When Xie Liufeng stepped out of the merchants’ guild, it had started raining lightly outside at some unknown time.

He casually looked up and saw a familiar figure standing across the street.

The youth was like green bamboo in the rain, dressed simply in rough cloth clothes, still strikingly beautiful.

Chu Xinghui saw him come out and stared at him without blinking.

Xie Liufeng admired him for a moment, then suddenly felt a bit regretful.

He had only remembered to buy some practical cultivation techniques, pills, and magical tools—he should have also bought a couple of robes.

Other people’s disciples always dressed flashy, so it made no sense that his handsome disciple was dressed so plainly.

Xie Liufeng quickly walked over, took out an umbrella, opened it, and shielded Chu Xinghui’s head with it. He asked: “Waiting for me?”

Chu Xinghui looked up at the hand holding the umbrella and nodded.

Xie Liufeng asked: “How did you know I was here?”

Chu Xinghui answered: “Asked some passersby.”

He had asked just on a whim and unexpectedly found out easily since Xie Liufeng hadn’t really gone far.

Xie Liufeng felt inexplicably happy: “What’s up? You looking for me?”

Chu Xinghui took out a bag and handed it to him: “For you.”

Xie Liufeng was stunned for a moment, took the bag, inside was a mixed batch of low and medium-grade spirit stones.

This was all the payment Chu Xinghui got for his current commission.

Chu Xinghui looked at him and said: “I know this probably isn’t enough for the medicine costs, but this is all I have now. I’ll give you more once I earn it.”

Xie Liufeng thought for a moment and immediately knew where these spirit stones came from: “Give them all to me, how will you live?”

Chu Xinghui thought a bit and honestly said: “I will be okay.”

He had hands and feet, he wouldn’t starve if he made do.

Xie Liufeng was half annoyed and half amused, and said bluntly: “Come back with me today. Not just to recover, I mean… you can stay at my place from now on—until you go to Beiyue Sword Sect to apprentice. Or even longer if you want.”

Once he was in Xie Liufeng’s hands, there was no way to run.

Anyway, all those things were already bought, leaving them unused would be wasteful.

Chu Xinghui thought for a moment and frowned: “Do you need me to do anything?”

Xie Liufeng shook his head: “No.”

Chu Xinghui thought carefully and asked again: “Or… do I have anything you need?”

Xie Liufeng patiently replied: “No.”

Chu Xinghui frowned even more deeply: “But that doesn’t make sense.”

Xie Liufeng asked: “What doesn’t make sense?”

Chu Xinghui solemnly said: “Everything you receive must have a corresponding price, just like I can’t get paid without completing the commission.”

Xie Liufeng chuckled and cheekily said: “That’s other people’s principle, mine is freedom.”

Chu Xinghui looked up at him and honestly said: “I don’t get it… that sounds like a trafficker’s logic.”

Xie Liufeng teased: “If I really were a trafficker, what would you do?”

Chu Xinghui thought for a moment and sincerely advised: “First, I’d suggest you find another job, this line of work is really against heaven’s will. Second, I’m not worth that much money, this might be a losing deal for you…”

Before he finished, he was forced to stop as his lips touched something sour and sweet.

Xie Liufeng casually stuffed a candied hawthorn into his mouth: “Hmm, good advice. Don’t suggest that again.”

Chu Xinghui focused on chewing the candy and had no time to reply.

He was really easy to fool.

Xie Liufeng shoved the whole bag of candied hawthorns into his arms, took his hand, and said: “Let’s go. If you don’t move soon, I’ll have to tie you up like last time.”

Chu Xinghui looked up at him, still not quite understanding the logic.

But since it was raining and Xie Liufeng was holding an umbrella over him, he figured trusting Xie Liufeng’s logic might not be a bad choice.

Shuixun City:

As one of the top sects in the cultivation world, Lingxiang Sect’s disciple recruitment ceremony had been bustling for more than half a month, and finally the on-site spiritual root testing and registration had ended.

At dusk, the steward of Lingxiang Sect finished registering the last applicant’s information with several outer disciples, breathed a sigh of relief, and stretched lazily.

After a rest, the steward suddenly remembered something and asked a nearby junior disciple: “By the way, last year the mortal world tested a disciple with a single Ice elemental spiritual root. Where is his file? An elder asked specifically yesterday. If we have the new disciple’s information, send it to him.”

Although new disciples were supposed to stay in the outer sect for a year before apprenticeship, cultivation was a matter of talent. Talented disciples were noticed right after entering, especially those with extremely rare spiritual roots. Such disciples, if they survived, were guaranteed to become a direct disciple of some elder. With some luck, they might even become their master peak’s inheritors.

That Ice elemental spiritual root disciple had been issued a registration letter on the spot by Lingxiang Sect last year. Now that registration was over, his information should be on file.

The junior disciple was stunned for a moment: “Ice spiritual root? Senior brother, this year, not only are there no disciples with mutated spiritual roots, even ordinary single spiritual root disciples are absent. The best talent this year is a water-wood dual spiritual root disciple, whose information has already been requested by Elder Zhao of the Danding Peak.”

The steward frowned: “How could this be? Could it be that disciple met with some accident and couldn’t make it to the recruitment?”

He hadn’t considered the possibility that the disciple might simply not come.

Lingxiang Sect was one of the top sects in the entire cultivation world. They had produced many ascended immortals in earlier years and had great fame throughout both the cultivation and mortal worlds. Their disciples never rejected their invitations and always came.

No matter what, this situation was hard to explain to the elder.

Just as the two were at a loss, a gentle and watery voice came from behind: “Two junior brothers, is there something difficult to resolve?”

They turned around to see a white-robed youth who had appeared without their noticing.

The youth had a delicate and pale appearance, almost sickly-looking, with a slender figure exuding a fragile and lovable aura.

He was Qin Yuwen, the sole disciple under the sect leader of Lingxiang Sect.

Though only possessing an average three spiritual root constitution, he was very lucky. He was distantly related to the sect leader’s wife Qin Xueyi, and at a young age had gained the favor of the sect leader couple before even testing his spiritual root. He was raised alongside the sect leader’s two biological children and was accepted as a disciple shortly after spending a year in the outer sect following his spiritual root test.

He also worked hard—despite his three spiritual roots, his cultivation speed matched that of single-root geniuses, reaching the Foundation Establishment stage by age eighteen, making him one of the top young talents in the cultivation world.

Qin Yuwen was always kind to the sect’s disciples, had both strong backing and strength, and enjoyed a good reputation within the sect. Naturally, the two disciples recognized him and immediately greeted him respectfully.

The steward hesitated for a moment before explaining the situation to Qin Yuwen.

Qin Yuwen frowned: “He didn’t come to register?”

The steward sighed: “Yes, maybe something happened on the way. But the registration period is over now, so this disciple probably has no fate with Lingxiang Sect.”

The rules were strict, and usually disciples who missed registration were handled this way.

Although this disciple’s situation was special, there was really no other solution.

They couldn’t just conjure up a disciple who hadn’t shown.

Qin Yuwen thought for a while and then reminded: “Since he’s a single spiritual root genius, he should have been sent an invitation letter when his root was tested, right? I recall that invitation had a tracking spell. If he still carries the letter, we should be able to find him.”

The steward caught his implication: “Senior Brother Qin means… sending people to look for him?”

Qin Yuwen nodded and said warmly: “Single-root disciples are rare. The sect should put some effort into such talent. It would be a shame to miss out like this.”

It sounded reasonable enough.

Though it wasn’t exactly by the rules, it wasn’t a big deal. The steward was glad to do a favor for the sect leader’s personal disciple, and complimented: “Senior Brother Qin truly cares about the sect’s inheritance. We’re ashamed we haven’t thought of this.”

“This time the master also intends to accept disciples. If this disciple is suitable, it wouldn’t be impossible to add another personal disciple for the sect leader,” Qin Yuwen casually added, then said: “If you can’t find him, send someone to tell me, and I will personally search.”

He gently stroked his sword sheath, emphasizing meaningfully: “But you must… get this junior brother into the sect.”

The steward felt a strange sensation rise in his heart.

Had he just called this single Ice elemental spiritual root disciple “junior brother”?

But Senior Brother Qin was a person of good character, had no prior connection with the new disciple, and since this was the sect leader’s intention, maybe Qin only heard about this disciple through the sect leader.

He quickly dismissed the odd feeling and respectfully promised: “Since it is the sect leader’s wish, we will handle this matter well.”

Having received this promise, Qin Yuwen smiled gently at the two and then flew on his sword into the sect.

The junior disciple hid behind the steward, watching Qin Yuwen disappear from sight, and couldn’t help wiping cold sweat from his forehead.

The steward turned back, saw him standing dazedly in place, patted the back of his head, and urged: “What’s wrong? Didn’t you hear Senior Brother Qin? Hurry and get to work!”

The junior disciple finally snapped out of it: “…Don’t rush me, senior brother. Let me tidy up first.”

As he looked down to organize the things on the table, a flicker of suspicion crossed his mind.

Maybe he had been too busy and was seeing things wrong, but just now, he thought he saw a glaring malice in the eyes of this gentle and kind senior brother.

 

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