"My disciple," Su Bei began.
"From now on, you will be my Direct Disciple at Sword Sect's No-Sword Peak. As my first disciple, you must remember these things!"
Su Bei descended gently on his sword, an elegant yet unostentatious smile on his face. With his hands clasped behind his back, he walked into the town before him.
Xiao Ruoching raised her head, her eyes somewhat puzzled as she looked at her Master. In her previous life, didn't I directly follow him into Sword Sect? Did he even speak to me? What's this about coming to this town now?
Despite her confusion, she took a deep breath and said softly, "Disciple will heed Master's teachings!"
"Mm," Su Bei nodded, satisfied. Then, with an expression of profound mystery, he gazed towards the distant Han Baiyu Mountain Gate. "First, there aren't that many fortunate events in this world, nor are there many opportunities for heroes to emerge that you'll just stumble upon!"
"Oh," Xiao Ruoching murmured, looking up with a skeptical gaze at a woman not far away screaming for help.
"Hey, little lady! Keep screaming!" a ruffian taunted. "Scream your lungs out, no one will come to save you!"
"Let me go, you scoundrel! Someone save me! Save me..." the woman cried.
"Master? Over there?" Xiao Ruoching asked, gently extending her hand towards the ruffian accosting the woman.
Su Bei continued, his face expressionless and unmoved, "Nor are there countless peerless secret manuals or treasures of gold and silver for you to find. Those are reserved for individuals of great destiny."
Xiao Ruoching turned to look at a figure who, in that instant, burst through the wall of a glittering, Spiritual Energy-rich treasure pavilion.
"Hahaha! I, Hu Hansan, have finally obtained the 'Soaring Dragon Eighteen Myriad Chapters'!" the figure boomed. "Hahaha..."
"Master, that Soaring Dragon Eighteen..." Xiao Ruoching began.
Su Bei quickly turned his head, his eyes solemn as he looked at Xiao Ruoching. He patted her on the shoulder, sighed, and spoke, "Disciple, you must remember this! Cultivation is an extremely dull and tedious affair. The most important thing isn't how powerful you are, nor how incredibly lucky you might be! It's not even about how kind-hearted you are! You must understand, in cultivation, the most important thing is to... provide feedback to your Master... no, to survive! To stay alive! So, you must cultivate diligently, earnestly, assiduously, and steadfastly! Do you understand?"
Above the vast sky, immortal cranes drifted over the town below. From time to time, Immortals could be seen flying past on their swords.
Su Bei radiated a dazzling light, like the sun, untainted by worldly concerns. His black, jade-like hair was tied with a ribbon, half flowing freely, half neatly bound. His lips were the color of warm jade, the corners of his mouth curved in a gentle smile, as comfortable and pleasant as the March sunshine.
"I understand..." Xiao Ruoching sighed, her expression dark as she looked at her Master, whose bearing was one of immense gravitas, and nodded.
What's going on? The Master in my memory was a refined, hypocritical gentleman. Why does he seem so... 'profoundly unfathomable' now? Could I have reincarnated incorrectly?
Seeing Xiao Ruoching's silent, thoughtful expression, Su Bei nodded, satisfied. This disciple is good, very perceptive. It seems she's already awestruck by my extraordinary, transcendent aura. Her heart must be pounding with excitement right now! She should know, these are the laws of survival in the cultivation world, which I've summarized through countless experiences!
"Good, as long as you understand. Let's go then," Su Bei said. "To Sword Sect!"
A short while later, Su Bei was still pondering the so-called 'Child of Destiny' title the system had given him. To be honest, he still hadn't figured out what it really was. Destiny was intangible, but it was a legendary-quality attribute, after all. Who knew when it might prove useful?
Throughout their journey, Su Bei felt something was amiss. Frowning, he sized up Xiao Ruoching, who followed silently behind him, head bowed, not uttering a word. Why is taking a disciple so different from what I imagined? What exactly is off? He couldn't quite pinpoint it.
"Sigh!" Su Bei shook his head with a soft sigh, then looked up at the Han Baiyu Mountain Gate of Sword Sect, towering to an indeterminable height. What exactly is different?
An elder with the air of an Immortal, leading a righteous-looking young man, walked silently past them. Su Bei could clearly hear their conversation:
"Master, is Sword Sect very large?"
"Yes!"
"Master, what is your position in Sword Sect?"
"Law Enforcement Elder!"
"Master, what's your cultivation level? When can I start cultivating? I want to avenge my mother!"
"Your Master is at the Divinity Transformation realm. You can start cultivating tomorrow. When you are strong enough, you can take your revenge!"
"Master..."
"Why do you have so many questions? Hmm, but it's true, I've just taken you as my disciple, so it's normal to have many questions. After all, you're about to embark on the path of cultivation. A disciple who just follows silently without a word, now that would be strange..."
Su Bei looked at Xiao Ruoching, who stood silently before him, equally quiet.
The world was very still. Cherry trees planted for nearly a hundred li outside the Sword Sect's mountain gate rustled in the gentle breeze, their blossoms slowly drifting down. The wind fluttered Su Bei's white hair ribbon and Xiao Ruoching's tattered white silk dress.
Seeing Su Bei remain silent, a chill crept into Xiao Ruoching's heart, and cold sweat trickled down her back. She knew this hypocrite before her all too well! He was a man meticulous in detail, absolutely confident in his actions, calm, cold, decisive, one point eight three meters tall, weighing one hundred forty pounds, with a waistline of... In short, an absolutely formidable and terrifying man! And right now, as someone who had just suffered the annihilation of her family, filled with deep-seated hatred, possessing excellent spiritual roots, radiant beauty despite her plight, a deep thirst for vengeance, and hair like a black waterfall, all while wearing tattered clothes—wasn't her composure a bit too calm? Had he noticed something? Surely not?
Thinking this, Xiao Ruoching tentatively parted her lips and said, "Master... perhaps we... could also go through the motions?"
When Su Bei still didn't speak, Xiao Ruoching's scalp tingled. Her delicate body, hidden beneath the tattered silk dress, trembled slightly as she met Su Bei's intense gaze. He definitely suspects me! I was careless! Don't tell me I'm going to die outside Sword Sect's gate right after being reborn? No... it can't be...
"Um... Master... is Sword Sect really that large?" Xiao Ruoching licked her red lips, her voice trembling slightly.
Hearing Xiao Ruoching's words, Su Bei finally smiled with satisfaction. Yes! That's more like it! My disciple must not have fully processed the overwhelming grief from her family's destruction and her deep-seated hatred. It's normal for her thoughts to be a bit muddled. Plus, she's so aloof! Yes, this is more fitting for accepting a disciple...
"Yes!" he replied.
"Master, what is your position in Sword Sect?"
"Fifth Elder!"
"Master, what's your cultivation level? When can I start cultivating? I want to avenge my mother!"
"Your Master is at the Divinity Transformation realm. You can start cultivating tomorrow. When you are strong enough, you can take your revenge!"
"Master..."
"Why do you have so many questions? Hmm, but indeed, I've just taken you as my disciple, so it's normal to have many questions. After all, you're about to embark on the path of cultivation. A disciple who just follows silently without a word, now that would be strange..."
Xiao Ruoching: "..."