Chapter 203: Ruo’er and the Immortals with Lin Nuo
(An absolutely lengthy chapter of 3,000 words!)
—
The actions of Ruo’er were keenly observed by the two immortals. It’s quite rare for one to seamlessly interact with numerous spirit beasts, especially when those beasts typically do not get along.
These two immortals hailed from Zifeng Valley, a renowned celestial mountain, a place of divine wonder, where high-level immortals resided, unlike Tianling Mountain, which formed sects and guilds. While immortals also took on disciples, their requirements were incredibly high — one needed celestial roots, talent, and an affinity with the immortals.
Throughout the centuries, those chosen to enter Zifeng Valley were certain to embark on the path to immortality, ultimately becoming renowned immortals across the seas.
The immortals from Zifeng Valley maintained a collaborative relationship with the Xuanyun Sect. Every few years, they would visit the Xuanyun Sect to assess their progress and provide guidance, often bringing along some celestial stones.
If a standout disciple from the Xuanyun Sect caught the eye of the immortals from Zifeng Valley, they could then be invited to cultivate in Zifeng Valley — a longing desired by many Xuanyun Sect disciples.
The two immortals, one male and one female, appeared to be in their fifties by worldly age but looked quite youthful — like a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman in their twenties, thanks to their long stays in Zifeng Valley, absorbing the valley’s spirit essence and the protective Immortal Techniques.
“Is she truly just a maid? Has she ever practiced cultivation?” the male immortal asked.
“Not at all. She has always served as a maid for Lin Nuo, one of our disciples. Besides, although she belongs to the fox clan, she lacks the aptitude for cultivation,” Master Zhao replied.
“Can we have a word with her?” the female immortal asked.
“Certainly, if she is willing.”
Thus, the three changed their course, heading towards Ruo’er.
As the spirit beasts noticed Master Zhao leading the immortals, they quickly made way, including a white tiger raised by Master Zhao, which trotted close to him.
Master Zhao affectionately patted the white tiger, prompting it to step aside.
“Hmm~? Master Zhao, hello~!”
Ruo’er greeted politely, bowing respectfully as the approachable Master Zhao smiled and said,
“Hello, Ruo’er. You’ve done well looking after so many spirit beasts.”
“It’s nothing! They just came over suddenly. I only fed them some Meat Floss Cake, but who knew they’d like it so much~”
“Hmm? They actually eat common snacks?”
Master Zhao sounded surprised. Spirit beasts were notoriously picky eaters; how could they enjoy mundane snacks?
It seemed this little girl had quite the talent for caring for spirit beasts.
“Little girl, what is your name?” the female immortal inquired.
“My name is Ruo’er~” the obedient Ruo’er replied.
“Ruo’er, nice to meet you! I’m Dong Xiyan, an immortal from Zifeng Valley. Little girl, you’ve never cultivated; how is it that you manage so many spirit beasts?” Dong Xiyan asked.
“Well… it’s not management, really. I just communicate with them normally,” Ruo’er answered.
“Communicate? You can understand what they say?”
“I can! Actually, they’re often quite lonely, so I just chat with them~” Ruo’er smiled.
“You can understand spirit beast language.”
Dong Xiyan exchanged glances with her male immortal companion, and they nodded at each other.
Dong Xiyan crouched down to continue speaking with Ruo’er:
“Little girl, may I take a look at your celestial quality?”
“Ah, celestial quality? What’s that~?”
Ruo’er was puzzled; having never cultivated, terms like celestial quality and spirit root sounded completely foreign to her.
Dong Xiyan explained, “It’s about whether you have the constitution to become an immortal.”
“Ah, I’m just an ordinary maid. I can’t possibly become an immortal.”
Ruo’er shook her head repeatedly, fully aware of her own limitations. Without aptitude, cultivation was out of reach — not to mention she’d heard her master talk of wanting to become an immortal, yet even he hadn’t achieved it. How could she?
“Ruo’er, just give it a try. The method won’t harm your body and won’t take much time,” Master Zhao encouraged while stroking his beard and smiling.
“Hmm… alright then…”
Ruo’er was kind-hearted and not good at rejecting others, especially in front of the immortals and the sect leader. Since Master Zhao suggested it, trying wouldn’t hurt.
“How do I do it?”
“Sit tight; I’ll perform a simple method for you,” Dong Xiyan instructed. Ruo’er obediently sat up straight, feeling a bit nervous as she had never gone through such experiences before.
Dong Xiyan placed her hand on Ruo’er’s palm, closed her eyes, and softly murmured spirit incantations. Soon, Ruo’er’s hand radiated with a glow as Dong Xiyan began using Spirit Techniques to probe Ruo’er’s celestial quality.
The examination was quick, wrapping up shortly after the initiation of the technique.
Dong Xiyan didn’t immediately disclose her findings; she rose slightly and exchanged a knowing look with the male immortal. They stepped aside to discuss something in whispers.
“How is it?” the male immortal asked.
“This little girl is an Immortal Fox with celestial roots. Furthermore, she doesn’t have the limitations Master Zhao mentioned; she actually possesses some cultivation, albeit not high-level,” Dong Xiyan noted.
“Cultivation? But didn’t you say she hadn’t practiced at all?”
“Exactly! That’s what’s so intriguing; it suggests this girl is extraordinary. Given her young age, with careful guidance, we could unlock her potential. Besides, she’s not a disciple of Xuanyun Sect, thus Xuanyun Sect isn’t cultivating her. I plan to take her under my wing; it’s not like we’re poaching their talent. What do you think?”
“Is that permissible? Even if she consents, will our master and the other immortals accept her back in Zifeng Valley?” the male immortal expressed his concerns.
“Not to worry. Though her cultivation is low now, she’s certainly promising for the future, especially being an Immortal Fox. It shouldn’t pose a problem,” Dong Xiyan reassured him.
After discussing the matter further, Dong Xiyan decided to attempt bringing Ruo’er back to Zifeng Valley for cultivation.
She returned to Master Zhao and relayed the results of the celestial quality examination. Master Zhao was astonished:
“Ruo’er actually possesses cultivation? But she has never practiced cultivation before!”
“Perhaps her master has guided her,” Dong Xiyan suggested, before asking, “Master Zhao, do you think this is feasible?”
“She isn’t a disciple of our sect, so I don’t need to give permission. You should ask her what she wishes,” Master Zhao replied.
“Alright.”
Dong Xiyan walked back to Ruo’er, crouched slightly with a smile, and asked:
“Little girl, you have celestial roots. Although your cultivation is currently low, with training, there’s potential for you to become an immortal. Would you like to come with me to Zifeng Valley to cultivate?”
“Ah? Cultivate…!”
Ruo’er was shocked. Who would have imagined she possessed celestial roots, let alone the chance to cultivate?
If she could cultivate, perhaps she could get closer to her master, and there might be opportunities to go out together instead of staying at Tianling Mountain waiting quietly for his return.
However, she had some reservations:
“But I can’t make that decision. I need my master’s approval. If he agrees, then we can talk. After all, I’m my master’s little maid.”
“Indeed, Lin Nuo should have the final say,” Master Zhao interjected. “Lin Nuo has a good reputation in the sect and is quite open-minded. If you speak with him, he may agree. However, he’s currently not at Tianling Mountain.”
“That’s fine; we can wait for his return.”
So the plan was set: the two immortals would remain at Tianling Mountain, waiting for Lin Nuo to come back, at which point they could discuss Ruo’er’s training.
……
At Yugu Town, in the Return to Heaven Casino.
“You owe so much already; how do you plan to pay it back?”
“Let me gamble again, just one more time, I can win it all back!”
“Win? First, pay what you owe!”
Several robust men pinned down a shabby-dressed man, while the casino boss shoved the IOU close to his face for him to see how much he owed.
Unbeknownst to him, he had racked up over a thousand gold coins — quite an amount, even for families with decent finances to scrape together.
“What will you pay with?”
“I just need one more chance, I can win it back…”
“Fine, stamp your handprint here, and I’ll let you gamble again.”
The boss took out a piece of paper. The gambler didn’t even look closely before he stamped it, after which the boss allowed him to gamble once more — but he lost again.
“Alright, tie him up; we’ll toss him into a labor den later.”
The boss ordered, and immediately, his men bound the gambler and locked him in a small room.
The boss chuckled, looking over the IOU the gambler had just signed.
It clearly stated that part of his debt could be paid with his adopted daughter. Given his latest loss, he had lost her too.
“Ruo’er, where is she now?”
“Report, Big Brother! She’s currently a maid for Lin Nuo from the Lin family and has gone to Tianling Mountain with him. I heard that this Ruo’er is from the fox clan.”
“The fox clan? That’s valuable. If she’s an Immortal Fox, she’d be even more precious.”
The boss’s eyes lit up.
“Xuanyun Sect, good! There must be plenty of treasures in that sect. Take this IOU and head to Tianling Mountain. Bring it to that Lin Nuo personally. If he pays the debt, we’ll swindle him again. If he refuses, we’ll take Ruo’er instead. Xuanyun Sect practitioners are known for their honesty, so I don’t believe he’ll renege.”
“Yes, Big Brother!”
The muscle-bound men took the IOU and immediately set off for Tianling Mountain, which wasn’t far from Yugu Town — they would definitely arrive soon.
Whether they could swindle Lin Nuo or take Ruo’er, with the debt in hand, no Xuanyun Sect disciple would dare to default.
……
Close to reaching Tianling Mountain, Lin Nuo had run out of spiritual power to control his flying sword and had to walk back instead.
“If only I had the capital, I’d definitely forge a sword that could fly forever.”
Lin Nuo complained, now dressed in white with makeup removed, looking like a refined disciple of Xuanyun Sect.
Riding a flying sword still felt a tad humiliating.
Suddenly, he encountered a few robust men on the road.
He felt like he recognized them from somewhere.
Hmm?
He seemed to recall some unpleasant memories associated with these men.
The men approached him and asked:
“Brother, are you a disciple of Xuanyun Sect?”
“Yes,” Lin Nuo nodded.
“Do you know Lin Nuo?” the burly man continued questioning.
Hmm?
Looks like it’s you guys — definitely the debt collectors.
