Relying on being Caidié’s little tutor, Hua Jian had managed to accumulate a fairly decent nest egg in just a few days.
Caidié’s daily gifts weren’t particularly valuable; converted into Spirit Stones, they were only worth a few dozen each.
To the senior sisters of Wanling Sect, it was probably just a small token of goodwill.
But for Hua Jian, when had she ever experienced such good fortune— earning Spirit Stones just by lying around?
Just chatting with Caidié, this obedient and adorable girl, about how to camp out in the Secret Realm to make Spirit Stones felt like a dream come true.
Moreover, the Baihua Essence that the Wanling Sect senior sister gave her when Caidié first came over was no mere token worth a few dozen Spirit Stones.
Hua Jian had been using that essence these past few days to speed up her cultivation. By her calculations, that senior sister had given her essence worth thousands of Spirit Stones!
With treatment like this, Hua Jian naturally had to greet Caidié with a bright smile. This little fortune-bringer couldn’t just be let off so easily.
But Hua Jian’s good attitude towards Caidié didn’t sit well with Su Xiaoxiao.
That evening, after Caidié was reluctantly dragged away by her senior sister, Su Xiaoxiao walked into Hua Jian’s room, pinching Hua Jian’s cheeks as she started a stern interrogation.
“Is the little junior sister from Wanling Sect really very pretty and cute?”
“Miss Xiao, please don’t be mad. They gave me so many gifts—I can’t just turn around and kick them out,” Hua Jian hurriedly pleaded.
Su Xiaoxiao shot Hua Jian a resentful glare, then released her cheeks and gently poked Hua Jian’s forehead with her finger. “Little money-grubber!”
She knew Hua Jian would say that, because the little one’s greed was written all over her face.
If Hua Jian wasn’t given Spirit Stones, she’d always appear cold and distant. But the moment she got even a little, she’d immediately light up with a radiant smile and offer top-notch service.
Put bluntly, she was a little money-driven.
“Hehe, I’m used to tough times. Besides, I think Caidié and the Wanling Sect senior sisters really are quite kind…”
“That’s because they have their eyes on you. If you didn’t have such talent, they wouldn’t bother looking your way,” Su Xiaoxiao muttered sourly.
Hua Jian cupped her chin and whispered softly, “If I didn’t have such good talent, would Miss Xiao still treat me like this?”
That question left Su Xiaoxiao silent for a moment.
Then, somewhat annoyed, she pinched Hua Jian’s cheeks again. “You little rascal, I’m going to squeeze you to death!”
Her irritation came from Hua Jian’s question striking a nerve. On this point, she was no different from the Wanling Sect disciple she had just scolded.
If Hua Jian lacked such talent, Su Xiaoxiao definitely wouldn’t pay any attention to her or care for her like this.
Because her true feelings had been uncovered, Su Xiaoxiao was so embarrassed and upset that she vented her frustration with this unreasonable method.
When reason fails, unreasonable methods are all that’s left, right?
“Tell me honestly, do you like Wanling Sect better?”
Hua Jian swallowed hard. What kind of death question was this? Miss Xiao, I see you as my big sister, but isn’t this the kind of question a sister should be asking?
Which do I like more, Penglai or Wanling? How could Hua Jian know? She had only scratched the surface of two Sacred Sects and had no way to choose without knowing the full picture.
“I don’t know, because I don’t really understand your Penglai or Caidié and the Wanling Sect yet,” Hua Jian answered honestly.
“To be honest, I can only say I don’t dislike the Penglai and Wanling I’ve seen so far. But if I had to pick one, I just can’t.”
She wasn’t bargaining based on her talent or popularity—she genuinely couldn’t decide.
Both sides treated her warmly, and there was no clear better choice yet. To speak recklessly or make promises now would be irresponsible to both herself and others.
Su Xiaoxiao looked into Hua Jian’s sincere eyes and sighed helplessly. “That’s true. You’ve only met a few of us outer disciples, so you really can’t understand what a true Sacred Sect is like.”
The inner and outer sects of a Sacred Sect were practically two different worlds. Outer disciples tended to be more outgoing and friendly.
But inner disciples were a different story— these true geniuses were all highly self-regarded, and getting along well with them was quite difficult.
Hua Jian’s talent was enough to enter the inner sect of any Sacred Sect, but her strength would place her at the very bottom of the social hierarchy…
“You can take this Secret Realm exploration as an opportunity to experience the personalities of inner sect disciples. Just pick the one you like best from there.”
“I thought you were going to keep asking me to join your Penglai…” Hearing this, Hua Jian’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t expected Su Xiaoxiao to say that.
“Actually, I’m not that eager. Would you really forget about me just because you joined another sect?” Su Xiaoxiao countered.
Hua Jian immediately shook her head.
Friends were always better in greater numbers. Especially a quality friend like Su Xiaoxiao— Hua Jian would never do something silly like look down on old friends after soaring to success.
No matter what rank or status friends have, more friends mean more paths— and maybe she’d need their help someday.
Even if Hua Jian never joined Penglai or Wanling, she wouldn’t forget Su Xiaoxiao, Caidié, or those Wanling Sect senior sisters.
Though they weren’t from the same sect, they could still be good friends and sisters!
“Of course not, Miss Xiao is my friend. How could I forget you just because I joined another sect?” Hua Jian said, resting her chin on her hand. “If I joined Penglai, I definitely wouldn’t forget Linglong or Caidié either.”
“Oh, I almost forgot you have ties with the Yaoci Saintess as well. Actually, you’re really hoping to join Yaoci, aren’t you?”
“Eh? Miss Xiao, how did you know?” Hua Jian suddenly put on a mock surprised expression. “The Saintess still owes me Spirit Stones, so I have to go to Yaoci to collect them.”
That explanation made Su Xiaoxiao laugh softly, and the little bit of frustration in her heart vanished.
That was right— this little one was just like that.
“Senior sister told me the Secret Realm will open in three days. Are you ready?”
“I’m ready!” Hua Jian nodded vigorously.
“What exactly have you prepared?”
“I took out all the valuable items from my Storage Pouch. I absolutely won’t let anyone get their hands on a single valuable thing!”
“Huh?!”