Immortal Master Bai Jing

"Hello."

The white-bearded old man opened the main gate and heard a somewhat youthful voice reach his ears.

Leaning on his cane, he could not help widening his clouded eyes.

A plainly dressed youth stood smiling at him. The other party was rather thin, his hair bound beneath a jade crown, his features refined, and a longsword wrapped in gray cloth strapped across his back.

"My name is Bai Jing. Are you Old Steward Fang?" As he introduced himself, the youth took a Bounty Notice from his robes.

"I am." Elder Fang nodded, showing little expression.

When he saw the plea for aid he had sent out days ago in the youth's hand, he was quite startled and hurriedly asked:

"Is Young Master Bai an Immortal Master from the Shangqing Immortal Sect?"

"Yes, and no." The youth smiled gently.

"Immortal Master, please come in at once. Forgive this old man for failing to recognize you." Elder Fang hurriedly bent to salute, but Bai Jing stopped him.

"Just call me Bai Jing. There is no need for such ceremony."

"Yes, yes, yes. The Immortal Master is right." A rare smile appeared on the old steward's face as he warmly led Bai Jing inside.

The youth followed the old man through the residence, looking around before frowning. "Such a vast estate—why is it so deserted?"

"You do not know, Immortal Master. The ghost that has plagued this old man's home began by merely disturbing people, but later turned to slaughter. Many servants died, so I dismissed everyone."

Elder Fang sighed heavily.

"Why did you not leave, Elder Fang?" Bai Jing asked.

"This is my family's ancestral home. Before my father passed, he instructed me to guard this old residence well. Though ghosts bring havoc, this old man must remain, lest the ancestral hall be left without incense and offerings. Besides, I have already lived more than half a lifetime. I have grown somewhat indifferent to life and death."

"Of course, I cannot compare with the Immortal Masters atop Shangqing Mountain. Your lifespans are boundless; you are lofty figures who have glimpsed life and death, carefree immortals who ride swords upon the wind and purge demons beneath heaven and earth."

As the old steward spoke, a faint yearning showed in his eyes. He turned back and said:

"This old man does not fear life or death, but I fear that ghost will continue harming others and ruin the name of my family's ancestral home. That is why I wrote to Shangqing Mountain. I never expected the Immortal Master to arrive so swiftly."

"If so, lead this junior there at once. I shall rid you of this ghost right now," Bai Jing said solemnly.

"Immortal Master, you have traveled through wind and dust. Would you not first have some tea and rest awhile?" Elder Fang pointed toward a reception hall not far away.

Every day, he had waited for the Immortal Master's arrival, and he had long prepared for it. The hall was stocked with the finest food and drink available nearby.

"It will not be too late to eat after I slay that ghost for you, Elder Fang." Bai Jing smiled freely.

"If the Immortal Master is willing to act now, this old man certainly will not refuse." Joy rose in Elder Fang's heart.

Though he said it was not urgent, he was more anxious than anyone. Until the ghost was eliminated, the estate would not know peace for a single day.

The old man then led Bai Jing into a secluded courtyard on the left.

The moment he neared the courtyard, Bai Jing felt a chill seep into his body, and his expression grew grave.

This was his first time slaying demons and exorcising evil. Though he had made ample preparations on the way here, facing it for real still made him uncomfortable. He even began to regret coming.

In comparison, the old steward was far steadier. His face was full of delight, without the slightest discomfort. Even his legs seemed nimbler than before as he eagerly opened the courtyard gate for Bai Jing.

At once, an even denser chill rushed toward them, sending Bai Jing's blood and qi churning.

"Immortal Master, please!" Elder Fang welcomed him with a smile, leaning on his cane as he bent and made a gesture of invitation.

With an Immortal Master from Shangqing Mountain personally here, it would surely be over soon.

Bai Jing did not shrink back and stepped straight into the courtyard.

"The ghost emerged from the well." Elder Fang followed behind him and pointed to an ancient well beneath a willow tree ahead.

"Mm." Bai Jing nodded. Even without Elder Fang telling him, he had already sensed it.

"Elder Fang, please return," he said, turning back to the old man with a smile.

"Then this old man shall take his leave. Immortal Master, take care." Elder Fang nodded.

With an Immortal Master acting, nothing could possibly go wrong.

With that thought, he withdrew from the courtyard and conscientiously shut the gate behind him.

Boom!

Not long after, Elder Fang felt waves of wind sweeping through the courtyard, while flashes of light flickered within.

Whoosh!

A streak of light flew over his head, giving the old steward a fright.

"Is this the method of immortals?" he murmured softly.

Knock, knock, knock!

Suddenly, a series of heavy knocks dragged Elder Fang from his thoughts.

"Who is it?" The old steward frowned slightly. At a time like this, who would come calling?

Filled with doubt, he quickened his pace, intending to send the visitor away.

Today, the Immortal Master was eliminating a ghost. He could not be disturbed.

Creak.

Before long, Elder Fang reached the main gate and slowly opened one side a crack.

"And you are?" He was even more puzzled.

The person outside wore clothes somewhat similar to the Immortal Master's from before, but his hair hung loose and disheveled. Beneath that tangled mass, Elder Fang could only vaguely make out a young face.

It even looked somewhat familiar.

Before he could think further, the visitor spoke:

"Is my junior brother at your residence?"

"Junior brother?" Elder Fang was confused, but quickly realized what he meant and cried out in surprise:

"Does this Immortal Elder mean Immortal Master Bai?"

"Yes, yes, that's him."

"Immortal Master Bai is currently eliminating an evil ghost for this old man. If Immortal Elder has business with him, you may come inside and wait. I shall brew you a pot of fine tea," Elder Fang answered truthfully, welcoming him in.

The young man showed a thoughtful look, then turned his head and said:

"If so, take me to him at once. When a junior brother slays demons, his senior brother ought to lend him a hand."

Elder Fang froze for a moment, then was overjoyed. "Indeed, indeed."

The Immortal Master was extremely young; perhaps Elder Fang had felt a little uneasy deep down. But if two Immortal Masters acted together, the crisis at the ancestral home would surely be resolved!

The old steward then led this Immortal Master into that small courtyard.

This time, the newly arrived Immortal Master opened the gate and entered on his own, while Elder Fang remained far away.

Through the crack in the gate, he could only vaguely see an exceedingly tall figure within the courtyard.

It was not an Immortal Master, but the manifested form of the evil ghost.

The figure appeared to stand more than ten feet tall, dressed in blue robes, with hair so long it trailed across the ground.

Unfortunately, Elder Fang could not see the evil ghost's face clearly, which left him regretful.

Yet when he inadvertently looked up, his gaze met two icy eyes at once.

"A female ghost!" Elder Fang stared at the head rising above the courtyard wall and staggered backward in fright.

The female ghost was staring at him coldly and eerily, soundless as a shadow.

"Evil ghost, take my sword!"

Yet when the shout came from within the courtyard, Elder Fang no longer felt afraid.

The Immortal Master from Shangqing Mountain was still there.

Whoosh!

A streak of black light flew over his head. The commotion within the courtyard subsided somewhat, and the female ghost no longer poked her head out.

The old steward collapsed onto the ground, half leaning against his cane. Now, all he could do was wait for the Immortal Master to finish eliminating the evil ghost.

But another burst of urgent knocking forced him to struggle to his feet.

"Who is coming to the door again?" Elder Fang's brows knitted tightly. He wanted to go, yet did not want to go.

If not for the evil ghost's harassment, how could he have ended up without even a servant to open the main gate?

Afterward, the old steward could only use his cane for support and make his way toward the gate a little faster.

Creak!

When the main gate opened, Elder Fang's expression stiffened slightly.

The visitor merely said in a light, airy tone:

"Are my two junior brothers at your residence?"

"..." Elder Fang was speechless for a moment, but soon answered with warm respect, "They are, Immortal Elder. The two of them are currently suppressing an evil ghost for this old man."

He, Fang, had lived an upright and honorable life. Even before the Son of Heaven, he had never been servile or fearful. Yet now, with one foot already in the grave, he was being cautious around three children several decades younger than himself.

And they were outstanding disciples of Shangqing Mountain. Why would it take three of them together to eliminate a single evil ghost?

Old Steward Fang found it strange as well, but before such reclusive Immortal Masters, he could only suppress his doubts.

"Why do I feel a strange familiarity? And why are their clothes more disheveled each time?"

Watching the man's back as he headed toward the evil ghost's courtyard, Elder Fang murmured in puzzlement.

"What is that brat doing?"

At this moment, above the clouds, four young men in brocade white robes stood within a white cloud.

Each of them held a book and a brush.

The only one carrying a sword could not help speaking.

Everything happening at the Fang Residence was in full view.

There were no three Immortal Masters at all. The latter two people Elder Fang had welcomed in were both Bai Jing in disguise.

The brat clearly could not defeat the female ghost and had been blasted out, but he could not bear to let Elder Fang know. The walls were too high to climb back over, so he had resorted to this.

But—

Before he could say more, a fellow disciple beside him spoke first:

"Junior Brother Lin, what is the disciple under your charge doing? His blood and qi are far too robust. He has clearly cultivated the Minor Formless Technique, and blood and qi are quite effective at restraining yin-cold evil ghosts. This should not have happened. Even if the female ghost's realm is somewhat higher, he should still have been able to suppress her."

Junior Brother Lin, the sword-bearing man, glanced at him but could not refute it.

He did not know the reason either.

And Bai Jing's performance did indeed seem suspiciously weak. Having cultivated an art of their Shangqing Mountain, even if he had only just entered the First Realm, how could he fail to contend with even a single evil ghost?

"Could he be deliberately showing weakness, trying to advance this supreme art through the Minor Formless Technique's unconventional method of taking beatings?" The third person stroked his chin, watching Bai Jing battle the evil ghost as he guessed.

"Though the Minor Formless Technique does have such an unconventional method of advancement, how long has he cultivated this supreme art that he is already thinking of advancing it?" The person beside Junior Brother Lin said again, "If he were truly so gifted that he could master a supreme art in such a short time, he would not have chosen this art. This supreme art is flawed and can only strengthen blood and qi. Generally speaking, it is the best choice for assessment disciples with poor talent who want to advance their cultivation quickly."

"Perhaps."

At this moment, the last person stared at the youth in the Fang Residence and said in some surprise:

"We have all overlooked some details."

"Look!" He pointed around the youth.

At this moment, within the small courtyard of the Fang Residence—

Blue beams of light rose one after another around Bai Jing and the female ghost.

The sky above the entire courtyard gradually blurred. Then, as though night had fallen, a starry sky descended and enveloped it.

A Shangqing Mountain formation—the Minor Star Array!

"You secretly set up a formation!" Across from him, even the female ghost herself cried out in shock and fear.

She had been careless. Her sense of danger now soared in a straight line.

Who would have thought that an Immortal Master of mighty Shangqing Mountain would use such tricks?

She had thought that, though he came from Shangqing Mountain, he was nothing special. So he had been planning this all along!

"Setting the formation was merely for safety. I did it in passing," Bai Jing said, shaking his head softly.

With the Star Array set up, the female ghost was no longer to be feared. At that moment, his consciousness sank into his sea of awareness.

In an unknown space, a tiny Sapling gleamed brilliantly upon a patch of Scorched Earth.

It was called a Sapling, yet not a single leaf had grown from it.

However, words were inscribed upon each of its two branches.

On one was the Minor Star Array (10/50).

Bai Jing looked toward the other branch.

Minor Formless Technique (40/50)

Supreme art mastered!

"Taking beatings really does have its benefits. This supreme art's proficiency shot straight from 33 to mastery." Satisfaction appeared in Bai Jing's eyes.

He was not from this world. He had transmigrated here three months ago, arriving in this bizarre and fantastical world, and a month ago, he had become an assessment disciple of the Shangqing Immortal Sect.

His talent was not particularly good, but fortunately, he had the small Sapling within his sea of awareness.

It was the Talent Tree that had transmigrated along with him. As long as he cultivated an art, the art would appear on his Scorched Earth in the form of a bubble.

All Bai Jing needed to do was tap the bubble onto a branch. The branch would then inscribe the art and unlock its proficiency.

Then, Deep Blue Point Allocation, activate!

For his first battle, Bai Jing had chosen to give ground. He truly had wanted to use taking beatings to bring this supreme art to mastery.

Of course, he had prepared thoroughly. How could he possibly let the female ghost continue running wild? The formation was his trump card.

Drawing back his thoughts, Bai Jing looked at the female ghost within the formation, only to find that she had already turned into a wisp of black smoke and dispersed between heaven and earth.

The Shangqing Immortal Sect's first assessment task, complete!