Looking off into the distance, several farmlands were scattered at the foot of the mountain. Following the line of fields, a village with rising cooking smoke came into view.
After walking down for a while, she met several young men coming up the mountain path, each carrying a porcelain jar in their hands.
Seeing Shi Yu, the young man at the lead wearing short blue-green working clothes stopped and greeted her with a smile. “You look unfamiliar, young master. Out-of-towner here for a visit?”
Shi Yu nodded slightly.
The young man was quite friendly and outgoing. “Makes sense. Seeing as the ‘Immortal Destiny Gathering’ is coming up, more and more people have been arriving in the village lately.”
Noticing Shi Yu's weak complexion, he asked, “Have you found a place to stay, young master? You look rather pale—must be worn out from traveling for days.”
“The few of us are hands at the Yunlai Inn, heading up the mountain to draw spring water for tea. The young gentlemen who arrived these past few days are quite particular; they refuse tea made with well water and insist on mountain spring water—ah, I'm getting sidetracked. If you haven't settled on a place yet, young master, you can wait here while we fetch the water, then head back to the inn together.”
Shi Yu wanted to ask what the “Immortal Destiny Gathering” was, but hearing his offer, she coughed twice and nodded. “I haven't found a place yet.”
The moment she spoke, the men were stunned for a second.
This delicate young master's voice was remarkably clear and pleasant, sounding even nicer than gurgling spring water or spring rain pattering against cobblestone streets.
It was just tinged with illness, sounding somewhat listless.
A young worker beside him couldn't help but soften his voice, smiling. “Then you've come to the right place! Our Yunlai Inn has fair prices, good food, and comfortable rooms. We still have a few vacancies, so you can stay with peace of mind, young master.”
“You came at just the right time, young master. If you were a few days late, you wouldn't find a single empty room in any of the inns across the entire village.” The leading young man waved his hand cheerfully. “Just call me Chen Er. Please wait here for a bit, young master. We'll be right back once we draw the spring water.”
Watching them leave with their porcelain jars, Shi Yu turned to glance at the village at the foot of the mountain.
The village wasn't particularly large, yet judging by what Chen Er and the others said, it contained several inns and hosted many outsiders.
They had all come for this “Immortal Destiny Gathering” he mentioned.
Keeping this in mind, Shi Yu waited in place for a short while until Chen Er and his companions returned with their jars filled to the brim.
As they guided Shi Yu down the mountain, seeing how weak her body appeared—gasping every three steps and coughing every five—Chen Er and the others slowed their pace.
“Did you catch a cold, young master...?”
Shi Yu lowered her eyelashes and curled her lips into a slight smile, though no warmth reached her eyes. “It's an old ailment.”
Chen Er sighed with sympathy, his chatter picking up again. “An old ailment is nothing to take lightly; you must take good care of yourself. If you're lucky, young master, and manage to win the favor of an immortal master at the ‘Immortal Destiny Gathering,’ you might even get a few immortal pills—”
“Brother Chen, you sure have wishful thinking! How could immortal pills be so easily obtained?” a younger worker chimed in with a chuckle.
Seeing them mention the “Immortal Destiny Gathering” again, along with immortal masters and immortal pills, Shi Yu seized the opportunity to ask, “I wanted to ask earlier—what is this ‘Immortal Destiny Gathering’?”
Chen Er was somewhat surprised. “You don't know, young master? You didn't come here for the Immortal Destiny Gathering?”
Shi Yu shook her head. “I came here to sightsee because of the beautiful scenery. I haven't heard of this Immortal Destiny Gathering before.”
Chen Er didn't doubt her explanation and laughed heartily. “Well, the Immortal Destiny Gathering is simply when immortals descend to the mortal world!”
Shi Yu raised an eyebrow, deliberately playing skeptical. “Immortals stand high above. Why would they descend so easily into the mortal world?”
Seeing that she didn't believe him, Chen Er immediately explained, “It's true! My grandfather saw it with his own eyes fifty years ago! This whole thing dates back three hundred years.”
“Three hundred years ago, an injured immortal fell from the clouds into our Guangle Village. Our village chief took meticulous care of him without leaving his side. After recovering, the immortal said he owed a karma to our Guangle Village and promised to send disciples here every fifty years to perform some kind of... spiritual meridian test.”
“Any child or youth in Guangle Village between ten and twenty years old who is found to have a spiritual meridian can join the immortal sect.” Chen Er chuckled. “Luckily, I'm nineteen this year—under twenty—so I can go join in the fun too.”
Having been born into royalty, Shi Yu knew more than ordinary folk.
Cultivators were rarely seen in the Mortal Realm. First, there was a vast divide between immortals and mortals; cultivators disdained mixing with ordinary mortals. Second, a boundary barrier existed between the Origin Realm and the Mortal Realm, making traveling from the Origin Realm to the Mortal Realm no simple task.
For an immortal sect to bother spending time and effort to come to the Mortal Realm just to fulfill a promise made three hundred years ago was quite rare.
Seeing Shi Yu deep in thought, the young worker beside Chen Er added, “Every time the immortals come, they take a few people from our village. Truth be told, in a tiny place like ours, who could possibly have talent for cultivation?”
“My grandmother said she witnessed the immortals testing talent back in her day, and the testing orb barely lit up at all. The immortals are taking pity on us—even if no one has talent, they still take two people from the village every time.”
After listening, Shi Yu asked, “What about people from other places? Are they just here to watch the spectacle, or do they also have a chance to enter an immortal sect?”
Hearing her question, Chen Er smiled. “Do you want to participate in the Immortal Destiny Gathering too, young master?”
Shi Yu didn't deny it. Immortals and mortals were distinct; cultivators rarely descended to the Mortal Realm. If this Immortal Destiny Gathering was genuine, it was indeed worth a try.
Coincidentally, she was currently at a loss as to how to return to the Origin Realm.
Chen Er adjusted the porcelain jar in his arms and walked with steady steps. “Every young gentleman rushing over from nearby prefectures wants to seize this once-in-fifty-years opportunity to embark on the legendary path of cultivation.”
“The immortals show mercy to our Guangle Village, so they don't hold high standards for our local kids, always picking two to take with them. But for outsiders, the immortals follow strict disciple recruitment standards—they must have cultivation talent, and they only get a chance if they can make that testing orb light up.”
Spiritual energy was sparse in the mortal realm, and those born with spiritual meridians were one in ten thousand.
Back then, Shi Yu's Supreme-grade Fire-attribute Spiritual Meridian was already the pinnacle of all natural blessings in the mortal realm. Even in the Origin Realm, those with supreme-grade spiritual meridians were few and far between—her Eldest Senior Sister possessed a High-grade Fire-attribute Spiritual Meridian, which was enough to make her a chosen child of heaven.
“Over the past three hundred years, I heard that apart from the kids from our Guangle Village, only five outsiders in total were accepted.”
“Five! Mind you, over these three hundred years, hundreds of thousands of young lads came to try.” Chen Er shook his head. “Yet those young gentlemen always feel the next lucky one will be them, coming here with such hopes.”
The young worker beside him chuckled merrily. “Traveling over hills and rivers to get here is worth it anyway. Even if they can't join an immortal sect, seeing the demeanor and miraculous methods of immortals broadens their horizons.”
Chen Er agreed deeply. “Thanks to the immortals, as the legend spread, combined with our village's scenic mountains and waters, scholars and wealthy young masters from nearby prefectures visit from time to time. We're much wealthier than ordinary villages.”
...
Chatting along the way, they arrived at Yunlai Inn. Chen Er enthusiastically arranged a room for Shi Yu and brought her some food.
Before closing the door to leave, Chen Er said, “Get a good rest today, young master. If you don't mind the noise, you can also come down to the main hall for meals. Everyone there is a young gentleman, so you might even make a friend or two.”
Shi Yu smiled faintly and nodded. Once the door was closed, her gaze fell onto the food.
Before transmigrating, the Shi family had over a dozen chefs dedicated solely to her three daily meals. Fresh ingredients were constantly flown in from various places, prepared in endless creative ways to entice her appetite—Chinese cuisine, Western cuisine, various regional styles, elaborate banquets, or delicate pastries—all just to coax her into eating a few extra bites.
The Shi family cherished her as the apple of their eye, perfectly content even if they pampered her into someone completely spoiled.
In such a grand family, once siblings reached adulthood, they usually plotted for their own interests. Even if they weren't openly fighting, they would maintain polite exteriors while holding private ambitions. Yet toward Shi Yu, they offered unanimous love and care.
Because Shi Yu was born with a rare disease, doctors had predicted early on that she wouldn't live past twenty. None of the family infighting ever touched her. Her older brothers and sisters genuinely pitied and doted on her; if she wanted the stars, they would gladly reach up to pluck them down for her.
Her proficiency in artifact crafting, alchemy, formations, and talismans in the game 《Xian Yuan》 was partly because she was a quick study who understood things instantly, but also because she had an immense fortune and never lacked resources.
Then again—Shi Yu had never eaten such rough food as what lay before her.
Given her current circumstances, she hesitated briefly, then decided not to be overly picky, picking up her chopsticks to begin eating.
Rate on N.U.
