Ling Xiaozhi was still giving instructions to Chu Mingwei, but Xiao Lingyu had no time to pay attention. At this moment, he was frantically trying to recall what had happened during this same period in his previous life, trying to figure out what mission Chu Mingwei had taken that had led to his injury. Unfortunately, he had been too young back then and spent every day chasing after that person, so he had no understanding of the sect’s affairs. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t piece it together.
As he racked his brains, a tall figure approached. When he looked up, Xiao Lingyu immediately changed his expression, widening his eyes and wearing an obedient, innocent look. Yet the height of the newcomer’s legs forced him to take a step back just to see the face, making him once again resent his unfortunate reincarnation.
Chu Mingwei smiled at the small, delicate child before him. It was his first time interacting with such a young disciple, and even the usually unflappable senior brother felt a rare moment of fluster. He softened his tone as much as he could. “Little junior brother, I am your senior brother Chu Mingwei. You can call me Senior Brother Ming.”
“Greetings, Senior Brother Ming,” Xiao Lingyu immediately replied in a sweet, soft voice. Hearing such childish words, Chu Mingwei couldn’t help softening his expression even further. “What were you just thinking about, little junior brother?”
Xiao Lingyu’s heart skipped a beat. Although he knew this question carried no hidden meaning, his instincts told him to be wary; he had indeed shown a lapse in composure. Thinking quickly, he offered a shy smile and spoke softly, “I was thinking about the magical device the Master just gave me—it can change size, which is way more fun than the toy Master bought me.”
Chu Mingwei laughed at the child’s innocent words. “Magical devices are far more precious than toys. You must be tired. Come, Senior Brother will take you to rest.”
Seeing Chu Mingwei’s outstretched hand, Xiao Lingyu obediently placed his tiny hand in his, letting him carry him to the other senior disciples. Having learned from his past life, he wore a sweet, innocent smile, aiming to leave a good impression on everyone.
They soon arrived before the other senior disciples. All were familiar faces, many of whom had either directly or indirectly suffered because of Xiao Lingyu in his previous life. Lowering his head to hide his complex expression, Xiao Lingyu thought, Without me, would you all have traveled further on the path of longevity?
Following Chu Mingwei, Xiao Lingyu’s expression mixed curiosity, admiration, and shyness, perfectly portraying the obedient, timid junior brother—until he met the gaze of one particular person.
It was exactly as he remembered: a face as handsome as a celestial being, hair black and flowing, and a smile like the gentle spring wind, dressed in flowing white robes. This heavenly figure now watched Xiao Lingyu with indulgence. Even though Xiao Lingyu no longer felt anything for him, he had to admit the person’s appearance was unmatched.
Old Ghost snorted in his mind. “Beauty and youth are illusions, green bamboo is but a body, and withering flowers nothing but wisdom—surely you’ve seen through it all?”
Xiao Lingyu gritted his teeth. “I almost died once; if I can’t see through it now, I’d be wasting six years of your constant ‘guidance’.” He emphasized the word guidance, causing Old Ghost to fall silent.
After a brief mental exchange, Xiao Lingyu acted as if dumbfounded, holding Chu Mingwei’s hand and innocently saying, “Senior Brother, you’re so good-looking, even better than the top scholar on stage.”
The atmosphere immediately turned awkward. Comparing a cultivator to a lowly actor was technically an insult, yet the speaker was only six years old. Everyone could only exchange odd glances toward the ‘praised’ person.
Sensing the strange atmosphere, the little body of Xiao Lingyu shrank slightly behind Chu Mingwei, timidly asking, “Did I say something wrong?”
Leng Hanyuan, watching from afar, flashed a flicker of anger in his eyes but forced an extremely gentle smile. “No, little junior brother. You’re innocent and lively—it’s very endearing.”
“Oh!” Xiao Lingyu replied happily, noticing the slight tension in Leng Hanyuan’s expression. In his previous life, he had been too young and dazzled by that smile to notice displeasure. Now, seeing the stiffness beneath the warmth, he felt quietly satisfied.
Chu Mingwei, holding Xiao Lingyu, naturally noticed Leng Hanyuan’s subtle annoyance. Thinking the child’s words were just innocence, he immediately defended him: “Senior Brother Leng, the little junior brother is young. Please bear with him.”
Xiao Lingyu was pleasantly surprised by Chu Mingwei’s defense, feigning an innocent, clueless look.
Chu Mingwei then introduced all the other senior disciples, arranging them by age. Xiao Lingyu was clearly the youngest junior brother. However, they all intentionally or unintentionally ignored Xu Xuan. When Xu Xuan, the registered disciple, timidly stood among them, they remembered his presence and casually greeted him. He was escorted by Chu Mingwei out of the hall with the rest.
As one of the ten great sects, Yun Tian Sect was vast beyond imagination. Cultivators, each with their quirks, occupied separate peaks and rarely mingled. Xiao Lingyu’s Master, Wu Yunzi, resided on Yilan Peak, which was beautiful and abundant with spiritual energy. Naturally, Xiao Lingyu, as Wu Yunzi’s only disciple, would reside there as well.
Outside the hall, Chu Mingwei summoned a floating cyan sword. The sword grew in size and Chu Mingwei carefully placed Xiao Lingyu upon it. Behind them, other disciples summoned their own magical devices—swords, blades, flutes, and even a giant die. Xiao Lingyu’s expression turned odd upon seeing the giant die; he couldn’t remember anyone in the sect having a die-shaped device in his previous life.
Chu Mingwei, sensing Xiao Lingyu’s distraction, lightly patted his back to regain his attention. Xiao Lingyu, realizing he was being carried, suddenly blushed despite his outwardly mature mind.
Old Ghost laughed loudly in his mind. “Why are you blushing, little Yuzi?”
“Shut up!” Xiao Lingyu shouted, flustered. Why am I blushing? From the age of one and a half, no one has carried me like this! Not even in my previous life!
The two—one man, one ghost—continued their mental skirmish as Chu Mingwei carefully controlled the flying sword’s speed, mindful of the little junior brother’s comfort. Meanwhile, Xu Xuan, holding a nearby male disciple’s hand, glimmered with joy in his eyes. Leng Hanyuan glanced at the scene, smirking slightly—the registered disciple, when used well, could also be a subtle advantage.
Chu Mingwei narrated the surroundings along the way. Xiao Lingyu feigned curiosity while inwardly sighing at the familiar scenery. Returning to old grounds, he couldn’t quite describe his emotions, merely playing along and occasionally responding.
Soon, they reached Yilan Peak. Xiao Lingyu’s gaze flickered with nostalgia for the place where he had lived for twenty years in his previous life. Chu Mingwei handed him over to the outer disciples responsible for chores, carefully instructing them to look after him. For them, it was already instinctive to treat the peak master’s sole disciple as precious.
After giving instructions, Chu Mingwei gently patted Xiao Lingyu’s head. “Senior Brother still has work. You stay here obediently until Uncle Wu returns, alright?”
Xiao Lingyu nodded softly. “Alright.”
Chu Mingwei smiled approvingly, gesturing toward Wu Chun, the outer disciple in charge of chores. “He’s your point of contact here. He’s prepared your room and meals. Little junior brother, be sure to eat well and rest.”
Xiao Lingyu nodded vigorously. “Don’t worry, Senior Brother. I’ll wait for Master.”
Chu Mingwei, seeing his obedient expression, couldn’t resist patting his head again. The softness of the hair and the gentle, cute face melted even his heart.
Once Chu Mingwei flew away, Xiao Lingyu turned his attention to the outer disciples. All were familiar from his past life. He scanned each face, pausing slightly on one, then returned his gaze to Wu Chun.
When Xiao Lingyu said softly, “I’m hungry,” Wu Chun’s initially tense expression melted into a broad smile. Despite the child potentially growing into a powerful cultivator, he was still just a young boy now. Wu Chun respectfully led him to his room and instructed another disciple to prepare a meal.
Along the way, Wu Chun carefully introduced the surrounding scenery. The outer disciples passing by couldn’t help but envy Xiao Lingyu—so young and already at the Refining Realm, he was truly a legend to them.
Cultivation was harsh and unfair. Effort alone did not guarantee success. Talent and opportunity mattered most. With a spiritual root, one could cultivate, and higher-quality roots increased the chance of reaching the Dao. Opportunities, often vague and unpredictable, determined whether one could find rare materials, making the path smoother or harder. Those without talent or luck might remain in the mortal realm or join sects as outer disciples, hoping to be recognized later or serve in elite military units to improve cultivation through merit.
For someone like Xiao Lingyu, blessed with both high talent and abundant opportunities, admiration came naturally, while jealousy was meaningless—he was simply beyond it.
Finally, they arrived at his residence, the same small courtyard from his previous life. Xiao Lingyu, having revisited old places many times, felt nothing special. After a simple wash, the meal was laid out like flowing water.
Though cultivation reduced the need for food, a six-year-old Xiao Lingyu still required it. Perhaps to leave a good impression as the future master of Yilan Peak, the outer disciples excelled in preparing the meal, leaving Xiao Lingyu completely satisfied. Compared to the previous six years of life as a beggar, this was paradise.
He ate heartily, holding a snow fruit in his hands with delight.
Snow fruits were unique to the cultivation world—transparent with a slight pink tint, roughly the size of a baby’s fist, juicy and tender, melting instantly in the mouth. Even in his previous life, Xiao Lingyu had loved them. Old Ghost, watching him devour the fruit, felt unusually frustrated for the first time. Xiao Lingyu sensed this emotion and ate with extra gusto.
At this moment, Xiao Lingyu deliberately ignored the fact that he was approaching forty years of age in reality.