Dual cultivation makes you stronger, everyone else is a prodigy, and I'm the only one slacking

Shi Shangxu was successfully selected for the inner sect, and Yu Luoning also entered the outer sect as a relative.

The dust has settled.

Shi Shangxu did not rush to report to the inner sect, but instead sent Yu Luoning to the outer sect.

The two walked on the bluestone path, with tall ancient pines on both sides. The sunlight cut the shadows of the trees into fine spots, which sprinkled on Yu Luoning's face.

The scenery was beautiful, but she wasn't in a good mood.

Shi Shangxu walked beside her, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, "You recorded that recording stone a long time ago?"

"Um."

"I didn't expect to need this. I'm just doing it in case. Besides, didn't my cousin tell me to stay away from that Jiang guy? He's dangerous, so I'm being extra careful."

Shi Shangxu was silent for a moment, then turned to look at her, his voice lower, "...I'm sorry."

Yu Luoning stopped and turned to look at him. The boy's eyes and brows looked somewhat gloomy in the shadows of the trees.

Yu Luoning suddenly laughed, "I called you cousin, and you actually think of yourself as my cousin?"

Shi Shangxu raised his eyes.

Yu Luoning: "It's not your fault. On the contrary, it's me who shamelessly tried to get close to you. So there's no need for me to apologize."

The boy spoke, his voice still clear and gentle, "Once I accepted you as my cousin, we were considered...family. You were entangled with him, and I was powerless to help you; this is my dereliction of duty."

Shi Shangxu clenched his fist, suppressing his anger.

Yu Luoning suddenly laughed, the sunlight falling on her clear eyes, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

Cousin? Relative?

"If you keep taking on responsibilities like this, you'll live a very tiring life."

Yu Luoning took a step closer, and their eyes met.

She said, "Remember, it's not your responsibility. On the contrary, I'm very grateful to you. Without your help, I don't know when I'd ever be able to join the Dongbao Sect."

Shi Shangxu chuckled softly: "With your abilities, you'll be able to get in within a few years."

Yu Luoning pouted: "That's different. I don't want to be observed for five years like you."

The two walked forward side by side again.

The disciple in charge of recording took the jade slip handed over by Shi Shangxu, lowered his head to register, and casually asked a question.

"Luoning?"

The disciple raised his eyes, sized up Yu Luoning, and smirked, "So you're the one Jiang Yuxing has his eye on?"

The relatives and friends around them who were receiving tokens all turned around and their eyes fell on Yu Luoning.

"With such outstanding looks, it's no wonder she was chosen."

"Hey, tell me, is Senior Sister Su prettier, or is she prettier?"

"Of course it's our Senior Sister Su."

"Senior Sister Su is from heaven, this one is from earth, they're different..."

Shi Shangxu's gaze turned cold. He picked up the token, stepped aside to block Yu Luoning, and said calmly, "Let's go."

Yu Luoning followed without saying a word.

After asking several people and going through many twists and turns, the two finally found the family compound to which they belonged.

The relatives' quarters were built along the mountainside. The terrain was not flat. All the flat areas were planted with medicinal herbs, leaving only rows of small houses scattered on the undulating hillsides.

Yu Luoning looked around. The courtyards were very close together, and she could hear the neighbors talking.

She frowned slightly.

I don't really want to live so close to other people.

Several families already lived nearby, and when they saw them coming, they all stopped what they were doing and looked at the two newcomers.

One of the older women stepped forward and greeted her warmly, "New here?"

"Yes," Yu Luoning nodded. "Hello, my name is Luoning, this is my cousin, an inner disciple."

The old woman's eyes lit up, and she looked Shi Shangxu up and down. "I knew it! Just by looking at your cousin's demeanor, I knew he must have been the top performer in this year's inner disciple assessment, right?"

Yu Luoning was slightly taken aback.

The old woman explained with a smile, "Otherwise, I wouldn't have been assigned here. This is the closest family quarters to the inner gate, and it's one room per person. Ordinary relatives can't live here."

Yu Luoning then inquired further and learned that the inner peaks of the Dongbao Upper Sect almost monopolized the spiritual energy of the entire Heavenly Book Mountain Range.

The closer you are to the inner sect, the more abundant the spiritual energy will be. The further you go, the thinner the spiritual energy becomes, and the slower your cultivation speed will be.

She looked down at her feet and sensed the concentration of spiritual energy around her.

It is indeed much better than outside.

Shi Shangxu won first place, and she benefited from it.

Another favor I owe has been added to my list.

Shi Shangxu, standing beside her, didn't know what she was thinking. He simply handed her the token and said, "Settle down first. I'm going to report to the inner sect."

Yu Luoning took the token, looked up at him, and said, "Go, cousin."

Shi Shangxu hummed in agreement, turned around, took a few steps, then stopped and suddenly turned back:

"If you need anything, just let me know."

Yu Luoning didn't say anything, she just waved her hand.

She really wanted to cultivate with Shi Shangxu to improve her cultivation level.

But the other party had already confined her to the identity of her cousin.

She stood at the courtyard gate, watching his back walk away, turn the corner, and disappear behind the ancient pine tree.

The old lady, who was watching this scene from the side, said with a smile, "Your cousin is quite good to you."

Yu Luoning looked away and casually said, "It's alright."

She pushed open the courtyard gate, went inside, and put the token away.

The treasure-hunting mouse poked its head out of the small bag, its pink nose twitched, it sniffed around, and its eyes lit up instantly:

"Master, the spiritual energy here is so strong!"

"Okay." Yu Luoning looked around the courtyard. "Let's settle in first, get familiar with the environment, and then go earn contribution points."

Treasure-hunting Mouse: "The mouse can help find treasure."

"I know." She looked down at it. "You should rest for a while and not run around. The strength of the cultivators here is incomparable to that of Phoenix Perch Town. If someone takes a liking to you and tries to seize you by force, I won't be able to save you."

The mouse nodded, smelled the scent of its treasure, and dared not run away for the time being.

Yu Luoning pushed open the door and went inside.

The house was small but clean, and a corner of an ancient pine tree could be seen from the window. The wind blew in, carrying a faint fragrance of medicinal herbs.

She leaned against the headboard and closed her eyes.

So much happened today.

She needs to think about what to do next.

Early the next morning, Yu Luoning began to wander aimlessly around the outer gate, ostensibly to familiarize himself with the environment, but in reality to gather information.

She descended several small slopes and found that the further down she went, the more dilapidated the courtyard became, and the detached house had turned into a large courtyard shared by several families.

They lived in more remote, lower-lying areas, and even built shacks where more than a dozen people squeezed together.

Yu Luoning was shocked.

Isn't an inner disciple only allowed to bring one to three relatives? Why are there so many?

She struck up a conversation with a seemingly easy-going older woman and learned that this area wasn't just inhabited by relatives; further down the street lived a large number of menial laborers.

For a sect to function, there are always some odd jobs that those in power cannot do personally. Their relatives and friends also have status and position, so they would never do dirty or tiring work. Thus, there are some people at the bottom who come to make a living, doing the lowest-level jobs and receiving the fewest contribution points.

This reminded Yu Luoning of her relatives from her previous life.

Some relatives went abroad to work, doing low-end jobs like washing dishes and cleaning toilets. They were hardworking and saved all the money they earned, sending it back to China.

That's how her father started his business.

Yu Luoning always felt a certain inexplicable kindness and respect for people who worked so hard to make a living.

After walking for a long time, she finally saw the canteen on a flat area.

This is where outer disciples and their relatives eat. The communal meals consist entirely of spirit grains mixed with ordinary grains.

Yu Luoning silently commented in her heart, "It's not any better than the aristocratic families!"

Or perhaps her expectations for Dongbao Upper Sect were too high, because the place was full of spiritual energy and herbs, and everyone had a celestial sword.

For the first seven days, Yu Luoning familiarized himself with the environment, inquired about the rules, and also figured out where to accept missions and how to earn contribution points.

At the same time, she also figured out the rules of survival here: the sect does not support idlers.

To continue living here, you need to pay a certain number of contribution points every month. If you can't pay them, you will be kicked out, even if you are a relative.

She didn't see Shi Shangxu during those seven days, but she did run into Mo Fei and Lu Mingyu.

However, their place was quite far away, and it took them about half an hour to walk there.

Of course, if the group reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, these distances are no problem at all; they can reach their destination in the blink of an eye by simply applying a Lightness Talisman.

However, this place is a small-scale society based on personal connections, with many rules that seem a bit inexplicable. Some roads are off-limits, and you can only take designated routes.

Using the Lightness Talisman made me travel too fast on the road, and those so-called seniors started to make things difficult for me.

The inner disciples were meek and submissive, but once they reached the outer disciples, they became arrogant and haughty, as if they wanted to vent their anger on the inner disciples elsewhere.

Even though they've cultivated immortality, they still can't get rid of their humanity.

Yu Luoning also experienced it firsthand during her first few days there.