Chapter 3: Chapter Three: Search

"No exchange." Jiang Yu didn't know why Grand Void Sect, despite the limited single rooms, deliberately released it so that ten disciples would draw it.

But in the next two or three days, she wants a quiet place to sleep and recover her injuries, replenishing the spirit drained by the trial.

After seeing the crowd, Lin Yuan, she only gave a slight nod and went upstairs, but when she entered the room and just changed her bandages, someone knocked.

Jiang Yu ignored it, yet even after she finished bandaging the wound, the person kept knocking, causing the neighboring cultivators to go out and berate him.

She let out a light sigh; just as she lay down to sleep, the door went "Bang—", then "Bang— Bang—".

"Fellow Daoist, I'm from next door, please open the door," a crisp female voice sounded.

Jiang Yu recognized it as the same female voice that had just berated him; she didn't want to move, but when the other said she had important business, Jiang Yu hesitated a moment, got up to open the door, and found that outside the door stood another "acquaintance" dressed entirely in black.

"Your cousin is a bit too young; the mission is complete, hand over the remaining payment," the neighboring female cultivator had originally thought a gorgeous lady was behind the door, but it turned out to be just a twelve- or thirteen-year-old little girl.

She wasn't ugly, slightly dark-skinned, her low‑rank robe was faded from washing, her shoes were ordinary, so she was probably a former wandering cultivator.

Jiang Yu was momentarily stunned, and without a word she quickly shut the door, truly regretting not having used her spiritual sense to check before opening.

Unexpectedly, the black‑clad cultivator slapped the door with one hand and said, "Cousin, we must have a proper talk."

As he approached, Jiang Yu suddenly noticed something vibrating inside her storage bag; she quickly thought, gave a slight nod, and at the moment he withdrew his hand, she kicked his abdomen, forcing him back, then clacked the lock twice to secure the door.

She also transmitted a voice: "Sister from next door, I don't recognize this person at all."

"I have no relatives on the ship either; I want to close my cultivation."

After speaking, she immediately set up a defensive formation inside the room.

The female cultivator outside the door looked at the black‑clad man with suspicion; someone in her room called out to her: "Ruochan."

She turned back to her room: "Lu Chenxia, I hope I wasn't tricked?"

Lu Chenxia put away her talisman brush, scanned outside the neighboring door, and saw the black‑clad male cultivator actually holding a meditation cushion, sitting and guarding, and said, "I don't know, don't bother with a few spirit stones for idle matters."

"The sect releases single‑room lottery draws; there will always be someone watching this place at all times."

What she said was accurate; the Grand Void Sect's two Nascent Soul cultivators leading the team were on the third floor, watching the first and second floors through a water mirror.

One of the yellow‑robed Nascent Soul cultivators said to the two Foundation Establishment cultivators standing beside him: "After returning to the sect you receive punishment, yet you managed to mix the second‑floor door tickets into the first floor; you two are also talented."

"Go down and ask that disciple what's going on; coming here to sit outside the female disciple's door is improper."

"Yes." The two Foundation Establishment cultivators, not daring to argue, immediately stepped back.

Another blue‑robed Nascent Soul cultivator waited until the two left, then spoke, "It's a trivial matter, Brother Zhuang need not be angry."

"I'm not angry, but look at the deck; a single room is almost turning into an auction hall.

These five disciples with auction room numbers, after joining the sect they will inevitably be sent to guard the mines; we should grind them well." The yellow‑robed Nascent Soul pointed at the water mirror, where a group of new disciples were bidding.

The blue‑robed Nascent Soul laughed, "Hehe, what does Lu Chenxia say? She actually brought someone to live together."

The yellow‑robed Nascent Soul cleared his throat lightly, "Senior Brother Lin, he only invited someone to cohabit."

Moreover, it's not excessive for my future disciple to look after a clan member.

Otherwise, let someone bring Lin Yuan upstairs to stay.

The blue‑robed Nascent Soul smiled and shook his head, only shifting his gaze to Jiang Yu outside the door; this little girl's combat ability and aptitude are quite good, making her one of the key observation targets.

And Jiang Yu didn't know that her refusal to give up the room allowed her to avoid a stint of hard labor guarding a mine.

She was now lying on the bed, quietly listening; after the person outside was taken away by the steward disciple, she immediately sank her spiritual sense into the storage bag.

When the black‑clad cultivator approached, the object kept moving.

Her storage bag's space is not large; it is second‑hand goods she acquired after half a year of hunting demons and selling talismans.

Inside, besides a few sets of clothing and a quilt, there are some food, pots and bowls, pills, talisman scrolls, writing supplies, a sword, a shield, a crossbow, and only a hundred or so spirit stones.

There are also a few old books on the verge of falling apart: "Five Elements Minor Techniques", "Wind‑Control Manual", "Talisman Scroll Summary (Fragment)", "Qi‑Drawing Manual", "Beast Spirit Herb Illustrated Collection", "Alchemical Art", "Fundamental Swordsmanship".

Then there are the clothes she used in the mortal world, a silver ankle bracelet she has worn since childhood, and a wooden fish‑shaped pendant.

Jiang Yu scratched her ear; she didn't have enough spirit stones, hadn't been scavenging broken relic fragments at the market, and the second‑hand sword, shield, and crossbow had been repaired by a weapon master, so they certainly weren't abnormal.

The silver ankle bracelet was made by her parents in this life after they hunted a bear queen and had someone forge it for her and her brother.

Only the fish‑shaped wooden carving was picked up by her and her father and brother while they were hunting in the mountains, by the river.

At the time she thought it was fun, but her mother, fearing it was ominous, wanted to discard it; she secretly kept it hidden in a secret pocket each time, and even when a flood struck the village at midnight, she didn't forget to slip it into her inner pocket.

Later, after drawing Qi into her body and recalling her past life, she steadied her mind, then searched her hometown for her parents and brother to no avail.

Later, upon hearing someone say they saw immortals fighting in the sky, the alerted Senior Sister Wan hurriedly led a search for the entrance to the cultivation realm, and she forgot to test the pendant by letting its blood recognize its master.

Today, it must be tried.

With that thought, she acted immediately.

Jiang Yu pressed a finger technique, forming a dozen layers of mist barrier around her; her spiritual energy needle pierced her ring finger, drawing blood, but the fish carving did not absorb it.

Ordinary blood wouldn't work, so she used the refined blood from her third eye combined with her spiritual sense to try again.

She thought that if it still didn't work, perhaps she should bite her tongue tip to test; suddenly, a suction pulled her whole body into a white, hazy expanse.

"Such a rich aura of spirit," it made one involuntarily intoxicated, yearning to cultivate.

But when Jiang Yu bit her tongue tip, she immediately halted the dangerous thought; she projected her spiritual sense outward, scanning the surroundings, and sensed a pool brimming with aura, while elsewhere there were only barriers and nothing else.

She approached and saw, wow, the black‑clad cultivator's face reflected in the pool.

She instantly drew a Golden Bell Talisman for defense, and positioned her sword horizontally before her, ready to fight again at any moment.

At that moment, the other spoke, "I am Jiang Bai, the master of this space."

If you have discovered this space and can enter, please do not touch any objects; it will be fatal.

Once I retrieve the items inside, I will leave the space for you.

"Huh?" Jiang Yu stepped closer and found the black‑clad cultivator kept repeating the previous words, and his clothing was moon‑white.

She muttered to herself, "Seems like a message left, not a real‑time conversation."

"But me, on what grounds should I believe it?"

She looked around again; there were no items at all.

But there are many restrictions in the cultivation world, and she has learned little, so it is better to leave for now.

The thought arises, she returns to the bed, then ponders whether the other party will kill and seize treasure, and how to protect herself.

At roughly the same time, the black‑robed cultivator sitting quietly in the first‑floor hall, Jiang Bai, knows they cannot go up to the second floor today.

They are surrounded by people, so they cannot enter the space to inspect.

After weighing their options, they get up and look for Lin Yuan, who is reading in a corner, and say, "Shall we chat over tea?"

"Do you want to apologize?" Lin Yuan remains motionless.

Jiang Bai thinks it over; although the vine the other released at that moment was of little consequence to them, the other considered it useful.

They then say, "Please have some tea, as thanks for your help."

"No, I won't go, I won't accept." Lin Yuan also has principles.

But when Jiang Bai produces a bottle of premium Qi‑gathering pill, Lin Yuan decisively accepts the invitation.

After a few cups of spirit tea go down, he is once again duped into sending a message to Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu is focused on drawing talismans, completely ignoring the triggered restriction outside the room.