Young and Hot-Blooded

At dawn, the red sun rose, golden radiance spilling across the earth as all things stirred back to life.

Before the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, outside the Shangqing Mountain Stronghold, before a thatched hut in District Eight, a young man sat cross-legged.

The vital essence brought by the spiritual energy tide continuously gathered toward him, nearly forming a vortex of air.

Within Bai Jing's sea of consciousness, the Talent Tree rejoiced, its three branches rustling as they swayed.

Only after a quarter of an hour did he open his eyes, still wanting more.

Creak.

The door opposite opened, and a young man dressed in black stepped out.

"Zhu Yi, heading out so early to do a mission?" Bai Jing greeted him with a smile.

"Mm." Zhu Yi glanced sideways at him and nodded slightly. "You're not going?"

"I don't plan on taking another mission for now." Bai Jing shook his head and added, "I feel that my own cultivation..."

Before he could finish, Zhu Yi had already left, seemingly unwilling to hear another word of explanation.

Bai Jing showed no reaction. They were merely neighbors, not particularly familiar with each other.

"Hasn't your neighbor only completed one mission? He isn't taking any more?" Not far from the intersection, a woman stood on tiptoe to look toward Bai Jing's hut as she asked.

"He's probably trying to slack off. I was in the mission hall yesterday too. When he left, he hadn't taken down a Bounty Notice at all. Forget it, why bother with him?" Zhu Yi shook his head.

"Let's go. Our missions are in the same place, so we're on the way together."

Elsewhere.

Inside the thatched hut, Bai Jing washed up briefly before heading out.

He passed through the outer area and went straight to the dining hall in the inner district.

The assessment disciples' cultivation was still weak. They needed grains and vegetables to replenish their vital essence; they could not yet cast off the mortal world and sustain themselves on the qi of heaven and earth.

"Everyone's busy. Busy is good." Along the way, Bai Jing found that everyone was heading in the opposite direction from him. They were all rushing about for the assessment, making him seem rather out of place.

Of course, some did not see it that way. They thought he had finished his missions early and was therefore among the talented. Thus, many people politely nodded to Bai Jing when they saw him.

"I merely took the road in the opposite direction, yet everyone seems to think I'm some genius. Every face is filled with respect." He smiled, unconcerned.

Before long, Bai Jing arrived at the immortal dining hall.

There were not many people inside, but he guessed that ninety-nine percent of them had completed their missions.

He got himself a meal and wanted to take more meat to replenish his qi and blood. Unfortunately, it seemed that the lunch lady from another world had transmigrated here too—her hand shook terribly.

"I've only just entered the Spleen Repository. I wonder whether I can reach the Third Stage by the end of the assessment."

"Don't belittle yourself. We haven't been at the Second Stage for long either. Everyone should be able to make it."

The assessment disciples in the dining hall chatted easily among themselves.

Bai Jing spotted the genius Chen Ping he had met before. The other man was laughing and chatting with his companions, looking thoroughly pleased.

"Fellow Daoist, over here!" At that moment, a disciple called out to him. He likely thought Bai Jing had completed his missions too and considered him one of their kind.

Bai Jing nodded in acknowledgment, then walked toward an empty corner.

But the other party was overly enthusiastic. The disciple actually rose to invite him over. "Fellow Daoist, don't be shy. Let's have a meal and chat together. There's no other meaning behind it."

Before Bai Jing could speak, he was practically dragged over.

"I haven't introduced us. I'm Xu Shan, and this is Chu Ming." Once Bai Jing sat down, Xu Shan pointed to a slightly plump man across the table.

He then introduced the other two at the table. "Lin Feng, Chen Ping."

"Greetings, fellow senior brothers. I am Bai Jing." Bai Jing greeted them.

"Why do I feel that Brother Bai looks somewhat familiar, as though I've seen you somewhere before?" Chen Ping looked at Bai Jing and smiled.

How could he know that the two of them had ridden the same Immortal Boat last night?

"Perhaps I have an ordinary face." The handsome Bai Jing replied.

"Hehe, Brother Bai is quite humorous." Xu Shan smiled.

"Have a taste. This is good stuff from the immortal household." He pointed with his chopsticks at the meat dish in the center of the table.

There was no need to point it out. Bai Jing had noticed it long ago.

The fragrance of the meat drifting over nearly shook his soul.

This was definitely something that could strengthen qi and blood.

"Try it. Brother Xu specially treated everyone to this. It's worth two Ascension Coins," Chen Ping added.

Yet Bai Jing seemed somewhat shy. He did not pick up any food from the dish and simply ate the meal he had gotten himself.

"By the way, Brother Bai, how many days have you been at the Second Stage? Are you confident you can cultivate to the Third Stage in a little over a month?" Xu Shan asked.

"I'm only at the First Stage. That would be difficult." Bai Jing answered casually, never expecting his words to leave everyone stunned.

Chen Ping and the other two looked at Xu Shan with reproach in their eyes.

The latter merely shrugged. He had not expected this outcome either.

Chu Ming looked at Bai Jing, who had lowered his head to eat, and frowned slightly. "You're only at the First Stage. How do you have the nerve to sit at the same table as us?"

"Huh?" Bai Jing raised his head.

Were young people these days all this arrogant?

Well, if they were not arrogant and full of youthful fire, how could they be called young?

The atmosphere became extremely awkward. Xu Shan had no choice but to smooth things over. "Listen to that. We are all here to enter Shangqing Mountain. In the future, we will be fellow disciples, and right now, everyone is working toward the same goal. We are comrades in the same cause. Whether one is at the First or Second Stage of Qi and Blood, there is no distinction of noble or lowly."

Yet the others remained silently quiet. Chu Ming and the other two had no intention of responding to him.

He added, "Besides, although Brother Bai's cultivation is a little lower, he still completed his missions early. He must have something exceptional about him."

"Brother Xu, that's not right. I only completed one mission," Bai Jing corrected him.

"..." Xu Shan.

How was he supposed to smooth that over?!

"Junior Sister Ling!"

The awkward scene was finally broken as Chen Ping rose to call toward the distance.

Xu Shan immediately gave him a grateful look.

But how could he know that Chen Ping had not done it intentionally? He was simply excited to run into that young woman.

The group turned to look and saw a tall young girl walking over.

She was not very old and looked somewhat youthful, yet she was unmistakably a beauty in the making. Her face still had a little baby fat, but it could not conceal her exquisite features. Her skin was as crystal-clear as white snow. Though she wore plain clothes, they could not hide the immortal air that seemed born into her very bones.

Chu Ming's eyes lit up. He rose as well and hurriedly called, "Miss, come over here!"

"Senior Brother Chen, you and I really are fated." Ling Qinghe smiled. She was poised and generous, without the slightest shyness.

"Sit here." Chu Ming enthusiastically patted the seat beside him.

"What fate." Ling Qinghe noticed Bai Jing eating with his head lowered and spoke with a cold sneer.

Bai Jing heard the bite in her words, but Chu Ming thought she was speaking to him. He became even more delighted. "I am Chu Ming. I entered the Second Stage of Qi and Blood several days ago."

"Senior Brother is impressive." Ling Qinghe carried her food over and sat down.

"When I saw Junior Sister Ling that day, I was utterly astonished. I never expected you to be so low-key. You have actually already completed three missions," Chen Ping said with a smile.

"You flatter me."

After that, Chen Ping, Chu Ming, and the others chatted warmly with Ling Qinghe, discussing their futures and the immortal path.

Because Bai Jing had been seriously eating, his plate was already completely empty. Though he could not get a word in, he was in no hurry to leave.

Only when Ling Qinghe took out a jade bottle containing Qi Replenishing Pills did he finally take his leave in satisfaction.

Just as he thought—this was the familiar flavor. All that talk of immortality and the Dao; this girl simply wanted to sell pills.