Why didn’t Lin Ji recognize Lu Xiaobai right away? The reason is actually quite simple.

In their past lives, they hadn’t met during this time period, and Lu Xiaobai didn’t look like this at all. Lin Ji remembered Lu Xiaobai as having a refined and cold appearance, with deep-set eyes. In various gatherings of disciples from different sects, he always wore a humble and polite demeanor, with a smile that seemed permanently affixed to his face. Yet, when he turned his back, he could roll his eyes at people like a master of disguise.

During several joint battles, when things turned serious and swords were drawn, Lin Ji had seen him serious and dedicated, even in moments of silent hatred, and he had witnessed his hysterical side as well.

What he never expected was that the fifteen-year-old Lu Xiaobai had a youthful face, bright and clear eyes, and a smile that was simply radiant. Although he looked more pleasing and likable than in their past lives, he lacked the charisma that would make him stand out in a crowd later on.

No wonder Lin Ji felt an inexplicable familiarity the moment he saw Xiao Bai, yet he couldn’t quite place it. It turned out that many years ago, he had established himself in the Peifeng Sect by putting on a guise of being obedient and clever, which was likely during Long Aotian’s dormant period.

Wasn’t he still weak enough to have his herbs snatched away? Long Aotian hadn’t even made his move yet; why not just take everything from him and ensure he could never rise again?

Lin Ji recalled how he had been fooled by Lu Xiaobai’s innocent appearance and had even helped him a few times, which made him grit his teeth in frustration. He made a decision without any burden.

Xiao Bai… no, Lu Xiaobai, at this moment, had no idea what kind of person he was. Lin Ji thought for a moment and said, “I heard that some immortal sects are recruiting disciples and just happened to end up here. Are you a disciple of this sect?”

“Indeed,” Lu Xiaobai replied, his eyes sparkling like stars, and a dimple appeared when he smiled. “Last time you wouldn’t tell me your name, and now we’ve met three times. Who knows, we might even become fellow disciples in the future. Why not be friends?”

As expected of Long Aotian, he considered everyone a brother, casually making friends wherever he went.

Lin Ji lowered his gaze and retorted, “I’ve never met anyone named Xiao Bai. You didn’t mention a full name back then, did you?”

Just as Lu Xiaobai was about to explain, a suspicious voice suddenly interrupted, “You two actually know each other?”

They looked up to see the leader of the group who had previously made things difficult for Lu Xiaobai and snatched his spirit herbs, landing gracefully in front of them on his sword.

The newcomer glanced at Lu Xiaobai, but since he had taken something from a fellow disciple last time, he couldn’t really make a fuss about it in front of others. He could only snort disdainfully.

Then he turned to Lin Ji and bowed slightly, “I am Su Qinghe, an inner disciple of the Peifeng Sect. If you wish to join this sect, I advise you to stay away from him.”

Last time he left early, he later heard that his little brother not only failed to snatch the spirit herbs but also got a good scolding. Since Lu Xiaobai didn’t have that capability, Su Qinghe naturally thought of Lin Ji.

He had noticed Lin Ji at that time. Su Qinghe was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and could easily see that Lin Ji was at the Qi Refining stage, yet he felt that this person was unfathomable.

On the surface, he looked like a naive young boy, but those eyes held a depth that didn’t match his age.

Lin Ji was a bit surprised. He had ruined the other’s plans, yet Su Qinghe still took the initiative to greet him. The other’s cultivation level was higher than his, so he wasn’t afraid of him… but he could still put on a show. He immediately returned the greeting, “I’d like to ask, what do you mean by that, brother?”

Lu Xiaobai spat out the dog tail grass he had in his mouth and interrupted, “Isn’t it obvious? He’s threatening you! What he means is that if you become friends with me, once you join the sect, he’ll find someone to push you out!”

Lin Ji: “…”

Su Qinghe’s carefully constructed calm was shattered by a single sentence, and he instantly became furious. “Lu Xiaobai, what nonsense are you talking about? I’m telling you, even if my uncle is your master’s junior brother, I will eventually kick you out of the mountain!”

This kind of scene was clearly something that had happened countless times before.

Su Qinghe spread his hands and explained loudly to everyone present, “I don’t dislike him because I’m bullying the weak. Am I that unreasonable? I dislike him because he’s weak yet occupies a position that doesn’t belong to him, lacking virtue to match his position.”

“A piece of trash with a mixed spiritual root, yet he’s accepted as the personal disciple of Ling Yun Zunzhe. He doesn’t reflect on why… I’m advising you to stay away from him for your own good. Who knows if one day he’ll snatch your position?”

Lin Ji understood Su Qinghe’s meaning; it was similar to the reasons he had once despised the protagonist Long Aotian.

New disciples were usually categorized by their talent levels into inner disciples, outer disciples, and servant disciples. Only the sect leader and highly respected elders had the authority to select disciples for their own sect, and being accepted as a personal disciple meant a chance to inherit their legacy.

Given Lu Xiaobai’s mixed spiritual root, it was indeed outrageous for Ling Yun Zunzhe to take him as a disciple. Other disciples with better qualifications and faster cultivation had to bow to him, of course, they would be dissatisfied.

However, Lin Ji felt that he and Su Qinghe had no common ground. He didn’t know who Su Qinghe’s uncle was, but he knew that Ling Yun Zunzhe’s junior brother was at least an elder of the same rank.

Perhaps that elder didn’t take his own nephew as a personal disciple, and Su Qinghe, who was most adept at using connections, couldn’t get ahead, so he targeted Lu Xiaobai everywhere.

Thinking about it, he was probably driven mad by jealousy and didn’t genuinely care about fairness.

Lu Xiaobai had long since grown accustomed to such rhetoric, wearing an indifferent expression as if he was watching a show, calculating how to get back at them later.

Su Qinghe was really something; every time he finished speaking, he would somehow end up in a bad situation, yet he remained so persistent.

At this moment, Lin Ji glanced at him and said lightly, “There’s a saying in the mortal world about fate being unpredictable. Since you have the qualifications to enter the immortal sect, who can say what will happen in the future?”

“Don’t believe it? Just wait thirty years and see. Don’t underestimate the young.”

“…”

On the surface, Lin Ji seemed to be speaking up for Lu Xiaobai, but his tone was off.

What should have been a passionate declaration was delivered with a cold expression and a flat tone, as if he were telling a joke from hell.

In reality, Lin Ji thought to himself that he had watched those stories thousands of times. Although Wen Ling had erased the specific content, he still remembered some classic lines clearly.

Wasn’t it just Long Aotian’s lines? He had said them on his behalf.

At the same time, it was also a reminder to Su Qinghe; if he offended the protagonist too badly, he would end up as cannon fodder for Lu Xiaobai’s comeback, not even knowing how he died.

As for whether the other party understood his reminder, that was none of his business.

The fiery atmosphere in the air was abruptly cut off by Lin Ji’s strange response, leaving the atmosphere awkwardly silent.

Lu Xiaobai looked at Lin Ji and suddenly chuckled, seemingly amused by his words.

Su Qinghe was confused by their strange reactions and didn’t know how to respond.

… The scene became even more bizarre.

The Peifeng Sect disciples who were recruiting finally saw that they had stopped arguing and hurriedly stepped forward to break the silence. “This immortal friend, please come over to test your spiritual root.”

They had no choice; they were just outer disciples and didn’t dare to intervene in the inner disciples’ quarrels for fear of being resented.

After being called, Lin Ji slowly turned around and easily crossed a barrier, indicating that he had the qualifications to enter.

He looked at the spiritual stone behind the door, raised his hand, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately placed it on the stone.

A top-grade heavenly spiritual root, indeed a rare talent, shocked everyone around as the spiritual stone emitted a brilliant light.

Even Lu Xiaobai looked on with envy, glancing at the barrier and Lin Ji’s back with a hint of contemplation.

On the path of cultivation, having a higher talent could crush others. The barrier that Lin Ji could easily step over was something he had once struggled to climb over, drenched in sweat.

Lu Xiaobai never minded when others looked down on him because if he were in their shoes, he wouldn’t respect them either.

Now, he felt relieved as he bit off another piece of dog tail grass and chewed it, finally feeling at ease.

The outer disciples recruiting in Liuning City didn’t dare to delay and quickly sent messages to the sect and the elders who were out training, informing them of the suspected emergence of a spiritual cultivation genius.

At the same time, the relevant disciples warmly greeted Lin Ji, introducing him to the various benefits of joining the Peifeng Sect, making sure he wouldn’t slip away— the more talents they brought back to their sect, the more spirit stones they would receive as rewards.

“Lin Xianyou, if you’ve decided to join the Peifeng Sect, we’ll be setting off back in a few days. You can go home first to inform your parents and leave behind some warm memories, as it will be hard to see them again in the future.”

Lin Ji replied, “No need.”

“Ah, you want to keep it from your family…?”

“My family is gone.”

“……” The two disciples responsible for registration exchanged glances, their kind-hearted nature making them feel guilty for bringing up someone else’s sorrow.

In fact, the loss of his family was something Lin Ji had long since come to terms with; it was an event from his past life. Bringing it up now didn’t evoke any special feelings in him; the old wounds had long since scabbed over.

His silence, however, made the two disciples feel even more guilty. One of them suddenly mustered up some comforting words, “It’s okay. Speaking of which, the Lu Shixiong you met yesterday also has no family. You two seem to have a connection.”

The other disciple stared wide-eyed and slapped the back of his head, “What are you talking about?!”

Lin Ji suspected that there were quite a few fools in the Peifeng Sect, which made it hard for him to even feel annoyed; perhaps he was just too lazy to care.

Another half month passed, and the recruitment at the Peifeng Sect came to an end. Lin Ji boarded a flying boat with the others who had been selected, heading towards the sect’s blessed land in the immortal mountains.

For the first time riding a flying boat in the sky, even a mortal would be thrilled, leaning over the edge to look down, chatting and making friends.

What they didn’t know was that once they entered the immortal mountains, they would be categorized and friendships would cease to exist.

Everyone on the same boat would become competitors in cultivation, fighting for resources to increase their cultivation level, compete for ranks, and even ascend to the great path, leading to bloody conflicts and even life-and-death struggles.

Lin Ji had experienced this in the Yunshang Immortal Sect, so he felt no curiosity and sat cross-legged in the cabin, lost in thought.

After a day, they reached their destination. Lin Ji had to admit that while the Peifeng Sect wasn’t as grand as the Yunshang Immortal Sect, the spiritual energy was concentrated, and the immortal mountains were filled with spiritual trees, making it look more like a secluded retreat.

Lin Ji was already familiar with the various tests before entering the sect. While others were at a loss, he had already raced ahead, passing all the tests in less than half a day and being led into the main hall.

The sect leader and various elders were present, and upon seeing Lin Ji enter, their eyes lit up.

The sect leader spoke first, “Brothers, it’s been a long time since I took in a disciple. A child with such good talent, why don’t I teach him well?”

The elder in charge of sword testing immediately slammed the table and stood up, “That’s not right, brother! Didn’t you just take in a disciple two years ago? You’ve already taken in dozens of disciples; can you manage them all? I’ve only taken in a dozen, so I’ll take care of this child for you!”

A female elder said, “Don’t scare the child with your impatient personality. I can see that this child’s face is wise and resilient; he’s most suitable for refining artifacts under my guidance.”

Moreover, considering his young age and exquisite features, he would surely be even more pleasing to the eye as he grew up, making him perfect for their sect.

Another elder directly asked, “Lin Ji, are you interested in alchemy?”

Lin Ji was taken aback by this scene.

Even though he knew he had decent talent, he had never reached the level where the elders would compete to take him in as a disciple.

The Yunshang Immortal Sect had strict hierarchies, and no one dared to defy elders who were even a rank higher than them, let alone argue. His master in his past life always said that the sect had done all it could to nurture him, and he could only repay them by striving for progress and reaching the peak.

Lin Ji had always believed that the relationship between the sect and its disciples was one of mutual use, and it was the first time he discovered that elders, who were countless ranks higher than him, wanted to take him as a disciple and were even trying to please him.

It was as if he had just awakened to the fact that joining an immortal sect and taking in disciples was a two-way choice.

If he had understood in his past life that he could thrive anywhere with his talent, he wouldn’t have lived like that.

Lin Ji clenched his fists, his eyes dark and unfathomable, somewhat immersed in the emotions of his past life, oblivious to his surroundings.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his head, and Lin Ji jolted, instinctively releasing a burst of spiritual power.

Meng Wanqiu easily dispelled the spiritual power and patted his chest, saying with a sigh, “That’s a bit fierce.”

“……” Lin Ji came back to his senses. At this moment, he remembered that any elder present could easily kill him, and he quickly reined in his hostility, awkwardly saying, “I’m not used to others touching my head.”

Meng Wanqiu sighed in regret and kindly asked, “Lin Ji, how old are you this year?”

Lin Ji was caught off guard by the question, and after a moment of calculation, he uncertainly replied, “Ten… four?”

Lin Ji was shocked again; he had forgotten that he had been reborn as a half-grown teenager.

“Very good, very good,” Meng Wanqiu couldn’t help but reach out to ruffle Lin Ji’s hair, “You’re half a head taller than my stinky disciple, and you’re even a year younger than him.”

After saying that, Meng Wanqiu returned to his seat, suddenly covering his mouth and nose to cough a few times, looking at the sect leader and the other elders with a sigh, “Ah, thinking of my fellow brothers having a garden full of disciples, sharing the joys of family with their students, I’m quite envious.”

“It’s a pity my body is uncooperative and not suitable for teaching disciples.”

The sect leader and the elders exchanged glances, surrounding Meng Wanqiu, “What are you thinking, junior brother? Who says you’re not suitable for teaching disciples?”

“Do you mean you’re interested in this child? Just say the word, and we won’t compete with you.”

Firstly, Meng Wanqiu had very few disciples under him, and over the years, his fellow brothers had urged him to take in more, but he always said that taking in disciples depended on fate. As a result, apart from that useless disciple with a trash spiritual root, none had caught his eye.

Secondly, Meng Wanqiu had suffered injuries during the heavenly tribulation while protecting the Peifeng Sect, causing his realm to drop significantly. No matter how he cultivated, he still hadn’t improved, and the sect felt guilty towards him.

He was also the most respected figure in the Peifeng Sect, the only one with the title of Ling Yun Immortal, while others were simply called elders.

He had the desire to take in disciples, and the sect leader and elders had nothing to say, all turning their gazes towards Lin Ji.

Meng Wanqiu stopped coughing and said, “Lin Ji, I wish to take you as my disciple, but it also depends on your willingness. If you’re unwilling, I won’t force you.”

The sect leader timely added, “How about this? You can choose any elder present to be your master, and we won’t have any objections.”

At this moment, the disciples who had passed the tests also arrived, along with various disciples from different peaks who came to watch the excitement. Lin Ji’s story would soon spread throughout the entire sect.

The commotion was so great that it truly gave the impression that he was the protagonist of this story.

Some sensible disciples brought tea for the master-disciple ceremony and approached, but Lin Ji was suddenly lifted onto a tiger’s back.

He suddenly thought, if he turned around and left without choosing anyone, would it cause discussions in the Peifeng Sect for decades?

Lin Ji felt a bit resistant, mainly because if he became Meng Wanqiu’s disciple, he would have to be brothers with Lu Xiaobai.

Moreover, the other party was his senior brother and a year older than him.

But looking at Meng Wanqiu’s kind and gentle face, he recalled the words he had said when he lay bleeding in front of him in his past life:

“If I were your master, I would never let you end up like this… Lin Ji, if there’s a next life, I’ll take you as my disciple.”

Lin Ji moved his feet, picked up the tea for the master-disciple ceremony, and slowly walked in a certain direction.

He didn’t believe that Meng Wanqiu couldn’t see that taking in a second exceptionally talented disciple today would embarrass his first useless disciple.

Lu Xiaobai would only face more doubts and disdain in the future; didn’t he care?

But why was he still doing this?

Forget it, if he wanted to snatch away Long Aotian’s opportunities, he might as well start by taking away his master.

Lin Ji knelt before Meng Wanqiu, holding the tea above his head with both hands:

“Greetings, Master.”

Su Qinghe rushed over upon hearing the news, and as soon as he entered, he heard Lin Ji’s powerful four words.

Rolling his eyes, he felt as if the sky had fallen.