Chapter 1

"Xu Chunniang, with three spiritual roots of Water, Wood, and Earth, has average talent and will enter the outer sect of the Xiaoyao Sect."

...

Xu Chunniang was still in a daze even as she boarded the immortal's flying boat. She couldn't believe any of this.

She actually passed the immortal's test?

Xu Chunniang pinched her thigh hard, wincing in pain, but her eyes grew brighter. It was all real!

She had passed the test, and she would never go hungry again. She might even have the chance to learn the immortal's skills!

Just as she was overwhelmed with excitement, she heard a malicious voice from behind.

"Where did this dirty beggar come from, sitting with us? What bad luck."

Xu Chunniang turned to look. The speaker was a girl about her age, dressed in luxurious clothes, beautiful and dignified, clearly from a wealthy family.

The girl looked at her with undisguised disdain and condescension, as if she had seen something filthy.

Xu Chunniang was deeply hurt by this look. She instinctively avoided the girl's gaze and lowered her head.

The girl, however, was not about to let her off easily. Seeing the birthmark on Xu Chunniang's face, she exclaimed, "You're even an ugly monster! I don't know how someone like you managed to get in here!"

Xu Chunniang bit her lip tightly, tears welling up in her eyes. Throughout her life, she had been mocked countless times for the red birthmark on her face, even being called "Ugly." But nothing had ever hurt her as much as this.

She had just barely passed the immortal's test, thinking her life would improve, but this voice had completely erased all her joy.

It seemed that even after passing the test, things were no different. She would still be called an ugly monster.

The other children, seeing what was happening, all shrank back, pretending not to notice.

After all, the girl in the luxurious clothes clearly came from a distinguished background, and no one wanted to risk offending her by speaking up for Xu Chunniang.

The girl, with a sense of entitlement, ordered, "Ugly monster, go to the stern of the boat. Seeing your face hurts my eyes."

Wei Dawu, who had just come out of the cabin, heard this and frowned, his gaze falling on Xu Chunniang.

The skinny little girl was wearing clothes that had been washed until they were almost white, with a patched-up bundle on her back. She stood there, head down, looking embarrassed and unsure of what to do.

Wei Dawu was from Wei Village, which was close to Xu Village, and they were related. Seeing the ugly girl being bullied like this, he couldn't stand it.

He turned and said calmly, "We will all be fellow disciples in the future. It's not right to bully others."

The girl, Huangfu Yao, was taken aback that someone would dare to challenge her. Her beautiful eyes turned fierce. "How dare you! Do you know who I am? How dare you defy me?"

Wei Dawu was not afraid of her. His voice was steady. "I don't care who you are. We will all be part of the Xiaoyao Sect in the future. Bullying others is wrong."

Huangfu Yao was about to speak again when the young man in brocade beside her pulled her aside and whispered, "This person just came out of the cabin. He must be an inner sect disciple."

The girl in luxurious clothes paused. In the Xiaoyao Sect, the status of inner sect disciples and outer sect disciples was vastly different. She could order around outer sect disciples, but she dared not do the same to inner sect disciples.

After all, she was still an outer sect disciple herself and needed her brother's help to enter the inner sect. It would be unwise to offend other inner sect disciples before she did. Huangfu Yao was spoiled but not stupid.

Her face turned sour, and she glared at Xu Chunniang before angrily turning and walking to the other side of the cabin. The young man in brocade hurriedly followed her.

"Brother Dawu!" Xu Chunniang looked up at Wei Dawu, her eyes welling with tears. "Thank you for standing up for me."

She had been really scared. If she had been bullied in the village, Xu Chunniang could have fought back, but this was not the village; it was the immortal's flying boat.

Xu Chunniang was just an eight-year-old village girl, completely unfamiliar with the world of immortals. If she angered the immortals and they rejected her, sending her back to Xu Village, what would she do?

"You don't need to thank me," Wei Dawu shook his head. "We're from the same place, and I'm older than you. It's my duty to help you. But once I become an inner sect disciple, the inner and outer sects are different, and I might not be able to help you much."

"What's the difference between the inner and outer sects?" Xu Chunniang asked curiously.

When the arrogant girl heard that Brother Dawu might be an inner sect disciple, she immediately stopped bothering her. This "inner sect" must be very powerful.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I've heard that those with good talent enter the inner sect. Inner sect disciples have abundant cultivation resources, the chance to have a master, and can listen to lectures from the elders every day.

The rest of the people can only enter the outer sect. Outer sect disciples have lower talent, lower status, and worse treatment. But if an outer sect disciple can cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage, they can enter the inner sect."

Wei Dawu explained in detail what he had heard.

"Someone with my talent, having two spiritual roots, can usually enter the inner sect. For those with three spiritual roots, they can only enter if their spiritual roots are very good. Those with four or five spiritual roots are too mixed and cultivate slowly, so they usually can't enter the inner sect."

Xu Chunniang nodded, understanding somewhat, and carefully remembered what Wei Dawu said.

So, the fewer spiritual roots, the more powerful. She remembered that the immortal had said she had three spiritual roots of Water, Wood, and Earth. It wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either.

"Anyway, whether it's the inner or outer sect, our goal is cultivation."

Wei Dawu patted her head comfortingly. "New disciples have a three-year protection period. Use this time to learn as much as you can. If you don't work hard, you might be expelled from the sect. The immortal sect doesn't want useless people."

Xu Chunniang nodded firmly. She would work hard and not be expelled from the sect!

After giving her some more advice, Wei Dawu returned to the cabin. As an inner sect disciple, he shouldn't stay outside for too long.

Xu Chunniang watched him leave with admiration, feeling much less anxious.

In the world of immortals, she at least had one familiar person. If Brother Dawu could do it, she... could do it too!

Feeling more relaxed, she suddenly felt a strong hunger. Xu Chunniang carefully took out a dry pancake from her bundle and took small bites, her eyes welling with tears.

Her family was very poor, almost unable to make ends meet. Her mother had used the last bit of flour to make a pancake for her to take with her.

Fortunately, after being chosen by the immortals, they would receive a hundred taels of silver as a reward, which was a huge sum for her family.

With this money, her parents and younger siblings would no longer go hungry. They could even build a few spacious brick houses and arrange a good marriage for her brother.

Xu Chunniang swallowed the pancake, feeling a bit happier. Although she didn't understand the world of immortals, being able to eat and help her family earn money was a great thing.

But Brother Dawu said her talent was average, and she was just an outer sect disciple. There were many people like Brother Dawu who had become inner sect disciples.

A determined look flashed in Xu Chunniang's eyes. She would work hard to cultivate and soon reach the Foundation Establishment stage, entering the inner sect!