Slender willows sway in the breeze

Chapter 68 Deformed Melons and Cracked Dates
Soon, a distant voice came from afar: "Go in."

The colorful barrier disappeared, and the disciple's token returned to Liu Sijun's palm.

"Let's go."

As soon as they stepped through the mountain gate, the invisible pressure emanating from them vanished, as if a bottle cap had been popped open with a "pop".

Cheng Feng: "Spiritual power can be used now!"

Li Qing nodded: "Okay."

Li Qing didn't say a word the whole way. Cheng Feng didn't know that Li Qing had a brain disease and just thought he was too aloof.

I'm inexplicably excited to finally utter those two words.

"Miss Liu calls you Qing'er. May I ask your age and how you should be addressed?"

Li Qing nodded as if she understood: "Li Qing is Qing'er."

Even if Cheng Feng is slow to react, he would realize by now that Li Qing might have a brain disorder and is not a normal person.

But he didn't want to ask rashly, so he just smiled and nodded, sniffing the air: "Can you smell anything?"

Chu Yanjing: "It smells like medicine."

Cheng Feng exclaimed, "This is only at the mountain gate, and you can already smell the fragrance of herbs. As expected of Yougu Palace, it is truly extraordinary."

Li Qing: "It smells good."

Liu Sijun nodded: "It is indeed refreshing."

The fact that they established their sect by refining elixirs and formed a tripartite balance with the other two sects is no empty boast.

After entering the mountain gate, a wide bluestone avenue came into view. Along the bluestone avenue, spiritual plants and herbs were everywhere, their spiritual energy abundant and visible to the naked eye.

Further on, palaces begin to appear, arranged in a staggered pattern and each with a different style.

The most eye-catching feature is the main hall atop the highest peak. The roof, made of some unknown material, is bathed in the glow of the setting sun, creating a shimmering, ethereal effect. The eaves are upturned high, adorned with colorful bells that chime melodiously. The pillars on either side are carved with intricate runes, presumably for gathering spiritual energy.

Further ahead, there was a heavenly ladder leading to the main peak, Dianming Peak. Beside the ladder, a Golden Core disciple stood guard, his face solemn upon seeing them: "Are you disciples here to report for duty?"

Cheng Feng replied, "Yes."

"Come with me."

They had just stepped onto the Heavenly Ladder with the guiding disciple when the ladder suddenly started moving, carrying them towards the main peak and the main hall.

The amazing thing left them speechless.

At this moment, Liu Sijun clearly realized that the world she had transmigrated to was the world of cultivation, and this was not a place for trivial matters.

No wonder Master, despite already being at the late stage of his cultivation, was still hiding.

"arrive."

The disciple leading the way jumped down the heavenly ladder first and led them towards the main hall.

From afar, you can see the three golden plaques of "Yaohua Hall" hanging high above the palace.

The moment they stepped into the main hall, they were immediately overwhelmed by the sight before them.

The massive palace gates are made of an unknown precious material, shimmering with a mysterious light. They are carved with ancient and intricate patterns, and despite the passage of time, they remain as smooth as new.

Stepping into the main hall, one is greeted by rows of thick, round pillars, their surfaces inlaid with gemstones of various shapes and colors, creating a dazzling and dreamlike scene.

The floor was paved with obsidian, exquisitely carved, so smooth that it reflected one's image. In the center of the main hall stood a huge alchemy furnace, as tall as three people. It was unclear whether it was refining pills, as wisps of smoke rose from its lid, but no medicinal fragrance could be smelled.

Could this not be an alchemy furnace, but an incense burner?

As Liu Sijun was filled with doubt, the disciple leading the way explained, "This is the main hall. Important matters and ceremonies within the sect are held here. This is the incense burner; the place for refining pills is elsewhere."

It turned out to be the case.

Passing the incense burner, directly in front is a tall throne, made of pure gold, with a lifelike phoenix about to spread its wings, just like the one on the stone pillars of the mountain gate, carved on the armrests.

An elderly man with completely white hair and beard sat on the throne.

This person should be the Palace Master of Yougu Palace, who is actually over six hundred years old and has been at the peak of the Mahayana cultivation for almost a hundred years, just one step away from transcending the tribulation. He wears a sky-blue Daoist robe with golden phoenix feathers embroidered on the hem, understated yet luxurious, and looks at the four people standing in the middle with a serious expression.

On either side of the throne are three seats, all made of pure gold, but slightly smaller than the central seat, and without phoenix carvings on the armrests.

The first person seated on the right was Cai Yanpei, also dressed in a sky-blue Taoist robe, as were the other elders. It seemed that this was the palace attire of Yougu Palace, as the colors were the same, but their status could be discerned from the hem and waist sash.

After bowing, the disciple leading the way stood silently to the side.

Palace Master Wan looked at Cai Yanpei: "Are these the disciples newly recruited by the Grand Elder this time?"

Cai Yanpei stood up and walked over, standing to their right front: "These three are... and this should be an attendant."

"A follower? This is truly bizarre! The cultivation level of one follower is higher than that of the three of them. Elder Cai, what kind of scoundrels have you recruited?"

Deformed melons and cracked dates...

The three of them could hardly believe their ears.

Cai Yanpei's expression was displeased: "Fifth Elder, your words are too harsh. Our Yougu Palace is based on alchemy, and we need disciples with alchemy talent, not just those with cultivation level."

The Fifth Elder looked much younger than Cai Yanpei. His hair and beard had only a few strands of white hair, and he had no wrinkles around his eyes, but he had heavy dark circles under his eyes and his lips were dark in color.

He scoffed and said, "You're only half right. Talent alone isn't enough for alchemy. If your cultivation isn't up to par, how can you control the fire? You can't expect other disciples to help you stoke the fire while you're refining pills, can you?" The Fifth Elder pointed at Li Qing and said, "I think he's quite good. Why don't you also join Yougu Palace and become my personal disciple?"

Just as Liu Sijun was recovering from the shock of the misfits, he was stunned by the Fifth Elder's offer to take Li Qing as his disciple.

She would be very happy if Qing'er were a normal husband.

But Qing'er is a mentally challenged child, and she doesn't feel comfortable leaving her anywhere except by her master's side.

"Fifth Elder, perhaps we should just forget about it!"

"How can you just let it go like this? He's your follower, isn't he? You're not upset that he got into the sect, are you? If you don't even have that much magnanimity, how can you be a disciple of Yougu Palace?"

Li Qing tugged at Liu Sijun's sleeve and said, word by word, "Sister, he's so fierce!"

"He He……"

How could he be an idiot!

"Fifth Elder, do you still want to take my younger brother as your disciple?"

The Fifth Elder remained silent for a long time before saying, "Let's forget it. The First Elder is right. What our Yougu Palace needs is not only disciples with high cultivation levels, but most importantly, disciples with talent in alchemy. You, as a servant—no, as my younger brother—are not suitable."

"All right."

Palace Master Wan spoke up at the right moment: "You six can decide for yourselves which sect the three of them should become disciples of."

The Fifth Elder spoke first: "I already have five disciples under my tutelage, so I will not be accepting any more this year."

(End of this chapter)