Don't Cause Trouble Chapter 1: Ten Years of Foundation Establishment

In the dim, shadowy cave atop the mountain cliff, the sound of water droplets splashing against the dark gray rocks echoed, creating a pit after years and years of accumulation.

Sitting beside the rock was a figure dressed in a dark robe, eyes closed in meditation, legs crossed as they sat on the stone, hands stacked with palms facing up.

— Within the six directions, the four seas travel; what is born and built, its form established at its foundation.

Drip drip

A droplet of water splashed into the shallow pit, and the sound reverberated loudly in the quiet, spacious cave, sharp and clear. Another droplet gathered on the cave’s ceiling, paused for a moment, and then fell straight down, poised to strike again.

Suddenly, the person beside the pit extended their hand, catching the droplet.

The cold droplet rested in their palm, and Ye Su opened her eyes: she had finally succeeded in foundation establishment, in the tenth year since her transmigration.

Ten years of foundation establishment, and Ye Su was quite satisfied.

After all, the Qianji Sect she belonged to was extremely poor, having been named the most impoverished sect in the cultivation world for five hundred consecutive years. No other sect could surpass it. The entire Qianji Sect only had one thin spiritual vein left, with pitiably scarce spiritual qi.

To cultivate, disciples of Qianji Sect often had to visit other sects to absorb their spiritual qi, a practice that had lasted for hundreds of years.

Five hundred years ago, Qianji Sect was renowned for its mastery of weapon forging. Five hundred years later, Qianji Sect’s fame came from "begging" in the cultivation world, a reputation no less "glorious."

Poor indeed, and the disgrace was real.

If we talk about five hundred years ago, Qianji Sect was full of geniuses. Every weapon forged could trigger a frenzy of competition among the major sects, and even when members of Qianji Sect met people from other sects, they were treated with utmost respect.

But… there were too many geniuses, and in the end, when they focused on forging, they inadvertently drained the sect’s entire spiritual vein, leaving behind a barely noticeable, neglected one on the mountain’s edge.

Without capable management, the sect suffered a sudden collapse. The once glorious Qianji Sect fell into decline, and from then on, its members resorted to "begging" for resources.

Ye Su’s master was the sect master of Qianji Sect. It sounded prestigious, but the sect master’s peak didn’t enjoy any real benefits.

Every year, the leader only received low-level spiritual stones and minor herbs, while all the good materials were given to Elder Yang of the Golden Peak.

This Elder Yang had a dual cultivation partnership with the sect master of Silent Sect, and lived there most of the time. He often brought his disciples along, and the other disciples of Qianji Sect would use various excuses to approach Elder Yang’s disciples, hoping to absorb some spiritual energy for cultivation.

So, the sect master would willingly give Elder Yang the good materials, though the latter didn’t think much of them.

Ye Su stood up and walked out of the cave. A faint golden shield appeared around her body as she slowly moved past the waterfall at the cave's entrance. She leaped down from a small waterfall, lightly stepping on the rocks.

Just as she was about to head toward Jiu Xuan Peak, she suddenly heard a voice ahead and stopped in her tracks, hiding behind a nearby rockfall.

"Brother Lu, I’ve succeeded in foundation establishment!" A light, sweet voice rang out.

Ye Su raised an eyebrow. She had been so absorbed in her cultivation that she almost forgot it was also the day the female lead succeeded in foundation establishment.

Yes, Ye Su didn’t just transmigrate; she was also part of the novel's storyline.

Ye Su didn’t often read novels, but a junior from the research institute had forced a novel onto her, saying, "Senior Sister, there’s a supporting character in here with the same name as you. You should memorize the whole novel, just in case you transmigrate."

Ye Su wasn’t a fan of novels, but since the research institute’s data was dull, she casually flipped through the book and found her name mentioned only twice—once at the beginning and later when Qianji Sect was destroyed by the male second lead, and she stood in front of the sect master, only to be killed by the demon tribe.

And then… she woke up as Ye Su from the novel.

However, as an insignificant side character, Ye Su had spent the past ten years living relatively freely, deeply immersed in cultivation and working hard to improve her realm.

The only downside was that the main couple kept trying to get close to her.

The voice just now belonged to the female lead, Ning Qian Yao. She was a direct disciple of Elder Yang from Qianji Sect, born with the Xuan Yin physique, a rare and valuable constitution. Her blood, once dropped into any weapon, would significantly enhance its quality.

She didn’t need any rare treasures; her blood alone was the most precious material. As such, she was seen as the hope for Qianji Sect’s future rise.

About a year ago, Ning Qian Yao had hidden the injured Lu Chen Han near the back mountain, forcing Ye Su, who was cultivating in the nearby waterfall cave, to take a different route to avoid bumping into them.

Ye Su hadn’t expected to find these two blocking her way today.

Ye Su raised her eyes to the two figures standing on the flowing stream across from her.

The young man wore a dark robe, his tall and slender figure standing upright with a straight back. Though his robe was made from the same rough material as those worn by other disciples of Qianji Sect, it looked like a fine garment on him.

His face was handsome, with sharp and cold features.

The young woman standing opposite him had skin as white as snow, with a delicate and cute appearance. Her clear, doe-like eyes were innocent and bright.

She was even more beautiful than the movie stars from the original world, Ye Su thought silently. Quite the feast for the eyes.

"Congratulations," Lu Chen Han said calmly.

"Today, Master gave me a nourishing heart pill," Ning Qian Yao said, opening her palm and offering it to the person in front of her, flashing a cute smile. "Brother Lu, here, take it."

Lu Chen Han looked down at the girl’s palm. "No need. I should leave."

Ning Qian Yao froze. "Brother Lu, your... your injury isn’t fully healed yet."

"Thank you for taking care of me this past year," Lu Chen Han said, taking out a jade tablet engraved with words and handing it to Ning Qian Yao. "My surname is Lu, and I am a disciple of Kunlun. If you need anything, you can look for me at Kunlun."

Kunlun... the number one sect in the cultivation world, the holy land of sword cultivators.

Ning Qian Yao was still stunned by the news of his departure when she heard this, unable to regain her senses for a long while.

When they had found him back then, Ning Qian Yao had always felt he wasn’t an ordinary person, but she hadn’t expected him to be a disciple of Kunlun.

A hint of tears shimmered in Ning Qian Yao’s eyes. She lowered her head, looking at the jade tablet in her hand, taking a deep breath.

Then, she clenched the jade tablet tightly and pushed the nourishing heart pill into Lu Chen Han’s hand, raising her head firmly. "Lu... Brother Lu, I didn’t save you for repayment. Will you be participating in the sect competition three years from now?"

Lu Chen Han lowered his gaze to the low-level nourishing heart pill in his hand, then raised his eyes to look at the serious young woman across from him. Finally, he nodded. "I will."

"Then, I’ll see you at the sect competition three years from now." Ning Qian Yao murmured as she lowered her head, "I don’t want your repayment. I’ll stand proudly above Kunlun. You must wait for me."

"…Alright."

A moment later, Lu Chen Han raised his hand and summoned his sword, Gucang Sword. Leaping into the air, he soared on the sword, disappearing from Qianji Sect in the blink of an eye.

Ning Qian Yao raised her head, staring blankly at the figure that had vanished. So, Brother Lu had already completed his foundation establishment.

In the cultivation world, only those who had reached foundation establishment or above were able to fly using a sword.

……

After the two left, Ye Su walked out from behind the mountain rocks and couldn't help but click her tongue. The formation of Qianji Sect was practically useless; anyone could come and go as they pleased.

It was embarrassing—too embarrassing.

As the eldest senior sister of Qianji Sect, Ye Su felt ashamed. No wonder, in the later stages, the second male lead was able to destroy Qianji Sect with just a small group of demonic cultivators.

Ye Su shook her head and quickly climbed up Jiu Xuan Peak.

Along the way, the disciples of Qianji Sect were all cheerful, as though something good had happened.

Ye Su walked up to her master’s door and knocked. "Master."

"Come in."

Ye Su pushed the door open. Her master, the sect master, was sitting there drinking tea, also wearing a dark robe. However, his sleeves and chest had a few golden threads as decoration.

"Your junior sister has successfully established her foundation today," the sect master said while stroking his beard, picking up his teacup happily. "She’s also a Xuan Yin physique. If she becomes a great weapon refiner in the future, maybe she can earn back a spiritual vein for us. Then Qianji Sect won’t have to keep borrowing spiritual qi from other sects."

The sect master was over two hundred years old and at the late stage of the Hua Shen realm. His talent was decent, and his refining skills were just enough to keep Qianji Sect afloat. Unfortunately, without sufficient spiritual qi and elixirs, he had been stuck at this level for a long time.

Ye Su directly sat in a chair beside her master, poured herself a cup of water, and said, "Master, I’ve established my foundation too."

"That’s good." The sect master nodded and took a sip of tea. However, once he processed the information, he spat the tea out. "Pfft—"

"You’ve established your foundation? When did this happen?" the sect master asked, shocked and scared. "How did you establish your foundation? How could you establish your foundation like this?"

"I established it this morning," Ye Su calmly said, dodging the tea that her master had spat out. "I guess I have good talent."

The sect master put down his teacup and grabbed Ye Su’s hand. His beard even trembled. "Your junior sister spends over twenty days a month at Silent Sect, where the spiritual qi is abundant, so of course, she could establish her foundation. But you... you have nothing, and you still managed to establish your foundation? That’s... truly..."

In the cultivation world, spiritual qi was sparse and scattered, so ordinary cultivators could not easily absorb it. That’s why cultivators relied on spiritual veins and spirit stones to cultivate.

His eldest disciple only received a few low-quality spirit stones each year, almost nothing. Yet, now she had managed to establish her foundation using the thin surrounding spiritual qi.

"Master, it's already done," Ye Su patted her master’s hand. "It can’t be taken back."

At this moment, someone called for the master from outside. The two turned their heads to look. A young man, extremely handsome, was standing outside. A red mole was in the center of his forehead, so bright it looked like a drop of blood. His appearance should have seemed pure and unblemished, but the young man was so unnaturally beautiful that it gave him an almost demonic aura.

The sect master held back the turbulence in his heart, pretending to be calm as he picked up his teacup and maintained his image as a master. He gestured for the person at the door to enter. "Yi Xuan, what is it?"

"Master, Senior Sister," the young man stepped inside and paused before lowering his gaze. "Yi Xuan has just successfully established his foundation."

In an instant, the sect master looked as though he had been struck by lightning. The teacup slipped from his hand, and he suddenly stood up, his face devoid of any joy. "You... is the Heavenly Dao truly trying to destroy Qianji Sect?!"

Ye Su quickly stood up to support her master. "Master, calm down."

The sect master trembled all over and sighed deeply. "Five hundred years ago, Qianji Sect produced countless talents, but they drained the sect's spiritual vein dry. Since then, Qianji Sect has been in decline. And now you all..."

Qianji Sect feared this type of talent—it couldn’t afford to nurture them.

The sect master thought of Jiu Xuan Peak, which was poor as could be, and his heart bled. But he still said, "Perhaps you two should leave the sect and go to another one. Qianji Sect... can't afford talents."

Ye Su cleared her throat. "Master, it doesn’t have to be like that. Worst case, we can go ask for help from other sects."

The sect master gave Ye Su a stern look. "How can you say that? If word gets out, how will other sects view Qianji Sect?"

Ye Su met her master’s gaze and immediately realized her mistake. She quickly corrected herself. "The various sects have supported Qianji Sect for so many years. As disciples, we should find a chance to visit them."

The sect master nodded in satisfaction, stroking his beard. "You’ve finally grown up. Then, three days from now, take a few junior disciples and visit the other sects."

"Understood, Master." Ye Su agreed as she helped her master sit down.

Yi Xuan raised his eyes and silently watched the two of them. Their shameless expressions were identical.

"Master, I..." Yi Xuan started.

"Junior Brother, Master needs to rest now. You should leave first," Ye Su interrupted with a smile as she dragged him out, also closing the door behind them.

Once outside the courtyard, Yi Xuan immediately pulled at his sleeve with force. "Senior Sister, three days later, I will leave the mountain to experience the world. As for the visiting, you and the others can handle it yourselves."

Ye Su turned her head, her smile fading. "Whether you go or not is up to you. Just don’t say anything in front of Master."

Yi Xuan was the second male lead from the original novel.

He carried a trace of demonic blood and was taken in by the sect master of Qianji Sect when he was young. His pride was extremely strong.

While other disciples often went to Silent Sect to absorb spiritual qi, he had once been ridiculed by the disciples of Silent Sect when he was a child. After realizing Qianji Sect's low status, he never went to Silent Sect again.

The female protagonist, Ning Qian Yao, worried that he lacked spiritual qi for cultivation, so she would often send him spirit stones.

Although Yi Xuan never accepted her help, he became her protector. However, jealousy over Lu Chen Han winning Ning Qian Yao's affection eventually turned him into a demon, and from there, the three of them became entangled in a messy love triangle.

At this point in the story, Yi Xuan was about to follow Ning Qian Yao on her journey to train, wanting to protect her. However, he would be noticed by an elder from Sword Sect, which would cause him to leave Qianji Sect and later become a famous young genius in the Sect Competition.

Ye Su remembered that in the original novel, the sect master always believed that something unfortunate had happened to Yi Xuan when he didn’t return. He searched for him several times, but only learned the truth from others, which caused him great sorrow and damaged his cultivation.

When the sect master spoke earlier about asking them to leave the sect, his pride couldn’t be hidden, despite his disciples having no spiritual qi or spirit stones for support, they still managed to establish their foundations.

"By the way, if you ever plan to leave the sect, it’s better to inform us in advance," Ye Su reminded him. "After all, Master has taken care of you for ten years."

Ye Su had been seven years old when she crossed over and was found lying on a mass grave. The sect master had picked her up—she was the fifth child he had saved.

That year, the sect master and the elders started taking in disciples. Most elders took in one disciple, at most two, but the sect master felt responsible for all five children he had found, so he decided to take them all in, not favoring any one of them.

Ye Su, as the eldest senior sister, was chosen by lottery. Although the five disciples were roughly the same age, the others still listened to her.

Yi Xuan stood under the phoenix tree at the entrance of the courtyard. The shadow cast over his face only accentuated his sharp, alluring features. He raised his gaze and looked at Ye Su. "Senior Sister, what do you mean by that?"

Ye Su shrugged. "Just a reminder. Junior Brother, with such high talent and sword skills, you’re not suited for Qianji Sect."

"Are you encouraging me to leave the sect?" Yi Xuan countered.

"Not really," Ye Su didn’t engage him on that topic. Since Yi Xuan would be leaving for Sword Sect in a few months, she waved her hand casually. "I’ll be leaving now."

Yi Xuan stayed behind, silently watching Ye Su walk away. The red mole on his forehead seemed even more striking, almost glowing.