The Surprise of the Apprentice Recruitment Ceremony

A month later—

In the blink of an eye, the day of Tianjian Pavilion’s disciple recruitment assembly arrived.

Su Wanqing sat before her dressing table. She still hadn’t dressed elaborately as the sect leader requested, opting instead for her usual aloof attire.

It was slightly more attractive than her everyday look, but the overall style remained cold and distant.

To avoid giving hope to those disciples who came for her, Su Wanqing aimed to completely push them away, extinguishing any thoughts of taking her as their master.

However, Su Wanqing didn’t need to worry.

As long as it wasn’t one of the top three disciples, and she didn’t actively recruit, no one would seek her out for mentorship.

Moreover, the top three disciples in each assembly usually chose elders specializing in sword cultivation, spell cultivation, or pill refinement as their masters, while her niche Dao cultivation was far less appealing compared to those popular cultivators.

Coupled with her cold face and demeanor, which served as a full set of deterrents, no one would even consider her.

Anyway, for so many years, Su Wanqing had never been actively sought out by a disciple to be their master; everyone kept a respectful distance from her.

Not for any other reason, but simply because of her aloofness. Of course, this was all a disguise she maintained in front of outsiders.

If anyone were to actually spend time with her, they would discover her true nature of being outwardly cold but inwardly warm.

However, part of the reason no one sought her as a master was also because of Chen Xueli.

In others’ eyes, that rebellious disciple cultivated the Emotionless Path. She put on an even more exaggerated act than her Master, behaving just like a robot.

Perhaps those who wished to join her tutelage would shrink back at the thought of being with two large ice blocks, wouldn’t they?

“Sigh—”

Thinking of this, Su Wanqing couldn’t help but sigh.

This month, she had been all alone.

It had to be said that after getting used to that rebellious disciple being around, being suddenly alone felt a bit unfamiliar.

However, this month of peace also brought her much enjoyment. Although her injuries hadn’t fully healed, another month would likely suffice.

Indeed, living alone was better, at least she didn’t have to worry about any lesbians attacking her.

In another month, Chen Xueli would return.

If she entered the Golden Core stage, given her cultivation speed, she would surpass her Master in a few years if she didn’t hide it.

Looking at her immortal-like face in the mirror, Su Wanqing could now gradually accept it.

After all, looking at her own appearance was better than being pinned down by a lesbian.

As if remembering something, she blurted out:

“This is probably the first time I’ve attended a selection assembly without that rebellious disciple, Chen Xueli, by my side.”

After finishing her preparations, Su Wanqing made what she considered a cold expression in the mirror. Feeling ready, it was time to depart.

All the way, she wondered what this selection assembly would be like without the female lead this time.

She remembered that this session had many good prospects, not just the female lead, a Phoenix Heavenly Empress, but also three or four children with Profound-grade high-tier talents.

Moreover, it was the session with the highest number of applicants and cultivators with cultivation talent ever.

Su Wanqing had a vivid impression that this batch of disciples would produce a youth with Earth-grade high-tier talent, even a realm higher than the sect leader’s direct disciple, Qiao Jinxi.

If the sect leader hadn’t taken Qiao Jinxi as her direct disciple, she would have considered taking that youth as her own.

After all, the difference between Earth-grade mid-tier and Earth-grade high-tier wasn’t just a matter of one stage; the gap between the two could be described as heaven and earth.

If two cultivators were both Earth-grade mid-tier Nascent Soul, they might get stuck there, but high-tier would make breakthroughs much easier.

As for Heavenly-grade spirit roots?

Let alone a small sect like Tianjian Pavilion, even a major sect like Hongxiu would rarely see such a presence.

If it was an Immortal-grade spirit root above that, it would be a once-in-a-century occurrence even for super sects.

The appearance of a Heavenly-grade spirit root represented the existence of a future powerful cultivator, and an Immortal-grade appearance represented a future leader of the cultivation world.

But coincidentally, both Immortal-grade spirit roots came from Tianjian Pavilion, a small sect unknown outside Limeng Yunzhou.

One was Ning Yuer, and the other was Chen Xueli.

Both happened to represent the opposition between good and evil simultaneously.

Ning Yuer slowly evolved from a Profound-grade spirit root, while Chen Xueli’s inherent talent was already heaven-defying.

Otherwise, in the original novel, she wouldn’t have been able to suppress her cultivation for two or three years, only to later have strength and cultivation that surpassed any other prodigy.

Because Chen Xueli was picked up by Su Wanqing and not formally accepted as a disciple through proper procedures, Su Wanqing announced her spirit root to the outside world as Earth-grade low-tier.

And since that girl never displayed her talent, no one suspected it.

After all, in Tianjian Pavilion, Earth-grade talent was already considered very high.

And although Hongxiu Sect would also visit this selection assembly, the gifts they sent this time should not be the same as in the original novel.

She remembered the Hongxiu elder who came this time, what was her name? It seemed her surname was “Zhang,” and she was a middle-aged woman who looked over forty.

Of course, as cultivators, judging age by appearance was the most irrational thing to do.

Perhaps that so-called Elder Zhang, who appeared to be a woman in her forties, was actually an old ancestor who had lived for several centuries.

After walking for about two-thirds of an incense stick’s time, Su Wanqing finally reached Tianjian Pavilion’s plaza.

When she arrived, the other ten people were already there, leaving only her.

“Hm?”

However, to Su Wanqing’s surprise, the Hongxiu Sect elder sitting beside the sect leader this time was not that Elder Zhang, but the familiar Elder Li Ziyu.

Upon seeing this, although she felt surprised, she was more relieved.

Since it was Li Ziyu and not that Elder Zhang, it meant her plan had succeeded.

The plot had indeed changed as she wished.

She could finally live for herself, not according to the arrangements of that dog-like Heavenly Dao.

Although as a transmigrator, knowing the plot allowed her to predict the future, she couldn’t make any changes.

This became a persistent worry for her, so she decided that rather than just living a life as dictated, she would change everything and live for herself.

“Sect Leader.”

As a subordinate, the first thing Su Wanqing did upon arriving at the plaza was to greet the sect leader.

She glanced at Elder Li beside the sect leader and, out of politeness, also greeted her.

“I’ve long heard that Hongxiu would send someone to visit this new disciple selection assembly of ours. I didn’t expect it to be Elder Li.”

“After all, I have had contact with your esteemed sect, so it’s only reasonable for the Sect Master to send me.”

“After a month, Elder Su, you are still as beautiful as ever.”

“Elder Li flatters me.”

Li Ziyu also showed an enthusiastic demeanor.

She didn’t explain that she had actually volunteered for this mission to give Su Wanqing a surprise.

She hoped that Su Wanqing wouldn’t thank her too much later, because even she hadn’t expected that girl’s transformation to be so immense.

“Hm, since you two know each other, Elder Su, please sit next to Elder Li.”

“It will also be convenient for you two to chat.”

“Then, it would be disrespectful not to comply.”

This time, Su Wanqing didn’t refuse, nor did she pretend to be cold.

After all, the new disciples hadn’t arrived yet, so she didn’t need to act so exaggeratedly, just ensure her persona didn’t completely break.

Of course, the main reason for agreeing this time was because she wanted to inquire about Ning Yuer’s situation.

However, looking at the Hongxiu disciples brought behind Li Ziyu, who all seemed to be Li Ziyu’s apprentices, there was no sign of that little girl.

“……”

Su Wanqing, covertly observing, took a sip of tea, subconsciously wondering:

Could it be that Ning Yuer’s cultivation wasn’t high enough, so she wasn’t brought along?

However, at this moment, Su Wanqing would never guess that Ning Yuer had actually already arrived, brought personally by Li Ziyu—