Tao Fanru had thought that Bai Jin would treat her differently. However, Bai Jin just glanced at her, slightly turned his head, and the fair curve of his neck created a beautiful arc.
Tao Fanru was taken aback; Bai Jin looked like a lily basking in the morning sunlight, emitting a pure and radiant glow.
Bai Jin slowly turned around and simply looked her up and down, his gaze no different from when he was looking at Gu Chenglin. It was just a shadow in his eyes, not showing the slightest bit of movement as Tao Fanru had anticipated.
Tao Fanru had never encountered someone who didn't look at her differently, and she felt a sense of grievance in her heart.
"We have been waiting here for a long time, Elder Bai. Could you... could you please inform the sect leader?"
Under Bai Jin's thin gaze, Tao Fanru spoke more and more softly, and eventually couldn't continue speaking.
Like all female leads, Tao Fanru dared to say and do what others didn't, because even when wearing the halo of the female lead, she could resolve everything.
Although Tao Fanru didn't have a god's-eye view and didn't know that the world was just a book like Gu Lingling did, she had a deep-seated confidence and assurance. From a young age, no matter what trouble she got into or what mistakes she made, as long as she showed weakness at the right time and acted coquettishly, everything would be resolved.
"Waited a long time? Why don't you go in and speak to the sect leader yourself?"
Bai Jin actually laughed, his teardrop mole picked up by the movement of his muscles, making him look even more harmless. His tone was unusually mild, with a charming smile.
Tao Fanru blushed, feeling uncomfortable meeting his eyes. Although Bai Jin appeared stern, it didn't matter because he was still being nice to her.
But Tao Fanru also knew her limits. What she wanted to do, the impression she wanted to leave on others, or the relationships she wanted to forge, nothing was impossible for her.
After a bow, with her long eyelashes raised, she said meekly and sensibly, "Fanru dares not, Elder Bai..."
"Dares not? You seem quite daring to me. Not only did you overstep, but you also publicly questioned the sect leader." Bai Jin interrupted Tao Fanru's words again, but this time he lost his patience. The smile quickly disappeared, leaving a more stern face, his tone carrying a hint of chill, making everyone present unconsciously shudder. "Elder Gu, is this the good disciple you've taught? With such conduct, how dare I let her into the palace for the sect leader's selection? Be careful, both of us might have to..."
Gu Chenglin was already sweating profusely, lingering on his white, chubby face, looking translucent. Although he was also somewhat unhappy with Tao Fanru's recklessness, he still protected her in his heart. Hearing that Bai Jin's tone was unkind, he smiled and said, "Elder Bai, please calm down. Fanru is still young and usually respects the sect leader. Although she hasn't seen the sect leader, she admires him in her words. She's a bit anxious now, and I hope Elder Bai won't take it out on her."
After saying this, he turned to Tao Fanru with a stern face and said, "Come and apologize to Elder Bai."
Tao Fanru bit her lip, looking pitiful. She endured the injustice and said, "Elder Bai, please don't argue with me..."
"Both of you, leave now. I will notify you of the time later."
After that, Bai Jin turned and ignored them.
This was the third interruption, and Tao Fanru's lips were pale from biting them. Her companions immediately surrounded her, both concerned and comforting.
Bai Jin entered the palace gate, knowing that the gate closed slowly. He relaxed and sighed as he looked at the sky, feeling a bit helpless. According to his nature, Tao Fanru's recklessness should have been punished, but he suppressed his anger. He couldn't escalate the situation because the sect leader who should be selecting attendants was not in the palace at the moment.
Even though he was injured, it was not good to hide and recuperate in the palace and forget about the worries outside. The forgetful pavilion was being closely watched by various parties. Apart from the obvious enemy, the immaculate sect, with thousands of years of history, had its own relatives and friends. If the news of Luo Yun's true injury spread, it would certainly cause a commotion. While the sect's extinction wouldn't happen, it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. It was more practical to have experience in defending against external enemies rather than dealing with a few cases.
Just now, Luo Yun had used a spirit bird to inform him that she had urgent matters to attend to and couldn't free herself, asking him to find a way to postpone the selection.
Bai Jin increasingly felt that being an elder was not easy.
He beckoned a spirit bird, and it flew away with his eager hope.
At this moment, the sect leader with "urgent matters" was at the bottom level of the Forgetful Pavilion, looking at a bowl of noodles and frowning.
The noodles were served in a small porcelain bowl, white and delicate, decorated with beautiful patterns on the outside. It seemed that the selection was made with care, but the noodles inside were unfriendly yellow.
Although Da Bao had a poker face, he couldn't resist the power of the yellow noodles. Even his big eyes showed a hint of bewilderment and helplessness.
Gu Lingling used chopsticks to pick up the slippery noodles, blowing on them gently before touching them to her lips. "Sweetheart, eat your noodles. It's your favorite pumpkin noodles."
Gu Lingling coaxed Da Bao, who didn't like to eat anything.
Earlier when Gu Lingling had been alive, she had seen relatives' children who liked to eat pumpkin, so she thought Da Bao might also like the soft and sweet taste. She bought some pumpkin seeds and planted them in an empty space. She didn't know what kind of fertilizer was in the ground, but in a few days, a large patch of pumpkins had grown, all big and round.
Gu Lingling didn't want to waste them, so she picked a pumpkin every day and made various dishes for Da Bao. The pumpkin noodles were her proud specialty.
Gu Lingling's room was small and dark, with a bed in the corner and only enough space for a low table and a few cushions, not even a basic dressing table for a woman.
Da Bao was sitting on a slightly dirty and frayed cushion, which Gu Lingling had washed a number of times without success. It had been used by many previous owners. Compared to the dirty cushion, the increasingly enlarged bowl of pumpkin noodles with a sweet fragrance made him more averse.
"Lingling, are you sure the child will eat this?"
When Er Lan saw Gu Lingling making the noodles in the kitchen, she insisted on coming along to see how Gu Lingling managed to get Da Bao to eat these disturbing noodles.
Gu Lingling gave Er Lan a disdainful look and said, "What do you know? These pumpkins are sweet and fragrant, and nutritious. Look, Da Bao has gained weight."
"I'm not saying pumpkins aren't tasty. I'm just saying, are the noodles you make really good?" Er Lan didn't want to look at the noodles in the bowl anymore. Gu Lingling's noodles were really disgusting. It seemed that the ratio of flour to pumpkin wasn't right, or her skills were lacking, as the noodles were uneven, with some parts even being flat. The noodles were sticky, and the pumpkin didn't fully integrate with the flour, making it unappetizing and even slightly nauseating.
Da Bao raised his big, round eyes, as if silently protesting. Gu Lingling saw herself bending over to pick up from his clear eyes and inexplicably felt a twinge of malice.
"Why don't you like it? If you want to eat, I won't give it to you."
Er Lan sneered and covered her mouth with her sleeve, speaking somewhat muffled behind the fabric: "I won't eat it. It looks like dung!"
Gu Lingling's reaction took Er Lan by surprise. She didn't fly into a rage but continued to feed Da Bao as she said casually, raising her eyes, "I didn't realize you were so healthy."
Er Lan was taken aback, her face ugly, and she left, covering her face.
Gu Lingling didn't become arrogant because of this small victory; she remained restrained and smiled slightly.
Suddenly, there was a loud noise that startled Gu Lingling.
Daobao's face was even uglier than Er Lan's, and his small hands slammed down on the low table fiercely, his chubby hands tightly clenched and trembling slightly. His eyes were filled with anger, but he carefully avoided making too much eye contact with the noodles.
The bowl of noodles spilled on the table, yellow and soggy, giving an unpleasant impression.
Although Gu Lingling was very fond of Daobao, she knew that if the child was not disciplined, they would eventually go down the wrong path. So, she adhered to the principle of loving but not spoiling Daobao.
Gu Lingling held out the noodles in front of Daobao with a cold expression, saying, "Eat it."
Daobao furrowed his brow slightly and firmly shook his head.
Gu Lingling's expression grew colder, but then she smiled brightly, adding charm to her delicate features, causing Daobao's heart to skip a beat. Before Daobao could understand the reason for this unexpected reaction, Gu Lingling had already stood up, swiftly pulled Daobao close to her and, to his surprise, swiftly removed his pants.
"Why won't you eat? Do you know how much time I spent making this? How will you grow if you don't eat? How will you protect me?" Gu Lingling scolded while striking him. It left a series of fingerprints, showing that Gu Lingling was indeed pained, but she couldn't be lenient. If a child is not disciplined, they will become increasingly difficult to control.
Daobao, with his big grape-like eyes, was filled with astonishment. The head of the Worry-Free Pavilion was being punished in such an undignified manner by a lower-ranking disciple.
From infancy, Luo Yunzhen showed indifference to affairs. This indifference was not disdain but a genuine lack of interest. Even in his infant years, he was eerily quiet, almost frightening, except for his clear, bright eyes that prevented people from mistaking him as a simpleton.
As he grew older, he started to exhibit maturity beyond his years. Despite being tender in appearance, he exerted mutual force. Although Gu Lingling was hitting Daobao, his actions also affected her hand. Her palm was almost numb and red from the impact, showing that disciplining children is a two-way street.
"Do you remember now? Will you behave next time?" Daobao didn't yield, laying obediently on her lap. Seeing Gu Lingling's sore hand, he decided not to provoke further and accepted her rebuke.
Gu Lingling, with perfect timing, shed a few tears, making her nose feel a bit sore. The fallen noodles emitted a pungent smell, explaining Daobao's reluctance to eat. It seemed that she accidentally added too much pepper.
She regretted the effort she went through to evade the fat chef just to borrow some flour. Gu Lingling's lips were tightly clenched to mask her heartache and pain.
Daobao was shaken, realizing that this woman could also feel pain. His tears were about to flow, and his palms were also red.
Turning his head, Daobao relented. He decided to give her a pass this time and not cause trouble in the future.
Gu Lingling continued to shake and sob, her face reddening as the aroma of the fallen noodles filled the room, carrying a hint of peppery sting.
Daobao, seeing his mother in pain, was slowly relenting. At that moment, a communication spirit bird landed on the windowsill. Daobao, sitting obediently, waved at the bird, which cleverly avoided Gu Lingling's line of sight and landed on Daobao's hand.
As he grasped the bird gently, it turned into a faint yellow light, containing a memory from Bai Jin, the very scene that Taofanru yearned to see with Luo Yunzhen.
Accompanying this was Bai Jin's mocking remark, "The sect leader’s charm is boundless, and I can only do my best to resist."
Curiously, Daobao's gaze shifted quickly to Gu Lingling.
...
Gu Lingling ascended the stairs gradually. In the Worry-Free Pavilion, different areas were designated according to rank. The Bone-Eroding Hall, due to its low rank, was located at the lowest level of the pavilion. The dim, damp, and narrow spaces were not ideal, but as she ascended, the fog cleared, and sunlight filtered through, casting radiant shapes on the long staircase.
Bereft of energy from her pursuits early that morning concerning Daobao's care, Gu Lingling hastened, as the elders’ teaching was essential for her. Unlike other sects, the mentorship principle was not prominent, with the master being more a nominal title for task allocation and organization. The actual teaching of knowledge was more akin to modern-day classroom instruction.
This approach had its advantages, ensuring uniformity in skills and facilitating direct experimentation with various methods.
The teaching session that day was conducted by an elder, and Gu Lingling was eager to attend as she had worries about her confiscated tokens and unpaid monthly dues, which had kept her up at night and left Daobao with dark circles under his eyes.
Elders were usually seasoned practitioners, and merely learning a move or two from them could suffice to handle low-tier cases. Gu Lingling was panting heavily, pondering that perhaps the reason the Bone-Eroding Hall was located below wasn't due to rank but rather because disciples like them couldn't handle continuous climbing.
The teaching venue was at the martial arts field nestled into a mountain, enclosed by wooden buildings. The courtyard was spacious and adequately accommodated the disciples from different sects without being crowded. It was apparent that the Blue Feather Pavilion and others had fewer members in attendance.
Passing by the Surging Dragon Pavilion, she felt a piercing gaze, which she recognized as Taofanru's.
Looking around, she couldn't find Li Feixing and Rongrong. Although hesitant to interact with Li Feixing again, she needed to request tokens because having no income made it hard to support Daobao. The frequent excursions by the Blue Feather Pavilion had resulted in fewer of their disciples being present, indicating their potential involvement in an external task.
Lu Nianwei waved to Gu Lingling, and Erlan, who was beside her, didn't want to pay attention to Gu Lingling because of the last time's healthy topic. Gu Lingling didn't mind and ran over cheerfully. Gu Lingling thought she was a good student, but when she saw the small notebook and pen that Erlan was holding, she knew she had been left far behind.
Erlan was excited, standing on tiptoes and looking at the stage in the martial arts hall. This appearance reminded Gu Lingling of fans waiting for their idol to appear at a concert.
Curious, Gu Lingling asked, "Erlan, why are you so excited? Is this elder particularly strong in his work?"
Erlan rolled her eyes, scornful of Gu Lingling's rigid perception, "Let me tell you, this elder is not only strong in his work, but also..."
Before she could finish, there were whispers in the quiet hall, and Gu Lingling saw an attractive man.
Erlan was taken aback by Gu Lingling's blunt gaze, "Rogue, Elder Bai Jin is not someone you can disrespect."
"Is he someone you can disrespect then?" Gu Lingling sneered, "I think your thoughts are not pure."
The last word was drawn out in tone, hitting Erlan's point, making her blush and not dare to argue with Gu Lingling, afraid she would say something outrageous again.
Bai Jin stepped onto the stage, his bewitching eyes sweeping over the audience, silencing everyone immediately. Bai Jin looked at the crowded arena, feeling a bit of a headache. He always did more and said less, a fact that Luo Yun knew well. Since their youth, they had started purging impurities together, and Luo Yun was a well-rounded talent, excelling in theory and practical combat. However, Bai Jin was not interested in theory, as he only pursued power.
Without power, everything was illusory.
He might not know the weaknesses and origins of certain monsters and ghosts because sooner or later, they would die in his hands.
Obviously, any elder or sect master in the pavilion was more suitable to impart knowledge, but our forgetfulness pavilion's master, Luo Yun, had used a sleepy spiritual bird in the middle of the night two days ago to tell Bai Jin to gather the entire sect and impart some business knowledge as soon as possible.
So Bai Jin had to cram some knowledge from books the day before, although he didn't have a memory as good as Gu Lingling's. Initially, he went through the theories reluctantly, but then he threw off the theoretical restraints and began discussing the spells and charms used in impurity combat.
At first, Gu Lingling found it somewhat drowsy to listen because, after all, there was a fundamental difference between last-minute cramming and studying intensively in theory.
But when Bai Jin shifted his focus to practical combat, it was eagerly received knowledge for Gu Lingling. Although some of the content was difficult for the shin bone pavilion, which already had a weak foundation, to handle, in other words, the cultivation was not sufficient to operate.
Fortunately, Bai Jin also explained a few simple charms for the shin bone pavilion, which were so simple for Bai Jin but were already spells that were both easy to use and highly effective for the shin bone pavilion disciples who only handled first and second-order cases.
After explaining one of them, Bai Jin started asking everyone to practice.
First, he demonstrated by drawing a charm out of thin air with a sword. As Bai Jin moved his finger, a pale golden charm hovered in the air. With a casual flick of his wrist, the charm burst in the air above the martial arts field with a "bang," emitting a brilliant light that made everyone feel the energy contained within.
Gu Lingling's eyes lit up. This was good; if she learned it, at least she wouldn't have to rely on charms for the month.
The simple charms didn't pique the interest of the disciples from the other pavilions, but out of respect for Elder Bai Jin's status, their random gestures produced results similar to the intended ones.
Turning to their side, the disciples of the shin bone pavilion were eager to try, but due to their limited abilities, they either couldn't activate spiritual energy to transform into spells, or they had no effect, just creating a visual appeal like fireworks.
Gu Lingling, with her quick thoughts, looked around at the charms of others and thought for a moment. She took out the peach wood sword tied to her waist, infused her entire spiritual energy into it, and drew a charm in the air.
Gu Lingling's charm was much brighter than those of the other disciples of the shin bone pavilion. Gu Lingling's eyes lit up. This was it; it seemed she had thought it through.
Lu Nianwei and Erlan, who were closest to her, were surprised to see her drawing a nearly perfect charm.
"Lingling, did you draw this?" Lu Nianwei, with her cute round face, couldn't believe it, and Erlan abandoned the charm he was drawing halfway, forgetting to channel his spiritual power.
"Is that even possible? Lingling, did you steal someone's charm?" Erlan blurted out nonsense.
"Don't bother me while I'm at work," Gu Lingling said, without the mind to banter with them. Though she had discovered something, it was still challenging to put it into practice.
The disciples of the shin bone pavilion typically only used peach wood swords, but since the last impurity purge, she found that ghosts seemed to fear magical swords more. There were only three circumstances that could make a ghost fear a magical sword: being consecrated, being an artifact, or having taken a life.
In summary, for people like them with inadequate cultivation and innate abilities, a good magical weapon was essential.
The author has something to say: Actually, this class was specially prepared by Luo Yun for Gu Lingling alone, and everyone else was just a foil. And Luo Yun didn't want to admit that he had done this because of lack of sleep, covering his face~