Tao Fanru followed the others, chatting and laughing, turned a few corridors, and climbed the long and complicated stairs of the Worry-Free Pavilion. After circling around many times, they finally reached the mountaintop.
The Worry-Free Pavilion was built on the mountainside. This mountain was just one of the countless mountains, without towering height, without magnificent description, but in the midst of the mountains, it seemed particularly small and lonely.
It didn't even have a decent name.
But its mountainside was steep as if it had been sharply split down with no curves. However, the mountaintop was flat and lush. The Worry-Free Pavilion was built within this mountainside, enveloping the bare rock wall with wooden buildings. It looked like a huge wooden house from afar, but at the top, it had a completely different style from the dark wooden buildings.
The grand and majestic palace had been washed by time and did not show the slightest sign of decay. Instead, it appeared even more profound and stable with the accumulation of time.
Although Tao Fanru was a disciple of the Startled Dragon Pavilion, she had been at the Worry-Free Pavilion for a year and had never seen Luo Yunzhen. This time, hearing that Luo Yunzhen was to select a clever disciple from the Startled Dragon Pavilion as an attendant, this was her best chance.
In a place where others could not see, Tao Fanru's bright eyes gradually turned cold, with a hint of fierceness, like a hunter using an enticing exterior to tempt its prey and not easily revealing itself.
She tightly held her jade hand hidden in her sleeve, the rounded nails leaving deep imprints on her tender palm, her exquisite face slightly raised, watching the faint blue light pouring down from deep within the palace and turning into a barrier in mid-air, making Tao Fanru's heart race.
The Radiant Light Decree...
The Startled Dragon Pavilion's master was a plump and smiling middle-aged man. The elegant immortal robe of the Startled Dragon Pavilion did not give him any celestial aura; instead, it became a kind of restriction—a restriction on his corpulent body.
The Startled Dragon Pavilion's master, Gu Chenglin, looked at the best group of disciples he had brought, feeling very pleased. The careful guidance he had provided had not been in vain. This time, Luo Yunzhen wanted to select a loyal attendant, and only his Startled Dragon Pavilion had the ability and status to do so.
Gu Chenglin's corpulence was not greasy; his fair face had no wrinkles, and when the sun shone on it, it faintly reflected a bright light.
The disciples of the Startled Dragon Pavilion automatically lined up, and even before seeing the sect leader, they were involuntarily lowering their heads, showing reverence.
Gu Chenglin looked at the closed palace door, nervously pinching his fat hands inside his sleeves. The palace door creaked open, and from inside came a cold-looking man.
The man had narrow, long eyes, and below his left eye was a beauty spot, adding a hint of charm to his cool countenance.
Gu Chenglin's face lit up, and he quickly went to greet him: "Why did Elder Bai come out in person? Sending a young disciple would have been enough, yet Elder Bai is bothering to come."
Bai Jin didn't buy into the flattery, not even bothering to lift his eyelids.
"Related to the sect leader, how could it be handled by a young disciple? Master Gu, think carefully in the future before speaking."
Gu Chenglin was sweating. As an elder of the sect, Bai Jin was much younger than him. Even though he was an elder, Gu Chenglin felt he didn't need to be so subservient. Initially, Gu Chenglin was attracted by the beauty spot under Bai Jin's eye, thinking that he was just an empty vessel, leveraging his position as a trusted confidant of the former sect leader to become an elder at a young age.
But the real Bai Jin was not as vulnerable and easily fooled as the beauty spot seemed to suggest. His hands bore the blood of many, and seeing Bai Jin tearing apart a high-level monster with his bare hands, Gu Chenglin had witnessed it himself. Despite the distance, the pungent smell of blood made people nauseous, but Bai Jin seemed indifferent.
There were many formidable people in the Worry-Free Pavilion, but only Bai Jin, under his cold demeanor, exuded a fierceness, a primal instinct for killing.
"Yes, yes, Elder Bai is absolutely right. I did not consider it properly. I'll trouble Elder Bai to convey the message. The disciples of my Startled Dragon Pavilion have all been gathered, so the sect leader can begin the selection process."
Gu Chenglin smiled apologetically, Bai Jin's tall figure, combined with his soft and delicate face, felt incongruent. Standing in front of Gu Chenglin, he looked down on him: "This time, it seems that Master Gu made Elder Bai take a trip for nothing. The sect leader has important matters to attend to and cannot see you all. Please return."
Gu Chenglin's smile froze, and inching closer, he tried to be friendly, but Bai Jin, frowning, took a step back, avoiding Gu Chenglin's deliberate closeness.
"We've not seen the sect leader for several days, and now he wants to select a disciple to serve him. Is there something wrong with the sect leader?"
Gu Chenglin was not foolish. Luo Yunzhen's recent behavior was somewhat abnormal, always showing the tail but not the head, and his affairs in the sect were being handled by trusted aides. As the master of the Startled Dragon Pavilion, Gu Chenglin felt that it was not unreasonable to ask this question, as the Startled Dragon Pavilion was the face of the Worry-Free Pavilion, and, after all, he was different from others and could be considered one of Luo Yunzhen's trusted confidants.
But Gu Chenglin was mistaken. Bai Jin finally looked up, but his peach blossom eyes did not look at him; instead, he gazed ahead with an air of someone who had ventured to ask a question they shouldn't have.
"Master Gu should understand the importance of discretion and should have heard the saying that trouble arises from the mouth. Moreover, Master should be aware of the phrase 'trouble comes from the mouth,' right?" Bai Jin turned away and stopped, saying, "Once the sect leader concludes his important matters, there will be a separate notice about the selection process. Thank you for your efforts this time, Master Gu."
Gu Chenglin hadn't expected to receive no respect from Bai Jin, feeling embarrassed but unable to retort: "Thank you, Elder Bai."
Tao Fanru stood at the back, feeling conflicted. As the original female lead, she possessed all the perfect settings, with her beautiful appearance and independent personality, she was the ideal image in the minds of all men. In reality, this was true, as Tao Fanru believed that no one could resist her charm, instead of using it. Now, she was prepared to use every possible means to stay by Luo Yunzhen's side, even at the cost of her beauty and charm. Even if he was the number one son of the Immortal Sect, no matter how stern his temperament was, she believed that no man could resist her. Tao Fanru had prepared for everything but did not expect to return empty-handed.
Seeing Bai Jin walking away, Gu Chenglin shook his head helplessly. Tao Fanru, elegantly and gracefully, walked to the front of the group. At this moment, Bai Jin was about to climb the steps to the palace door, when a clear and confident voice came from behind.
"Elder Bai, please wait."
Bai Jin frowned, turned around, and saw a stunning young woman standing not far away. She bowed and, raising her head, revealed her eyes, shy but tinged with coyness, exuding a seductive aura.
Tao Fanru smiled at the right moment, like the flowers of March, containing just the right amount of charm.
Author's Note: In the next chapter, Da Bao and Lingling will appear. This chapter is just a bit of setup.