Third Senior Brother Su Ning poked my face: “Little Junior Sister, wake up, we’re here.”
I rubbed my eyes and climbed down from Eldest Senior Brother’s arms.
And then, I laid eyes on the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Yes, three giant characters were carved into the cliff face:
HEAVENLY · SWORD · SECT
The calligraphy was vigorous, powerful, and domineering—at a glance, clearly carved into the stone with sword energy by some big-shot Sword Immortal.
However, my dad once said that carving words like this took the most effort, and usually only cultivators with nothing better to do after stuffing themselves would do such a thing.
The problem, though, was~~
Aside from those three words, there was nothing else around.
No palaces, no pavilions, no towers, no courtyards.
Only surrounding mountains wrapped in swirling mist, and a series of pitch-black cave openings dotting the cliff face.
Those cave entrances were of varying sizes and arranged in total disorder, looking as though they had been pecked out by a giant woodpecker.
Or rather, as if a group of bored sword cultivators with time on their hands had just jabbed at the cliff randomly with their swords.
I tilted my head up to look at those cave holes and fell silent.
Although the Demon Realm was a bit poor, the architecture in our royal capital was actually quite nice; after all, the capital had a ten-thousand-year foundation behind it.
My dad’s Demon Palace… although the walls leaked wind, the ceiling leaked rain, the doors wouldn’t close tightly, and one of the stone lions had run off…
It was still a proper, legitimate palace—with walls, a roof, doors, and stone lions at the entrance.
Whereas here…
I spoke with difficulty: “Where do you… usually live?”
Shen Qingchen pointed at those cave holes: “Everyone has their own cave abode. Yours hasn’t been dug yet; senior brothers will help you dig one in a bit.”
Third Senior Brother Su Ning leaned in enthusiastically: “Does Little Junior Sister prefer facing south or north? Do you want one with a balcony?”
Me: “…A cave abode can have a balcony?”
Fourth Senior Brother Yan Chuan joined in as well: “Of course it can! Mine has a little platform where I can practice sword techniques in the morning and gaze at the stars at night. It’s just that rainwater collects there when it rains, so you have to scoop it out yourself.”
Me: “…”
Fine then.
I continued asking: “What about meals? Where do we eat?”
Fifth Senior Brother Murong Zhuo took it as a matter of course: “Al fresco!”
He opened his arms wide with an intoxicated expression: “When the weather is nice, we eat at the mountain peak—watching the sea of clouds and admiring the bright moon, how artistic! When it rains, we eat inside the caves—listening to the sound of rain and comprehending the Sword Dao, how romantic!”
Me: “…What about bathing?”
Sixth Senior Brother Gu Chenguang scratched his head: “There’s a spiritual spring on the back mountain, feel free to wash up there. It gets a bit cold in winter though, so you need true qi to protect your body. Since Little Junior Sister doesn’t have cultivation yet, your senior brothers will help you heat water in the winter.”
Me: “…And the toilet?”
Su Ning: “We are all cultivators—a single Dust-Cleansing Spell solves everything.”
Me: “But I don’t know the Dust-Cleansing Spell.”
Su Ning: “…Then just find a spot on the back mountain to relieve yourself. Remember to dig a hole and bury it, otherwise it’ll attract flies.”
Me: “…”
I stayed silent for ten whole seconds.
Then I remembered the main business: “By the way, what about the Sect Leader? Should I go pay my respects?”
Shen Qingchen’s tone was calm: “The Sect Leader is traveling abroad.”
Me: “When is he coming back?”
Shen Qingchen: “He left fifty years ago and said he’d return after a hundred years.”
Me: “…So there are fifty years left?”
Shen Qingchen nodded.
Me: “…”
Great. When I’m fifty-three, I’ll finally get to meet the Sect Leader.
I kept asking: “What about the Elders?”
Shen Qingchen: “The Elders are all working odd jobs outside.”
I was puzzled: “Odd jobs?”
Su Ning explained: “The First Elder works as a breeder at the neighboring Beast-Taming Sect—in charge of feeding, scooping poop, and grooming. Room and board are included, plus he gets to pet spiritual beasts for free and sneak back a few spirit beast eggs.”
Yan Chuan added: “The Second Elder works as a stoker in the Alchemy Hall of the Qingyun Sect, responsible for firing up the furnace it is said he secretly learned quite a few alchemy skills. When he finishes learning and comes back, we’ll have our very own alchemy room.”
Me: “Oh, so is there an alchemy furnace right now?”
Yan Chuan: “No.”
Me: “What about herbs?”
Yan Chuan: “Don’t have those either.”
Me: “…Then once we have the alchemy room, what are we going to put inside?”
Yan Chuan froze, looking a bit embarrassed—he clearly hadn’t considered this question before.
Murong Zhuo broke the awkward silence: “Well~ there’s also the Third Elder, who works as a sweeping monk at the Zen Sect. It is said they even distribute monks’ robes. The robes he’s saved up are enough for us to wear for ten years.”
I looked down at the patched clothes on myself.
Then I raised my head to look at my senior brothers’ similarly patched clothes.
Suddenly, I felt that the Third Elder was the true Savior of this sect.
Me: “Alright, then what about the Fourth Elder?”
Gu Chenguang chimed in: “The Fourth Elder… there is no Fourth Elder. The sect did set up four Elder positions, but only managed to recruit three. The fourth spot has remained vacant all this time.”
Me: “Then why not cancel it?”
Su Ning: “Because the Sect Leader said leaving the spot empty makes our sect look like it has room for growth.”
Yan Chuan: “Makes us look like we have a promising future.”
Murong Zhuo: “Makes us look low-key and reserved.”
Gu Chenguang: “Makes us look… so poor that all we have left is grand vision.”
I understood.
It was taking “unable to recruit anyone” and packaging it as “strategic margin.”
Su Ning added: “But there’s also Second Senior Brother.”
Yan Chuan: “Second Senior Brother is named Fu Shao, 108 years old, Late-stage Golden Core. He’s outside searching for spirit stone mines and hasn’t returned for three years. He said he’ll come back to build up the sect once he finds one.”
I was surprised: “Hasn’t returned for three years? Aren’t you worried?”
Murong Zhuo: “We are! So every month we send him a message asking, ‘Have you found a mine yet?’ And every time he replies, ‘Soon, soon!'”
Gu Chenguang: “Last month, we sent him a message asking if he needed us to mail some dry rations. He replied, ‘No need, I’m eating dirt—keeps me totally full.'”
Me: “…”
Fine then.
I counted on my fingers: “So, the Heavenly Sword Sect has a total of 7 disciples, 3 Elders, and 1 Sect Leader. 11 people?”
Eldest Senior Brother nodded: “As far as core members go, yes.”
I tilted my head: “Could there be outer disciples?”
Eldest Senior Brother shook his head: “No.”
I pressed further: “Is it because you can’t afford to raise them?”
Eldest Senior Brother nodded.
I realized: “Got it.”
So it wasn’t that they didn’t want to recruit, but that they couldn’t afford to.
Just like how my dad couldn’t afford to raise me.
Since I had joined the sect, I needed to get familiar with the environment.
Several senior brothers began taking me on a tour of the sect.
In truth, it was just walking in a few circles around the mountain.
Shen Qingchen pointed at the highest mountain: “This is the Main Peak. The Sect Leader’s cave abode is at the top of the mountain.”
I looked up. The mountain peak was surrounded by swirling mist, and a cave entrance was vaguely visible.
Outside the cave entrance… there seemed to be a bird’s nest.
A very large bird’s nest.
Me: “Outside the Sect Leader’s cave abode… is that a bird’s nest?”
Su Ning: “Yes. The Sect Leader hasn’t come back for fifty years, so the cave abode was occupied by a flock of spiritual birds.”
Me: “Why not chase the birds away?”
Yan Chuan: “Since the Sect Leader isn’t back, leaving it empty is just leaving it empty. Letting the spiritual birds stay means we can gather a few eggs.”
Murong Zhuo: “Those spiritual bird eggs can be sold for 100 low-grade spirit stones each! Going to pick them once a month nets us quite a few spirit stones!”
Gu Chenguang: “The Sect Leader said sect resources must be utilized reasonably. The birds took over his cave abode and compensate us by laying eggs—completely fair and reasonable.”
Me: “Makes sense.”
Makes way too much sense.
If my dad knew how to live like this, the Demon Realm wouldn’t be poor to this extent.
…………………………
After touring the sect (though there really wasn’t much to tour), my senior brothers began explaining information about the major sects in the cultivation world to me.
Shen Qingchen: “There are five major sects in the cultivation world; you must remember them.”
I nodded: “Which five?”
Shen Qingchen: “First, the Heavenly Sword Sect! In terms of strength, number one in the cultivation world!”
He paused, then added: “Though in terms of wealth, we’re also number one—from the bottom.”
I nodded: “Mm, I can tell.”
Su Ning: “Second is the Qingyun Sect, skilled in artifact crafting, alchemy, talisman drawing, and array formation. Their strength is formidable, and they rank first in wealth.”
I said enviously: “Mm, really amazing.”
Yan Chuan: “Third is the Beast-Taming Sect. They are adept at contracting spirit beasts and demon beasts, and breeding spiritual pets. Spirit pets are very expensive and also very good at fighting, so both their strength and wealth rank third.”
It suddenly clicked for me: “Mm, got it.”
Murong Zhuo: “Fourth is the Zen Sect—buddhist cultivators of the Pure Land, cultivating the Zen mind. Their wealth is unknown, but they’re definitely very rich anyway. Word has it they only grant salvation to those with ‘yuan’.”
I froze for a second: “The ‘yuan’ as in ingot (yuanbao)?”
Murong Zhuo nodded: “Right! Buddha saves all living beings, but living beings have to pay the incense money first.”
Me: “…Understood.”
Gu Chenguang: “Fifth is the Hehuan (Acacia) Sect, focusing primarily on dual cultivation. Their wealth… is also unclear, but they’re definitely not poor.”
Shen Qingchen summarized: “Just remember these five major sects for now. You can learn about the other medium-sized sects gradually later on.”
Me: “Okay, remembered.”
Simple and clear.
After introducing the five major sects, they began digging a cave for me.
Carrying me as they flew to the mountainside, they found a south-facing spot.
“The scenery here is great,” Su Ning said, “You can watch the sunrise.”
“The terrain is flat too,” Yan Chuan said, “Rainwater won’t pool too badly.”
“There’s a tree right next to it,” Murong Zhuo said, “It can provide shade in the summer.”
“It’s close to the spiritual spring as well,” Gu Chenguang said, “Convenient for bathing.”
Shen Qingchen nodded: “This spot it is.”
Then, they began digging the cave.
Only then did I realize why Sword Cultivators were called number one in strength.
Each of them holding a sword, they went “swish, swish” against the cliff face with a few flashes of sword light.
Stone chips scattered and dust flew everywhere.
In less than half an incense stick’s time, a cave abode was completely dug out.
The cave entrance faced south, complete with a small platform—which was the balcony.
Inside, the cave was about ten square meters, perfectly square and neat, with walls so smooth they could reflect a person’s shadow.
Su Ning even carved a few small niches on the wall: “You can place things here, or put a potted flower here. Although we don’t have flowers right now, we can reserve the space first.”
Yan Chuan carved a drainage groove on the entrance platform: “This way, rainwater can flow out on rainy days and won’t gather on the platform.”
Murong Zhuo moved a stone bed over from his own cave: “I used this before, you can use it for now. Later on, I’ll get you a wooden bed.”
Gu Chenguang brought over a set of bedding: “Freshly made. The cotton was wild cotton picked from the back mountain—it might be a bit stiff, but it keeps you warm.”
Standing at the cave entrance, Shen Qingchen pointed with his finger, carving a trace of sword energy above the entrance.
The three words 【Fu Pin’s Abode】 were carved in neat, orderly characters.
I looked at the cave abode, then at my senior brothers, my eyes feeling a little warm and moist.
Although this home was very poor, and although we lived in mountain caves…
My senior brothers dug a cave for me, moved a bed for me, and carved nameplate letters for me.
This was the very first time someone treated me so well after I left the Demon Realm.
I sniffled: “Thank you, senior brothers.”
Su Ning rubbed my head: “What’s there to thank us for? From now on, we’re family.”