What has Sister Jing been busy with lately?
Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Gu Chen quickly changed the subject to break the silence.
"It's nothing," Li Jing said. "Besides going to work and taking care of Qianqian, I usually just go to the gym and do yoga. Because of that incident, a lot of reporters have been camped out downstairs interviewing me lately, which is really annoying."
"A reporter?" Gu Chen was taken aback.
"It's about that flying sword from last time," Li Jing said. "Those reporters weren't satisfied with just the eyewitness accounts; they insisted on interviewing me. Reporters from various newspapers and new media portals came, but thankfully there are fewer of them now."
This memory was a source of fear that Li Jing didn't want to recall, so she naturally disliked the reporters who disturbed her life.
"I see." Gu Chen suddenly spoke up, "Sister Jing, I have a favor to ask."
"You say."
"Actually, I had my own selfish reasons for saving Qianqian," Gu Chen said, gazing at her intently, each word distinct.
"Wh... what?"
Seeing Gu Chen's serious expression, Li Jing felt a little flustered. She brushed her hair back from her forehead and then tucked it behind her small, delicate ear, trying to appear calm.
Gu Chen hurriedly said, "I want to take Qianqian as my apprentice."
"Taking on apprentices?" Li Jing was taken aback.
"Sister Jing saw it that day too. There are indeed some extraordinary people in this world," Gu Chen hurriedly explained. "And my master is such an extraordinary person. It's just that he couldn't come forward in person, so he asked me to take on disciples on his behalf!"
Because he was worried that Li Jing would be uneasy about his young age, Gu Chen fabricated an identity.
"Extraordinary people?"
Li Jing paused for a moment, then fell into a deep thought.
"Yes," Gu Chen said, "Although Qianqian's constitution will affect her life, as long as she can overcome this tribulation, she will achieve a great opportunity! She possesses the Nine Yin Mystic Physique, which is an excellent cultivation attribute!"
"But Qianqian is too young..."
Li Jing recalled the power of that flying sword; it was indeed breathtaking and awe-inspiring. But first and foremost, she was a mother, and a widow with an orphan. She was reluctant to let Qianqian leave.
Having cultivated for thousands of years, Gu Chen could easily see what Li Jing was worried about. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, Qianqian's constitution hasn't fully recovered yet, and my master won't be here so soon. But you are Qianqian's guardian. If you agree, I will tell my master that the apprentice-acceptance ceremony can be held after she recovers."
Let me think about it.
Li Jing hesitated for a moment, then said, "Besides, I also need to ask Qianqian's opinion."
"Okay." Gu Chen smiled and said, "There's no rush!"
In his previous life, Gu Chen founded the Heavenly Pivot Sect and had numerous disciples, but only a handful of them truly received his teachings. If Gu Chen were to take a disciple with talent like Qianqian, she would definitely be his personal disciple, at a higher level than Zhao Bo.
Zhao Bo probably didn't know that in those few words, Gu Chen had already found him a "senior sister".
Gu Chen didn't plan to take on a disciple immediately today. Seeing that it was getting late, he quickly stood up and said, "I'm a bit tired after today's treatment. By the way, the Nine Yin Qi in Qianqian's body hasn't been completely removed yet, but I don't have any medicinal herbs on hand. I'll go collect some more and contact you by phone later."
"Medicinal herbs?" Li Jing said, "By the way, how much are those medicinal herbs? I'll pay you."
"No need, no need," Gu Chen waved his hand and laughed, "They're nothing valuable, just a bit hard to find. Sister Jing, you're being too polite."
Li Jing already had a very good impression of Gu Chen, so she nodded and said, "In that case, I won't stand on ceremony. Be careful."
After leaving Li Jing's room, Gu Chen couldn't help but give a wry smile.
This Li Jing, though quiet and unassuming, is truly a woman of natural allure, a femme fatale of the highest caliber.
Even a cultivator like him couldn't help but feel a flutter in his heart, as if his nerves had been severely stimulated.
The night was cool and still, with a gentle breeze occasionally drifting through the air, making one's mind clear and refreshed. Gu Chen gradually calmed down and then drove home.
The next morning, after explaining a few things to Uncle Liu, Gu Chen set off for the train station.
He originally planned to drive there, but after thinking about it, he realized that Xiaoxiang Peak was near the border of Jiangnan, which was mostly rural and the roads were difficult to travel, so he decided to take the train instead.
Zhao Bo delivered the train ticket early in the morning. After a bumpy three or four-hour journey, Gu Chen arrived in Cloud Hidden Town.
Cloud Hidden Town is about two mountain roads away from Xiaoxiang Peak, but the train can only get off here.
Nestled in the countryside, the sky here is a deep, azure blue, seemingly within reach, with low-hanging clouds adding to the sense of intimacy. Compared to Zhou City, this place not only enjoys a slight highland atmosphere but also surpasses it in air quality and natural environment, offering breathtaking scenery at every turn. Xiaoxiang Peak, a towering snow-capped mountain, is clearly visible in the distance, its magnificent white and blue landscape instantly broadening one's horizons and bringing a sense of liberation.
Xiaoxiang Peak is not well-known in Zhou City, but because it is a snow-capped mountain, it still attracts many tourists. Cloud Hidden Town is a small town at the foot of the mountain. However, remote border areas are usually no-man's-land, and Cloud Hidden Town is located near the intersection of two provincial capitals, so the security situation is generally not good.
"Boss, could you tell me how to get to Xiaoxiang Peak?"
Gu Chen came out of the train station and asked the hotel owner next door.
Are you going to Xiaoxiang Peak?
The innkeeper was a man in his forties, who looked like he belonged to some ethnic minority group. He had slightly curly hair and a very strong build. He was writing something on the table when he heard Gu Chen's words and couldn't help but look up at him.
"Yes, that's right."
"Tourism or something else?"
"Travel."
"Are you on vacation? But I advise you not to go traveling." The shopkeeper lowered his head, continuing to write in his notebook, and said casually, "The Xiaoxiang Peak has been quite chaotic lately, with a lot more roadblocks and bandits. It's very dangerous."
Gu Chen looked like just a teenager, so there wasn't anything wrong with what he said.
"It's nothing, I'm just going to wander around. Just tell me which bus to take," Gu Chen said.
"There are no buses or coaches going there," the shopkeeper said. "Only unlicensed taxis are available, and even then, it depends on luck."
"Understood."
Gu Chen gave the shopkeeper one hundred yuan, and then followed his directions to the place where they waited for unlicensed taxis. About half an hour later, a minivan finally pulled up, and the driver rolled down the window and asked, "Need a ride?"
"To Xiaoxiang Peak," Gu Chen asked. "How much?"
"Three hundred yuan," the driver said. "Get in if you're going, otherwise I'll take you. These days, besides me, there aren't many unlicensed taxis that dare to take you to Xiaoxiang Peak."
"Deal." Gu Chen nodded and opened the back door.
Behind the van, there were several other people. Gu Chen asked, "Are they also going to Xiaoxiang Peak?"
"Yeah." The driver had already started the car, stepped on the gas, and said, "If I hadn't picked you guys up, I wouldn't have been planning to go to that godforsaken place today."
Why is it called a ghost town?
Gu Chen asked, puzzled.
"I've heard things aren't very peaceful there lately, with frequent earthquakes. Who knows if that mountain is about to collapse? But because of this, a lot of people have come from who-knows-where, and I've heard they're robbing and killing people, and the government doesn't seem to care."