By the campfire in the cave, a group of young people sat gathered together, seemingly discussing something.
Seeing everyone’s worried faces, Xia Ruxi helplessly rubbed her forehead. “You don’t need to look at me like that. Although I can’t use my cultivation techniques right now, based on my physical strength alone, none of you here are a match for me combined. If you don’t believe me, big guy, come out and test yourself against me.” Xia Ruxi crooked her finger at Yuan Zhang in the corner.
Yuan Zhang was stunned for a moment, signaling to his captain with a look. Pei Yuanxiu smiled faintly and nodded slightly. Without further hesitation, Yuan Zhang put down the bone he hadn’t finished gnawing on and stretched his muscles.
“Sister Ruxi, how do you want to compete with me? I’m not boasting, but in our team, I have the greatest strength.” Xia Ruxi thought for a moment. “Let’s skip actual fighting—friendship first. Let’s arm wrestle.”
Everyone cleared the items off the stone table, and Xia Ruxi and Yuan Zhang each half-crouched on opposite sides of the table, their hands already locked in an arm-wrestling posture.
Peng Liang acted as the referee and shouted the countdown: “I’ll count down from three, and then you can start exerting force! Three! Two! One!” As soon as Peng Liang’s voice fell, Yuan Zhang began to strain. With his other hand tightly gripping the edge of the stone table and a deep horse stance that maximized his leg power to the extreme, the veins on his neck began to bulge.
Turning to Xia Ruxi’s side, however, she was supporting her head with her other hand, and her lower-body posture looked no different from someone casually leaning against a table to drink.
After arm wrestling for a minute or two, the hands of Xia Ruxi and Yuan Zhang remained completely motionless. Seeing that Yuan Zhang had pretty much exhausted all his strength, Xia Ruxi applied just a little more force with her hand and effortlessly defeated him. This gave everyone a completely new understanding of Xia Ruxi’s strength.
Watching the scene unfold before him, Pei Yuanxiu felt much more at ease. With Xia Ruxi’s current strength, surviving in this apocalyptic world was more than enough.
The more he understood Xia Ruxi, the more curious Pei Yuanxiu became, wondering just how many things she had yet to reveal.
Unaware of what Pei Yuanxiu was thinking, Xia Ruxi wore a trace of pride on her small face after defeating Yuan Zhang. “By the way, Zhiyan, your cultivation aptitude in my world is considered top-tier—you have the Heavenly Water Spiritual Mansion. I haven’t asked you yet: are you willing to join my sect, become my disciple, and learn cultivation techniques?” Xia Ruxi asked Gao Zhiyan.
Gao Zhiyan clearly hadn’t expected Xia Ruxi to ask her this. A look of internal conflict crossed her glamorous face as she replied, “Personally, I’d definitely be willing, but who knows if the old man at home would let me go. Screw it, even if the old man objects, I’m going to follow Ruxi—this is just too cool!” Having made up her mind, Gao Zhiyan responded loudly.
Hearing Gao Zhiyan’s answer, Xia Ruxi nodded. “It doesn’t matter; even if someone in your family objects, I’ll use my strength to make them agree. That way, you’ll be the Second Senior Sister of my Qingyun Sect!” Xia Ruxi clenched her small fist. After the match just now, no one dared to underestimate Xia Ruxi’s little fist anymore!
“I’m number two, so who’s number one? Could someone have joined your sect before me, Ruxi?!” Gao Zhiyan asked, puzzled. “That would naturally be your captain, Pei Yuanxiu,” Xia Ruxi answered as if it were only natural.
Everyone turned to look at Pei Yuanxiu, and in unison, a thought echoed in the depths of their minds: Huh? What the heck? Pei Yuanxiu rubbed his nose awkwardly and said helplessly, “I didn’t agree to Ruxi, after all, since I already have a master.”
Hearing this, Gao Zhiyan waved her hand dismissively. “I’ll handle that old man at home—piece of cake. But the fact that you’ve beaten me in rank again is really annoying.”
Hearing what Gao Zhiyan said, those in the know burst into laughter, and even Xiao Zhongqing’s icy face couldn’t help but crack into a smile. Xia Ruxi didn’t quite understand why everyone was laughing so happily after Gao Zhiyan finished speaking.
Sensing Xia Ruxi’s confusion, Chen Yingying leaned close to Xia Ruxi’s ear and whispered, “Sister Ruxi, you definitely don’t know this, but Sister Zhiyan has always wanted to be the boss. But because she was born a month later than the captain, she’s always been called ‘little sister’ by him. And that old man of hers—who is also the captain’s master—always instructs the captain to take good care of his ‘little sister Zhiyan’ every time they go on a mission. Sister Zhiyan has held a grudge about this until now; unless it’s a very formal occasion, she never calls him ‘Captain’ and just addresses him directly by name.”
Hearing this, Xia Ruxi covered her mouth and chuckled, never expecting the two of them to have such history. After laughing for a moment, she cleared her throat and announced, “I’ve changed my mind. Since Pei Yuanxiu hasn’t joined my sect yet, Zhiyan will be the First Senior Sister of the Qingyun Sect!”
Upon hearing Xia Ruxi say this, Gao Zhiyan looked like she wanted to grab Xia Ruxi and give her a hug and a kiss. “Ruxi, I love you to death! I finally outrank Pei Yuanxiu in seniority! Hahahahaha, Pei Yuanxiu, call me Senior Sister and let me hear it!”
Hearing this, Pei Yuanxiu still shook his head helplessly. “Zhiyan, putting aside the fact that I haven’t joined the sect yet, even if I did, my birthday is still a month earlier than yours. You still have to call me older brother.”
Refusing to accept this, Gao Zhiyan prepared to argue further with Pei Yuanxiu. At that moment, Qian Muxi, who had been silent the whole time, shyly asked, “Sister Ruxi, do we have a chance to join your sect as well?”
Hearing this, Xia Ruxi’s eyes lit up as she thought, Disciples are rushing right to my door! With a joyful expression, she replied, “Of course you can! Tomorrow, I can awaken your spiritual mansions together and see if you have aptitude. Even if your aptitude isn’t great, as long as you have a spiritual mansion, you can join my sect.”
Hearing this, smiles blossomed on the faces of Qian Muxi and the others, and even Xiao Zhongqing felt a flicker of temptation. However, because he had just questioned Xia Ruxi like that, he figured she probably wouldn’t be kind enough to accept him.
A trace of frustration flashed across Xiao Zhongqing’s face, though it was quickly masked by his usual cold demeanor.
Xia Ruxi hadn’t noticed Xiao Zhongqing’s psychological activity, but Pei Yuanxiu—who was close friends with Xiao Zhongqing—sensed his emotional fluctuations and reached out to pat him on the shoulder.
“Zhongqing, Ruxi isn’t the kind of person to hold grudges. Besides, you only spoke a bit harshly out of concern for our team; she won’t take it to heart.” Hearing Pei Yuanxiu’s words, Xiao Zhongqing felt somewhat more at ease, nodded at Pei Yuanxiu, and said, “I understand.”
As everyone’s understanding of Xia Ruxi deepened, they grew even closer. Especially Gao Zhiyan and Chen Yingying—the friendship between girls always starts unexpectedly, yet makes complete sense.
Even across the different cultures of two worlds, the girls established a solid friendship simply through gossiping. “Sister Ruxi, how many hundreds of years old are you? Did you have a boyfriend before…”
Before long, the guys had nothing much to say, especially Pei Yuanxiu and Xiao Zhongqing, who were already men of few words—one only spoke of essentials, while the other only spoke in brief fragments.
Meanwhile, the three girls grew more and more enthusiastic, looking ready to talk the entire night away. It was only Xia Ruxi’s steadfast dedication to the Dao that finally jolted her back to her senses; otherwise, they genuinely could have chatted all night.
Striding toward the cave entrance and preparing to cross her legs and begin cultivating, Xia Ruxi couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: As expected, I’m loved by everyone and adored by all! This world, here I come! Get ready to tremble, heavenly treasures!