A Mortal's Journey to Immortality

Zhou Ping quietly packed her belongings, glanced at the familiar room, and felt a pang of reluctance in her heart.

He had lived here for several months and was already familiar with every wall and tile. Now that he was leaving, he couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

Outside Zhou Ping's house in Hsinchu, a plump and beautiful woman waited quietly.

This woman's name is Jin Yan. She comes from the Jin clan and is the Jin clan elder responsible for guiding Zhou Ping. From the first moment he saw her, Zhou Ping was deeply shocked by this mature and beautiful woman in front of him.

He had never seen such a beautiful woman in his life. Even the most beautiful woman in Qingyang Town would pale in comparison.

After arriving at Songzhu Peak, Jin Yan did not exchange many pleasantries with the various high-ranking members of Qingzhu Sect. After confirming that Zhou Ping's background was clean, she took him directly back to Xinzhu Courtyard to pack his belongings.

"Little Zhou, do you need any help from your older sister?"

A lazy voice rang out, and Jin Yan looked at the boy in the room and asked with a smile.

"No... I wouldn't dare trouble Elder Jin!"

Zhou Ping blushed as he answered, recalling the mature beauty of the woman outside the door, whose every smile and gesture stirred a strange feeling within him.

This kind of allure is like poison to teenagers in the throes of puberty.

"Just take your most important belongings; everything else, including valuables, is readily available in the mountains."

As if sensing Zhou Ping's embarrassment, Jin Yan smiled and felt a surge of curiosity about the young boy.

If this child can master the Qingyuan Technique, which has troubled the entire clan for over a hundred years, he will surely become a highly sought-after member of the Jin Clan.

She paid a considerable price to secure this mission, and it was thanks to the secret help of her elder brother, the clan leader, that she was able to stand out from many competitors.

The Qingyuan Gong is related to the fate of the entire clan. If they can capture this young man in advance, it will be of great importance to their complete control of the Jin clan in the future.

Zhou Ping was unaware that in just a moment, the beautiful woman outside the door had already regarded him as her prey and would not allow anyone else to touch him.

He glanced at the now empty room, slung his packed bag over his shoulder, and before leaving, he subtly glanced under the bed before turning and walking out without looking back.

He didn't take the mysterious "iron nail" with him, but kept it hidden under the bed. He knew nothing about it now, and it was useless to him to carry it with him.

When he arrived at the Jin tribe, there were many eyes and ears around, and he was discovered. He realized that he could not protect such a rare item, so he decided to continue hiding it here.

After I leave, this place will be vacant like the other houses. I'll come back and take it back when I've established myself.

Jin Yan looked at the plain-looking boy in front of her, her gaze lingering on his slightly dark face, and a sense of regret welled up in her heart.

If only he were more handsome...

Along the way, Zhou Ping followed behind Jin Yan with his head down. Her slender waist and plump, rounded hips swayed back and forth, making the young man's face burn and his gaze waver, unsure of where to look.

Fortunately, this awkward situation did not last long. The two arrived at a magnificent carriage and got in one after the other.

The faint fragrance inside the car calmed Zhou Ping's restless heart, but he still looked reserved, his eyes fixed on his toes, appearing somewhat uneasy.

Jin Yan didn't seem to care at all. She leaned lazily against the soft, fragrant couch, her graceful and voluptuous curves on full display. She rested her chin on her hand, gazing absently at the boy so close to her, lost in thought.

The mountains they were referring to were actually the territory of the Jin tribe.

Between Songzhushan and another mountain range lies a valley shrouded in mist. The terrain here is flat and secluded, with the surrounding mountains and valleys forming a natural barrier.

To enter this place, one must pass through Songzhu Mountain, which is guarded by the Qingzhu Sect; there is no other way.

This is also the fundamental reason why the Jin Clan established the Green Bamboo Sect: to cultivate a reliable force to guard the mountain gate and ensure that the clan would have no worries about the future.

The carriage traveled along the flat road for about an hour and a half, and Zhou Ping secretly glanced at the surroundings outside the window out of the corner of his eye.

He noticed that the view outside the window, which had been shrouded in mist all the way, was gradually becoming clearer, and his vision was becoming more and more distant.

To Zhou Ping's surprise, on one side of the carriage was a bottomless cliff, and on the other side were towering, continuous mountains.

The carriage was traveling steadily and slowly along the only narrow cliffside path.

Just as Zhou Ping was secretly alarmed, the mountains on one side quickly became lower and disappeared in a short while, and a vast, flat valley appeared in his eyes.

Exquisite buildings are nestled among the buildings, and at a glance, its scale is comparable to that of Qingyang Town.

"Little Brother Zhou, we've arrived at Jinyuan. Let me show you around. After you're settled in, we'll go see the old folks in the clan tomorrow."

Jin Yan stretched, patted Zhou Ping on the shoulder, and stepped off the carriage first.

Zhou Ping followed her to the gate of Jinyuan, where a young man walked out. Judging from his attire, he seemed to be a guard.

He bowed to Jin Yan and then took the package from Zhou Ping's hands.

"Don't worry, it's just a routine check. Someone will deliver it to your residence shortly."

Seeing Zhou Ping's tense expression, Jin Yan explained softly.

The two continued on their way until they came to a deserted courtyard. The houses inside were all built of bamboo, and there were few other houses around, creating a quiet and secluded environment.

Under Jin Yan's guidance, Zhou Ping chose one of the bamboo houses as his future residence.

He learned from Jin Yan that this was Cuifeng Villa, and no one else lived there, so there was no need to worry about being disturbed.

After settling Zhou Ping in, Jin Yan covered her mouth and yawned, her beautiful eyes lingering on him for a moment before she left with a smile.

Before leaving, she reminded him that the courtyard closest to Cuifeng Villa was her residence, and that he could go there to ask her for help if he encountered any difficulties in the future.

Cuifeng Villa is located on the edge of Jinyuan Garden, very close to the foot of the mountain. The verdant peaks in the distance completely block out the view of the area, leaving no gaps except for the path leading to the central area of ​​Jinyuan Garden.

Zhou Ping accepted the bundle and two sets of fine clothes brought by the servant, secretly rejoicing. If he had brought the "iron nail" here, it would probably have been taken away by the Jin clan by now.

He held the clothes brought to him by the servant in his hands, examining them closely. The soft, silky texture and exquisite craftsmanship made him sigh in admiration.

What if I get such expensive clothes dirty?

Zhou Ping carefully put it away, then turned around and sat cross-legged on the soft bed. In order to calm his mind, he forced himself to practice the Qingyuan Gong.

The Azure Origin True Qi circulated through his meridians again and again, bringing a cool sensation and gradually restoring clarity to his mind.

Recalling the various scenes he had encountered today, Zhou Ping, after his initial excitement, began to ponder for a long time.

Not long after leaving Tianzhu Palace today, I met Elder Ma, who had come to congratulate me, in a side hall.

The other party's seemingly casual words made him sense something unusual, and immediately brought Zhou Ping, who was feeling a bit cocky, back to his senses.

Ma Liuyun first congratulated him on becoming a formal disciple, and then earnestly advised him to guard against arrogance and impetuosity, and to prioritize cultivation.

They also said that the Golden Clan is different from the outer sect, and once you enter, you must be careful with your words and actions and be more cautious, otherwise you will inevitably bring trouble upon yourself!

If they hadn't only met once, Zhou Ping would have even felt that he was more like one of his closest relatives.

Its seemingly casual remarks actually contain a subtle warning.

Zhou Ping was puzzled. The Green Bamboo Sect and the Golden Clan were originally one, so why did Ma Liuyun's words make him secretly wary of the Golden Clan, whom he had not yet come into contact with?

Finally, he awkwardly told Zhou Ping that his identity as "Carefree Boy" was due to him.

In order to improve the image of the Weapon Pavilion within the Green Bamboo Gate, this plan was devised for Yuan Tianjun.

It was precisely because of this that Zhou Ping, by a twist of fate, focused his early cultivation on the Qingyuan Technique, thus foreshadowing the various circumstances that followed.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ping didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The other party's seemingly casual guidance had completely disrupted his cultivation plan after entering the sect.