Chapter 038: Leaning on Each Other for Survival

Gu Xi rose from the chair and stretched lazily. Then, she glanced around, asking, “Where is this place?”

“It’s a tea stall in the village. This is the tea stall owner,” Duan Ling introduced Song Ye to her master.

Gu Xi sized Song Ye up and down, then smiled. “What a handsome young man! It’s a pity you’re guarding such a small tea stall in this little place. Are you interested in becoming my disciple? If you are, just place your handprint here!” As she spoke, she produced a contract paper from somewhere, but Chen Huaiyin quickly stopped her.

“Master, you’re at it again! The Sect Leader has repeatedly warned you not to take every handsome man you see as your disciple. Our Lunar Embrace Sect is a reputable immortal sect; we choose disciples based on talent and destiny, not appearance!” Chen Huaiyin was forever troubled by her unreliable master.

Song Ye also hurriedly said, “No, thank you, Immortal Master Gu. I appreciate your kindness, but I have little interest in the path of cultivation, and I lack the necessary talent.”

After all, in this world, he was merely a player. Without unlocking the [Cultivation] feature, he couldn’t cultivate. Luckily, he no longer needed to rely on cultivation; simply increasing his physical vitality was enough to grow stronger.

Seeing Song Ye reject her, and with Chen Huaiyin’s intervention, Gu Xi reluctantly put away the contract paper. She muttered, “Such a handsome young man, not becoming a disciple of an immortal sect—what a pity!”

“Thank you again for your appreciation, Immortal Master Gu!” Song Ye replied with a smile.

Previously, Su Xiqiu had also wanted to take him as her disciple, but Song Ye refused her as well, which had displeased her. Gu Xi and Su Xiqiu were both female immortal masters, but their personalities differed greatly. Su Xiqiu was cold and only cared about sect rules—Song Ye had witnessed her execute her own disciple without hesitation, not even blinking. Gu Xi, on the other hand, was rather careless, seemingly unconcerned about requirements when accepting disciples.

Perhaps, when the little girl grew a few years older, she could become Gu Xi’s apprentice.

Gu Xi then noticed the little girl, picked her up, and exclaimed, “What an adorable child!” She pinched the little girl’s cheek, but the girl didn’t cry or fuss in her arms.

After holding her for a while, Gu Xi set her back on the chair and said to her disciples, “It’s a pity—this little girl isn’t suited for the path of cultivation, or else I’d take her straight to our Lunar Embrace Sect!”

Gu Xi seemed to have discerned that Su Yan’s aptitude was mediocre, and on the surface, she wasn’t a promising candidate for cultivation. Yet, she failed to notice that Su Yan possessed the Myriad Radiant Immortal Body—a rare and powerful immortal physique. Because this constitution remained dormant for a long period, even seasoned masters might not recognize it early on.

Even Qin Xuanxi had misjudged at first; only after closely examining Su Yan’s physique did he realize she possessed the Myriad Radiant Immortal Body.

Song Ye, of course, had no inkling that this mute girl had such an extraordinary immortal constitution.

Gu Xi looked beyond the tea stall, observing signs of destruction throughout the village. She sniffed the lingering aura of magical energy and asked her disciples, “Someone used ‘Whisper of the Wind God,’ a high-level wind technique, here?”

Duan Ling answered promptly, “Yes, Master, there was an extremely intense battle of the respected level here just now!”

“Really? You all witnessed it?” Gu Xi turned to her disciples, her expression full of envy. Though she was an immortal master herself, she rarely had the chance to witness battles of the respected level firsthand.

Chen Huaiyin replied, “Master, unlike you, we weren’t passed out drunk on the table—we saw everything!”

“Which respected figures were fighting here?” Gu Xi asked eagerly.

“It was two immortal elders from the Ethereal Sect battling the villainous Bone Demon Lord!” Duan Ling explained.

“Both immortal elders from the Ethereal Sect were here? What does the Bone Demon Lord look like? Is he as depicted in the ‘Demon Lord Chronicles,’ with a head of red hair?”

Gu Xi had met the two immortal elders of the Ethereal Sect before, but the Bone Demon Lord she had only heard of, never seen; her curiosity about him was the greatest.

Her good disciples answered each of her questions, vividly recounting the battle.

“When Ice Frost Immortal Elder was about to complete her chant of the world-freezing incantation, suddenly, a giant black serpent burst from underground, coiling around her and cutting off her chant.”

“Ice Frost Immortal Elder instantly flew into a rage. Her pupils turned snowy, and she froze the serpent completely, then shattered it.”

“Unfortunately, in the end, that vile Bone Demon Lord managed to escape!”

After hearing her disciples’ account, Gu Xi was left longing for more. “Ah, if only I hadn’t drunk so much! Drinking truly brings misfortune—I missed such a marvelous battle for nothing,” she lamented. “And if I hadn’t been drunk, with my involvement, perhaps we could have brought the Bone Demon Lord to justice and rid the sect of a great evil!”

Chen Huaiyin said, “Master, it was destined. If you hadn’t been drunk and fallen from the crane’s back, we would’ve reached the Mystic Purity Palace by now and missed the battle anyway!”

“You’re right!” Gu Xi laughed awkwardly. “It seems fate truly meant for me to miss this fight. The Bone Demon Lord’s luck has not yet run out!”

“All right, Master, don’t waste any more time here—we need to get to Mystic Purity Palace!” Chen Huaiyin urged impatiently.

Gu Xi nodded, “Let’s go, to Mystic Purity Palace!” Then, she summoned the giant crane.

Before mounting the crane, Duan Ling solemnly bid farewell to Song Ye, “Brother Song, take care of yourself. As the witness to my vow, I hope that when I become an immortal elder, you’ll still be alive—then I’ll come find you!”

Song Ye nodded, “All right!”

After the four master and disciples of the Lunar Embrace Sect departed, the tea stall grew quiet once more. But now, Song Ye was no longer alone—a small, mysterious girl remained at his side.

The little girl sat obediently on the chair, her eyes fixed intently on him.

In the girl’s world, he was the only person—meaning from now on, the two of them would rely on each other here.

Song Ye thought he should give her a name and raise her as his little sister, letting her take his surname.

“Little sister, from now on, how about calling you Song Ling’er?” Song Ye said.

The girl shook her head, apparently not liking the name.

“Song Yingying?”

“Song Qian?”

“Song Si?”

Song Ye offered several names, but she kept shaking her head.

Then, dipping her finger in tea, she struggled to write a crooked character on the table—Yan.

Such a young girl able to write such a complicated character—it must have been taught to her by her mother over a long time.

“Yan? Yan’er?” Song Ye asked.

The girl nodded.

Song Ye decided, “Then from now on, you’ll be Song Yan.”

Upon hearing the name, a hint of confusion flickered in her eyes, as though uncertain whether it was truly hers.

Song Ye surmised that her name must include “Yan,” though perhaps her original surname wasn’t Song.

But Song Ye didn’t care what her surname had been; now, living with him, she would naturally take his surname.