"You've had an epiphany regarding cultivation techniques... and... several of them?!"
Bai Jin's mouth felt dry as she raised her voice, "Junior Brother Lu... don't tease me with such nonsense, or I will get angry!"
"How could that be? I wouldn't lie to anyone, least of all you, Senior Sister!"
Lu Bei looked aggrieved and recited the [Calming Posture Breathing Method] right in front of Bai Jin: "The Dao originates in wordlessness, beginning from the void, containing the wondrous unity within..."
As his voice trailed off, Bai Jin stood frozen in place, shedding her usual aloof and unapproachable demeanor as sheer shock washed over her pretty face.
"Senior Sister, I also have a [Nurturing Qi..."
"No need."
Before Lu Bei could continue, Bai Jin raised a hand to cut him off. Once she had calmed her mind and regained her composure completely, she reached out and grasped Lu Bei's wrist.
After a thorough inspection, Bai Jin fell silent once again.
There were indeed traces of spiritual energy circulating within Lu Bei's body. Because he had been practicing for too short a time, the wondrous aspects of the technique were not yet apparent. Since Lu Bei had said he comprehended this from the Taoist Canon, it was, by definition, the most suitable cultivation technique for him at his current stage.
Thinking of the superior cultivation technique she had brought back from Dasheng Pass, Bai Jin felt a deep sense of loss. Mo Buxiu had entrusted Lu Bei to her, yet she had failed to fulfill her responsibility.
On second thought, had Lu Bei practiced the technique she brought, wouldn't she have misled a disciple and ruined his entire life?
The more she thought about it, the more ashamed she felt. Bai Jin came to a realization: Lu Bei's innate talent was astonishing, and she was simply not equipped to teach this junior brother.
"Junior Brother, pack your bags and come with me to the Lingxiao Sword Sect," Bai Jin said solemnly.
"Right now?!"
"Yes, we set off immediately," Bai Jin said decisively.
"I don't have any objections, but as for the Lingxiao Sword Sect... the sect master, well... you know how it is." Lu Bei shrugged. To reiterate, the relationship wasn't all that complicated.
Getting a free ride on the coattails of the Lingxiao Sword Sect was no easy task.
Bai Jin was momentarily at a loss for words. Indeed, if the sect master were to ask about Lu Bei's background, how was she supposed to answer?
Her lies were full of loopholes, and telling the truth would be even worse. Where had she learned of Mo Buxiu's passing? Why was she willing to guide Lu Bei in his cultivation? Whose instructions was she following?
The answer was painfully obvious. Long before Bai Jin could even formulate a reply, the sect master would turn green with rage and spit up dozens of taels of blood.
At the mere thought of this outcome, Bai Jin couldn't help but shake her head. Some things were better kept from the sect master.
While Bai Jin could guess the outcome, Lu Bei—who had pieced together the triangular relationship from a few stray remarks—could guess it just as well. He loved watching the commotion, but he had no desire to become the center of attention, let alone when his life was on the line.
The Lingxiao Sword Sect was out of the question, at least for now.
"Junior Brother, I will return to my sect and discuss this matter with my master. Junior Uncle Mo has passed away, and you, his disciple, have been left adrift. The Lingxiao Sword Sect cannot simply stand by and watch you suffer bullying out in the world..."
After a moment of thought, Bai Jin formulated a plan. First, she asked for the small box containing Mo Buxiu's remains, and then she said, "I will take you to Dasheng Pass. I have a good friend there; you can stay at her place for a month or two. Once I explain the gravity of the situation to my master, she and the sect master will... Anyway, just wait for my good news."
"Can't I wait at Nine Bamboo Mountain?"
"No."
Bai Jin shook her head decisively. "The cultivation lineages at Nine Bamboo Mountain are a mixed bag of varying quality. If you spend too much time around them, it will do your future cultivation more harm than good."
From Bai Jin's perspective, her junior brother possessed peerless talent and was destined to make a great name for himself one day; such a rare seedling could not be left at Nine Bamboo Mountain.
He would be corrupted!
"I'll leave everything to Senior Sister's arrangement."
A flicker of secret joy crossed Lu Bei's mind. When players chose their preferred primary class, they would be dropped at random locations across the Nine Provinces. The lucky ones were tossed right into immortal sects, while the unlucky ones appeared in nearby towns and cities.
Actually, it wasn't strictly a matter of luck. Being born within a sect certainly saved time spent searching for immortal affinities, but ordinary people entering deep mountains and old forests without guidance were far worse off than those born in towns who could first familiarize themselves with an unfamiliar world.
Moreover, towns housed the Huangji Sect—the absolute best choice for beginners. In recent years, the imperial court of Wu Zhou had grown increasingly unstable, and both the central authority and local governments were expanding their military forces. The Huangji Sect was no exception, welcoming fresh blood with exceptional talent without turning anyone away.
This meant that the larger the city, the more quests suited for beginners would be available.
Lu Bei wasn't sure if Nine Bamboo Mountain counted as a newbie village, but Langyu County next door almost certainly was, and Dasheng Pass went without saying—it was a certified, bona fide newbie village.
Lu Bei hadn't triggered any quests at Nine Bamboo Mountain, and the few NPCs he encountered, including Bai Jin, only engaged in standard NPC interactions, which had left him deeply discouraged at times.
Dasheng Pass presented an opportunity. If he still couldn't accept quests and earn experience once he got there, he would simply have to...
Hold on a little longer until the official server launch.
And if all else failed, his only remaining option would be to romance his own senior sister and let a wealthy benefactor carry him to success.
——————
Dasheng Pass was located in Dongqi Commandery, Ning Province, serving as both the commandery capital and the primary county seat. Protected by perilous mountains and a majestic strategic pass, during the early founding days of the dynasty, the former emperor of Wu Zhou decisively defeated enemy forces here, pushing the eastern borders outward by eight hundred li. He picked up his brush to leave behind an inscription, renaming the pass "Dasheng Pass".
Consequently, that perilous mountain was renamed Dasheng Mountain, and the county was renamed Dasheng County as well. Because the name "Dasheng Pass" was far too famous, whenever people referred to the county, they simply called it Dasheng Pass.
Dongqi Commandery bordered Dongyang Prefecture, and Dasheng Pass was just over four hundred li away from Langyu County. According to Bai Jin's plan, they could reach it without waiting for dawn, so she hoisted Lu Bei up and hurried onto the road.
Before leaving, she made another trip to Sijing Peak, first pressing Ding Lei to the ground and giving him a thorough thrashing, then cheerfully shelling out double the usual payment to ensure he completed the renovation project for the Feathering Sect within two months.
Ding Lei: "..."
He remained completely silent, his hands gripping the banknotes tightly as he nodded to indicate that the work would be completed on schedule.
Watching this, Lu Bei nodded inwardly. This was the sheer magic of money—something he had firmly believed in back when he was a player, and now, viewing it from an NPC perspective, it made even more sense.
High in the night sky, a streak of sword rainbow led the way.
A three-meter-long beam of sword light carried Bai Jin and Lu Bei aloft. Amidst a roaring rush, the wind and clouds were split apart by the sword's edge, surrounded by wisps of hazy white Qi that kept the sword light rock-steady and immune to the buffeting winds.
Lu Bei sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes fixed dead ahead on the back before him. His gaze slowly drifted down from her slender waist, coming to rest upon a pert, rounded contour.
Bai Jin: "..."
Practitioners possessed exceptionally acute senses; she had long since sensed the gaze fixed on her back. Figuring that her junior brother was hardly an ill-mannered person and likely hadn't done it intentionally, she had chosen to let it slide at first.
Who could have guessed that he would become increasingly brazen?
As expected, Nine Bamboo Mountain was a corrupting influence, and bringing Lu Bei away early had been a wise choice.
A moment later, feeling her skin crawl under the locked gaze, Bai Jin knitted her brows and turned around. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Lu Bei breaking out in a cold sweat, his eyes wide with terror as he stared fixedly ahead.
"Junior Brother, what's wrong?"
"I'm afraid of heights."
"..."
"I'm afraid of heights!!"
"Uh... I'll fly a bit faster. We'll be there soon."
...
Dasheng Pass, West.
Among a cluster of surrounding trees, numerous pavilions and small courtyards came into view.
Lu Bei followed closely behind Bai Jin with a pale face. When they touched down and his senior sister kindly extended a hand to help him, he resolutely refused.
This was the last shred of his stubborn pride.
Dasheng Pass was the Huangji Sect's largest stronghold in Ning Province, possessing a level of security that Nine Bamboo Mountain could never hope to match. Not wanting to stir up unnecessary trouble, Bai Jin had brought her sword down early and led Lu Bei on foot toward her friend's residence.
Lu Bei expressed his full support for this decision. Walking was wonderful; heaven gave humans two legs instead of a pair of wings precisely to remind them to walk properly rather than dreaming about flying around all day.
Besides, it gave him just enough time to recover, lest they arrive at someone's front door only to redecorate the entrance hall with the contents of his stomach.
Clang, clang, clang!
Before a large courtyard, Bai Jin struck the bronze door ring. A mere moment later, an elderly man carrying a lantern stepped forward to open the door.
"Miss Bai, the mistress is waiting inside the hall. Please follow me."
"Sorry to trouble you."
Bai Jin nodded and led Lu Bei through the doorway. At this moment, she wore her white veil, adopting her standard guise for traveling abroad.
Walking through the front courtyard, Lu Bei entered the main hall and finally met the old friend Bai Jin was always talking about.
Judging by her appearance, she was a voluptuous and beautiful matron in her thirties with an extraordinary demeanor, though she lacked the ethereal immortal aura that Bai Jin possessed.
"My good senior sister, why have you... come again?"