“Chen Erhu!”

Just as Chen Erhu was turning to head back to the magistrate’s office, a voice called out from behind. He turned, and his expression instantly froze. Standing before him were a man and a young woman.

To call the man “old” didn’t feel entirely accurate. While he possessed a head of snow-white hair and a long beard, his skin was as smooth as polished jade, and his bearing radiated a vibrant, youthful energy. He looked less like a man in his twilight years and more like a transcendent sage who had conquered time itself.

When Chen Erhu shifted his gaze to the girl, his pupils contracted sharply. He had never seen such a stunning woman; she was a beauty that defied description, far eclipsing any mortal imagination of a celestial maiden. Her black brocade robes looked strangely familiar, but her face was a masterpiece of nature.

The arrivals were Li Meng and Yao Ning, the latter having finally discarded her mundane disguise. Even Li Meng had been startled when she first revealed her true face. He finally understood her caution—with her looks, she would be a “highly coveted beauty” that any high-level cultivator would kill to possess. If she ever reached the Golden Core stage, she would undoubtedly rank among the top ten of the Immortal Beauty Ranking.

“You two are…” Chen Erhu stammered, looking at the strangers with a mix of awe and confusion.

Li Meng chuckled, stroking his white beard with a sage-like grace. “Your aptitude is quite remarkable. Tell me, would you be willing to follow me into the mountains to pursue the path of cultivation?”

Li Meng wasn’t exaggerating; the man possessed a rare Metal and Wood Dual Spirit Root. Though his age was slightly advanced for a beginner, with enough dedication, Foundation Establishment was well within his reach.

“Go up the mountain?” Chen Erhu’s mind raced. He looked at their extraordinary bearing and realized he was standing before true immortals with godlike powers. His heart yearned to say yes—who didn’t want to overturn mountains and seas?

But then, he thought of his home. He bowed deeply, his hands clasped in respect. “I am honored beyond words, but I have an elderly mother at home who relies solely on me. I… I cannot leave her.”

Li Meng nodded, a flash of genuine approval in his eyes. He valued character as much as talent. With a casual flick of his sleeve, two jade elixir bottles and a manual flew out from the Sword Nurturing Gourd at his waist, hovering in the air before the stunned mortal.

“In light of your filial piety, I shall bestow this small fortune upon you,” Li Meng declared. “If fate allows, perhaps we shall meet again.”

Before Chen Erhu could find his voice, Li Meng grasped Yao Ning’s hand. They rose on a sudden gale, soaring straight into the heavens. Within seconds, they were mere specks against the blue, leaving a dazed Chen Erhu to scramble for the treasures left on the grass.

High above the sea of clouds, a massive gourd sliced through the atmosphere. It hugged the top of the cloud layer, leaving a long, churning furrow in the mist like an ant trail through white sand.

Li Meng and Yao Ning sat cross-legged atop the vessel. Yao Ning stole a glance at her companion’s profile, but as soon as Li Meng turned his head, she looked away like a startled rabbit.

“Should I… should I put the mask back on, Senior?” she whispered.

Li Meng reached out, his fingers gently catching her chin to tilt her face toward his. Her eyes flitted nervously, and a deep crimson blush spread across her cheeks.

“From now on, call me Senior Brother,” Li Meng said, his eyes crinkling into a smile as he admired her flawless skin. She was like a piece of white jade, warm and radiant. “And yes, put it back on. Such beauty is a magnet for unnecessary trouble.”

Yao Ning nodded and pulled out a thin parchment mask. With a quick flourish, her breathtaking features vanished, replaced by the rugged face of a middle-aged man. Even her voice shifted into a deeper register.

“Senior… Senior Brother,” she tested the new title. She looked out at the clouds, which were now bathed in the golden hues of the evening glow. “It’s so beautiful up here.”

Li Meng squinted against the setting sun, sharing the majestic view with his new Junior Sister as they streaked toward their destination.

Joyous Union Sect, Inner Circle: Moon Gaze Peak.

The giant gourd descended like a falling star, slowing only as it pierced the protective mists of the peak. A narrow passage opened in the clouds, allowing them to glide onto the courtyard before the main pavilion.

The gourd shrank instantly, circling Li Meng twice before tucking itself back onto his belt. As he straightened his robes, Li Meng’s gaze drifted toward the stone pavilion in the garden. His heart skipped a beat.

A graceful figure in a purple palace dress sat there, her presence as still as deep water.

“Master? Why is she here?” Li Meng muttered. He instinctively reached back and grabbed Yao Ning’s delicate hand, pulling her toward the pavilion.

Yao Ning’s heart hammered against her ribs. Is Senior Brother really this impatient? she wondered, her face heating up beneath the mask. She felt a frantic urge to flee, but she suppressed it. She had promised to repay his kindness with her very being; she could not run now.

Li Meng came to a halt outside the pavilion and bowed deeply. “Master, you… what brings you to Moon Gaze Peak?”

Yao Ning froze. Master? She looked at the woman in the purple dress. Even through a silken veil, the woman’s aura was stunningly beautiful, her every curve radiating an elegance that made Yao Ning feel like a peasant.

Ruo Shui set down her tea and glanced at her eldest disciple. “How was the mission?”

Li Meng straightened, returning to his usual composed self. “Your disciple has not failed you. The Rat Demon of Lijiang City has been dealt with. However, the rot goes deeper—the Blood Blade Sect of the State of Yue was behind it. They attempted to extract the essence of mortals through a Blood Fiend Spirit Devouring Array. I destroyed the formation, though their leader managed to escape.”

His expression darkened. “Those demonic curs dare to use the people of Zhao as raw materials. It is truly detestable.”

Ruo Shui took a slow, methodical sip of her tea. “And Sunset Glow Mountain? Why did you detour there?”

Li Meng’s blood ran cold. She was following me again. He quickly composed himself. “I was merely passing by when I sensed a sinister aura. I stepped in to vanquish a few spirits and happened to save a few fellow disciples in the process.”

Ruo Shui’s cold, beautiful eyes remained fixed on him. “You certainly have a flair for being sentimental and righteous, don’t you?”