Jin Bao'er took only one glance before lowering her head, careful to hide the hatred and murderous intent in her eyes from the man approaching them.
"Is that the legendary Immortal Venerable Louyun? How handsome! He’s even better-looking than my father! And he can fly—how amazing!"
A group of "Little Radish" disciples gazed at the cold, graceful figure on the high platform with eyes full of adoration, itching to rush over and beg to be his disciples. Jin Bao'er’s eyes, however, were icy. As she recalled the humiliation and pain of her past, how could she not hate him?
"Junior Brother, why have you come over? Could it be... have you finally made up your mind? I told you, with your exceptional talent, wouldn't it be a waste if you didn't take on a disciple to pass it down?"
Sect Master Xiao Baishan looked at Immortal Venerable Louyun with delight, voluntarily yielding his own seat—a testament to the Immortal Venerable’s extraordinary status. Immortal Venerable Louyun gave a slight nod, his handsome face devoid of expression. Clad in white robes, he appeared even more ethereal and otherworldly; his formidable Soul Formation Stage cultivation destined him to be held in high regard.
"Indeed... I am here to take a disciple."
With that, he turned to face the group of Little Radish disciples below, who were filled with anticipation. This single, quiet sentence stirred the crowd into a frenzy; those who had just finished their own apprenticeship ceremonies even felt a pang of regret for having chosen too early.
His cold gaze scanned the crowd calmly until it paused for a moment on Su Xianzhi. This brief attention made Su Xianzhi thrill with excitement, a look of smug triumph dawning on her face. Yet, his gaze shifted again, soon locking onto another small figure standing not far from her.
In an instant, everyone turned to look at that spot. Standing there was a girl in blue, her eyes lowered, hiding her expression. Her long hair was tied back in a neat, clean ponytail. Her temperament was icy and aloof.
Everyone recognized her: the top performer in the entrance exam, Jin Bao'er! A Pure Ice Category single spirit root! An absolute genius!
It seemed only fitting that the top talent be paired with the top Immortal Venerable. At that moment, that was everyone’s thought, including Immortal Venerable Louyun’s. The Sect Master, meanwhile, felt a mix of pity and relief.
"Haha! Your taste is impeccable! This little girl has a Pure Ice Category single spirit root; it possesses the same level of offensive power as your own thunder-type single spirit root! She is a perfect match for you as a disciple."
Recalling the scenes of her past apprenticeship, Jin Bao'er tried her best to minimize her presence. Suddenly, she felt everyone’s gaze shift toward her, accompanied by that familiar, loathsome stare. She stiffened instinctively. Before she could react, her body was lifted into the air. She looked up in alarm, trying to resist, but she was trapped and unable to move. That sense of helplessness became increasingly acute, making her loathe her own weakness at this moment.
Soon, her feet touched the ground, and a tall, cold figure stood before her. The familiar, faint scent of orchids drifted to her nose, but she felt only a lump in her throat. Everything was repeating just as it had in her previous life.
Perhaps sensing the tension in the ten-year-old girl, Immortal Venerable Louyun’s voice softened slightly. "Do not be afraid! From this day forth, I shall be your master!"
*You ungrateful disciple! As of today, I sever our master-disciple relationship!*
How ironic. The same person, yet the words spoken a few years later would be so vastly different. Who could imagine that before long, the Immortal Venerable standing before her would become utterly indifferent to her, losing all the gentleness he displayed now?
Because of their master-disciple relationship, all her hard work was dismissed by others with a simple: "She is, after all, Immortal Venerable Louyun's disciple!"
But in truth, she had earned her own points, bought her own dharma treasures, and fought for her own cultivation through countless battles. Apart from that one destiny-bound weapon, Immortal Venerable Louyun had given her almost nothing!
A person like him was not worthy of being her master.
As this thought crossed her mind, rage and resentment filled her chest. She longed to perish together with this shameless wretch once more, but her reason eventually overcame her impulse. She looked up at that powerful man and said with firm, resolute tone:
"I thank the Immortal Venerable for his kindness, but this disciple has already chosen a master. I am afraid I must decline."
The girl's clear voice rang across the entire platform, audible to every new disciple below. The air suddenly turned silent. Everyone stared at the stage, their faces filled with shock and bewilderment.
Did... did they hear that right? Someone had actually refused to become Immortal Venerable Louyun's disciple?
The Sect Master looked at the small figure on the ground in astonishment, blurting out in disbelief: "Little girl, do you know who stands before you? That is the Miaomiao Sect’s top genius, Immortal Venerable Louyun! A mighty expert of the Soul Formation Stage!"
Upon hearing this, Jin Bao'er raised her head, her delicate face etched with unyielding determination, though she felt only disdain in her heart. What use was high cultivation if history was destined to repeat itself? She would not allow it!
"This disciple understands. But I also know that the path of immortality is one that defies heaven and is fraught with difficulty. Everyone has their own path, and the path I have chosen does not lie with the Immortal Venerable."
The crowd erupted at these words!
Even the Sect Master was left speechless, astonished that this child of only ten years could have such profound insight. She was destined for greatness—it was just a shame she was not fated to be with Louyun.
Facing the shock and surprise of the crowd, Immortal Venerable Louyun frowned slightly. He looked at the girl on the ground and said:
"If that is the case... so be it."
Seeing his expression, it seemed he felt nothing in particular. The Sect Master stepped in to smooth things over. "Haha, you have a mind of your own, little girl. Since that is the case, which Peak Master have you chosen?"
At these words, all the Water, Ice, and Earth-attribute Elders and Peak Masters on the platform could not help but turn their heads. After all, with her Ice-attribute talent, she would have to choose someone within those related fields. The idea of taking on a disciple who possessed such extraordinary talent—and who had even rejected a figure like Immortal Venerable Louyun—was thrilling!
However, Jin Bao'er stood up calmly, brushed the non-existent dust from her knees, and walked with her numb legs toward the far right of the platform...
The crowd’s eyes followed her movement until she stopped beside Peak Master Ding, who was also of the Ice attribute. Everyone nodded, thinking this was only to be expected!
Peak Master Ding, while surprised, couldn't help but feel a swell of pride. Just as he was preparing to assume his air of authority as a master, he saw Jin Bao'er kneel down toward the position right beside him!
"Thump!"
"Disciple Jin Bao'er requests Peak Master Hua as her master!"
"Pfft!"
The Sect Master sprayed out the spirit-herb tea he had just taken a sip of. He could never have imagined she would choose a master who was an alchemist! Although Peak Master Hua was indeed skilled at alchemy, he possessed a Fire-Metal spirit root and was a cultivator whose strengths were primarily in defense, which clashed almost entirely with Jin Bao'er's Ice attribute. Following him would likely mean learning nothing more than how to make talismans and pills.
Wouldn't that be a waste of her talent?
Unlike Peak Master Ding, whose face had darkened, Peak Master Hua looked utterly flattered. His little beard twitched, his mouth hung wide open, and his small, thin stature seemed insignificant compared to the imposing Immortal Venerable Louyun.
This scene left everyone’s jaws on the floor. They could not fathom why she would bypass such a powerful Immortal Venerable to choose a mere support-type alchemist.
What they didn't know was that, having endured so much in her previous life, Jin Bao'er already possessed the perfect cultivation techniques. With her effort and talent, she had no concerns about her cultivation progress. However, having spent years being hunted and besieged, she realized deeply that strength alone was not always enough. Sometimes, talismans, pills, and formations were far more important.
Thinking of this, she looked up and repeated her request, causing Peak Master Hua to snap out of his daze, overwhelmed with excitement!