Chapter 4: This Sect… Seems a Bit Odd

Inside the wooden hut.

The bitter medicinal odor was overwhelming. Chu Sang awoke with a start, coughing violently.

Tantai Ming, who had been vigilantly watching by her bedside, perked up instantly at the sound.

“You’re finally awake!” he exclaimed, his eyes brimming with tears.

“Thank heavens Sixth Senior Brother left some Healing Elixirs before he departed. They hadn’t expired and still worked. If they hadn’t, I’d have felt guilty for the rest of my days…” He sighed with relief, then swiftly brought a bowl of medicine to her lips. “Quickly, drink this too. It’s a healing potion brewed from hundred-year-old Qingxu Grass, remarkably effective for treating external injuries!”

Chu Sang had no chance to refuse, swallowing the scalding, bitter concoction in a few gulps. It scorched her tongue.

“Where am I?” She licked her lips, glancing around the sparsely furnished hut. She had no recollection of ever being in such a place.

“This is our sect’s Little Pill Peak. It used to be Sixth Senior Brother’s residence, but he’s been away on business for months now. I brought you here to recuperate.”

Chu Sang turned to him. “I remember plummeting into an abyss before losing consciousness. How did I end up here?”

“I retrieved you with my flying sword and returned that egg, which allowed us to escape.”

Tantai Ming sat back down by her bedside, sighing heavily. “This predicament was due to my lack of foresight. I never intended to involve an outsider like yourself. The fault is mine, and I must ensure your safety at all costs.”

The young man’s expression grew somber. “Spirit beasts are best contracted when young. That Golden Qilin was the only one I’d found after years of searching, perfectly compatible with my dual gold and earth spiritual roots. Who knows when I’ll encounter another…”

“When one door closes, another opens. Stay optimistic; the next one might be even better,” Chu Sang mused, thinking he should be grateful just to be alive after such a reckless endeavor.

Tantai Ming nodded in agreement. “You’re right. If it’s meant to be, I’ll find another.” He then added, “I must make amends for the trouble I’ve caused. Which sect do you belong to? I’ll personally pay a visit to apologize.”

“I… have no sect.”

“You’re a rogue cultivator?” Tantai Ming gave her a skeptical once-over. Most rogue cultivators weren’t versed in talisman crafting.

Chu Sang nodded. “More or less.”

Having been expelled from her previous sect, she was indeed no different from a rogue cultivator now.

Tantai Ming fell silent, his gaze filled with a mix of pity and concern. After a moment of contemplation, he suggested, “If you don’t have a place to stay, why not join our Lingqing Sect?”

“Though our sect isn’t particularly prestigious, we provide food and shelter. Daily life here is quite leisurely, with few obligations.”

Lingqing Sect?

This sect hadn’t appeared in the original story, suggesting it was a minor, obscure sect.

Chu Sang wasn’t concerned whether it was one of the Eight Major Sects or a small one. Her modest wish in this new life was simply to have a place to eat and sleep.

A small sect would help her maintain distance from the main characters and live peacefully.

Moreover, it would be easier to accumulate points here.

After careful consideration, she realized it wasn’t a bad choice at all.

Chu Sang looked up and declared, “I’m willing to join the Lingqing Sect.”

Tantai Ming, who had spent the entire night keeping vigil, nearly choked on the water he was drinking. His face flushed as he coughed and wiped his mouth, utterly overjoyed. “You truly wish to join our Lingqing Sect?”

Chu Sang, perplexed by his intense reaction, nodded hesitantly. She fidgeted with her fingers, adding, “However, I must disclose something. My spiritual roots are damaged, making cultivation extremely difficult. My progress might be stuck at the late Qi Refining stage, meaning I may not contribute much to the sect. Would you still accept me under these circumstances?”

“Of course we would! Absolutely!” He interrupted eagerly. “Damaged spiritual roots? That’s no problem. When Sixth Senior Brother returns, he’ll refine pills to repair your spiritual roots! In all my years, I’ve never seen anything that old pois— I mean, Sixth Senior Brother couldn’t handle!”

“Oh, right! Little Junior Sister, I almost forgot to brief you on our sect. You now have seven senior brothers and five senior sisters.”

“Before your arrival, I was the youngest. Sixth Senior Brother is directly above me in seniority.”

“Your Sixth Senior Brother hails from the Mu family, renowned for their alchemy. Though we often clash, I must admit his alchemy skills are unparalleled among our peers. There’s no ailment in this world he can’t cure.”

Chu Sang’s expression twitched slightly. She thought this senior brother changed his tune rather quickly. But repairing spiritual roots was no ordinary ailment. Even at the peak of her previous life, when she was hailed as a prodigy, her former sect had exhausted all resources trying to find a cure, to no avail.

If one of the Eight Major Sects couldn’t accomplish it, how could a small sect like this…?

She vaguely recalled that in the original story, the only person capable of refining a heavenly-grade pill to repair spiritual roots was…

Wait… Something felt amiss. That person was named Mu Chihuai, a major Villian who appeared midway through the novel. He was a ruthless and unpredictable expert in both medicine and poison. Countless had perished at his hands, and even the main characters, blessed by heavenly fortune, had narrowly escaped his machinations.

“Seventh Senior Brother,” Chu Sang asked, her voice trembling slightly, “may I inquire about Sixth Senior Brother’s full name?”

Tantai Ming gave her an odd look. “Your Sixth Senior Brother is Mu Chihuai, the heir to the Mu family, one of the four great alchemy clans. Haven’t you heard of him? Oh, right, you’re a rogue cultivator. It’s understandable if you’re not familiar with these matters.”

“???”

Chu Sang inwardly cursed. Had she unwittingly stumbled into the villain’s lair?

A chill ran down her spine as she struggled to maintain her composure. “What about the other senior brothers and sisters? What are their names?”

“There’s no point telling you now; you won’t remember. I’ll introduce them when they return.”

“I… see.”

Chu Sang tried to convince herself it was mere coincidence. Surely, she couldn’t be so unfortunate as to truly land in a den of villains?

Noticing her dejected expression, Tantai Ming assumed she was still fretting over her spiritual roots. He reassured her, “Don’t worry, Little Junior Sister. When you were unconscious yesterday, I already contacted Sixth Senior Brother.”

“Although, it’s strange. I messaged him last night, but he still hasn’t returned.”

Tantai Ming retrieved a communication jade slip, swiping through it a few times. His expression soured. “Read but not replied, again. Hmph, who does he think he’s impressing? He’s always been this irritating!”

Chu Sang: It seems the relationships within the sect are far from harmonious.

Unlike the grand ceremonies of the Eight Major Sects, this small sect’s initiation was remarkably simple. Tantai Ming handed Chu Sang a token and a spatial bag. “Just drip some blood on the token to bind it to you, then place it in the ancestral hall for safekeeping.”

The spatial bag contained a disciple’s iron sword, the sect’s core cultivation techniques and sword arts, a thin yellow manual serving as the sect handbook, two sets of sect robes, a bottle of spirit-replenishing pills, and a few spirit stones.

Chu Sang carefully placed the token in the spatial bag as well.

“Shouldn’t I pay my respects to the elders on my first day?” she inquired.

“No need. Our sect doesn’t have any elders.”

Tantai Ming averted his gaze, looking uncharacteristically awkward. “Our sect is… too impoverished to pay salaries. All the managing elders have left.”

Chu Sang blinked slowly, a silent “?” forming in her mind.

“What about the sect leader? Our master? Surely, a sect must have a leader?” Her eyes widened in disbelief.

“The master is also away. Hasn’t returned for half a year now. Who knows where she’s wandered off to this time.” Tantai Ming sighed deeply.

“…”

“Wait,” Chu Sang felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. “Seventh Senior Brother, are you telling me you’re the only one left in the sect?” She suddenly realized that since regaining consciousness, she truly hadn’t encountered anyone besides Tantai Ming.

“How perceptive, Little Junior Sister!”

Tantai Ming looked like he wanted to give her a thumbs up. “The senior brothers and sisters are either in seclusion, out on missions, or visiting family. They’ve all scattered.”

“Second Senior Brother and First Senior Sister were due to return, but I heard they lost their way and ended up trapped in some secret realm. They can’t get out.”

“In the entire sect, I’m the sole guardian left. It’s mind-numbingly dull!”

His gaze fixed intently on his newly acquired junior sister, finding her obedient and adorable. The more he observed, the more he approved. Eager to share the good news, he exclaimed, “Little Junior Sister, you can’t imagine—our sect hasn’t recruited anyone in a decade! I never thought I’d see a junior sister in my lifetime. This is wonderful!”

Chu Sang felt a wave of regret wash over her. On closer inspection, this sect seemed to be teetering on the brink of collapse.

“Um,” she ventured hesitantly, “I’m having second thoughts about joining. Is it too late to withdraw?”