The Outhouse?

After descending from the Main Peak, Xu Jinghuai took Xia Jin on a thorough tour of the entire Wuling Immortal Sect.

After exchanging friendly greetings with each of the remaining Peak Masters, they finally returned to Youyun Peak.

The day had come to an end, and by the time they reached the summit, dusk was fast approaching.

Just as Old He had promised, a refined pavilion complex now stood atop the previously bare peak of Youyun.

The efficiency was truly top-tier.

However…

Xu Jinghuai propped his chin on his hand and shifted his gaze toward the side of the new building.

There sat a small wooden hut.

If he wasn’t mistaken, that hut was his original residence.

Xu Jinghuai’s eyes darted back and forth, comparing the two structures, before he fell into a long silence.

Placing them side by side, the hut looked so shabby it practically resembled a latrine! It looked like a cheap promotional gift thrown in with a phone data plan!

The thought that this was still his dwelling while Xia Jin occupied the other made him tremble with a cold, resentful fury!

‘Which one of us is the master here? Did someone get the blueprints mixed up, hey!’

Xia Jin, standing right beside him, felt the sudden wisps of grievance radiating from Xu Jinghuai. Not knowing what was wrong, she instinctively shrank behind him, her small hand clutching the corner of his sleeve as she asked cautiously.

“Immortal… Immortal Master? Did something happen?”

Xu Jinghuai let out a long, heavy sigh. It wasn’t that he was envious of a big house.

A practitioner of the Dao should naturally be free of worldly desires; it was just a building, nothing to get worked up over.

Besides, looking toward the far future, there might eventually be two more disciples. Building a large house now meant he wouldn’t have to trouble Old He to bring more laborers later.

If he thought about it that way, it was actually a good thing.

What truly made Xu Jinghuai lose his composure was the layout. Because they were built so close together, the visual association was undeniable.

It looked exactly as if a construction crew had finished a grand mansion, realized they had leftover materials, and casually slapped together a public restroom right next to it.

He really didn’t know what Old He had been thinking when he chose the site.

But things being what they were, the house was already built. It couldn’t be torn down and rebuilt—that would be a waste of time and wealth.

Plus, with the higher-ups now demanding that Xia Jin reach Golden Core in sixty years, he couldn’t delay her cultivation any longer, even though he had planned to slack off for a bit more.

Xu Jinghuai reached out and gently ruffled Xia Jin’s hair, soothing her in a soft voice.

“It’s nothing. It’s getting late; go inside and take a look. I told Old He to prepare the bedding and linens in the room. If anything is missing or uncomfortable, tell me immediately, and I’ll find someone to replace it.”

“Mhm, Jin’er understands,” Xia Jin nodded obediently.

Xu Jinghuai withdrew his hand and led her to the entrance of the pavilion. Catching a glimpse of the dress she was wearing, he suddenly remembered something.

“Disciple, the official clothing for new disciples is still being made. You can wear your own clothes for the next couple of days, but once the uniforms are issued, you must wear them during ordinary hours.”

“Don’t find it troublesome. They are practice robes designed to facilitate cultivation. The materials are carefully selected; they can ward off the cold and keep you warm, and they aren’t particularly ugly. Additionally, your disciple waist token will be issued along with the robes. The token is mainly used for identification, engraved with your peak and name so others can confirm which peak you belong to.”

“There are three types of waist tokens in the Wuling Immortal Sect: Outer Sect, Inner Sect, and Personal Disciple. They are distinguished by material: copper, silver, and gold respectively.”

“As my Personal Disciple, you will receive a gold token. Once you have it, there is only one thing you must remember: keep it safe.”

Xu Jinghuai was very serious as he spoke, and Xia Jin became solemn in turn. Then, she heard him continue.

“Otherwise, if you lose it, the fee to replace a token is very expensive, you know.”

Xia Jin nodded her small head to show she understood.

It took her a good moment to process that last bit.

‘Eh?’

‘Wasn’t I supposed to keep it safe because losing it would be a huge hassle?’

‘But if the Immortal Master says it’s expensive, it must be truly expensive. Jin’er cannot cause trouble for him.’

Xia Jin secretly resolved that as soon as she received the token, she would carry it with her at all times.

“Jin’er knows!”

“Good, as long as you know. Go on, check out the house.”

Xu Jinghuai waved his hand.

Only after watching Xia Jin slip into the room and seeing a faint candlelight flicker to life inside did he turn his gaze away.

Naturally, he didn’t follow her in. That was now his disciple’s room.

His disciple was a young girl, after all. There must be a boundary between men and women; what would it look like for a grown man to enter a young girl’s private quarters?

Watching the brilliant sunset clouds gradually dim, Xu Jinghuai calculated that it was nearly time for dinner.

Speaking of which, according to the progress of typical storybooks, at a time like this, a “kindly” master should prepare a fragrant dinner for his beloved disciple and use the moment to raise her favorability.

Unfortunately, he was not “kindly.”

And he couldn’t cook.

Therefore, Xu Jinghuai prepared to let Xia Jin figure it out herself.

Of course, it wasn’t as if he was just abandoning her.

This was where his foresight came in; by choosing a disciple who knew how to cook, he wouldn’t starve if they worked together.

Xu Jinghuai touched his spatial storage ring and brought out several ingredients and spirit fruits.

These were gifts from that friend years ago, sourced from Immortal Eater Town; their quality was naturally beyond reproach.

They could be consumed by both immortals and mortals alike. These ingredients were safe even when eaten raw and had a unique flavor—clean and hygienic.

When Xia Jin emerged from her room, Xu Jinghuai thrust the bundle of ingredients into her arms.

Holding the food, Xia Jin blinked her watery eyes and looked up at him in confusion.

“Cough, cough…” Xu Jinghuai made a fist and cleared his throat. “These are your dinner. How you choose to eat them is up to you. By the way, disciple, you do know how to cook, right?”

“Mhm, Jin’er knows how.”

Xia Jin looked at the ingredients in her hands and gazed at Xu Jinghuai with a hint of anticipation. “Does the Immortal Master wish to try Jin’er’s cooking?”

Since Xu Jinghuai had tried the dishes at the restaurant today and shared his thoughts, Xia Jin naturally assumed that by bringing out such plump, fresh, and obviously top-grade ingredients, he wanted to taste her handiwork.

But unfortunately, she had guessed wrong again.

Xu Jinghuai shook his head gently. “No. Starting tomorrow, you will begin cultivating with me. Cultivation will be very arduous; sleep early tonight and conserve your energy.”

“If there is anything, knock on my door.”

Leaving her with those few words, Xu Jinghuai turned and hurried back to his shabby little hut, leaving Xia Jin standing there like a wooden statue.

Don’t be ridiculous.

For a salted fish like him, speaking so much and walking so far today had already drained his energy.

If he didn’t hurry back to his bed to recharge, how was he supposed to lead his disciple in cultivation tomorrow?