Chapter 3: The Unknown Path Ahead
"The world today is divided into the Five Continents and Four Poles, with the top cultivation forces comprising six families and twelve sects.
"The Five Continents are the Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, and Central Continents, separated by vast seas, impossible to cross without profound cultivation.
The Four Poles are unique natural phenona in each of the four outer continents, unchanging since antiquity.
For instance, the Eastern Continent’s Cloud Summit in the Eastern Pole is imasurably tall.
From ancient tis to now, no one has seen its peak or crossed to see what lies beyond.
"The Northern Continent’s Endless Snowfield, the Western Continent’s Returning Forest, and the Southern Continent’s Boundless Sands are the sa—limitless, insurmountable, known as the world’s extres…"
Clad in an immortal aura, untouched by mortal dust, Yun Qingping leaned against a tree branch, idly flipping through a book while casually educating , soaking in a wooden tub of dicinal liquid, about the basics of the cultivation world.
One billion, three hundred ninety million top-grade spirit stones—I couldn’t possibly produce that.
Yet, I still chose the Unnad Book.
Not out of so unshakable resolve or pursuit of the Dao, but because Yun Qingping allowed to owe the debt.
Whenever she thought about it, Yun Qingping found it surreal.
She wasn’t so naive fool who gave away her fortune every outing, nor a bleeding heart helping every stray cat or dog.
Yet, she was willing to spend so much on , nearly bankrupting herself.
Was it a bet that I’d master the Unnad Book and, with peerless cultivation soday, repay her?
Impossible… the odds were too low.
A guaranteed loss.
Yet, strangely, she had no regrets.
Why?
Destiny.
An odd feeling.
Thinking it over, I, an ordinary person, got dragged into her and Bo Qiuyun’s ss, yet erged unscathed.
I even received Bo Qiuyun’s gifts, obtaining the Unnad Book—perfectly suited to —and joined her mysterious organization through this chance encounter.
Not only that, she found likable, thinking it was fate to guide a bit to keep from dying too quickly.
Then, by chance, she discovered my bone structure, sparking her pity for my talent…
Yun Qingping lowered her head, recalling how, when she thought “what if” and checked her mustard seed storage, she found she had all the materials and pills needed for the Unnad Book, with substitutes for anything missing—an uncanny mood.
Was soone orchestrating this, guiding events to this point?
But her cultivation was among the world’s elite, likely top fifteen even counting hidden masters.
Her organization had a top-three celestial expert shielding her from fate’s calculations.
No one could predict her so precisely.
After much thought, only “destiny” could explain it.
Heaven didn’t want buried, so Bo Qiuyun found , gave the Unnad Book.
Then she found , helping practice its “Enlightennt” chapter… Truly incredible.
Yun Qingping closed her book, noticing I’d fainted in the dicinal tub.
My body was unbelievably weak.
Even for the Unnad Book I'd need to strengthen my physique and temper my will first.
A fallen phoenix, regaining its wings through others…
Let’s see how far you can fly.
She snapped her fingers.
An invisible force lifted from the liquid, dressed in plain clothes, and I floated beside her.
In a blink, we vanished from the deep mountain forest.
…
“What? I’m not traveling with you, Immortal Lady?”
I was so shocked I nearly dropped the chicken leg in my hand.
It was now the fourth day since eting Yun Qingping.
For the past three days, she’d honored my debt request, personally preparing dicinal baths to temper my body.
I’d thought she might take as a disciple—why else would she be so dedicated?
But today, she said we’d part ways?
Who’d supply the rest of my baths, pills, and heavenly treasures?
Yun Qingping, wearing a veiled conical hat that hid her face but not her ethereal aura, drew countless gazes in the inn.
She said calmly:
Not now.
Your ‘Enlightennt’ isn’t complete.
I can’t leave yet.
We’ll travel together a few more days, heading north.
“Good,” I sighed in relief, then shalessly added, "Of course, I’m not greedy for your treasures.
I was just worried you’d leave so soon for urgent business. I was concerned for you.”
Yun Qingping knew I was spouting nonsense but didn’t seem to mind.
“Worry about yourself first. The Unnad Book Body-and-soul reconstruction isn’t easy. Even if you pass, you might not look like this anymore.”
“…How so?”
Reconstruction relies on dicinal power and your true spirit.
But dicine lacks consciousness, and a true spirit without body or soul is muddled.
Your ridians lead the process, Yun Qingping said with a faint smile.
“Your ridians lean yin, tied to water and wood. After reconstruction, you might look androgynous or fully female. In extre cases, you could beco a ghost.”
I thought for a mont:
“Oh.”
Seeing my lack of reaction, Yun Qingping was surprised:
“You’re not scared at all?”
“Being scared won’t help,” I said, devouring the chicken leg, licking every bit clean.
“It sounds scary, but it’s all fine. Androgynous? That just ans I’ll be good-looking—ugliness doesn’t care about gender. Becoming a ghost? I’ve only heard of ghosts harming people, not people harming ghosts. If I’m a ghost, I won’t go hungry. As for becoming a woman…”
I paused, then grinned:
“Immortal Lady, to be honest, if I were a woman, I’d have sold myself to a brothel long ago. I hear rich folks have weird tastes, liking scrawny types. There’s so famous courtesan in the capital, loved by nobles… Sure, being a prostitute is low, but my life’s already lousy. There’s that saying, right? Laugh at poverty, not prostitution…”
“Xun Qiu.” Yun Qingping cut off, her voice devoid of emotion.
I shrank back, giving an awkward smile:
“I’ll stop… I know it’s not right to think like that, but, well… I’ll change.”
Yun Qingping stared at , sighing deeply.
She understood my aning—any outco, even death and returning to the earth, was better than my past life.
But while the logic held, my views were.
There was no helping it.
Orphaned at six, growing up alone, expecting to have normal values was impossible.
Yun Qingping’s gaze dimd slightly.
Her original plan—letting roam the world alone after “Enlightennt” to temper my heart—shifted quietly.
No, soone needs to teach him.
Her thoughts turned, and she found an answer.
“Xun Qiu.”
“Hm? What’s up, Immortal Lady?”
I looked over.
“I can’t fully grasp the Unnad Book’s essence. After the ‘Enlightennt’ chapter, I can’t guide you. So, I’ve found you another master.”
Yun Qingping touched her forehead, handing a jade pendant.
“She’s the sect leader of Tai Xuan Sect, one of the twelve sects, a celestial-level master, top five in the world. She’s more than qualified to guide you.”
What?
, apprenticing under such a big shot?
For real?
I took the pendant, hesitating:
“What about you, Immortal Lady?”
“I’m not her equal,” Yun Qingping smiled faintly.
“That’s not what I ant.”
I waved my hand.
“I an, don’t you have plans for ? I joined your organization, right? Can I still join another sect to cultivate peacefully?”
Yun Qingping reached out, ruffling my hair:
“So many complications. Just do as I say. You, not even at qi refining, are thinking more than . You’ll go gray early.”
Knowing she didn’t want to elaborate, I tucked the pendant away, awaiting further instructions.
“Once your ‘Enlightennt’ is complete, I’ll leave. This is Central Divine Continent, where Tai Xuan Sect is, half a month’s journey away. In seven days, you should finish the Unnad Book’s ‘Enlightennt’ chapter. Then, you’ll travel the next seven days alone.”
Yun Qingping stroked her slender sword, her gaze distant:
“At Tai Xuan Sect’s base, show the pendant to the gate disciples. You’ll et her. If she asks about , say you found it on a… corpse, then dream of telling you to seek Tai Xuan Sect. She won’t ask more.”
There seed to be a complicated history between Yun Qingping and the Tai Xuan Sect leader.
Why not even ntion her na…?
I nodded to show I understood.
Seeing I grasped the situation without prying, Yun Qingping picked up her chopsticks to eat:
“I’ll explain cultivation realms later. Eat first. Waiter, another plate of braised pork elbow!”
Immortal Lady Yun, blending immortal grace with mortal charm, was hard not to like.
My thoughts drifted, wondering about this new master.
Hopefully not so cold, stern type—I couldn’t handle those.
But I snapped back.
If I didn’t, Yun Qingping would eat all the food!
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