Chapter 8: Senior Brother Above

There was only one reason. The reputation of the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect was simply too great. It stood as one of the most illustrious powers in the Northern Xuan Province, a legendary sect spoken of with reverence by common folk. Even the emperor of their Qingyun Empire treated them with the utmost respect, offering annual tribute in hopes of securing their protection.

Now, this young girl claimed to be a disciple of the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect. Unbelievable! Truly extraordinary!

Yet, just as everyone was reeling in surprise, Wang Zhengyu continued, "And also the Divine Maiden Sect!"

The crowd was stunned anew. Wasn’t she a disciple of the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect? How did another sect suddenly enter the picture?

The Divine Maiden Sect was another of the Northern Xuan Province's top-tier factions, its status nearly equal to that of the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect. What was more, it was a rather unique sect: from the sect master down to the most menial servant, all were women. No male disciples were ever accepted. It was the fairyland of every man's dreams.

First the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect, and now the Divine Maiden Sect. Could a single person truly belong to two such elite sects at once? And to declare it so brazenly? How bold!

Just as the crowd was still trying to process this, Wang Zhengyu announced yet another sect. "The Pavilion of Fragrant Warmth!"

Once again, the onlookers were left gaping. Another one? What game was she playing?

But Wang Zhengyu was not finished. She proceeded to rattle off the names of every top-tier power in the Northern Xuan Province, listing them one after another. At last, she added, "I am destined to become a future disciple of one of these sects!"

The crowd fell silent. The atmosphere grew strange, as everyone struggled to hold back their laughter.

So it turned out, after all this fuss, she was just daydreaming about joining the immortal sects.

A future disciple? Why not claim you’ll be the future sect master of all those sects?

The proprietress doubled over with laughter, making quite a spectacle. "Young lady, for someone so young, you certainly have a thick skin."

Wang Zhengyu was indeed thick-skinned. Even as she was mocked, she did not blush, but retorted with conviction, "You people don’t understand. I am destined to enter the immortal sects, to become a mighty cultivator. As a certain great figure once said: ‘Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west. Today you ignore me, but tomorrow you’ll never reach me!’"

Luo Xingchen’s expression turned peculiar. He hadn’t expected that two lines he’d casually spoken thousands of years ago would still be circulating.

That aside, though this young girl was only at the first level of Qi Refining—a complete fledgling, weaker even than an iron-skinned chick—she did have good innate talent, a promising seed for cultivation. Bringing her into the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect would not be a problem.

As Luo Xingchen pondered, Wang Zhengyu suddenly slapped a silver ingot onto the table. "As a cultivator, I won’t stoop to the level of you ignorant mortals. Besides, payment for the melon is on me—including theirs as well!"

With a flourish, she pointed to Luo Xingchen and Iron-skinned Chick, exuding the air of a wealthy patroness.

As the proprietress was about to respond, Luo Xingchen, looking at Wang Zhengyu with admiration, said, "Very well. I see you have a bright future. From now on, you may follow me."

With that, he scooped up the silver and tossed it into the deep valley of the proprietress’s bosom.

Wang Zhengyu snorted at this frivolous gesture, her tone annoyed. "I am destined to join the immortal sects. Why would I trail after a wandering commoner like you?"

Ha! Yet another person trying to thwart her path to immortality. At home, her father and brother tried to stop her. Now, even out in the world, someone else was trying to block her way. It was all jealousy, nothing more. Men—truly none of them were any good!

Iron-skinned Chick spoke up, "This venerable one is no ordinary commoner. He comes from the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect."

At these words, Wang Zhengyu immediately bowed to Luo Xingchen. "Senior brother, please accept your junior’s salute!"

"From this moment forth, I, Wang Zhengyu, vow to follow senior brother’s every command. If senior brother says east, I will never go west. If senior brother says chase the dog, I will never run after chickens!"

The crowd was startled. Was this man really a disciple of the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect? No wonder he exuded such an extraordinary air. He was an immortal sect disciple after all! How presumptuous they had been.

But Luo Xingchen said, "I am not from the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect. This girl and I are from the forests over there."

Wang Zhengyu straightened up, her face cold. "What’s that supposed to mean? Impersonating an immortal sect disciple? Hmph, I knew at a glance you were up to no good—a big fraud, just as I thought!"

The crowd looked on with disdain. No wonder he was reluctant to pay for a melon. So he was a fraud all along! It made sense—disciples of the immortal sects would never stoop to cheat common folk. Would they risk disgracing their sect if word got out?

Only a conman would dare behave so brazenly!

But then, Luo Xingchen produced the token of the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect. "But I truly am from the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect. I came out for a mission, and now that it's finished, I’m taking this chick back, intending to have her join the sect as well."

"Not only are you handsome, senior brother, but you have such a sense of humor too!" Wang Zhengyu beamed, then looked fondly at Iron-skinned Chick. "So you’re my fellow disciple as well! You look younger than me, so I’ll call you little junior sister!"

With that, she pulled out a gleaming gold ingot. "It’s our first meeting, and I didn’t prepare much, but here—take this, buy yourself some clothes. If it’s not enough, just ask senior sister for more."

A true patroness indeed.

The crowd was astounded yet again. So he really was a disciple of the Supreme Qi-Gathering Sect? That explains everything. If an immortal sect disciple didn’t pay for a melon, so what? It was only right! It was to be expected! Such disregard for worldly opinion was the mark of a true immortal sect disciple!

With the token in hand, no one doubted Luo Xingchen’s identity any longer. This was not the mundane world, but one where cultivators ruled. The mightiest could traverse a thousand miles in a blink, reshape mountains and seas with a thought, their supernatural powers without end. Anyone who dared forge a sect token to swindle and swagger around would be found out instantly, and their end would come before they knew it. It had been tried before, but those bold enough to attempt it were never seen again—not even a blade of grass marked their graves.

So no one doubted the authenticity of Luo Xingchen’s token.

When the proprietress next looked at Luo Xingchen, her gaze was even more infatuated, her eyes brimming with adoration, almost melting then and there—both above and below.

Luo Xingchen seemed oblivious to her longing, pocketed the gold ingot, and said, "I’ll keep this for the chick for now. Once we reach town, I’ll buy her some clothes. Come, sit with us and have some melon. When we’re done, join us on the road."

Wang Zhengyu happily sat down to eat. Before long, the three—plus a cat—had finished off two large watermelons. As the proprietress had said, they were not only sweet but especially juicy, quenching their thirst.

When they’d finished, Luo Xingchen stood up, brushed off his sleeves, not a drop of juice on him. "Charming—ah, I mean, proprietress, we’ll be off now. Next time, we’ll freeload again!"

Without the slightest reluctance, the three gradually walked away. The proprietress gazed longingly after Luo Xingchen’s handsome, charismatic figure, lost in infatuation. But when her eyes fell on Wang Zhengyu’s retreating back, they brimmed with resentment.