"Miss, the Taqing Sect is right here!" Qingyue waved her hand happily. The two recruitment disciples of the Taqing Sect looked at Qingyue speechlessly, and then they saw Jiang Yuejing walking up gracefully, bright-eyed and with white teeth. Jiang Yuejing asked politely, "Excuse me, are you from the Taqing Sect?"
The male disciple replied, "Yes, but we have requirements for spiritual roots when recruiting. What is your spiritual root?"
Qingyue quickly chimed in, "No, our Miss is here to..." Before she could finish, Jiang Yuejing covered her mouth.
Jiang Yuejing apologized, "I'm sorry, I don't know what my spiritual root is."
The male disciple pointed to the queue not far away and said, "You can test it over there."
Another female disciple beside him glanced at the long line and said, "Never mind, you can test it right here." She then moved the Soul-Guiding Spirit Stone in front of Fang Jing and continued, "Just put your hand on it." This Soul-Guiding Spirit Stone was originally used to verify applicants to the Taqing Sect to prevent anyone from lying.
Jiang Yuejing expressed her thanks and placed her hand on it as instructed. Soon, a thick beam of spiritual light shot straight up into the air. The male disciple couldn't help letting out a "Whoa" at the sight of the light.
Other people in the square also noticed the commotion and pulled their companions over to look. Soon, a crowd gathered around the Taqing Sect's area, many of them wanting to catch a glimpse of the legendary foolish young miss of the Qin Family.
Jiang Yuejing felt a bit overwhelmed and glanced at Qingyue, who whispered, "Miss, I don't know what this is either, but it looks really impressive!"
The female disciple from the Taqing Sect explained, "This is a mutated single spiritual root—the Wind Spiritual Root." She quickly took out paper and a brush, handed them to Jiang Yuejing, and said, "Junior Sister, please fill in your information."
The male disciple next to her seemed to snap out of a trance. "Ah, right, right! Junior Sister, fill it out quickly!" Then he noticed several disciples from other first-tier sects pushing their way in from the surrounding crowd.
"Junior Sister, don't fill it out yet! I'm a disciple of the Biyun Sect, have a look at our sect!" shouted a Biyun Sect disciple. The Taqing Sect male disciple immediately stepped forward and tried to shove the Biyun Sect disciple back into the crowd.
Jiang Yuejing looked at the person who had spoken, and then spotted Qin Ling standing behind him. "Sister Ling!"
Qin Ling hadn't expected the person who tested positive for the Wind Spiritual Root to be her younger sister. She said happily, "Yuejing, I never expected you to have a Wind Spiritual Root. That's wonderful."
The Biyun Sect disciple asked Qin Ling what their relationship was. Qin Ling replied cheerfully, "She's my younger sister."
Upon hearing this, the disciple immediately put on an arrogant airs and shoved the Taqing Sect male disciple aside. "Stop crowding me, her older sister is in our sect. Hehe." The Taqing Sect male disciple still wanted to fight for her: "Junior Sister, come to the Taqing Sect. We are the top sect, and their Biyun Sect is no match for us."
Qin Ling also asked, "Yuejing, have you thought about which sect you want to join?"
Jiang Yuejing apologized to Qin Ling. "Sister Ling, I'm sorry, but I want to join the Taqing Sect." The two Taqing Sect disciples beamed with joy upon hearing this, while Qin Ling smiled and shook her head. "It's fine." The Biyun Sect disciple asked, unwilling to give up, "Can you tell me why?"
Someone in the crowd called out, "Of course it's because her fiancé is in the Taqing Sect!"
Qin Ling was puzzled, and then people around chimed in, "I heard her fiancé is in the Taqing Sect."
The two Taqing Sect disciples also grew curious and perked up their ears. Qin Ling asked, "Fiancé?"
Someone in the crowd answered, "Her fiancé is Yun Shuo of the Taqing Sect."
Qin Ling and the others were startled upon hearing this, having clearly heard of Yun Shuo. The two Taqing Sect disciples became even more curious, while Jiang Yuejing's face turned completely red. She had simply made that up on the spot.
Qin Ling looked at Qingyue and asked, "Qingyue, what's going on?"
Qingyue smiled and said, "Because when our great-aunt was pregnant with the Miss, she arranged an arranged marriage with Yun Shuo of the Taqing Sect. Eldest Miss, do you know Yun Shuo? Is he handsome? Is he a good person?" Hearing such juicy gossip, the two Taqing Sect disciples exchanged a glance, excitement written all over their faces.
Qin Ling nodded upon hearing this. "So that's how it is. Yun Shuo, he..."
The Taqing Sect female disciple jumped in to answer, "Senior Brother Yun is tall and handsome, with exceptional sword skills. All of us disciples hold him in high regard. Besides, he never flirts around, and there are never any other women by his side!" With that, she even winked at Jiang Yuejing.
Jiang Yuejing was screaming internally: *What should I do? I don't want to know any of this! I shouldn't have said I was joining the Taqing Sect. I regret it so much!*
After Jiang Yuejing finished registering her information, the female disciple said, "Junior Sister Yuejing, my name is Xing Tiantian, and his name is Liang Zhi. From now on, we're in the same sect. Junior Sister Yuejing, if you have anything to pack, go home and pack it. We'll wait for you here."
Jiang Yuejing nodded and returned to the Qin Family. The family soon learned the news from the square, and the elders of the Qin Family all hurried to the main estate, waiting for Jiang Yuejing to return.
When Jiang Yuejing returned to the Qin Family, she found a massive display of fanfare at home and was promptly summoned to the main hall. Many people were seated in the hall, and they all stood up when they saw her. Then, a man in the main seat stood up and said, "Yuejing, your grandfather is in seclusion and couldn't come out to send you off, so we old fogies will send you on your way instead."
He then handed Jiang Yuejing a storage bag and explained, "Inside are some things we've prepared for you, including spirit stones and magic treasures. Although you might not need these treasures once your cultivation improves, they can still be useful right now. These spirit stones are for your expenses; you can't be without spirit stones when you're out and about, and these will make things a bit more comfortable for you when you reach the Taqing Sect."
Then he handed Jiang Yuejing another storage bag and said, "This is an empty storage bag for you to put some of your things in."
Jiang Yuejing accepted them and said, "Thank you."
The man said, "Go on, go back and pack some things. I hope you have a brilliant future ahead."
Jiang Yuejing expressed her thanks once more before leaving.
On her way back, Jiang Yuejing asked Qingyue beside her, "Qingyue, do you know who those people were?" Qingyue explained, "They are the elders of the Qin Family. They usually don't all appear together like this. I heard the last time they all came out was to send the Eldest Miss and the Eldest Young Master off to the Biyun Sect and the Liuxi Sect."
So they had come to see her off. Jiang Yuejing hadn't felt much emotional attachment to the Qin Family, but clutching the storage bags in her hands, she thought that if they ever needed her help in the future, she would do her best to repay the gesture.
Back in her room, Qingyue helped Jiang Yuejing pack her things. "Miss, this servant really can't bear to see you go, but you are destined to become a great cultivator like our great-aunt." As Qingyue spoke, tears began to flow.
Jiang Yuejing pulled Qingyue into her arms and comforted her, "Thank you for taking care of all these years." She then grabbed a handful of spirit stones from her storage bag and handed them to Qingyue, continuing, "Qingyue, take these spirit stones, buy your freedom, leave this place, and live your own life."
Qingyue hurriedly pushed them away, saying, "Miss, I can't accept these. These are for the Miss to use in the future. Spirit stones are of no use to me. You must take good care of yourself from now on, Miss." As she spoke, Qingyue wiped away her tears and smiled, saying, "Today is a good day for the Miss, and the Miss must look her best when she goes to see Young Master Yun."
Qingyue tidied Jiang Yuejing up once more before seeing her off at the door. Jiang Yuejing said, "Qingyue, I'll come back to visit you in the future." Qingyue smiled and waved, "Mm, I'll be waiting for the Miss."
Afterward, Jiang Yuejing returned to the square alone. Because the Taqing Sect recruitment disciples had secured Jiang Yuejing, who possessed a Wind Spiritual Root, they didn't bother trying to compete with other sects for anyone else. Thus, this time the Taqing Sect recruited only Jiang Yuejing in Fang City.
After Jiang Yuejing returned to the Qin Family earlier, Liang Zhi suddenly shouted, "Xing Tiantian!"
Xing Tiantian snapped, "What is it, Senior Brother Liang? Why are you suddenly shouting my name?"
Liang Zhi said, "Senior Sister Xing, from now on you are my senior sister, and I am your junior brother."
Xing Tiantian: "?"
Liang Zhi continued, "It was thanks to your discerning eye today that we managed to snap up such a good sapling in time! You are the senior sister, and this junior brother will be following your lead from now on!"
Xing Tiantian immediately straightened her posture. "Tsk, cough cough, call me senior sister again and let me hear it."
Liang Zhi obeyed: "Senior sister."
Xing Tiantian replied, "Mm, good." Then she cupped her chin in her hand and mused, "I never expected Senior Brother Yun Shuo's reason for ignoring everyone's romantic advances was because he already had a fiancé. I have to tell the others!"
After Jiang Yuejing arrived, Liang Zhi and Xing Tiantian waited a little longer. Looking at the sky, the sun was just dipping below the horizon. Liang Zhi said, "It's almost time, let's go. We're going to Yu City to find Senior Brother Yun." He then retrieved a flying magic treasure.
Hearing the words "Senior Brother Yun," Jiang Yuejing's pupils dilated in shock. Surely they weren't going to subject her to social death this early? Xing Tiantian pulled Jiang Yuejing onto the magic treasure, teasing, "Why do you look so surprised at the mention of Senior Brother Yun?"
Jiang Yuejing hurriedly waved her hands. Seeing the two of them smiling cheerfully beside her, she clung to a sliver of hope that perhaps it was just a coincidence of surnames, and asked cautiously, "Senior Brother, Senior Sister, who is this Senior Brother Yun you just mentioned...?"
Xing Tiantian looked at Jiang Yuejing with sparkling eyes. "It's Yun Shuo, Senior Brother Yun."
Jiang Yuejing ventured, "Is there any possibility—I mean, just a possibility—that Senior Brother Yun has already left Yu City?"
Liang Zhi explained with a smile, "No way. Yu City is a major city, and the Taqing Sect has a garrison stationed there. Besides, recruitment lasts for three days there, whereas in small cities like Fang City, we only recruit for a single day. Today is only the first day; Senior Brother Yun won't leave Yu City yet."
Internal panic swept through Jiang Yuejing. If she had known this, she should have made up someone else instead! However, this Yun Shuo cultivated the Ruthless Dao, so he probably wouldn't care about something like this, right? *Ahhh!* Jiang Yuejing was going crazy. She had offended someone before even entering the sect—would she get targeted and given a hard time in the sect from now on?!
Jiang Yuejing forced a smile. "Senior Brother, Senior Sister, actually... the thing about Yun Shuo being my fiancé was something I made up. The situation was a bit urgent at the time, and my aunt wanted to marry me off to someone else. Could you please not tell anyone else about this?"
Seeing the plea written all over Jiang Yuejing's pretty face, Xing Tiantian and Liang Zhi looked conflicted. Finally, Xing Tiantian said apologetically, "Junior Sister, I'm sorry, we already shared the news with our close friends earlier, but we haven't told Senior Brother Yun yet."
Jiang Yuejing clutched her forehead. *It's over.* Gossip traveled so fast; there was no way to clear her name now.
Having received Xing Tiantian's message in advance that they had recruited a disciple with a Wind Spiritual Root, Yun Shuo and the others were waiting for them in the main hall of the Yu City garrison. When Xing Tiantian and Liang Zhi led Jiang Yuejing inside, Yun Shuo glanced at her, felt she looked somewhat familiar, and took a second look at Jiang Yuejing.
Xing Tiantian handed the paper containing Jiang Yuejing's information to Yun Shuo. Yun Shuo took it and read through it: "Jiang Yuejing."
Standing behind Xing Tiantian and Liang Zhi, Jiang Yuejing heard her name and raised her hand by reflex. "Present!"
Xing Tiantian and Liang Zhi: "?"
Though they were baffled by Jiang Yuejing's behavior, Xing Tiantian still softly motioned for her to come forward. Jiang Yuejing walked over and stood before Yun Shuo as instructed. Yun Shuo looked at Jiang Yuejing closely, his peripheral vision catching the Soul-Guiding Bell hanging around the young woman's neck. Although her parents weren't listed on the paper, coupled with the place name Fang City, Yun Shuo roughly guessed who the young woman in front of him was.
Yun Shuo spoke, "You have a Wind Spiritual Root. How is it that after all these years you're still only at the Second Layer of Qi Condensation?"
Yun Shuo's voice sounded somewhat aloof, and Jiang Yuejing answered honestly, "Because I used to be an idiot."
Yun Shuo replied, "Oh."
The air seemed to fall silent for a moment before Yun Shuo spoke again, "Junior Sister Xing, it's getting late. You should arrange a room for her to rest."