On a moonless night with high winds, the earth fell into a terrifyingly heavy silence. Nestled deep within the dark and vast mountains sat a simple, ancient manor.
Weeds grew in profusion throughout the grounds as if no one had ever lived there, giving it a dilapidated and desolate appearance. However, lanterns flickered sporadically inside, casting a swaying glow.
In one of the side rooms, Su Tao’er had just lit an oil lamp after bathing and changing. Though only sixteen, her stature was already tall and elegant. Having unfastened her braids, her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. She looked like a beauty stepped out of a painting—refined and classical, yet youthfully alluring.
Even inside the room, however, she felt a nagging sense of unease.
Su Tao’er had run away from home, traveling through countless hardships to reach the Destiny Pavilion in the heart of the Phantom Sea to seek a master and the Dao. She had been staying here for over two days, but for some reason, she felt as if she were being watched every time night fell.
Whenever she went out to check, she saw nothing.
Of course, this was no illusion. On the opposite roof sat her newly joined master, Si Yan. He was witnessing the spring scenery within. As the Pavilion Master and a Transmigrator, he held a pencil, meticulously sketching the scene. The subject of the sketch was none other than a beautiful image of Su Tao’er emerging from her bath.
Si Yan’s pencil moved faster and faster. He couldn’t help but sigh with heartfelt emotion. ‘This is wonderful…’
How long had it been since the Destiny Pavilion, now situated in the heart of the Phantom Sea, last accepted a female disciple? Si Yan could no longer remember. He only recalled the look of utter disdain on the face of his former eldest disciple, Yanyan, when she left.
‘Hey, hey, hey!’ Si Yan felt truly wronged.
‘Is it not perfectly normal for a master to wash his disciple’s clothes? What do you mean, “If you’re just washing them, why are you smiling so happily?” Preposterous! If I don’t look closely, how will I know if they are clean? Are you questioning your master’s character?!’
‘And another thing—is it not also normal for a master to make a few outfits for his disciple? This is purely the care of an elder, yet she dared to call me lewd! “Why are there fine mesh holes in these long socks?” Yanyan, oh Yanyan, do you not understand Over-the-knee Socks? You don’t? Fine, fine… come here, let me help you put them on.’
Later, once her cultivation reached great success, Yanyan left Si Yan. In the long years that followed, she never once returned to the Destiny Pavilion to visit.
Recalling it now, Si Yan felt those were truly beautiful memories. After Yanyan left, he fell into a long slumber. During the centuries before the Destiny Pavilion reappeared in this realm, he followed the laws and missions bestowed upon him by the Pavilion to take in several more disciples. Unfortunately, they were almost all men—and basically none of them were normal humans.
The youngest disciple, Yuling, had seemed promising at first. He was handsome and possessed great comprehension. However, twenty years ago, Si Yan allowed him to go out for experience just like his senior brothers. While the others left a trail of blood and chaos in the outside world, Yuling returned with a “great illness,” becoming neurotic and paranoid all day long.
Therefore, having the chance to take in a female disciple again filled Si Yan with immense gratification. After all, he had exerted a great deal of effort to lure this young lady to the Destiny Pavilion.
As Su Tao’er finished her bath, someone arrived outside her room. The visitor was a dignified young man with a meticulous appearance, roughly in his early twenties. Si Yan recognized him; this was Su Tao’er’s elder brother of the direct line, Su Xuan. He had escorted his sister from the outside world to seek a master, and his cultivation was not low, being around the Seven Souls Realm.
Su Xuan sat down in his sister’s room, his expression somewhat grim. He stared at her, several times looking as if he wanted to speak but hesitating. Su Tao’er seemed to understand her brother’s mood. Her face still bore a rosy flush from her bath as she gave a sweet smile, asking knowingly, “Brother, what is the matter?”
He took a sip of tea before saying quite unhappily, “Tao’er, I am still not comfortable leaving you here. Just because a great senior who saved you introduced this place, you traveled thousands of miles to the heart of the Phantom Sea to join a sect? This is simply reckless!”
Su Tao’er considerately poured more tea for her brother, explaining, “But that senior was truly formidable. There were several experts besieging me, and that senior drove them all away. That senior told me the master here is very good at teaching and very strong!”
Hearing this, Su Xuan’s expression soured again. He thought to himself, ‘You’re just a little girl; what level of cultivation do you have? If several people couldn’t take you down, they were obviously a bunch of useless fools.’
“But look at this place. Weeds are everywhere, and no one bothers to clean. It doesn’t look like a sect at all. Furthermore, I have never heard of this “Destiny Pavilion.” If you wish to seek the Dao, I could send you to any sect within the Kingdom of Tiansheng to be personally taught by a sect leader. Why come here?”
The Kingdom of Tiansheng was founded on a foundation of cultivators. From local government offices to the Grand Tutor, the Emperor, and even the Empress Dowager, all were profound individuals.
Si Yan crouched on the eaves, listening intently to the conversation between the siblings.
Suddenly, Su Xuan lowered his voice and urged, “Tao’er, I have important matters to handle and can only stay for two more days at most. You should leave with me. How can I be at ease leaving you here alone?”
Everything about the Destiny Pavilion struck Su Xuan as eerie.
The apprenticeship process had been far too simple.
That young Pavilion Master seemed to have known they were coming and waited at the mountain gate with an honest-looking face.
Even the apprenticeship ceremony, which should have been solemn, only required Su Tao’er to symbolically kneel.
He even happily patted her head as if they were already family.
Every detail made Su Xuan feel uneasy.
Su Tao’er understood her brother’s personality.
This sixth-ranked brother took after their father; he was rigorous by nature and could not tolerate flaws.
Although he was over twenty, he never indulged in wine or women like their other brothers, and his standards were so high that he had yet to find a woman he liked.
Su Tao’er pulled on his sleeve, acting like a spoiled little girl.
“Oh, Brother, don’t worry about these things. I know what I’m doing. You can go back with an easy mind!”
Even so, Su Xuan refused to give up his persuasion.
“But this place is too strange. I haven’t even seen a single disciple…”
Just as he said this, a gust of wind blew the door open. The pitch-black darkness outside and the eerie atmosphere caused Su Xuan to stiffen, instinctively becoming wary.
When the two turned around, they saw a young man in black standing at the doorway. He was slightly above average height, dressed like a scholar with fair skin and a face that screamed “good person.”
Si Yan hid the sketch of Su Tao’er’s bath behind his back and gave the siblings a simple, honest smile. “Disciple, Master Su, have you not rested yet?”
Su Tao’er hurriedly rose to bow. “Greetings, Honored Master!”
“Greetings, Pavilion Master…”
Si Yan’s palms were sweating slightly.
He hadn’t wanted to come down, but he was afraid his new disciple would be persuaded by her brother, so he rushed down to intervene.
He also wanted to criticize himself—his disciple hadn’t even been here for two days, and he was already crouching on her roof.
If her straight-laced brother found out, the consequences would be… interesting.
‘Yes, I must hide my true nature! I cannot repeat past mistakes!’
“Master Su, I heard your concerns just now,” Si Yan said unhurriedly, making a forced explanation.
“It is not that I have no disciples. Since I founded this sect, I have only ever accepted Direct Disciples, so there are few people within the mountains. However, a few of them returned today. Tao’er, why don’t I take you to meet your senior brothers?”
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