The wooden corridor of the Worry-free Pavilion was not particularly narrow, but a group of people chatted and laughed as they approached, yet they did not have the awareness to make way for others.
Gu Lingling could only lean against the dark wooden wall that had accumulated years of age.
Before they even walked in, she could see the graceful hem of their garments floating at their feet, made of the most delicate and ethereal fabric.
The group exuded high spirits, their movements swift, and the hems of their clothing lifted gently, revealing their light and uniform texture. A pair of white embroidered boots, regardless of gender, were tied with a colorful cord embroidered with dragon scales at their waist.
As they walked, the dragon scales swayed with their movements, reflecting a faint light, like a twinkling starlight, creating its own light effect.
Gu Lingling lowered her head to tug at the pig bone tied with a hemp rope to her old and uneven belt, and as she looked down, she noticed that her white boots were already covered in mud, and she wasn't sure if she could clean them.
Gu Lingling felt a bit sour.
Inside the Worry-free Pavilion, each of the five pavilions carried different tokens: Eroding Bone Pavilion: pig bones, Muddy World Pavilion: copper coins, Flying Clouds Pavilion: a pouch embroidered with auspicious clouds, Azure Feather Pavilion: feathers, Startling Dragon Pavilion: dragon scales.
The higher the level, the more precious and rare the token carried.
Gu Lingling clung tightly to the wall, continually brushed by the large sleeves of the Startling Dragon Pavilion's elites. The crowd also noticed Gu Lingling's presence; some offered a faint smile by way of greeting, some averted their gaze with a hint of disdain, and of course, most simply ignored her.
Regardless of where she was, hierarchy was paramount. Those with low abilities could only be looked down upon and disregarded.
Gu Lingling kept her head down, ignoring the uneasy gazes, and impatiently watched as the hems of their robes passed, until the last person stopped in front of her.
Perplexed, Gu Lingling raised her head and saw a slender teenage girl with a hint of budding youthfulness on her face, exuding an unforgettable beauty.
Tao Fanru...
Tao Fanru is the original novel's female lead. She and the heir of the Undefiled Gate, Du Xiuming, were drawn to each other. However, she was forced to separate from her beloved due to being chosen to infiltrate the Worry-free Pavilion after the former gate master, also Du Xiuming's father, and the former Worry-free Pavilion gate master were both killed. Despite being praised as the son of a respected family from the Immortal Sect, he had little real power.
Due to her outstanding natural endowments, Tao Fanru endured countless tests and eventually entered the Startling Dragon Pavilion of the Worry-free Pavilion, becoming an elite among the elites. However, she had not yet met the male lead, Luoyun Zhen, at this point.
When they would meet, Gu Lingling was not interested. She was genuinely concerned about her own problems.
Tao Fanru's face bore a subtle smile, with an innocent yet charming demeanor, hiding a dangerous undertone beneath.
"Your token has fallen."
Her lips parted, emitting a pleasing voice, leaving Gu Lingling momentarily stunned. Fallen?
"No..."
Before she could deny it, there was a light movement at her waist, followed by a faint thud.
Tao Fanru smiled, covering the corner of her mouth with her sleeve. Her beauty was unmatched, but the smile did not reach her eyes. With her fair and delicate fingers, she picked up the pig bone without any sign of aversion, and even lightly brushed off the nonexistent dust.
"Here, this token is so important; you must protect it. We are all from the same sect, so do not forget your duty."
It was evident that there was an underlying message in her words, and Gu Lingling could not fail to notice it. She indeed hadn't been in touch with the Undefiled Gate recently, and Tao Fanru was intentionally using this to admonish her.
Gu Lingling looked down at the smooth, fair fingers that were extended towards her and took a deep breath. When she looked up again, her eyes were like a frozen lake, solid despite the gentle breath, "Thank you, but you should focus on your own affairs."
Who wouldn't see through her intentions? Did she think she was still the original owner, so easy to bully? Although she was currently inconspicuous and powerless, she couldn't afford to provoke Tao Fanru until she had enough money to leave. However, she couldn't just expect to be as obedient as before.
Although Gu Lingling's eyes held a smile, they were piercing. Tao Fanru instinctively glanced downwards and saw her dragon scale lying on the ground, bouncing a few times, on the dark wooden floor, which had some unknown and dirty stain.
The Worry-free Pavilion's master, Luoyun Zhen, always liked cleanliness, and there were dedicated disciples to maintain cleanliness throughout the pavilion. For some reason, there was a stain in a particular area, and coincidentally, Tao Fanru's dragon scale fell onto it.
The multicolored cord was stained, its originally bright colors now dirty and unclean, giving the dragon scale a lackluster appearance.
Tao Fanru's complexion turned ugly, but even so, she still exuded a touch of tender anger. Her clear eyes reflected the small chess piece that was once handled with care and had accepted everything unquestioningly.
"Fanfan, what are you doing? Come over quickly, or the pavilion master will be furious."
"Coming, I'm coming. This sister's token fell, I'm helping her pick it up."
Turning her head, Tao Fanru's face immediately returned to its previous delicate and friendly appearance, her gaze clear like a baby's, with a radiant smile.
This made the waiting disciples feel a tremor in their hearts, and their fondness for Tao Fanru increased a bit more. She was not only beautiful, but her heart was also beautiful. In contrast, the disciple next to her, who seemed to be a disciple of the Eroding Bone Pavilion, kept her head down and gave no signs of gratitude, emitting a somewhat petty and timid vibe.
Tao Fanru glanced at Gu Lingling and picked up the fallen dragon scale, instantly washing the colorful cord clean with her spiritual power.
"Recognize your position. What you are is what you are. Don't delude yourself."
With that, she gracefully walked away.
Gu Lingling's mood turned a bit ugly. One setback after another struck her. Despite her tough front, in reality, she was still living under the shadow of the original owner.
The cuff has a slight feeling of weight. Gu Lingling flipped her wrist, and a lively little stone man bounced in her palm, as if showing off.
Gu Lingling gently touched the little head with her fingertips: "You did well."
The little stone man became even more excited, spinning a few circles in her palm, and then flipped over, leaving a small, quiet stone lying in her palm.