Nine Songs

“I heard she’s the burden Brother Wang brought back—her name is Lin Jiugé. Quite a pretty name, actually.”

“Yeah, she’s a burden herself, and she’s brought along a little one too.”

“I don’t see anything special about her.”

“Exactly, there’s a place for everyone, and I heard Senior Wang Cong from the Inner Court wanted his cousin to join, but look how it turned out.”

In the distance, a ten-year-old girl swept the courtyard, seemingly unaware of the talk around her.

Lin Jiugé glanced at her younger sister, who was quietly playing by herself, a trace of warmth softening her eyes. She gripped the broom in her hands a little tighter.

She continued sweeping as if nothing had happened. The story rewinds to one month earlier.

Wang Fei from the Inner Court had ventured out for training and returned with a pair of sisters. He handed them over to the elder in charge of general affairs, trading them for a menial disciple's position, and then announced his seclusion.

The elder managing the chores was a member of the Wang family. While most people only gossiped about Lin Jiugé, their attitude toward Lin Jiuci, who was considered an extra burden, was far less kind. Even though the elder declared that Lin Jiuci was under Lin Jiugé’s care, the others still thought Lin Jiuci was taking up their resources. The distant, mocking remarks were already among the more civil.

“Hey, you there! Sweep this courtyard too.” A man appeared—the petty leader among the menial workers, a distant relative of the affairs elder, named Wang Bin.

Lin Jiugé ignored him, tidied up the area under her charge, then picked up Lin Jiuci, ready to leave. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through, instantly making a mess of the courtyard she’d just cleaned.

“Haha, Lin Jiugé, this is what you get for standing in someone else’s way.” Wang Bin laughed maliciously, looking at Lin Jiugé and the uneasy Lin Jiuci in her arms as if they were clowns.

Lin Jiugé said nothing. She simply patted Lin Jiuci, fastened her securely to her back with a cloth, and picked up her broom.

“Haha, look at her—just another burden with a little one in tow. Who knows what she promised Senior Wang Fei to get this far,” another follower chimed in.

“Aren’t you capable? Or are you all crippled?” Lin Jiugé didn’t move to clean, merely looked at them calmly, stating a simple fact.

“Or do you only show off your power to newcomers, just to make yourselves feel important?” Lin Jiugé stared straight at Wang Bin in the center of the crowd.

The bystanders, who had been pretending to work while watching the scene unfold, were shocked—and felt a twinge of sympathy for Lin Jiugé. Such boldness—she was still so young.

“Are you talking to me?” Wang Bin narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint flashing within them.

“Was I talking to an animal instead? Ah, that must be it—I haven’t learned to speak beast-tongue yet. After all, we’re not even the same species,” Lin Jiugé feigned sudden realization, her words half-murmured as if to herself.

The air instantly went still. Even the sounds of work from the other laborers grew subdued.

“You have a death wish,” Wang Bin spat out each word, grinding his teeth.

With a wave of his right hand, a fierce wind, mingled with fallen leaves, surged toward Lin Jiugé.

She dodged deftly with a twist of her broom, her hair floating lightly.

“Oh, you’ve had some training. Do you think a mere mortal like you can measure up to our kind? You think a trick or two is enough? Foolish,” Wang Bin, now serious, attacked in earnest.

A whirlwind of leaves and wind battered Lin Jiugé from every angle, Wang Bin toying with her like a cat with a mouse, his followers laughing on the sidelines.

But after a while, Lin Jiugé showed no sign of defeat. Wang Bin’s mocking expression faded, replaced by a hint of seriousness. His hand gestures grew quicker.

Again Lin Jiugé twisted away in a bizarre posture, and the broom in her hand began to change.

“A swordswoman? Interesting.” Wang Bin’s face remained nonchalant, but inside he was wary. This girl, at her age, already displayed such skill—if left to grow, she would be dangerous. He couldn’t let that happen.

His attacks sped up, and Lin Jiugé started to struggle, her confidence wavering. But soon she adapted once more.

The followers swallowed nervously and fell silent; they could tell Wang Bin was no longer holding back. The onlookers, too, forgot to hide their astonishment. A little girl from the mortal world, holding her own in a magical duel against Wang Bin—this was beyond anything they’d imagined.

Someone couldn’t resist taking out a recording talisman to capture the scene. Why did it feel as if the blood in their veins, grown cold, was beginning to warm again?

Wang Bin’s moves grew faster but less stable. Did this wretched girl have no weakness? Sweat beaded on his forehead, his energy ebbing away—he was actually starting to lose ground!

Then, Lin Jiugé’s movement jolted Lin Jiuci on her back. Wang Bin’s eyes lit up—there’s her weakness! He struck without hesitation, aiming straight for Lin Jiuci.

“Despicable.” The thought flashed through everyone’s mind, but no one stepped in. Lin Jiugé couldn’t evade; she took the hit head-on, blood trickling from her lips as she fell to one knee. Her eyes, unhidden in their hatred, bore into Wang Bin.

“Hahaha! You think you can challenge me? You’re far beneath me.” Wang Bin’s eyes were wild as he stared at Lin Jiugé and the crying Lin Jiuci on her back.

He gathered his strength, intent on finishing this once and for all—either Lin Jiugé would die, or she would be crippled.

Lin Jiugé clenched her right fist, her gaze locked on the now-mad Wang Bin. Why? Why? Her eyes blazed with a fire so intense it seemed almost tangible.

She hadn’t wanted to come here. All she wanted was to live peacefully with her sister, to stay out of trouble. Why were they being treated like this?

Rage surged within her, threatening to tear her apart. She could not fall. Her sister, her only family, was still behind her—she could not, would not, fall.

Some in the crowd looked away, unable to bear it; others covered their eyes. Lin Jiugé stared head-on at Wang Bin’s incoming attack, something in her chest straining to burst free.

A hum rang out—a flash of light. Instinctively, Lin Jiugé swung, and a beam of golden light collided with Wang Bin’s strike, shrouding the courtyard in smoke.

When the smoke cleared, everyone stared in shock at Lin Jiugé, kneeling on one knee, a sword—suddenly materialized—clutched in her hand. Its blade gleamed gold in the sunlight. Wang Bin lay sprawled on the ground, blood at his lips, unconscious.

The golden light flared, shooting straight into the sky, catching the attention of every great figure across the continent, especially those of Mount Tai Sect, who watched their outer court suffused with radiance.

“The Golden Sword.”

“At last, it appears.”

“Let’s go.” The elders exchanged glances and transformed into streaks of light, racing toward the source.

As the golden light faded, Lin Jiugé used the last of her strength, collapsing face-first—she mustn’t fall on Jiuci. That was her final thought.

The golden sword slipped from her grasp and clattered softly to the ground.