Hermit in the Mountains

As an orphan, Wang Bing'er naturally knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch. She also watched a lot of fantasy dramas and knew that the cultivation world had its own methods of testing disciples.

She knew she was just a lost soul, and now a highly skilled senior had taken a liking to her and wanted to take her as his disciple. No matter how difficult the test was, she had to give it her all.

Following the apprenticeship scene from the fantasy dramas she had watched, Wang Bing'er floated directly in front of Gu Changsheng and knelt down on the floor with a thud. She crossed her hands on the ground and slammed her forehead against the back of her hands, not raising her head for a long time.

Her tone was firm and resolute, filled with an indomitable spirit: "I am willing to accept the test from my seniors, and I will definitely pass all of their tests."

"Anyone can talk big, I only care about results." Gu Changsheng's tone was emotionless. "Get up and sit down."

Upon hearing this, Wang Bing'er's ferocious face revealed a long-lost smile. She sat up straight like an obedient girl, mimicking Gu Changsheng by sitting cross-legged with her body upright and head held high.

Gu Changsheng briefly introduced himself, "My name is Gu Changsheng, and I am the peak master of this Changsheng Peak. You can call me peak master before I become your disciple."

"Little Queen Bing'er greets Peak Master." Wang Bing'er immediately kowtowed and greeted him.

As a literature major graduate, she made sure to observe proper etiquette to leave a good impression on Gu Changsheng.

Gu Changsheng gently raised his right hand, and Wang Bing'er stopped halfway down. Then, a force straightened her body. "No need to kowtow all the time. Save it for when you pass the test and perform the apprenticeship ceremony for me."

"Let me first explain your current situation so you can have a clear understanding of yourself."

When he encounters a human who can communicate normally—well, not a human now, but a 'ghost'—he talks more.

Gu Changsheng first explained the revival of spiritual energy on Blue Star, how to absorb spiritual energy for cultivation, and briefly mentioned information about the National Spirit Bureau, ghosts, and zombies, giving Wang Bing'er a basic understanding of the current situation.

"Wang Bing'er, your current state is rather special. You are a vengeful ghost, yet you have retained your memories due to the protection of ghostly fortune."

"The wisp of ghostly luck and the nine strands of earthly virtue within you cannot protect you for a lifetime. Under the erosion of resentment, unwillingness, tragic death, and the obsession with revenge, these two forces will be gradually exhausted."

"Now you have three paths to choose from. The first is the path of the underworld, the path of ghosts. You are favored by the fortune of the ghost realm, so this is the best path to take."

"The underworld is the hell you are familiar with. It's a place where you cultivate from a wandering ghost and ascend step by step. But currently, there is no reincarnation or underworld on Earth."

"The second path is to follow the path of incense offerings and divine intervention, using the virtues of the earth to solidify a position as a local deity, choosing a place as your sanctuary, and enjoying the incense offerings to gradually elevate your divine status."

"The path of incense and deity worship is different from the Heavenly Court and deity worship depicted in movies, TV dramas, and novels, because there is no Heavenly Court on Earth now. You need to forge a new path of incense and deity worship yourself."

"The third principle is to abandon the luck of the ghost path and the virtue of the earth path, abandon everything and return to your true self. Take the yin energy in your body as the core and walk the path of yin. Cultivate, meditate and comprehend the path of yin every day. Improve your strength little by little through your own efforts. There are no shortcuts."

Wang Bing'er listened attentively like a good student, memorizing every word Gu Changsheng said.

Her understanding of cultivation came from fantasy dramas and novels, and she wasn't clear on the differences between the three paths. She decided to leave the choice to her future master. "Peak Master, I don't understand these things either. I'd like to ask, which path do you think has the best potential?"

"The Way of Taiyin," Gu Changsheng replied without hesitation, adding, "But choosing the Way of Taiyin carries the greatest risk. You need to abandon everything and start over, retaining only a trace of your true soul and a trace of Yin spirituality."

"An accident could happen at any time during this period, resulting in death and the extinction of one's spiritual essence, without even a chance for reincarnation, completely disappearing from this world."

Wang Bing'er's eyes sharpened, and she decisively made her choice: "Peak Master, I choose the Path of Taiyin."

"I've already died once, so I have nothing to fear and nothing to lose."

"I will control my own destiny, and no one will be able to bully me in the future."

After she finished speaking her harsh words, she suddenly looked up at Gu Changsheng and her tone suddenly became soft and sweet, with the shyness of a little girl, "Except, except for the Peak Master."

Gu Changsheng listened to Wang Bing'er's sincere and fierce vows, as well as her final act of coquetry.

She was obedient but not naive, and her personality had a ruthless edge. She also didn't have a saintly heart. He had already begun to accept her in his heart.

"This is a matter of life and death; once you've made your choice, there's no turning back. Are you sure about this?"

"I'm certain. Even if it means death, I will insist on following the Path of Yin." Wang Bing'er stated her stance immediately without any hesitation.

Gu Changsheng nodded. The Taiyin Path was related to his future plans. If Wang Bing'er did not choose this path, the matter of taking her as a disciple would be postponed indefinitely, leaving her on the mountain as an ordinary disciple, and he would not bestow upon her the 'Origin Dao Guide'.

He likes his apprentices who are clever, obedient, and know how to act cute and charming.

He selects disciples on the premise that they must be obedient and follow the path he has chosen, so that they can receive top-level Dao fortune in return.

It cannot provide him with top-tier cultivation resources, so it is not worth him expending the 'Origin Dao Guide'.

"The first test is that you must let go of all the injustices you suffered in your life, let go of the resentment and obsession with revenge in your heart, and eliminate the resentment within you."

Without offering any explanation, he stared intently at Wang Bing'er across from him and asked in a more forceful tone, "Can you do it?"

If Wang Bing'er is fixated on revenge and cannot let go of her obsession, thus giving rise to inner demons, she will inevitably do things that disobey his orders in the future.

This test will determine whether she can control her emotions.

He wasn't telling her to truly let go of her obsession with revenge, but rather to learn to recognize her own strength, transform her obsession into motivation for cultivation, and wait for the right opportunity to act, so that one day she could reclaim everything she had lost.

He could have wiped out the Yang family with a wave of his hand, but he didn't. Instead, he sent Zhang Tianhu to investigate and punish the Yang family through legal means.

Destroying the Yang family is easy, but it's not the goal. The Yang family needs to exist for now, to give Wang Bing'er a target for revenge and motivation for cultivation.

Therefore, it is not worthwhile to destroy the Yang family now. Excellent sailors cannot be trained on calm waters. It is better to keep them as a whetstone for Wang Bing'er.

The challenges of Wang Bing'er's birth fell on the Yang family.

Gu Changsheng thought about his first disciple, Earth Spirit Ginseng, and his future second disciple, Da Hong. He didn't know how long the former would be buried in the ground, and the latter was not suitable for being exposed to the world. Neither of them was presentable.

Wang Bing'er is different; she is human. As long as she passes the test and is given the "Origin Dao Guide," she will be able to form combat power in less than a hundred days.

Wang Bing'er, who specializes in the Yin Dao, is no weak fighter. Night falls, which is her domain. She can leave the mountain to carry out missions, and ordinary people and low-level cultivators cannot detect her presence at all.

Wang Bing'er kept the word "obedience" firmly in mind. She would never contradict the peak master's words or refuse his orders. She would do things first and ask questions if she didn't understand.

She raised her hands, gazing at the black resentment swirling around her arms. "Peak Master, what can I do to dispel the resentment within me?"