Look Up to See the World's Splendor

Hearing this, Ye Wanzhou froze for a moment, gripping the punting pole in her hands.

"Dark skin, calluses on the back of your fingers... you've been trying to make a living by the river since you were very young, haven't you? All alone?" Zhang Miaoyu's gaze swept over Ye Wanzhou. "Before I became an immortal, I was just like you. I only became an immortal later through a fortunate twist of fate."

Ye Wanzhou lowered her eyes, tightly holding the pole. Her hands were so tense that she didn't know where to place them.

Zhang Miaoyu carefully observed Ye Wanzhou for another moment, as if confirming something, before slowly saying,

"If you truly don't want to ferry me over, I naturally won't force you."

As her words fell, silence ensued.

A hint of regret appeared on Zhang Miaoyu's face.

She hadn't just arrived today; she had already been here for two days. Having followed Li Yingling on many missions, even if she didn't fully understand the reasoning behind his methods, she would subconsciously act according to them.

First, gather intelligence, observe the specific situation, screen for suspicious individuals, and prepare for the worst-case scenario.

It was during this series of preparations that Zhang Miaoyu noticed Ye Wanzhou.

In fact, the slightly dilapidated small boat beneath Ye Wanzhou's feet did not belong to her. She had rented it from the Boat Boss; only the heavily patched, tattered fishing net on board was truly hers.

A boat was by no means a cheap item. It was a genuinely valuable asset—both expensive and heavy.

Ordinary families usually had to scrape together every penny they had and even take out loans just to own a small boat, and their future livelihoods would rely entirely upon it.

Obviously, Ye Wanzhou, with her dark skin and young age, toiling away on the boat, could not afford to buy one.

The Boat Boss did not rent it out for a percentage of the catch, but rather for a fixed fee.

After all, the Boat Boss wouldn't rent a precious boat to a novice who, after a whole day, would only catch two tiny fish to smack their lips over.

The Boat Boss would set the fixed fee based on the approximate seasonal catch, pricing it at a level where the renter wouldn't earn much, but wouldn't starve either, keeping them reluctant to leave.

Only highly skilled veteran fishermen could manage to save any money after paying the fixed fee.

Although Ye Wanzhou had some fishing experience, she clearly wasn't a highly skilled veteran.

To make up for the rental fee, she had to fish at night.

The Immortal Pavilion was built here naturally not to share joy with the common people, but because there was a flow of water-attribute spiritual veins in this area. Since rogue cultivators made up the vast majority of cultivators in the Eastern Divine Continent, they naturally sought places with the most abundant spiritual energy for their breakthroughs.

Therefore, the Immortal Pavilion also welcomed cultivators looking to break through. As long as they paid spirit stones, the pavilion would provide access to the spiritual veins and security measures.

Whether it was profitable or not was another matter, but this practice had indeed earned the Immortal Pavilion a tremendous reputation.

While observing the Immortal Pavilion, Zhang Miaoyu inadvertently spotted Ye Wanzhou fishing at night.

Originally, this would have been nothing special.

After all, most people in the world suffered hardships. They all had their own involuntary circumstances, things they had to do, and reasons they couldn't rest.

However, the fact that Ye Wanzhou, who had no cultivation base, could actually use the slight spiritual energy leaking from the Immortal Pavilion as bait to attract fish was astonishing.

Even though it was only a minuscule, nearly imperceptible trace, invisible to the naked eye.

Naturally, this wasn't something Zhang Miaoyu had detected herself, but rather something pointed out by a Soul Formation realm cultivator from the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect who was present.

If not for that big shot's reminder, probably no one would have discovered Ye Wanzhou's miraculous ability.

Zhang Miaoyu felt that with so much suffering in life, she could actually afford to occasionally save one person from it.

Ye Wanzhou's aptitude was definitely extraordinary; at the very least, she had to possess a special physique.

After Zhang Miaoyu sent someone to gather all the information on Ye Wanzhou, she was able to confirm that the girl also had an excellent character.

Currently, their sect's numbers were far too streamlined, with fewer outer disciples than inner disciples.

There was only one outer disciple, and she herself was the only outer sect elder.

Teaching disciples was a strictly one-on-one, face-to-face endeavor.

It felt as if the outer sect had only been established out of necessity just to accommodate her.

After all, if there were no outer sect, her position would probably just be guarding the mountain gate.

At this point, it was time to expand the sect a little.

Now that she had rarely encountered a talent who fit the team leader's criteria for recruitment, Zhang Miaoyu naturally wanted to give it a try. For this, she was even prepared to be reprimanded by the team leader.

Boarding the boat so suddenly this time was a test, as well as preparation to extend an olive branch.

Looking at Ye Wanzhou, whose tense body was slightly trembling, Zhang Miaoyu sighed softly in her heart.

If one lacked the drive to forge ahead and panicked mindlessly when facing situations, then no matter how good their aptitude was, they probably wouldn't catch the team leader's eye.

After all, even the best aptitude couldn't compare to the team leader and his group of monstrously talented junior brothers and sisters.

The key was that every single one of those monstrous juniors possessed extraordinarily high temperament and intelligence.

Consequently, she prepared to turn around and leave.

But just as Zhang Miaoyu stood up, the small boat suddenly began to move.

With a push of the punting pole in Ye Wanzhou's hands, the small boat departed from the shore, sending ripples across the mirror-like lake water.

A faint smile graced the corners of Zhang Miaoyu's mouth. "We haven't discussed the boat fare yet."

"It is an honor to follow an immortal's command; how could I dare ask for fare?"

Ye Wanzhou vigorously pushed the pole, her gaze still not daring to look at Zhang Miaoyu, instead focusing on the rippling surface of the lake.

The rule forbidding mortals to look upon the faces of immortals seemed etched into her very instincts.

Zhang Miaoyu chuckled lightly and didn't speak. Now was not the time to extend the olive branch either.

She still remembered how the team leader had shattered all the defenses in her heart step by step, making her completely submit to his brilliance.

Now... it was finally time for her to show what she could do!

The small boat drifted further away.

Ye Wanzhou felt nervous. The reflections of cultivators flying continuously across the lake's surface could be seen, and naturally, some gazes were directed at her. After all, at this moment, her small boat was the only one heading straight for the Immortal Pavilion.

But after a short while, Ye Wanzhou noticed something—after those immortals cast their gazes over, they quickly looked away, appearing just as cautious and careful as she was.

Naturally, the immortals weren't afraid of a mortal like her. Without a doubt, they were afraid of the immortal standing behind her.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly, yet also pass in the blink of an eye.

In a trance, Ye Wanzhou found that the small boat had already reached the shore of the Immortal Pavilion.

"You've never seen the inside, have you?"

Zhang Miaoyu asked.

Ye Wanzhou hurriedly replied, "No, I haven't."

"My treat today, consider it payment for the boat fare. How about we go take a look? You seem quite curious about what's inside anyway."

Ye Wanzhou glanced sideways, looking at Zhang Miaoyu's current expression through the still-rippling surface of the lake.

Zhang Miaoyu followed Ye Wanzhou's gaze and also looked at the lake's surface:

"Why are you always looking at the lake?"

"Grandpa said... we must not look at an immortal's face."

"Is that so?" With a light tap of her foot, Zhang Miaoyu glided to the shore. Then, she turned to look at Ye Wanzhou and extended a hand toward her.

"The world is full of wonders, but you won't see them just by looking at the lake. You don't want to spend your whole life looking down at the water like this, do you?"

"Raise your head and take a look at the colorful world, how about it?"

Hearing this, Ye Wanzhou raised her head and looked at the hand reaching out to her.

Then, she decisively reached out her own hand.

Zhang Miaoyu smiled faintly, showing no surprise.

In a world like this.

If she truly lacked the drive to forge ahead, she would have died by the lake long ago.