Lin Luming walked toward the dormitories following the map in the booklet.
She and Hua Tian were assigned to the same room. As soon as they entered, while Hua Tian was still scanning the surroundings with a curious and critical gaze, Lin Luming had already quickly walked over to her own bed and put down her bundle.
She cast a Cleansing Technique to sweep away the dust, then began to make her bed and organize her wardrobe, her movements so swift that Hua Tian found it hard to believe.
After all, she felt that no matter what, they were daughters of official families; how could Lin Luming perform tasks usually meant for servants so smoothly?
Detecting Hua Tian’s odd expression out of the corner of her eye, Lin Luming spoke softly, “Although we had maids at the manor in the past, I understand the principle of relying on oneself when away from home. Besides, these cannot even be considered difficult tasks.”
By the time she finished speaking, Lin Luming had already made her bed. Looking at Hua Tian, who remained motionless, she frowned and asked, “Do you not know how?”
Hua Tian blushed and turned her head away. “Aren’t these tasks for servants? It wouldn’t be strange if I didn’t know how, right?”
“If you don’t know, then learn.” With that, Lin Luming messed up her own bed. “Watch me, and do it once.”
Stunned by Lin Luming’s efficient movements, Hua Tian was speechless for a moment. But on second thought, there would indeed be no maids to serve them once they entered a sect. If she continued to be squeamish, her life would only become harder. Having no choice, she could only brace herself and learn to organize.
Seeing that Hua Tian was getting the hang of it, Lin Luming collapsed directly onto her bed. “I’m going to sleep for a bit. Call me when it’s time to eat.”
“Alright,” Hua Tian replied readily, exhausted herself.
Little did they know that not long after sitting down, drowsiness would rush over them like a tidal wave. The two of them actually slept right until the sun sank below the western hills.
In the end, they woke up from hunger.
“Hua Tian, did you fall asleep too?”
Hua Tian rubbed her eyes groatingly. “Riding in a carriage for ten days is exhausting.”
“True.” Lin Luming stretched. “Let’s go. We’ll head to the cafeteria to see if there’s any food.”
“It’s so late, is the cafeteria still open?” Hua Tian asked with some worry.
“The booklet states that dinner is served until the end of the Xu hour. We should make it if we go now, but any later and it might not be certain.” As Lin Luming spoke, she was already getting out of bed.
Hearing this, Hua Tian snapped awake, quickly jumping down to put on her shoes.
Leaving the dormitory, the sky had already turned completely dark. A cool mountain night breeze blew past. To save time, Lin Luming chose a small path shown on the map to take a shortcut.
There were no lamps lit on either side of the small path, and the surroundings were pitch black. Hua Tian was terrified, virtually pressing herself against Lin Luming’s side and clutching her arm tightly.
Helpless, Lin Luming had to hold the oil lamp in one hand while being forced to pull Hua Tian along with the other. The weak, flickering lamplight cast their elongated shadows.
“Luming…” Hua Tian’s voice trembled. “It’s so dark here, do you think there are ghosts?”
Lin Luming was somewhat speechless. “If demons and ghosts appeared in a place of immortal cultivation, wouldn’t that ruin the reputation of the Dongling Spirit Hub?”
“Really? But did you hear a sound?” Hua Tian swallowed. “It sounds like a female ghost screaming.”
Hearing this, Lin Luming also stopped in her tracks. There indeed seemed to be the sound of a woman screaming miserably coming from an alley not far ahead, mingled with bursts of laughter.
Yet that very alley happened to be the only path leading to the cafeteria.
“Luming, how about we go back?”
Lin Luming pulled out the booklet and pointed to the map inside. “If we cross the alley ahead and walk a few more steps, we’ll reach the cafeteria. Don’t worry, it’s impossible for this place to be haunted.”
With that, Lin Luming continued walking forward.
Both the sect entry assessment and the inner sect assessment were held this month, so everyone in this area right now was either an examiner or a candidate.
If it were an examiner, there was absolutely nothing to worry about. If it were a candidate, making such a miserable scream might mean they encountered some difficulty, and combined with the bursts of laughter, it was highly probable that some small group was ganging up to bully someone.
In any case, she did not feel there would be any danger.
At worst, they would just fight it out.
Hua Tian wanted to slip away, but compared to walking back alone, she was more willing to continue forward with Lin Luming.
As the two drew closer step by step, the miserable screams became clearer. The faint glow of the oil lamp illuminated the space ahead, and Lin Luming’s gaze gradually turned cold.
In the center of the alley, a group of female disciples wearing sect uniforms had another young girl completely surrounded.
Someone grabbed the back of the girl’s head, violently pulling her hair and forcing her head backward. Another person raised her hand, slapping her face hard over and over again; the crisp sound of slaps was exceptionally piercing in the quiet night.
The surrounded girl’s face was deathly pale, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, and her struggles were extremely weak. Her cries for help were almost completely suppressed, only allowing intermittent whimpers to escape her throat.
Hua Tian was stupefied, her face turning pale instantly as she instinctively retreated several steps.
She wanted to pull Lin Luming away to flee, only to find Lin Luming staring blankly at the scene before them, appearing completely unafraid.
Although she knew Lin Luming was strong, the group of people opposite them wore the uniforms of sect disciples. Even if they were just outer disciples, they were far stronger than newly arrived candidates like themselves.
Logically speaking, at a time like this, one should turn around and leave, even if it meant swallowing one’s pride. Yet Lin Luming stood as if nailed to the ground, refusing to retreat a single step.
Soon, the group of female disciples also noticed their presence. Their movements stopped abruptly, leaving only the low whimpering of the beaten, trembling girl echoing in the alley.
They turned around and sized the two of them up.
The woman who had been hitting the girl withdrew her hand, crossed her arms, and looked at them. “Judging by your attire, you must be candidates here for the assessment, right?”
Lin Luming nodded. “Correct. But judging by your attire, you must be an outer disciple of some sect, right?”
“That’s right. For now, I am still an outer disciple, but in a few days, I will be promoted to the inner sect. As for you two—”
The woman took a few steps forward and opened her palm. “Since you’ve seen this, obediently hand over your dormitory tokens.”
Hua Tian’s face turned white instantly, and she reflexively shielded the jade token at her waist. “This jade token represents our eligibility for the assessment! If we hand it over, wouldn’t that be the same as forfeiting the exam?”
The woman sneened, her eyes full of contempt. “It seems you understand perfectly. That’s right, I want you to forfeit. Who told you to see what you shouldn’t have seen? If you know what’s good for you, get out of the Dongling Spirit Hub on your own, lest you humiliate yourselves.”
The air suddenly tightened, the atmosphere pressing down so heavily it was almost suffocating.
Lin Luming raised her eyes, her gaze carrying a hint of coldness. “And if we refuse?”
The woman froze, her heart suddenly seizing. Just from a single moment of eye contact, she actually had the illusion of being completely suppressed, as if the person standing opposite her wasn’t a little girl who had just entered the assessment, but a fierce beast hiding its claws.
Truly laughable, that she could be intimidated by the aura of this little brat in front of her. But soon, she figured out the reason.
She raised her chin. “It seems you hold red recommendation letters? From which kingdom?”