Lixi returned to the Yunxiao Sect. Looking at the crude little houses and her fellow disciples dressed in plain garments, she felt as though grass were growing wildly in her heart...
Her father certainly had nerves of steel to just leave her here like this; it was simply beyond words.
"Junior Sister, I'll show you around." Lin Ruan smiled, took Lixi's hand, and led her along while they chatted.
She had a bright and cheerful personality, and she glanced at the newly arrived Junior Sister, who was dressed in gorgeous robes and looked quite delicate.
Inwardly, Lin Ruo sighed, wondering if the Junior Sister would ever get used to such a life of poverty.
The entire sect was indeed not very large, roughly the size of a medium-scale two-courtyard compound with front and back yards and just over twenty rooms in total.
For Lixi, who was accustomed to living in large mansions, it looked rather shabby, and they finished the tour in no time.
At the same time, Lixi figured out that, apart from herself, all her fellow disciples had been adopted by her new master, Lin Shanlai, and Elder Gao.
No wonder everyone she had heard introduced so far was either surnamed Lin or Gao.
Could it be that she had just entered an orphanage?!
Ignoring the herbs drying in the back courtyard, she stared fixedly at the chicken coop in the corner of the wall, where the clucking chickens were still scratching the dirt for bugs...
Was this place really a cultivation sect?
Was it not some kind of agritainment farm?!
She turned her head stiffly, her tone filled with complete uncertainty: "Eldest Senior Sister, what cultivation realm is Master in?"
Seeing the Junior Sister's world-weary expression, Lin Ruo quickly tried to salvage the situation: "The cultivation stages from lowest to highest are Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Severing, Void Refinement, Dao Integration, Great Vehicle, and Tribulation Transcending.
Master is a Golden Core stage Sword Cultivator, and Elder Gao is a Medical Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment great circle."
They were still slightly better off than those tiny sects where everyone was stuck in the Foundation Establishment or Qi Condensation stages.
Phew~ Good, good, Lixi breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she could still manage to muddle through here.
Although she had always firmly believed that she was blessed with great fortune, the environment was truly a blow to her morale.
Enough talk, she needed to become a Qi Condensation stage Cultivator first; otherwise, going outside wouldn't be safe at all.
"Then, Eldest Senior Sister, when do I start cultivating?"
"Junior Sister, you really are so diligent. Since that's the case, let's go find Master to get your cultivation method."
Though surprised that her Junior Sister wanted to cultivate on her very first day, Lin Ruo still took her to see Master.
Lin Shanlai was just preparing to meditate when he saw Lin Ruo approaching with their newly accepted little disciple.
The young girl had bright, expressive eyebrows and eyes, with small dimples on her cheeks when she smiled, making her utterly adorable. Coupled with her exceptional aptitude, he felt thoroughly satisfied no matter how he looked at her.
He took a yellowed book out of the cabinet and handed it to Lixi: "This is our sect's cultivation method, the 'Xiaoyao Technique'. With your aptitude, I believe you'll soon be able to draw spiritual energy into your body."
Lixi took it and flipped through it. The paper felt rather brittle, as though it might shatter at any moment, and she didn't even dare let her hands shake, terrified that the book would turn into fragments the next second.
At a glance, it was clearly an ancient book with plenty of years behind it. Since it had both illustrations and text, it shouldn't be too hard to learn, right?
Pointing at the diagrams in the book, Lin Shanlai briefly explained how to meditate and how to circulate spiritual energy through the meridians.
"Aruo, make sure you explain the meridians and acupoints clearly to your Junior Sister." Lin Shanlai felt that as a grown man, it wasn't quite convenient for him to teach these things to a female disciple.
"Yes, Master." Lin Ruo thought to herself that Master was simply too old-fashioned; back when she was little, it was Elder Gao who had taught her about meridians and acupoints.
After bringing her Junior Sister back to her room, Lin Ruo gave her a detailed explanation of the various acupoints, how to absorb spiritual energy, and what precautions to keep in mind.
"Thank you, Eldest Senior Sister." Lixi felt it didn't seem all that difficult after all. Excitement flashed in her eyes, "I'll try it right now."
Lixi's new room naturally couldn't compare to her boudoir at the Li residence. It lacked decorations, and there wasn't even a dressing table, but at least it was bright, clean, and tidy.
A low, square wooden footstool was placed on the floor, topped with a meditation cushion.
Lixi walked over and sat directly on the cushion, crossing her legs.
"Hey, wait a minute, I haven't finished telling you about the sect's affairs yet." Lin Ruo hadn't expected her Junior Sister to be so impatient; the moment she heard about cultivation, she wanted to start right away.
Oh, very well then. Lixi waited quietly for what came next.
"Since its establishment, the Yunxiao Sect has a history of fifteen hundred years. Currently, besides Master and Elder Gao, there are five disciples in the sect."
What? Five people? Weren't there more than a dozen people just a moment ago?
Seeing Lixi's puzzled expression, Lin Ruo explained: "Only a few of us are formal disciples. Only those with spiritual roots are accepted as formal disciples.
The others just learn some martial arts and medical skills so they have a means of earning a living in the future."
Lixi: "..."
It was she who had been naive, thinking that a sect of a dozen people was already small enough, only to find out there were actually only five formal disciples?!
"The only one you haven't met yet is your Third Senior Brother, Yan Jiuzhi, who is currently away gaining experience. He's very easy to get along with, and he looks just like an immortal from the heavens—extremely handsome."
Thinking of her fellow disciple, Lin Ruo couldn't help laughing. With looks like his, a young girl like her Junior Sister would definitely fancy him.
Then, remembering that she hadn't heard a single word from him in several months, she couldn't help feeling a bit worried.
Gaining experience? He wasn't working as a bodyguard, was he?
Lixi had already given up any hope for this sect...
Pulling herself together and thinking about the sect's situation, Lin Ruo sighed and finally spoke up: "Junior Sister, your aptitude is very good. If you can join a major sect in the future, we won't stop you.
Just like your Fourth Senior Brother; he has fire spiritual roots and is only six years old. In another two years, Master will take him to participate in the disciple recruitment trials of a major sect. Staying here would only waste your potential."
Lin Ruo only had three spiritual roots, and her Second Senior Brother, Taowen, possessed a mere four spiritual roots. Even if they went to a major sect, they could only be outer disciples or outright errand servants.
Instead of going to a minor sect, it was better to stay in the Yunxiao Sect. She truly loved her own sect and couldn't bear to leave.
Lixi was utterly dumbfounded, feeling completely numb...
She had only arrived on her very first day, and this sect was already actively encouraging people to jump ship?!
Early the next morning, Lixi woke up at dawn. After watching her fellow disciples practice their swords in the courtyard for a while, she was greeted by the arrival of her maid Xiaocui, along with her weeping birth mother.
Lady Yu was crying tears of heartbreak, tightly grasping Lixi's hand and pulling her outward: "Xixi, my child, if Master Xu's young master isn't any good, we'll just find another one. I guarantee we'll find someone you like; Mother absolutely does not agree to you becoming a Daoist priest."
Supporting her husband and educating her children was what a proper woman should do, yet the master had actually agreed to let his daughter become a priestess.
Lady Yu had cried all night, determined to drag her daughter back home today no matter what.
The members of the Yunxiao Sect looked at each other in dismay, watching the mother and daughter tug at each other while feeling it was inappropriate to step forward and intervene.
"Mother, I'm not going back. I just want to be an Immortal Master." You must be joking; now that she finally had a chance to cultivate immortality, beating her to death wouldn't make her leave.
Lixi had previously thought poverty was the most terrifying thing, but now she realized that spending one's entire life confined to an inner courtyard while having to raise concubines' children was even more terrifying. Just thinking about it gave her goosebumps.
Although she had tried hard all through the previous night without sensing any spiritual energy, that definitely wasn't a problem with her aptitude; it was all because her mind was too active and kept wandering, making it impossible for her to calm down.
The mother and daughter went through another round of tug-of-war. Lixi remained resolute and refused to leave, leaving Lady Yu so angry that she shed tears. Just how poor was this place anyway?
Weren't those so-called Immortal Masters wearing fur-trimmed clothes too? They looked even worse off than the maidservants at home.
Yet her daughter had been willful since childhood, and she truly had no way to deal with her. Perhaps in a few days, after she couldn't stand the hardship, she would see reason and come back.
Forced to "see reason," Lady Yu could only helpless curtsy to Lin Shanlai: "My daughter has been pampered since childhood and has never suffered. Please bear with her, Immortal Master."
If he found her too delicate, he could simply send her back.
Lin Shanlai agreed repeatedly, saying it was only right and that he would certainly take good care of his little disciple.
Since her daughter wouldn't listen, Lady Yu ultimately had no choice but to depart in sorrow.
Watching the departing carriage, Lixi let out a long sigh of relief.
Xiaocui was a fourteen-year-old girl who had practiced martial arts and possessed great strength; she carried two large bundles, one in each hand, and strode inside.
The other fellow disciples quickly came over to help.
Lixi had her fellow disciples take all the rice, flour, cooking oil, and cured meat straight to the kitchen.
The rest consisted of her personal belongings; her clothes, shoes, socks, and quilts alone filled several large bundles.
Leaving Xiaocui to unpack and tidy up, Lixi sat under the eaves and carefully read through the 'Xiaoyao Technique' a few more times.
She then meticulously recalled everything Master and Eldest Senior Sister had taught her yesterday, confirming that she truly understood it all.