Lan Ling’e had a dream.

In the dream, she was accepted as a disciple by an elderly immortal who brought her to his immortal dwelling, where she saw a handsome senior brother leap out of the water…

Well, it seemed this wasn’t a dream, but what had just happened?

In her dazed state, Lan Ling’e heard her master’s voice again, though now he sounded fierce, quite different from the kindly old immortal she remembered.

“Outrageous! Have your wings grown so stiff? Now you dare to scheme against your master!”

Then, Lan Ling’e heard that warm, elegant voice:

“Master, please calm down. A disciple was merely taking precautions, and as I happened to be practicing water escape techniques, I made these anti-thief arrangements before going to cultivate in the lake. Disciple didn’t know Master would suddenly return today and couldn’t remove them in time. Please forgive me.”

Senior Brother spoke unhurriedly, making one want to listen to more.

Following this, Lan Ling’e heard Master let out a long sigh.

By the bamboo bed, the elderly Daoist clapped his hands and complained helplessly: “I say, Chang Shou, this is within the sect gates. What use are such arrangements? And preventing thieves? Our Small Jade Peak might as well change the ‘Jade’ character to ‘Poor’! What thief would ever visit us!”

Chang Shou?

Is that Senior Brother’s name?

What a simple Daoist title, revealing Senior Brother’s pure and simple good wishes.

Lan Ling’e suddenly realized that although she could hear the commotion outside, she couldn’t open her eyes at all. Her eyelids felt extremely heavy, and her body had no strength.

Senior Brother spoke again, his voice so warm, giving her a feeling like her mother…

“Master’s words are biased. There isn’t a lack of danger within the sect gates. Competition between peaks has been fierce in recent years, and the sect elders don’t care much about such matters. As I am the only—no, now one of two disciples in our lineage, necessary caution is still needed. Our Small Jade Peak already has a low presence in the sect and no backing. Someone might try to take our little plot of land through schemes.”

Just as Senior Brother finished speaking, she heard Master complain again:

“How could such things happen with our Crossing to Immortality Gate’s strict rules? Enough, enough! Your Master can’t argue with you! So many twisted theories every day! Yet your cultivation level hardly improves! Wait here until Ling’e wakes up, take your Master’s token, and bring her to the main peak to register in the records and receive her formal disciple identity tablet and monthly allowance! It’s infuriating!”

The elderly Daoist swept his sleeve and rose from the bamboo chair. Presumably still affected by the medicine, he staggered again, making the old man’s face flush red.

“Infuriating!”

“Master, please be careful.”

“Hmph! Your Master is going to meditate on supreme mystical Dao!”

Master Qi Yuan stomped his foot heavily, his form turning into a wisp of green smoke and disappearing from the thatched cottage;

In the blink of an eye, there came a series of clattering sounds from the neighboring cottage, clearly the Daoist losing his balance again after dispelling his magic.

“Ah…” The young man standing at the door sighed softly.

With this sigh, the girl lying on the bamboo bed opened her eyes a crack, seeing the figure now lowering his head in thought.

Senior Brother is so tall.

“Master’s foundation is still too weak, his soul force insufficient. I’m afraid he’ll struggle to withstand the heavenly tribulation of becoming an immortal.”

What did these words mean…

Drowsiness came again, and Lan Ling’e unconsciously closed her eyes again, soon hearing increasingly clear footsteps.

Though she was only nine years old now, her spiritual wisdom had awakened early. Born into a human-world noble family, she had studied etiquette since childhood and had a vague understanding of various matters.

In such a situation of an unmarried man and woman, with a strange man constantly approaching her, Lan Ling’e felt it was against etiquette.

But if it was her senior brother, who would be like a close elder brother in the future, perhaps it wasn’t so…

“Junior Sister Lan, I am your Senior Brother Li Chang Shou.

I’m now going to help you relieve the effects of the Soft Immortal Incense. If you can hear me, please don’t think I’m a pervert, I’m a man with very correct values.

Ah, what am I sleep-talking about, she’s just beginning cultivation, how could she resist this medicine’s power.”

Pervert? Values?

These cultivation-specific terms are so hard to understand…

Senior Brother is indeed a cultivator!

Lan Ling’e wanted to try to respond, to avoid being too impolite before her senior brother, but she had absolutely no strength, only her thoughts were active.

Suddenly, she felt a large hand gently placed on her forehead, streams of cool qi entering from her forehead, instantly flowing throughout her body, making her feel exceptionally comfortable.

Senior Brother is healing me…

Lan Ling’e’s thoughts became somewhat chaotic for unknown reasons, her mind floating to the clouds, both hazy and distinct.

Li Chang Shou looked at the little girl lying flat on the bed, frowning in thought.

Although Master had long spoken of wanting to accept another disciple, and he had mentally prepared himself to welcome a junior sister or brother, there were still several matters he was quite concerned about.

‘I’ll take this chance to check her soul.’

Li Chang Shou dispersed a stream of cool qi, gently touching the location of Lan Ling’e’s spirit essence origin.

Hmm, her soul and body were perfectly harmonious, without any sense of discord—she hadn’t been possessed.

Her aptitude seemed good too, with water and wood affinities, though her temperament remained unknown.

At Little Junior Sister’s age, her personality should already be formed. Hopefully, she wasn’t the type to cause trouble everywhere…

Though looking at her appearance, she might become a beauty in the future. Throughout history, beautiful women have often been sources of trouble—this could be a potential point of conflict, best to avoid it.

‘Let me check if there are any demon seeds or such things hidden.’

Yes, this check was also very necessary. Though the probability was very low, such tiny possibilities couldn’t be ruled out. Prevention was always better than cure.

Meanwhile…

Eh?

Feeling that large hand leave her forehead and slowly glide over various places, the drowsy Lan Ling’e’s little face became slightly red.

Se-Senior Brother…

Isn’t this too…

This seems somewhat improper…

Soon, Li Chang Shou nodded. After his meticulous inspection, Little Junior Sister shouldn’t have any problems—no possession, no demon seeds, no curses or hexes, and she was indeed good cultivation material.

Entry inspection officially passed!

Next would be preparing training courses for Junior Sister, which also needed careful preparation.

Best if Junior Sister wasn’t the type who liked to cause trouble, then the probability of him being entangled in karma could remain roughly the same as now…

Li Chang Shou sat by the bed somewhat lost in thought, then couldn’t help but laugh, muttering:

Though Lan Ling’e couldn’t understand, she felt Master was indeed right—Senior Brother was a bit strange.

Perhaps due to the cool qi taking effect, Lan Ling’e regained a tiny bit of strength throughout her body. Unable to resist trying to open her eyes, her small mouth slightly opened, letting out a soft moan.

Her vision changed from blurry to bright, and Lan Ling’e finally saw her senior brother up close. Indeed, it was a face with distinct features that grew more handsome the more one looked—even more handsome than those guards beside her mother.

It’s just that, right now, this Senior Brother’s expression was somewhat… nerve-wracking…

Senior Brother’s gaze is so scary!

Gulp!

Lan Ling’e swallowed, weak, helpless, and pitiful.

Then she heard the young cultivator sitting by the bed ask quietly: “Did you hear everything just now?”

Lan Ling’e suddenly became flustered, responding shakily: “N-no… um…”

What’s wrong with Senior Brother? Had she angered him somehow? Was this expression because he was dissatisfied with something about her?

“Senior Brother…”

The young man by the bed slowly stood up, looking down at this delicately carved little girl, his gaze showing slight hesitation before quickly saying in a deep voice:

“Look at me.

Don’t mention what I just said to anyone.”

“Oh, alright,” Lan Ling’e responded softly, her cheeks red, somewhat at a loss.

Then, she saw her senior brother shake his head, slowly stand up and walk to the window, staring outside lost in thought.

His name was Li Chang Shou. When he became a disciple years ago, he had insisted on keeping “Chang Shou” (Long Life) as his Daoist title;

Not too different from Lan Ling’e’s guess, Li Chang Shou just wanted to live longer, preferably as long as heaven and earth.

At this moment, Li Chang Shou was recalling what information he had revealed in his earlier soliloquy.

The biggest flaw should be those three words “in previous life,” right?

Damn!

After over a hundred years of careful guarding, who would have thought he’d expose his secret to his newly arrived junior sister? It was because he’d kept the secret in his heart for too long, he couldn’t help talking to himself!

Turning his head to glance at the little girl trying to sit up on the bed, Li Chang Shou stroked his chin.

Perhaps he should silence her permanently, yes, silence her!

On the bamboo bed, Lan Ling’e, who had managed to sit up with effort, happened to catch her senior brother’s cold gaze, and couldn’t help shuddering…

“Senior Brother?”

“Don’t mention what I just said to anyone!”

“Yes! Ling’e remembers!”

“Don’t tell anyone, including Master!”

“Alright, Senior Brother…”

“Good, first take an oath, in the name of the Supreme Dao!”

“Eh? Um…”

In the slanting daylight, black lines gradually covered the forehead of the girl sitting on the bed as she raised her small hand under technical guidance and supervision, beginning to recite the thousand-word…

Dao oath that considered various situations and preconditions.