Chapter 150: Second Disciple: Miaojing!

Meanwhile, Miaojing was cautiously observing the expression of the Immortal above...

Seeing his absent-minded look, which seemed to carry a trace of nostalgia and emotional reflection, its heart instantly leaped into its throat.

Repaying a favor was one thing...

It also harbored the hope that if it could become the disciple of a supreme being suspected of being a true immortal, it would not only gain a powerful backing, but also prove immensely beneficial to its future cultivation...

Xu Boqing could not help but feel a stirring of emotion. In his eyes, this cat demon Miaojing seemed to gradually overlap with the snake demon he had encountered before...

"Are you certain you wish to take me as your master?"

Hearing this, Miaojing was overjoyed. Since the Immortal could pose such a question, it undoubtedly meant he was willing to accept disciples!

Overwhelmed with joy, it hurriedly prostrated itself on the ground. Despite having the body of a cat, it performed the grand ceremonial kowtow of three kowtows and nine knockings just like a human, and said solemnly, "Your humble disciple Miaojing is willing to enter Master's sect!"

Seeing this, Xu Boqing smiled faintly and spoke frankly, "Although I harbor no prejudice between humans and demons, my own understanding of cultivation is rather superficial, and I fear I may be unable to properly guide you in your practice. You must think this through carefully."

In this world, the bond between master and disciple was a great karmic tie second only to that between father and child. As the old proverbs went: 'Those who give me life are my parents, those who teach me are my masters,' and 'Entering a master's school is like entering a new womb.' Such was the gravity of it.

Therefore, he was unwilling to conceal anything regarding this matter of utmost importance to cultivation...

"Master is above..."

Miaojing prostrated on the ground, a mist of tears swirling within its heterochromatic eyes, and said, "Although your humble disciple has been locked away in the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda ever since gaining spiritual awareness...

I am still aware of the distinction between immortals and demons, and the boundaries of sects!

Yet Master not only possesses boundless cultivation, but also teaches without discrimination toward our kind. To be able to enter Master's sect is already the greatest of fortunes! This disciple dares not ask for anything more!"

"Hehehehe... Very well!"

Xu Boqing looked at it with an ambiguous smile and said, "Since you have already taken me as your master, why do you still refer to yourself as a humble disciple?"

"This hu—"

Miaojing was slightly dazed for a moment. Upon realizing its mistake, it prostrated again and said with a choked voice, "Your disciple Miaojing pays respects to Master!"

"Good!"

Xu Boqing nodded slightly...

Sensing that another thread of karma had obscurely linked itself to him, he knew that the master-disciple karma was now firmly established.

With a smile, he said, "Rise. There are no strict demands within my sect, nor do you need to mind the tedious formalities of the mortal world. Since you are willing to acknowledge me, and I am willing to take you in, this karma is set."

"Yes!"

Miaojing was overjoyed upon hearing this. Then, seeming to recall something, it asked with some hesitation, "May this disciple ask Master a question?"

"Go ahead..."

"Well, now that this disciple has entered Master's sect, I do not yet know if there are any other martial brothers or sisters..."

Miaojing said hesitatingly, "If there are other senior or junior fellow apprentices, and I were to meet them in the future without knowing it, wouldn't that make a foolish misunderstanding?"

"Rest assured, you have no martial brothers."

Xu Boqing pondered for a moment. Thinking of that snake demon and the karma connecting them, he added, "But you should have a martial sister..."

"Ah?"

Miaojing appeared somewhat stunned. "A martial sister?"

Xu Boqing shook his head and explained, "Like you, she is also of demonic form—an unformed Dark Yin snake demon. You likely won't encounter her for the time being."

Upon hearing that her 'martial sister' turned out to be an unformed Dark Yin snake, Miaojing was slightly startled once more.

Then it occurred to her that the lineage of the Dark Yin snake was not particularly profound, and since she was yet unformed, this 'martial sister's' cultivation level probably couldn't be much higher than her own.

Besides, what Master meant by 'won't encounter her for the time being' proved that this 'martial sister' must be in seclusion somewhere...

Well... at least she couldn't vie for favor right now...

It chuckled and reined in its wandering thoughts.

"Since you have formally entered my sect, it is only proper for your master to give you a welcome gift..."

Xu Boqing paused his voice, then clicked his tongue and said, "Yet on second thought, I have nothing on my person quite suitable for you. It would be inappropriate to throw something together casually, so let us record this welcome gift for now and make it up to you in the future..."

"Hehe~"

A trace of delight blossomed across the cat's face. Perhaps due to the newly established master-disciple bond, it was no longer as fearful of the master before it as it had been earlier...

"Then this disciple will truly make a mental note of it?"

"Rest assured, you won't be shortchanged..."

Xu Boqing smiled and shook his head. Seeing that the cat demon had become his own disciple and that its fur was glossy and bright, he reached out, grabbed the back of its neck, and hoisted it into his arms to hold.

* * *

"Ah, this..."

Miaojing blinked, its body stiffening slightly.

It had been locked into the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda shortly after gaining spiritual awareness, and it was only recently, when the seals of the pagoda loosened, that it managed to sneak out.

Up until now, apart from the other 'self' it had been inhabiting during its practice, it had never been held by anyone...

The feeling was exceedingly strange...

Then it remembered that it was presently in the form of a cat, and the one holding it was none other than its master. With that thought, it relaxed, lowered its head, and rested it against the crook of its master's arm...

"Just think of yourself as a little cat..."

Xu Boqing leaped out of the deserted courtyard, stroking the cat as he walked, and casually said, "Your master still has some relatives in the mortal world, located not far from here. We'll make a detour and I'll introduce you to them.

They are ordinary mortals...

And I may not always be around to look after them.

If you happen to walk about the capital in the future and run into them facing difficulties, you may lend a helping hand within your capabilities. That way, this human favor will be—"

The little black cat in his arms shifted into a more comfortable position and muttered, "Since this disciple has entered Master's sect, Master's relatives are naturally Miaojing's relatives.

Master, please don't speak of favors and the like anymore; it sounds far too distant, doesn't it?"

Xu Boqing smiled faintly, teasing in a playful tone, "A certain little demon was shouting 'Spare my life, Immortal' just a moment ago, yet now it's lecturing its master."

"Of course..."

The little cat in his arms rubbed against his hand, then, as if recalling something, tilted its feline head and asked, "Master, how did you know there were other demonic cultivators hiding in this capital?"

"Your master possesses the Heavenly Eye, which allows him to perceive the aura and phase of all things."

Xu Boqing merely mentioned it in passing without intending to explain further. Then, recalling the umbrella-weaving old man he had seen in the rainy night, he warned, "At present, there are not only demonic cultivators in this capital, but immortal cultivators as well.

Moreover, it is not just the capital; even beyond its walls, various practitioners are lurking and watching, only they hide themselves far more deeply."

"Hiss..."

The little cat was slightly dazed.

On one hand, it was shocked that its master claimed to possess the Heavenly Eye capable of observing the 'aura and phase of all things';

On the other hand, it was astonished that a single city in the mortal realm could gather so many practitioners.

It raised its head and clicked its tongue. "A mere capital like this has so many practitioners coveting it?"

Xu Boqing sighed. "The Water and Land Dharma Assembly is approaching. Just as you thought to borrow human destiny for your cultivation, naturally, others can think of it too."

"Ah, this..."

Thinking of its own purpose in coming here, Miaojing could readily understand why so many practitioners had flocked to this place.

"They are all waiting, all watching..."

Xu Boqing stroked its furry little head and teased with a smile, "So when your master saw you rashly acting the part of a supreme immortal in the Prince Jing's Mansion, I felt you truly were foolish to the extreme."

"Di—disciple didn't know beforehand either..."

At the thought of all the practitioners watching the capital while she had run off to pose as an immortal in Prince Jing's Mansion, Miaojing could not help but feel a flush of embarrassment.

Feeling as though her feline face was burning red, she covered her eyes with her paws, looking utterly mortified...

* * *

"Of course, being foolish has its advantages too..."

Xu Boqing changed the subject. "What you did in Prince Jing's Mansion has likely already caught the attention of those with discerning eyes or fellow demons.

Given the cautious nature of those practitioners...

They will surely regard you as an ignorant and innocent little demon and use you to scout the path. Perhaps you won't even need to seek them out; they will take the initiative to approach you."

"..."

Hearing her master say that 'being foolish has its advantages,' the little cat in his arms was momentarily unsure whether to rejoice or grieve.

Then, recalling the two tasks her master had mentioned earlier to help her restore her cultivation—while the goal of the first task was clear, the second one had been rather vague...

She asked cautiously, "Master, when you had this disciple infiltrate the circle of demonic cultivators in the capital, what sort of news were you hoping I would unearth?"

She paused for a brief moment before adding, "That way, this disciple will have a clear target to investigate."

"It's nothing much..."

Xu Boqing pondered for a moment and said, "I told you before that your master possesses the Heavenly Eye, capable of observing the aura of all things.

That includes the national destiny of the Great Liang dynasty...

Yet when I left the capital some time ago and returned, I discovered that the destiny of Great Liang had vanished...

And those demonic and immortal cultivators have come here largely for the Water and Land Dharma Assembly, wishing to borrow the destiny of Great Liang for their cultivation. I wonder if this disappearance of destiny is related to them..."

"Ah?"

Hearing such earth-shattering secrets, Miaojing felt her breath catch.

Let alone the other demonic cultivators in the capital, even she herself had come here for the Water and Land Dharma Assembly, hoping to borrow the human destiny of Great Liang to advance her practice.

Yet now, listening to her master's words...

The national destiny of Great Liang was already gone!?

"The national destiny of an entire dynasty..."

Xu Boqing clicked his tongue. "To vanish so abruptly—if some individual or demon with ulterior motives were to seize it for cultivation, the consequences would be unimaginable."

He paused briefly before explaining, "You are also of demonic form, and your cultivation is not high, so you won't arouse their suspicion...

Therefore, your master wishes for you to infiltrate the demonic cultivators in the capital and probe around to see if there is any intelligence regarding the disappearance of this destiny."

"Mm-mm..."

Miaojing bobbed its feline head and solemnly replied, "This disciple will definitely spare no effort in investigating such matters!"

Xu Boqing nodded slightly...

Master and cat walked along the road, falling into a brief silence...

Seeming to recall something, he sighed and murmured, "Miaojing..."

"Hm?"

Miaojing tilted its head in puzzlement, wondering why her master had suddenly called her name...

"Liu Heng'e... is she truly dead?"

Seeing her master's demeanor, Miaojing guessed what was on his mind. After a moment of contemplation, she answered solemnly, "Liu Heng'e is dead, but in truth, she is not dead..."

Sensing the hand stroking her fur pause slightly, she grinned and said, "Liu Heng'e voluntarily allowed this disciple to take over her physical body, and I have also inherited her memories..."

She paused for a moment, then assumed a serious expression to comfort him, "Master, Liu Heng'e is not Miaojing, but Miaojing can be Liu Heng'e, you see..."

"..."

Xu Boqing looked at that earnest feline face and could not help feeling a daze wash over him. He then gave a gentle shake of his head.

"Thank you..."