The Head Elder’s voice boomed across the Mist Valley Plaza, resonating with spiritual energy. “Cultivators, you have proven yourselves worthy! From thousands of aspirants, only a select few have demonstrated the talent and perseverance required to walk the Dao with our Mist Valley Sect!” He then began to read the names of the successful candidates.

Mingyue stood among the tense, expectant crowd, her heart thrumming with a mixture of anticipation and a strange, almost detached curiosity. When her name was called, “Shen Mingyue! With a rare dual root of Flame and a variant Ice, exceptional combat precision, and unprecedented array comprehension!” a ripple went through the remaining applicants. A few glances, some openly envious, others simply bewildered, were directed her way. She had definitely made an impression.

They were officially inducted as Green Branch outer disciples, receiving simple, unadorned green robes and a small, wooden sect token. It felt strangely anticlimactic after the spectacle of the trials.

A junior elder, a thin, perpetually tired-looking man, then directed them. “New disciples, follow me. You will be assigned your living quarters.”

Instead of heading back into the bustling town, the junior elder led them away from it, towards a towering mountain range veiled in mist. Mingyue sighed inwardly. Of course. A proper cultivation sect wouldn’t be nestled in a convenient market village. It had to be somewhere dramatic and inconvenient. The journey was long, taking them through winding mountain paths and over suspension bridges that swayed precariously over deep ravines. Mingyue felt a surge of exhaustion, reminded that her current body, while recovering, wasn’t yet accustomed to such treks.

Finally, they reached a massive, ornate gate carved into the mountainside, adorned with the familiar cloud-and-mist emblem. Beyond it lay a sprawling complex of elegant pagodas, training grounds, and serene courtyards, all partially obscured by swirling mists. This was the Mist Valley Sect.

Mingyue’s brief awe was quickly replaced by a fresh wave of chagrin as the junior elder led them directly to the outer disciple dormitories. There were multiple large buildings, separated by gender. Each filled with spartan rooms each with two rows of wooden bunk beds for a total of six people, thinly partitioned by flimsy screens. It was crowded, noisy, and frankly, a bit dusty. Her stomach clenched. “Seriously?” she muttered under her breath, staring at the hard, wooden planks of her assigned top bunk. “After all that, I get a bunk bed? This is worse than my first year dorm. At least that had Wi-Fi. And a private bathroom. This is less ‘Dao of Cultivation’ and more ‘military barracks with extra spiritual dust’.” But at least I get to be on top.

Her first priority, however, wasn’t to lament her living situation, but to check on Jiang Feng. She immediately made her excuses to the junior elder and, clutching the jade token Jiang Feng had given her, headed for the sect infirmary. The token granted her access to a secluded wing, surprisingly quiet and infused with a calming spiritual aura.

She found him in a private room, sitting up in the bed, looking significantly better. The faint glow of healing qi was visible around him, and he was idly flipping through an ancient, leather-bound text.

“Well, look who it is,” Mingyue chirped, crossing her arms. “I passed. And before you ask, no, I wasn’t ‘discreet.’ How was I supposed to be discreet when I had to basically perform surgery on a golem and debug a cosmic fractal? Turns out, my ‘unique methods’ are apparently ‘unprecedented’.” She recounted the trials in her typical sarcastic, humorous way, boasting about her “genius” performance in the array test and how she “totally owned that golem.”

Jiang Feng closed the book, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. “Discreet, you say?” he murmured, raising an eyebrow. “Your performance seems to have drawn quite the… ‘beacon’ of attention. My warning, it seems, was not entirely heeded.” He pushed himself up, the fluid grace of his movements belying his recent injuries.

“Hey, it’s not my fault if your cultivation world is unprepared for logical problem-solving and basic medical triage,” Mingyue retorted, though a pleased warmth spread through her at his subtle amusement. “So, how’s the immortal constitution doing? Ready to run a marathon?”

“Physically, I am recovering swiftly,” Jiang Feng confirmed, his voice deeper, stronger than before. “The sect’s spiritual remedies, combined with your… unique methods, have accelerated my corporeal healing. However, my cultivation base remains severely suppressed. The void rift inflicted damage not easily mended by mortal qi.” He paused, his midnight blue eyes, flecked with gold, locking onto hers. “Restoring my true power will take a very long time, requiring specific resources. And a specific environment.”

Mingyue raised an eyebrow, picking up on his unspoken meaning. “And that specific environment, I’m guessing, involves me?”

A subtle nod. “Your aura,” Jiang Feng began, his gaze intense, “it resonates with my damaged essence in a way that aids its mending. A unique spiritual affinity, perhaps. Your presence significantly accelerates my recovery process.” He wasn’t pleading, simply stating a fact.

“So, you’re saying I’m your personal battery pack?” Mingyue quipped, then sighed dramatically. “Great. Another demanding patient who wants to live in my pocket.”

Jiang Feng ignored her sarcasm. “I have made arrangements with Elder Ling.”

Mingyue blinked. “Arrangements? What kind of arrangements?”

“I have presented myself as a reclusive grandmaster who suffered a grievous injury outside the sect’s lands,” he explained. “One who seeks temporary sanctuary and wishes to impart knowledge to the sect’s disciples in exchange for access to certain rare resources that will aid my… unique recuperation.”

Mingyue stared. “You’re a what now? A reclusive grandmaster? That’s your cover story?”

“A logical one,” Jiang Feng stated. “My cultivation aura, even suppressed, is formidable enough to suggest immense power. Elder Ling, having witnessed your… unusual talents, was receptive to the idea. He presented it to the Head Elder as an unparalleled opportunity for the Mist Valley Sect’s growth. He believes my guidance will lead to breakthroughs in array mastery and spiritual cultivation that will elevate the entire sect.” He looked at her pointedly. “My recovery, however, requires your continued medical assistance and… proximity. I have secured a secluded residence within the sect grounds. You will visit me daily for medical consultations.”

“So, I’m your personal cultivation project, and you’re the sect’s mysterious, injured sage,” Mingyue summarized, a wry grin spreading across her face. “Sounds like a standard Tuesday, honestly. Just less paperwork.” She agreed, a strange mix of annoyance and secret pleasure swirling within her. It was absurd, but it was also a way to keep him safe and close, and frankly, she was curious about this “reclusive grandmaster” act.

“However,” Jiang Feng continued, his expression turning serious, “my true identity and my nature as an immortal are not to be revealed. Not to anyone. My presence here is a secret, and any breach could endanger us both.”

“Got it. Top secret, classified, need-to-know basis,” Mingyue said, nodding. “Loose lips sink void ships.” Jiang Feng looked at her again with a puzzled look. It was becoming one of his most common expressions when he looked at her.

She spent a little more time with him, checking his vitals and making sure he was comfortable before heading back to the outer disciple dorms.

Mingyue navigated the bustling paths of the sect, finally reaching her assigned bunk. She met her new bunkmate: a perpetually nervous girl named Li Mei, whose spiritual root was barely acceptable. After the silence-filled introduction, Mingyue suggested they go for food. As they walked to the cantina, they bumped into a boisterous boy, Chen Guang who was also walking towards the food. She had seen that he had a strong earth root but a rather clumsy combat style. He eyed her with a mixture of awe and apprehension, having witnessed her performance, but asked to join them anyway. Mingyue found herself explaining, for the tenth time, that no, she didn’t cast any spells to subdue the golem, it was just “advanced pressure point manipulation.”

As the day ended, Mingyue stretched on her hard bunk. She carefully pulled out the egg. Its faint warmth was a tiny comfort in the cold, impersonal room. She tucked it into a small, cloth-lined pouch she’d fashioned, and hid it deep within her small, personal cupboard. “Just you wait, little one,” she whispered. “We’ll get you a proper nest someday. And maybe even a private room.”

She was a Green Branch outer disciple, living in a glorified barracks, with a powerful, sarcastic immortal lord as her secret patient, and a mysterious egg tucked away. The sect life was certainly… different. But she was in. And this new adventure was truly beginning.