The Cursed Eastern Geng District

Senior Brother Song Yu handed Li Xiuchang and Chi Hui over to the Outer Sect reception disciples of the Immortal Dust Sect before leaving with Pang Yuanfu.

Before departing, Senior Brother Song Yu also gave Li Xiuchang and Chi Hui a piece of advice:

"When you choose your Hundred Cultivation Arts in a few days, if you can't make up your mind, you can come find me."

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Li Xiuchang quickly expressed his gratitude, feeling fortunate to have met such a warm-hearted person as Senior Brother Song Yu.

The reception disciple responsible for settling Li Xiuchang and Chi Hui was named Wang Long. Seeing that Li Xiuchang and Chi Hui had some connection with Song Yu, he treated them courteously.

Wang Long first took Li Xiuchang and Chi Hui to the Outer Sect Reception Area to register their identities and receive their identity tokens. Afterward, he led them to choose their residences.

"This is a map of the Outer Sect disciple residential area. The houses marked in red are already occupied. All our Outer Sect disciples have their own rooms, so you can choose any vacant house you like."

Wang Long took out a Jade Slip, infused it with a trace of Spiritual Qi, and the Jade Slip immediately projected a map made of light and shadow.

Li Xiuchang asked Chi Hui to choose first while he took the opportunity to examine the map carefully.

The residential area for Outer Sect disciples of the Immortal Dust Sect was divided into four major districts: East, South, West, and North. Each major district was further divided into ten smaller areas, named after the ten Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui.

Within each small area, there were anywhere from dozens to hundreds of houses, numbered accordingly.

Li Xiuchang's gaze swept across the map. He noticed that many areas were densely populated. Excluding the areas not yet open for occupation, the general occupancy rate was over seventy percent!

Li Xiuchang, who possessed a cheat, didn't want too much contact with others, lest they notice anything unusual.

His original intention was to find a quiet place with few people, but it didn't seem easy.

As his eyes moved, he was soon drawn to a spot on the map.

It was hard not to be drawn to it, because compared to the dense red dots in other areas, the red dots in one particular area were unusually sparse.

"There must be a reason for this abnormality," Li Xiuchang thought, and then asked, "Senior Brother Wang, why are there so few people living in the Eastern Geng District? Is it newly opened?"

"That's not the case." Wang Long was not surprised when Li Xiuchang asked about the Eastern Geng District. He often encountered new disciples who were interested in it.

He repeated to Li Xiuchang what he usually told other new disciples:

"The Eastern Geng District is a bit strange, and we don't recommend new disciples to live there. Junior Brother Li should choose a better place."

His words, however, piqued Chi Hui's curiosity. She widened her large, watery eyes and asked, "Senior Brother Wang, how is it strange? Tell us about it."

Under the expectant gaze of the young girl, Wang Long lowered his voice and said, "Our Outer Sect disciples have two paths for advancement within the sect. One is rapid cultivation. If you achieve Foundation Establishment before the age of forty, you can be promoted to the Inner Sect exceptionally.

"The other is exceptional skill. If you master a cultivation art to the third tier, you can become an Outer Sect Enshrined Official, and in the future, you might even have the chance to become an Outer Sect Elder.

"Although these two paths are difficult, each residential area, in a period ranging from decades to centuries, will eventually produce an Inner Sect disciple or an Outer Sect Enshrined Official. Only the Eastern Geng District, it is said, has been stagnant like a dead pool for two thousand years, without a single Inner Sect disciple or Outer Sect Enshrined Official emerging.

"Over time, rumors spread that the Eastern Geng District is cursed. Once you move in, your future will be bleak. We cultivators are most wary of fate and luck, preferring to believe it exists rather than not. Naturally, no one dares to live there. Those who moved in, disbelieving the rumors, eventually moved out."

Upon hearing this, Chi Hui immediately kept her distance from the Eastern Geng District. Following Wang Long's advice, she chose to live in an area with more female disciples.

Li Xiuchang, however, was contemplating. The Eastern Geng District was a small residential area with only over thirty houses, and only four of them were occupied.

These four houses were not adjacent to each other, indicating that the four senior brothers or sisters who lived there valued their privacy.

If he could choose a house in a corner of the Eastern Geng District, it would be his dream home!

As for the so-called curse, Li Xiuchang didn't take it too seriously. The Immortal Dust Sect was a renowned orthodox sect throughout the entire Immortal Shade Realm. If there were truly a curse, wouldn't the sect's higher-ups have eliminated it?

"Senior Brother Wang, I prefer quiet, so I'll live in the Eastern Geng District," Li Xiuchang stated.

"Are you sure?" Wang Long blinked, surprised that Li Xiuchang was so stubborn.

"Certain," Li Xiuchang nodded.

"You should think carefully..." Wang Long lowered his voice. "I shouldn't speak ill of others behind their backs, but according to the disciples who moved out of the Eastern Geng District before, several senior brothers there have peculiar tempers and are not easy to get along with."

There were only four senior brothers in the Eastern Geng District in total. How many did "several" refer to?

However, that wasn't important. When Li Xiuchang heard this, he became even more satisfied with the Eastern Geng District.

Not easy to get along with?

Then he simply wouldn't interact with them, which suited him perfectly.

If his neighbors were friendly, Li Xiuchang's deliberate distance would seem impolite. Now, he had no such worries.

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. I'll try it out first. If I don't get used to it, I can always move out later."

Seeing Li Xiuchang's persistence, Wang Long stopped trying to persuade him.

Every few years, there would always be a few stubborn individuals who insisted on living in the Eastern Geng District... like the four who were currently living there.

Wang Long piloted a Flying Boat, taking Li Xiuchang to the Eastern Geng District.

On the Flying Boat, Li Xiuchang got a glimpse of the Eastern Geng District's overall appearance. The entire district was similar to a "residential community" in his past life, and a high-end villa area at that.

There were a total of thirty-two houses, all identical two-story buildings, each with a moderately sized courtyard.

"Senior Brother Wang, aren't cultivators supposed to live in cave dwellings? Why do all the buildings in our Immortal Dust Sect look like multi-story buildings and bungalows?" Li Xiuchang asked curiously.

"Hahaha, that's ancient history," Wang Long chuckled. "Cave dwellings were often built near mountains to be closer to the Spirit Veins, making it easier to absorb Spiritual Qi. But since the 'Spiritual Qi Pipeline Transport Technology' became mature, who would bother living on a mountain?"

Chi Hui looked down at the houses, a look of joy on her face. The living conditions for Outer Sect disciples of the Immortal Dust Sect were quite good, exceeding her imagination.

She asked, almost disbelievingly, "Senior Brother Wang, this huge house, is it really for just one person?"

"Of course!"

As Wang Long landed the flying boat, he explained, "We cultivators inherently fear disturbances during our practice, and sharing living quarters presents many inconveniences... However, all of us Outer Sect disciples must study the Hundred Cultivation Arts. Once we've mastered a skill, we'll generally take on one or two apprentices to assist us, and these apprentices might also live with us."

"I see."

After the flying boat came to a stable halt, Li Xiuchang followed Wang Long into the Eastern Geng District.

Among the many vacant houses in the corners, Li Xiuchang picked one with an auspicious number: Eastern Geng District, House Number Eighteen!

"From now on, your identity token is the key to opening the house."

Wang Long matched Li Xiuchang's identity token with the protective formation of House Number Eighteen in the Eastern Geng District, and then demonstrated to Li Xiuchang how to use the token to activate and deactivate the formation.

Each house was protected by a protective formation, ensuring the safety and privacy of the disciples, which greatly pleased Li Xiuchang.

After completing all this, Wang Long prepared to take his leave, as he still needed to take Chi Hui to her residence.

Li Xiuchang quickly called out to him, "Senior Brother Wang, what should I do next?"

"My memory!" Wang Long smacked his forehead, finally remembering. He took a book from the storage pouch at his waist and handed it to Li Xiuchang.

Li Xiuchang peered at the cover:

Beginner's Guide — Compiled by the Immortal Dust Sect Outer Sect Reception Area.