Thanks for Your Company

"Fourth Senior Sister, what does the Golden Core realm feel like?"

"It feels like the Golden Core realm."

"That's like saying nothing at all!"

"Then your question is no different from not asking at all," Lin Luoyu glanced sideways. "If you insist on an answer, you'll understand clearly once you reach the Golden Core realm yourself."

Cui Hao shook his head with a sigh. "Fourth Senior Sister has become corrupted—now even your words carry a mocking tone."

"Learned it all from you," Lin Luoyu replied flatly.

On the narrow path, Cui Hao and Lin Luoyu rode two spirit horses "borrowed" from the Tianyan Sect.

Cui Hao stretched lazily. Spirit horses truly lived up to their name—capable of covering a thousand miles in a day, regardless of how rugged the mountain roads were. The best part was they hardly needed feeding, making them incredibly convenient. The only downside was how exhausting they were for the rider.

After days of relentless jostling, Cui Hao felt like his brains were about to be shaken into mush. If he didn’t speak soon, he feared he’d forget how to talk by the time they reached their destination. Wouldn’t that render half his usefulness useless upon arrival? Couldn’t the Tianyan Sect’s spirit horses be trained to run more steadily?

Having endured the shaking for so long, Cui Hao gave up resisting. With one hand loosely gripping the reins to avoid falling, he let his body sway with the horse’s movements, his head bobbing like a drunkard’s.

His voice slightly slurred, he asked, "Senior Sister, where exactly are we going? After so many days, shouldn’t you tell me? I don’t even know where we are now."

"We’re in the Eastern Victory Divine Continent," Lin Luoyu replied, eyeing his unsteady posture with visible irritation. "Can’t you ride properly? Don’t tell me a Foundation Establishment cultivator can’t even handle a horse."

Cui Hao tugged the reins and straightened up.

"Eastern Victory Divine Continent? Eldest Senior Sister hasn’t returned yet, but theoretically, she should still be here. Is our destination along the same path as hers? If the mission isn’t urgent, shouldn’t we pay her a visit? It’s been ages since we last saw her."

Lin Luoyu hesitated briefly before refusing.

"Let’s focus on the task first. If there’s time afterward, we’ll visit."

Cui Hao nodded enthusiastically. "As expected of Fourth Senior Sister—always so reasonable."

Lin Luoyu sighed. "If you’ve run out of compliments, you don’t have to force yourself. I won’t hold it against you."

"Who says I’ve run out?" Cui Hao straightened his face solemnly. "I could list Fourth Senior Sister’s virtues from dawn till dusk!"

Lin Luoyu raised an eyebrow. Though she knew he was just spouting nonsense, she couldn’t help but wonder how far he’d take it.

"Go on then. I’m listening."

Cui Hao cleared his throat and declared with utmost seriousness, "Righteous to the core!"

Lin Luoyu gave a slight nod, her gaze still challenging.

Cui Hao mirrored the nod, but his solemn expression quickly cracked into a grin as he repeated,

"Righteous to the core!"

"That’s it? Just one phrase?"

"I said I could talk till nightfall—not that I wouldn’t repeat myself."

Lin Luoyu shot him a disdainful look and urged her horse forward.

Cui Hao quickly followed, calling out, "Just joking, Senior Sister! You have plenty of virtues! Like how you dote on your junior brother, your excellent calligraphy, your heroic aura, your striking beauty—"

"Hey, hey—slow down, Senior Sister! I can’t keep up!"

The two spirit horses raced deeper into the mountains, one after the other.

However, they didn’t gallop for long before Lin Luoyu reined in her horse and stopped.

Cui Hao halted as well, his gaze lifting to take in the scene ahead.

Before them stood a dilapidated temple. The plaque above the entrance was so weathered that most of its ink had faded, but the remnants of the characters and the flanking couplets suggested it was a mountain god shrine.

The old door’s paper covering was riddled with holes like a sieve, and the pillars were choked with vines. It looked as though a single kick would bring the whole structure crashing down.

After confirming the location, Lin Luoyu dismounted. Since these were spirit horses, there was no need to tether them. Cui Hao followed suit.

Cui Hao caught up and asked curiously, "Senior Sister, are we resting here?"

"We’ve arrived," Lin Luoyu replied, pushing open the temple’s creaky door.

Realization dawned on Cui Hao—their master was likely waiting inside. His eyes followed the opened door.

Inside, they saw a half-destroyed deity statue, a small crackling fire, and an unexpected figure warming themselves by the flames.

"Eldest Senior Sister?!" Cui Hao exclaimed in delight.

Lin Luoyu was equally surprised. They had expected their master, not their eldest senior sister, to be their contact.

Li Yingling sat on what appeared to be a piece of the broken statue’s wooden base, warming her hands by the fire. She looked up with a bright smile before suddenly asking,

"I assume you’ve heard of our sect’s illustrious reputation and traveled far to join us?"

Lin Luoyu blinked in confusion. What was Eldest Senior Sister talking about?

But Cui Hao caught on instantly. He stepped forward, stretching his hands toward the fire, and answered with perfect seriousness,

"Indeed, Immortal. This humble one seeks entry into your esteemed sect—though I fear my meager talents may not suffice."

Li Yingling nodded approvingly at his performance.

"Your aptitude is passable. You’ll do as the fifth junior brother."

Lin Luoyu relaxed, stepping closer.

"So it’s Eldest Senior Sister meeting us. We thought it’d be Master. It’s been too long since we last saw you."

"What? After just a few years apart, has Fourth Junior Sister grown tired of me?" Li Yingling teased, raising an eyebrow. Then, as if remembering something, she added, "Don’t just stand there. Go break off some of the statue’s base to sit on. Make yourselves comfortable—no need to be polite."

Cui Hao promptly stood and did as told, dismantling a plank for himself and another for Lin Luoyu.

Once seated, he couldn’t help voicing his doubt.

"Eldest Senior Sister, why do you suddenly sound like Master? Are you… Master disguised as Eldest Senior Sister to trick me?"

Li Yingling’s smile widened.

"These are Master’s exact words. When I first sought apprenticeship, this was how he greeted me. Back then, our sect’s headquarters was a rundown temple just like this. I slept in the front hall. When Second Junior Brother joined later, he had to sleep in the back—got bitten by mosquitoes all night."

"I stumbled upon this place and thought it fitting for our reunion."

Cui Hao frowned skeptically. "Senior Sister, this sounds far-fetched. A temple as a sect headquarters?"

"Not just that. Master once took me to steal medicinal herbs from another sect. We got chased halfway across the region. Second Junior Brother had it even worse—honestly, even now, it feels too ridiculous to be true." Li Yingling poked at the fire.

"Yet this is how it is—like mist in a dream. In the blink of an eye, you realize so many years have already passed."

Li Yingling tossed the branch in her hand into the fire and stood up:

"Whether you believe it or not, you can verify it with the Master later. I’m only here to give you pampered juniors a taste of the hardships our Tianyan Sect faced in its early days—to let you understand just how difficult it was for me, your senior sister."

"Now, there’s a task I’m assigning to you."