Starting from iron smelting

Lu Xiuyuan secretly felt lucky to be taken in by the old man in white robes. This was a wonderful turn of events in his journey of cultivating immortality. The old man in white robes quietly watched this new disciple, but an indescribable expectation surged in his heart.

At this time Xuan Miaozi said: "Okay, I have arranged a job for you. Qingying, go and take Lu Xiuyuan to handle the procedures for joining the sect."

At this time, a young girl in the crowd stepped forward and replied, "Yes, Master." She was as pure as winter plum blossoms, exuding a unique beauty in silence. She was wearing a Taoist robe that fit her body, with smooth and soft lines, like snowflakes dancing lightly, pure and flawless.

Her slender figure exudes an innate aura of nobility, as if she were a mysterious snow fairy, destined not to be involved with the mundane world.

Qingying's face was pretty and straight, her skin was as white as cream and as crystal clear as snow. Her eyes were deep and cold, as if they contained the soul of ice and snow, and there was a mystery in her gaze.

The slender eyebrows are slightly raised, outlining a touch of handsome beauty, giving people a visual impact that is hard to ignore. The corners of his mouth are slightly upturned, revealing a hint of pride.

Her beauty is not flamboyant, but a kind of cold and proud nobility. The aloofness revealed in her indifference makes people feel as if she is a goddess of ice and snow in the sky, who cannot be desecrated.

Qingying's black hair fell down her shoulders, smooth like a waterfall, with a faint blue light, just like the pure night. Every strand of hair exuded a faint chill, as if it was condensed from the spirits of ice and snow.

As she stepped, there seemed to be a thin layer of snow under her feet, and each step was soft and gentle, like a fairy walking. Her temperament was noble and cold, like the king on the top of the snow mountain, and no one dared to blaspheme.

Lu Xiuyuan looked at this pure and innocent senior sister and could not help but be fascinated by her. Qingying's beauty transcended the prosperity of the mundane world, exuding a mysterious and noble atmosphere, as if she were a fairy of ice and snow, making people dare not look directly at her. In this silence, she was like an orchid blooming in the snow, exuding a cool and elegant fragrance.

Lu Xiuyuan's gaze lingered on Qingying for a moment before he realized his mistake. He quickly bowed and saluted, his voice full of respect: "Junior Brother Lu Xiuyuan, I greet Senior Sister Qingying, and I hope you can give me more guidance." His words were humble, and he seemed to be measured and confident.

Qingying smiled faintly, without responding, but nodded faintly. Her eyes were still indifferent, as if the prosperity and dust of the world had nothing to do with her, just like an ice and snow goddess on the top of a mountain, noble and cold.

Seeing this, Xuan Miaozi couldn't help but smile and signaled everyone to disperse.

Only Jia Ren was unwilling to give up, and was still expressing his loyalty to the purple-robed Taoist priest Xuan Huanzi. He leaned sideways, stretched his neck, twisted his body, and whispered to Xuan Huanzi: "Master, if this man is not removed, he will become a big trouble. If the secret is revealed..."

The purple-robed Taoist priest Xuanhuanzi waved his hand unhappily to interrupt Jia Ren's words: "How could I not know? Do I need you to tell me? Don't I want to?" After that, he slapped Jia Ren accurately on the cheek, making a crisp slapping sound.

Jia Ren staggered after being beaten, his cheeks were red and swollen, but he didn't say anything to Xuan Huanzi, as if he was used to it. Qingying glanced at Jia Ren indifferently, with a slight sneer on her lips. She seemed to be used to these things and disdained them.

As the crowd dispersed, the scene gradually became quiet. Lu Xiuyuan had mixed feelings. Everything that had just happened was like waking up from a dream. He was accepted as a disciple, and the icy beauty Qingying became his senior sister. All this happened too suddenly.

"Lu Xiuyuan, come with me." Qingying's voice suddenly sounded, breaking the silence. She turned and left, her indifferent back looking cold and arrogant in the sun. Lu Xiuyuan's heart moved, and he followed closely.

Lu Xiuyuan followed Qingying through the majestic mountain gate and felt a solemn and sacred atmosphere. The golden characters engraved on the mountain gate seemed to tell the long history and profound heritage of the sect. The sunlight shone through the dense ancient trees and sprinkled on the path, forming mottled light and shadow, like a magical passage leading to a fairyland.

Qingying continued to introduce: "The Juling Sect has always been adhering to the way of cultivating immortals since ancient times, and has passed down exquisite cultivation techniques. The inner and outer sects have clear divisions of labor. The inner disciples are the core strength of the sect and enjoy more advanced techniques and spells; while the outer disciples assist the sect and are responsible for some trivial matters and chores."

They passed through a lush bamboo forest, where the leaves swayed in the wind, making a pleasant rustling sound. The mountain breeze blew, giving people a fresh and pleasant feeling. Qingying continued to explain: "Inner disciples have the opportunity to access more advanced immortal cultivation resources and participate in important affairs of the sect. They are the backbone of the sect. Outer disciples can strive to enter the inner sect to cultivate through the accumulation of combat power and cultivation level, so that they can grow faster."

Lu Xiuyuan listened attentively, immersed in Qingying's introduction to the Juling Sect. Attracted by the poetic description, he couldn't help but ask impatiently: "Senior sister, are you an outer disciple or an inner disciple?"

Qingying smiled faintly and replied, "I am an outer sect disciple." This answer surprised Lu Xiuyuan. He didn't expect that this cold-tempered senior sister was actually an outer sect disciple.

"I see." Lu Xiuyuan was slightly stunned, then added somewhat embarrassedly: "I thought you were an inner sect disciple, senior sister." There was a hint of surprise and respect in his eyes.

Qingying rolled her eyes at Lu Xiuyuan, her expression still cold, and responded: "I am only in the initial stage of foundation building. To become an inner disciple, I must either make great contributions to the sect, or cultivate to the late stage of foundation building. It's not that easy." Her words revealed her persistence and pride in the path of cultivation.

Qingying's eyes paused for a moment, as if she had returned to a scene from the past, with a hint of sadness passing through her eyes. Lu Xiuyuan noticed her emotional fluctuations and felt a little puzzled.

"Originally, you had many senior brothers and sisters, a total of thirteen senior brothers and sisters. They were called the Thirteen Soul Gathering Immortals. Each of them was gifted and was the most capable and qualified generation in the Soul Gathering Sect." Qingying said softly, with a hint of distance in her voice.

When Lu Xiuyuan heard Qingying's answer, his heart was shaken, and he could not help but feel grief. The battle with the monsters was such a cruel and dangerous test, and the Thirteen Soul Gathering Immortals had died heroically in this battle. Xuanmiaozi, mentioned by Qingying, was once the second elder of the Soul Gathering Sect. His disciples were all the most outstanding in the sect, but this generation of elites suffered irreparable losses in the battle with the monsters.

Qingying stopped and looked into the distance, as if recalling the vicissitudes of the past. She continued, "Master Xuanmiaozi was originally the second elder of my Juling Sect, and all his disciples were outstanding in the sect. But in that fierce battle with the monster, the Thirteen Juling Immortals died one after another. This disaster hit Master hard, and his heart was as dead as ashes."

Qingying's tone revealed respect and regret for the master, and her eyes revealed a hint of emotion that was hard to capture. Lu Xiuyuan felt a sense of resonance in his heart. He could empathize with her. He imagined that Senior Sister Qingying was once the beloved little sister, and all the senior brothers and sisters died overnight. This was undoubtedly a huge blow.

"Master is deeply in grief. He no longer cares about sect affairs and no longer accepts new disciples. He is obsessed with refining pills all day long. This is what he looks like now." Qingying's voice was a little sad, and she sighed softly.

Qingying's tone revealed respect and pity for her master Xuan Miaozi, and there seemed to be a subtle emotion flashing in her eyes. Lu Xiuyuan felt the same way after hearing this. Senior Sister Qingying must have been a beloved little sister in the past. All her senior brothers and sisters died overnight, and she looked so cold. If it were me, I wouldn't be happy either.