Page 3

The new disciples all lived at the foot of the mountain, and that's all they could see. Beyond that, the entire sect was shrouded in a hazy mist, making it impossible to discern anything clearly.

Qin Shu glanced around and quickly chose a house with a small nursery in front. The house was relatively secluded, and just beyond it lay a cold pond, making it very quiet.

As soon as she stepped into the room, the house's protective barrier activated. The small house she had chosen gradually disappeared from the sight of others.

Seeing this, the other disciples quickly understood—each house could only accommodate one person, so they all moved faster.

Once settled, Qin Shu leisurely sat down in a chair, opened her Qiankun bag, and emptied its contents onto the table.

"Clink—"

Out spilled several items: the outer sect disciple's robes, a Guide to Entry, an identity token, a jade slip, and a bottle of elixirs.

She first picked up the set of moon-white robes. They felt incredibly smooth to the touch, much more comfortable than the school uniforms from her previous life.

Next, she flipped through the Guide to Entry, which explained how new disciples should use their identity token and the jade slip. Interestingly, the bottle of elixir wasn't mentioned.

She grabbed the identity token and swiped it across the door. White light slowly enveloped the entire house.

At this point, the house was officially hers, and no one below the Nascent Soul stage could spy on it with their divine sense.

With a sense of security, Qin Shu followed the Guide to Entry, pressing the jade slip to her forehead. Slowly, she closed her eyes.

The pure white jade slip emitted a soft glow, and the information it contained gradually unfolded in her mind. It told her about the founding of the sect by the Xuantian Immortal Lord three thousand years ago, and how, after countless efforts by disciples, the Xuantian Sect had achieved its current position in the cultivation world...

It also included a technique for guiding spiritual energy into the body, explaining that only those who successfully mastered it could go to the sect's Transmission Hall to receive a cultivation technique.

New disciples were entitled to ten low-grade spiritual stones and one bottle of replenishing elixirs per month for the first year. After that, the benefits ceased.

Moreover, disciples who had been in the sect for over a year had to take on one sect mission per month, which could be delayed for up to six years. If they didn't want to do the tasks themselves, they could use points to hire someone else.

After digesting these rules, Qin Shu's gaze fell on the bottle of elixirs again.

The porcelain bottle was a deep green, smooth to the touch, and clearly not an ordinary item.

The Xuantian Sect was quite generous, providing such a large bottle of elixirs upon entry.

She held the bottle for a while before removing the cork. A refreshing fragrance wafted from the bottle. She quickly sealed it again, worried the medicinal properties might dissipate.

However, she still couldn't figure out what the elixirs were for.

Oh well, she would probably find out in time.

After organizing her things, Qin Shu didn't begin cultivating right away. After experiencing both transmigration and rebirth, and climbing the mountain all day, she was physically exhausted. She decided to bathe and have a proper meal first.

She took a wooden basin from the rack and went to the cold pond behind the house to fetch some water. After a thorough wash, she changed into the clean clothes. The moon-white robes really suited her taste. She then took down the original owner's cumbersome hair accessories and casually tied her hair into a bun.

Once she was all cleaned up, she stepped out the door.

Familiarizing herself with the surroundings was one thing, but she also needed to figure out how to get some food.

Her fellow new disciples seemed to have vanished into thin air, and she couldn't find anyone. So, she retraced her steps to the sect's main gate and found Wen Chi, who was about to leave after completing the registration.

"Senior Brother!"

Wen Chi frowned and, upon seeing her, raised an eyebrow with interest. "Heh, you look like a little Taoist nun with that attire."

Qin Shu couldn't quite tell if he was complimenting her. Moreover, they weren't close enough to joke around with each other. She feared that if she didn't answer properly, he might send her flying out of the sect.

She quickly asked, "Senior Brother, where do the new disciples eat?"

Wen Chi, now a Gold Core cultivator, had long since stopped needing food.

Hearing her question, he was momentarily taken aback.

Coming from a wealthy family, he had grown up on spiritual pills and didn't crave ordinary food. He didn't understand why someone new to the sect would ask about meals.

Qin Shu's expression was one of confusion as well. Surely they weren't expected to fend for themselves, right? She was only ten years old!

Seeing her puzzlement, Wen Chi coughed lightly before answering seriously, "Ask someone else tomorrow morning. I don't know. But on my way down the mountain today, I saw a golden-hued pomegranate tree northwest of the cold pond, with ripe fruit. Go pick some and eat them for now."

With that, he waved his sleeve and sent Qin Shu off.

As Qin Shu flew off and landed precisely near the cold pond, she couldn't help but wonder if Wen Chi had done this on purpose! In the original story, it was said that he disliked everyone, and it seemed true.

Luckily, she only landed near the edge, or else she might have drowned again and had to go find the King of Hell for a chat!

She crawled out of the pond, the evening breeze brushing over her wet clothes, and Qin Shu shivered.

With a sigh, she thought, This is what it's like to suffer in this world. Even in a cultivation sect, I'm still hungry and cold. No one would believe it if I told them.

She wrung out her wet sleeves and hem, resigned to her fate, and headed towards the northwest.

If she didn't find this golden pomegranate tree, she would hold a grudge against Wen Chi!

Thankfully, after walking about two miles, she spotted the tree under the moonlight.

Feeling a surge of energy, she bounced toward the tree and reached for the fruit.

But her height wasn't enough to reach more than four of the fruits.

Frustrated from hunger, Qin Shu hugged the tree and shook it, hoping a couple of ripe fruits would fall.

Suddenly, something cold and slippery landed on her shoulder.

Qin Shu jumped in shock and immediately reached up to touch it. Her hand encountered something smooth and scaly. She reflexively leaped into the air.

"Ah—"

As she moved, the thing on her shoulder fell to the ground.

Gathering her courage, Qin Shu looked down to find a small black snake, no thicker than her thumb and about the length of her forearm.

The little black snake was in a sorry state, with patches of missing scales and traces of blood seeping out...

Qin Shu couldn't believe she had just picked up a snake.

She had yet to guide spiritual energy into her body, so she was still a mortal. This snake, at the very least, was a spiritual beast raised on the immortal mountain. If it bit her, she wasn't sure she'd survive for another eight years.

Sigh...

She sighed deeply. Damn this sympathy of mine.