The next three days, Lu Zhu was unusually well-behaved.
It wasn’t that she had suddenly changed her nature.
Rather, Yun Qingqian showed up at her courtyard early every morning to supervise her “proper preparations.”
As for what exactly they were preparing for, Lu Zhu had no idea.
All she knew was that she was forced to sit through combing, changing clothes, and listening to lectures.
The whole routine was more exhausting than a meeting in her previous life.
But over these three days, Lu Zhu did discover something interesting.
Walking through the sect, she occasionally encountered young disciples.
From a distance, they would spot her, stop in their tracks, bow respectfully, then lower their heads and hurry away without daring to meet her eyes.
“Do I look that scary?”
Lu Zhu couldn’t help asking Yun Qingqian.
Yun Qingqian was busy picking out clothes for her.
Without looking up, she replied, “Scary? Listen to what you’re saying. Do you have any idea how many disciples in the sect see you as their dream lover?”
“Huh?”
Lu Zhu was baffled.
“What dream lover?”
Yun Qingqian put down the clothes and looked at this slow-on-the-uptake little junior sister, letting out a helpless sigh.
This girl, Lu Zhu, had top-tier talent and top-tier looks.
But her brain… either it was missing a connection or something else was going on.
In front of the other elders, she always acted like a child—giggling, fooling around, frequently running off to the Back Mountain to hang out with those dozen-or-so-year-old outer sect disciples.
But what the other inner sect disciples saw was a figure in white robes as pure as snow, an aloof and detached back, a lone-wolf style that didn’t like crowds, and the natural distant aura of her Ice Spirit Root.
Add to that her usual reticence—she only gave slight nods of acknowledgment when meeting people—and over time, the persona of an “Ice Mountain Beauty” had spread.
“The Seventh Elder is so beautiful, but too cold. I don’t dare get close.”
“I heard she doesn’t talk to anyone except the Fifth Elder.”
“She has an Ice Spirit Root, so of course she has a cold personality. That’s normal.”
When these words reached Lu Zhu’s ears, she would just say, “Huh? I’m cold? I feel pretty warm, actually?”
Yun Qingqian had nearly snorted her tea out laughing at that.
Lu Zhu had no idea what image she projected in the disciples’ eyes.
The truth was, she simply didn’t see the need to warm up to everyone.
In her last life, as a corporate slave, she had to smile at people all day long.
In this life, she wasn’t about to be a people-pleaser.
As for running to the Back Mountain—well, those little spuds were fun!
They were much more interesting than the same-age peers who always put on airs.
But what she didn’t know was that every time those little disciples talked to her, they’d go back and be excited for hours.
“Elder Lu smiled at me today! And she gave me popcorn!”
“No way, she was clearly smiling at me!”
Conversations like that happened every day.
Right now, Lu Zhu was sitting in front of the mirror, making one last desperate attempt.
“Senior Sister,” she said carefully, looking at Yun Qingqian who was combing her hair behind her, “Could I… not wear a dress?”
Yun Qingqian didn’t stop her movements, her tone calm.
“Why not?”
Lu Zhu hesitated for a long time before managing: “I… I think dresses are inconvenient for moving around.”
Even she felt embarrassed saying that.
Inconvenient for moving?
She was a Nascent Soul cultivator.
What was inconvenient for moving?
Yun Qingqian looked at her through the mirror, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
“Xiao Qi, is something bothering you?”
“No!”
Lu Zhu immediately denied it, her voice a bit too loud.
She couldn’t exactly say that she’d spent nearly thirty years in her last life as a man and now wearing a dress felt strange, could she?
Even though she’d been transmigrated for ten years and had gradually gotten used to this body, wearing a dress… still gave her some psychological resistance.
Yun Qingqian watched her for a moment, didn’t press further, but her movements became gentler.
“Today is the Grand Ceremony. It’s your first official appearance. You have to dress formally.”
Her voice was soft.
“I prepared this dress especially for you. Try it on.”
Lu Zhu opened her mouth, then swallowed her words.
Fine, she’d wear it.
It wasn’t like she hadn’t worn one before.
Half an hour later, Yun Qingqian finally finished the last touches, gently patting Lu Zhu’s shoulder.
“Done. Take a look.”
Lu Zhu opened her eyes and looked at the mirror.
Then she froze.
Was that really her in the mirror?
She wore a moon-white dress, the hem cascading like flowing water, a silver ribbon cinching her waist, making it look slender as a willow.
Over it, she had on a light-as-smoke ice-blue gauze robe, the sleeves and collar embroidered with delicate silver patterns that shimmered with a faint glow—evidence of array reinforcement, and also embroidery that Yun Qingqian had spent two days hand-stitching.
Half of her ink-black hair was tied up in a bun, held by a single white jade hairpin, while the rest fell naturally beside her ears and down her back, accentuating her long, fair neck.
Her face had only a light touch of makeup, but it was already stunning.
Her brows were like distant mountains faintly green, her eyes like autumn waters carrying ripples, nose straight, lips naturally a touch of red.
Those eyes were slightly wide open now, full of disbelief.
Lu Zhu blinked.
The person in the mirror blinked back.
She couldn’t help reaching up to touch her own face, then the dress, and finally broke into a silly grin.
“Senior Sister,” she turned to look at Yun Qingqian, eyes sparkling.
“I think I look pretty good?”
Yun Qingqian couldn’t help laughing, reaching out to tap her forehead.
“You’re way more than just ‘pretty good.’ At today’s ceremony, you might make everyone’s eyes pop out.”
Lu Zhu chuckled twice, then turned back to admire herself in the mirror, more satisfied the longer she looked.
In her last life, she had been an utterly ordinary corporate slave guy, the kind you’d lose in a crowd.
To have ended up looking like this in this life—the heavens hadn’t screwed her over too badly.
What a pity, though, if such a beauty were her wife, wouldn’t that be wonderful?
“Alright, enough admiring yourself,” Yun Qingqian interrupted Lu Zhu’s daydream, grabbing her slender hand.
“Time to go. The ceremony is starting.”
Lu Zhu reluctantly stole one last glance at the mirror before following her senior sister out.
Outside the mountain gate of Qingyun Sect, a sea of people had already gathered.
Today was the day of Opening the Mountain Gate.
Cultivation families, rogue cultivators, and boys and girls with spiritual roots from a thousand miles around had all come to try their luck.
On the square before the gate, the crowd was packed so densely it stretched beyond sight.
At the front of the square, a high platform had been erected.
On it sat seven chairs, arranged according to the seating order of the seven elders.
The Sect Leader, Xuan Zhen, sat in the center, slightly elevated.
At the hour of Si, the bell tolled.
Eight figures flew in from the direction of the main peak, riding swords through the air, robes fluttering.
Leading them was Sect Leader Xuan Zhen, white-haired and white-bearded, with an immortal demeanor.
Behind him followed the seven elders: Grand Elder Xuan Ming wore a composed expression, Second Elder Xuan Qing looked stern, Third Elder Xuan Jing and Fourth Elder Xuan Qi appeared solemn, Fifth Elder Yun Qingqian smiled warmly, Sixth Elder Yun Ping was taciturn, and the Seventh Elder—
The entire venue fell silent.
The white-robed girl standing at the back, her moon-white skirt fluttering gently in the wind, her ice-blue gauze dress shimmering in the sunlight, seemed enveloped in a cold radiance.
Her features were so delicate they didn’t look real, her brows and eyes holding a faint distance.
She looked straight ahead, expression calm, as if the thousands of gazes below had nothing to do with her.
“Who is that?”
someone whispered.
“The Seventh Elder! The youngest elder of Qingyun Sect, a Nascent Soul at seventeen!”
“Heavens, so young? And so beautiful?”
“I heard she has an Ice Spirit Root, extremely cold personality. Rarely anyone can strike up a conversation with her.”
“No wonder she looks so cold. Truly an Ice Mountain Beauty…”
These murmurs drifted into Lu Zhu’s ears, every word.
Her face remained impassive, but her mind was screaming madly:
‘When have I ever not talked to anyone? I was telling those little spuds on the Back Mountain the Tao Te Ching just a few days ago!’
‘Cold personality? I’m warm as hell! Right now I just want to find a shady spot to hide. This sun is making me dizzy!’
But she didn’t dare show it.
Master had said that today she was the face of the sect, and she had to keep up appearances.
The eight people landed on the high platform and took their seats.
Xuan Zhen stepped forward, announcing the official start of the Opening the Mountain Gate ceremony.
His voice wasn’t loud, but it reached every ear clearly, displaying his profound cultivation.
Lu Zhu sat at the very edge, trying her best to maintain a dignified posture, but her eyes couldn’t help glancing down.
So many people…
In her seventeen years—no, forty-plus years—she had never seen such a grand scene.
Among the youths, there were looks of curiosity, of admiration, of worship, and a few gazes so intense they made her skin crawl.
She subtly leaned closer to Yun Qingqian, trying to lower her presence.
After barely surviving the ceremony, Xuan Zhen announced, “Begin the Disciple Selection.”
Lu Zhu felt as if she had been granted amnesty.
She immediately stood up, made an excuse, and slipped away.
“I… I’ll go patrol the various areas and see if anyone needs help,” she said to Yun Qingqian.
Yun Qingqian gave her a knowing smile but didn’t call her out.
Lu Zhu quickly left the platform, found a corner without anyone, and let out a long sigh of relief.
“Man, that was exhausting.”
She rubbed her face, smoothing out the expression she had maintained for half the day.
“Being stared at by that many people is more tiring than overtime.”
She hid in the corner for a while, got bored, and started wandering around.
Since there were so many people today, if she mixed in with the crowd, no one would notice, right?
So the Seventh Elder, who had stunned the entire venue, began to stroll around the various mountain gates, thinking she was inconspicuous.
She watched the Spirit Root Test, then the Martial Competition, and occasionally made a few secret comments.
“This one’s no good, too weak fire spirit root.”
“This one’s okay, pure wood spirit root.”
“Wow, a mutated thunder spirit root! Impressive!”
She watched with great interest, completely unaware that wherever she went, people were sneaking glances and whispering.
“Isn’t that the Seventh Elder?”
“It really is her! What’s she doing here?”
“So beautiful. Even more beautiful up close…”
Lu Zhu remained oblivious, continuing her “patrol” mission.
Before she knew it, the sun was setting.
The selection was drawing to a close.
The most anticipated part was about to begin.
Who among the many favored children of heaven would come out on top?
The Spirit Root Test reflected innate talent, but compared to the Martial Competition, the latter was far more exciting.
After all, for fairness, everyone’s cultivation had been sealed during the matches.
Grand Elder Xuan Ming received a pouch from an inner sect disciple.
Inside was a note listing the highest-talented disciple and the champion of the Martial Competition.
Upon seeing the result, even the tranquil Grand Elder couldn’t help widening his eyes.
He chuckled, stroked his beard, paused, then infused his voice with internal energy to cover the entire venue: “The top scorer in the Spirit Root Test this time—Su Wantang! Fifteen years old, Water-Fire Dual Spirit Roots, Golden Core Early Stage!”
The crowd erupted.
Dual Spirit Roots?
Fifteen years old, Golden Core?
What kind of monstrous talent was this?
Seeing the buzz below, Grand Elder seemed satisfied.
He continued, “The first place in this Martial Competition—Su Wantang, ten wins in ten matches.”
The crowd erupted again.
It wasn’t scary just to have talent—it was scary when someone with talent worked even harder than you.
Those who had hoped to steal the spotlight through tricks and schemes lost interest.
In the face of absolute strength, any clever tricks looked like clown acts.
They were left with only one thought: they had to see what this favored child of heaven looked like.
And so, under everyone’s expectant gaze, a young girl walked over slowly.
She wore a yellow dress.
Her light pink hair was tied into two cute buns, glowing softly in the sunlight.
A red ribbon was tied around her hair, fluttering gently with her steps.
The girl had an adorable baby face, round eyes, a straight nose, and a naturally smiling mouth.
Her gait was light and lively, full of the youthful energy of a young girl, yet not frivolous.
It made people feel warm and approachable.
It was hard to imagine that this sweet-looking person was the same one who had won every match in the competition.
She stopped before the platform, bowed respectfully to the seven elders, and said in a clear voice, “Junior Su Wantang pays respects to the elders.”
The crowd below buzzed again.
“What a cute girl!”
“Pretty and talented. The heavens aren’t fair!”
“And look at her attitude, so humble. No hint of arrogance from a genius.”
The elders on the platform lit up.
Second Elder Xuan Qing couldn’t hold back first.
“Su Wantang, would you be willing to become my disciple? I have cultivated for over three hundred years, and every disciple under me has succeeded. If you come, I will teach you everything I know!”
Third Elder Xuan Jing wasn’t about to be outdone.
“I have ancestral cultivation manuals that are perfect for dual fire and water spirit roots!”
Fourth Elder Xuan Qi chimed in, “Come to me! I have thousands of spirit stones for your cultivation!”
Sixth Elder Yun Ping rarely spoke.
“I cultivate a spirit root that harmonizes yin and yang, the most compatible with your dual roots.”
Bai Qingqian didn’t compete.
She just watched with a smile, thinking to herself that this child was indeed excellent.
Lu Zhu stood at the very edge, quietly taking a step back.
Too strong.
Geniuses like this—better let her senior brothers and sisters fight over her.
She was a seventeen-year-old junior elder.
How could she compare?
In that regard, she was underestimating herself.
Compared to Su Wantang, her own looks and talent were only stronger, not weaker.
But the most important thing was that she didn’t know how to teach a disciple.
So she happily continued shrinking backward, ready to watch her senior siblings put on a “disciple-grabbing show.”
Xuan Qing was the most enthusiastic, listing various conditions, each one more generous than the last.
Third Elder got anxious and directly offered to bring out his treasured spiritual medicines.
Fourth Elder went even further, pulling out a shimmering magical artifact from his storage ring on the spot, trying to get Su Wantang to perform a blood recognition right then and there.
Su Wantang listened quietly, a polite smile on her face, neither nodding nor shaking her head.
When the elders finished speaking, she bowed slightly, her voice gentle but firm.
“Many thanks for the elders’ high regard. Wantang is deeply grateful.”
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the platform as if searching for something.
“However, Wantang has already made her choice.”
The elders were taken aback.
What choice?
Who here was more suitable than them?
Su Wantang said nothing more.
She began to walk, step by step, toward the edge of the platform.
Everyone’s eyes followed her.
She passed by Second Elder without stopping.
Passed Third Elder without stopping.
Passed Fourth, Fifth, Sixth Elders—none of them stopped.
She walked to the very edge of the platform and stopped in front of one person.
That person wore a moon-white dress, standing in the most inconspicuous corner, staring wide-eyed at her with a look of complete bewilderment.
Lu Zhu.
The entire venue fell silent, so quiet you could hear the wind.
Su Wantang looked up at the girl before her, who was not much taller than herself.
In her eyes were gratitude, sincerity, and something else that others couldn’t understand… a deep fervor and other meaning.
That fervor was too profound, as if it had crossed a long stretch of time, finally finding its home at this moment.
Lu Zhu felt her heart tighten at that gaze, inexplicably flustered.
Su Wantang lowered her gaze, slowly knelt, her skirt spreading on the ground.
She bowed her head solemnly.
“Disciple Su Wantang,” she said, her voice not loud but clear in everyone’s ears, “begs the Seventh Elder to accept me as a disciple.”
Dead silence fell over the entire venue.
Everyone looked at the white-robed girl standing in the corner.
Lu Zhu was completely dumbfounded.
She opened her mouth and managed to utter a single sound.
“Huh?”