Chapter 7

The distance from the selection site to the Supreme Sect was considerable, requiring even a spiritual ship two hours to cover.

Lin Du’s body was in such a poor condition that she didn’t even have time to take in the sights within the ship before she fainted during the ascent phase.

He Gui glanced at the child curled up on the couch, took out a piece of fire fox fur from his storage ring, and gently covered her with it. He then quietly sat down on the side of the couch, his gentle brows furrowing slightly, followed by a soft sigh.

In truth, this child shouldn’t have been accepted.

But her talent was exceptional—anyone would feel a deep affection for such potential.

Beyond her perfect Ice Spiritual Root, what made her even more remarkable was her perceptive and insightful nature.

If this child had a normal physique, her cultivation would surely progress at an astonishing pace, and she would undoubtedly be the top genius in the Zhong Zhou, without a doubt.

But unfortunately… her body was in such a broken state.

The saying “Heaven is jealous of geniuses” was not just empty words.

Meanwhile, Ni Jinxuan was filled with excitement. The spiritual ship from her home couldn’t compare to the Supreme Sect’s spiritual ship. Though the interior was simple and natural, it exuded the grandeur of a great sect in every detail.

The beams and pillars were made of golden nanmu wood, with a complete set of intricately carved rosewood tables, chairs, and cabinets. The lighting came from shark pearls on all sides, and the beast-ear copper incense burners were filled with soothing white sandalwood. Every item was a rare treasure in the cultivation world, with no excessive adornments—everything was spacious, grand, and naturally elegant.

“We recruited two fewer disciples this year,” Ju Yuan said leisurely as he brewed tea. “The sect master’s senior sister mentioned that we could take in six this year.”

The water in the small stove had already reached a boil, sending up wisps of steam.

The person across from them withdrew his gaze, which had been fixed on He Gui and Lin Du, and succinctly remarked, “One is worth three.”

He was referring to Lin Du.

It wasn’t just about her talent, but also the resources she would require.

Ordinary people need guidance from a senior to enter the Dao. They must first learn the structure of the body’s meridians, then be guided to sense the vital energy. Even after sensing it, bringing the energy into the body takes considerable effort. In the Supreme Sect, where geniuses are abundant, some may reach the Phoenix Initial Stage overnight, but none have ever done so within a quarter of an hour.

And the spiritual energy on the mountain wasn’t particularly abundant.

There are many geniuses, but Lin Du is the cream of the crop.

However, the fall of a genius is not an uncommon occurrence in the cultivation world.

Lin Du thought she had fainted from hunger; otherwise, how could she smell the fragrance of pea cakes in her dreams, or even hear the sound of a hamster munching?

Her stomach growled, and she slowly woke up, opening her eyes to meet a pair of bright apricot eyes, which resembled those of a domesticated cat, full of naive foolishness.

…

“You’re awake? I brought pea cakes from home, freshly made by Shifang Zhai. They’re really delicious. Want some?”

Lin Du slowly sat up. She usually had a bit of a temper upon waking, but life had trained her to take a deep breath and press her anger down.

She looked down and saw the fire fox fur draped over her, now covered in crumbs, and the pea cake that was shedding crumbs. Her eyelid twitched as she took the cake and stuffed it into her mouth, then stood up to shake out the fire fox fur.

“No need, just use the Dust-Clearing Technique,” He Gui, who had been watching the two young disciples with a smile, intervened and made a small gesture.

Lin Du vaguely sensed a trace of spiritual energy and obediently placed the fire fox fur to the side, thanking both Ni Jinxuan and He Gui before slowly chewing the cake.

She usually ate quietly, but the pea cake was particularly dry.

Lin Du wondered if the people in the cultivation world had particularly smooth throats since Ni Jinxuan had eaten three pieces without needing water, while she felt like she was choking after just one bite.

Suddenly, a breeze came her way, and by reflex, she caught it, only to find that it was a cup of tea.

The tea spilled slightly over her palm, the temperature just right. Startled, she looked in the direction the breeze had come from.

Two elders, who had not spoken a word to the new disciples, were sitting at a small table, sipping tea. They didn’t look in her direction, but one of them smiled faintly and murmured, “What agile reflexes.”

Lin Du heard this, and bowed her head slightly. “Thank you, Elder, for the tea.”

He Gui chuckled. “Don’t blame them. They can’t talk to you because they made a pact not to interact with the new disciples before accepting them as apprentices, to avoid unfair competition.”

Lin Du quickly downed the tea, overhearing someone mutter, “A cow chewing on peonies. You might as well give her a jug of water.”

She smirked, unfazed. “What is life to you is survival to me. When you’ve been parched for so long, any drink is good tea. The rest is just talk.”

Lin Du wasn’t picky about the quality of life; survival was enough.

She could appreciate the art of tea drinking, but saw no need to pretend.

He Gui hadn’t planned to take on any disciples this year, but found Lin Du utterly endearing.

So young, yet with the demeanor of an adult.

Seeing that Lin Du seemed more alert, Ni Jinxuan approached, “Hello, fellow cultivator. My name is Ni Jinxuan.”

“Your name suits you well, representing purity and grace,” Lin Du smiled. “I am Lin Du.”

Given her current circumstances, the name was quite fitting.

“Are you still feeling dizzy? I have some hawthorn cake and pickled plums with me.”

She stared at the young man before her—his skin was so white and clear, his eyes so dark, his eyelashes so long, his nose so perfectly shaped…

It was hard to believe there was someone this good-looking in the world.

Lin Du noticed her gaze and hesitated before asking, “May I ask why you keep looking at me, Fellow Daoist Jinxuan?”

Ni Jinxuan instinctively replied, “Because you’re good-looking.”

Lin Du: …

She thought she now understood why this girl was such a hopeless romantic—she seemed to be extremely fixated on appearances, and according to the script, the Demon Lord was the most handsome man in the world, capable of making women swoon just by standing there.

Elder Ju Yuan, who had been watching the disciples, let out a snort, blowing bubbles in his tea.

Opposite him, Elder Cang Li tried to suppress his amusement but eventually gave in, a slight smile tugging at his lips. “You were just criticizing others for wasting good tea, and now you’re doing the same.”

Ju Yuan focused his spiritual sense on the somewhat rough-looking child and nodded in agreement.

In the cultivation world, it was rare to find someone unattractive, as the body’s impurities would be expelled by spiritual energy, gradually leading to a pure physique. As long as you had eyes and a nose, it was hard to be truly ugly.

But Lin Du’s face, despite her unkempt appearance, carried a certain carefree, unrestrained charm.

When Lin Du realized that Ni Jinxuan was staring at her, she was lying on the couch, slightly elevated, so she looked down at Ni Jinxuan with half-lowered eyes, her thick lashes casting shadows. There was a playful, teasing smile on her lips, her dark hair and pale skin contrasting like a meticulously crafted painting, exuding the elegance of a young noble.

And so, Lin Du noticed the girl in front of her blushing visibly, her face turning from a light pink to the color of a ripe tomato under her gaze.

“I… I know you said earlier that you charge for people looking at you, but I already gave you some food, so that counts as payment in advance.”

She had overheard Lin Du say earlier that she charged people for looking at her.

Lin Du found this even more amusing.

A muffled laugh escaped her, and Ni Jinxuan heard a soft, lingering reply.

“Fellow Daoist Jinxuan, you flatter me. I charge those who aren’t important, but for you, no charge.”