Chapter 1, The Sloppy Daoist (Part 2)

In the town, there is a well-known matchmaker named Liu Gu. Last night, I went to her home and mentioned her marriage proposal to her mother. The family proposing was none other than Jiao Fei's mother. At that time, her mother readily agreed, while Liu Gu herself blushed and hid in the inner room, listening intently. Jiao Fei is clever and quick-witted, and has always had a good reputation. Lin Xiaolian herself is somewhat inclined towards him. Today, when she unexpectedly encountered Jiao Fei, Lin Xiaolian couldn't help but think shyly: "I wonder if Aunt Jiao has mentioned the marriage proposal to him! Is he intentionally trying to bump into me today? Or does he have some other intention? Could it be that he is not satisfied with my appearance or my embroidery skills?"

The two women in white, the older one had eyebrows that arched elegantly, with phoenix-like eyes that exuded authority. A slender short sword was sheathed at her waist, and although she spoke to Lin Xiaolian in a gentle and amiable manner, an aura of power surrounded her, causing several ruffians in the town to hesitate in approaching. The younger one bore a faintly lazy and weary expression, yet when her eyes occasionally swept across the room, they revealed an unexpected brightness. Jiao Fei felt a shiver at the sight, as if gazing at the stars on a deep night, realizing that even they could not compare.

Meng Tianzhu comforted Jiao Fei with a few words and then sent him away

Jiao Fei, fearing that the entanglement would lead to displeasure from the two women, could only leave reluctantly

Lin Xiaolian's thoughts were entirely focused on Jiao Fei. This usually sharp-tongued girl had not noticed the unusual attitudes of the two women at all. However, Jiao Fei had long sensed that these two women were peculiar. Upon hearing this remark, she secretly categorized them alongside that disheveled man, and her heart suddenly ignited with fervor. She tentatively asked, "May I inquire what matters you two sisters are attending to? If my Lin family sister is inconvenient, I can offer some assistance. If you are looking for directions, there is no place in Baishi Town that I am unfamiliar with"

Unlike ordinary youths, Jiao Feitian possesses an insatiable curiosity from birth. It was acceptable when he was young and naive, but after entering school and broadening his horizons, instead of gaining clarity through knowledge, he found himself inundated with even more questions, leading to an increase in the uncertainties within this young man's heart

Upon entering the room, Meng Tianzhu smiled and said, "Brother Jiao Fei, you are so perceptive that you can see the extraordinary nature of that person, and naturally, you can also tell that my sister and I are not ordinary individuals. My sister and I are female disciples of the Lijiang Sword Sect, practicing transcendent Taoist arts. We have a significant mission from our sect on this journey, and we cannot disclose our whereabouts. I hope you will not spread news of our movements."

Jiao Fei brought two women to the inn in the town. Meng Tianzhu requested two upper rooms. Seeing that Jiao Fei was still lingering, she waved her hand, and Jiao Fei was instantly overjoyed, following the two women into the guest room. Yue Qinghan was initially somewhat puzzled, but she had always trusted Meng Tianzhu's intelligence, so she remained silent.

Meng Tianzhu met Jiao Feiling, who was quick to respond to any question. He subtly probed a few times about the matter of the disheveled Taoist. Naturally, Jiao Fei recounted how he had seen the disheveled Taoist throw stones without hitting the target, moving with remarkable speed. After hearing a few sentences, Yue Qinghan realized that Jiao Fei and the disheveled Taoist had only encountered each other by chance, so she no longer paid attention. Instead, Meng Tianzhu and Jiao Fei exchanged several more words, revealing a hint of amusement.

The young woman, with a slight smile at the corners of her mouth, said: "We are female disciples practicing with our hair unbound. This is my senior sister, Yue Qinghan, and I am Meng Tianzhu. My junior sisters and I are on our way to Chang'an and happened to pass through this place. May I ask where there is accommodation and a place for books in this town?"

The two young women who were speaking with Lin Xiaolian looked somewhat strange when they saw Jiao Fei approaching. Upon hearing Jiao Fei mention chasing after the disheveled Taoist, they appeared extremely anxious. The older woman could not help but say, "Young man! Do you know how dangerous it was just now? That Taoist is..."

Lin Xiaolian noticed Jiao Fei's eyes darting around her, and for some reason, she felt a sudden panic, a faint blush appearing on her face. Her mind was completely detached from the incident where Jiao Fei had bumped into her earlier, and her thoughts flew straight to last night.

Lin Xiaolian was lost in thought, and she could not absorb Jiao Fei's words; she merely responded with a couple of murmurs, appearing rather indifferent

Before the older woman could finish her words, the younger woman gently nudged her companion, and the older woman immediately realized and fell silent

Just as Yue Qinghan was about to refuse, Meng Tianzhu secretly shook her hand and said gently: "We are still new to the sect and certainly cannot take on disciples. However, there are a few senior brothers in my Lijiang Sword Sect who possess profound skills, rivaling those of the predecessors. If the opportunity arises, I would be willing to assist you in making a connection, but whether it succeeds or not will depend on your fortune"

Upon returning home, he felt somewhat downcast. His parents rarely inquired about Jiao Fei's studies; they merely urged him to eat dinner early and then told him to rest.

At this moment, Jiao Fei became quite formal. He usually studied diligently and understood well that the path to immortality was difficult to attain. Even the emperors of the previous dynasty had expended countless efforts without ever receiving the favor of an immortal. Having encountered two such beings in a single day, how could he easily let this opportunity slip away? With a thud, Jiao Fei knelt on the ground and resolutely said, "I have read a few books in my time and deeply envy those who are carefree beyond the world. I wish to ask the two sisters to guide me in my cultivation. I am very capable of enduring hardship and will never give up halfway."

Although Meng Tianzhu spoke quite gently, Jiao Fei was still very disappointed, reflecting that it must be due to his own lack of innate talent, which prevented the two women from agreeing. He thought to himself, "I have heard that those who practice cultivation, without celestial bones, celestial roots, or the foundation from a previous life, often achieve little with great effort. Those who possess the Way prefer disciples with innate talent. I consider myself clever, able to read ten lines at a glance and remember everything, yet I do not know whether my foundation for cultivating immortality is exceptional or mediocre."

Since he was disinterested in studying, Jiao Fei extinguished the oil lamp, embraced the pillow with both hands, and aimlessly pondered his thoughts

Jiao Fei originally did not want to approach the two young women. However, he thought that if he did not apologize to Lin Xiaolian, this young girl had threatened to tell his parents. Reluctantly, Jiao Fei had no choice but to walk over to the three of them, avoiding eye contact with the two young women, and simply said to Lin Xiaolian: "Lin family girl, I was chasing that person just now and accidentally bumped into you. Please don't take it to heart! Does it still hurt? Do you need me to buy some medicine for bruises and sprains for Aunt Lin to apply for you?"

On ordinary days, Jiao Fei would refuse to go to bed early and would seek out some leisurely reading. However, tonight, this young man suddenly felt troubled, and after reading three pages of "Records of the Yu Ding," he found it impossible to concentrate. This "Records of the Yu Ding" was written by a down-and-out scholar of the current dynasty, Wu Cheng'en. The text weaves together various miraculous legends about the Great Yu's flood control efforts, presenting them as strange tales. Although the writing is somewhat disjointed, it is nonetheless full of intrigue. Usually, Jiao Fei is quite fond of it.

Jiao Fei replied, "In Baishi Town, we only have one inn. The guest rooms are usually unoccupied. You two might as well follow me; I will take you there. Lin family sister, if you have nothing to attend to, you may go about your business first!" Jiao Fei noticed that Lin Xiaolian remained silent for a while, fearing that the girl might seek some trouble, making it difficult for him to respond. He hurriedly took on the task and set off first.