First Steps

Wen Xu had eaten hotpot before, but compared to this bowl of scalded meat before him, the flavors in his memory seemed to have lost all color. It was unexpectedly delicious.

He rarely had moments this peaceful and serene. For the past twenty years, he had either been exhausted by survival or occupied with studying. Because of his eyes, he had no close friends. Even the page who attended him personally, he seldom ordered about. Sometimes, he had constantly forced himself—forced himself to do everything he could—because perhaps, on some unknown day in the future, fate would knock him down again.

Facts proved that his worries had been right. If he had not been vigilant enough, he might already have been separated from his head the day he entered the capital.

Bian Chunchou was the first true friend he had made, in every sense of the word.

In truth, Wen Xu's definition of a friend was very vague. In order to recognize "people he had met before," he worked hard to remember everyone's characteristics. Since he could not remember faces, he had once placed the label of friend on everyone he had ever encountered.

Besides, scholars could call each other friends even if they had only communed in spirit for a long time. No matter how good his memory was, there would still be times when he mistook one person for another.

"Why did you stop eating? Is it not good?" It should not be. He had never failed when mixing a dipping sauce. Had his title as the Little Prince of Haidilao stopped working?

"No, I just..."

"Just what?"

Wen Xu gathered his thoughts. "I just haven't asked—which elder did you become a disciple of?"

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you!" Bian Chunchou began excitedly. "Actually, I originally thought getting into the inner sect was hopeless for me, but then the path twisted and the scenery changed. All the elders seemed rather interested in me, but I know my own limits, so in the end, I became Venerable Ruoshui's disciple."

"My master is super beautiful and super badass, and she's super nice too. Plus, she specializes in talismans. In the future, when I use water-and-fire techniques to make talismans, I won't have to worry about talismans being too expensive anymore!" Bian Chunchou thumped his chest. "Once I've learned enough, I'll cover the talismans for both of you!"

Chen Zui touched his saber. "I don't use talismans."

This kid really would not budge, no matter what.

Listening to the two of them, Wen Xu could not help smiling. "Then I'll be relying on you for my talismans in the future."

"Hey, you're still the best!"

The three of them continued eating hotpot with great enthusiasm. Of course, Bian Chunchou's mouth simply could not stay still. He rambled about this and that, and by the end of the meal, Wen Xu had learned that Chen Zui had become the disciple of the Blade Peak Venerable he had admired, and that a sect-wide competition would be held a year later. By then, all disciples below the Golden Core Realm would have to participate.

After finishing the hotpot, while the taste still lingered in his mouth, Chen Zui hurriedly left with his saber. He said he was going back to practice his blade and make up for today's slackness.

"Wen Xuxu, I've suddenly realized something very serious."

Wen Xu did not understand. "What is it?"

"Divine Venerable Cheng Wei's seniority in Yonglu Mountain must be very high, right?" After all, he was a Body Integration Realm powerhouse and a Divine Dragon. He had to be at least four digits old, didn't he?

"...The sect master calls my master Little Martial Granduncle." Wen Xu had noticed it too.

Bian Chunchou wore an expression as if he were constipated. "Then doesn't that mean... even the sect master has to call you Little Martial Uncle?"

"He didn't." Wen Xu had stayed in the cultivation world long enough that he no longer spoke so tactfully. Mainly because if he put things too tactfully, the two friends beside him would most likely not understand.

"Aha, the sect master..." Bian Chunchou could not think of the right word, so he changed his phrasing. "It seems I have to call you Little Martial Granduncle too."

Not just me—the entire Yonglu Mountain, and my friend has the second-highest seniority!

My friend has been promoted through the generations like crazy.

Wen Xu smiled. "How about you call me that once for me to hear?"

Bian Chunchou fell silent for once. Forget it—he could not even bring himself to call someone elder brother, much less... Well, actually, there was nothing he could not call Wen Xu Little Martial Granduncle for. The sect master had called him that, so he could too!

"Oh, the moon is so bright tonight. Wen Xuxu, your ring is pretty nice too. It's so shiny."

Wen Xu raised his hand. "This is a storage ring my master gave me."

Bian Chunchou: Aahhh! As expected, a Divine Dragon master was incredibly generous! But my master isn't bad either.

"I have things too. My master gave me lots of protective talismans. Wen Xuxu, do you want some?"

Wen Xu thought that Bian Chunchou truly was a very frank person. If one day he could become just as frank, perhaps he would no longer be anxious about the future.

But if he became frank, perhaps he would no longer be himself.

His master was right. He should advance to the Golden Core Realm as soon as possible, then return to the Mortal Realm and thoroughly investigate his so-called Imperial Destiny. If someone had truly maliciously twisted his fate, he would definitely make that person pay a price a thousandfold, a hundredfold over.

First Steps

Yonglu Mountain was a relatively free cultivation sect. Put another way, it raised its disciples free-range. One part of a disciple's cultivation depended on their master, four parts on talent, and five parts on self-discipline. After all, even if they cultivated the same technique, they could never end up walking the same road and reaching the same destination.

From what Wen Xu had seen and heard in these past few days since arriving in the cultivation world, a cultivator's training was an intensely private matter. From Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Body Integration Realm, and even the Tribulation Transcendence Realm just half a step from ascension, there were clear and distinct rules dividing each stage. It was unlike studying, where it was difficult to tell at a glance what level someone had reached.

Thus, cultivation was fairer. So long as one's state of mind and cultivation were in place, advancement would come as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

Of course, this was merely a bit of theoretical insight Wen Xu had summarized over the past few days. As for what cultivation would truly be like in the future, it was hard for a frail scholar like him to imagine out of thin air. After all, he still did not know when he had opened his Qi Sea.

Wen Xu steadied himself. He had already received his inner sect disciple token. Perhaps because of his seniority, the back of his token was engraved with more intricate formation patterns. When he had gone to Founding Peak to collect it, the gazes of the fellow disciples around him had been so direct that he simply could not ignore them.

Wen Xu immediately decided that until he reached the Golden Core Realm, he should go out as little as possible.

Springless Peak was actually rather remote, but the spiritual energy on the peak was no less abundant than that of the other main peaks. Wen Xu's cultivation was limited, and he could not withstand the bitter cold at the summit for long, so he established his cave abode halfway up Springless Peak.