Chapter 1: Little Ling E

Dong—Dong—

The melodious bell tolls echoed back and forth among the clouds. As the center of the San Qian Shi Jie, Hong Huang Wu Bu Zhou welcomed the dawn of a new day, with the Sun Star rising in the eastern sky and the myriad stars retreating into the heavens.

In the northwest of Dong Sheng Shen Zhou, near Zhong Shen Zhou, in an unassuming corner, a vast and smooth array resembling an upside-down glass bowl enveloped dozens of verdant peaks.

Under the sunlight, the array's barrier refracted faint rainbow hues, while streams of visible spiritual energy drifted to and fro within.

Amid the mountains, immortal birds and spirit beasts frolicked joyfully; in the mists, fleeting figures occasionally appeared.

Wisps of light smoke rose, and strands of string music floated down.

In the open spaces near the pavilions in the woods, many figures sat in meditation, breathing in essence, or soared through the air in dance, forming a picturesque scene of an immortal realm.

With the morning light, a white cloud drifted slowly from the edge of the East Sea, heading straight toward this great array.

Upon the cloud stood two figures, one tall and one short: the taller was a white-haired old Taoist, accompanied by a spirited girl who appeared to be eight or nine years old.

The white cloud drifted leisurely, and with the breeze on the left, what was there to worry about?

The old Taoist sang with emotion:

“Hong Meng's creation, the dragon and phoenix calamity,Ten thousand ages pass in the blink of an eye.No sight of the immortal platform or ascending pavilion,Only the songs of the Nine Heavens are heard.Ferrying others, ferrying oneself across the dark river,Laughing at people, laughing at spirits to dispel disasters.I ask you, why cling to the old homeland?The ancient sages broke their bones for fleeting fortune.”

“Ling E, listen carefully!After the ancient Witch-Demon War, the Heavenly Dao greatly favored the human race. Our human cultivators of qi gradually occupied most lands except Bei Ju Lu Zhou, spreading across the San Qian Shi Jie and countless smaller worlds. But Nan Zan Bu Zhou, being the seat of human destiny, restricts our entry and exit.

This place is Dong Sheng Shen Zhou, one of the premier lands for cultivation in the Three Realms.

Ling E, look at those immortal mountains ahead. Aren't they full of spiritual elegance and grandeur?”

The girl nodded obediently, her bright and lively eyes blinking gently, her chubby, childlike face beaming with eager anticipation.

She replied in a voice like the tender chirp of a fledgling bird, melodious yet tinged with shyness,“Mm, they're very grand!”

“Our sect's strength is incredibly formidable to occupy a spiritual vein so close to Zhong Shen Zhou!”

The old Taoist stroked his beard with satisfaction, chuckling contentedly, and flicked his whisk for emphasis.

The girl, dressed in a lotus-patterned skirt, asked softly,“Then, Master, why don't we go to Zhong Shen Zhou and claim a spiritual vein there?”

The old Taoist was momentarily stumped and laughed awkwardly,“Zhong Shen Zhou has far too many powerful figures. Occupying a spiritual vein there would mean constant unrest. It's far better to live in peace here...

Ling E.”

The girl bowed her head and cupped her hands formally,“Your disciple is here!”

“Today, I am bringing you into this immortal sect. From now on, you must cultivate diligently without any slack, striving to achieve success early, to tread the immortal path, seek longevity, and attain that carefree Dao fruit!”

The girl tilted her head and asked quietly,“But Master... have you become an immortal?”

“Ahem!” The old Taoist covered his mouth and coughed. “I encountered some mishaps in my cultivation years ago, but becoming an immortal is just a matter of the next ten or twenty years.

Come, follow me into the array.

You must remember, our Dao lineage is called Du Xian Men, founded by the renowned Xi Kun Lun Du E Zhen Ren on the current Immortal Gods List. The teachings he passed down are the Yi Qi Zheng Tian Dao, a profound method for longevity!

Have you got that? This is your foundation from now on—never forget it.”

“Mm! Your disciple has remembered it all!”

The girl nodded earnestly. The old Taoist flicked his whisk and guided the white cloud slowly toward the array ahead, pulling out a palm-sized jade talisman.

As the talisman glimmered with soft green light, the protective array slowly parted, allowing the old Taoist and the girl to enter on their cloud.

No sooner had the master and disciple entered than a few white cranes swooped down from the clouds, carrying several young people in Daoist robes and colorful skirts—the sect's disciples on patrol duty.

They greeted the old Taoist with a bow, addressing him as “Qi Yuan Shi Shu,” and after asking about the girl being his new disciple, they mounted their cranes and departed gracefully.

The girl's wide eyes sparkled, reflecting the elegant figures of the two female disciples as they left.

“Master, when can Ling E fly on an immortal crane?”

“Once you've refined the five energies in your chest, you'll be able to control objects at will,” Qi Yuan said with a stroke of his beard. “What you saw as cranes are actually magical artifacts. Don't rush—cultivation takes time.

I'll take you back to our peak first and handle your initiation formalities.

Though our lineage now consists of just us two master and disciple, we still have our own mountain peak within the sect, which is a tremendous honor.”

As Qi Yuan spoke, a hint of pride showed on his weathered face.

But the girl's attention wasn't on “having our own mountain”; she counted on her fingers.

Three people?

“Master, but we only have two people here.”

“Oh? Didn't I tell you along the way? Look at my memory.”

Qi Yuan glanced up at a few passing white clouds and said lightly,“You have a senior brother above you—the disciple I took a hundred years ago. Now, he's quite capable on his own... well, more or less.

Heh heh heh...”

The girl tiptoed curiously,“Master, your laugh sounds so strange.”

“You must remember this, Ling E,” Qi Yuan said, looking down at his precious new disciple with a serious expression, his eyes gleaming and his wrinkled face forming an air of gravity.

The girl was exceptionally talented and quick-witted, having learned etiquette and knowledge from a young age. Seeing her master so serious, she immediately focused and listened attentively.

The old Taoist sighed softly, as if deflating, and said in a low voice,“Your senior brother had some issues with his cultivation... he often talks nonsense and spouts some unorthodox ideas.

You can ask him for advice on cultivation, but whatever you do, never listen to his views on how to live life!

I'll teach you about conduct and worldly matters myself.”

The girl blinked, not fully understanding, but nodded obediently,“Mm! Your disciple understands!”

Only then did Qi Yuan relax a bit. He waved his whisk gently ahead and said,“Look, that's our Xiao Qiong Feng.”

Following the tip of the whisk, they saw a somewhat “underdeveloped” short peak nestled among several towering mountains.

Unlike the ornate eaves and towering pagodas hidden in the forests elsewhere in the sect, this peak was simple and rustic, like a seldom-visited spot;

Dense woods housed many rare birds and beasts, with just a few structures: two thatched huts by a small lake halfway up the mountain and several herb gardens nearby.

Qi Yuan felt quite content as he guided the white cloud down to the midway point, passing through a simple array.

This array only blocked external scrutiny; due to Du Xian Men's rules, only the forbidden areas in the back mountains had protective arrays.

As they landed in front of the thatched huts, the white cloud dissipated on its own.

The girl's cloth boots stepped on the dew-kissed short grass, soft and yielding, with the fragrance of plants wafting on the gentle breeze, making her unconsciously lost in the serene lake scenery, her pink lips parting in quiet admiration.

The morning sun had just touched the mountains, casting ripples on the small lake;

A few spirit fish leaped from the water, droplets sparkling, as if greeting the new young cultivator.

Qi Yuan observed his little disciple's reaction with a smile and called out loudly,“Chang Shou, come out and meet your junior sister!”

The girl instinctively looked toward the closed door of the thatched hut, her heart filling with a touch of anticipation.

A senior brother from an immortal sect must be a heroic and dashing immortal, just like the demon-slaying heroes from the stories she'd heard since childhood...

Yet, the hut remained silent, with no sign of movement.

Qi Yuan called again,“Chang Shou? Why are you hiding in there? Are you shy?

Strange, I can sense your aura inside.”

Muttering to himself, Qi Yuan led the girl to the hut and pushed open the wooden doors. A peculiar medicinal scent rushed out. Qi Yuan's eyes widened as he spotted the source of the aura—

A small paper figure lying on the wooden bed!

“Oh?”

Suddenly, the old man and the young girl began to sway unsteadily. Qi Yuan's face changed, and he grabbed the girl, retreating urgently while cursing,“Dammit, it's Chang Shou's Soft Immortal Incense!”

The girl immediately felt the world spinning; even though her master was holding her, she toppled sideways.

Splash!

As she was about to fall, she caught sight of the water's surface;

A tall, slender figure was rising from the lake. He wore only black trousers, his well-built and proportionate muscles glistening in the sunlight, his wet hair flinging arcs of shimmering water...

The sun highlighted the youth's fairly handsome face, making the girl's cheeks flush instantly.

But with no cultivation to resist the drug's effects, she fainted completely, her face still rosy.

Indeed, he was just as she'd imagined...

Her heroic senior brother!