The First One

Many people from the Xuanyuan family died along the way during their exile.

Fortunately, she and her mother were both safe and sound.

Unfortunately, her father and her half-brother were safe and sound as well.

After they reached their destination, her father and half-brother were assigned to perform backbreaking labor in the city. She and her mother stayed home to manage the household.

Xuanyuan Haoyue followed her mother as they slowly learned how to survive in this frontier region and how to handle all the household chores. She learned to deal with every petty detail of daily life, as well as the shrewdness and penny-pinching necessary to get by.

Although their life was poor, Xuanyuan Haoyue felt that it was actually rather nice.

Her father and half-brother came home exhausted every day and collapsed into bed the moment they returned. They probably no longer had the energy to scheme about her marriage.

Xuanyuan Haoyue thought that if their days could continue like this, it would not be so bad.

Before dawn the next morning, Xiushui Village had already become noisy with activity.

When the crowd of sightseers once again surrounded the foot of North Mountain in layer upon layer, the number of people on the Path of Inquiry had already decreased considerably.

There were still many people, but they were no longer packed together as densely as they had been the day before.

Everyone realized that many people must have been sent out sometime during the night or early that morning.

It was simply unclear whether any of them had successfully made it to the top.

The villagers could not help feeling disappointed. They regretted that they could not go up the mountain themselves to witness those who had passed the examination.

As the people at the foot of the mountain watched the occasional candidates withdraw from the Path of Inquiry and discussed whether anyone would truly pass Lingxian Sect’s examination, Yuan Qing, who was waiting beneath the peach blossom tree ten li away, welcomed the first person to successfully reach the mountain.

Baizhu opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by white mist.

Dazed, he lowered his head and looked at his hands.

They were clean—not a trace of blood or grime on them.

Even the dirt that had accumulated beneath his fingernails from years of begging and struggling to survive had vanished without a trace.

Only then did he remember that before coming to Xiushui Village, he had washed himself by the river for a very long time.

He turned around and saw countless overlapping figures still standing along the peach-blossom mountain path behind him.

Oh. So what had happened before was a dream.

He could not help clenching his fists.

Had he passed, or had he failed?

Then he heard a man’s voice ring out from within the white mist.

“Congratulations. You have successfully passed the examination of the Path of Inquiry.”

Yuan Qing emerged from the white mist and warmly congratulated the poorly dressed young boy before him.

Baizhu turned toward him in astonishment, unable to believe it.

“I… passed?”

Seeing his reaction, Yuan Qing did not laugh at him. Instead, he answered earnestly, a smile in his eyes.

“Yes. And you are the first person to pass. According to the rules of Lingxian Sect, you may choose your own master.”

Thinking of how many days it had taken him to pass the Path of Inquiry back then, Yuan Qing could not help marveling. The boy before him must possess an exceptionally steadfast heart.

As he thought this, he took a brush and a register from his robes and continued with his work.

“What are your name and family name? I’ll record them.”

It took Baizhu quite some time to fully absorb the joy of having passed the examination. Then he bowed happily to Yuan Qing.

“This boy is Baizhu. Greetings, Immortal! Baizhu, as in the medicinal herb.”

A benevolent physician had given him this name years ago. For all these years, however, most people had simply called him “Hey” or “little beggar.” Still, he had always remembered his name, even though no one had ever asked him what it was.

As Yuan Qing wrote the name on the first line of the register, he studied the boy standing before him.

The thirteen- or fourteen-year-old was at the age when boys began shooting up. He was thin and lanky, with the ragged cuffs of his sleeves and trouser legs hanging several inches too short. Only the straw sandals on his feet looked newly woven, sturdy enough and a good fit.

Though his clothes were shabby, Yuan Qing noticed that the boy’s back was held ramrod straight. It did not seem deliberate, but rather a habit he had maintained for years, like a resilient pine tree.

The boy remained bowed, apparently unwilling to move until Yuan Qing spoke. Yuan Qing quickly raised his hand and used spiritual energy to lift the boy’s arms.

“No need for such courtesy.”

He then proceeded with the formalities.

“Baizhu, are you willing to join Lingxian Sect, become one of its members, and devote yourself to cultivation?”

How could Baizhu possibly refuse? He immediately bowed deeply again and answered in a clear voice.

“Baizhu is willing! Thank you, Immortal, for accepting me. From now on, I will devote myself to cultivation under the guidance of the immortals and go through fire and water for the sect without hesitation!”

Yuan Qing took out a communication talisman and sent word to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, asking someone to come and take over his post. He then closed the register and smiled at Baizhu.

“Come with me into the sect.”

With that, he turned and walked into the vast white mist.

Baizhu immediately followed.

He had assumed they would have to walk for a while, but the moment he stepped into the mist, he discovered that there was no white mist at all!

As far as the eye could see, lush vegetation covered the land. Verdant mountains and clear waters stretched into the distance, while green-tiled roofs and red brick buildings dotted the landscape. Flowers of every color competed in dazzling bloom. A breeze passed by, shaking the sturdy, magnificent peach tree beside him and sending petals fluttering down.

Even the thatched hut nearby was filled with an antique charm.

Baizhu felt as though he had stepped directly into another world.

Yuan Qing did not take him on a tour of the sect or bring him to collect the supplies issued to new disciples. Instead, he first led him to the new disciples’ living quarters on the First Path.

The area was still an empty stretch of land.

There were only a few large thatched shelters.

Yuan Qing led him into one of them and explained, “Once everyone has completed the examination, the sect will arrange the new disciples’ entry procedures and apprenticeship ceremony all at once. Rest here for now. Someone will bring you three meals a day. There is a formation inside this shelter to keep the temperature comfortable. Get some good rest. I’ll be leaving first.”

Hearing that he was about to leave, Baizhu, who had just entered the warm shelter and was looking around curiously, hurriedly turned and bowed to him.

“Farewell, Immortal.”

Yuan Qing had only taken two steps when he stopped and turned back.

“From now on, we’re all fellow disciples. You don’t need to be so formal. By the way, my name is Yuan Qing. Since you haven’t taken a master yet, you may temporarily call me Senior Brother Yuan.”

Baizhu readily followed his instruction.

“Thank you, Senior Brother Yuan.”

“Oh, right. As long as you can enter a place here, you’re free to look around.”

“Understood. Thank you, Senior Brother Yuan.”

After settling Baizhu in, Yuan Qing hurried back to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

“Everyone, I’m back!”

Besides the people who normally worked there, many others had rushed over after hearing that someone had emerged from the Path of Inquiry. They had been waiting for news, and the moment Yuan Qing returned, they all crowded around him.

“How was it? Come on, tell us! Don’t leave out a single detail!”

They had been afraid that gathering around the new disciple would frighten him, so they had forced themselves to wait there and suppress their curiosity. They had certainly waited long enough.

Seeing this, Yuan Qing did not waste any time. He immediately recounted everything to the others from beginning to end.

He did not even leave out the fact that the boy’s clothes had several patches and that the fabric had torn in several places.

He continued all the way through to the moment he had brought Baizhu to the First Path, settled him in, and left.