Chapter 1: First Steps into Qinglan
At the entrance of the Qinglan Sect, at the registration office for outer sect disciples.
The queue was not very long, with only three or four people in front. Gu Changsheng stood at the end of the line, his face expressionless, holding the newly received grey outer sect disciple's uniform and a wooden identity token in his hand.
The token was engraved with the four characters "Qing Lan Outer Gate", and beneath it was a line of smaller characters: "No. 7 Courtyard, Ding District".
"Next."
Behind the registration desk sat a middle-aged deacon, not even raising his head.
Gu Changsheng stepped forward and handed over his identity token.
The deacon took the token, made a record in a thick book, and then pushed over a small cloth bag from under the table.
Here's your monthly allowance: three low-grade spirit stones and a bottle of Qi Condensing Pills. Keep them well.
"Thank you, Deacon."
Gu Changsheng took the cloth bag, his voice calm.
Only then did the deacon look up at him, his gaze lingering on his face for two seconds.
"New here? What's your name?"
Gu Changsheng.
"Hmm." The deacon wrote down the name in the book. "Go to the storeroom to collect your monthly chores. If you fail to complete the tasks, your allowance for next month will be halved."
Gu Changsheng nodded and turned to leave.
He walked slowly, just like an ordinary beginner of the Qi Refining stage. In fact, the power within him was as vast as a starry sea. Even a tiny bit of it leaked out, it could instantly reduce this so-called insignificant sect to ashes.
But he is just a "rookie" now.
To play the part of a pig in order to eat the tiger, one must first look like a pig.
The storage room was in a small courtyard next to the registration desk. When Gu Changsheng walked in, there was already someone inside.
It's a girl.
She seemed to be eighteen or nineteen years old, wearing the same grey outer disciple robe as him, with her hair simply tied at the back of her head. She was looking down at a piece of paper in her hand.
She was facing sideways towards the door, and Gu Changsheng could see half of her profile.
She is delicate and clean, with a hint of stubbornness in her eyes.
Gu Changsheng didn't stop his steps and walked to the window of the storage area.
An old man was sitting in the window, dozing off.
Gu Changsheng knocked on the windowsill.
The old man opened his eyes drowsily.
"Take care of odd jobs?"
"Yes."
The old man pulled out a piece of paper from the side and handed it over.
"From No. 7 Courtyard in Dingzi District, right? You are in charge of cleaning the third section of the stone steps at the back mountain this month. You must finish the cleaning before the beginning of the third hour every day. The tools are in the storage room at the gate of the courtyard."
Gu Changsheng took the note, on which the task content and requirements were written.
Just as he took the note, the girl beside him happened to turn around.
The two passed each other by.
Gu Changsheng's footsteps paused slightly.
The Heavenly Dao mission system within him quivered ever so slightly at that moment.
Just like a pebble being thrown into a calm lake, the ripples are so small that they can almost be ignored.
But Gu Changsheng sensed it.
He turned his head to look at the girl.
The girl happened to be looking at him as well.
Our eyes met.
The girl's eyes were bright and clear, but deep down in the bottom of her eyes, there seemed to be something hidden.
She looked at Gu Changsheng, her eyebrows slightly furrowed for a moment, and then quickly relaxed.
"You..." she began, her voice clear and crisp, "are new here too?"
Gu Changsheng nodded.
"I'm Lin Qiuyu," the girl said. "What about you?"
Gu Changsheng.
"Gu Changsheng..." Lin Qiuyu repeated the name and then smiled, "It's a nice name."
Having said that, she turned and was about to leave.
Gu Changsheng watched her departing figure, his eyes deepening.
That momentary resonance just now was no illusion.
There is something inside this girl named Lin Qiuyu.
A very ancient and very obscure seal has sealed a certain special constitution. And the aura of that seal has formed a certain subtle connection with the Heavenly Dao mission system within his body.
It's interesting.
Gu Changsheng withdrew his gaze and lowered his head to look at the list of chores in his hand.
Clean the stone steps at the back of the mountain.
Pretty good.
He stepped out of the yard of the storeroom. Just as he reached the door, he saw Lin Qiuyu still standing outside, not having left.
She is waiting for him.
"Do you also live in Dingzi District?" Lin Qiuyu asked.
Gu Changsheng nodded.
"I live in Courtyard No. 6," Lin Qiuyu said. "It's right next to yours."
"That's quite a coincidence."
"Yeah." Lin Qiuyu smiled and then pointed at the paper in her hand. "What task did you get?"
Sweep the stone steps at the back of the mountain.
"I'm going to the herb field to weed," said Lin Qiuyu. "I heard the stone steps at the back of the mountain are quite long. Can you manage to sweep them all by yourself?"
"Should be possible."
"If you're too busy, you can ask me for help," Lin Qiuyu said very naturally. "Anyway, I can leave as soon as I finish weeding."
Gu Changsheng gave her a glance.
This girl seems to have an inexplicable trust in him.
Just met and already offered to help.
Is it because of that moment of resonance just now?
"OK." Gu Changsheng didn't refuse.
The two walked together towards the Ding District. The living quarters for the outer disciples of the Qing Lan Sect were very simple, just a cluster of wooden houses and courtyards, divided into four districts: A, B, C, and D. The Ding District was the outermost and had the poorest conditions.
When he reached the gate of Courtyard No. 7, Gu Changsheng stopped.
"I'm here."
"Um." Lin Qiuyu pointed to the side. "I live over there. See you tomorrow."
After she finished speaking, she turned and walked towards No. 6 Courtyard.
Gu Changsheng watched her walk into the courtyard and close the door before he pushed open the door of his own courtyard.
The yard is very small, with a wooden house, a well and an old tree.
It couldn't be simpler.
Gu Changsheng walked into the wooden house, threw the set of grey clothes in his hand onto the bed, and then sat down at the edge of the bed.
He closed his eyes.
Consciousness sinks into the body.
That vast power, like a starry sea, still flowed calmly, and at the very core of that power, a system interface emitting a faint golden light was suspended there.
Heavenly Way Mission System.
On the interface, a new line of text is currently being displayed:
[Detection of fluctuations in the aura related to the Heavenly Dao]
[Source: Individual "Lin Qiuyu"]
[Status: Ancient seal concealing, Dao Body not awakened]
[Relevance: Moderate]
[Suggestion: Continue to monitor]
Gu Changsheng opened his eyes.
Sure enough.
That Lin Q