No wonder Chu Ning thought this way.
The demonic entity that had just been slain was infamous within a hundred-mile radius. Before this, it wasn’t as if no immortal masters had tried to eliminate it—some were even said to be elite disciples of major sects. Yet, not only had they failed to vanquish the evil, they had further enraged the monster, provoking it into slaughtering and blood-sacrificing the people within its territory.
Today, it had been this village’s turn.
And yet, such a terrifying demon had been effortlessly cut down by the eldest senior sister with a single sword strike.
Just imagining it made Chu Ning realize how formidable the sect’s overall strength must be. Even if she lacked knowledge in many areas, she understood the principle of “taking shelter under a big tree for shade.” How could she not be overjoyed?
Nan Gongling gave a slight nod, tacitly accepting the title of “eldest senior sister” and already considering the woman before her as half a member of their own.
“Let me make this clear—since you have no cultivation, even if I bring you back to the sect, you’ll have to start as an outer disciple at the lowest rank.”
She didn’t want to recruit someone only for them to immediately start throwing their weight around in the sect under her name.
“Senior Sister, rest assured. Chu Ning understands.”
The woman’s gaze was firm. Having experienced so much hardship, why would she ever want to bully others?
Right now, Chu Ning simply wanted to escape the life of an ordinary person.
If she entered the world of cultivators, maybe she’d finally seem ordinary—no longer standing out so much.
She had had enough of being treated like a freak.
Nan Gongling nodded, satisfied with her attitude, and took out a martial cultivator’s fitted outfit.
“This is the standard uniform issued by the sect. I’ve only worn it once, so it’s still new. Change into it—the material is special and more heat-resistant than ordinary clothing. As long as you’re careful, it shouldn’t burn.”
“Yes, thank you, Eldest Senior Sister.”
Chu Ning extended both hands and solemnly accepted it.
With a rustling of fabric, her exposed skin vanished beneath the garment as her entire presence transformed.
The fitted outfit naturally accentuated a heroic aura.
Now, worn on Chu Ning’s sun-kissed skin, the effect was extraordinary.
The narrow waist, cinched by the belt, emphasized her full curves.
A true celestial blossom.
Even Nan Gongling was stunned by her striking beauty.
There was a natural wild charm to her that suited the martial attire perfectly.
And her figure filled it out flawlessly.
Though Chu Ning was just an ordinary village girl, she had never lacked meat in her diet.
Her father had been a hunter, and even after living alone, she had devised her own method of luring beasts by using herself as bait.
Whenever she unleashed her innate ability, any beast that got close would have its brain scorched before its teeth could even sink into her.
A single bear or tiger could sustain her for a long time.
Coupled with her frequent treks through the mountains, her physique was far more robust than that of an average woman—better developed, more agile.
This was the first time Chu Ning had ever worn such fresh, fine clothing.
She couldn’t stop looking down at herself, running her hands over the fabric in delight, a radiant smile on her face.
She tugged at the slightly curled hem of her robe, then took a deep breath. After a moment, she frowned slightly and couldn’t help but say, “My… my chest feels a little tight.”
“…” Nan Gongling felt a pang of awkwardness—this was her fault.
“Once we return to the sect, you can get a new one for yourself.”
She had no intention of exposing her own shortcomings over such a trivial matter. Looking at the mature woman before her, who carried a hint of exotic charm, she suddenly thought of her age.
It seemed cultivation couldn’t be delayed any further.
Nan Gongling then asked, “What do you want to learn?”
Given her unique circumstances, if she practiced fire-attribute techniques, her progress would be twice as fast.
But the problem was, Nan Gongling knew little about such methods.
During her mission outside, she could only improvise for now—helping Chu Ning raise her cultivation first.
Elder Ji’s mastery of fire techniques was unparalleled, as was her alchemy.
Once they returned to the sect, she would seek her guidance.
Someone like Chu Ning might even have an innate talent for alchemy.
The growth of the Qinglian Sect always relied on fresh talent.
This had once been their master’s philosophy, but in recent years, she noticed the eldest senior brother had also begun focusing on the sect’s affairs.
Now, she had to do her utmost to assist him!
Without hesitation, Chu Ning answered, “Eldest Senior Sister, I want to learn swordsmanship.”
That single sword strike that had annihilated the demon was forever etched in her mind.
“Fine, then I’ll teach you swordsmanship.” Nan Gongling didn’t mind.
With a thought, she retrieved a longsword and a sword manual from her storage space and tossed them over.
“This is the Qinglian Sect’s foundational sword art. Take a look.”
“Yes!” Chu Ning eagerly accepted them, but her emotions were too intense—while the sword remained unharmed, the paper manual instantly burst into flames, turning to ash in seconds.
Nan Gongling nodded, even more convinced of her decision to take her in.
But Chu Ning was at a loss. “Ah… Eldest Senior Sister, this…”
“No matter. I’ll teach you those things myself when I have time.” Nan Gongling spoke calmly. Having previously instructed two junior sisters, she was now more confident in her teaching abilities.
She then summoned a broad flying sword designed for carrying passengers.
Though Nan Gongling could fly on her own, Chu Ning’s unique condition meant that enveloping her in spiritual energy would only result in her absorbing it.
Until they understood the specifics, she worried that random absorption might lead to chaotic spiritual energy within her, affecting her future cultivation.
Thus, she opted for the safer method.
“Get on. There are still two more demonic entities at the Nascent Soul realm. Once we slay them, we can return.”
Nan Gongling urged her on, as if these notorious demons were nothing but rotten cabbages.
Chu Ning, unaware of cultivation realms, didn’t realize the terrifying implications of her words.
She obediently stood at the back.
A ring of spiritual energy formed a protective barrier as the flying sword shot forward like a streak of light.