On the Bluestone Platform, Li Xunmiao’s slender figure became the focus of all attention.
Her face was still smudged with a trace of dust from the earlier scuffle.
No one would have expected that such a raggedly dressed young girl would possess such remarkable Innate Talent, attracting Golden Core Perfection cultivators to instantly descend and personally select disciples.
Meanwhile, Gu Ze had also received Qingquan Immortal Venerable’s favor, and the surrounding disciples nearly ground their molars to dust in envy.
If only they had been the ones to help Li Xunmiao out of trouble—wouldn’t this incredible stroke of fortune have fallen into their own laps?
The benefits one could reap as an Attendant to a Direct Transmission disciple far outstripped anything this bunch of newly-initiated mundane disciples could ever provide.
At the back of the crowd, Bai Yazhi’s gaze grew darker, jealousy plain upon her face.
Although she was merely an ordinary mortal yet to begin cultivating, she had possessed from birth a peculiar Innate Talent—the ability to sense the presence of Treasures.
Among all those present, only Li Xunmiao radiated the strongest aura, and she was also the easiest target to bully.
That Jade Pendant—by rights, it should have been her own fated chance earned through her Innate Talent!
Staring at Li Xunmiao, who had won Qingquan’s Favor, Bai Yazhi’s heart burned with bitter resentment.
“Li Xunmiao, you’re a Direct Transmission disciple—I can’t afford to provoke you. But that man beside you… heh, just a nobody who lucked into his position. Once I get into the sect, he’ll be the first one I deal with.” Bai Yazhi, born with Divine Ability, could not possibly have poor aptitude.
She might not match up to the best, but once she’d trained her skills a bit, dealing with Gu Ze would be a trivial matter.
The commotion over testing Innate Talent quickly ended, and Li Xunmiao was whisked away by Qingquan, vanishing into the sky.
Staring at their departing forms, Gu Ze still hadn’t quite processed it all.
From an obscure, bottom-tier cultivator, he had transformed overnight into an Attendant to a Direct Transmission disciple—could this be considered a successful reversal of fortune?
Yet Gu Ze’s ambitions did not end here. As he began recalling the novel’s plot, pondering what early opportunities he might secure for Li Xunmiao, a voice suddenly rang in his ear.
[Ding~ Li Xunmiao has acquired a fortuitous encounter: Qingquan Immortal Venerable’s Direct Transmission disciple.]
[Host has received a reward: One instance of Qingquan Personal Transmission.]
A reward?
So being Li Xunmiao’s little follower wasn’t the reward—there was actually something extra from the system.
This time, even Gu Ze, who’d been pretending to act aloof, couldn’t help but grin.
A senior brother beside him saw his sudden odd smile and hurriedly took two steps back.
Gu Ze also noticed that, with Li Xunmiao gone, he was beginning to draw more attention, so he quickly reined in his presence, moving to the side to resume his small, invisible existence.
What exactly is this “Qingquan Personal Transmission” reward? Gu Ze was extremely curious.
If he used it here, in front of so many people, and accidentally summoned Qingquan Immortal Venerable herself, there would be no way to explain it.
He had waited three years—he could certainly wait another half day.
As the sun slanted westward, the sea of clouds was bathed in golden rays of sunset.
At the foot of Biluofeng, this was the area where ordinary disciples lived.
Upon the Immortal Mountain, unless summoned by a Biluofeng Elder or the Peak Lord, ordinary disciples could not set foot higher.
Gu Ze gazed at the mountain’s summit, then quietly closed his door.
That was Qingquan’s residence—the domain of Biluofeng’s master.
Even someone as privileged as Li Xunmiao, now a Direct Transmission disciple, could only cultivate halfway up the mountainside upon entry.
As for those Qionglou Yuyu atop the peak, such places were beyond anything Gu Ze could even contemplate for now.
But one day, he vowed, he would stand before Qingquan and stroll through her Qionglou Yuyu.
Lighting his lamp, a delicate fragrance filled the tiny room.
Gu Ze had cultivated on this narrow bed, barely wide enough for one person, for three years. All his hard-earned efforts were outshone by a single word from Qingquan today.
If only his system could bind itself to Qingquan—wouldn’t that be…
Shaking his head to clear such disrespectful thoughts, Gu Ze steadied his breathing and began circulating the foundational Biluofeng Qi Nourishing Art.
“Activate [Qingquan Personal Transmission].”
As faint spiritual energy coursed through his body, Gu Ze adjusted himself to his best state and activated the reward granted by the system.
In an instant, everything went dark before his eyes.
When he opened them again, he found his surroundings blurred and shrouded in white mist, with a shadowy figure faintly visible not far ahead.
Gu Ze hurried after it, but all he saw at the end was a pool of spring water on the ground.
Crystal clear, utterly spotless, the water reflected Gu Ze’s current form—a tiny, pure-white figure.
“How amusing—I never thought a little thief could sneak into this Venerable’s sea of consciousness. Are you here to steal my fortunes?” Suddenly, a playful woman’s voice echoed from all directions.
Gu Ze froze, recognizing at once that this was Qingquan Immortal Venerable’s voice.
Could it be—the system had truly summoned Qingquan herself?
“Who are you? Not only did you intrude upon my sea of consciousness while I rested, you even dared to spy upon that Lingquan.”
Qingquan’s long years of seclusion meant that even without sleep, her state would not be affected.
But today, having just received an exceptionally talented disciple, and with none of the other Peak Lords intervening, Qingquan was in excellent spirits. After bathing, she had taken a short nap.
Yet, in that brief moment, a weak Divine Sense had snuck into her dream.
Rather than expel it at once, Qingquan found it rather entertaining; a cultivator with only Qi Refinement strength, whose Divine Sense could be scattered by the slightest breeze, yet after leaving his body, he’d managed to break into her sea of consciousness.
A courageous little brat.
Seeing that Qingquan hadn’t discovered his true identity, Gu Ze let out a silent sigh of relief.
“Senior, this junior has encountered difficulties in cultivation. I hope you might provide some guidance,” he said directly.
Not knowing how long this “Personal Transmission” would last, Gu Ze had no time to waste.
“Your Divine Sense is far too weak. Judging by your cultivation, you are not past the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment.”
“To be stalled at such a level clearly shows your Innate Talent is lacking. Yet you possess a means to enter my sea of consciousness—surely you have obtained some Treasure that allows you to enter dreams.”
“Still, I am in a good mood today and will not trouble myself with you. That pool of spring water before you is the manifestation of my Divine Ability.”
“It can strengthen your Divine Sense, enhance your perception, and even raise your Innate Talent, granting mortals the chance to become immortals.”
“Since you are bold enough, I shall reward you with a single drop to aid your cultivation.”
A single drop!
A Golden Core cultivator’s Divine Ability could, in theory, forge a peerless genius from nothing.
No wonder Qingquan valued Li Xunmiao so highly—her Innate Talent must be something even Qingquan’s Divine Ability could not replicate.
“Thank you, Senior.” Gu Ze courteously stepped closer to the spring.
Qingquan assumed he was waiting for her to grant the reward, and was about to separate a drop from the spring. But Gu Ze’s next move was completely unexpected.
The youth bent down and, without hesitation, began gulping the spring water down in great mouthfuls.
“You—!” Qingquan was enraged. This brat had no sense of propriety at all, feigning submission only to steal a huge draught of her Lingquan the moment she relaxed.
With a thought, Qingquan immediately expelled Gu Ze from her dream.
Still, he had already drunk a huge mouthful of the spring, and nearly half a year of her hard work in cultivating it was now wasted.
“Detestable brat—even if you flee to the ends of the earth, I will drag you out myself!”
Above Biluofeng, thunderclouds instantly gathered, and rain poured down in torrents.
Gu Ze opened his eyes, listening to the thunder’s fury outside, feeling a pang of guilt.
Yet the sweet taste of the spring still lingered in his mouth. As he circulated his spiritual energy again, the bottlenecks he’d struggled with before shattered in an instant.
On this thunderous, stormy night, he finally broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refinement.
“Sorry, Senior Qingquan. You took my future golden thigh away; if I didn’t get some benefit from you, I’d feel bad,” Gu Ze confessed to himself for a second, but soon drifted off to sleep in his exhaustion.
***
The next day dawned bright and clear.
Biluofeng soared into the clouds, piercing the sea of mist. Gu Ze hurried up the mountain path, finally coming to a gate halfway up the peak.
This was the residence of the Direct Transmission disciple, with two evergreens planted by the door.
Early in the morning, he had received a message from Qingquan. As the Peak Lord, she could transmit her commands precisely into the ear of any disciple.
Her tone was irritable—clearly, her mood was not good.
As the chief culprit, Gu Ze dared not antagonize Qingquan further, and rushed to the cave residence as instructed.
After knocking, he soon heard light footsteps from within.
“Good morning, Senior Brother Gu,” a petite figure emerged from the cave.
Compared to her ragged clothes of yesterday, Li Xunmiao now truly possessed some of the air of a peerless heroine.
Her black hair hung neatly behind her, her face clean and radiant, like a fairy untouched by dust.
A pair of bright brown eyes shone with joy—clearly, Li Xunmiao was in high spirits.
“Junior Sister, sorry to have kept you waiting. From now on, I’ll be living in the courtyard near your cave residence. If you need anything, your Senior Brother will always be there to help.”
A cave residence with an excellent spirit-gathering array was the exclusive privilege of Direct Transmission disciples.
Gu Ze, able to live in the mountain courtyard, could now absorb spiritual energy many times richer than at the foot of the mountain.
“Senior Brother Gu, you’re too polite. Now that we are fellow disciples, it’s only natural to help each other.” She tidied a loose strand of hair at her shoulder, her eyes bright with gentle light.
Women are born to adorn themselves; before, she had wandered the world, lacking even decent clothes.
Now, with her own residence, she could wear all the finest garments, yet Li Xunmiao still chose the simplest white robe.
With just a little attention, her youthful beauty stood out like a lotus in clear water.
Still, why does Senior Brother Gu keep looking at me as if I were some Treasure? His gaze is so different from everyone else’s…
Li Xunmiao was a bit curious, but did not ask outright.
“Master told me to meet her at the Biluofeng Academy at noon. She’ll personally instruct me in cultivation techniques. Senior Brother, would you accompany me?” Li Xunmiao asked softly.
Perhaps fearing her request was too forward, she added, “I’ve just joined the sect and don’t know my way around.”
Gu Ze wanted to say that, as a bottom-tier disciple, he himself barely knew the way up the mountain.
But after so many years in the sect, he at least knew where the Biluofeng Academy was.
Still, the thought of facing the currently furious Qingquan filled him with dread.
Had she discovered his identity? If so, she’d have killed him already.
In the end, Gu Ze agreed to go with her.
At the Biluofeng Academy, the two of them saw a cloud of purple mist.
It seemed even denser than before—a sure sign Qingquan was still angry.
“Tsk. I still can’t figure out what kind of Treasure that brat used. To block even my Golden Core perception… Never mind. Once I break through to Nascent Soul, I’ll seek him out myself. When I do, I’ll wring him dry—not a drop left.”
Gu Ze overheard Qingquan muttering without the slightest attempt to hide her thoughts, and quickly shrank to the side, trying to become invisible.
“Greetings, Master.” Li Xunmiao also sensed Qingquan’s foul mood, not daring to breathe too loudly as she spoke.
“My disciple, you’ve come. Today, I want to teach you a cultivation method. The Biluofeng Academy holds all the techniques passed down through the ages on Biluofeng. As long as you sense them, the one best suited to you will fly into your hands automatically.”
With a wave of her hand, countless scrolls appeared all around.
Gu Ze fell into deep thought at her side.
According to the original plot, Li Xunmiao had not attracted Qingquan’s attention when she entered the sect.
The novel never described this so-called strongest Golden Core cultivator in much detail, either.
If Li Xunmiao learned a technique from Qingquan now, wouldn’t she miss out on the chance to find her destined Divine Art?
He couldn’t let his future golden thigh get sidetracked by a mere Golden Core cultivator.
No—his fortuitous opportunity!
Gu Ze was caught in a dilemma, his heart in his throat as Li Xunmiao closed her eyes to sense the surroundings.
But after a while, nothing happened.
Qingquan rubbed her forehead.
This was entirely outside her expectations.
Could it be that, among the thousands of techniques here, not a single one was suitable for her disciple?
There were even several techniques here that led directly to the Nascent Soul path, yet Li Xunmiao could sense none of them.
Just how exceptional was her disciple’s Innate Talent?
“Xunmiao, don’t start cultivating just yet. I will personally go to the Main Peak of Yunhai Immortal Pavilion to request a Supreme Divine Technique for you.” With that, she wasted no time and vanished on the spot.
Within the Sutra Library atop the Yunhai Immortal Pavilion’s Main Peak, there were techniques pointing the way to the Divine Transformation realm, revered as Supreme Divine Techniques.
Yet… even Qingquan was unsure if such a technique would be suitable for Li Xunmiao.
As the Purple Qi faded, Gu Ze let out a sigh of relief. As long as Li Xunmiao hadn’t started cultivating, he still had a chance to guide her back on track.
But looking at the girl’s trembling form, he realized she was shaking.
“Senior Brother, if there’s no cultivation method for me, does that mean I’m useless?” she turned away, beautiful eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
“How could that be? Your talent is so high that even the Peak Lord doesn’t have a suitable technique for you. Isn’t she personally heading to the Main Peak right now to seek an opportunity for you?”
Only then did Li Xunmiao wipe her eyes and nod firmly, “Then I mustn’t let Master… or Senior Brother Gu down. I will work hard for the future.”
Watching the girl vow with such resolve, Gu Ze felt a twinge in his heart.
At first, all he’d wanted was to cling to a future champion.
But Li Xunmiao truly was a girl who inspired genuine pity.
Perhaps the strong, unyielding side she would show in the future was also her way of protecting that soft, vulnerable heart.
“Who knows how long Master will be gone. How about this: let’s take a stroll through the mountains to relax. To be honest, without you, Junior Sister, I might never have set foot on this mountain in my life. While I’m acting as your Attendant, I should take the chance to explore the place a bit too,” Gu Ze suggested.
The truth was, he just wanted to hurry and help Li Xunmiao find her fated opportunities.
Li Xunmiao nodded slightly, though her heart was full of other thoughts.
Master took care of her, but Senior Brother Gu was the first person she’d met at Yunhai Immortal Pavilion, and so had special meaning.
If possible, she wished she could set aside talk of cultivation levels, and have Senior Brother Gu remain by her side forever.
But… would Senior Brother Gu… be willing?