A Sword Comes from the West, a Flying Immortal Beyond the Heavens

Ling An'an came back to her senses and saw the mountain peak only a few hundred meters ahead, about to collide with them. With a startled cry, she instantly pulled the Flying Sword upward.

After clearing the mountain, Ling An'an hurriedly apologized in a fluster.

Thankfully, Jing Pu had not trained for nothing during those three years in the Void Space. He had cultivated all sorts of martial skills, such as Sword Dao and Saber Intent, to the pinnacle of perfection.

Otherwise, Ling An'an would have long since flung Jing Pu off.

Who knew what was wrong with Ling An'an? She controlled the Flying Sword in an S-shaped path one moment and a C-shaped path the next. Jing Pu was baffled. This Flying Sword... could it drift through the sky too?!

Ling An'an was now repeatedly apologizing to Jing Pu in a panic.

Naturally, Jing Pu said it was nothing. After all, he was merely catching a ride—what right did he have to complain?

Seeing that Jing Pu was not angry, Ling An'an finally calmed down a little. After checking that there were no obstacles ahead, she turned back and gave Jing Pu a slight bow.

"Senior, do you have some business at the Divine Sword Sect?"

Jing Pu froze for a moment, then quickly waved his hands.

"I'm going to the Divine Sword Sect to see whether I can become an Outer Disciple."

An Outer Disciple?

Ling An'an was somewhat stunned. What did Senior mean by going to the Divine Sword Sect to become an Outer Disciple?

Before Ling An'an could figure it out, Jing Pu gave a soft sigh and said somewhat desolately,

"You don't need to keep calling me Senior. I'm no senior... I'm just a very ordinary mortal. Being able to stand on a Fairy Maiden's Flying Sword is already an immense honor. I don't dare accept such a title."

Jing Pu sighed softly, his face filled with sorrow. Strands of strange Dao Intent seeped into Ling An'an's heart.

Looking at Jing Pu, Ling An'an could not help but feel a pang of heartache. What she wanted most right now was to embrace Jing Pu, gently pat his back, and comfort him in a soft voice that there was nothing wrong with a mortal being unable to cultivate immortality—there were still many meaningful things in life.

But... Ling An'an's impulse to comfort Jing Pu was swiftly interrupted by herself. Wait... no... that wasn't right!

How could Senior possibly be a mortal?!

In that instant, Ling An'an understood. Oh~~~ So Senior still wanted to pretend to be a mortal...

Come to think of it, Ling An'an had thought that Senior Jing Pu helping her and allowing her to break through from the Core Formation stage into the Golden Core stage had already revealed his identity.

But now that she looked at it, Senior seemed to be planning to keep hiding it.

Right... right!

This was Senior's reminder. He had to be reminding her never to forget Senior's current identity!

At once, Ling An'an nodded very seriously and looked at Jing Pu.

"Senior, I understand!!"

Jing Pu wore a baffled expression. You understand??

What did you understand??

And... why were you calling him Senior again?!

Still... if Ling An'an liked calling him Senior, Jing Pu had no objections. As long as she herself did not find it awkward.

After that, Ling An'an did not intend to ask any more questions. Judging from the few things that had happened just now, this Senior was definitely no evil person.

He had helped mortal commoners Defy Heaven to Change Fate, ensuring a hundred years of favorable winds and rains here.

And the moment he saw her, he had helped a junior advance. How could such a generous senior possibly be an evil person? Besides, where could one find an evil person this handsome?

Since that was the case, she would simply go along with Senior. Perhaps this was also part of his cultivation. She absolutely must not disturb it.

Very soon, a journey Jing Pu had expected to take two or three days was completed in less than twenty minutes.

At this moment, Jing Pu saw the immortal cultivation sects that had existed only in novels. In his previous life, many films about immortal cultivation had been made in his country, but perhaps all the budget had been spent on pretty-boy idols, because the sects and clans from those novels had ultimately looked like bandit dens.

Only some animations contained such grand scenes, but no matter how grand animation was, it could not compare to the shock of reality.

Jing Pu was now somewhat awestruck. Mountain peaks rose beyond sight, their slopes dotted with all kinds of ancient and elegant buildings. Azure bricks and green tiles lay hidden among misty clouds and towering ancient trees.

It was currently the time when the Divine Sword Sect assessed new recruits. Immortal cultivators from all directions were flying toward this place, dazzling in a riot of colors and trailing rosy light.

It was truly spectacular.

Of course, while Jing Pu was marveling at all this, quite a few people around them were also watching him.

Jing Pu's appearance, along with the unintentional Dao Intent in every gesture he made, already drew tremendous attention.

But even more striking was the fact that Jing Pu and Ling An'an stood on the same Flying Sword.

That was very strange. Everyone else had one Flying Sword per person, yet only Jing Pu and Ling An'an were standing together.

Ling An'an was feeling somewhat conflicted. It was not because Jing Pu was standing so close to her. What troubled her was where she should take Jing Pu.

Jing Pu had come here to become an Outer Disciple, which naturally posed no problem. However, under normal circumstances, one had to participate in an assessment to become an Outer Disciple. Only after passing could one become an Outer Disciple.

Should she take Senior to the assessment?

Ling An'an considered it carefully, then ultimately flew down the mountain with Jing Pu.

Since Senior had just been constantly reminding her that he was a mortal, they would follow the normal procedure. With Senior's strength, a slight trick would surely be enough for him to pass everything.

Ling An'an immediately looked at Chen Pingping, who had been glancing at Jing Pu from time to time along the way.

"Pingping, you go back first. I'll take Senior to the Outer Disciple assessment site."

Chen Pingping was startled, then immediately said, "Alright."

Led by Ling An'an, Jing Pu arrived at an immortal cultivation plaza at the foot of the mountain. Quite a few people sat there with their eyes half-closed in meditation, as still as old monks in deep concentration.

The arrival of Jing Pu and Ling An'an caused the few white-haired elders seated in the center to pause. They immediately rose and respectfully bowed to Ling An'an.

"We did not know a High Immortal had arrived. Please forgive us for failing to welcome you from afar."

Jing Pu still understood some things about immortal cultivation. Though these old men had white hair, they might not even be as old as Ling An'an.

Immortal cultivators possessed a lifespan. Cultivation could increase that lifespan. If one could not raise one's realm within their limited lifespan, they would grow old and die once it was exhausted. If they broke through within their lifespan, their appearance would become younger.

Ling An'an gave a slight wave of her hand in acknowledgment, then quickly looked at Jing Pu.

"Senior, this is the Outer Disciple assessment site."

Jing Pu looked around and understood. He immediately thanked Ling An'an.

"Thank you, Fairy Maiden, for bringing me here. I don't have anything to give you in return. Do you prefer calligraphy or paintings?"

In truth, Jing Pu had many things he could give her. For example, sabers and swords. His Artisan's Heart had reached the pinnacle of perfection two years ago. The swords and sabers he forged would have been even more formidable than the Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber if placed in a martial arts world.

But this was an immortal cultivation world. No matter how easily mortal objects could slice through iron like mud, they could not compare to immortal cultivators' weapons. So sabers and swords were out of the question; they had no value at all.

At least calligraphy and paintings could be displayed and admired.

Ling An'an truly had not expected that after Jing Pu had just given her such a tremendous opportunity to break through to the Core Formation stage, he was actually going to give her another great opportunity...

Could it be... Senior Jing Pu... toward me... really...

Ling An'an's face turned red again. Lowering her head slightly, she did not dare look at Jing Pu. Her pretty face flushed as she gently bit her red lips and murmured,

"As long as it is something Senior gives me... I like it..."

Seeing Ling An'an suddenly blush again, Jing Pu raised his brows. This beautiful Fairy Maiden really blushed easily. Could it be... she had taken a liking to him??

Come to think of it... Jing Pu had indeed been rather lonely, empty, and cold during those three years in the Void Space. But... after thinking it over carefully, he knew it was impossible. She was a High Immortal, while he was nothing. He was not worthy.

Forget it, forget it. A man's greatest delusion was that she liked him.

Jing Pu turned around and began rummaging through his Space Bag. Everything he had accumulated during those three years in the Void Space was inside it.

Jing Pu had thought that after leaving the Void Space, every item within would be a heaven-shaking divine artifact. But to his surprise, they had all become trash—mere mortal goods.

In the end, Jing Pu found a painting he was rather satisfied with, titled "A Sword Comes from the West, a Flying Immortal Beyond the Heavens," and took it out.

He handed it directly to the flushed Ling An'an, who seemed lost in thought, and said,

"This is for you. I painted it a long time ago. I don't know whether you'll like it. If you don't, come tell me what you like, and I'll paint another one for you on the spot. I'm quite good at painting."