A New Home in Jiange
“Qingran, this is Jiange’s cave dwellings!“
Standing on her flying sword, Senior Sister Yue Qianchi pointed toward a towering thousand-foot peak in the distance.
Li Qingran looked over carefully.
Scattered across the mountainside and peak were numerous caves and stone houses, clearly carved out by human hands.
Some caves had spiritual fields nearby, where disciples personally tended to herbs and spirit plants. The area outside each cave was also decorated differently, revealing the unique personalities of the cultivators.
For instance—
- One cave entrance was covered in chrysanthemums, while…
- Another was lined with giant cacti.
“I bet the cultivators in those two caves have completely opposite personalities,” Li Qingran thought to herself.
Noticing her deep contemplation, Yue Qianchi chuckled.
“Junior Sister, are you worried about the accommodations?“
Li Qingran shook her head, but Yue Qianchi explained anyway—
“Unlike other sects, we don’t have too many blessed cultivation grounds. Instead, our Pavilion Master used a formation to gather spiritual energy from nearby mountains and concentrate it here.”
“Sure, it might seem crowded, but the upside is that we get a much richer spiritual environment for cultivation! Plus, it makes life in the sect livelier, don’t you think?”
Li Qingran nodded in admiration.
This proved that the Jiange Pavilion Master was pragmatic—willing to sacrifice face for practicality.
Back in Qingyun Sect, she had once wondered:
“Why don’t sect leaders gather spiritual energy instead of letting disciples compete for resources?”
She had even asked Taoist Qingxuan about it once—
But he had scolded her, saying:
“Cultivation is about competing with the heavens, the earth, and others! If everyone eats the same meal, how can we distinguish the difference between talent and hard work?”
But Jiange’s approach was completely different.
They treated their sect like a home, where disciples supported each other rather than competing ruthlessly.
“Was my previous thinking too naive?”
Selecting a Cave
“Which caves are available, Senior Sister?” Li Qingran asked.
Yue Qianchi gestured toward the mountain—
“Most caves from the middle of the mountain upwards are empty. Some were dug by previous disciples, and some… well, they were created when our Sect Master chased our sect beast.”
Li Qingran: “…”
“Why does everyone prefer living lower on the mountain?”
Yue Qianchi smirked and shrugged.
“Convenience.“
“Stepping on a flying sword is exhausting! Our Jiange’s philosophy is simple—
If you can stand, don’t fly. If you can sit, don’t stand. If you can lie down, don’t sit. And if you can sleep… well, you get the idea.”
Li Qingran: “…”
“Is this laziness or enlightenment?”
As they flew closer, Li Qingran spotted many disciples—
Some lounging near waterfalls, others meditating atop turtles basking in the sun.
At first glance, they looked lazy.
But if one observed carefully, their presence carried a deep, Zen-like aura.
Yue Qianchi pointed to a disciple lying completely still.
“That’s Duan Feng from Wuqing Peak. He cultivates the ruthless sword.“
“He looks like a corpse, but he’s actually in deep enlightenment.“
Choosing the Peak
After circling the mountain, Yue Qianchi asked, “So, Junior Sister, where do you want to live?”
Li Qingran blinked and imagined—
“Standing atop a high cliff, watching the sunrise, hearing the birds sing…”
“Senior Sister, I want to live at the top of the mountain!“
“Alright.” Yue Qianchi smiled knowingly.
“Every new disciple wants to live at the top at first.”
The scenic beauty and vast horizons were tempting, but—
- They’d soon realize how exhausting it was to fly down for morning classes every day.
- The burning summer sun would make them regret their decision.
- The freezing winter storms would break their spirits.
“In six months, she’ll probably beg to move down the mountain,” Yue Qianchi thought.
At the peak, an abandoned stone house stood covered in dust—unused for a long time.
“Alright, Junior Sister, this is your new home!“
Before leaving, Yue Qianchi reminded her:
“If you need anything, just use a sound transmission talisman to find me.“
Then—
A faint aroma of alcohol drifted through the air.
Yue Qianchi’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Ah—wine!“
In a flash, she dropped Li Qingran and dashed away on her flying sword.
“Junior Sister, don’t be late for morning class tomorrow!”
A second later—
“Junior Brother Xu An! Hand over your new brew in three seconds, or I’ll smash your cave!”
“Tomboy, over my dead body!”
BOOM!
Two sword auras erupted from the mountain below. The ground trembled.
Yet, the cranes on the nearby cliffs continued dozing peacefully—clearly used to this daily chaos.
Li Qingran stood there speechless for a while before sighing.
“What a weird sect… but I think I like it here.”
Turning around, she stepped into her new stone house.
“A new life starts here. After morning class, I’ll head straight to the Sutra Pavilion!”
She clenched her fists with determination.
“I must help Master detoxify!”
“I want Master to live a long life!”
With that, she grabbed a broom to start cleaning—
A Familiar Voice…
Suddenly—
A mysterious, yet familiar voice echoed in the void.
[Qingran, have you thought of me since we last met?]
Li Qingran’s body froze.
Her heart pounded in her chest.
“Who…?”
