Yun Miao, having fully registered what was happening, didn’t get angry but looked up suspiciously. “What are you doing?!”
Lu Dajiao said, “Since you belong to the Main Peak, there’s no need for you to keep riding the Human-faced Owl.”
“I’ve just sent a Transmission via Spiritual Sense to Senior Brother to come pick you up. Stay here and don’t move.”
Yun Miao struggled in midair like a pupa. “Then there’s no need to tie me up, right?!”
The elegant white deer snorted. “Just by sniffing you with my nose, I can tell you’re the kind who likes to run around and cause trouble.”
“What if you get reckless and fall off the Main Peak and die? Then what would Ning Yu say when she asks me for you?”
“So it’s safer to tie you up. Just wait here; Senior Brother will be back soon.”
Yun Miao was startled: Is a deer’s nose really that sharp?
Huaxin, who was standing nearby with a frown, opened her mouth to say something but immediately shut it upon hearing that.
Tan Xiaobai recalled Yun Miao’s past antics when she let go of things recklessly, but as a loyal junior disciple, he stammered, “But our big boss is a respectable person. Being tied up like this really doesn’t look good.”
“Looks good, huh? Small request, must be fulfilled!”
Lu Dajiao’s gaze swept around.
Four branches on the huge tree canopy below twisted; two formed a pair of butterfly wings on Yun Miao’s back, while the other two stuck up above her head acting as butterfly antennae.
He then said with satisfaction, “This little setup really looks better now.”
Yun Miao struggled hard to twist her head to look at her back and angrily thrashed about midair.
“How is this better? Lu Dajiao, let me down immediately, or do you believe I’ll tell Sect Master to punish you and crush you into deer meatballs?”
“Blabber all you want, I can’t hear a thing.”
Lu Dajiao chuckled strangely and directed the Human-faced Owl to fly off with everyone. Fifty or so junior brothers and sisters — not too many, but not few either — needed to be settled before nightfall.
Those disciples who had been verbally accepted by the Peak Master and elders naturally belonged to the Immortal Peak where their Master resided, and had to live in the areas designated for Inner Sect disciples on each peak.
Those without Masters were temporarily categorized as Outer Sect disciples and would stay on the Outer Sect disciple peak.
Whether Inner or Outer Sect disciples, once they reached the Jindan Stage, they could establish their own Stone Hall on other mountain peaks within Xuantian Sect’s territory, apart from the Nine Great Immortal Peaks, and live freely in seclusion.
Lu Dajiao’s and a few friends’ Stone Halls were on a small mountain near the Shou Peak. He planned to finish the day’s tasks and return to chat about the new junior disciples they’d met.
A bunch of noisy little brats could be a bit annoying but also fun.
Meanwhile, Yun Miao squinted her eyes, watching their departing figures, plotting how to regain the upper hand later.
Just then, a gentle voice tinged with curiosity whispered into her ear.
“What’s going on?”
Yun Miao instinctively looked up and saw a graceful young man dressed in a water-blue robe, holding a lotus flower, hovering before her with warm, kind eyes.
Yun Miao said, “Some annoying deer tied me up here. It said Senior Brother will come pick me up. Are you that Senior Brother?”
“Yes.”
The youth pointed his fingers, and several water blades silently sliced through the tree roots. Then they transformed into a water dragon that gently carried Yun Miao down to the ground.
His voice was warm and intimate, like a spring breeze in March.
“I’m Master’s first disciple, so the other peak disciples all call me Senior Brother. But you and I are both Master’s direct disciples, and Master only has us two, so you can just call me Brother.”
“My surname is Qi; Master gave me the name Shubai.”
Once her feet touched the ground, Yun Miao stretched and said energetically, “My surname is Yun, and my given name is just Miao.”
Qi Shubai smiled. “I know. Master has already sent me a Transmission via Spiritual Sense about you.”
***
“Today, the Ice Lotus bloomed — the first good thing. Master accepted a favored disciple — the second good thing. And I finally have a little junior sister — the third good thing. Triple happiness.”
He handed Yun Miao the ice jade lotus.
“I heard you just had a breakthrough this morning. Consider this ice lotus a congratulatory gift. Soak it in water and take it while meditating; it will help you calm your mind faster and stabilize your cultivation.”
Yun Miao happily accepted the gift. “Thank you, Senior Brother. You’re so generous!”
This NPC in the game was the most generous one she had ever met. They not only never asked players for anything but actively gave gifts! This was fantastic!
“If you like it, then good.”
Seeing her so happy, Qi Shubai’s eyes softened even more. Then he conjured another water dragon, which carried both of them deep into a dense forest.
After a moment, the dragon hovered above a serene bamboo grove, where a few delicate courtyards were nestled among the bamboo.
Qi Shubai pointed to one courtyard adorned with flowers. “This is where I live.”
“You just joined the sect. Master and I thought you should stay closer to me, so I can look after you more often. But ultimately, it’s up to you.”
Yun Miao rolled her eyes and pretended to be expectant. “Senior Brother, do you know where Master lives? I really want to live with Master.”
Everyone knew that many games allowed players to rummage through NPC homes and gather resources. And everyone also knew that the Sect Master was usually the strongest and wealthiest in the sect.
If she could live with the Sect Master, all the heavenly materials, Ling Stones, Magical Items, furniture, and dishes at Master’s home would basically be hers! Hehe!
Qi Shubai raised his hand, pointing toward the mountaintop.
“Master lives at Xuantian Palace atop the peak. But that place is reserved for the successive Sect Masters. Disciples cannot live there or build anything.”
“So if you want to live near Master, you can only build a simple hut nearby.”
A simple hut?
Yun Miao immediately pictured the Sect Master living luxuriously in a magnificent palace while she herself was stuck in a leaky, shabby grass hut, gnawing on a humble corn bun.
She instantly withdrew her expectant look and scowled, “Forget it. I don’t really want to live with Master that much.”
Qi Shubai was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. “Don’t say that in front of Master. He’d be heartbroken.”
“Okay, then I’ll say it secretly from now on.”
Yun Miao glanced around below and finally pointed to the largest courtyard adjacent to Qi Shubai’s residence.
“Senior Brother, I want to live there.”
It was the largest courtyard, perfect for storing things.
There was a fenced vegetable garden in the backyard for planting, and it was close to Senior Brother’s place so she could bring gifts to the NPC daily to raise favor easily. Perfect!
Qi Shubai smiled. “That’s a good choice. Then we’ll be neighbors.”
After the water dragon set them down, it dissipated into droplets that nourished the earth. Qi Shubai opened the gate of the empty courtyard and prepared to activate the Zhishi.
However, when he called out inside, there was no response. Turning, he saw Yun Miao wandering outside in the bamboo forest, picking wildflowers everywhere.
Qi Shubai watched silently, recalling Master’s earlier words about how clever this little junior sister was — how she instantly broke through boundaries, remained calm even after discovering her low-grade Five Elemental Root, and so forth.
He had imagined seeing a composed, mature young lady.
But…
He thought back to the chaotic image of “little butterfly” Yun Miao fluttering wildly atop the ancient giant tree canopy, and now buzzing around the flowers like a busy little bee, and couldn’t help but smile.
No matter how you looked at it, she was just an energetic, lively child — but that was a good thing. Kids should be lively.
At the same time, a player distracted by collecting light points suddenly remembered an NPC was waiting nearby to continue the storyline. So, like the wind, Yun Miao rushed back after her wild picking spree.
She handed a wildflower to Qi Shubai with a radiant smile.
“Senior Brother, this flower is for you.”
“Thank you.”
Qi Shubai assumed she was returning a courtesy gift, gratefully accepting it. Then he looked at the large bundles of wildflowers and grasses in her arms. Although messy, they had a certain rustic charm.
“You picked so many; do you want to put them in vases? I don’t know if this courtyard has any. If not, I can bring you two later.”
“Bring?”
The player radar went off, and Yun Miao immediately grinned. “Thank you for the vases, Senior Brother. You’re such a great person!”
She went into the courtyard holding the flowers, inspecting the place like it was her territory.
“But I’m not going to arrange flowers. The bundle on the left is for gifts tomorrow.”
Qi Shubai was stunned, realizing he might have just been tricked into giving away two vases.