Chapter Fifteen: The Monster That Sneaked Up the Mountain

Had I known things would come to this, why did I make those choices in the beginning! Shaking my head with a sigh, I fished a few more lotus seeds from my pocket, peeled them, and ate them; their flavor was truly exquisite. If, in this matter of seeking a master, one must offer precious gifts to bribe Zilian, I confess I am unsure. In a while, when I plead to become his disciple, if I offer these few lotus seeds as a bribe, I wonder if he would let me pass and accept me as his student.

As I neared the mountain’s peak, the steps were slick with dampness. Fortunately, the stairs were made of wooden planks, and most of the rain and dew had already dripped away through the cracks, so no puddles had formed, making this ascent to the immortal mountain somewhat easier.

Beyond the wooden railing, beside the steps, knee-high green grass grew thickly, its blades adorned with tiny droplets of water. A gentle breeze stirred, causing the droplets to slide lightly along the leaves, sparkling and swaying at the tips, as if they might tumble off at any moment.

Mist curled around my knees, and I felt as though I had crossed from the mortal world into a realm of immortals. There were few people on the stairs ahead, and glancing back, I saw only a handful of others come to seek apprenticeship. It seemed that my chances today were rather good, and this realization filled me with a smug satisfaction.

But when I reached the mountaintop, standing before the doors of the Ziwei Palace, I discovered it was not that few had come—rather, those who should come had long since arrived, and I was among the last to make it.

Outside the palace, the ground was crowded with people, sprawled as if just roused from sleep, clustered in small groups, clutching their bundles tightly to their chests, their faces marked by exhaustion and drowsiness.

Clearly, these people had arrived before dawn and, with the apprenticeship ceremony yet to begin, were now napping outside the palace gates.

I approached and tapped a burly middle-aged man on the shoulder. His eyes flew open, and he turned to me with a wary expression. “What do you want?”

He shoved the small bundle in his arms closer to his chest, eyeing me as if I were a thief.

This was quite a blow to my self-esteem. I chuckled awkwardly and pointed at the tightly shut palace doors. “Do you happen to know when the ceremony will begin?”

The man scrutinized me from head to toe with a critical gaze, his thick brows furrowing. “It’s still early. If you want to be the disciple of an immortal, you need patience. Young people like you—why not stay at home instead of coming here for this?”

With a heavy grunt, he promptly returned to his snoring.

I gave an embarrassed smile, wandered over to the steps, and found a spot beneath the shade to sit. Surveying the scene, I saw that there really were quite a few people here today—if not a thousand, then at least eight hundred. Had the staircase not been so long, even more would likely have come.

Suddenly, the sound of gongs and drums rang out, mingled with the music of zithers and lutes, drifting from the direction of the palace doors.

Those reclining on the ground sprang to their feet and surged toward the palace gates. Being slow to react, I resigned myself to my fate and stood on the steps, craning my neck to peer at the entrance.

A girl of about sixteen stepped from the palace. She wore a light blue gauze robe embroidered with butterflies, a white inner garment beneath, her bangs cut straight across her brows, below which shone a pair of bright eyes, a delicate nose, and pale pink lips.

“What a beautiful girl—immortals truly are different,” the man before me sighed in admiration.

Beautiful? I found it rather amusing. At best, she was a charming maiden; compared to legendary beauties who could shame the moon and flowers, she fell far short.

“It’s been over two hundred years—why is Yunxiang Moryu still on this mountain?” someone muttered.

Over two hundred years? Who on earth came up with that? I turned to look and saw it was a loach spirit who had cultivated for less than five centuries. Though we were both of the water element, seeing him here brought me no joy.

He was a minor demon, yet to reach five hundred years of cultivation. I guessed that before he could even approach Zilian, these cultivators would see through his disguise and drive him from the mountain.

Ah, such a pitiful fate! I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Whether he would end up steamed, stir-fried, or braised was no concern of mine.

“The Sect Master is arriving,” Yunxiang Moryu announced softly, her voice gentle and pleasing to the ear.