Amidst towering mountains and majestic rivers, white clouds swirl while ethereal music lingers in the air.
Zhao Keren was led by a senior disciple from the outer sect of Qing Shui Sect to the accommodation area for servant disciples—a cluster of wooden huts scattered before a lush, fertile field of spirit plants. Some huts stood far apart, while others were built so closely their foundations touched. The latter were mostly hastily constructed additions to accommodate the increasing number of servant disciples required as the outer sect’s spirit fields expanded.
“You arrived last, and most of the outer sect rooms are already occupied. There’s only one bed left—in Lin Shuang’s room.” Senior Brother Xu lightly coughed, his gentle face seeming to show a hint of guilt toward her.
Zhao Keren was surprised inwardly. Qing Shui Sect was a renowned sect in Dong Hua, and every year countless disciples sought entry. Those selected were required to begin their training as outer sect servants, testing their perseverance and character.
In theory, the senior brothers overseeing the servant disciples should manage over a hundred people. In other sects, such roles often went to those with a rebellious nature. Yet, this senior brother was unexpectedly amiable.
Sharing a room with a senior sister—what was the big deal? Even her cousin at home, who had extraordinary talent, shared a room with others at the nearby Shan Hai Sect.
Zhao Keren quickly smiled and tightened the small cyan bundle slung across her shoulder. “I’m sorry to trouble you, Senior Brother. Just tell me the exact location; I can go there myself.”
Senior Brother Xu was slim, wearing a mist-gray Daoist robe, with two crossed peach-wood swords strapped to his back. Hearing her words, his gentle face briefly showed an expression of relief.
“Great.”
“Eh?” Zhao Keren blinked.
Had she really seen a flicker of relief in his eyes?
Senior Brother Xu coughed, hiding his hands behind his back. “Junior Sister Zhao, Lin Shuang’s room is right in the middle of the two paths you can see from here. I still have matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first.”
Before Zhao Keren could react, Senior Brother Xu had already vanished more than ten steps away.
Didn’t it feel like Senior Brother had just fled?
Zhao Keren opened her mouth, but only caught Senior Brother Xu’s distant, fading voice: “Remember to tell Lin Shuang that you’re the new roommate assigned to her…”
Zhao Keren: “…?”
Something felt off.
Newly assigned? So were there previous assignments?
Oh, right. This Senior Lin must have been in the outer sect for many years, having shared a room with many new disciples over time.
Realizing this, Zhao Keren tightened her bundle. Perhaps she could bring Senior Lin a gift—some silk made from spirit silkworms, a specialty of her hometown. That should help establish a good relationship.
Soon, she found herself at the crossroads of the small paths leading to the hundred-acre spirit field. She hadn’t expected to find the place so quickly.
A dozen small huts stood neatly in a row at the fork. Yet one stood out—its door bore a striking yellow paper.
[Outer Sect Room No. 99]
The calligraphy was bold and flowing, covering at least a third of the wooden door, as if deliberately made to stand out.
How gentle Senior Lin must be, making sure a new servant disciple like her wouldn’t get lost?
Zhao Keren felt a warmth in her chest, but soon a sense of nervousness followed.
As soon as she touched the simple wooden door, a strange pattern emerged slowly from the creaking wood.
Lines of text floated into the air.
[Before knocking, please read carefully.]
Zhao Keren’s eyes widened.
Was this a talisman or a formation?
[1. This is Lin Shuang’s residence. If you’re looking for other disciples or directions, please refer to the “Outer Sect Disciple Accommodation List and General Map” in the bamboo basket on the left side of the door.]
Zhao Keren: “!”
[2. If you have questions about servant duties, please take the message stone from the bamboo basket on the right side of the door—press button two to contact Senior Brother Xu Rui directly.]
Zhao Keren: “……!”
That was the same Senior Brother Xu who had just brought her here.
Wait, now she understood why Senior Brother had “fled.”
[3. If you have questions about cultivation…]
[4. If you have questions about meals…]
[5. If you have questions about receiving clothing…]
Zhao Keren stood frozen.
What was going on? Was this really a disciple’s room?
Or was it some kind of outer sect information desk?
[7. If none of the above applies and you must see Lin Shuang personally, please visit daily at noon unless it’s an emergency.]
The words “daily at noon” were bolded and highlighted in yellow, as if to ensure no one missed them and disturbed her at the wrong time.
So Senior Lin must be a very serious and diligent cultivator.
Zhao Keren felt some admiration and adjusted her clothes before bravely knocking and entering. “Senior Lin, I’m the new…”
If she worked as hard as Senior Lin, they should get along well, right?
But before she could finish, she froze.
The moment the door opened, she saw two wooden beds placed against the walls inside. Between them was a strange, soft, horizontal floral-patterned sofa.
A faint, slender figure was deeply sunken into the sofa, buried under at least four or five layers of soft cotton cushions.
A strange black algae-like mud covered her face, and her long, raven-black hair flowed smoothly. A silver claw-shaped device was rhythmically massaging her scalp.
A pair of bright phoenix eyes, visible through the black mud, were fixed on a small wooden frame around her white neck—on which lay an open picture book.
The title on the cover was very eye-catching—”The Lucky Koi Becomes the Beloved Leader.”
Meanwhile, a lively and excited storyteller’s voice echoed in the room.
“The immortal beauty was instantly captivated by his three parts loneliness, three parts sorrow, and four parts destitution…”
It was the hottest “Immortal Beauty Meets the Poor Scholar” story currently sweeping the bookstores in Lin Cheng.
Zhao Keren: “…???”
Her small bundle nearly dropped to the ground.
A wrinkled, folded talisman paper floated up from the floor, transforming into a snow-white lion dog that gently caught her bundle.
It stood in front of her.
“Visitor, this is Lin Shuang’s entertainment time. It is expected to end in one-third of an incense stick.”
Zhao Keren stood in stunned silence.
What—what was this?
As she stood awkwardly, she suddenly recalled Senior Brother Xu’s words from ten steps away.
“Junior Sister, remember to tell Lin Shuang immediately that you’re the new roommate assigned to her…”
Ah.
So Senior Brother had predicted this?
“Se-senior Lin… I’m the new roommate… Zhao Keren…”
Zhao Keren stammered slightly, nervously bowing deeply to the talisman dog.
“Oh. So you’re the roommate.”
“Communicating with a roommate doesn’t count as interrupting the entertainment timer, right?”
Zhao Keren, speaking to the white paper dog, suddenly heard a gentle, stream-like voice, soft and low, as if a thread from a mountain spring, almost carried away by the wind outside.
Take half a step back, and you’d miss it.
“Junior Zhao.”
Zhao Keren looked up, instantly captivated by the beautiful face that had somehow already removed the black algae mud.
Her snow-white skin was as translucent and flawless as silk from spirit silkworms.
Her phoenix eyes sparkled like stars, gentle yet bright, drawing one’s soul into their depths.
Could this really be a servant disciple?
As Zhao Keren stood entranced, Lin Shuang rose from the deep, soft cushions, wearing white robes, and gracefully approached her.
With a flick of her slender hand, a small wooden plaque appeared.
—”Research and Discussion on the Fastest Method of Cultivation.”
“Junior Zhao, no need to thank me. Well then, it’s time for my nap. Good night.”
“!”
*
At the beginning of the morning hour (Chen), the outer sect bell tower of Qing Shui Sect solemnly rang three times, accompanied by the cries of immortal cranes.
It was time for the servant disciples to begin their duties.
Zhao Keren, having just finished unpacking, looked puzzledly at Lin Shuang, who was still sweetly sleeping on her bed, wearing earplugs.
Was Senior Lin not going?
Or did they have different working hours?
She had intended to stay up reading “Research and Discussion on the Fastest Method of Cultivation,” which Senior Lin had given her. But after a long journey, she hadn’t managed to finish the 1,236 pages on the first day.
She had only reached the second chapter, “Preferences of Outer Sect Disciples,” which mentioned that Senior Brother Xu Rui had an extreme form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Though the wording was strange, she quickly grasped the key point—Senior Xu deeply disliked disciples who were late or lazy during their duties.
Zhao Keren gazed at Lin Shuang’s peaceful sleeping face, hesitated, and walked to her bed to wake her, only to be blocked by a soundproof barrier set by the talisman dog.
Helpless, she could only walk quietly with the crowd toward the bell tower.
She was wondering whether she should ask for Senior Lin’s leave—
“Oh, you’re asking about Lin Shuang… Well, you don’t need to worry about her.” Senior Brother Xu Rui, wearing neatly arranged robes and his black hair tied neatly under a cap, was exactly as described in the “Xu Rui Senior Brother Summary.”
Yet when mentioning Lin Shuang, his expression turned slightly complex.
“By the way, Junior Zhao, since it’s your first day, I’ll give you a lighter workload today. You only need to do seventy percent of the tasks—maintaining, watering, and pest control for the eastern ten-acre spirit mushroom field.”
Zhao Keren hurriedly nodded.
“Also, fill the hundred water jars in the kitchen, clean two rooms in the bell tower, feed the timekeeping immortal cranes, and clean the crane enclosure…”
“…”
So much!
She could barely keep up!
Could servant disciples at Qing Shui Sect really have so much to do?
When would they have time to cultivate?
That night, Zhao Keren returned to the wooden hut after finishing all her tasks, exhausted, with darkness under her feet and stars above her head. Like the automatic reply talisman dog at the door, she only wanted to collapse on the ground and pant.
Just seventy percent of the workload had kept her busy all day.
Senior Lin had left late today—surely she hadn’t returned yet?
Zhao Keren, famished and too tired to even go to the outer sect dining hall, was surprised to see light coming from the hut.
Pushing open the wooden door in confusion, she was stunned.
The room was not only lit, but both beds were neatly made, the floor spotless, and the windows crystal clear.
The meal on the small wooden table was fragrant and warm, the spirit tea already brewed and ready.
Beside her small window bed, a basin of clean water for washing her face had been placed on the stand.
As she turned in shock, she saw Lin Shuang sitting cross-legged on her wooden bed, hands in a cultivation mudra.
“Beep, Xiao Ai reminds you that one incense stick of cultivation is complete.”
The talisman dog spoke.
Lin Shuang immediately opened her phoenix eyes.
Talismann Dog: “Congratulations, Master. Today, you’ve completed thirty-six minor cycles of cultivation, finishing your cultivation timer.”
What!?
Zhao Keren almost choked on her spirit tea.
Completing thirty-six minor cycles of cultivation would take at least four hours.
“All today’s tasks are done.”
With a cheerful sigh, Zhao Keren saw Senior Lin instantly slip on her slippers and throw herself into her strange, soft long seat, sinking deeply into it.
With a flick of her hand, she pulled out the picture book, “The Lucky Koi Becomes the Beloved Leader.”
“Oh, Junior Zhao is back? Eat first. There’s warm foot-washing water under your bed.”
Senior Lin was such a kind person.
Wait.
Zhao Keren snapped out of it, unable to believe: “Se-senior Lin, did you finish today’s servant duties and cultivation?”
“Yes.”
“And all this in the room… was done by you?”
“No.”
Zhao Keren relaxed.
I knew it. After finishing the servant work and cultivation, how could she still have the energy to do so much?
Then Lin Shuang looked up and added, “Only the foot-washing water was poured by Xiao Ai.”
Only the foot-washing water was done by Xiao Ai…
“!!!”
In one day, doing so much—
Senior Lin, how did you do it?!
Wait, Zhao Keren quickly walked to her bed, pulling out “Research and Discussion on the Fastest Method of Cultivation” from under her pillow!
Author’s Note:
Lin Shuang: On the first day, Junior, I’ve already passed my ultimate technique to you.
“Qing Shui Sect’s 134th Generation Leader—Zhao Keren’s Notes 1”: Unfortunately, I didn’t know back then. If I could do it again, I would tell myself to open it sooner.
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