Chapter 18: The Mortal's Immortal Cultivation Formula

Early the next morning, Su Bai was jolted awake by the crack of a whip.

He sat up and looked over. Zhuge Feng was holding a small leather whip, lashing it across the bare back of a young man.

Crack!

One stroke after another fell across the young man's back, leaving vivid red welts that seeped thin lines of blood.

Yet the young man seemed to feel no pain at all, enduring it through gritted teeth.

"Senior Brother Zhuge, put more force into it — I can take it!" the young man said through clenched teeth.

Zhuge Feng frowned. "Junior Brother Xiao Yan, are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure!" Xiao Yan gave a firm nod and continued to endure.

Zhuge Feng paused for a moment, then suddenly poured all his strength into a single stroke, bringing the whip down hard across the young man's spine and leaving a vivid, eye-catching scar.

"Ahh——!" Xiao Yan let out a sharp cry of pain, his face contorted with agony — yet he forced it down, biting his teeth shut.

Liu Yanran, the humiliation you gave me hurts far more than any pain of the flesh!

Three years from now, I will prove to you that Xiao Yan is no trash!

He roared the words inside his heart.

Su Bai watched the scene and gave a satisfied nod.

With disciples this diligent, how could the sect fail to flourish?

"Master, Xiao Xixi left last night. I have a feeling her background is anything but ordinary," Xiao Lingxi walked over and said in a low voice.

"No need to worry about it. I know where she comes from," Su Bai said lightly.

"Mmm~" A faint sound suddenly drifted out from inside the Main Hall.

"Master, Junior Sister Ye Qingyao has woken up!" Xiao Lingxi exclaimed with delight.

Hearing that, a smile spread across Su Bai's face and he strode quickly toward the Main Hall.

Ye Qingyao slowly opened her eyes. Before her was an exquisite room, glazed tiles hanging from the ceiling, a fresh fragrance drifting through the air.

Hadn't she been... living in a crumbling little temple?

Oh, right — it seemed like an Immortal had wanted to take her as a disciple?

She had thought it was a hallucination from the moment before death...

And yet, looking around now...

As Ye Qingyao sifted through her memories, a figure suddenly appeared before her eyes.

It was a handsome young Immortal, dressed in white robes, his features striking and deeply memorable.

"I... pay... pay my respects to the Immortal!" Ye Qingyao struggled to rise from the bed, but Su Bai stopped her.

"How is your body feeling?" he asked.

"Thank you for your concern, Immortal. Qingyao is much better," Ye Qingyao answered quickly.

Her condition truly was far, far better than yesterday. The Immortal must have used his immortal arts to treat her.

But when she looked down and noticed that her tattered clothes had been replaced by a beautiful new dress, her cheeks flushed a faint shade of red.

Had... this Immortal changed her clothes?

"Junior Sister, it was me who changed them for you — how about it, isn't the dress pretty?" Xiao Lingxi peeked out from behind Su Bai, winking and grinning at Ye Qingyao.

"Mm... it's very pretty... but... it must have been very expensive, right?" Ye Qingyao lowered her head, her small hands twisting the hem of her dress, her voice trembling slightly.

Such a beautiful dress — how could she ever repay it?

"Oh come on, Junior Sister, you're my Junior Sister! What's one little dress?" Xiao Lingxi waved her hand generously.

"But..." Ye Qingyao hesitated.

"Once you've joined the sect, we're family — and Master hasn't said a word about it!" Xiao Lingxi took Ye Qingyao's hand and pulled her close affectionately.

"Family..."

Ye Qingyao murmured the word, as if in a daze.

It had been so long. Aside from her elder sister, she hadn't heard such warm words in ages.

Sister...

I will find you, no matter the ends of the earth!

With that thought, she raised her head and looked at Su Bai. "Immortal... can I... can I really cultivate immortal arts?"

She asked the question with great care, terrified that Su Bai might shake his head.

"Why not?" Su Bai replied with a question of his own.

"But I have a mortal body and no Spiritual Root," Ye Qingyao said despondently.

"Did I not say — even a mortal body can climb to the peak of immortality. From this moment on, you are my, Su Bai's, fourth disciple," Su Bai said earnestly.

"Re... really? Am I dreaming?" Ye Qingyao stared blankly.

She had originally believed all of this was an illusion — nothing more than a beautiful dream.

She never imagined it could be real.

"Junior Sister, hurry up and thank Master!" Xiao Lingxi urged eagerly, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Disciple Ye Qingyao... pays respects to Master!" Ye Qingyao knelt to the ground and kowtowed deeply, her eyes red-rimmed.

Now, she too had a wonderful Master — she had a home.

Name: Ye Qingyao

Age: 14

Cultivation: Mortal

Spiritual Root: None — mortal body

Sect Loyalty: 90 (Note: Unlocks a special reward upon reaching 100)

Looking at Ye Qingyao's information, Su Bai was mildly surprised.

After all, Xiao Lingxi and Zhuge Feng had only reached a sect loyalty of 90 today — yet Ye Qingyao, who hadn't even received her immortal arts yet, already had loyalty this high!

"Lingxi, take her to the Immortal Arts Pavilion and let her choose a suitable set of immortal arts," Su Bai said.

"Yes, Master." Xiao Lingxi took Ye Qingyao by the hand and led her to the entrance of the Immortal Arts Pavilion.

"Junior Sister, go on in. There's a stone stele inside, and a spirit guardian senior. If you have any questions, you can ask the spirit guardian," Xiao Lingxi said.

"Thank you, Senior... Senior Sister." Ye Qingyao gave a small nod and pushed open the door.

"Please place your hand on the stone stele ahead," the spirit guardian's voice rang out.

Thanks to Xiao Lingxi's warning, even though she was alone inside, Ye Qingyao felt no fear. She obediently placed her hand on the stone stele.

A short while later, a flash of light shimmered, and the spirit guardian's voice spoke again.

"Though you have a mortal body and no Spiritual Root, your heart is resolute and your devotion to cultivation is unwavering. In time, you too may accomplish great things."

Ye Qingyao raised her head. "Spirit guardian senior, then I... can I cultivate as well?"

The spirit guardian nodded. "Of course."

Hearing that answer, Ye Qingyao's eyes reddened and tears slid down her cheeks.

She could cultivate!

On the surface of the stone stele, a scroll materialized.

"This is the 'Mortal's Immortal Cultivation Formula — Qi Refining Chapter.' The Great Dao has spirit. May you never forget your original heart and strive ever upward," the spirit guardian said.

"Many thanks, spirit guardian senior!" Ye Qingyao bowed respectfully.

Then, scroll in hand, she walked out of the Immortal Arts Pavilion.

"Master, thank you — you have let me see hope once more!"

Ye Qingyao dropped to her knees before Su Bai with a thud, her voice choked with emotion.

"Rise." Su Bai helped Ye Qingyao to her feet and smiled. "Since you have taken me as your Master, I cannot stand by and do nothing. Otherwise, wouldn't people say that I, as a Master, am irresponsible?"

"Master..." A warm current surged through Ye Qingyao's heart.

In this world, besides her sister, there was now another person who treated her so well.

"It's right there — that Xiao Lingxi is on this very mountain!"

Suddenly, a clamor rose from the foot of the mountain. Xiao Lingxi looked over — a large group of people had already appeared at the base, every one of them radiating a powerful, imposing aura.