Back when her talent had not yet been tested, Hong Ling had mustered all her courage to step forward, whispering a plea for advice on the tricks of spiritual root perception in hopes of achieving a good result.
While the other messengers around him showed impatience, he was the only one who stopped. In a low but clear voice, he had offered her a few pointers.
Looking back now, those weren't some precious insights, but merely the most common foundational knowledge. Yet, it was a rare piece of kindness from the high-and-mighty immortal masters toward a common mortal.
This made him the only person among the so-called senior brothers and sisters of the White Jade Sword Sect for whom Hong Ling felt a shred of goodwill.
Hong Ling gripped her sleeves tightly, her heart a whirlwind of emotions.
She never imagined that the immortal master who was so revered by the villagers in Shideng Village would be subjected to such harassment by his own sect members at the gates of White Jade City.
"Is Junior Sister entering the city for business?"
The white-robed man who first recognized Hong Ling leaned in closer. "Your current aura... is actually second-stage?"
As soon as those words were spoken, the other two quickly released their spiritual senses to investigate. Shock immediately washed over their faces.
They had known Hong Ling was gifted, but they hadn't expected her to advance so quickly. Even the unremarkable-looking youth beside her had an aura that sat firmly at the threshold of the second-stage.
To have such cultivation at this age was far beyond that of an ordinary genius.
What kind of monster was this!
The three exchanged glances, seeing both wariness and a desire to curry favor in each other's eyes.
They knew very well that with Hong Ling's talent, she was certain to become a personal disciple of the Sect Master after joining next year. Her future status would likely be far above their own.
The youth beside her was clearly traveling with her and would almost certainly join the sect as well.
In the future, these would be people they couldn't afford to provoke.
Not every genius was a fool like Jian Huaishuang. The men suppressed their inner jealousy, their previous arrogance vanishing without a trace, replaced by deliberate flattery.
"Junior Sister is indeed exceptionally gifted; you will surely be a pillar of our sword sect in the future!"
"This Junior Brother also has the bearing of a paragon. If you need any help, just say the word. We have a fair amount of influence here in the city."
"That’s right. White Jade City is under the direct jurisdiction of our sword sect. You two can command us as you please. No need to be polite."
Shitou was stunned. It was his first time seeing people change their faces faster than flipping the pages of a book.
Hong Ling dealt with their flattery while her gaze involuntarily drifted toward Jian Huaishuang.
He remained in his posture—head bowed, clutching his sword—as if everything around him had nothing to do with him. His ink-black hair obscured his expression, leaving only a silent silhouette.
No one noticed the fingers holding his giant sword twitch slightly as he took a very light step backward.
While everyone’s attention was on Hong Ling, Jian Huaishuang quietly turned and walked toward the desolate forest outside the city.
By the time Hong Ling finally managed to dismiss the three fawning white-robed men and turned to look for Jian Huaishuang again, she found he had already vanished from the city gate.
"What’s wrong? Aren't we going in?" Shitou asked, confused.
"It’s nothing." Hong Ling retracted her gaze.
If he was gone, he was gone. She wasn't arrogant enough to think she should interfere in the business of a senior brother she had only met once.
"Let’s go. We’re going in."
The guards did not block them, opening the city gates wide.
Though called White Jade City, it was actually just a large town. The scene inside was far from the immortal city Shitou had imagined.
There were no pavilions with carved beams or painted rafters, nor were there streets wreathed in immortal mist.
There were only densely packed grass and mud huts. The thatched roofs were blown askew by the wind, and the walls were splattered with wet mud.
However, it was livelier than an ordinary village; with a larger area came more people.
Vendors carrying shoulder poles hawked their wares along the street, elders gathered at corners to chat while waving old cattail fans, and barefoot children chased each other through the alleys with crisp laughter.
It stood in stark contrast to the refugees outside the walls.
Inside the walls was heaven; outside was hell.
The citizens also looked much more relaxed than the refugees. After all, inside the city, they didn't have to worry about being dragged away by demons at any moment; they could sleep peacefully.
But in Shitou’s eyes, this was too ordinary. It couldn't compare to the territory of the Great Divine Messenger.
Under the protection of the god, everyone not only had their safety guaranteed but could also eat meat every meal. Everyone was rosy-cheeked and healthy, their eyes filled with hope for the future.
"The Great Divine Messenger is still the greatest," Shitou whispered to Hong Ling, his voice full of gratitude.
"I used to hear people talk about how great White Jade City was. Now that I see it, it’s nothing special."
Hong Ling said calmly, "Watch your words."
Although she felt the same way, they were currently on someone else's turf. It was better not to speak carelessly.
Hong Ling scanned the heads of the citizens. This was a strange thing she had noticed the moment they entered.
The citizens of White Jade City, regardless of age or gender, all had their heads covered.
Some wore gray headscarves, some wore coarse cloth hats. The guards patrolling the gates and the city wore iron helmets. Some from better-off families had even imitated the disciples of the White Jade Sword Sect, wearing bamboo hats that veiled half their faces.
"Why is everyone covering their heads?" Shitou also noticed the oddity and asked in a low voice.
Hong Ling frowned. "I’m not sure. Perhaps it's because they admire the White Jade Sword Sect, so they're imitating them?"
"Should we be careful then? Follow the local customs so we don't stand out?"
"We aren't here to do anything bad. There’s no need to be so secretive."
"Understood!"
Shitou straightened his back, gripped his bone weapon, and began to walk forward with a swaggering, arrogant stride.
Hong Ling’s mouth twitched. She gave Shitou a light punch and pulled him over to a small stall at the corner selling hats.
"Didn't you say we didn't need to be secretive?" Shitou was dazed.
Hong Ling suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "I told you not to be secretive, but I didn't tell you to be so flashy. Are you out of your mind? Just try to be ordinary!"
"Oh..."
The small hat stall displayed a few crude bamboo-woven hats. The owner was an old man with a goatee.
"Boss, how much for these hats?" Hong Ling asked.
The old man glanced up at them and said slowly, "Five wen for one. If you take two, I'll give them to you for eight."
Hong Ling pulled out some copper coins, took the hats, and gave one to Shitou.
After putting it on, she continued to chat with the vendor. "Grandpa, this is our first time in White Jade City. Why is everyone in the city wearing hats?"
The old man stroked his beard, looked at them, and smiled. "I knew you were outsiders since you weren't wearing hats.
"There’s no special reason, it’s just a custom. In three days, it’ll be our White Jade City's most important Immortal Celebration Day. At that time, the White Jade Immortal will personally come to the city to bestow blessings.
"During the blessing, there will be a special hat-removing ceremony. Everyone will take off their hats and bow. It’s considered a form of respect for the immortal.
"Many outsiders have been coming lately to join the fun. Everyone is preparing for the Immortal Celebration Day. It’s very lively. You two should walk around more."
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