Staring at the black-haired youth before him, Lu Li, who had been on the verge of despair, suddenly felt as if he had been granted a great pardon.
The word “accept” was almost slipping from his lips.
However, just as the word was about to escape, his gaze instinctively flicked to the youth’s face.
Immediately, a chilling alert surged up his spine like a venomous snake striking!
Because this child’s appearance was far too delicate!
His fair skin radiated a moist luster; his slightly lowered eyelids framed long, dense lashes that looked like two small fans, highlighting the pair of clear purple eyes behind them—both profound and mysterious.
His nose was small and straight, and his lips bore a faint cherry blossom hue…
Hiss… Is this kid male or female?
Lu Li’s heart jumped into his throat as he hurriedly activated the system scan on this outer sect disciple in front of him.
[Target scanning…]
[Name: Unknown %×*…]
[Age: 14 years old.]
[Spiritual Root: Light %×* Spiritual Root…]
[Cultivation: Qi Refining, Stage Five.]
[Physique: Unknown %×*…]
[Gender: Male %×*…]
[Overall Score: 90, meets high-quality standards.]
Ah!
Male!
The system confirmed “male”!
The overwhelming joy that flooded Lu Li’s heart instantly swept away all his previous doubts and worries!
Ahahaha… Heaven does not forsake me!
Heaven does not forsake me!
At the critical moment, a male disciple was sent to me!
A male disciple to extend my life!
The best part was that his score was 90, meeting the system’s high-quality disciple acceptance criteria!
Moreover, this kid had a mutated Light attribute spiritual root, and also an unknown hidden physique!
Lu Li’s excitement now overflowed beyond words.
According to the game’s mechanics, cultivators’ physiques are ranked from low to high, from common to rare.
For example, the game’s third brother, a forging genius, had a fourth-tier physique, while the eldest possessed a first-class physique with a natural sword bone!
Above first-class was the transcendent physique, a special type that requires later identification or special methods to develop—hidden physiques.
For example, in the game, little five’s twin-birth was a transcendent hidden physique, though it was negative…
As for the garbled characters showing in the disciple panel, Lu Li didn’t pay much attention.
After all, when he tested the game before transmigration, the system panels often displayed garbled text.
So Lu Li was long accustomed to such bugs, treating them as part of the game’s quirks that had followed him into this world.
Ah, looking at it this way!
This kid is practically my lucky star!
Hmph!
What sickly female disciples!
All of them be gone!
I take male disciples!
Safe, stable, and utterly reliable!
The thought of leading a disciple to immortality in the cultivation world brought an uncontrollable, almost silly smile to Lu Li’s face.
Just as he was lost in this bright future without any sickly threats, nearly dancing with excitement, a clear youthful voice, bright as jade striking jade, respectfully snapped Lu Li back to reality.
“Uh… Elder Lu? These are the contribution points I accumulated in the outer sect. Please take a look… Do you think I’m qualified?”
The black-haired “boy” slightly raised his head.
Those pure, unstained purple eyes held a trace of indescribable excitement and nervousness as he stared unblinkingly at Lu Li.
Only then did Lu Li realize he might have been a bit carried away just now.
He quickly reined in the overly broad smile stretching nearly to his ears.
Clearing his throat forcefully, he tried to regain some of his dignity as a peak master.
“Ahem… Of course! Absolutely qualified!”
Lu Li’s voice wavered slightly from suppressing his excitement but was resolute.
“Our Duanqing Peak needs talents like you!”
Taking the contribution points from his hand without a glance, Lu Li stepped past the counter and approached the “boy.”
According to the rules of the Xuling Sect, even if elders promoted outer sect disciples into the inner sect, the disciples must reach a certain contribution point threshold to advance.
But Lu Li was in a rush to complete his tasks and extend his life—there was no time for such rules!
At this moment, Lu Li didn’t even care about posture, grabbing the other’s thin shoulders tightly, pressing so hard the youth winced and furrowed his delicate brow.
“Ahahaha… Good disciple! You truly are my good disciple!”
Lu Li’s voice trembled with emotion, his eyes sparkling with an almost manic light.
The “boy” looked somewhat frightened by him, his finely featured androgynous face full of astonishment, his long lashes fluttering like startled butterfly wings.
“Uh… Master?”
The youth asked tentatively with concern,
“Are you… all right?”
“Oh! I’m perfectly fine! Better than ever before!”
Realizing his loss of composure, Lu Li quickly released the disciple’s shoulders and gave them a firm pat.
“Hmph… From today on, you are the chief disciple of Duanqing Peak! Also my only direct disciple! I will teach you everything I know and let you shine on the Duanqing Peak!”
Only then did Lu Li realize he hadn’t yet asked the “boy” for his name.
“Sigh… What a scatterbrain! Almost forgot!”
“My good disciple, please tell me—what is your name?”
Lu Li’s face broke into a radiant smile as he eagerly looked at the youth.
The “boy” seemed a little shy under the intense gaze, lowering his head slightly and hesitating before stammering.
“Reporting to Master, I, I am called…”
“Gu… oh! Gu Qingkong!”
“Gu Qingkong? What a good name! Such a good name…”
Lu Li’s pupils suddenly contracted as he took another careful look at the youth, secretly horrified.
Hmm?
Surname Gu?
And Light attribute spiritual root?
And he also has a hidden physique!
Hiss…
Could this kid be related to little five Gu Qingying?
After all, Gu Qingying possesses both Light and Dark dual spiritual roots, and likewise has a hidden physique!
Most importantly, Lu Li suddenly recalled why the eyes seemed so familiar just now—
Because in the game, little five Gu Qingying had the same pair of purple eyes!
Lu Li’s heart nearly skipped a beat.
He forced a smile as he cautiously asked Gu Qingkong,
“Uh… Qingkong, your talent is extraordinary, and your surname is Gu…”
“Could it be that you come from the Xianyang Gu Clan? That’s a renowned family in the cultivation world.”
Lu Li stared intently at Gu Qingkong, watching for the slightest expression change.
Upon hearing this, Gu Qingkong’s pure purple eyes flickered briefly before lowering his head, embarrassed.
“Reporting to Master, my ancestors were indeed from the same source as the Xianyang Gu Clan.”
“But that was many generations ago. Our branch separated long ago and moved away, scattered outside, estranged from the main family, and we dare not reach for their heights…”
“So, I am just an ordinary outer sect miscellaneous disciple…”
Seeing Gu Qingkong’s disappointed expression, Lu Li immediately relaxed.
“Phew… What was I worrying about?”
Gu Qingying was female, Qingkong was male; even if he also had the twin-birth physique, cultivating the Supreme Severing Emotion Technique as a male wouldn’t cause the same dark splitting as Gu Qingying!
Lu Li thought this through and couldn’t help but mock himself silently.
“Sigh… Lu Li, you’ve been scared out of your wits by those five rebellious characters in the game! Seeing a Gu with Light roots and purple eyes, you get suspicious! The system already told you he’s a male disciple—what are you still worrying about?”
Lu Li then patted Gu Qingkong’s shoulder reassuringly.
“Qingkong~ don’t be too self-conscious about this!”
“Even if you’re from a branch family, from now on, Duanqing Peak is your home! I am your support!”
“Train hard under me, and your future achievements may well surpass those main line disciples of the Xianyang Gu Clan!”
Lu Li spoke with lofty ambition, as if he could already see Gu Qingkong shining brilliantly under his guidance, while he himself enjoyed a safe, stable future without sickly threats, smoothly ascending to immortality with the system’s disciple rewards.
“Yes! Master! I will strive to cultivate diligently and not disappoint your high expectations!”
Gu Qingkong lifted his head, his bright purple eyes filled with hopeful longing for the future.
Lu Li nodded in satisfaction, then grabbed his disciple’s delicate, almost unnatural slender wrist.
“Heh heh… Let’s go! Qingkong! Follow me back to the peak! I’ll now teach you the entry-level heart method of the Supreme Severing Emotion Technique!”
“Our unity is like metal cut by a sharp blade!”
Speaking, Lu Li summoned his flying vessel and headed toward his cave dwelling with his chief disciple, completely unaware that behind him, the beloved disciple watched his departing back with a complicated glint in his eyes.
That gleam contained hints of cunning, a certain triumphant joy, and a depth that was not at all fitting for a 14-year-old boy.
Gu Qingkong quietly studied the purple transparent panel only visible to him and whispered excitedly.
“Hehe~ The modified system didn’t lie to me. Master really fell for it…”
“Heh heh heh~ Dear senior sisters, this lifetime you can rest assured and cultivate elsewhere~ I, your master, will protect him!”