Although Yang Jinshu had been introduced as the head of the Disciplinary Hall during the ceremony at the sect's main plaza, Liu Yunan had not taken the new disciples to visit the hall during the subsequent tour. As a result, Zhu Xiurong and her daughter, Yang Jinshu, had yet to meet face-to-face.
However, Zhu Xiurong simply smiled and gently shook her head, saying, "I've seen enough today to know that everyone here is busy. Jinshu likely has a lot on her plate, so let's not distract her for now. I'll meet her in due time—no need to rush after all these years."
Hearing this, Liang Zhonghuai nodded, not pressing the matter further. He reached into his storage pouch and pulled out a soft-looking meat bun, offering it to her. "The sect's mealtime might not be for a while. Please have this to tide you over, so you don't go hungry."
Having gone two days without much food, Zhu Xiurong did feel a pang of hunger. As she accepted the meat bun, a voice called from behind Liang Zhonghuai.
"Brother Liang! Brother Liang!"
A tall, handsome young man jogged over, calling out to him. Liang Zhonghuai turned and saw that it was a fellow Qi Refining disciple he had recently met.
"Brother Feng?"
Feng Xuanhe caught up to him and, after noticing the elderly Zhu Xiurong, bowed respectfully to her before turning back to Liang Zhonghuai. "Ah, I just wanted to ask which of the Four Arts you're planning to learn? Back at Shanyang Sect, they never let us Qi Refining disciples learn the Four Arts. We were just left to do chores. I have to say, transferring to Lingxian Sect was the best decision I've ever made! Elder Liu said we can study the Four Arts here anytime we want!"
Before Liang Zhonghuai could respond, Feng Xuanhe continued, "I see that Brother Liang has a deep cultivation. May I ask which sect you were part of before? Ah, I really couldn't stand staying at Shanyang Sect any longer. If I stayed, the Feng family line would end with me! I had to spend so much just to get out. All the spirit stones and talismans I saved up over the years were confiscated by the sect. They even took my old storage pouch!"
He sighed dramatically before adding, "Luckily, I had a family heirloom pouch, so I'm not completely empty-handed."
Feng Xuanhe rambled on, leaving Liang Zhonghuai no chance to respond. He couldn't help but think that Feng Xuanhe was rather informal and chatty for someone he'd only just met.
In truth, Feng Xuanhe wasn't usually this talkative. He only rambled when he was nervous or excited—and right now, he was very excited. Lingxian Sect seemed so much better than Shanyang Sect in every way!
The more he thought about officially becoming a disciple of Lingxian Sect and all the amazing things he had seen that were unheard of at Shanyang Sect, the more overjoyed he became. He couldn't stop himself from rambling about it. The elders here were so kind and approachable, much more so than the seniors at Shanyang Sect. They had even taken the time to give a personal tour to new disciples—something that had never happened when he first joined his previous sect.
And to top it off, Elder Liu had told them they could explore the sect freely, as long as they stayed away from dangerous areas like cliffs. Even the Four Arts could be studied at will!
Right now, Feng Xuanhe felt like he had fallen into a honey jar.
Seeing the young man so caught up in his excitement, Zhu Xiurong smiled kindly and said to Liang Zhonghuai, "I'm getting on in years and can't keep up. I'll go rest. You young ones carry on chatting."
Having spent most of the day in a somewhat dazed state, Tong Jialiang had followed the others' example and finished setting up his bed. The tour of the sect didn't leave much of an impression on him. Ever since waking up from that dream in the Heart Trial Path, he had just been following along with the group, not fully absorbing everything around him.
Han Weishu had approached him earlier, asking how he was feeling and explaining everything that had happened over the past few days. After listening to her, Tong Jialiang felt conflicted. It was as if he knew what had happened over the past three years, yet the memories seemed distant and intangible, like viewing them from across a river. He felt disconnected from them.
He remembered the desperate eyes in the stone mine, where people had once wanted to live but later longed for death. He also recalled how a force in the darkness had pulled him back. Sitting on his bed, he pressed a hand to his chest, sensing something unfamiliar. There was a faint warmth flowing within him, something that had never been there before.
Perhaps he should ask Weishu about it later.
Thinking of her, he also remembered his cousin. Over the past three years, his cousin had taken care of him, but the memories felt surreal, like they belonged to someone else. Though he knew his cousin had gone through the Heart Trial Path, he hadn't seen him among the group that passed.
He wondered if his cousin had returned to the village. If he asked the immortals for permission to leave the mountain, would they allow it?
Lost in thought, he suddenly heard Han Weishu calling for him from outside. He pushed aside the swirling thoughts in his mind and stood up to meet her.
His aunt used to say that after hardship comes sweetness. After enduring bitterness for so long, even bitter things can begin to taste sweet.
As he walked toward the door, Tong Jialiang glanced down at his feet, watching each step he took. He had tasted sweetness before—after his grandparents passed, during the long years spent with his uncle and aunt, in the companionship of friends, and each time he received news from his cousin.
Though the sweetness had always been faint, like a thin thread woven through his life, it had been enough to leave him craving more. He wanted to continue savoring it.
Since the bitterness hadn't stopped him before, why should it stop him now?
When Tong Jialiang stepped outside, Han Weishu grabbed his sleeve, as she often did, and pulled him along in her usual hurried manner. "Come on, I asked Mr. Sun at the alchemy room, and he said as long as we've passed the Heart Trial Path, we can leave the sect freely. Let's go find your cousin!"
In truth, Lingxian Sect had some restrictions on new disciples leaving the mountain. Elder Qin Jianghe was worried that with the recent commotion surrounding the recruitment, the sect might be under observation. Letting inexperienced new disciples wander off the mountain unsupervised could be dangerous.
So, they had borrowed Big Peach from Xiao Luan to guard the mountain pass.
However, they understood Han Weishu's desire to take Tong Jialiang to see Baojian, and of course, they agreed. Not only that, Mo Yuanjiao insisted on coming along as well.
He explained, "I haven't seen Baojian in three days. I kind of miss him. Plus, I want to find out why he didn't pass the Heart Trial Path."