Yu Ke watched the beautiful woman turn gracefully and walk toward him at an unhurried pace.
A trace of confusion rose in his heart.
In his memories, whether those of his former self or of the past few days, he had never had any connection with this beautiful woman.
Yet the mother of that white-robed youth seemed to be deliberately coming his way.
His charm truly had nowhere left to go!
Cross that out!
After dismissing that thought,
Yu Ke could not help straightening up slightly, a friendly smile spreading across his lips.
As the beautiful woman drew closer,
Yu Ke caught a fragrant scent at the tip of his nose.
Sure enough, she had color, fragrance, and flavor all in one!
The ancients had not deceived him.
The beautiful woman's features were reflected in Yu Ke's eyes.
Her looks were delicate and ravishing, her eyes soft and rippling.
She gave off the impression of a dignified and virtuous lady.
But her figure was simply too explosive, creating a striking contrast.
It was as though two great mountains were advancing straight at him.
From the front, watermelons.
Her waist and hips were a pear.
From behind, peaches.
Though Yu Ke had studied the lessons of many teachers in his previous life, he was still stunned by her beauty.
Sure enough, women in the cultivation world could be summed up in one word.
Magnificent!
The beautiful woman was quite courteous. Smiling gently, she said softly,
"Feng of the Cai Clan of the Great Zhou Divine Capital greets Young Master Yu."
Her voice was gentle and polite, leaving Yu Ke somewhat flattered.
"The Cai Family of Great Zhou?"
Yu Ke's heart stirred. Could it be the Cai Family of the Divine Capital? That name was blazing like the noon sun throughout the Great Zhou Divine Dynasty.
Feng was her surname; only after marrying did she receive such a form of address.
This world was a grand age of cultivation!
There was no distinction of high or low between men and women here. Strength alone commanded respect.
It was a world where an individual's might had been magnified without limit.
There was no shortage of great female cultivators who kept male cultivators.
When men and women became Dao companions, it was mostly for cultivation. Since she put the Cai surname first, it showed that after marrying into the Cai Family, her own cultivation was not particularly outstanding.
That was hardly surprising!
The Cai Clan of the Great Zhou Divine Capital was even more illustrious than the Langya Wang Clan.
Even within the Great Zhou Divine Dynasty, it could firmly rank among the top three, with four Grand True Person cultivators overseeing it.
One had to know!
The Yu Family had produced only one Grand True Person, yet it had established itself along the Luo River for so many years and was known as a famous lineage.
Now that the Cai Family had four Grand True Persons still alive, it could already be called an "immortal house."
Facing such a beautiful woman from a great Divine Capital family, Yu Ke became even more puzzled.
And besides!
She actually knew his name?
She had clearly investigated his background.
He returned the courtesy politely as well.
The beautiful woman looked at the bowl in Yu Ke's hand, filled to the brim with Spirit Rice and nearly overflowing, and a puzzled expression appeared on her face.
A disciple who could rent such a large courtyard in the Outer Sect surely possessed an unusual background and considerable strength. Their life ought to be quite comfortable as well.
Yet Yu Ke was cooking for himself, which caught her somewhat by surprise.
How strange!
She had already investigated the backgrounds of the three people in this residence.
Yu Ke in the east room came from the Luoshui Yu Clan, a third-rate aristocratic family.
Xie Wanwan in the north room came from the wealthy Xie Clan.
As for the person in the south room, their origins were mysterious and impossible to investigate.
Only after using some connections had Feng Ping learned that this residence seemed to have remained vacant for several centuries.
Even when Outer Sect courtyards had been in desperately short supply, the sect had continued to keep it reserved.
The owner behind it was equally impossible to trace.
Yu Ke did not pay attention to the beautiful woman's confusion!
He casually set the bowl aside. He wanted to invite her inside to sit, but then remembered that his quarters were rather crude and perhaps unsuitable.
Thus, the two began conversing while standing at the doorway.
During their conversation, Yu Ke learned the beautiful woman's name.
Feng Ping.
She truly came from the Cai Family of the Divine Capital, an illustrious lineage with four Grand True Persons.
That also explained why the white-robed young master spent money so lavishly.
Feng Ping's own family was likely extraordinary as well. Marriages between such families were always well matched in social standing.
Of course!
What shocked Yu Ke was that Feng Ping's husband had already passed away.
Her married-woman attribute had been maxed out.
After learning this news, Yu Ke could not help giving Feng Ping a few extra looks.
He noticed that although Feng Ping's face was gentle and graceful, her eyes revealed a resilient and independent air.
Single mothers seemed to be like this.
Women were born weak, but mothers became strong.
The same held true in this transcendent and mysterious world.
"Young Master Yu, forgive my presumptuous interruption, but I truly have a request to make." Feng Ping finally revealed what she wanted.
Yu Ke listened intently, waiting for her to continue.
Feng Ping went on, "I wish for Young Master Yu to sublet this residence to me."
After hearing that, Yu Ke raised his eyes and looked around the small courtyard.
Well, damn. He had thought she was coming for him.
Turns out she was coming for the courtyard.
This small courtyard was indeed quiet and secluded, suitable for cultivation.
Originally, only he and Xie Wanwan lived here. Although the other two rooms had owners, no one had ever come to reside in them. The two of them had lived here in leisure and comfort.
After the white-robed youth arrived two days ago and moved into the west room, only the south room remained vacant.
Although Yu Ke had some doubts, he still did not quite understand Feng Ping's intentions.
"But doesn't the Divine Firmament Sect have rules? Only Divine Firmament disciples may live in residences outside the sect, right?"
Feng Ping answered with a smile, "Please rest assured, Young Master Yu. Even if the sect holds someone accountable, there will not be any severe punishment."
"Besides, if I remember correctly, Young Master Yu only has a little over a year left in the Outer Sect before he must leave the Divine Firmament Sect. This courtyard can only be occupied for another year at most."
Yu Ke nodded.
That was indeed true.
As long as enough Spirit Stones were paid every month, the sect truly did not concern itself much with whether one actually lived there.
Yu Ke had only one year left before his cultivation career as an Outer Disciple came to an end.
Yu Ke had already spent five years as an Outer Disciple in the Divine Firmament Sect. After only one more year, his time as an Outer Disciple would end.
The Divine Firmament Sect's disciple system resembled the full-time university system from his previous life. Disciples had six years to cultivate without outside employment.
However, unlike university, Divine Firmament Sect disciples had to cover every expense during cultivation themselves, including the fees for consulting teachers and elders.
Damn, that was black as coal.
From another perspective, the Divine Firmament Sect provided its disciples with abundant resources.
As long as disciples were willing to spend Spirit Stones, they could consult teachers from the Inner Sect and obtain various Foundation Establishment methods and immortal scriptures, such as the Essential Guide to Tending the Field.
However, none of these resources or teachings could be privately passed on to outsiders. Disciples had to swear an oath in the Divine Firmament Sect's Founders' Hall.
In this transcendent and mysterious world, vows received the response of the Great Dao. The consequences of breaking one were grave.
In the Divine Firmament Sect, one could enjoy the accumulated foundation of a great sect that had stood for ten thousand years.
It was like being given a super platform.
And there was also a fair and just path for advancement.
For disciples with outstanding aptitude, they could directly enter the Inner Sect and enjoy the sect's preferential allocation of resources and cultivation. Without question, that was a shortcut onto the road to becoming strong.
For those whose aptitude was somewhat lacking but whose family backgrounds were exceptional, they could spend money to enter the Outer Sect. By passing the Outer Sect examinations, they could likewise gain a chance to join the Inner Sect and receive the same treatment and resources as Inner Disciples.
If your aptitude was not enough, and your background was no good either,
Come, come, come!
There were Servant Disciples for you to choose from as well.
By striving and advancing step by step, it was likewise possible to attain higher status and better treatment.
This institutional design gave every disciple a clear goal and motivation, while also filling the entire sect with vitality and competitiveness.
Yu Ke could only say that whoever had designed this whole system was a damn genius.
Before you continue