Zanxing never understood why whenever she mentioned that she and Mu Cengxiao were going to the secret realm trial, Men Dong and Gu Baiying looked like they were facing a formidable enemy.
Therefore, she naturally didn’t know that after she left, the Elysium Hall almost turned upside down.
Men Dong sat on the ground and persuaded earnestly, “Senior Uncle, we must never let them go to the secret realm trial. Young men and women like this are at the age of vigor and vitality. Once there is danger in the secret realm, it will be difficult not to develop feelings for each other when everyone is in the same boat! If they get excited, they might have secret dual cultivation one night!”
“Shut up!” Gu Baiying said angrily, “Mu Cengxiao likes Liu Yunxin, and now that she has been brought into the sect, how can he have feelings for Yang Zanxing?”
“Senior Uncle, how can you be so naive? Don’t you understand men?” Men Dong said righteously, his saliva flying, “What is the nature of men? Even if Mu Cengxiao has Liu Yunxin in his heart, far water cannot quench thirst, what if he becomes desperate and only wants to satisfy his immediate desires?”
Gu Baiying flicked his forehead hard with her finger, “I told you to read more books and use your words less recklessly on weekdays. What nonsense are you talking about?”
“In short, Senior Uncle, you must not give them a chance to be alone!” Men Dong said anxiously, “We can’t afford to take this risk. The headmaster doesn’t know yet that the Qinchong seeds are in Yang Zanxing’s body. There is still a chance to save them now, but once the Qinchong seeds change hosts, there will never be a chance to transfer it again! Senior Uncle, think carefully!”
“I know.” Gu Baiying stood up impatiently, suppressing the irritability between his brows for the time being, “I’ll think about how to talk to Master tomorrow.”
It was an old rule of the Taiyan Sect for newly accepted personal disciples to go to the secret realm trial. Even though he spoke easily, if he rashly proposed not to let Zanxing or Mu Cengxiao go, it would inevitably arouse suspicion. After the war between the human and demon races, Shaoyang Zhenren’s cultivation had not yet recovered, and Gu Baiying must not let him worry anymore.
The young man walked to the window, looked at the brightly blooming flower tree in the courtyard, and sighed softly.
Perhaps… this is fate.
He should not have lived to this day.
*
Early the next morning, Gu Baiying went to Jinhua Hall.
Unlike Xuan Lingzi, who always slept until the sun was high in the sky, Shaoyang Zhenren slept at midnight and woke up at dawn, never a moment late. When Gu Baiying arrived at Jinhua Hall, Zhao Mayi and Daoist Yueguang were also there.
Breakfast was placed on a small table in front of them. Ordinary sect disciples ate in the dining hall, but each hall had its own small kitchen. In the entire Taiyan Sect, the halls that paid the most attention to food were probably Jinhua Hall and Miaokong Hall.
Xuan Lingzi loved eating, but he favored the common food from the mortal town of Pingyang at the foot of the mountain. Though tasty, it offered little benefit for cultivation. The headmaster, Shaoyang Zhenren, was different. His meals were meticulously balanced with meat and vegetables, nutritionally complete, and made from ingredients grown in areas rich in spiritual energy. His cooking methods favored steaming and light preparations, more refined than even the medicinal cuisine of the mortal imperial palaces.
Secretly, the sect’s disciples were envious of Jinhua Hall’s menu. It was widely believed that the headmaster’s youthful appearance at his advanced age was largely due to dietary therapy. Daoist Yueguang was also advanced in years, and Zhao Mayi, having little to do within the sect, often came to Jinhua Hall to scrounge meals.
The three were sitting at the table eating. When they saw Gu Baiying arrive, Zhao Mayi greeted him with a smile, “Seventh Junior Brother, you’re here early. Care to join us for a bite?”
Gu Baiying glanced at the plate of boiled greens on the table and slightly frowned, “I’ve already eaten.”
“Our junior brother doesn’t like the stuff us old men eat,” Daoist Yueguang remarked knowingly with a smile. “Baiying, there’s walnut crisp on the long table. The headmaster made it himself without sugar. You can have some.”
Shaoyang Zhenren would fast from grains every now and then, avoiding sugar and using very little oil. Gu Baiying walked over to the long table and sat down. On it was a plate of walnut crisps, made small to prevent overindulgence.
Gu Baiying picked one up and examined it absentmindedly, pondering how to broach his topic with Shaoyang Zhenren. Soon enough, the three had finished their meal, and a disciple came to clear the empty dishes. Shaoyang Zhenren stood up, walked over to the long table, and sat down to start brewing tea.
His movements were slow and deliberate, and if one ignored his handsome and otherworldly face, he looked no different from a hundred-year-old man in the mortal world who was pure-hearted and ascetic.
Just as Gu Baiying was about to speak, he heard Shaoyang Zhenren say, “Baiying, you came at the right time. The list of disciples for the trial in the Secret Realm of Li’er Country has been drawn up. Remember to give it to Xuan Lingzi.”
Gu Baiying hesitated for a moment and asked, “Master, who are the disciples going to Li’er Country?”
“It’s the same old story,” Zhao Mayi interjected from the side. “The three personal disciples that the Sixth Junior Brother has newly accepted, Men Dong, and Meng Ying, who has just come out of seclusion, plus Ziluo, six people in total.”
“Ziluo hasn’t been to Li’er Country before?”
“The Secret Realm of Li’er Country is only opened once every ten years. Although the opportunities in the secret realm have been divided up almost evenly, all the major sects in Duzhou will use this secret realm as the first place for the trial of their new disciples. This year, the new talents from the major sects will also gather here.” Daoist Yueguang sighed softly, “You also know that our sect is not as glorious as it used to be. There are only a handful of disciples who have reached the Nascent Soul stage. Ziluo should go with them, at least to save some face.”
Gu Baiying remained silent.
While brewing tea at a leisurely pace, Shaoyang Zhenren spoke calmly, “There’s no need to belittle yourself. The three disciples Xuan Lingzi accepted this time all have a natural affinity for immortality and wisdom. They might perform exceptionally in the secret realm. In my opinion, they may even gain more than Ziluo in this secret realm.”
“Indeed,” Zhao Mayi stroked his beard. “In the Xumi Mustard Seed Diagram, both Yang Zanxing and Mu Cengxiao defeated the Mo Sha. Just this achievement alone is enough to make them stand out among the new disciples in the cultivation world. Meng Ying is a genius, Ziluo has already been once, and Men Dong is going because of his ‘Spiritual Immortal Aperture.’ These three new disciples represent our sect’s reputation, and other sects are watching closely.”
Gu Baiying’s fingers tightened slightly around the pastry. Given the conversation, it was clear that Yang Zanxing and Mu Cengxiao were definitely going to the secret realm in Li’er Country. However, Men Dong’s words echoed in his ears.
“Junior Brother, why aren’t you saying anything?” Daoist Yueguang reminded, “You��re about to crush the walnut crisp.”
Gu Baiying snapped back to reality, put down the walnut crisp, and made a sudden decision. He looked at Shaoyang Zhenren and said, “Master, let me go to the secret realm in Li’er Country this time.”
Everyone in the hall was stunned.
Shaoyang Zhenren paused in his tea brewing, “What did you say?”
“I said,” the young man took a sip of the tea in front of him and placed the empty cup back on the table, “I want to go to the secret realm in Li’er Country.”