Mu Zhiyao had wanted to refuse. She turned to look at her old father’s gratified expression and gave in. Fine, let the old man be happy. Besides, she had just sensed it: when the little box was brought out, the female lead seemed to have glanced at it more than once.
At that thought, Mu Zhiyao reached out a hand. “Dad, since the Sect Master doesn’t want the gift, give it to me.”
The Head of the Mu Family smacked her head. “How do you address him? Call him Master. This box is a family heirloom. It’s not going to you, don’t even think about it.”
Mu Zhiyao would not give in. While her old father wasn’t paying attention, she suddenly snatched the box and tossed it into her mustard-seed pouch. Their family treasure had been seen by so many people. She didn’t know what it was, but possessing a treasure is a crime in itself, so it was better to take it herself. At least, as one of the Four Great Sects, the Xuanming Sect wasn’t a place just anyone could barge into.
Before her old father could react, Mu Zhiyao quickly stood behind Tang Luochuan, putting on a docile, obedient look. Tang Luochuan found it secretly amusing, and somehow felt this little disciple would make the sect a bit more interesting.
With that thought, Tang Luochuan could no longer sit still. Now that he had taken a disciple, there was no reason he had to stay at the Disciple Selection Assembly. So he greeted the other Sect Masters and prepared to take Mu Zhiyao back.
Mu Qingrou, however, reached out and stopped Mu Zhiyao. “Little Junior Sister, our Master is a bit strict, but our Lingxiao Sect really is the first among the Four Great Sects. Our sect’s location is blessed by heaven, and our resources are plentiful. Are you sure you want to give up the Lingxiao Sect and go to…” Here Mu Qingrou paused for a few seconds, then continued, “How about I plead with Master on your behalf? Perhaps you’ll still have a chance to enter the sect.”
At that, Mu Qingrou couldn’t help but smile with a hint of smugness. After all, no one could refuse the temptation of Lingxiao Sect, the greatest of the great sects.
Though the words were grating, the Xuanming Sect Master Tang Luochuan still wore a smiling face, only turning his head to glance at Mu Zhiyao.
Mu Zhiyao, however, knew well that while Mu Qingrou spoke, she had clearly glanced more than once at her mustard-seed pouch. She was probably interested in her family treasure.
At that thought, Mu Zhiyao smiled sweetly. “I wouldn’t want to either, but with Lingxiao Sect being such a huge sect, it’s only natural they’d look down on a rookie like me. And since the Xuanming Sect is willing to open its arms and care for a disadvantaged child, then of course I’ll be moved to tears, weeping and wailing, and throw myself at the Xuanming Sect!”
Mu Zhiyao said this with a perfectly straight face, aside from the fact that she was not moved to tears or weeping at all.
Mu Qingrou was stunned. She hadn’t expected anyone to refuse her outstretched olive branch, that someone would really give up the Lingxiao Sect!
The other onlookers nodded. Even after being refused, she kept a good attitude. This eldest young lady of the Mu family was not the domineering tyrant the rumors made her out to be; instead she had a touch of the pride that befitted the Mu family, one of the noble families.
Meanwhile, Mu Zhiyao was cursing inwardly. “This female lead clearly wants to keep me close so she can get first pick, tricking me into the Lingxiao Sect so she can find a way to get my family treasure, then ignore me and cast me aside once I’ve served my purpose. As expected of the female lead, her ambition is no small thing.”
Mu Qingrou was also upset. She could sense that whatever was in that box would surely be greatly beneficial to her fire spiritual root. She had been watching as the Head of the Mu Family was about to trade it to her own Master for Mu Zhiyao’s chance to enter the sect, only for someone to cut in. Now the treasure had gone to the Xuanming Sect, and getting it in the future would be difficult.
Before Mu Qingrou could think of another plan, Mu Zhiyao circled around to Tang Luochuan’s side, suddenly plopped down on the ground, and hugged his leg. “Master, waaah, you can’t abandon your cute little disciple! I’m wholeheartedly devoted to the Xuanming Sect and to you alone! You have to take your little disciple back to the sect with you! Your little disciple can serve tea, fetch water, wash clothes, and cook, anything! Waaah!”
Tang Luochuan’s face darkened with exasperation, and he suddenly began to question his decision. Under everyone’s astonished or mocking gazes, he awkwardly climbed onto his spirit pet.
“Holy crap, a big bird!” Mu Zhiyao stopped hugging his leg and stroked Tang Luochuan’s spirit pet, nearly drooling.
Tang Luochuan couldn’t help but press a hand to his forehead. “It’s a spirit pet, the Nine Inkstone Blue Bird.”
No sooner had he spoken than the Nine Inkstone Blue Bird shot straight into the clouds, shrinking as it went.
Tang Luochuan’s figure quickly vanished.
“Wait, Master! You haven’t brought me along yet!” Mu Zhiyao stood in place, grimacing.
Then a map was tossed down right at her.
Tang Luochuan’s voice drifted over from the distance. “Read the map yourself and come report to the Xuanming Sect.”
Mu Zhiyao drooped her head, flipped through the map in her hands, then looked pitifully at her old father. Her old father was helpless, and quickly arranged for the family servants to prepare a carriage and send his disappointing daughter off to report to the sect.
Back at the Disciple Selection Assembly, Daoist Master Tianxu watched this scene and couldn’t help stepping forward a few paces.
“Qingrou.” Daoist Master Tianxu stroked his beard. “Why did you stop her? Mu Zhiyao’s spiritual root is too mixed; she has no talent for cultivation at all.”
“Master, your disciple merely saw Junior Sister Mu’s circumstances and felt moved. Thinking of how I once suffered so much cultivating in the mortal realm to be chosen into the Lower Immortal World, I felt pity.” Mu Qingrou’s eyes showed sorrow.
Daoist Master Tianxu waved a hand. “Enough, there’s no need for that. Now that your talent has shown itself, you will achieve great things. But Mu Zhiyao has no right to enter the Lingxiao Sect. There’s no need to call her Junior Sister.”
“Yes, Master.” Mu Qingrou nodded, hiding the disgust in her eyes for the past.
Mu Zhiyao sat in the carriage, swaying along toward the Xuanming Sect, while turning over in her mind the plot she still remembered. She had to find a way to survive in this unfamiliar world. Hadn’t the Mysterious Stranger said that her task was simply to survive in this world?
After about two days of travel, the carriage finally swayed to a stop at the foot of the Xuanming Sect’s mountain.
Mu Zhiyao looked up and saw an endless winding stone stairway leading up the mountain. Amid the swirling mist and clouds in the distance, she simply could not see the Xuanming Sect’s gate.
“Fine, fine, fine. Some mysterious sect, without even a front gate!” Mu Zhiyao could no longer laugh. She felt her road ahead was long and full of obstacles.
She remembered how the original novel described the Lingxiao Sect: nine hundred and ninety-nine stone steps leading straight to the Lingxiao Sect’s square, upright gate, with a plaque above it, its characters proper and solemn, at a glance showing the heritage of a great sect.
Now the Xuanming Sect didn’t even have a gate. Once she entered the sect, surely she wouldn’t have to use the sky as her blanket and the ground as her bed, without even a place to shelter from wind and rain!
But her first priority was to survive in this cultivation world. Mu Zhiyao silently encouraged herself: take it one step at a time, and if things really didn’t work out, she’d just give up and coast. After all, she had already died once; what did it matter if she died once more in a book!