Return to the Dormitory

Xu Chunniang listened in the entire time. When she learned that Brother Dawu had entered the inner sect and was even taken as a disciple by a Golden Core Elder from Artifact Refining Peak, she felt genuinely happy for him.

As for the other two inner sect geniuses, she merely noted their names silently and paid them no further attention.

Suddenly, the surrounding chatter seemed to hit a pause button, becoming eerily quiet.

Sensing something, Xu Chunniang looked up at the sky and saw an old man speeding towards them, seated on a giant gourd.

The old man wore golden Daoist robes and possessed an ethereal aura, clearly indicating he was a celestial expert.

He arrived above the Lecture Hall but did not descend, remaining seated on the gourd. His gaze swept over the crowd indifferently.

Everyone felt the immense weight of his gaze, which suppressed them so much they dared not even breathe loudly. They all stood at attention, ready for anything.

The old man in the golden robes retracted his gaze and his steady voice spread outwards.

"I am a Golden Core cultivator from Artifact Refining Peak. Today, I will only lecture on matters related to artifact refining. What I will explain next is the 'Analysis of Artifact Refining, Level One'..."

It turned out that the Golden Core Elders lectured every half a month, and the elder from whichever peak came would lecture on the scriptures of that peak.

Since the elder from Artifact Refining Peak had come today, the scriptures naturally pertained to artifact refining.

Xu Chunniang's eyes glazed over. Although the Golden Core Elder's 'Analysis of Artifact Refining, Level One' was explained exceptionally well, the crucial point was that she couldn't understand a single word of it.

She cautiously glanced around. Seeing that all the disciples were listening with utmost concentration, even those who didn't understand putting on a show of serious listening, she had no choice but to feign attentiveness as well.

Xu Chunniang secretly began to ponder. It seemed the things the Golden Core Elder was discussing were too profound, far beyond what she could grasp at her current level. Instead of wasting time listening, it would be better to return and continue trying to harmonize her spiritual energy.

She had previously regretted missing two elder lectures, but now, it seemed there was nothing to regret.

However, since the Golden Core Elder had already begun lecturing, she absolutely could not leave without permission. She could only return to her dormitory after the elder finished.

Two hours later, the Golden Core Elder concluded his lecture and departed directly on the gourd.

Watching the small black dot grow smaller in the sky, Xu Chunniang also breathed a sigh of relief and quickly slipped away.

Those two hours had been torture for her. Not only could she not understand, but she also had to pretend to understand...

However, this trip was not entirely without gain. At least for a long time, she wouldn't be thinking of coming to the Lecture Hall again.

As she walked towards the dormitory, the path became increasingly secluded. For the latter half of the journey, it was completely deserted.

If she hadn't been holding the Carefree Sect map, Xu Chunniang would have almost believed she had left the sect.

After walking for a full three hours, Xu Chunniang finally reached her destination. Before her stood a dilapidated little wooden hut.

It was unclear how long this little wooden hut had been uninhabited. The roof had a large hole, and there were no windows. It was even more run-down than her home in Xu Family Village!

Could she live here?

Xu Chunniang was highly skeptical. She even considered just living in the Lecture Hall instead.

But the thought of walking back and spending another three hours made her finally suppress this idea.

Besides, although the Lecture Hall could be lived in, staying there long-term wasn't quite right.

Resigned, Xu Chunniang pushed the door open. But before she could even exert any force, the door actually fell inward, kicking up a huge cloud of dust.

Looking inside, there was nothing but a bed and a table.

Even these two pieces of furniture were broken and dilapidated. Xu Chunniang had no doubt that if she applied even a little force, they would shatter.

Well, it seemed she would have to sleep on the floor. She had gotten quite used to it these past few days anyway.

Xu Chunniang wore a bitter expression on her small face. Fortunately, the disciple uniforms issued uniformly by the sect could automatically resist dust and ward off the cold. Otherwise, sleeping on the floor every day, her small body definitely wouldn't be able to handle it.

Stepping out of the hut, Xu Chunniang looked around. She needed to find a water source first.

Although she had Grain Abstinence Pills and didn't need to drink water, not to mention that cleaning the house required water. While she had been diligent about washing herself with water every day while staying at the Lecture Hall, it had actually been a long time since she had taken a proper bath.

But at a glance, where could she find any water on this barren mountain peak?

Xu Chunniang shook her head helplessly. It seemed these six spirit stones were truly not easy to save.

It would be best to find water before dark and tidy up the house.

Fortunately, although Xu Chunniang had not yet managed to draw qi into her body, her daily meditation and cultivation were not without effect. At least she could clearly feel that her stamina had improved significantly. She hadn't felt particularly tired after walking for so long earlier.

After a short rest, Xu Chunniang opened the map and began searching for areas with potential water sources nearby.

She didn't need to concern herself with the back mountain. She hadn't forgotten what Steward Zhang had said. If she truly encountered demonic beasts, with her current abilities, she would be nothing more than a meal.

After marking a few areas with potential water sources, Xu Chunniang set off. There was still an hour until dark. She hoped to find a water source as soon as possible.

It was also because Xu Chunniang had grown up in a farming family, accustomed to going up mountains and down rivers. If it were any other eight-year-old child, they wouldn't even dare to run around wildly on the mountain.

However, Xu Chunniang's luck was truly terrible. She had already traveled at her fastest speed, but the places she went to all lacked water.

Seeing that the sky had completely darkened, if she didn't return soon, she would probably have to sleep in the wilderness tonight.

But thinking of the dilapidated, old wooden hut on the mountaintop, Xu Chunniang shook her head speechlessly. Living in that hut meant worrying about the walls collapsing while she slept. It was better to sleep in the wilderness.

Now, only the last potential water source remained. Xu Chunniang spread out the map, looking at the location she had marked. It was already very close to the back mountain.

Xu Chunniang closed the map, deciding to go tomorrow. For tonight, she would simply find a cave to make do.

According to the terrain shown on the map, the area to the south was all mountains, so she should be able to find a cave.

As expected, after walking south for a while, the terrain became complex. Fortunately, the moon had risen by then, and the faint moonlight illuminated the path ahead.

However, the mountain path was steep and difficult to navigate. Even with the moonlight, there were many inconveniences. Moreover, Xu Chunniang was still young and weak, and she had already had a tiring day. In one moment of carelessness, her foot slipped, and she fell uncontrollably!

Xu Chunniang was greatly alarmed. By the time she reacted, she realized she had fallen into a mountain crevice. She hadn't expected this crevice to be so deep. Falling from such a height would surely be fatal.

Could it be that she was going to die unjustly before even embarking on the path of cultivation!

Another day of asking for collections and votes. Throw all sorts of votes at me, I love you all (づ￣3￣)づ╭～