Volume Two – The Map of the Nine Provinces Unfolds, Entering the Spiritual Ruins Chapter 61: A Night of Conversation

Xue Ren was startled and immediately assumed a defensive posture, anxiously watching the pitch-dark forest.

“Don’t be nervous, I was just asking casually,” Chen Yu said with a gentle smile, observing the boy before him—no more than eleven or twelve years old, yet already possessing the power of five breaths in his dantian. He couldn’t help but feel amazed.

“Who are you? Why are you here?” Xue Ren asked, still tense and wary. He now saw Chen Yu’s features clearly—delicate brows, bright star-like eyes. Although his clothes were plain, almost shabby, there was an unmistakable air of refinement and nobility about him.

To describe him as a peerless gentleman, as flawless as jade upon the moor, would not be an exaggeration.

Chen Yu smiled calmly and replied, “My name is Chen Yu. I’ve come to take part in the recruitment examination for Lingxu.”

Xue Ren’s brows furrowed slightly, his vigilance undiminished.

Just then, Chen Yu chuckled and said, “That was your brother, wasn’t it? Why are you so forgiving toward him, after the way he treated you?”

“You said it yourself—he’s my brother. Isn’t it only right that I treat him so?” Xue Ren retorted.

Chen Yu was taken aback, then burst out laughing. “Haha… You’re absolutely right. It seems I was overthinking it.”

Seeing that Chen Yu bore no ill intentions, Xue Ren’s tension eased, though he remained somewhat guarded.

“You’re really here to take part in Lingxu’s disciple recruitment?” Xue Ren asked, still skeptical.

Chen Yu nodded lightly. “To be more precise, I’m here to participate in the assessment for servant disciples.”

“Servant? Why not…” Xue Ren caught himself before finishing, realizing his slip. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“It’s all right. That’s just the truth,” Chen Yu replied, unconcerned. He smiled with quiet confidence. “Still, even a servant disciple has the chance to become a true disciple of Lingxu.”

“That’s true. Besides, even as a servant disciple, there’s much to be learned at Lingxu,” Xue Ren agreed. Relaxing, he chatted openly with Chen Yu, the stifling mood left behind by Xue Xin and the others gradually dissipating.

Chen Yu found this all rather interesting and asked, “Oh… It sounds like you’re quite familiar with all this.”

“Naturally. After all, I’ve been a servant disciple at Lingxu for a couple of years myself,” Xue Ren replied with a smile. “My name is Xue Ren—it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine,” Chen Yu responded, then pressed on, “So you’ve been a servant at Lingxu for two years? That means you’re taking the formal disciple exam this year?”

Xue Ren nodded. “I hope I can pass this time.”

“Heh… If you’re willing to give up even a Gathering Spirit Pill, you must have some confidence in yourself. I believe you’ll succeed,” Chen Yu said encouragingly.

“Thank you for your kind words,” Xue Ren replied with a smile. “But Chen Yu, you need not be discouraged. Servant disciples are actually considered preparatory disciples at Lingxu, and there’s much to learn. It’s just that resources are scarcer than for formal disciples, so you have to earn them through merit.”

Chen Yu’s curiosity was piqued. “Brother Xue Ren, could you tell me more? To be honest, I know little about these matters—just taking things as they come.”

Xue Ren did not refuse. With a smile, he said, “It’s no great secret. Once you become a servant disciple, you’ll naturally find out. But since you ask, I’ll explain it in detail.”

“Thank you very much,” Chen Yu said with a respectful bow.

“At Lingxu, servant disciples are assigned daily tasks, but overall, life is quite free. Once you finish your duties, you’re left to cultivate as you please. There are two particularly important places for servant disciples: the Myriad Book Tower and the Servant Hall. These are the only places where you can study for free.”

Hearing this, Chen Yu was all attention, urging Xue Ren to elaborate.

“The Myriad Book Tower holds tens of thousands of volumes for disciples to peruse, giving them a chance to learn about the Nine Provinces and the basics of cultivation. Of course, you won’t find any profound techniques there, but with luck, you might stumble upon a fragment of a cultivation method. As for the Servant Hall, every evening, senior outer disciples come to lecture us, helping us understand the path of cultivation. If you’re fortunate enough to be noticed, you might even be chosen as their attendant, staying by their side to cultivate. If you want to acquire true techniques, you can exchange merit or wealth for them, just as formal disciples do—though that’s much harder for servant disciples.”

Chen Yu nodded, understanding more now. He continued, “What about the servant disciple assessment? Is there anything special about it?”

“Not particularly,” Xue Ren replied. “As long as you can climb to the summit of Dragon Carp Peak, you pass and become a servant disciple of Lingxu.”

“Dragon Carp Peak? Is it really that simple?” Chen Yu was surprised.

“It’s not as easy as it sounds. Two years ago, I barely made it, even with all my strength,” Xue Ren said.

Chen Yu looked at him with a grin, as if to say: Two years ago, how strong could you have been, and how old? Of course, it would have been a struggle.

Seeing his expression, Xue Ren’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and he hurried to explain, “Don’t underestimate Dragon Carp Peak. It exerts tremendous pressure on the body, and the older your bones, the greater the force you’ll have to endure—multiplying with each passing year.”

“Oh, is that so?” Chen Yu smiled, unconcerned. After all, he had already withstood the oppressive force of the Broken Heaven Mountains. If he had made it through there, he had no doubt he could handle Dragon Carp Peak.

The two chatted until midnight, then parted ways.

From Xue Ren, Chen Yu had learned much about Lingxu, saving himself quite a bit of effort in gathering information.

He knew well that the cost of living in Taiqing City was far beyond his means. Fortunately, the mountains and forests nearby offered rivers and wild game, enough to meet his basic needs.

Afterward, Chen Yu remained in the forest, cultivating quietly and consolidating his strength as he awaited the start of the Lingxu assessment.

At last, when the deep, resonant sound of the Lingxu bell rang out, it signaled that the disciple recruitment examination was about to begin.

Chen Yu made his way early to the Lingxu mountain gate, joining the gathering crowd.

As he watched the young cultivators heading toward the mountain for the disciple recruitment, he was filled with longing. He also noticed that most of them were no older than eleven or twelve, and some were even younger children.

Chen Yu sighed inwardly: It seems destiny favors those born in the Nine Provinces. If only he had been born here, he was sure he would have measured up. Still, even now, he had not given up.

Drawing a deep breath, Chen Yu’s gaze grew resolute as he strode toward Dragon Carp Peak.

His path to immortality would begin with this step.