When Li Changshou landed with Lan Ling’e in front of the Baifan Hall, hundreds of figures had already gathered there.

From afar, young men and women dressed in Taoist robes and long dresses were engaged in pleasant conversation, with hardly an unattractive face among them. The number of female cultivators was no less than the number of males. Most were beautiful and graceful, each like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums with their unique charms. However, a few stood out particularly, like cranes among chickens, or the moon among stars. For instance, Lan Ling’e beside Li Changshou…

“Isn’t that Ling’e from Small Qiong Peak? She’s grown more beautiful by the day. I heard her aptitude is excellent too – reaching the eighth stage of Qi Refinement in just ten years, nearly breaking through to the Spirit Transformation realm.”

“They say even some Supreme Elders want to take her as a disciple. We aren’t so fortunate.”

“Who’s that beside her?”

“Oh, her senior brother, I think. Small Qiong Peak doesn’t have many people. This one isn’t ranked within the top three hundred in the sect. Don’t have much impression of him.”

“I remember, isn’t his Dao name Changshou?”

“That Dao name is truly… plain and unique.”

“Stop gossiping about disciples from other peaks! Mind your manners! What would the sect elders think if they heard our peak being so improper!”

These whispered discussions fell on Li Changshou’s ears, but he appeared unaware, maintaining a gentle smile. Without looking around, he led Lan Ling’e to register inside the hall and then found an empty corner to wait.

The bell kept ringing as more young cultivators flew in from various peaks.

Today was the Dao of Transcendence Sect’s quinquennial disciple training convention, intended to broaden disciples’ horizons and deepen their cultivation insights.

Any formal disciple could freely register for this activity, with twelve destinations to choose from, accommodating disciples at different cultivation stages.

The Dao of Transcendence Sect recruited disciples en masse every two hundred years, defining each generation. In this generation, the fastest progressing disciple had reportedly reached the sixth stage of the Return to Void realm, catching up with many ‘seniors’ who had cultivated for a thousand years but had mediocre aptitude.

Qi Refinement, Spirit Transformation, Return to Void, and Return to Dao were the four major realms before achieving immortality. These determined one’s strength after becoming immortal, as well as cultivation progress and potential limits on the immortal path.

Like Lan Ling’e, entering the sect for just ten years and studying under a master who wasn’t famous and hadn’t even achieved immortality, yet reaching the eighth stage of Qi Refinement – naturally, this attracted much attention.

The senior-junior pair stood three feet apart under a tree’s shade. Many glances came their way, with most observers assuming these siblings weren’t particularly close.

Ling’e twirled a tender willow branch between her fingers, seemingly wanting to speak several times.

Rule One of their Three Agreements: Maintain three feet of distance in public.

Rule Two: No casual chatting in public unless necessary.

“Senior Brother, where are you going?”

“Guess.”

“You never tell me, though I’ve asked for days,” Ling’e huffed softly, muttering, “Anyway, wherever you go, I’ll go too. I have to keep an eye on you.”

Li Changshou smiled calmly, his lips barely moving as his voice entered Lan Ling’e’s ears through the sound transmission technique.

“Junior Sister, you’re now an accomplished Qi Refinement cultivator. You need to learn to face some challenges independently.”

Lan Ling’e righteously replied, “I’m following Master’s orders to watch over you, Senior Brother, to prevent you from causing trouble and tarnishing our Small Qiong Peak’s reputation!”

Li Changshou smiled faintly, saying nothing more.

After six bell tolls, dozens of figures flew out from Baifan Hall, with over sixty cultivators hovering in the air.

Their appearances and temperaments varied – some with white hair and wrinkled faces, others appearing as young maidens in their prime, though most presented mature and steady appearances.

These sixty-three sect members slightly released their auras, instantly silencing the crowd before Baifan Hall. Each floating figure was surrounded by a wisp of immortal light.

These were immortals from various peaks, responsible for protecting disciples during this expedition.

A crane’s cry rang out as a red-crowned white crane descended from the clouds, carrying a thin elderly man. Looking carefully at this elder, one could see auspicious clouds faintly accompanying him, two green lotuses floating around him, and his extraordinary bearing. Though his aura wasn’t openly displayed, he gave off a sense of sacred dignity.

This was Vice Sect Master Zhong Yu, reportedly a Celestial Immortal expert, among the top ten cultivators in the Dao of Transcendence Sect.

Vice Master Zhong Yu didn’t make any long speeches. With half-closed eyes and barely moving lips, his voice echoed throughout the main peak:

“During this expedition, you must always remember sect rules, uphold our Dao of Transcendence Sect’s reputation, and do nothing to disgrace us. This training journey has twelve destinations. Recently, demons have been terrorizing several tribes along the East Sea coast. I hope you can eliminate these demons, protect the Way, and safeguard our fellow humans. Elder Ge, begin.”

After speaking, Vice Master Zhong Yu departed on his crane without lingering. All disciples and sect members bowed in farewell.

An elder floating in front of the hall stepped forward, cupped his hands in acknowledgment, and announced loudly:

“Those heading to the East Sea coast to eliminate demons, come to the far left. The minimum requirement is the sixth stage of Qi Refinement! Rewards will be based on the number of demons eliminated.”

The disciples below immediately began moving, with nearly half heading to the left of the hall, making that area quite crowded.

This was customary for every training convention – among the twelve training locations, one would always be relatively less dangerous but offer generous rewards.

Lan Ling’e turned to watch her senior brother, finding his legs indeed unmoved.

As expected, Senior Brother’s target wasn’t about easy gains…

“Junior Sister, your cultivation is still shallow. Follow the majority,” Li Changshou transmitted his voice to advise. Lan Ling’e’s lips turned slightly downward, but she stood still beside her senior brother.

Elder Ge continued calling: “Those heading to the southeastern border of Central Divine Continent to eliminate demons, come to the right side. The minimum requirement is the eighth stage of Qi Refinement.”

This time only dozens of disciples moved, but all were of considerable cultivation, uniformly at the Spirit Transformation realm.

As Elder Ge continued announcing, disciples moved one after another, choosing their destinations.

The minimum cultivation requirements for the locations Elder Ge announced kept increasing. When he called for a “minimum second stage of Spirit Transformation,” Lan Ling’e’s bright eyes were full of reproach as she stared at her senior brother…

Her true cultivation was exactly at the second stage of Spirit Transformation.

“Senior Brother, where exactly are you going?”

Li Changshou still smiled without speaking.

Soon, only twenty-three people remained unmoved, with only two destinations left unannounced.

These twenty-three, except for the senior-junior pair in the corner, were almost all ‘divine seeds’ from various peaks – the specially nurtured disciples of this generation, all ranking at the top of the disciple hierarchy.

Elder Ge glanced at Lan Ling’e, then announced:

“Those heading to Lingyun Island in the East Sea for training, enter the hall to wait. The minimum requirement is the ninth stage of Spirit Transformation.”

Among the remaining twenty-plus people, seventeen moved simultaneously, releasing their auras – all uniformly at the second or third stage of Return to Void!

Waves of admiration spread through the crowd as these seventeen disciples quickly flew into the hall.

Now, only six remained unmoved, and the crowd’s attention quickly focused on a young woman wearing a fire-red immortal dress and carrying a broad-bladed treasure sword on her back.

The young woman stood silently with closed eyes, like an otherworldly immortal, a celestial being, as if surrounded by floating characters reading –

Keep Away.

She was one of the most renowned disciples of the current generation in the Dao of Transcendence Sect. Not only was she stunning and graceful, with outstanding temperament and flawless figure, but her cultivation aptitude was also astonishing. Her currently revealed aura showed she was at the fourth stage of Return to Void.

She had only entered the sect for just over sixty years. Such aptitude had earned her the sect’s high regard, and she had early on become a disciple in the Breaking Heaven Peak Master’s lineage.

‘You Qin Xuan Ya is also going to the Northern Continent? That’s good.’

Li Changshou in the corner showed a faint smile. Traveling with such an attention-drawing ‘magnet’ would help keep attention away from himself.

Beside him, Lan Ling’e’s nose twitched slightly, immediately catching an unusual scent.

Her gaze shifted between her senior brother’s smile and the young woman in the fire-red immortal dress…

There must be something going on!

More discussions spread through the crowd:

“Senior Sister Xuan Ya is going to gather herbs in the Northern Continent?”

“If Senior Sister Xuan Ya is going to the Northern Continent, it seems Senior Brother Yuan Qing will go there too.”

“Isn’t that obvious? Haven’t you noticed Senior Brother Yuan Qing hasn’t moved? He’s naturally waiting for Senior Sister Xuan Ya’s decision.”

“Be careful with your words and guard your hearts. Don’t offend these two cultivation prodigies from Breaking Heaven Peak.”

In the air, Elder Ge frowned at the senior-junior pair of Li Changshou and Lan Ling’e, shaking his head slightly before continuing loudly:

“Disciples heading to the Poisonous Treasure Forest in the southeast of the Northern Continent, enter the hall to wait. This place is extremely dangerous, disciples often get injured. The minimum requirement is the ninth stage of Spirit Transformation!”

The young woman in the fire-red dress opened her eyes, revealing clear phoenix eyes. Her toes lightly touched the ground, her dress floating in the wind like a blooming fire spirit flower, drawing all gaze as she floated into the hall.

Following closely was a seemingly cultured and refined young male cultivator, whose revealed aura was at the fifth stage of Return to Void.

His eyes never left the fire-red figure ahead – naturally, this was ‘Senior Brother Yuan Qing.’

Li Changshou also began walking, feeling quite comfortable as You Qin Xuan Ya and Yuan Qing had attracted everyone’s attention, leaving him unnoticed.

But after just two steps, he inexplicably shivered, feeling a pair of reproachful eyes following him like a shadow…

“Senior Brother, why are you suddenly going to the Northern Continent?”

Li Changshou felt a cold wind at his back, stopped his steps, turned, and said solemnly: “Naturally, to gather herbs.”

“Senior Brother? Don’t we have enough herbs at home? You…”

“Ling’e of Small Qiong Peak.”

A call suddenly came from above – it was Elder Ge frowning at the senior-junior pair, asking, “Are you still participating in this training expedition?”

“Yes.”

Lan Ling’e raised her head to answer, her pretty face slightly reddening as she felt various gazes turn toward her.

Just moments ago she had been like a chilling wind, but now she was like spring warmth meeting blooming flowers, her expression changing quite naturally…

Lan Ling’e quickly said: “Thank you for your concern, Elder. This disciple’s cultivation is still shallow, and I was somewhat undecided earlier. I have now decided to join the other senior brothers and sisters going to the East Sea coast.”

Elder Ge nodded, showing a kind smile, saying gently: “Hurry to your group then, don’t delay the auspicious departure time.”

“Yes.”

Lan Ling’e secretly sighed in relief, but when she turned to look for her senior brother, he had already disappeared.

“Really, why must he go to such a dangerous place.”

She puffed her cheeks, complaining softly, “Didn’t even say ‘take care’… Be careful yourself, stupid Senior Brother!”

As she turned, Lan Ling’e had already resumed her normal expression, walking toward the distant crowd, met by several smiling talents from various peaks.

…

In the hall, over a dozen gazes fell on Li Changshou in the corner, most carrying puzzlement, not knowing who he was.

Li Changshou silently released his aura…

The ninth stage of Spirit Transformation, barely qualifying, is above average among the current generation of disciples.