Chapter 3: The Scent Is Off

When Qing Wu scolded him, Wei Yuning instinctively wanted to argue, but he suddenly recalled how that strange snake was attacked and immediately restrained his emotions. The people here look no different from him—ordinary looks, ordinary personalities, not three‑headed six‑armed, yet each is comparable to a superhuman; a single slap could easily kill him, so it's better to be honest.

Qing Wu led Wei Yuning to a cultivator standing in the middle of the right row. This cultivator differed slightly from the others in the sect: his skin was a deep reddish‑brown, unlike the pale complexions of the surrounding brothers. By appearance he seemed about twenty‑five or twenty‑six; his darker hue gave him a more heroic bearing, yet his brows were knit into a furrowed shape, as if weighed down by worries.

"Senior Uncle Hong Le, this is …" Qing Wu hesitated, glanced at Wei Yuning, then continued: "Senior Uncle Hong Zhi recommended this person. Supposedly he's a nearby villager with a wood‑type spiritual root. He asked me to hand him over to Uncle Hong Le, saying he should first do odd jobs in the herbal garden!"

"Hm? Wood‑type spiritual root, such disciples are rare. Though the herbal garden is suitable, the alchemy chamber isn't … Alright, I get it!" Hong Le seemed a bit puzzled, but ultimately asked no further questions.

Although Wei Yuning understood nothing about this place, he knew that Qing Wu and Hong Zhi were wary of his identity. In a sense, he was a person of unknown background, even hailing from the degenerate world those people imagined. Fortunately he was just an ordinary human, so Hong Zhi didn't press the issue, but if his background were made public, future sect brothers would inevitably look at him oddly.

Thus, even though Qing Wu had uncovered the truth, she did not reveal Wei Yuning's identity to Hong Le, though she remained grateful.

After completing the referral, Qing Wu said goodbye to Wei Yuning and, before leaving, whispered, "If you want to find Senior Sister Qing Ling, I'll take you there!"

"The little fairy may look nice, but she's cold as ice—what's good about that?" Wei Yuning muttered sarcastically, realizing that Qing Wu's kindness toward him was solely out of respect for Qing Ling.

"Excellent, the herbal garden has a new disciple! Rest assured, although the garden isn't a prime location, it has one advantage no other place can match: abundant spirit herbs for cultivation, and the herbs are watered with spirit‑spring water, so the garden's qi is plentiful. It may not rival the inner‑gate training grounds, but for ordinary disciples it's a decent choice. Hard work will be rewarded adequately, so focus on your cultivation!" Hong Le, noticing Wei Yuning's absent‑mindedness and assuming he was dissatisfied with the arrangement, offered comfort.

What else could Wei Yuning say? He merely nodded, admitting honestly that he knew nothing of the sect's twists and turns.

Then Hong Le pulled a paper bird from his sleeve, murmured incantations over it, and after a few breaths the paper bird turned into a flash of white light that shot out of the house.

"Since you've joined the sect, you must obey its rules. Here are the sect regulations; keep them in front of you and memorize them!"

Hong Le continued to sit with his eyes closed, but he didn't let Wei Yuning idle; he tossed him a thin booklet.

The Cloud Hidden Sect regulations—on the cover five large characters, with a line of smaller script beside them, authored by Xuan Miaozi. The book's material was odd: its thickness resembled leather, its texture like silk, both rollable and foldable; a milky‑white base flecked with sparkling specks, giving it a luxurious feel and a faint coolness to the touch.

When opened, the book contained only a single sheet of paper with seven lines of text.

Respect teachers and elders, cherish fellow sect members, forbid intra‑sect conflict.

Diligently practice the Dao, glorify our sect.

Do not commit excessive killing.

Do not commit adultery.

Do not appear disheveled.

Do more good for others, do less evil.

If violated, punish according to severity: seclude for reflection, strip cultivation, expel from the sect, kill, and annihilate body and spirit.

"'Do not appear disheveled'? What the heck is that? Is neglecting one's appearance a crime?" Wei Yuning felt a strange sensation upon reading that clause.

He glanced at the tattered strip of cloth on his body, then at the handsome men and beautiful women around, and felt he had already broken the rule.

Seeing no one watching, Wei Yuning furtively tucked the hanging strip into his still‑intact clothing. However, this left more of his body exposed.

"Senior Uncle Hong Le, what is it?" a clear voice rang out.

Wei Yuning turned and saw a youth whose eyes shone like bright stars striding toward him.

"Qing Yun, this is the new odd‑job worker in the herbal garden. By the way, what's your name?" Hong Le only then realized he didn't know the disciple's name.

"I'm called Yuning."

"Yuning, good. Go with Qing Yun; he'll make the arrangements. Remember to train diligently, establish your foundation soon, and become a formal disciple of the Cloud Hidden Sect." Hong Le said with an encouraging smile.

Wei Yuning nodded in agreement.

After saying farewell to Hong Le, Wei Yuning followed Qing Yun out.

He was assigned quarters, received a sect waist badge, a cultivation spirit stone, introductory techniques, clothing and work tools, was shown the dining hall, the shop, and so on.

Qing Yun spoke little and dealt with others gently, but along the way he only talked to those involved, essentially ignoring Wei Yuning; beneath his gentleness lay an inexplicable aloofness.

Nevertheless, Wei Yuning had no complaint—talking too much invites mistakes, so Qing Yun's reticence was actually something he welcomed. Moreover, he sensed a strange oppressive feeling emanating from Qing Yun.

An hour later, Qing Yun and Wei Yuning said goodbye at the entrance of the transmission room. Watching Qing Yun stride away, Wei Yuning inexplicably let out a sigh of relief.

"There's something off about Qing Yun's scent!" Wei Yuning suddenly realized.

Since he arrived from the "Great Latrine" of Qingcheng Mountain into this strange world, he had encountered many people. Most carried a pleasant, fresh scent, or at least a normal odor, but the smell on Qing Yun was different—a bizarre, burnt‑fire aroma, sharp and acrid, reminiscent of sulfur.

A keen sense of smell is Wei Yuning's innate talent; back on Earth he rarely ate out because he could detect inferior ingredients and gutter oil, and any hint of staleness would irritate his nose. Over time he devised a way to shut off his olfaction by diverting his attention; otherwise, few foods matched his palate, and the inevitable outcome would be starving while staring at the food.

In his experience, no one else possessed such an ability.