Chapter 2: Big Dreams Can't Be Cooked in a Single Pot

As the sun set, Mount Sanqing was draped in golden twilight. The sky turned a deep, clear azure, and cranes circled above Yujing Peak...

Shen Anzhi stood on the terrace of the Sanqing Blessed Land, gazing into the distance, lost in thought.

Mount Sanqing, also known as Mount Shaohua or Mount Ya, was named for its three peaks—Yujing, Yuxu, and Yuhua—which stood atop the mountain like the three Taoist deities: the Jade Pure, the Supreme Pure, and the Grand Pure. Many came to Mount Sanqing to cultivate, and Shen Anzhi was one of them.

Shen Anzhi was twenty years old. Last year, she arrived at Sanqing Palace as a registered disciple, becoming a "One-Coin Spirit Controller." As the name implied, "One-Coin" was the lowest rank for an apprentice. Being low-ranked was one thing, but she actually harbored a dream of becoming a "Ten-Coin Demon Slayer."

The ranks of demon slayers were divided into four levels. One-Coin to Four-Coin were Spirit Controllers, possessing basic demon-catching techniques. Five-Coin to Seven-Coin were Demon Catchers, equipped with specific demon-catching skills and magical artifacts. Eight-Coin and Nine-Coin were Demon Exterminators, masters of various specialized techniques with great renown in the demon-catching world. Ten-Coin were Demon Slayers, possessing supreme skills and glory.

Meng Hong, the first sect master of Sanqing Palace and a Ten-Coin Demon Slayer, was Shen Anzhi’s role model. He had entered the mountains alone to cultivate, overcoming thousands of obstacles, eliminating five demons and slaying eight monsters before founding the Sanqing Sect. In his prime, he fought the Tenth-Tier Demon Emperor, General Black Python, for thirty days single-handedly, eventually sealing him in the Wind and Thunder Pagoda to restore peace to the world, a feat forever remembered by posterity.

Although the dream of being a Ten-Coin Demon Slayer was grand, it was certainly not something one could achieve overnight. Just a few days ago, during the sect’s demon-catching competition, Shen Anzhi failed to capture a single demon spirit in the back mountain training grounds. Consequently, she was assigned to the "blessed land" of Mount Sanqing—the Sanqing Blessed Land.

"Anzhi, hurry, go find the *Record of Demon Subjugation* in the attic," came the call of Elder Fan Jin from the distance.

Anzhi frowned, turned, and walked expressionlessly to the scripture shelves. After rummaging through them, a yellowed book appeared before her. She handed it over with a sense of loss and asked, "Uncle-Master, am I destined to only do chores here from now on?"

Fan Jin was a Seven-Coin Demon Catcher of Mount Sanqing. Because he was over eighty years old, he was in charge of the Sanqing Blessed Land. Looking at the young girl who looked like she had made a mistake, Fan Jin didn't know whether he should tell her that she would be a Spirit Controller in the Scripture Pavilion permanently.

"Hehe, the Sanqing Blessed Land is a place of blessings; not just anyone can come here to cultivate. Work hard, and there will come a day when you stand out," Fan Jin said as he took the *Record of Demon Subjugation* from Anzhi and began flipping through it. In truth, his eyes were constantly observing her feelings and reactions.

Shen Anzhi felt dejected. Having grown up listening to the deeds of the Ten-Coin Demon Slayer Meng Hong, she was unwilling to spend her life in this retirement home. But what could she do now?

She knew this was just a pie in the sky drawn by Elder Fan. "Work hard," "a day when you stand out"—she could only scoff.

Fan Jin carried his aged body, leaning on his cane with his right hand and holding the scriptures in his left, as he walked out of the room.

Watching the elder’s departing figure, Anzhi felt as if she saw her own future. She sat on the steps, feeling utterly lost, and rested her chin in her hands, lost in deep thought...

"Our little junior sister should be busy cleaning right now, shouldn't she?"

A sharp female voice came from outside. Anzhi recognized it as her senior sister, Luo Ling. Her spirits, already low, plummeted further. She furrowed her brows, wishing she could slash this woman who constantly sought to make trouble for her.

Luo Ling was dressed in plain white cultivation robes and held a long whip. She looked Anzhi up and down with great disdain before asking, "Where is Elder Fan?"

"He went out." Anzhi remained seated on the steps, not wanting to say another word.

Luo Ling was a Five-Coin Demon Catcher who had joined Mount Sanqing four years before Anzhi. She was narrow-minded; because Anzhi had spoken a few extra words to Senior Brother Ke Da when she first arrived, Luo Ling had branded her a romantic rival and targeted her ever since.

Seeing that Anzhi couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge her, Luo Ling, feeling her pride wounded, continued her verbal assault: "Junior sister, it’s not that I want to criticize you, but you’ve been on the mountain for a year and can’t even handle a Second-Tier demon spirit. In the competition, you didn't manage to get a single demon seal. How are you going to be a demon catcher in the future? Even if I wanted to put in a good word for you, I wouldn't know what to say."

Anzhi rolled her eyes and remained silent, simply standing up quietly to pick up a broom and sweep the floor listlessly.

This scene seemed to satisfy Luo Ling. She flicked her whip a few times and said, "But this is fine, too. The Sanqing Blessed Land is essentially a retirement home for Sanqing disciples. Besides the elderly disciples cultivating here, it also provides work for those with weak foundations who have been weeded out—like sweeping floors and organizing scriptures..."

"Can you shut your crow's mouth!" Anzhi could no longer bear Luo Ling’s incessant chatter.

Seeing Anzhi angry but unable to do anything to her, Luo Ling felt extremely satisfied and comfortable, so she continued: "Oh, right, you could try looking for Senior Brother Ke, but it seems he has no interest in you anymore. It’s impossible for him to ruin his own future just to help a floor-sweeper. Though, if I were to put in a word for you, maybe I could help."

Anzhi gripped the broom so hard her hands were sweating. She truly wanted to slash this woman. When she first arrived, it was Senior Brother Ke Da who had approached her. Who knew that Ke Da and Luo Ling were a couple? Upon learning the truth, Anzhi had distanced herself from Ke Da immediately, but Luo Ling had held a grudge, and things had spiraled out of control.

"My relationship with Senior Brother Ke is not as sordid as you think," Anzhi had explained to Luo Ling countless times.

Looking at Anzhi’s helpless expression, Luo Ling laughed loudly: "Hahahaha, I didn't say anything about you two! Why are you so busy explaining? I don't believe Senior Brother Ke would take a fancy to someone who sweeps the main hall."

"What exactly do you want!" Anzhi couldn't listen anymore and swung the broom at Luo Ling.

Luo Ling dodged the broom with a side-flip, then swung her long whip. With a "crack," Anzhi fell to the ground. She covered her cheek with her right hand, feeling a burning, stinging pain.

When she moved her hand, a whip mark with traces of red blood appeared on her right cheek like a brand.

At the same time, Luo Ling felt pain in her leg. She looked down and saw that her injury was even worse than Anzhi’s; she had been pierced by the sharp, exposed thorns at the tip of the broom, and blood was flowing freely. It was clear that the brooms in the Sanqing Blessed Land were no ordinary tools.

"Shen Anzhi, what kind of weapon are you using?" Luo Ling asked, furious and ready to swing her whip again.

"Hahahaha, I’m using a broom, specifically for sweeping out trash," Anzhi said as she stood up, clutching her injured cheek. In truth, she didn't know how the broom had injured Luo Ling, as Luo Ling had clearly dodged it.

This remark made Luo Ling burn with rage. She had come to cause trouble but had ended up suffering a loss. She had to vent this anger, but when she saw the leopard cat peeking from the doorway, her anger instantly vanished.

"Baby, come here, help Mommy heal!" Luo Ling called toward the door.

The leopard cat ran lightly toward Luo Ling and began licking the wound on her leg. Soon, the wound healed.

Seeing this, Anzhi could no longer hold back; her eyes turned red.

The leopard cat was a spirit demon that Anzhi had personally tamed and trained on Penglai Peak after arriving on the mountain. Its "Heavenly Dew" could heal any minor wound. It had accompanied Anzhi for a whole year, and although it was a small animal, Anzhi had treated it like family.

"Sigh, this leopard cat must have realized its original owner was trash, which is why it came to me to cultivate. It’s a case of abandoning darkness for the light. I’m soft-hearted, so I took this poor little thing in," Luo Ling said pretentiously, picking up the leopard cat and stroking it back and forth.

"Kitty..." Watching the leopard cat nestled in Luo Ling’s arms, Anzhi reached out involuntarily, her mind filled with beautiful memories of them relying on each other—the cat helping her heal, keeping her company on dark nights, helping her track demon spirits, and asking for hugs when she was hurt... There were too many memories, and two lines of hot tears couldn't help but fall.

Seeing this, Luo Ling smiled with satisfaction and said, "Well, forget it, I won't hold it against you." With that, Luo Ling kissed the leopard cat: "Baby was right to leave her; otherwise, you'd be sweeping the streets with her. Hahahaha, hahahaha."

Anzhi glared at the departing Luo Ling, secretly swearing that she would repay today's humiliation a thousand times over...