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The old man smiled and asked her, "Little girl, would you like to be my apprentice?"
Yingchun was taken aback. "Isn't that why I came here, to be an apprentice?"
A nearby servant grew anxious. Being an apprentice usually meant doing menial tasks at the pharmacy, but if she became the disciple of a Cloud Palace elder, she would be a true disciple of the Cloud Palace—a position many cultivators sought but could not attain. He looked on nervously, fearing that this golden opportunity might slip away.
"Hey, little girl, being an apprentice is not the same as being just any disciple. If the elder is willing to take you as his apprentice, that's a tremendous blessing! You should thank him quickly!"
Upon hearing this, Yingchun hurriedly knelt down, but the old man immediately helped her up.
"There's no rush; we can't be careless about this apprenticeship."
Yingchun hesitantly asked, "Master, does that mean I can stay by your side from now on?"
"Of course! You'll live in the Cloud Palace with me from now on. However, I need to visit your parents first and get their consent."
"This is under the Cloud Palace; if any bad rumors spread, it wouldn't be good in the end."
"My dear apprentice, let’s go meet your parents first."
"Elder, why aren’t you leading the way?"
Yingchun twisted her clothes nervously, feeling anxious. She was afraid that her secret might be exposed. Suddenly biting her lip, she wiped her eyes and two hot tears rolled down her cheeks.
She cried pitifully, "My father has passed away. My mother doesn’t want me anymore since she had my little brother. I have no family left, which is why I came to the pharmacy looking for work."
Her sobs were truly heart-wrenching, making the three of them feel a pang of sympathy. Even the servant who had splashed water on her earlier couldn’t help but feel remorseful.
"What kind of situation is this?"
The old man’s expression softened with compassion. However, he still said, "They are your biological parents after all. No matter how poorly your mother treats you, she did give birth to you. If I’m going to take you away, I still need to inform her."
Yingchun clutched at the old man's pant leg and cried out loud. "Master, my mother has kicked me out! She doesn’t recognize me as her daughter anymore and says it’s none of her business whether I live or die outside! I don’t want to acknowledge her!"
"Master, I don’t want to go! I’m afraid of her; she always hits me!"
Yingchun rolled up her sleeve to reveal her arm, where a patch of skin was uneven and scarred.
"Master, look! This is from last winter when my mother splashed hot oil on me."
Last winter, Mother fried some meatballs, allowing only my younger brother to eat them. The aroma of the meat was irresistible, and I couldn't help but sneak a small taste. When Mother discovered my transgression, she grabbed me by the collar and scolded me harshly, claiming that my greed needed to be dealt with properly. She forced me to drink hot oil as punishment.
I struggled desperately, accidentally knocking over a porcelain bowl, which left a large burn scar on my forearm. As I finished recounting my tale, I noticed the sympathy in the eyes of those around me deepening.
The servant who had been splashing water couldn't hold back any longer. "Elder," he said, "this mother is truly heartless. She doesn't treat her child like a human being and even drove her away. Why must you seek her consent?"
In my opinion, even if you went to her, she wouldn't care; she might even sell her daughter and extort a hefty sum of spirit stones from you.
Tears welled up in Yingchun's eyes as she nodded vigorously. "Master, I have nothing to do with her anymore. Please have mercy on me and don’t take me to see her again; I’m terrified just at the thought."
Having heard this, the old man sighed softly and could only agree. "Since your mother has abandoned you, from now on you shall have no family. You will stay with me in the Cloud Palace and focus on your cultivation."
"Yes, Master."
The next day, halfway up Misty Mountain, Qi Xiao and Ji Linglong waited for a long time before they finally saw a young man riding a sword emerge from the clouds and mist. He spun in the air several times, almost creating a spectacle before finally landing gracefully before them.
"Xiao Yu greets you," he said with a bow.
Dressed in a brocade robe with a golden crown embedded with jade, he exuded an air of arrogance and nobility. As he bowed, his jaw was clenched tightly, and he slightly raised his chin, resembling a peacock displaying its feathers.
After giving Qi Xiao a perfunctory greeting, he turned to Ji Linglong with a friendly smile. "Miss Ji, what brings you to seek me today?"
Ji Linglong raised an eyebrow and shot Qi Xiao a triumphant glance. She cleared her throat twice and deliberately softened her voice to sound delicate. "Qiao Zi, I've thought it over; what you said the other day made sense. Would it be possible for us to rent a disciple's jade token?"
"Oh? Miss Ji," he replied with feigned surprise, "isn't it a pity for someone with your talent to rent a jade token? Soon, the Cloud Palace will officially begin recruiting students. Why not participate directly in the selection process?"
He cleared his throat and puffed out his chest proudly. "I have some connections with the elder responsible for recruiting outer disciples; I can ensure your entry into the Cloud Palace. Who knows? I might even recommend you for work in another hall."
"If you're lucky enough to catch the eye of an elder from one of those halls, you'll soar to great heights."
"Are you really going to join the Cloud Palace and meet those elders?"
Ji Linglong shivered at the thought, shaking her head repeatedly. "Qiaozi, that's a discussion for another time. We just want to experience the Cloud Palace first. As for everything else, we can talk about it later."
Qiao Yu furrowed his brow. "Why? Miss Ji, we've known each other for quite some time. Your skills are exceptional; you could easily become a personal disciple."
"If you were to rent a disciple's jade token now, it wouldn't look good if you actually entered later on," he continued. "This business isn't exactly legitimate in the Cloud Palace; only those with little talent would choose such a path. If you were to become a personal disciple later and someone recognized you, it would be quite embarrassing. The elder who took you as a disciple would also feel ashamed."
After careful consideration, he concluded that if there was a grand opportunity ahead, there was no need to create trouble for oneself.
Ji Linglong found herself at a loss for words, unable to come up with an excuse. She seized the moment and cast a somewhat resentful and pleading glance at Qi Xiao.
This person just stood by and watched the drama unfold!
Qi Xiao rubbed his nose, pondering for a moment before covering his mouth and coughing softly, speaking in a low voice. "To be honest, she doesn’t want to join the Cloud Palace because of me."
"That's right!" Ji Linglong nodded vigorously, then suddenly turned her head back with wide eyes.
Qiao Yu was taken aback. He looked from Ji Linglong to Qi Xiao, his expression frozen in shock as if struck by lightning. "You two..."
Qi Xiao could only endure Ji Linglong's almost murderous glare and nodded sheepishly. "Yes, that's what you think."
Qiao Yu's demeanor wilted as if his soul had been drained away. He didn't want to believe it, but the truth was laid out so plainly that he had no choice but to accept it.
With one last flicker of hope, he turned to Ji Linglong. "Miss Ji, is what he said true?"
Ji Linglong gritted her teeth as if she had swallowed ten green flies. "I've known him for a long time; we've developed feelings for each other. Unfortunately, his talent is too poor to be accepted by any sect. He fears that I might drift further away, so he can only tie me down like this."
Moreover, I promised him that I wouldn't go anywhere else but by his side.
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