Chapter 17: Becoming an inner disciple? !

There were nine people in their team; Xu Feng had already been sent away.

Ning Yue was among the formation cultivators, but she was still determined to study swordsmanship and was thinking about how to find the sword cultivators’ quarters.

A man in the group looked around questioningly and asked.

“Senior Brother Gong, are there so few formation cultivators in Fusang Sect this year? It’s too few; aren’t there usually hundreds?”

Gong Zhi paused, also a little puzzled. “You’ve passed the trial and are already inner disciples of the formation cultivation path.  Don’t you know?”

“What?”

Several were quite surprised; they hadn’t expected to become inner disciples directly after the trial.

Gong Zhi explained, “The method of passing the first trial is very important. Those who pass brilliantly enter the inner disciple trial; the rest enter the outer disciple trial.”

Now they understood.

Gong Zhi continued, “As for the elders’ direct disciples, they are chosen personally by the elders before the spirit stone test.”

The group followed Gong Zhi and soon arrived at their temporary accommodations.

After receiving their tokens and being assigned rooms, Gong Zhi left quickly.

Ning Yue had a bitter expression.

This place was enormous; she didn’t know if she could successfully sneak into the sword cultivators’ quarters.

She took advantage of the few people around and was about to go out to explore.

“Ning Yue, aren’t you going back to your room?”

Ning Yue froze, then turned around with a normal expression, smiling. “Brother? What’s wrong?”

Duan Huailin looked at her. “You just came out of the trial grounds; aren’t you going to rest?”

Ning Yue: “I’m not tired. I’m curious about this place and want to explore.”

Duan Huailin frowned slightly. “Let me go with you. This place is too big; I’m afraid you won’t find your way back.”

Ning Yue was very conflicted. She was going out to find the sword cultivators’ quarters; once she found them, she probably wouldn’t return.

What should she do with Duan Huailin following her?

Forget it, let’s be honest.

Ning Yue took a deep breath, put on a smiling face, looking very obedient.

“Actually, brother, I’m a sword cultivator.”

…

Duan Huailin looked at Ning Yue in a daze, feeling for the first time that he couldn’t quite understand what she was saying.

“…Didn’t you come out of the formation cultivation trial with me? You even successfully set up a formation.”

Ning Yue looked at him with wide, innocent eyes, looking a little embarrassed.

“That… I passed the sword cultivator trial first.  I was bored waiting, so I went to other doors. But I’m wholeheartedly dedicated to learning swordsmanship.”

Duan Huailin: “…”

He stared at Ning Yue, once again feeling that this young girl was unfathomable.

After a long while, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence, “You’re probably the first person in the history of Fusang Sect to pass through two paths.”

“Ah?” Ning Yue asked. “Why?”

Duan Huailin looked at her bewildered expression, unsure if she genuinely didn’t know or was pretending not to know.

Finally, he explained, “In the cultivation world, it’s rare to cultivate two paths simultaneously because of limited energy; one can only focus on one path.

This increases the chance of ascension, although no one has ascended in nearly a thousand years.  But specializing in one path has become common knowledge.”

Ning Yue understood according to her own interpretation.

In shorteveryone is a noob; even one path isn’t enough for ascension, and you’re cultivating two paths; it’s terrifying.

She pondered for a few seconds.

Then, with the same obedient expression as before, she smiled brightly at Duan Huailin.

“I don’t know if I should say this” Her expression was innocent, her eyes sparkling.

“Actually, I went through three paths.”

…

Duan Huailin: “…”

His whole face went blank; he didn’t know what expression to make.

Ning Yue’s tone sounded quite heartbroken.

“…If they hadn’t come so early, maybe I could have gone through another door.”

Duan Huailin: “…”

“…You should go.”

Ning Yue looked at Duan Huailin curiously.

His expression was numb, as if after a bombing: “…Go to the sword cultivators’ quarters.”

Ning Yue blinked, stepped forward, and patted Duan Huailin on the shoulder.

“See you again then! Bye-bye, brother.”

Duan Huailin watched Ning Yue skip away.

He couldn’t help but smile slightly.

It seemed that Ning Yue would surely leave a significant mark on the future cultivation world.

Ning Yue didn’t think much of it.

After leaving the formation cultivators’ rest area, she groped her way towards the sword cultivators’ rest area.

It’s so big! It’s really too big!!!

Ning Yue almost collapsed from exhaustion.

She should have rested before coming out to find her way!

She didn’t know where she was; there wasn’t a soul in sight, making it impossible to ask for directions.

She picked up a small stone, aimed at a fruit on a tree, and flicked it; the fruit fell.

She caught the fruit under the tree and took a bite.

“Hey!!! Don’t touch my fruit!!!”

Ning Yue’s mouth was half-open, unsure whether to continue chewing.

A small child was sitting in the tree, short and small, looking rather cute.

Ning Yue: “I’m not ‘Hey,’ my name is Chu Yuxun, and I’m very angry.”

“What are you angry about! You picked my fruit, and I’m not even mad yet!”

Ning Yue was amused by her own failed joke.

After realizing it, she immediately apologized; her deer-like eyes sparkled in the sunlight, looking very innocent.

“I’m sorry; I didn’t know it was your fruit. I’m lost here and very thirsty, so I picked your fruit. I’m very sorry.”

Her apology was sincere; she even bowed to Carrot head in the tree.

Carrot head seemed to be someone who responded to kindness; seeing Ning Yue’s sincere apology and her young age, he easily forgave her.

“Okay,” he jumped down from the tree and stood before Ning Yue, hands on his hips. “I forgive you, Chu Yuxun.”

Ning Yue: “…”

Ning Yue: “…My name isn’t Chu Yuxun; it’s Ning Yue.”

Carrot head frowned. “Didn’t you say your name was Chu Yuxun just now?”

Ning Yue: “…I was nervous and said the wrong name.”

Carrot head: “Oh.”

Ning Yue changed the subject. “Why are you here alone? Where are your parents?”

Carrot head looked at Ning Yue as if she were an idiot, then glanced at Ning Yue’s clothes and suddenly understood.

“You’re a new disciple this year, right?”

Ning Yue: “Yes, otherwise, why would I be lost?”

Carrot head put his hands on his hips. “Okay, since you’re a newcomer, I’ll kindly explain it to you.”

He cleared his throat dramatically. “I’m the Sect Master’s son’s spirit beast.  Ordinary disciples rarely see me; you’re lucky to have gotten lost in my territory.”

Ning Yue looked at him skeptically. “…The Sect Master’s son’s spirit beast?  Is your true form this fruit tree?”

Carrot head looked at Ning Yue incredulously. “What kind of spirit beast is a plant?! Do you know what a beast is! My true form is a Blue phoenix beast! I just like planting trees; I’m not a tree!”

“…Oh,” Ning Yue almost laughed; she patted his head.

“I’m sorry.” Ning Yue smiled and apologized to him.

She also remembered her main task.

“Do you know where the sword cultivators’ rest area is?”

Ning Yue followed behind, lowering her eyes and thinking for a moment.

She had been busy playing in these doors these past few days and hadn’t noticed the passage of time; only one day remained in the three-day trial.

Ning Yue reluctantly turned her head

The doors were gone.

She sighed; she had planned to go through another door before the last day.