Chapter 13: Reflections Within the Sect

Ji Yao had always believed that sword cultivators were single-minded and focused, seldom dabbling in the four refined arts of cultivation. With Ling Ru’s personality, apart from a few ordinary hobbies, Ji Yao thought she should be wholly devoted to her path.

At the very least, Ji Yao had never considered that Ling Ru would practice alchemy.

Watching Ling Ru cradle the jade box contentedly in her arms, Ji Yao decided she should try to persuade her.

“What rank of alchemist are you now? You probably don’t need purple ginseng this old yet, do you?”

“I’m second rank now. But I’ll be third rank very soon!” Ling Ru answered Ji Yao’s question and quickly added, as if to encourage herself.

“I mean, you don’t need this purple ginseng at the moment. Why not put it away for now?”

Only after hearing Ji Yao’s words did Ling Ru realize she was still clutching the item, and she hurriedly stowed the jade box into her bracelet.

“Don’t worry. When we get back, I’ll have my father pay you the spirit stones for the purple ginseng.”

Ji Yao shook her head. “That’s not necessary. In the future, if I need to refine any pills, I’ll ask for your help. Just don’t turn me down then!”

“Of course. I’ll definitely become a ninth-rank alchemist one day. But I still have to pay you the spirit stones. You—I know what you’re like.” As she spoke, Ling Ru winked at Ji Yao.

All right! She really was poor. Now, one more person knew of Ji Yao’s poverty.

Ji Yao had already exchanged everything she could for spirit stones. Even counting what Daoist Yanhe had given her before, she still only had about fifteen hundred lower-grade spirit stones—just enough for a single trip through the teleportation array.

Activating a teleportation array was extremely costly in spirit stones, and there was a limit to how many it could transport at once, so the fee was calculated per person—one thousand spirit stones each time. By that reckoning, Ji Yao truly needed the spirit stones from Ling Ru’s purple ginseng.

Back at the City Lord’s residence, Ji Yao had barely sat down when Ling Siyuan appeared, his face alight with joy.

“Father, what’s happened to you? Don’t tell me Mother is—” Before Ling Ru could finish her sentence, Ling Siyuan glared at her, face reddening with embarrassment, and she dared not continue.

What’s the big deal? You and Mother are close, isn’t that normal? Why can’t I say it? Ling Ru pouted in protest.

Ling Siyuan, still in high spirits, let his daughter’s little protest slide, eager to share the good news.

“Ru’er, I just received definite word that the seven great sects will be coming to Guangqiong City to recruit disciples in one year!”

“Oh, that? I already knew. I only came back because I heard that news.” Ling Ru’s face fell with disappointment.

“How did you hear about this? Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“Huh? Didn’t I mention it? I thought I said it as soon as I got home!” Ling Ru tilted her head in thought, then pointed to Ji Yao. “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. I only decided to come back after Ji Yao told me the news.”

“Oh? And where did you hear this, Miss Ji? Are you also heading to Guangqiong City?” Ling Siyuan turned to Ji Yao.

“A Daoist from the Spirit Talisman Sect told me. Once I learned of it, I wanted to pass through Beian City and take a flying boat to Guangqiong.”

“Then it must be true.” Ling Siyuan nodded, satisfied that the news was reliable. After a brief pause, he made up his mind. “Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll send someone ahead to Guangqiong City to make arrangements and find out the exact date. Provided nothing changes, we’ll take the teleportation array there in half a year. Miss Ji, come along with us then.”

What, she was included too? Of course taking the teleportation array was the best option. Though she felt a bit embarrassed, Ji Yao wanted to catch this ride—at least it guaranteed safety.

“Is it really all right?”

“Do you need to ask? My father’s already said so; how could it not be true?” Ling Ru waved her hand in mock exasperation, giving Ji Yao a playful slap that made her seem even smaller.

With the arrangements settled, Ling Siyuan went off to give instructions, leaving Ji Yao and Ling Ru alone.

In truth, if the father and daughter hadn’t brought it up, Ji Yao had planned to bid farewell in a day or two and set out early. She was already prepared; any further delay and she might miss the sect recruitment.

The journey from Songshan Town to Beian City should have taken just over half a year, but with the detour to meet Ling Ru, it had stretched to nearly a year. Then she spent another half a month at the City Lord’s residence—just like that, a whole year had passed.

The flying boat from Beian City to Guangqiong City was mainly used to transport supplies; carrying passengers was just incidental, so the schedule was irregular. Sometimes there would be a trip every ten days or half a month—at other times, there might be none for months.

Anyone wishing to go to Guangqiong City had to reserve a place in advance, and only when cargo was headed there would the cultivators who had booked be notified to depart together. As it was an ordinary flying boat, its speed was unremarkable, and the journey would take another two months.

Now that a quicker plan was in place, Ji Yao was no longer in such a hurry.

“Which sect do you plan to join?” Ling Ru was actually hoping Ji Yao would go with her.

“Lingyun Sect. What about you?” She didn’t really have a choice. For Ling Ru, if she wasn’t going to Medicine Immortal Valley, then Lingyun Sect was her best option—Ling Siyuan must have thought the same.

So Ji Yao had none of Ling Ru’s worries.

“You’re going to Lingyun Sect too? But I haven’t seen you use a sword,” Ling Ru said, frowning slightly. She remembered clearly that, along their journey, Ji Yao had used several types of spells, but never a sword.

“Is swordplay a requirement to join Lingyun Sect? Where do you think I should go, then?” Ji Yao thought Ling Ru would be pleased by her answer.

“But if you’re not interested, joining Qingyang Sect would be better for your development. Or perhaps, among the four refined arts of cultivation, is there one you’re drawn to?” Ling Ru genuinely hoped Ji Yao would consider her options carefully.

Ji Yao didn’t dislike sword cultivation. Like many in their youth, she had dreamed of being a chivalrous swordswoman, sweeping away all evil with a single stroke, upholding justice in the world.

A sword immortal—just the thought was dashing. If things could be solved with a sword, who would bother memorizing endless hand seals and incantations? But she simply didn’t have the means!

For sword cultivation, one must first have a sword! What did Ji Yao have? Besides, she’d always been in a hurry. Though she’d been here two years, most of her time was spent traveling, wasn’t it?

Of the seven great sects of the Mycang Realm, even without Situ Jing’s requirements, Ji Yao could have deduced her choice by process of elimination.

First, Nine Buddha Monastery was a temple for monks—ruled out. Guyue Sect was a women’s sect, rife with intrigue, and Ji Yao was wary of that.

Mystery Gate, Medicine Immortal Valley, and Spirit Talisman Sect focused on the four refined arts, which were too specialized for her. That left Lingyun Sect, which specialized in sword cultivation, and Qingyang Sect, which focused on spellcraft.

Left to her own preferences, Ji Yao would naturally choose Lingyun Sect over Qingyang Sect—there was no need to think twice.

“All right, I’ve weighed this over and over. You don’t need to worry about me,” Ji Yao reassured Ling Ru, patting her hand gently.

“Besides, with my spiritual roots, I’d start in the outer sect even in a great sect. Where my path leads after that depends on me.”

Clearly, Ji Yao had her own plans, and Ling Ru stopped pressing her, turning instead to curiosity about Ji Yao’s spiritual roots.

“By the way, you never told me—what kind of spiritual roots do you have?”

“Oh, that!” Ji Yao scratched her head. “I’m a triple-root: metal, earth, and fire.”

“What? Those three attributes?” Ling Ru frowned again, a hint of worry resurfacing. “Do you know which is your dominant attribute? And also, what about the purity of your spiritual roots?”

What was that? She understood the idea of a dominant attribute, but purity of spiritual roots—what kind of concept was that? Surely it wasn’t what she imagined?

She felt exasperated—she really wanted to say, she didn’t know! Her teacher had never taught her!