"So this is Yigou's grave?"

In the peach blossom forest of Peach Blossom Mountain, the thousand-year-old Peach Blossom Immortal, Tao Mian, stood beside a little girl whose head barely reached his thigh, in front of a mound.

The little girl's hair was a mess of braided pigtails, clearly the handiwork of someone inexperienced.

"You should call him Senior Brother Yigou." Tao Mian held a peach blossom branch in his hand, covered with pale pink flowers. He lightly tapped the girl's head with it, causing a few petals to gently fall.

The little girl still frowned, looking puzzled.

She had been standing there listening to stories for two hours, and whenever she tried to escape, Tao Mian would grab her head and pull her back, every single time. Who would have thought that when she first became Tao Mian's disciple, it was just for a meal.

"It's really hard to eat your rice."

"There's no such thing as a free lunch."

Tao Mian used the branch in his hand to dust off the tombstone, saying nothing.

After Gu Yuan's death, he wanted to bring his disciple's body back to Peach Blossom Mountain, but the people of the Cyan Vast Sect refused. Cheng Chi also came to persuade him, saying it was against the rules. Tao Mian argued, "What's against the rules? You worked my disciple to death, and now you want to keep him here to guard the mountain." Cheng Chi, sweating profusely, explained that it was the sect master's wish before he died.

Tao Mian didn't believe it, but Cheng Chi nodded vigorously, insisting it was true.

Gu Yuan, knowing he had failed Tao Mian's earnest teachings, felt too ashamed to face him again. He secretly left several estates and profitable shops to Tao Mian as retirement funds, ensuring he would be well provided for.

As for himself, he was buried in the Cyan Vast Sect. Gu Yuan didn't believe his sinful soul would have a next life. But he said if there was a next life, he hoped to reunite with Tao Mian.

These words were spoken by Gu Yuan during his final days of illness, relayed to Cheng Chi, who then passed them on.

At that time, Gu Yuan didn't know that the word "reunion" would trap Tao Mian for another thousand years, causing another person to waste a lifetime.

A master-disciple fallout.

Hearing these words, Tao Mian was naturally heartbroken. Cheng Chi, seeing this, wanted to say something comforting. Unexpectedly, Little Taoist Tao wiped his eyes and said, "Then can I cut off a leg to take back to Peach Blossom Mountain?"

Cheng Chi: ...?

He thought Tao Mian was joking and respectfully sent him back to Peach Blossom Mountain. Tao Mian, holding a stack of property deeds, drifted like a ghost from one end of the village to the other. The villagers thought the Peach Blossom Temple was finished and that Little Taoist Tao was going to return to secular life, so they all came to propose marriage.

Tao Mian was so frightened that he didn't leave his house for a month.

The first one is always different; Gu Yuan's death left Tao Mian unable to move on for many years. He wanted to take on another disciple to distract himself, but the system remained silent as before.

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Tao Mian thought, perhaps the time wasn't right.

The right time truly arrived after dozens of years.

Compared to his good brother, Cheng Chi was undoubtedly long-lived. That day, Tao Mian received an invitation to celebrate the Cyan Vast Sect master's eightieth birthday. Cheng Chi's intention was to get Tao Mian, the mountain dweller, to come out and walk around. Tao Mian also wanted to take this opportunity to see old friends, and a reunion was only natural.

The Cyan Vast Sect was now the number one sect in the world, continuing the glory from when the previous sect master, Gu Yuan, was in charge. For the sect master's birthday, various cultivation sects naturally prepared lavish gifts. Tao Mian wrote a letter, saying he was penniless, but if they were willing, he would let Cheng Chi manage one of his estates.

Cheng Chi saw through Tao Mian's intention to get free labor and said, "I don't want anything; just bring a peach blossom branch, Little Taoist Tao."

Tao Mian was a straightforward person; besides himself and a peach blossom branch, he brought nothing extra. Sect Master Cheng had to personally greet him at the mountain gate and entertain him with good food and drink.

Within the sect, rumors spread that Tao Mian might be the sect master's illegitimate child.

Tao Mian thought, that would be great, and he brought up the matter of inheriting the sect with Cheng Chi overnight.

Cheng Chi almost didn't live to see his eightieth birthday.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and flowing lights, Cheng Chi, with drunken eyes, raised his cup to toast his old friend from afar, saying to Tao Mian on his right, "I'm old, but Little Taoist Tao is still Little Taoist Tao."

The wine at the banquet was sweet, and Tao Mian couldn't help but indulge. He clung to the wine pot, vaguely hearing Sect Master Cheng's sigh.

Tao Mian widened his eyes, trying hard to find the shadow of the young and reckless man from the gray-haired elder before him.

He said, "You haven't aged, and neither has Gu Yuan. In my heart, you are forever youthful and spirited."

The Peach Blossom Immortal tapped his own forehead with his index finger.

Cheng Chi laughed heartily, pretending to casually wipe the moisture from the corners of his eyes. Everyone thought the sect master and Little Taoist Tao were having a great conversation, and the banquet became even more lively and warm. Only Tao Mian slowly put down the wine pot.

Sect Master Cheng passed away a year after his grand birthday. After the great joy came great mourning, and the sect was in turmoil. Fortunately, Cheng Chi had made arrangements. A sect master's decree changed a young man's life.

Cheng Chi was also buried in the sect, next to the former sect master, Gu Yuan. The day after the burial, people found a bright peach blossom in front of each tombstone.

It was three days after Sect Master Cheng's burial that Tao Mian met Lu Yuandi.

***

Twenty years later, the name Lu Yuandi would resound throughout the human realm. As a generation's empress, her beauty and power attracted countless admirers. She never married and never expressed her feelings to anyone, leading the world to believe she was solely devoted to the Dao, severing all emotions.

Only in her final moments did she use a piece of flower branch to write on a stone wall—"From now on, no more longing."

Who she longed for became a mystery, disappearing with her remains.

***

Of course, the current Lu Yuandi was just a little thief caught stealing chickens by Tao Mian and forced to stay on Peach Blossom Mountain to do hard labor.

Initially, Tao Mian had no thoughts about Lu Yuandi. If she hadn't insisted on stealing Wu Changzai—the six-hundred-year-old black chicken—from the coop, Tao Mian wouldn't have tied her up and hung her upside down.

After a verbal reprimand, Tao Mian untied the rope, ready to let the little girl go.

The system, which had been silent for decades, suddenly came online.

[Detected a human with disciple potential, less than ten steps away from the host.]

...Ten steps?

Tao Mian took a swift step forward, heading straight for Lu Yuandi.

Lu Yuandi, stretching her shoulders, was shocked. What was this person doing?

"If you apologize to me, then I might reluctantly..."

Before Lu Yuandi could finish her sentence, she saw Tao Mian bend down and hug Wu Changzai at her feet, tears welling up.

"Wu Changzai! You really are my next disciple! Don't worry, as your master, I will spare no effort to train you into the most successful Chicken Fairy in a hundred miles!"

Lu Yuandi: ?

System: ...

[Reminder to the host, due to level restrictions, non-human disciple training is not yet available.]

[Congratulations to the host, you have obtained your second disciple.]

[Disciple Name: Lu Yuandi]

[Background: Descendant of the previous dynasty's royal family.]

[Qualification: High-Grade Wind Spiritual Root.]

[Background: Lu Yuandi is the legitimate daughter of the previous dynasty's emperor, Lu Fang. General Li Li usurped power, supported a puppet, and changed the country's name. Lu Yuandi's father and brothers were all slaughtered.

Empress Xu entrusted her to a nanny, who fled with the Eldest Princess Lu Yuandi. During the war, the nanny and Lu Yuandi were separated, and Lu Yuandi was later adopted by an old beggar.

The old beggar unfortunately passed away, and Lu Yuandi wandered to Peach Blossom Mountain.]

[The above is the introduction of the disciple "Lu Yuandi." Please nurture her carefully, host.]

[Congratulations to the host for unlocking rewards: "Feilian Sword Technique" *1, "Rain-Condensing Technique" *1, "God-Beating Whip Technique" *1.]

So the disciple was Lu Yuandi.

Seeing Tao Mian's undisguised disappointment, Lu Yuandi was so angry she jumped.

"Although I don't understand what kind of madness you're having, I have a strong feeling of being underestimated."

Tao Mian wore a long face.

"Your feeling is spot on."

"What?! You really..."

"Alright, Er Ya," Tao Mian patted the little girl's head, calming her down. "Let me tell you some good news, don't get too excited. From today on, you are my second disciple."

"I'm not called Er Ya! I have a name! I'm Lu Yuandi!"

"Alright, Lu Erya."

"..."

Lu Yuandi was angry, but she was clear-headed. Although she didn't know what this disciple business was about, having a place to freeload meals was a good deal she couldn't refuse.

"Does being your disciple include food and lodging?"

"Of course. Natural mountain scenery, green waters nearby. Five-star treatment, noble enjoyment."

"You sound like you're lying..."

"Nonsense. I'm Tao Mian, a man who stands tall and never lies to children."