your senior brothers and sisters.

Down the mountain, huh…

The flickering candlelight cast soft shadows across the white paper, tinting it with pale red hues. In that glow, Ning Ning’s eyes shimmered faintly with firelight—and a subtle smile slowly curved her lips.

Pei Ji would be joining this journey too.

According to the original novel, this particular trip down the mountain was detailed extensively. Although Ning Ning was now growing increasingly skeptical of the canon plot, based on what she did know…

This experience was definitely not going to be boring.