Zanxing had a very long dream.

In the dream, someone seemed to be speaking urgently beside her ear, their voice sounding very hurried. In the distance were large patches of blurry blood-red light. She tried hard to see clearly who was speaking, but her eyelids seemed glued shut. She could vaguely make out the white hem of a dress, soft as clouds.

Her entire body felt immobilized, as if she were sinking bit by bit into a swamp. The feeling of suffocation grew more and more severe… Zanxing suddenly opened her eyes.

Mimi’s enormous rear end was sitting on her face, stuffing her mouth with cat fur.

Zanxing moved, and only then did the fat cat realize she had awakened. Unhurriedly, it stepped across her face and walked to one side.

Tian Fangfang’s surprised voice came from nearby: “Junior Sister Zanxing, you’re awake!”

Zanxing sat up, looked around, and asked puzzledly: “How did I end up here?”

“You were injured and fainted during the examination. After coming out of the Xumi Jiezi Map, Seventh Martial Uncle carried you back.” Tian Fangfang became excited as she spoke: “Junior Sister Zanxing, who would have thought you were truly a person who doesn’t reveal their depth! You defeated Mo Sha single-handedly and became first in this examination! Brother, no, sister—when you become a direct disciple in the future, your brother’s success and prosperity will all depend on you!”

It took Zanxing quite a while to understand what Tian Fangfang meant. She asked: “You said I killed Mo Sha?”

“Yes, don’t you remember?” Tian Fangfang was surprised, then nodded: “That’s right too. You must have exerted quite an effort fighting that Mo Sha, so it’s normal not to remember. Now, everyone in the entire sect is talking about it. This is the first time in nearly ten years of Taiyan Sect examinations that someone encountered Mo Sha. You and Junior Brother Mu have both become sect legends now. New disciples defeating Mo Sha beyond their level—this would be a source of pride for any sect in Duzhou’s cultivation world!”

“Mu Cengxiao?” Zanxing was startled: “He also encountered Mo Sha?”

“Yes, what a coincidence. You two simultaneously encountered Mo Sha and both slayed them. When the final Yuanli was calculated, Junior Brother Mu was just a fraction behind you; you’re first, he’s second. For this selection of direct disciples by Sixth Martial Uncle, you and Junior Brother Mu are included.” Tian Fangfang finished speaking in one breath, then smiled sheepishly: “However, I’m not bad either. I’m third, so with some luck, maybe I can also become a direct disciple.”

This was quite a lot of information. Zanxing instinctively asked: “What about Hua Yue? How is Hua Yue?”

“You mean Senior Brother Hua Yue?” Tian Fangfang recalled for a moment: “I heard from fellow disciples that he encountered a troublesome high-level Mo Xiu in the Xumi Jiezi Map and was eliminated early. Not only that, he seems to have been afflicted by some illness, and recovery won’t be easy. Don’t worry about him causing you trouble. You’ve become Sixth Martial Uncle’s direct disciple—with Sixth Martial Uncle backing you, what is there to fear?”

Zanxing breathed a quiet sigh of relief. The Tomb of the Dead was originally a demonic tomb born from plague, so once swallowed by it, one would naturally be afflicted by plague. It wouldn’t kill anyone, but it would be very troublesome. It seemed Hua Yue wouldn’t have the mind to focus on her for the next couple of years.

But… she had become first, and Mu Cengxiao second?

Not just Tian Fangfang—even Zanxing herself felt surprised.

“How do you feel now?” Tian Fangfang asked: “Sixth Martial Uncle told me that Sect Master has come out of seclusion. When you wake up, you still need to meet Sect Master.”

Zanxing thought for a moment, got up to put on her shoes, and said: “I feel almost completely recovered. Let’s go meet Sect Master now.”

…

Each of the Taiyan Sect’s martial uncles had their law hall. Li Danshu’s law hall was filled with pill furnaces, and Cui Yufu’s law hall was covered with talisman formations everywhere. Yueqin’s law hall was cold and elegant, Xuan Lingzi’s law hall was warm and practical… Sect Master Shaoyang Zhenren’s law hall looked very fitting for a sect master’s status.

Jinhua Hall was extremely large and spacious, but didn’t appear empty. The vermilion pillars were finely carved with images of phoenixes riding clouds. The long hall was carpeted with golden rugs embroidered with Taiji yin-yang patterns in vermilion silk thread—both lively and magnificent.

The tables and chairs were a deep, somber dark brown color, with painted pillars and carved brackets, azure tiles and vermilion ridges. Compared to Taiyan Sect’s usual high-end gray minimalist style, this style was favored by someone of advanced age—dignified and elegant with a touch of celebratory extravagance.

Therefore, when Zanxing saw Sect Master Shaoyang Zhenren, she was greatly surprised.

Different from what Zanxing had imagined, Shaoyang Zhenren wasn’t an elderly man with completely white hair and kind features like the statue of Yushan Shengren. He looked to most in his early thirties, extremely handsome, but with an expression so indifferent it seemed he didn’t belong in this world. He had snow-white long hair hanging to his waist, wearing a dark vermilion gauze robe embroidered with phoenixes, with wide sleeves that exuded an otherworldly aura. Standing there, his features were like a painting.

Zanxing secretly praised him in her heart. The original story never mentioned that Sect Master Shaoyang Zhenren was such a divine, handsome man.

“Zanxing,” seeing Zanxing staring at Shaoyang Zhenren without speaking, Xuan Lingzi said, “Quickly pay your respects to Sect Master.”

Zanxing came to her senses and respectfully bowed to Shaoyang Zhenren: “Disciple Yang Zanxing pays respects to Sect Master.”

Shaoyang Zhenren looked up at Zanxing.

The girl before him appeared young, and with just a slight probe, one could detect that her natural aptitude was ordinary and her cultivation wasn’t particularly advanced. She had a smile on her face and seemed to have a good temperament. Even though there was a scar on her right cheek, she showed no signs of inferiority or distress. The sect emphasized removing “worldliness,” with everyone wishing to present themselves as otherworldly and transcendent, yet this woman carried the vivid liveliness of the mortal world, full of vigorous vitality that left a deep impression.

Shaoyang Zhenren slightly curved his lips and asked lightly: “In the Xumi Jiezi Map, you killed a Mo Sha. With your Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, how did you accomplish this?”

Zanxing instinctively looked toward Xuan Lingzi: “Martial Uncle, didn’t you see?”

Xuan Lingzi coughed lightly: “At that time, Sect Master was coming out of seclusion, and we were all focused on watching the blue crane. When we turned back, you had already exited the map…”

Who knew that in such a short time, Zanxing had defeated Mo Sha?

Zanxing was startled. She had thought her every move in the Xumi Jiezi Map had been observed by the martial uncles, but unexpectedly, they had missed it by coincidence. Could this also be a trap from the original story? As her thoughts raced, she replied half-truthfully: “I charged forward with my iron staff, using the ‘Qing E Nian Hua Gun.’ That Mo Sha was very strong, and I couldn’t defeat it. I fainted, and when I woke up, I was already in Miaokong Hall. Senior Brother Tian told me I had defeated Mo Sha. At first, I couldn’t believe it either. I wanted the martial uncles to explain it to me, but unexpectedly, the martial uncles don’t know what happened either.”

Cui Yufu asked in a deep voice: “You don’t know either?”

Zanxing nodded.

“Could it have been a lucky accident?” Li Danshu muttered quietly: “This luck is a bit too good.”

Gu Baiying stood to one side with his arms crossed. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow: “Yang Zanxing, did you use some secret treasure and exploit a loophole in the competition?”

Zanxing looked at him.

This young man’s gaze was full of suspicion, but he had guessed pretty close to the truth.

Zanxing smiled slightly: “Seventh Martial Uncle, you need evidence to say such things.”

Gu Baiying was at a loss for words. When he had carried Zanxing back to Miaokong Hall, he had already probed with Yuanli and indeed found nothing unusual on her. However, Mendong had also said that Yang Zanxing’s Yuanli circulation was different from ordinary people, and she had also taken the Qin Chong seed. No matter how Gu Baiying looked at her, something seemed off.

“If she truly has a secret treasure, it would also be her opportunity.” Shaoyang Zhenren spoke. He looked at Yang Zanxing, and in those calm eyes seemed to contain some deeper meaning as he said lightly: “You were able to defeat Mo Sha in this inner sect examination and rank first. No matter what method you used, since the Xumi Jiezi Map permitted your actions, it doesn’t count as breaking the rules. It was also destined by fate. Xuan Lingzi,” he called Xuan Lingzi’s name, “now that the ranking stone results are out, the direct disciple positions can be decided.”

“Yes.” Xuan Lingzi cupped his hands: “This disciple favors Yang Zanxing, Mu Cengxiao, and Tian Fangfang. One of these three has opportunity accompanying them, one has exceptional natural aptitude, and one has considerable wisdom in the cultivation path. If they could become Xuan Lingzi’s direct disciples, nothing would be better.”

Listening to Xuan Lingzi’s words, Zanxing felt inexplicably nervous for some reason.

In Jinhua Hall, no one spoke for a long while.

After another moment, the man’s indifferent voice sounded: “Since your mind is made up, do as you say.”

Shaoyang Zhenren turned and walked toward the steps in the hall: “From today on, they are your direct disciples.”