IRBTCI CH4

Hmm, what did they call it in the East again?

Meng Caiqing softly reminded him from the side—but her voice was so strong that everyone heard her: “It’s Senior Sister!”

Bai Lu looked at Ning Yanhu and blinked. “Senior Sister…”

Ning Yanhu had been planning to scold him a little, but when she saw Bai Lu’s misty green eyes and his weird yet playful fluffy outfit, she only gave a strained smile and said, “Fine, you’re funny. Let’s go.”

As they walked, Ning Yanhu flipped through the roster in her hands. This was the form each of them had filled out during the tea break after passing the last trial.

First, she was startled by Bai Lu’s messy handwriting, and then she read his information. Under “Race,” Bai Lu had written Human.

Xuan Shan was primarily human, though it didn’t exclude other races. Still, most non-humans preferred sects where their kind were more common. Everyone had assumed Bai Lu had mixed blood, given his eyes and his clothing. Who’d have thought he’d list himself as human?

“Are you really pure human? Both your parents too?”

“Yup, all eighteen generations,” Bai Lu said. “My eye color is just a regional trait. Some ancestral environmental adaptation, probably.”

He was certain—on both his father’s and mother’s side, there wasn’t any strange bloodline involved.

Ning Yanhu glanced at his registered place of origin: somewhere called “Yanjing.” She’d never even heard of it.

“Where is Yanjing?”

Bai Lu quickly thought it through and cautiously answered, “A very faraway place.” It was half his hometown and also where the forum had taken place before he transmigrated.

His eye color and “hometown” explanation sounded reasonable—shouldn’t raise suspicion in a cultivation world. So far, he felt he hadn’t exposed any obvious flaws. Ha!

Ning Yanhu nodded. Ah, a remote area of the mortal world.

Even without detailed answers, she would have just assumed he had some kind of fortuitous encounter.

The cultivation world thrived on strange stories. Bai Lu might really just be a talented small-town mortal. No wonder he didn’t seem to know much about Xuan Shan or the cultivation world.

Thinking of this, Ning Yanhu said, “Many disciples who join Xuan Shan have already dabbled in cultivation. Some inherited knowledge, some practiced randomly, and others had unique encounters. But most haven’t even truly stepped into the path—they just linger at the body-tempering stage.

“I’ll give you all a reminder: Even if there are geniuses among you, most of you will need to rebuild your foundation. Your masters will guide you when the time comes.”

Everyone nodded in understanding.

It made sense. Just like elite schools—foundation first.

“There are nine major realms, and Qi Refining isn’t even one of them. That’s just physical conditioning. The real first stage is Foundation Establishment,” said Ning Yanhu.

Seeing how intently Bai Lu was listening (even though he was just struggling to keep up), she became even more convinced that he didn’t understand the cultivation world at all. Would he regret choosing the Sword Sovereign as his master?

“Bai Lu, do you know the eight realms after Foundation Establishment?”

Bai Lu definitely didn’t. He fumbled through the shattered remains of his memory. “Uh… Nascent Soul? Divine Transformation? Tribulation Crossing?”

Ning Yanhu went silent. “All wrong! Where did you even hear those?”

Bai Lu: “…”

That couldn’t be right!

“After Foundation Establishment, you must pass the Mystic Gate to open your meridians and unlock the Purple Mansion. After that is Thunder Hearing, where one perceives heavenly might. Then comes Heaven Patrolling, a realm few ever master, even at its peak. In this realm, you observe stars and track the patterns of heaven and earth—achieving a deeper understanding of existence.

“Next is Immortal Flight and Spirit Return. These are realms where one can no longer be killed in the mortal sense—even if they fall, their next incarnation will retain traces of their past self.”

Many of the disciples had heard of these realms before, but listening to them now, after passing the trials, made it feel more real. Everyone couldn’t help but look forward to their future.

“Finally, there are the three realms of negation: No Subjugation, No Delusion, and No Return—collectively called the Three Nots. Breaking through the Three Nots means you’ve truly ascended, never to return.”

As she spoke, Ning Yanhu naturally saw everyone’s expressions grow more reverent.

Bai Lu, caught in the crowd, raised his hand and asked, “Senior Sister, what realm is my master at?”

“Strictly speaking,” Ning Yanhu replied, “Uncle Huo should be between Immortal Flight and Spirit Return.”

Bai Lu frowned. “What do you mean by ‘strictly speaking’?”

Liang Manggu, who had done his homework—and, like everyone, had heard stories of the Sword Sovereign growing up—jumped in to answer:

“Because from the moment he rose to fame, the Sword Sovereign has never been defeated. He’s famous for defeating enemies across realms, and his Mo-Kong Sword is peerless. His swordsmanship is unparalleled. There are rumors—unconfirmed, of course—that even facing an elder in the Three Nots realm, the Sword Sovereign wouldn’t lose. He traded his chance at ascension for sheer battle power.”

Bai Lu had originally chosen the Sword Sovereign because of a clue related to his past. But now, after hearing more and more about him, he genuinely began to feel curious.

“You sure know a lot,” Ning Yanhu remarked as she continued walking. As she said that, they finally reached the temporary lodgings prepared for the new disciples—a cluster of wooden cabins.

Presumably because the new disciples were still weak, the cabins were located at the foot of the mountain. While it was far from the main peak, it was surrounded by bamboo groves and flowing streams—the scenery was beautiful.

Having passed through three intense trials, the disciples finally felt relaxed. Their minds cleared, and even the air felt fresher.

The wooden cabins looked rustic on the outside, but upon entering, the temperature was just right. Bai Lu touched the wood—it was warm. The timber itself gave off heat.

His eyes lit up. “The cultivation world sure has some fascinating materials.”

“You’ll rest here. Meals and supplies for new disciples will be brought shortly,” said Ning Yanhu.

She then called the top three aside and spoke to them under the eaves.

“Caiqing, though you’ve already chosen your destination, you’ll also stay here for a few days to learn the sect’s rules. The same goes for you two.”

Bai Lu looked disappointed, as if an invisible tail had drooped behind him. “Me too? I can’t go to my master right away?”

He was dying to ask about the silk scroll. Now he’d have to wait?!

“No matter how much you admire him, there’s no rush. Your master hasn’t even agreed yet,” Ning Yanhu said, twitching at the corner of her mouth.

“As for Liang Manggu—I can see you’ve prepared. If you have questions, feel free to come to me. I’ll leave you both with some advice.”

She looked at Meng Caiqing. “You have high aspirations, but you must learn to still your heart.”

Meng Caiqing nodded, thoughtful.

Then she turned to Liang Manggu and gave another pointer: “You have excellent potential, but your mind is too distracted.”

“Thank you for the guidance, Senior Sister.” Liang Manggu gave a sheepish salute… though it was unclear how much he’d actually taken in.

Finally, it was Bai Lu’s turn.

“You are exceptionally gifted, but…” Ning Yanhu said as she pointed her fingers toward Bai Lu’s head. Instantly, his loose black hair tied itself up into a neat topknot, revealing his bright, flawless face without any obstruction.

Ning Yanhu nodded with satisfaction—it looked better this way.

Bai Lu reached up to touch the hair tied atop his head. He wasn’t used to it at all, and it completely ruined his mysterious “sorcerer” vibe. “Senior Sister, you tied it too tight…”

“It’s supposed to be that way. As a student, wearing your hair loose is too sloppy,” Ning Yanhu said, noticing Bai Lu fidgeting and reaching for his hair. “Alright, stop messing it up.”

“Oh,” Bai Lu withdrew his hand, aggrieved.

“…?” Liang Manggu was confused. Why was the message to Bai Lu so different from what they’d received? Was this normal?

“Well, well, Senior Sister personally escorting the new juniors,” a middle-aged man arrived with a few workers, bringing food. He greeted Ning Yanhu with a cheerful cupped-fist salute.

Although he was older than Ning Yanhu, he was only an outer disciple. Given Ning Yanhu was the Sect Leader’s personal disciple, she was in charge of many internal affairs—in a way, she was his superior, so he was very polite.

All three disciples looked expectantly at Ning Yanhu, hoping for an introduction.

Ning Yanhu gave him a glance. “This is Steward Dai from the outer sect. You can call him Senior Brother Dai.”

Steward Dai was also in charge of looking after the new disciples. When he heard that Meng Caiqing had already chosen to join Cangyun Terrace as the Sect Leader’s disciple, he smiled, “Chose so quickly, huh? Heaven clearly has big plans for you…”

Then he glanced at Ning Yanhu and quickly added, “Cangyun Terrace is the most leisurely and prestigious place in Xuan Shan Immortal Sect. Junior Sister is quite fortunate.”

Meng Caiqing: “…?”

Why did that sound kind of… off?

“And these two?” Steward Dai turned his beaming smile to the other two—first and second place. Surely, both would become promising personal disciples.

“Junior Brother Bai Lu hasn’t made a final decision but hopes to become Uncle Huo’s disciple,” Ning Yanhu said. “Liang Manggu hasn’t decided yet.”

In fact, someone like Liang Manggu, being thoughtful and choosing to delay his decision, was actually the norm for top-ranked candidates.

“Uncle Huo?” Steward Dai scratched his head. “You mean the Uncle Huo who stokes the fires in the pill room? He can take disciples?”

Bai Lu blinked blankly. “My master tends fires?”

How could a peak master still need a second job?

“Not that one!” Ning Yanhu said knowingly—it wasn’t the first time someone was confused. Even the Sect Leader had been surprised. “It’s Uncle Huo of Dianmei Peak—the Jun Tian Sword Sovereign.”

Steward Dai’s jaw dropped.

He’d rather believe Bai Lu wanted to learn fire-tending than think he’d choose Dianmei Peak. Anyone qualified to enter Xuan Shan Immortal Sect could be called a child of destiny—why would one willingly give up the path to ascension?

Though he respected Bai Lu, Steward Dai truly couldn’t understand his calmness. After all, what cultivator didn’t long for immortality?

Bai Lu actually wanted to be honest. The truth was, the cultivation and magic worlds had more in common than they realized. The pursuit of eternal life was a universal theme for humankind—nothing new under the sun.

In alchemy, there was also a legendary item that granted immortality: the Philosopher’s Stone.

Since Bai Lu had minored in alchemy, he’d studied it too—but the odds of success were probably as slim as ascension in the cultivation world.

Maybe… he only needed to chase one of them to the end?

“Come on, I can’t be the only one who wants to join Dianmei Peak, right?” Bai Lu said with guilty bravado. “I just really want to become a handsome sword cultivator like my master.”

“There might be others later, but definitely none before,” Ning Yanhu had already come to terms with it and replied leisurely, “After all, Uncle Huo is the youngest among the peak masters. Normally, people his age wouldn’t be qualified to take disciples yet.”

“How young exactly is my master?” Bai Lu suddenly asked.

“A bit over two hundred,” Ning Yanhu said. In the cultivation world, that was very young indeed. The Sword Sovereign was the final personal disciple of the sect’s ascended ancestor—the youngest of that generation. Technically, he and Ning Yanhu were of the same generation.

“Over two hundred?”

Ning Yanhu saw Bai Lu’s eyes widen slightly—clearly stunned by how “young” the Sword Sovereign was.

Bai Lu: So he’s already that old? Impressive!

But Senior Sister was apparently already 380 years old—older than her own master. Cultivation age really was inflated.

Wait a minute… didn’t that prophecy say something about his destined partner?

If everyone here could live past 200, maybe his match really was in the cultivation world?

Bad news: Everyone could be over 200. Which meant anyone could be his fated one… so the prophecy was basically useless!

As Bai Lu drifted into thought, his attention shifted… indoors.

Steward Dai gave a friendly smile. “Hungry, right? Xuan Shan’s meals are famous—there’s no shortage of mountain delicacies. Today’s Revitalizing Mushrooms are a real treat.”

Liang Manggu casually asked, “What’s so special about Revitalizing Mushrooms?” They grew wild in his hometown mountains too. Sure, they were called spirit herbs, but there were tons of them.

“Oh,” Steward Dai said, “These ones grew on a thousand-year-old cloud pine right outside the Sect Leader’s residence—might’ve soaked up some immortality!”

Hearing that, Bai Lu—knowing how seriously the East took auspicious omens—immediately told Liang Manggu, “You should eat more. Didn’t you say you wanted to become Sect Leader?”

Steward Dai: “…?”

Meng Caiqing muttered, “Brother Liang also has lofty ambitions?”

Liang Manggu stared at Bai Lu in horror: “…”

You! I only yelled a few things during the trial to hype myself up!

“Oh, really?” Ning Yanhu said blankly. “Then you should eat more. These mushrooms grew at my master’s doorstep—you could call them… Mushroom Sovereigns.”

Bai Lu, Liang Manggu, and Meng Caiqing: “Hahahahahahahaha!”

Steward Dai: “…?”

Can someone explain what’s going on?

Liang Manggu secretly wiped sweat from his forehead. Thank goodness Senior Sister didn’t take that seriously.

Bai Lu entered the room and immediately noticed a pot of chicken stew with mushrooms on the table. The savory aroma hit him in the face.

Steward Dai enthusiastically explained, “That’s free-range chicken from the bamboo forest, simmered for an hour. Look at that—so rich! I’m telling you, the mushrooms soaked up all the chicken essence—they’re so tender you’ll want to swallow your tongue along with them.”

Ning Yanhu hadn’t returned yet, and the other disciples didn’t dare start eating on their own. Cultivators had strong willpower, so no one moved their chopsticks.

Except for Bai Lu—the top scorer in the trial—whose eyes clearly glowed with unhidden desire.

“Oh right, here are your Fasting Pills,” Steward Dai said cheerfully, presenting a tray of porcelain bottles. “Here, one bottle per person. You can decide whether or not to use them.”

He subtly scanned the disciples who hadn’t yet chosen their paths.

Heh… this was the moment they were most relaxed. No one suspected that a new test had just begun.

In fact, Steward Dai was currently handling affairs for Kaiyang Peak.

Kaiyang Peak specialized in spell cultivation and managed the sect’s treasury and archives. The Sect Leader himself had come from Kaiyang. Therefore, their disciples were held to higher standards of discipline—especially when it came to desire. They were expected to maintain clarity of heart and avoid indulgence.

This was a secret test hidden in everyday life.

Meals, living conditions, habits—each detail could reveal one’s character. And this was the very first test.

As expected, most people were saving the Fasting Pills for later—after all, they had just joined the sect.

But starting now, every single dish would be a world-class delicacy…

A Fasting Pill was already in Bai Lu’s hand.

“Take it as you like,” said Steward Dai.

Bai Lu looked at the food… then looked at the pill in his hand.

With a sweet, innocent smile, he asked, “Excuse me, should this Fasting Pill be taken before or after the meal?”