"I...I don't know."

Lady Du smiled across the table at me, her red eyes soft. "That is all right. You do not have to know. But know that, should you choose to cultivate to immortality, you have my every blessing. If you do so, you will need to leave the Jade Heaven Sect, as the ancient sect laws state that any Jade Heaven cultivator who achieves immortality must leave to live a life of solitude. The mandate was created to ensure that any cultivator who achieved such a level truly deserved it and learned to understand the depths of their high cultivation. Though we must part if you reach such a level, if doing so is indeed what your heart and soul desire, I cannot stand in your way. My child, know that you are loved. Take this pendant as a reminder of everything I feel for you, Ah Yue. May it guide and protect you on your journey to immortality."

Wow. My eyes started to tear up, and water dripped down my cheeks. "Thanks...mother." Reverently, I took the ruby pendant Lady Du held out to me — the one she always wore to accent her stunning outfits and her godly eyes.

Later, I sat outside by the sparkling spiritual lake under the stars, staring at the pendant, which was beautiful.

Hmm...immortality.

I hadn't really thought about it. But...

Now that I had Lady Du's blessing...

Why not?

Why shouldn't I become an immortal cultivator in a couple years' time and head out into the world?

You know what? New goal (not that I had one before): become the most awesome immortal cultivator ever!

This was my second life, after all, and I'd happened to get an awesome draw so far (barring all that shit in the very beginning, cough).

I might as well make use of it.

----------------------------------------

Lady Du was right.

In just a couple more years, at the ripe age of fifteen...

I cultivated to immortality! WOO-HOO!

All it took was a lot of reading old, dusty books and practicing weird-ass obscure techniques until I knew practically every technique that was ever known within the Jade Heaven Sect. In my past life, learning that much would've been hell — I never would've crammed it in!

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

But in this life, I had raw talent. My scrawny body was just overflowing with spiritual qi!

So just like that, on one cloudy afternoon, when I was sitting out on a peak by myself and eating a mantou since all the other kids were freaking annoying, the clouds broke.

A heavenly light shone through, encasing me, and I lifted off my feet. My whole body trembled as it underwent a change—I'm telling you, it probably looked so freaking cool. Like, a fairytale or like I was becoming a god or something (which I basically was, heh).

By the time I was lowered back down onto the ground, I could feel that my body had totally changed. I looked down at my jade-lovely hands, and then I ran to the spiritual pond to see my face glowing with immortal beauty.

I...DID IT!

I WAS A FREAKING IMMORTAL CULTIVATOR NOW!!!!

FKJSHDFKJSHDKFHSDKJFHKSDJF!!!

I knew all about the "Jade Mandate", since I'd read pretty much every book in the Quiet Cloud Library by now. It stated that those who cultivated to immortality needed to leave the sect immediately to live out a life of travel and solitude in order to develop their dao further. Furthermore, they could not return to their own sect within one full mortal lifespan to prevent a sect bias leading to a power imbalance. It was a practice all throughout this xianxia world.

The Jade Heaven Sect had been my home for years now, and I'd experienced a lot of happiness here. Lady Du was like my home in herself. But also, the people here freaking sucked. Master Li Tian was a total asshole, and everyone else treated me like a total reject because I learned at a freakish speed. So getting out of here honestly didn't sound like a bad idea right now.

I went straight back to my room and packed up a little bag with a couple things and put on the ruby pendant from Lady Du. Then I went to say goodbye to the one person I cared about here.

Lady Du was finishing up taking care of some arguments in the main cultivation hall. As soon as she emerged, I stepped out of the bamboo trees and bowed to her.

"Mother — I have cultivated to immortality. I am leaving now. Thank you for everything you have given me over the years and for bringing me here with you. I wish you all the happiness and success in the world. Goodbye, Mother."

Lady Du looked like she was about to burst into tears for the first time ever in front of me. She put a hand gently on my shoulder, then suddenly pulled me into a hug for the first time that I could remember.

"Ah Yue, I am so proud of you. I have raised you to be strong and independent, and I know that you will succeed on your immortal journey. I love you with all my heart, and I will always be with you, even from a distance. Stay strong, remain true to your values and beliefs, and know that I believe in you. Follow your heart and trust your instincts, and you can never go wrong. I know that you are destined for greatness, and I will always be rooting for you from this point on. Goodbye, and good luck on your journey."

I grinned up at her. "Don't worry, Mother. I've got this."

She smiled down at me, casting me a wink. "I know. Be safe, Ah Yue. Cultivate your dao with care, my child. Good luck."

Those were the last words I ever heard from Lady Du. After that, I turned away, called my sword, Yun Yun Zhi Jiang (or Destiny Blade, whatever you like tbh), out of thin air, hopped on it, and rode away from the Jade Heaven Sect mountain, not to return for a very, very long time.

And here starts my life as an immortal cultivator in a xianxia world, in my second life.

Woo-hoo! Let's get this party started!