4: Lin Xueer

Steward Liu was taken aback!

She had been in charge of registering failed students several times, but this was the first time she had encountered someone who wanted to marry several at once.

"You had better think this through! I will include your request in the information shown to the other party. Your conditions are mediocre to begin with, and if no one chooses you, you will just have to wait!"

The Dual Cultivation Hall conducts legitimate business and emphasizes mutual consent.

Those who can select a spouse with a Spiritual Root through the Dual Cultivation Hall possess at least a certain level of financial capability, and their standards will not be too low.

"Forget it, then!" Liu Xuan immediately abandoned his greedy thought.

Fearing that he might lose this opportunity, Liu Xuan decided to only exclude a few that he truly could not stand.

After looking through the entire booklet, Liu Xuan found that basically all of them looked quite good. Since they were the offspring of Cultivators, none of them were ugly.

He picked out a few of the best-looking ones, and then a few with the most significant backgrounds. Liu Xuan handed the booklet to Steward Liu:

"Steward Liu, I have made my choices. These few are my priority. If none of them choose me, any of the others will do!"

Any of them would do? Steward Liu looked at Liu Xuan with surprise once more.

Other students were always extremely cautious when choosing a Dao Companion; she had never seen anyone as anxious as Liu Xuan!

Putting away the booklet, Steward Liu took out a token and gave it to Liu Xuan: "Go and collect your benefits as a Dual Cultivation Hall Disciple first; wait for notification regarding the Dao Companion matter!"

Steward Liu waved her hand, signaling the next student to come forward for registration.

Wang Xiaokang had no intention of joining the Dual Cultivation Hall and left the hall with Liu Xuan.

"Brother Liu, the matter of failing the assessment concerns my future. I have decided to go back and inform my father."

Wang Xiaokang bowed to Liu Xuan and said: "Let us part ways here. Brother Liu, if you return to Yongning in the future, you are welcome to visit the Wang Family; I will certainly sweep the bed and welcome you."

The Wang Family, where Wang Xiaokang belonged, was a local Cultivator Family and was itself a subordinate force of the Red Pine Sect.

Whether he chose to spend money to purchase the status of an Outer Sect Disciple or return directly to his hometown to develop, it was best to notify his Family. Without Family support, his situation would be no better than Liu Xuan's.

"Take care, Brother Wang!"

Liu Xuan returned the bow.

After Wang Xiaokang left, Liu Xuan took the token and headed to the Dual Cultivation Hall's General Affairs Hall to collect his benefits as an Outer Sect Disciple.

A personal token engraved with Liu Xuan's name and a trace of his Divine Soul aura, a set of low-grade Dual Cultivation Hall Disciple robes, a key to an ordinary room, and a Cultivation Technique manual titled 'Three Yangs Gathering Body'—that was it!

Comparing the location written on the key, Liu Xuan walked for quite a while until he reached a small river, where he finally found the small courtyard where he would reside.

This place was already the boundary of the Red Pine Sect's Outer Sect. Once past this small river, the opposite side was Red Pine City, which was outside the coverage of the Sect's Formation.

Pushing open the courtyard gate and entering, Liu Xuan discovered that there were a total of twelve small rooms surrounding this small courtyard, and Liu Xuan's living quarters was just one of them...

That made sense! With so many Outer Sect Disciples, there wouldn't be enough space if even the lowest-ranking Disciples were each provided with a separate courtyard.

At least it was a separate room, not a large dormitory; Liu Xuan had nothing to be dissatisfied about.

After briefly greeting his housemates, Liu Xuan returned to his room, closed the door, and studied the Cultivation Technique.

'Three Yangs Gathering Body', a Dual Cultivation Technique for the Qi Refinement Stage, could increase the Yang Qi within the practitioner's body, avoid excessive energy depletion, and also increase the probability of conceiving offspring.

Good stuff! Unfortunately, Liu Xuan could not practice it.

Liu Xuan was currently only at the Qi Induction Stage; he could only guide Spiritual Qi to nourish his Physical Body, and there was no magic power in his Dantian. He did not even have the cultivation level of the Qi Refining First Layer...

Those not from a Sect or a Cultivator Family were mostly at the Qi Induction Stage before graduating from the Dao Academy at eighteen, unless their Spiritual Root talent was of the middle third grade or higher, which might allow them to break through to the Qi Refining First Layer early.

Previously, in the six-person small team from the Yongning Dao Academy, only Yan Qingyao and Wang Xiaokang, who was a Disciple of a Cultivator Family, had reached the cultivation level of the Qi Refining First Layer.

Then he would practice the most basic Qi Induction Technique!

Liu Xuan was extremely interested in matters of cultivation. After settling down, he immediately began practicing the most basic Qi Induction Technique.

There was not much to say about the Qi Induction Technique; it was the most basic Cultivation Technique. As long as one had a Spiritual Root, one could practice it. Basically, everyone started their entry into the Qi Refinement Stage by practicing the Qi Induction Technique.

Adjusting his breathing, relaxing his body and mind, and adjusting his meditation according to his own state, Liu Xuan felt wisps of cool gas entering his body along with his breath, then spreading to his limbs and bones.

"Comfortable!"

It was like drinking a sip of ice-cold cola on a hot day; just sitting in meditation practice was very enjoyable.

The rooms in the Red Pine Sect's Outer Sect Disciple courtyard were one of the nodes of the Sect's Spirit Gathering Formation, which was equivalent to having a tiny Spirit Eye; practicing here was indeed different.

One hour later.

Liu Xuan felt a stabbing pain in his head, accompanied by waves of dizziness, which forced him to stop his practice.

Only then did Liu Xuan remember that cultivation consumes the Divine Soul, and low-level Cultivators could not practice for long periods, otherwise, it would actually lead to injury.

Since he could not practice the technique, Liu Xuan studied other things; if that didn't work, he would go around the Outer Sect to familiarize himself with the environment.

The original body's memory was incomplete, so Liu Xuan was full of curiosity about everything in this world and wanted to see everything.

...

Three days later.

Liu Xuan was getting a bit anxious because he was about to run out of money!

A single meal inside the Red Pine Sect cost at least one silver coin, and expensive ones even had to be calculated in Spirit Stones; just living simply inside was not easy.

Liu Xuan didn't have much money on him to begin with, and now he only had one silver coin left. If there was still no response from Steward Liu's side, he would have to go to the Dual Cultivation Hall's General Affairs Hall to see if there were any chores to do.

He finally understood: for the Red Pine Sect, those Outer Sect Disciples who passed the assessment and paid money were equivalent to employees with some cultivation value.

And someone like him—an Outer Sect Disciple of the Dual Cultivation Hall who was essentially getting a free ride—was equivalent to... a commodity of the Sect, just with a slightly higher value than those ordinary Utility Disciples.

"Liu Xuan, which one is Liu Xuan? Steward Liu summons you."

Just as Liu Xuan was worrying about the issue of food, a Utility Disciple sent by Steward Liu happened to come to his door.

"I! That is me." Liu Xuan hurriedly straightened his clothes and walked out of the courtyard.

Following the Utility Disciple to a room in the Dual Cultivation Hall, he saw Steward Liu handling official business, with a well-behaved and cute young girl standing beside her.

"Steward Liu, Liu Xuan has been brought here." The Utility Disciple reported from outside the door.

"Come in!"

Liu Xuan entered the room, and his eyes were immediately drawn to the young girl. The girl was estimated to be 1.6 meters tall, wearing a light pink long dress, with an oval face, looking somewhat like a petite, youthful girl.

While Liu Xuan was looking at Lin Xue'er, Lin Xue'er was also looking at Liu Xuan. Liu Xuan was nearly 1.9 meters tall, and his appearance was considered handsome. She had seen his portrait and was quite satisfied.

Steward Liu did not look at Liu Xuan, but turned to Lin Xue'er and said: "You two chat. If it works out, let me know, and I will register you; then this matter will be settled."

"There is no need... Big Sister Liu, just register us directly; I am very satisfied." Lin Xue'er said in a low voice.

Steward Liu looked at the two of them and nodded: "Fine! You two may proceed."

"Young Master Liu, please follow me."

Lin Xue'er walked out with her head lowered, her voice very soft; Liu Xuan almost didn't hear her clearly.