A City Full of Hope
Tianquan City was bustling with excitement.
Before the recruitment platform, a massive crowd had gathered.
All mortals.
Some were martial artists skilled in combat, but no matter how powerful, a martial artist is still just a mortal. Even the strongest master in the martial world had to bow his head before a cultivator.
For them, joining an immortal sect was a dream.
But immortal sects only cared about spiritual roots and talent—martial prowess meant nothing.
“Single Water Spiritual Root!”
Amidst the crowd, a sharp voice rang out:
“Li Qingran, single water spiritual root!”
The platform erupted in an instant.
“What?!”
“Single spiritual root? There’s a single spiritual root here!”
“Quick! Get me details on this disciple!”
Before Li Qingran could process what was happening, a swarm of recruiters rushed toward her.
“Young lady! Join Chiyang Sect! Our Sect Master will take you as his personal disciple!”
“Nonsense! Chiyang is for fire cultivators! You should come to Sushui Sect—we specialize in water techniques!”
“Qi Sect welcomes talented individuals like you!”
“…Zen Sect also… Never mind, we don’t stand a chance.”
Li Qingran blinked, feeling overwhelmed.
“Since when was a single water spiritual root this valuable?”
When she was brought into Qingyun Sect, she had never experienced such enthusiasm.
Outside the crowd, an elderly man dressed in simple robes stood observing.
He narrowed his eyes before pulling out a sound transmission jade slip.
“Sect Master! Something big has happened! A genius with a single water spiritual root has appeared in Tianquan City. Should we act?”
After a moment, a hurried reply came:
[Not yet! I’m handling something important. Just watch for now!]
The old man sighed, rubbing his temples.
“Watch? By the time I report again, she’ll already be taken by another sect!”
A single spiritual root genius was destined to be snatched away quickly.
“Forget it… Those who choose to stay will stay. Those forced to stay will eventually leave.”
A Special Invitation
Just as the recruiters fought over Li Qingran, a gentle yet commanding voice came from the crowd:
“Young lady, I am Liu Shengyan, an elder from Lingxi Valley.”
The crowd parted as a woman in green robes gracefully stepped forward, surrounded by several female cultivators.
She wore a veil, concealing her face, but the gentle fragrance of flowers followed her movements.
“It’s Lingxi Valley!”
“No point competing. Lingxi Valley always wins these battles.”
“Hah! If you try to take someone from Lingxi Valley, don’t even think about seeking their help in the future!”
Li Qingran perked up upon hearing the name.
She had been aiming for Lingxi Valley all along, but she didn’t expect them to come to her!
Liu Shengyan approached, her beautiful eyes studying Li Qingran for a few seconds before she chuckled softly.
“Such a beauty! With such a graceful figure and excellent talent, why waste yourself in a sect full of men? Come to Lingxi Valley! We’re all sisters there~”
Li Qingran knew that Lingxi Valley only accepted female cultivators.
For extremely rare cases, male disciples were allowed… but only after being castrated.
Before, she thought joining a female-only sect would be less troublesome.
She had no interest in dealing with senior brothers, elders, or sect politics.
She only cared about cultivating and thinking about her master.
Now that Lingxi Valley had come for her, the decision was obvious.
Li Qingran bowed deeply.
“I am honored by Elder Liu’s kindness. I willingly accept.”
Seeing how obedient Li Qingran was, Liu Shengyan became even more satisfied.
“Take this sister to the Young Master. Let her take a look. I’ll stay to check for other promising disciples.”
“Yes, Elder.”
Meeting the Young Master
Li Qingran was led to the top floor of a luxurious restaurant, where the Young Master of Lingxi Valley resided.
A light red curtain hung over the couch, obscuring the figure behind it.
A slender white leg extended lazily from behind the veil, gently swinging in the air. The toes were painted a soft pink, as delicate as five pearls dipped in rouge.
The female cultivators who had led Li Qingran here bowed silently before retreating.
Although the Young Master was a woman, Li Qingran still felt nervous.
She kept her head lowered, standing quietly, afraid to speak out of turn.
After a while, the jade-like foot stopped moving.
The figure behind the curtain stretched gracefully, much like a cat awakening from a nap.
Then, a crisp, melodious voice rang out.
“Single water spirit root? Not bad! After half a month of searching, I’ve finally found a genius!”
Li Qingran hurriedly bowed.
“Thank you for your praise, Senior.”
“No need to be so reserved. Come closer, I want to see you.”
Li Qingran stepped forward, as instructed.
A strong floral fragrance filled the air as she neared the curtain.
She took a quick glance inside but immediately looked away, reminding herself to avoid seeing anything inappropriate.
The girl behind the curtain chuckled, retracting her jade-like foot back into the veil.
“You’re quite stunning. Even this Young Master feels a little envious. Tell me, do you have a partner?”
An Unexpected Question
Li Qingran’s fingers clenched slightly.
She wanted to have one.
Unfortunately, her Master probably didn’t like her that way.
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Have you ever had one?”
“No.”
“Very good.”
The Young Master seemed pleased with this answer.
A delicate hand lifted the curtain slightly, revealing a white chin and a charming peach blossom eye.
“Give me your hand.”
Li Qingran obediently stretched out her wrist.
A pair of cool, slender fingers rested lightly against her skin.
After a brief moment, the Young Master withdrew her hand and spoke in a neutral tone.
“Hmm… You’ve cultivated a high-grade technique. It’s quite suitable for your water spiritual root. Not bad… Do you have a master?”
Li Qingran knew there was no point in lying.
“Yes.”
The air in the room suddenly changed.
The Young Master’s voice took on a sharper edge.
“Man or woman?”
Li Qingran hesitated before answering:
“Male.”
“Get Out.”
The temperature in the room plummeted.
Li Qingran stiffened, feeling two icy eyes piercing through the curtain.
A moment later, a cold, emotionless voice rang out.
“Get out.”
The door swung open with a bang.
Before Li Qingran could react, an invisible force shoved her backward.
She stumbled out into the hallway—unwelcome, rejected, and confused.
