Sect Recruitment: I Can See Attribute Entries

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Immortal, Please Wait!

Chapter 14: Immortal, Please Wait!

The Qingfeng Sect’s spirit stone mine was located deep within a remote mountain range.

The scenery was quite pleasant—green peaks surrounded by flowing streams, with many low-level spirit beasts roaming through the woods.

It was unclear whether the formation around the mine was meant to prevent miners from escaping or to ward off beasts, but a simple Bewildering Formation had been laid around the entire area.

Cultivators below the Foundation Establishment Stage would find it nearly impossible to leave once trapped within it.

According to Li Xingtian’s account, most of the miners here were cultivators of extremely poor aptitude.

The Qingfeng Sect recruited them from remote villages and impoverished regions.

Firstly, such people had no background and wouldn’t provoke anyone they couldn’t afford to offend.

Secondly, even if they disappeared, no one from those desolate places would question it.

As long as they had the faintest trace of a spiritual root—no matter how impure—they were taken away.

Then, through the use of potential-burning medicinal baths, they were forcibly pushed to the second or third layer of Qi Condensation before being thrown into the mines to dig until death.

In truth, Qingfeng Sect merely wore the mask of a righteous sect, while its actions were those of an evil cult.

After all, how could something like this possibly escape the knowledge of the sect master and other high elders?

Chu Xingchen carefully avoided the areas patrolled by guards.

Climbing up from a cliffside, he suppressed his aura and quietly observed the mine below.

Several crude wooden huts were scattered without order, but atop the highest ridge stood a refined building where disciples in Qingfeng Sect robes could be seen.

There were only three of them—two men and one woman.

If he hadn’t scanned them with his divine sense, their cultivation would have been indiscernible. This meant they were likely Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Once a cultivator reached that stage, they could fully conceal their aura within the body.

Without using divine sense, even a Golden Core cultivator couldn’t discern another’s level by sight alone.

It was daytime—the mining hours—and loud booms echoed from the tunnels.

Occasionally, ragged Qi Condensation cultivators could be seen pushing carts filled with raw spirit stone ore.

Their cultivation levels matched Li Xingtian’s description—mostly around the second or third layer of Qi Condensation.

He watched as they pushed the carts toward a large processing shed.

Inside, a few Qi Condensation cultivators swung heavy hammers, smashing the rocks apart to separate ore from waste.

Nearby, Qingfeng Sect disciples leaned lazily against a railing, watching the laborers with mocking smiles.

Chu Xingchen’s gaze swept across the area, soon locking onto a large warehouse-like structure. It occupied a broad space but strangely had no guards.

According to Li Xingtian, the Golden Core cultivator stationed here likely resided within that very building.

A frontal assault would be unwise; there were surely ways for them to contact the main sect instantly.

It would have to be either a swift strike—or a trap.

But for now, he had come only to gather information, not to take action.

Chu Xingchen took out paper and brush from his spatial ring and began sketching a rough layout of the site according to what he observed.

He planned to bring this back to discuss the details with Li Xingtian.

Once he finished, he stored the map away in his spatial ring. Just as he was about to leave, his divine sense detected someone entering its perimeter.

A long sword instantly appeared in Chu Xingchen’s hand as his divine sense swept across the area.

To his surprise, the feedback showed it was just an ordinary mortal—without a trace of cultivation.

What’s going on?

Concealing his aura, Chu Xingchen carefully moved toward the source.

Soon, he spotted the figure that had entered his detection range.

It was a small, thin girl wearing tattered hemp clothes. Her body was covered in dirt, and her tangled hair hung in matted clumps.

Her face was filthy, yet her eyes were bright and alert.

From this, Chu Xingchen could clearly see the confusion and panic written across her expression as she glanced around, lost.

He watched as she staggered forward, only to unknowingly circle back to where she started.

Was she... trapped in the formation?

Had she wandered in by accident, or was there more to this?

Chu Xingchen decided to activate his system and examine her attribute panel.

[Ning Qianqian]

[Cultivation: None]

[Blue Trait: Unyielding Will]

[Blue Trait: Loyal and Righteous]

[White Trait: Clever]

[Does not meet disciple acceptance criteria]

There were Qingfeng Sect patrol disciples nearby, which meant the frail girl before him clearly wasn’t one of them.

Most likely, she was an escaped miner.

Just like Li Xingtian, she was probably deceived by the Qingfeng Sect and forced into labor.

After a moment’s thought, Chu Xingchen decided to take her away first—perhaps he could get some useful information from her later.

He pulled out a mask and covered his face, then grabbed the little girl by the collar and used Earth Escape to swiftly leave the area.

————————

”Immortal! Great Immortal!”

Tied to a tree, Ning Qianqian was sobbing pitifully. ”I swear, I just got lost!”

As she spoke, she stole a glance at the man who had bound her.

He was wearing a demonic mask, his eyes cold and unreadable as they fixed on her.

As expected—Qingfeng Sect was wicked!

Her father must have been deceived by those so-called immortals!

Chu Xingchen could only stare speechlessly at the girl. He wouldn’t have tied her up if she hadn’t been so uncooperative.

She had spat, thrashed, rolled on the ground, and even pretended to be insane.

If he hadn’t exposed her act, she would probably still be feigning stupidity right now.

Annoyed, Chu Xingchen said, ”Stop crying. I’m not from the Qingfeng Sect.”

But Ning Qianqian kept wailing.

”Immortal, I don’t know what Qingfeng Sect is! I really just got lost!”

Chu Xingchen didn’t bother arguing. He took out a large flatbread from his spatial ring and, under her horrified gaze, stuffed it into her mouth.

”Look at you—thin as a stick. How long has it been since you ate?”

Frightened that the bread might contain some kind of immortal poison, Ning Qianqian frantically shook her head to refuse.

But as the soft crumbs touched her tongue, hunger overcame fear. She hadn’t eaten in days, and she gave up resisting completely.

Without hesitation, she devoured the bread.

If she was doomed to die at the hands of an immortal, she might as well die with a full stomach!

Father, your daughter was useless... I couldn’t save you, and now I’m going to die first.

Watching her devour the food, Chu Xingchen silently withdrew the rope and handed her a flask of water.

Now that Ning Qianqian had resigned herself to fate, she accepted it all and drank greedily.

The bread was gone in moments, washed down with water.

Then, she looked up at him again with wide, hopeful eyes.

Chu Xingchen sighed. ”You’ve been starving too long. Eat too much at once and you’ll get sick.”

But from the look in Ning Qianqian’s eyes, it was clear she didn’t believe him—more like she thought, Even immortals can be stingy over a single flatbread.

Ignoring her suspicion, Chu Xingchen asked, ”Why are you here? Were you trying to escape the mine?”

Ning Qianqian lowered her gaze, timidly glancing up at the masked man.

”I... I really just got lost,” she murmured.

Chu Xingchen studied her for a few moments, then decided not to press further.

He took out a few silver pieces and another flatbread from his spatial ring, handing them to her.

”You don’t want to talk? Fine. Head straight that way—you’ll find the nearest town. It’s dangerous here, so don’t ever come back.”

Ning Qianqian stared in disbelief at the items forced into her hands, then looked up.

Chu Xingchen had already turned around and was walking away without another word.

She couldn’t stop herself from calling out—

”Immortal, wait!”

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