Xiyu Mountains (1)

Zheng Wan glanced at the pattern on the pillars of the Peak Master’s residence and was just thinking to herself that the pattern was not very accurate when she was welcomed in by her Eldest Senior Brother who was waiting at the door.

“Eldest Senior Brother.”

Qing Shuang looked her over and was startled. She was emanating a glow of vital energy, and there was a hint of a breakthrough. Thinking back, it hasn’t been more than three months since his Little Junior Sister had advanced to the Centring stage.

“Little Junior Sister… are you about to have a breakthrough?” As expected of one with an innate Dao core—her rate of cultivation was simply ferocious.

With twenty-seven orifices filled, it meant that she had entered the middle stage of the Centring stage. At this rate, she should be able to advance after her next appointed date with Cui Wang.

Zheng Wan said smilingly, “Eldest Senior Brother is really perceptive.”

“Heh.” Qing Shuang scratched the back of her head, blushing at her smile.

Going around a long corridor and walking along the luxuriant flowers and trees, she could hear soft and feminine voices coming from a distance. Zheng Wan pricked up her ears to listen, but arrived at the destination before making head or tail out of it.

The door opened from the inside with a creak.

A female cultivator in emerald clothes stood at the door. Her cultivation level was around the Accomplisher stage.

“This must be Little Junior Sister, right?”

She had an oval face, and her gleaming almond-shaped eyes were curved into crescents, giving others a good impression at first glance.

Zheng Wan nodded as she heard Senior Brother Qing Shuang’s introductions. “This is your Second Senior Sister, Lu Yi.”

“Second Senior Sister.” Zhen Wan bowed her head and greeted Lu Yi “shyly”.

“Come in.” Lu Yi stepped aside and smiled gently. “Don’t let Master wait.”

Zheng Wan stepped through the door and saw her charming and dashing teacher sitting propped up on his elbows and looking bored as can be, feeding fruit to her carefree Third Senior Sister who was on his left.

As soon as her Third Senior Sister’s bulging cheeks went down, he would put another in.

A pretty, young woman was sitting on her teacher’s right, deshelling melon seeds with one hand. Her small hand was exceptionally dexterous, and when she pressed a melon seed along its seam, the seed would fall out whole easily.

When Zheng Wan entered, the young woman wasn’t bothered in the least, continuing to gnaw on melon seeds with her legs crossed and her little foot up in the air. There was already a careless pile of melon seed shells on the table.

“This is your Fourth Senior Sister, Hong Nao,” introduced her Second Senior Sister.

“Fourth Senior Sister,” greeted Zheng Wan. This Fourth Senior Sister was also in the Accomplisher stage. However, Zheng Wan could vaguely feel that Fourth Senior Sister’s aura was a little lighter than that of Second Senior Sister’s.

Hong Nao turned her head lazily, revealing her apple-red face. Her round eyes were like two black grapes, and when these black grapes gave Zheng Wan the once over, they immediately became unhappy.
She turned her head angrily and spat out, “Hello, Little Junior Sister.”

Zheng Wan had always known that she was not popular among females, so she has long been used to this sort of attitude her Fourth Senior Sister was giving her. On the contrary, her Second Senior Sister smiled apologetically at her. “Little Junior Sister, don’t be angry. Hong Nao just has a child’s temper. She will be fine in a while.”

…Well, I have a child’s temper too, thought Zheng Wan disapprovingly as she wrinkled her nose. Ignoring her Fourth Senior Sister, she walked to the seat in the centre and greeted her teacher ceremoniously. “Master, why have you called for me?”

“Well, your two senior sisters have just returned from their travels, so I wanted you to come and meet them.” Zi Xiu Daojun stuffed the last fruit into his third disciple’s mouth and clapped. “Our part of the sect is finally complete today.”

Zheng Wan listened to her teacher’s sentimental prattling and looked up to see that her Fourth Senior Sister was still glaring at her. So, she glared back hard too.

“…… Recently, there have been some disturbances in the Xiyu Mountain Range. The various sects and factions have sent their elite disciples to suppress the disturbances a while back. Originally, low-level disciples wouldn’t be involved, but some low-rank monsters keep appearing around the area to harass the commoners recently. It’s the perfect chance for you lower-levelled disciples to have some practice…”

“Master, are you telling us to go deal with those monsters?”

Zi Xiu Daojun nodded. “Yuqing Sect is not strong in combat, so it’s just a matter of helping to beat the drums and clean the battlefield… I wasn’t sure about letting your Little Junior Sister go, but now that you all are back, take your Little Junior Sister with you to get some experience.”