You Also Came Here to Mock Me?

Fate?

Upon hearing those two words, Song Shuhang felt an uncontrollable urge to swallow—I was just an innocent passerby who was forcibly absorbed into your palace while passing by! What connection do I have with you?

It's like you're standing at your front door when a pretty girl/handsome guy walks by, and you knock her/him unconscious with a stick, then drag her/him back into your house.

Oh, and we also need to prepare two doors, one for leaving and one for entering the bedroom.

If she/he accidentally walks into the bedroom... Ah, girl/guy, we're really destined for each other! How about we do it?

What kind of fate is this?!

However, before Song Shuhang could even voice his complaints, the golden couple seemed to possess mind-reading abilities and understood what he was thinking.

"Fellow Daoist did not drift to the entrance of our Jadewater Pavilion by chance... Fellow Daoist was clearly brought here by someone," Golden Lad said.

The Jade Maiden covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "We were just trying to prevent you from bumping into the outer door of the Jadewater Pavilion. There are copper nails on the door, and it would hurt if you bumped into them. That's why we brought you into the arched bridge inside the Jadewater Pavilion."

Golden Lad continued, "Therefore, your choice represents your destiny with our Jadewater Pavilion."

Mind Reading Technique?

Song Shuhang immediately controlled his expression and stopped overthinking.

Furthermore... if he didn't randomly drift to the location of the Jadewater Pavilion, but was instead brought here by someone, who would have brought him here?

Could it be the Venerable Seven Cultivations?

He was stuffed into the cannon barrel of the Immortal Ark by Venerable Seven Cultivations and fired... Was Venerable Seven Cultivations intentionally sending him to the location of 'Jadewater Pavilion'?

"It seems you've figured out who sent you here," Golden Lad said with a smile.

Song Shuhang smiled slightly, neither confirming nor denying.

This is only the other party's side of the story. Before clarifying the true relationship between yourself and the other party, you can't completely believe one side's story; at most, you can only believe half of it.

The Jade Maiden continued, "In that case... fellow Daoist with whom we share a connection, would you like to join our Jadewater Pavilion and become our disciple?"

"Our Jadewater Pavilion hasn't accepted any new disciples for several hundred years," Golden Lad said.

Become a disciple of the Jadewater Pavilion?

"Am I suitable?" Song Shuhang emerged from his bulky spacesuit and chuckled, "I've already missed the optimal age for cultivation, and I don't have any 'Innate True Qi' left in my body. Besides, my aptitude for cultivation can only be considered average."

The reason I was able to advance to the Second-Grade so quickly is thanks to the care of the seniors in the group and the Fortune of Venerable White.

"These are not things that we at the Jadewater Pavilion would care about when accepting disciples," Golden Lad, maintaining his smile.

The Jade Maiden said, "Talent and age are nothing to us at the Jadewater Pavilion. As long as you are willing to stay at the Jadewater Pavilion, we have enough resources to provide for your cultivation."

Staying in the Jadewater Pavilion... that makes sense. Large sects have requirements for their disciples who have truly entered the sect. They won't let disciples leave the sect easily until they reach a certain level and have the ability to protect themselves.

Of course, outer disciples are an exception. Outer disciples can only be considered as prospective disciples.

"Thank you both for your kind offer." Song Shuhang shook his head slightly. He had already made his decision about whether to become a sect disciple or a rogue cultivator shortly after joining the Nine Provinces Number One Group.

He didn't want to be bound by a sect for the time being, and being a rogue cultivator was his best option right now—moreover, Song Shuhang wasn't very dependent on a sect.

With the 'Nine Provinces Number One Group' around, as long as Song Shuhang is willing to work hard and is diligent enough, he can achieve results no worse than the disciples of large sects.

"Fellow Daoist, don't be so quick to refuse. At least come in and take a look at our Jadewater Pavilion!" Golden Lad Tong laughed heartily.

Then, he and the Jade Maiden stood on either side of the pavilion and gestured for them to enter.

"A step into Paradise"—that's how Song Shuhang described the real Jadewater Pavilion.

After passing through that pavilion, Song Shuhang saw a true Immortal World.

The air is filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers. The road is paved with jade, and precious medicinal herbs can be found everywhere. The Quan Shui in the river exudes a rich spiritual energy.

Even the air in the entire Jadewater Pavilion was filled with spiritual energy.

The spiritual energy was so abundant that even without deliberate cultivation, simply breathing in the Jadewater Pavilion was comparable to the effect of strenuous meditation and cultivation outside.

The golden boy and jade girl guided Song Shuhang to the highest tower in the deepest part of the Biyue Pavilion—the residence of the Biyue Pavilion's owner, 'Fairy Chu'.

Along the way, the disciples of Biyue Pavilion, both men and women, greeted the Golden Boy and Jade Girl warmly. The atmosphere was just like that of 'family,' harmonious and friendly.

Here, there are absolutely no personal conflicts between people. This harmony and friendliness come from the sincerity of every disciple of the Jadewater Pavilion.

This place is a true reflection of the Immortal World, Paradise, and Elysian World described in religious legends.

However, a strange feeling welled up in Song Shuhang's heart.

Even though he could sense genuine kindness and warmth from every disciple of the Jadewater Pavilion, he still felt a faint sense of 'unreality'.

It wasn't that the kindness and friendliness of the Jadewater Pavilion disciples were problematic—he vaguely sensed that there was something inexplicably strange about the entire Jadewater Pavilion.

"The 'Cloud Pavilion' where the Pavilion Master resides is just ahead. The Pavilion Master is waiting for you inside, fellow Daoist." The golden boy and jade girl stopped at the foot of the tall tower after guiding Song Shuhang there.

At that moment, Chu Chu woke up inside the space capsule.

Song Shuhang opened the space capsule and took Li Yinzhu from Chu Chu's hands.

Song Shuhang asked, "May I bring them in with me to see the Sect Master?"

"Of course, no problem. The Pavilion Master awaits you, fellow Daoist, including these two fairies," the Golden Boy and Jade Girl said with a smile.

Then, the Golden Lad opened the door to the tower's attic.

Song Shuhang carried Li Yinzhu and entered the room with Chu Chu.

Go up the spiraling stairs, and finally, push open the top door.

The three entered a room filled with mist.

The room wasn't large; the first thing you'd see was a wooden recliner.

There was also a metal alchemy furnace emitting alchemical energy. This energy, resembling alchemical vapor, transformed into a mist that enveloped the entire room.

The moment Song Shuhang pushed open the door, a figure slowly sat up on the wooden recliner.

It was a woman with black hair, her long hair uncut for who knows how long, spreading out around the recliner. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent, her eyes half-open, looking like she hadn't slept enough. She exuded a sense of decadence.

But this sense of decadence, when combined with the woman herself, creates a uniquely languid beauty.

She sat up and glanced at Song Shuhang.

"It's you." The woman yawned. "What, are you coming over to laugh at me too, Song Blockhead?"

"Senior, do we know each other?" Song Shuhang asked.

The woman's eyes were half-open as she looked at Song Shuhang again. "Oh... I mistook you for someone else."