As the driver thought about the rumors of the immortal sect in Xiushui Village, he wondered if the strange token in his hand might have been crafted by that very sect. He recalled a time when the steward's son had boasted to the servants that their master had once been upset about missing the chance to purchase land in Xiushui Village while away on a business trip. Upon his return, even the surrounding areas had been completely bought up.
Frustrated, the master had taken out his anger on the lady of the house, blaming her for not having the foresight to buy land there while he was away. He had scolded her for spending all her time on powder, perfumes, and social gatherings, instead of helping him with matters of importance.
Lost in these thoughts about the chaotic affairs of his household, the driver sat quietly under the shade of a tree.
Meanwhile, Niu Xiaoxue was walking briskly ahead, ignoring her father, Niu Dafu, who was calling out to her. The bustling activity of Xiushui Village continued as people came and went, paying no attention to the father and daughter.
Now, several locations in the village had become must-visit spots for travelers, such as Lingxian Shizuo by the drying field, Lingxian Academy by the mountain stream, and the Wenxin Path at the foot of the northern mountain. These places were always teeming with people. Additionally, several areas in the village were now construction sites, where workers were busy building new facilities.
These were the business sites that Lin Xiao and Village Chief Du had selected. Although Lin Xiao could have used his own materials to build everything, he chose instead to hire local workers and pay fair wages. He believed it was important to stimulate the local economy and promote normal business practices. Plus, this would contribute to the long-term development of the village.
Niu Xiaoxue, however, had no interest in the changes taking place in the village. Her mind was solely focused on joining Lingxian Sect. After asking a passerby for directions, she headed straight for the northern mountain's foot.
When she arrived at the foot of the mountain, her attention was immediately drawn to the flourishing peach blossom trees lining the path. As she approached, she noticed a prominent sign by the path that read, "Do not enter without permission. Proceed at your own risk."
The sign looked new, as if it had just been put up recently.
Niu Xiaoxue, who had spent a year studying both cultivation and literacy to reach the first level of the Qi Refining stage, easily understood the words on the sign. After a moment of thought, she decided not to enter the Wenxin Path recklessly. Instead, she stood at the foot of the mountain and respectfully called out, "I am Niu Xiaoxue, and I wish to join Lingxian Sect!"
Her voice wasn't particularly loud, but Niu Xiaoxue believed the immortals on the mountain would hear her.
She expected someone to descend and investigate, but to her surprise, nothing happened. The mountain remained quiet, with no signs of anyone responding.
Just then, Niu Dafu finally caught up to her, panting heavily. Seeing his daughter standing at the base of the mountain, he walked over, about to say something, when suddenly an elderly figure appeared at the entrance to the mountain path.
It was none other than Li Zhanying, who had been staying in Xiushui Village for a short while.
Waking up and finding himself at the entrance to the path, Li Zhanying was momentarily dazed as he recalled the vivid dream he had just experienced. It took him a moment to shake off the lingering effects of the dream and fully return to reality.
Noticing Niu Xiaoxue standing nearby, he smiled kindly and said, "Young lady, you must be here to join the sect. However, Lingxian Sect is not accepting disciples at this time."
Seeing him descend from the mountain and speak so casually about Lingxian Sect, Niu Xiaoxue immediately felt that this elderly man was no ordinary person. His calm demeanor gave her the impression that he must be an immortal.
Assuming he was a senior from Lingxian Sect, she quickly bowed and said respectfully, "Junior Niu Xiaoxue greets the senior. I sincerely wish to join Lingxian Sect. I have a rare and valuable spirit root. I hope the senior might make an exception."
Li Zhanying chuckled and shook his head. His divine sense briefly swept over her before he seemed to remember something. He smiled and said, "I am not from Lingxian Sect, so I cannot make any exceptions for you. However, I sense a connection between us. Would you like to cultivate under me instead?"
He deliberately didn't reveal his name, speaking vaguely to see how Niu Xiaoxue would react.
Li Zhanying had left the capital and traveled to Xiushui Village in search of enlightenment. Over the past few days, he had sensed some growth, but it wasn't enough to help him break through his current bottleneck. While wandering the village, he overheard travelers talking about the Wenxin Path, a place known for testing one's heart and soul.
With nothing better to do, he decided to give it a try, curious to see if it would help his cultivation. To his surprise, despite being a Nascent Soul cultivator, he failed the test of the Wenxin Path. Even with his formidable cultivation level, he hadn't realized that he was in a dream until he was ejected from the path.
Though he had failed, the dream left him with a profound sense of insight. Returning to the village, he found himself reflecting deeply on the experience, and as a result, he had been returning to the path multiple times.
Today marked his fourth attempt.
With each visit, he felt the obstacles within the dream become less severe as he adjusted his mindset. He was confident that if he continued to refine his understanding, he would eventually pass the test.
However, passing the Wenxin Path was not his main goal. The most important discovery for him was that each time he processed and internalized the lessons from the dream, his mental state would improve. This, in turn, caused his long-stagnant cultivation to show signs of progress.
Though he wasn't certain that passing the Wenxin Path would guarantee a breakthrough, it had given him an unexpected path toward advancement.
When he saw Niu Xiaoxue outside the path this time, something stirred within him. He felt a strange sense of connection with her.
Having cultivated for so many years, Li Zhanying had come to trust in the existence of fate and divine will. That was why, when he sensed this connection, the words slipped out naturally.
Niu Xiaoxue was taken aback by his offer. She hadn't expected that she had guessed wrong and that this senior wasn't from Lingxian Sect. But from the way he spoke…