Oh?
He had been normal yesterday?
Hearing this, Shen He and the disciples with him looked puzzled as they studied Chen Xun.
Truth be told, if he had not been Zhao Ting's friend, Shen He and the others would not have spared him a glance, much less wasted their time on him.
Shen He studied Chen Xun for a while but found nothing. Only then did he say, "Perhaps it runs in his family. Zhao Ting, do you know whether any of your friend's elders are like this?"
Zhao Ting shook his head. "No, I don't know."
What a joke. He had only met Brother Chen yesterday. He knew his name, but absolutely nothing else about him.
Shen He nodded and said helplessly, "Then there is nothing I can do. Zhao Ting, it is about time. We will accompany you to Fortune and Prosperity Town so you can see your family."
Zhao Ting nodded silently, but his gaze remained fixed on Chen Xun.
Chen Xun had gotten up and was now squatting on the ground, drawing something in the dirt with his finger and letting out strange chuckles from time to time.
Just then, a Miniature Boat Artifact appeared in Shen He's hand.
Having finished speaking, he silently recited an incantation. The miniature boat shot out of his palm with a whoosh, flew several dozen feet above the ground, and expanded.
At a glance, it was large enough to hold several dozen people.
Quite a few townspeople nearby witnessed this scene and exclaimed that these truly were Immortals. Such methods were wondrous beyond belief.
Zhao Ting and the four boys were also dumbstruck, excitement gradually welling up inside them.
At a signal from Shen He's eyes, the disciples took the four boys with them, pushed off lightly with their toes, and swept onto the boat first.
Yu Zheng and the other three children excitedly touched everything around them, momentarily forgetting their families below.
Only then did Shen He turn to Zhao Ting and extend a hand with a smile. "Zhao Ting, we can leave now."
Although Zhao Ting had a heavenly spiritual root, he was still only a mortal. Nor was he some outlaw hero with lightness skills and martial arts at his disposal. Naturally, Shen He, as the deacon, would have to take him up those several dozen feet.
Zhao Ting frowned. He looked up at the flying boat, then back at Chen Xun, conflict flashing in his eyes.
Truth be told, with Brother Chen suddenly becoming like this, he could not stop worrying about him.
Although they had only met by chance, Brother Chen had truly brought him good fortune.
He had said Zhao Ting possessed spiritual essence, and Zhao Ting really had turned out to have a spiritual root-a heavenly spiritual root, no less.
"Zhao Ting?"
Seeing Zhao Ting standing there in a daze, Shen He called to him.
Zhao Ting came to his senses and looked at Shen He. Mustering his courage, he said awkwardly, "Immortal Master, could... could I ask you a favor?"
Puzzled, Shen He said, "What is it? Speak freely."
Zhao Ting pointed at Chen Xun, who was squatting on the ground, and cleared his throat. "Could you bring my friend along too? Any sort of work would do, as long as he gets enough to eat..."
Shen He immediately frowned. Bring a mortal back to the sect?
But there had never been a precedent for admitting a mortal into the Heavenly Dao Sect!
Shen He instinctively wanted to refuse, but remembering Zhao Ting's exceptional status, he gave a start. He had almost made a careless mistake.
Then he reconsidered. Very well, there was no harm in bringing Zhao Ting's friend back to the sect. He was merely a mortal seeking a job, not admission as a disciple.
He could simply report it to his superiors afterward. Surely it would be fine. No one above him would slight a heaven-favored prodigy like Zhao Ting over such a trivial matter.
Most importantly, this would also help Shen He build a relationship with Zhao Ting, and Zhao Ting would owe him a favor.
That favor might be insignificant, but it was a favor owed by a Purple-Robed Disciple!
After pondering for a moment, Shen He nodded. "Yes. Once we bring him back to the sect, I can find your friend a sweeping job on Servant Disciple Peak. At least he will have food to eat. How does that sound?"
Servant Disciple Peak was already home to the lowest-ranking Qi Refining disciples, who still needed to eat every day. It would be a suitable place for Zhao Ting's friend.
Shen He looked at Chen Xun again and sighed inwardly.
Having a friend like Zhao Ting was a stroke of fortune for this young man. After all, when a mortal went to an immortal sanctuary rich in spiritual energy, if nothing else, he could live a little longer than he would in the mundane world.
"Th-thank you, Immortal Master! This is wonderful!"
Overjoyed, Zhao Ting hurried forward to help Chen Xun up and said with a laugh, "Hahaha! Brother Chen, I'm a good friend, aren't I?"
Chen Xun waggled his eyebrows and cackled. "Good, good, good! You're far too good!"
Zhao Ting froze briefly, but also breathed a sigh of relief.
Although Brother Chen had gone mad, at least he could still communicate occasionally, even if his manner and tone were a little strange.
"Hehe." Shen He smiled. "Zhao Ting, you and your friend take my hands. I will bring you aboard."
"Yes! Brother Chen, let's go!"
Zhao Ting pulled Chen Xun along and hurried over excitedly.
Then, holding Zhao Ting and Chen Xun, Shen He leaped lightly into the air and landed aboard the flying boat.
Chen Xun kept laughing, though no one knew what he was laughing about.
Zhao Ting, on the other hand, had his mouth wide open, his exhilaration written all over his face.
Just that leap with Shen He had given Zhao Ting a brief taste of flight. He could not imagine how thrilling it would be once the flying boat began moving.
Hummm!
The flying boat began to vibrate, flickering with a faint, elusive glow.
By now, many townspeople had gathered around, staring at the scene in shock.
The families of Yu Zheng and the other three boys accepted as disciples finally could not hold back any longer and called out.
"Children, behave yourselves in the Heavenly Dao Sect and work hard at your cultivation! Come home to visit whenever you have time!"
"..."
Aboard the flying boat, Yu Zheng and the other children's eyes reddened. After all, this was their first time leaving home.
"Father, Mother, I will!"
"Father, Mother, take good care of yourselves!"
"..."
Nearby, Shen He and the disciples watched the scene expressionlessly.
Come home to visit often?
They probably would not be coming back anytime soon.
Still, disciples with false spiritual roots like these would eventually return to the mundane world once they had no hope of advancing further.
But no matter what, this was better than taking the civil examinations.
Even at worst, these children would reach at least the third level of Qi Refining. Returning to the mundane world with that level of cultivation, they would still achieve quite a bit.
After silently finishing his incantation, Shen He said, "Hold on tight!"
Zhao Ting and the boys hurriedly grabbed the railings. Only Chen Xun stood rooted to the spot, staring at the sky with unwavering fervor.
The next instant, the flying boat shot away as a brilliant streak of light, hurtling toward the horizon and vanishing moments later.
City Lord Xu Hai immediately breathed a great sigh of relief and bowed. "Farewell, Immortal Masters!"
Whoosh!
The flying boat swept across the night sky.
Zhao Ting and the four boys clutched the railings, their faces alight with excitement.
It was hard not to be excited. After all, this was their first time taking to the sky.
"Senior Brother Zhao, I'm... please look after me in the future!"
"Senior Brother Zhao, my name is..."
The six disciples approached Zhao Ting one after another to introduce themselves, their attitudes exceedingly humble and respectful.
Zhao Ting could only force a smile, feeling uncomfortable all over.
Yu Zheng and the other three boys watched enviously. They all knew that this older brother Zhao Ting's future was beyond anything they could compare with.
They had not even entered the sect yet, and these senior brothers and sisters were already trying to get close to him.
Nearby, Shen He watched with a beaming smile, his eyes never leaving Zhao Ting, as though he were gazing at a peerless treasure.
Zhao Ting was the greatest gain of Shen He's trip, and the greatest gain the Heavenly Dao Sect had made in many years.
These four boys still did not know what being a Purple-Robed Disciple meant...
One could put it this way: because of the special circumstances, these four boys could still laugh and chat with Zhao Ting and interact with him up close. But once they returned to the sect, the two sides would have almost no chance of interacting again. They would truly be as far apart as clouds and mud, utterly beyond each other's reach!
At that thought, Shen He glanced at the deranged Chen Xun nearby. Although Chen Xun was Zhao Ting's friend, the same would hold true for him once they returned to the sect. They would have almost no chance of interacting in the future. Such was the gulf in their status.
Unless... unless Zhao Ting remained kindhearted and cherished their old friendship. Perhaps then their paths would still cross.
But in Shen He's view, the possibility was almost nonexistent.
People always changed, especially in the cultivation world, where everyone schemed against everyone else.
The flying boat was fast, and before long, they arrived at Fortune and Prosperity Town.
Zhao Ting's family was fairly wealthy by the standards of Fortune and Prosperity Town. In fact, that had been clear when he gave Chen Xun two silver coins earlier. A poor family's son could never have been so lavish.
When Zhao Ting's parents heard that he had joined the Heavenly Dao Sect, they were dumbfounded, then wildly overjoyed!
Although they had hoped Zhao Ting would pass the civil examinations and become an official, joining the Heavenly Dao Sect and becoming an Immortal Master was naturally even better!
Afterward, at Zhao Ting's request, Shen He had no choice but to agree to stay in Fortune and Prosperity Town for two days.
During that time, the news spread throughout Fortune and Prosperity Town. The Town Lord and all the prominent local families were stirred into action and came to offer their congratulations.
With that, Zhao Ting's family rose in one leap to become the most prominent household in Fortune and Prosperity Town.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye. The flying boat shot into the sky, leaving Fortune and Prosperity Town behind and heading toward the Heavenly Dao Sect's grounds.
Naturally, Chen Xun went with them. Although this journey to the Heavenly Dao Sect did not mean joining it or becoming one of its disciples, at least he would have food to eat.
Sweeping every day on the Heavenly Dao Sect's Servant Disciple Peak, with green mountains for company, would presumably be peaceful.
If Chen Xun had been clearheaded, he probably would have been pleased with such an easy job that let him coast along.
Before you continue