Three days later.

At the entrance of the Wenjiao Immortal Sect, on the wide and ancient steps.

Dressed in white, Gu Xuan waved to Xuan Du, who was riding on the back of a blue ox, and shouted, "Little Xuanzi, remember to come often!"

"Our doors to education are always open to you!"

After shouting, he seemed to remember something amusing, a sly smile appearing on his face. He then added, "By the way, next time I must take you to a brothel to listen to music, so you can experience the joys of life!"

Upon hearing this...

Xuan Du, who was riding on the back of the blue ox, staggered and almost fell off.

A hint of helplessness flashed across his handsome face, and he quickly turned his head to look at Gu Xuan below.

"Brother Gu, I appreciate your kindness."

"However... I do have important matters to attend to today and cannot stay any longer. I must take my leave now. Let's meet again another day for a drink!"

Having said that, Xuandu dared not linger any longer.

He was afraid that Gu Xuan would say something that would embarrass him.

So he gently patted the blue ox beneath him.

The old ox, like an arrow released from a bow, carried its master and quickly disappeared into the distant horizon.

Watching Xuandu's departing figure.

Gu Xuan couldn't help but purse his lips and mutter, "Hmph, this guy, he clearly really wants to go, but he still has to pretend to be serious."

"What a cowardly thief with the desire but not the guts!"

Just as he was talking to himself.

Suddenly, a clear and melodious female voice rang out beside him: "What does 'listening to music in a brothel' mean? It sounds like a lot of fun! I want to go too!"

The sudden sound startled Gu Xuan.

He paused for a moment before turning his head to look...

A beautiful and charming woman had quietly appeared beside him without him noticing.

This woman has a beautiful face and skin as white as snow.

Her beautiful eyes were as clear and bright as autumn water, making them unforgettable.

She was wearing a light blue long dress, and a gentle breeze was blowing.

Her skirt swayed gently, making her figure appear even more graceful, like a fairy descending to earth.

Gu Xuan stared wide-eyed at the woman before him, and after a long while, he finally said, "I... I say, Holy Mother, why haven't you left yet?"

"I've lived on Jin'ao Island for tens of thousands of years, and it's incredibly boring."

"This place is much more interesting, why would I want to go back?"

The Holy Mother of Golden Spirit glanced at Gu Xuan casually, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said, "What? You don't seem to want me here, so you're welcoming me?!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Xuan's heart skipped a beat.

But he quickly put on a smile and waved his hand to explain, "Hey, you can't say that."

"I'm overjoyed that a fairy has graced us with her presence; how could I possibly not welcome you?"

However, the Holy Mother of Golden Spirit was clearly not buying it.

Her beautiful eyes were fixed on Gu Xuan, and she said in a sweet voice, "Oh? Is that so?"

"In that case, let's ask ourselves honestly and see if you truly welcome my arrival."

Speaking of which...

Then, the Holy Mother of Golden Spirit gently flipped her fair, jade-like hand.

A crystal-clear stone, as pure and flawless as crystal, appeared in her palm.

The stone exudes a chilling, mysterious aura, as if it were not something from the mortal world.

Upon closer inspection, it seems that a wisp of the power of the Great Dao's rules flows inside the stone.

Just by staring at it, you can feel an invisible pressure coming at you!

This stone is called the "Questioning Stone"!

It was developed by a Confucian and Taoist sage who created the Great Dao of Destiny and sought only the pinnacle of the divine path.

It is said that during the process of refining the Heart-Questioning Stone, the great sage not only incorporated the rare Heart-Questioning Grass, but also skillfully utilized a trace of the power of the Great Dao's rules.

This is why the Heart-Questioning Stone possesses the special ability to see into people's hearts.

Whether they are immortals with profound cultivation.

Even a novice just entering the path of immortality will have all their deepest secrets ruthlessly revealed once they stand before the Heart-Questioning Stone.

There's nowhere to hide, nowhere to conceal yourself!

Seeing this, Gu Xuan was dumbfounded!

For a moment, I didn't know how to respond.

Good heavens, this woman is no simpleton! She's not someone you can easily fool!

This is a classic case of shooting oneself in the foot...

Just then, the long-awaited system notification to recruit apprentices rang in his mind!

[Ding! Apprentice Recruitment Quest Triggered. Please travel to Chaoge City, Great Shang Dynasty, Southern Continent to recruit apprentices.]

[Successfully recruited an apprentice and received a generous reward]

......

Name: Qi Jingchun

[Talent: Quasi-Saint]

[Physique: Confucian and Taoist Sage Body]

[Background: A scholar from a humble background, whose fiancée Yang Yuhuan was murdered after being coveted by Liu Zicheng. To avenge this, he strives to improve himself, entering the Yuelu Academy and becoming a Confucian scholar. He intends to use the once-a-decade celestial spring festival to enter the celestial court as an official. However, he is framed and expelled by the two elders of Yuelu Academy who plot against his Confucian and Taoist sacred body. He is then captured by cultivators sent by the two elders and taken to a secret chamber outside Chaoge City. Their intention is to destroy Qi Jingchun's path to sainthood and to use a secret method to merge the Confucian and Taoist sacred body into his own.]

...