Immortal Father

Even for Li Ping'an, whose mind was as still as an ancient well, this moment sparked a gleam in his eyes.

What captivated Li Ping'an wasn't the girl's delicate beauty, nor her graceful figure; it was the unique aura that emanated from her.

Pure and transcendent, distinguished and extraordinary;

She resembled a sharp longsword unsheathed, as if ready to cut through the fine dust in the air.

It was evident that the girl had some level of cultivation.

In terms of appearance, she was quite beautiful, with willow-leaf eyebrows, cherry-red lips, bright eyes and white teeth, and an oval-shaped face. Even in the night, her fair and delicate skin was visible, her peach-blossom eyes shimmered faintly, and her small, exquisite ears gleamed translucently.

Her blue and white long dress concealed her slim legs and delicate feet, and beneath the nearly floor-length hem were a pair of embroidered shoes adorned with orchids.

She seemed to be only thirteen or fourteen years old, with a hint of youthful innocence still in her eyes, but her body had already begun to develop curves. It was hard to say whether she would grow even taller in the future.

Ordinary girls reach maturity at fifteen; she was just a little short in height for now.

Li Ping'an eyed the sheathed sword in her hand for a few moments, recalling the martial artists he had met several times in the mortal world. Observing the girl's posture and feeling the slow circulation of qi within her, he grew more curious about her background.

As he sized up the girl, she naturally did the same with him.

Catching sight of a fair and handsome young man stepping out of the night, the girl couldn't help but take a few more glances at him. Realizing she had neglected proper etiquette, she quickly lowered her head and bowed, bringing her hands together in a salute.

Her voice was soft and delicate as she greeted him:

"Greetings, senior."

This was in stark contrast to her previously clear and loud voice.

Li Ping'an smiled, "I'm also a disciple of this place. I arrived not long ago, and Daoist Weiyanzi, the custodian of Liuyun Hall, has recently gone into closed-door cultivation and is in a dwelling enclosed by a formation... This is the token he gave me, authorizing me to temporarily act on his behalf as custodian."

She glanced at the jade token and her pale pink lips blossomed into a smile, followed by another respectful salute, "I've seen you, senior brother."

Li Ping'an returned the salute and directly asked, "Have you come here to seek a master and cultivate?"

"Yes!"

Li Ping'an continued to inquire, "How did you manage to come up the mountain?"

The girl explained, "Several external sect elders from the Wanyun Sect went to my hometown in search of talented youths. Although my parents were reluctant to let me travel far, they knew that if I continued my cultivation at home, I might not achieve much in the future, which is why they let me return to the Wanyun Sect."

Li Ping'an was somewhat puzzled.

Return?

From the girl's words, it seemed that her family were external sect disciples of the Wanyun Sect.

The girl took the initiative to explain:

"My mother and aunt are both external sect disciples of the Wanyun Sect. They cultivated within the Wanyun Sect for a decade or two, knowing they had no hope on the path of immortality before returning to the secular world to slay demon beasts and protect the mortal realm.

"Having followed my mother in cultivation for many years, my mother abided by the sect rules, allowing me to practice only some qi-nurturing techniques and martial skills of the mortal world."

"I see, please come this way, junior sister," Li Ping'an said.

Without further ado, after clarifying her background, he led her to the dwelling of Daoist Weiyanzi.

"This is the Five Grains Pill. Each bottle contains twenty pills, and you should take one bottle every seven days.

"If you use them up too quickly, it's no issue to come for more every three to five days.

"Only when you cultivate to the Spirit-Gathering Realm can you abstain from grains. Using elixir pills instead will continually enhance your physique."

Then, Li Ping'an led her to the neighboring dwelling to collect a Daoist robe and cloth boots and took her to the Liuyun Hall's backyard.

Just as Daoist Weiyanzi had guided him, Li Ping'an also explained everything along the way.

"There are many vacant courtyards here, junior sister; pick one to live in.

"In Liuyun Hall, there will be three lectures a month by the immortal masters, which present opportunities for discipleship. You should attend as much as possible if you're not otherwise occupied.

"All the empty dwellings in the back are available to move into. These houses are equipped with basic formations, and if you close the doors and windows, the formation will automatically start, protecting you from prying spiritual senses.

"You've seen the other disciples around here; they are a bit younger than you and me, but they've been up the mountain for a year or two, and we must address them as senior brothers and sisters when we see them.

"Cultivation techniques and foundational mantras are supposed to be transmitted by the custodian of the sect; unfortunately, you'll have to bear with it for a few days. The custodian said he might come out of seclusion in either a few days or a few months; it's quite unpredictable.

"Alright, choose a place to live."

The girl blinked and pointed to a distinctively elegant small wooden tower that stood out like a crane among chickens: "Is someone living there?"

Li Ping'an replied indifferently, "If there's a light, then someone's there."

"Why is this wooden tower so conspicuous?"

The girl clicked her tongue:

"I never expected there to be such hierarchy even within the mountain.

"All the nearby houses are plain and low, yet this one dwells in an elegant loft with a varied courtyard. Could this be the home of some tyrant of Liuyun Hall?

"Senior brother, although I haven't cultivated for long, I've followed my mother for many years acting as a chivalrous figure in the secular world, and I've seen plenty of so-called powerful figures.

"Is the person living there a powerful cultivator?

"If they are not at the Spirit-Gathering Realm, I will definitely ask them for a lesson in the future."

Li Ping'an gazed at the girl's sword at her waist without showing too much on his face.

Has she always been this confident?

Even though the combat prowess of Qi Cultivators in magical combat is generally subpar, with talismans that do not harm and magic artifacts that cannot reach far, it was quite bold for such a young girl to claim she could challenge any Qi Cultivator beneath the Spirit-Gathering Realm."

"Internal fighting among sect disciples is prohibited; it's one of the primary offenses."

Li Ping'an gently urged:

"Pick a place to stay."

He needed to get back to his own cultivation as soon as possible.

The girl tilted her head slightly, studying Li Ping'an's profile closely, and asked softly, "Senior brother, don't you want to ask my name or if I have any title?"

Li Ping'an couldn't help but grin, feeling as though he had returned to the days when he volunteered at a children's welfare institute, and he gently said:

"Then, what is your name, junior sister, and do you have a title?"

She immediately smiled happily, hugged her sword, and with her teeth lightly parted, the words came bubbling out:

"My name is Ningning Mu!"

"I hail from Yunhan City in the southeast of the East Continent! Since the age of three, I sat in meditation, at six I practiced martial arts, and at eleven I slew demon beasts to protect the common folk, and have been upholding chivalry for three years now! Knowing that the path of martial arts is limited while the Path of Immortality is boundless, I ascended the mountain to seek immortals, and joined the Wanyun Sect, hoping to receive guidance from all the seniors here! If one day I can enter the Immortal Realm and attain my true form, I will surely vanquish demons and defend the Dao, protecting the lives of the Human Race!"

"Ambitious."

Li Ping'an gave a thumbs up and smiled,

"Then go ahead and choose a place to stay."

Ningning Mu whispered, "And what about you, Senior Brother? I've introduced myself, so now it's your turn to do the same."

"I am Li Ping'an, just beginning my cultivation, merely a mid-stage Qi Cultivator."

Li Ping'an spoke earnestly,

"Please choose a place to stay now, and once I have settled you in, I must return to continue my cultivation.

"I have yet to pay respects to an immortal master, so I dare not slack off in my cultivation in the slightest. Please don't take offense, Junior Sister."

"That's fine then."

Ningning Mu casually pointed to a spot without lit lamps or formations.

"I'll take that courtyard over there."

"Please, then I will take my leave."

Li Ping'an waved his hand largely and then turned to leave.

Ningning Mu quietly sighed to herself.

'Are the interpersonal relationships in the Immortal Sects always this cold?'

'Mother also said to make more friends with some senior brothers and sisters, so I could receive more care in the future... Maybe it's just that this senior brother is particularly cold?'

'Alright, cold Senior Brother.'

As she stood there pondering, she saw that Li Ping'an had already stepped into his own courtyard and entered the wooden building.

"Hey!"

Ningning Mu blinked and managed a stiff smile against the night sky.

On the first day in the mountain, I've managed to offend an influential senior brother in just three sentences...

She couldn't help but bring her hand to her forehead as she hurriedly thought of ways to make amends.

...

'This Ningning Mu has quite a nice character, pretty interesting indeed.'

Li Ping'an returned to his practice room, took off his robe, kicked off his boots, and continued to sit cross-legged, quickly recovering the state of mind he had before.

The mystery of everlasting life is hard to find.

Li Ping'an unconsciously started to cycle his Qi, gradually entering a meditative state, as cultivation had replaced his need for sleep in his daily life.

When the air around him grew slightly hot with Spiritual Power, Li Ping'an also woke from his deep meditation. As he opened his eyes, there was a faint gleam in his pupils, and he looked down in contemplation of what he had gained from this meditation session.

He seemed to have vaguely found a path for cycling Qi on his own, but the path was still unclear and not fully revealed.

"Indeed, one cannot rush these things."

Li Ping'an stood up and stretched lazily.

After washing and changing his clothes, he opened the window to look out into the distance.

He picked up the jade bottle on the windowsill and poured a Five Grains Pill into his mouth. The Elixir Pill turned into a moisturizing liquid, instantly giving his empty stomach a sense of fullness.

'With such Elixir Pills, Qi Cultivators are unlikely to have any fat ones.'

Li Ping'an chuckled lightly and lost himself in thought while looking out of the window. Just as he was about to go and read scriptures in the morning, his gaze was caught by a few figures outside the window.

Several young boys and girls stood on top of the courtyard wall, looking towards another courtyard.

'What are they looking at?'

Li Ping'an, being only at the seventh level of Qi Cultivation, could not extend his Spiritual Sense too far, so he channeled his vital energy and leaped out of the open window. Then he concentrated his energy toward his feet, borrowing force from the air as if swooping like a swallow, and landed steadily on the roof of his house.

He jumped to the edge of the roof and immediately saw the graceful figure that had drawn the attention of many fellow disciples.

It was Ningning Mu, who arrived just last night.

Ningning Mu was practicing her swordsmanship in her courtyard.

The ordinary iron Longsword in her hand seemed to come alive with a soul and rhythm. It would sometimes cast a curtain of sword shadows, and other times it would be like a meteor streaking across the sky. The sound of the sword echoed continuously.

Her movements followed her swordplay, and her steps were ethereal and light. Her strikes always came from inconceivable angles, and occasionally, wisps of sword Qi would escape with the vibrations of the sword.

With the sword drawn, the spirit snake dances; on the blade's fall, the cloud crane is startled.

Li Ping'an seemed to gain some insight as he stood on the roof, frowning in thought.

'Does Ningning Mu circulate her vital energy with every movement when she practices sword and even when she stands still?'

Li Ping'an felt a surge of eagerness.

Half an hour later, Ningning Mu finished practicing her swordsmanship and sat cross-legged on a mat in the middle of the courtyard. The group of young boys and girls each returned to their own courtyards.

Li Ping'an channeled his energy, and his form floated like feathers from the edge of his own wooden building's roof, drifting towards Ningning Mu's courtyard gate.

This was a technique of lightness that Qi Cultivators were capable of mastering.

Li Ping'an didn't disturb Ningning Mu but simply stood waiting quietly, his mind flickering through the sword techniques she had used earlier and roughly deducing the pattern of Qi circulation in her body.

It was in line with the foundational techniques of the Wanyun Sect.

Or to be more precise, it was simply a modified version of the Wanyun Sect's basic cultivation technique.

Li Ping'an smirked internally,

'That must have been taught by her mother. While it is forbidden by sect rules for outer disciples to privately transmit cultivation techniques to their children, it is only human nature.

'It seems her mother has long intended for her to cultivate within the sect and passed on the entry-level technique in advance.

'I need to be careful not to expose this and cause her any trouble.'

Creak—

The courtyard gate was pulled open, and a graceful figure stepped into Li Ping'an's view, accompanied by a light exclamation,

"Ah! Senior Brother!"