Gu Qinghe clearly caught that subtle change.
The corner of Xiao Mei's lips lifted slightly, a smile that never fully formed, as if she was still hesitant to believe that she had truly been chosen.
Among the eight Sacred Envoys whose scores fell below the threshold, Xiao Mei was the first to be recruited—by a clan. Not a sect, and not a party that judged everything solely by numbers.
Gu Qinghe shifted his gaze, observing the faces of the other Sacred Envoys.
Their expressions varied—some looked relieved, some resigned, while others hid their disappointment behind a mask of calm.
Slowly, one by one, the representatives of the clans stepped forward and recruited them all.
Technically, Gu Qinghe still had the right to recruit one more person, but he didn't do so. None of them caught his interest.
It wasn't because they lacked decent numbers, but because Gu Qinghe knew that qualifications were only the beginning.
From his memories of his previous life, there were Sacred Envoys who initially appeared ordinary, yet revealed astonishing potential after years of perseverance and discipline.
On the other hand, many who started with outstanding qualifications—praised and coveted by major sects—eventually fell due to their own greed and arrogance.
And among them, one of the most notable was Xiao Mei.
Back when he had still lived as Yun Tian, Xiao Mei had shown a natural talent in the path of alchemy.
She wasn't the flashy type of genius, but she possessed sharp understanding and rare patience.
She had helped Yun Tian overcome cultivation bottlenecks countless times, refining the right pills at critical moments and stabilizing his cultivation when he stood on the brink of failure.
However, after Yun Tian broke through the Mortal Domain Realm and stepped into the Immortal Domain Realm at the Soul Formation stage, their encounters grew fewer and fewer.
It wasn't due to hostility, but distance—the distance between those who continued moving forward and those held back by the limits of heaven.
Gu Qinghe guessed that Xiao Mei had stalled at the Nascent Soul realm. She failed to break through the next boundary, until her lifespan eventually ran out and she died naturally.
For a cultivator, that was the most tragic ending.
In the cultivation world, there was an unspoken consensus: dying in battle was a thousand times better than dying of old age.
Death by lifespan was seen as a mark of failure—proof that one lacked the talent to carve out their own dao.
Now, Xiao Mei was under his watch.
He would not allow his friend to meet the same ending again.
The palace elder glanced around the grand hall, confirming that no Sacred Envoy remained without protection.
All of them had been recruited by either clans or sects. The Gu Clan had taken only one—and that choice had been entirely Gu Qinghe's.
"Thank you all for coming, senior cultivators," the palace elder announced loudly.
"His Majesty Emperor Song hopes that you will treat the Sacred Envoys well."
He paused briefly before continuing, "You are welcome to stay the night in the Imperial Capital. The Dragon Palace will host a banquet this evening. However, if any of you have urgent matters, the palace will not stop you from leaving."
Gu Yanxue stepped closer to Gu Qinghe and whispered, "The Gu Clan has a fairly close relationship with the Imperial Family. I don't want to disappoint Emperor Song, so the elders and I will stay."
"I understand," Gu Qinghe replied briefly.
"And you?" she asked.
Gu Qinghe turned his head.
Xiao Mei stood there awkwardly, her hands clasped together, clearly still unaccustomed to this world.
He knew there were things he needed to do for her as soon as possible—buy pills, prepare cultivation methods, and make sure her first steps didn't go wrong.
"The banquet isn't on my agenda," he said calmly. "I'll leave with Xiao Mei to buy some things."
Gu Yanxue glanced at Xiao Mei, then nodded. "Alright. Be careful, Qinghe."
Gu Qinghe nodded and led Xiao Mei out of the Dragon Palace.
The girl followed without hesitation. Right now, Gu Qinghe was the only direction she had.
They walked along the city's main street. Mortals and cultivators passed by endlessly.
Several pairs of eyes landed on Xiao Mei—some out of curiosity, others because the clothes she wore looked out of place in this world.
"Is it hard for you to part with your friends?" Gu Qinghe suddenly asked.
Xiao Mei was startled for a moment, then nodded lightly. "A little sad… and also scared. This world feels unfamiliar. All of you… are different."
"That's normal," Gu Qinghe replied flatly. "Carelessness in this world can mean death."
They stopped in front of a cultivation supply shop. There weren't many customers that afternoon, making the atmosphere relatively quiet.
"Welcome, Senior," the shop owner greeted—a thin, middle-aged man. "How may I help you?"
"Women's cultivator clothing," Gu Qinghe said without preamble. "I don't want to see those strange clothes again."
The shop owner immediately nodded and called his daughter over to help Xiao Mei change using Qi manifestation.
As long as Qi was available, worn or dirty clothes could be restored easily.
Gu Qinghe tapped his bag of holding.
A cloth pouch appeared in his palm—containing ten spirit stones.
The shop owner's face instantly lit up.
Spirit stones were different from taels. One low-grade spirit stone was worth ten taels. Ten spirit stones meant a hundred taels—a huge sum for a mortal.
"Is there anything else you need, Senior?" he asked respectfully.
Gu Qinghe bought various items—pills, technique scrolls, and a light weapon suitable for Xiao Mei.
Not long after, Xiao Mei stepped out wearing a simple white-and-blue robe that wasn't affiliated with any sect.
The outfit suited her pale skin and long black hair perfectly.
"Thank you, Master Gu Qinghe," she said softly.
"Call me Gu Qinghe."
Without further explanation, Gu Qinghe formed a hand seal.
The Black Leaf Curse Technique was released and attached itself to Xiao Mei's forehead, leaving behind a faint red mark.
The girl gasped and stumbled back several steps, her heart pounding violently.
[Congratulations, new technique learned]
[Technique: Black Leaf Curse Seal]
[Level: Spirit]
[Description: Implants a curse seal for obedience and location detection]
"What did you do to me?" Xiao Mei asked, her voice trembling.
"A curse seal," Gu Qinghe replied indifferently. "It makes you obedient and allows me to track your location."
"You—!"
Xiao Mei attacked, but Gu Qinghe clenched his fist. A surge of electricity coursed through her body, dropping her to the ground, powerless.
"You monster…"
"Call it what you want," Gu Qinghe said. "One day, you'll understand how cruel this world is."
He activated his cultivation sight and saw that Xiao Mei's meridians were perfectly open. Qi flowed naturally without meditation.
A Sacred Envoy's body… truly was unique.
Gu Qinghe handed her a blue pill. "Swallow it."
After hesitating briefly, Xiao Mei swallowed it. Blue light immediately radiated from her body.
"That's your Qi," Gu Qinghe explained. "Now you can cultivate."
He handed her two technique scrolls. Xiao Mei opened one of them.
"Basic Qi Refining Method?"
"Your qualifications are low," he continued honestly, "but if you work hard, you can surpass many people."
Xiao Mei fell silent for a long time, then looked at Gu Qinghe with resolute eyes, as if forcing all her fear and hesitation deep into her chest.
In a soft yet steady voice, she declared that she would do her best, no matter the consequences of the path now laid out before her.
"I'll do my best."