After the Stand-in Hugged the White Moonlight's Thigh Tightly - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: I’ll take you to elope

“I want you to help me leave Lu Peak and no longer be controlled by Shen Yanyuan,” Ruan Mingyu said with a determined gaze.

“Is that all?” Song Chenxi teased, “Sister-in-law, you’re asking me to take you to elope.”

Ruan Mingyu puffed up his cheeks and said: “Elopement is fine, anything works, as long as you can take me away.”

Song Chenxi: “You dislike being with Shen Yanyuan that much? Though, if I were you, I wouldn’t like it either. That person is terribly boring.”

“You’ve come to the right person. I actually have a way.”

Hearing this, Ruan Mingyu’s eyes lit up.

Song Chenxi said: “I have two methods here. Which one will you choose?”

Now it was Ruan Mingyu’s turn to say: “Tell me about them.”

Song Chenxi: “The first one is this: The Taoist of the Three Purities is currently accepting disciples. If you become his disciple, you will be Shen Yanyuan’s Junior Brother, and then he won’t be able to do anything to you.”

“And the second one,” a smile played on his lips, gentle as flowing water, “I’ll go over and demand you, saying I fell in love with you at first sight and wish to be with you forever.”

Although Ruan Mingyu knew the second option was nonsense, he still curved his eyes into a smile and said: “Really? Thank you, Brother. You are the best.”

Song Chenxi couldn’t help but laugh, and asked: “So, which one do you choose?”

Ruan Mingyu: “The first one.”

Song Chenxi: “Not everyone can be chosen as an immortal sect disciple. Don’t come back crying and begging me then.”

Ruan Mingyu: “Crying and begging then is also fine.”

Song Chenxi: “In that case, I’ll take you out now.” He was very curious about how Ruan Mingyu recovered his memory, and even more curious about what expression Shen Yanyuan would have when his little pet flew away after he emerged from seclusion.

The more Song Chenxi thought about it, the more excited he became. He grabbed Ruan Mingyu’s wrist, preparing to take him out of Lu Peak’s enchantment.

Ruan Mingyu pointed to the silver bracelet on his wrist: “That thing can track my location.”

Song Chenxi tried to remove it for a while but couldn’t. However, he managed to tamper with the mechanism inside, disabling the tracking function. It now only retained the ability to keep the wearer warm in winter and cool in summer: “Now he can’t find you.”

…

Song Chenxi led Ruan Mingyu out of Lu Peak. This was Ruan Mingyu’s first time going anywhere outside of Lu Peak. He asked questions the entire way, annoying Song Chenxi.

“Are you a sparrow, chirping all the time?”

Ruan Mingyu was not old, and curious about everything: “Brother, I’m new to the world. If I annoy you, just pretend you don’t hear me.”

Song Chenxi said: “I almost forgot, you said you were going to take an Oath of the Spiritual Word.”

In the cultivation world, the Oath of the Spiritual Word is the most inviolable vow. Once taken, it must be fulfilled. Failure to do so would result in a drop in cultivation at best, or death and the destruction of one’s essence at worst.

Ruan Mingyu nodded, about to swear an oath that he would be struck by lightning and die a horrible death if he revealed that Song Chenxi was a demonic cultivator. But Song Chenxi suddenly said: “It’s too easy to kill you. How about this, repeat after me—”

“If I, Ruan Mingyu, disclose the matter of Song Chenxi cultivating a demonic technique, I shall turn into a little sparrow that can never chirp.”

How did he know his name? Did he investigate him after coming down the mountain?

Ruan Mingyu was more than happy not to have to swear a deadly oath. He nodded and took the vow as instructed.

After taking the oath, Song Chenxi raised an eyebrow and smiled, his entire demeanor turning sinister: “Ruan Mingyu, you’re not much use to me now.”

He drew his sword. Ruan Mingyu’s brow twitched, and he took a few steps back. Seeing that he had startled him, Song Chenxi burst into laughter and sheathed his sword again.

Song Chenxi’s gloomy mood vanished. He patted Ruan Mingyu’s face and said softly: “Don’t worry, I don’t plan on killing you yet. After all, there aren’t many people as interesting as you.”

Ruan Mingyu looked at him with a fake smile, inwardly cursing.

He’s playing with me again!

…

With Song Chenxi’s help, Ruan Mingyu signed up for the disciple selection held by the Taoist of the Three Purities. The place was packed with disciples from noble families.

It was said that the Taoist of the Three Purities had only two disciples. Although Alchemy was not favored in the Seven Stars Sect, it was still a famous sect in the cultivation world, so naturally, many people came.

Ruan Mingyu stood out like an anomaly. He had neither profound cultivation nor a prominent family background.

The Taoist of the Three Purities was a kind-looking old man with two white mustaches by his mouth.

After the white-bearded old man entered, he surveyed the crowd, his gaze pausing briefly on Ruan Mingyu’s face. Then, he announced: “I am here to take on disciples today. I have three requirements: First, hard-working and able to endure hardship. Second, quick and nimble. Third, of noble character.”

Ruan Mingyu thought, what’s the difference between this and being livestock? He was livestock in modern times, and he still had to be livestock here. What kind of wretched life is this?

“Those willing to be my disciples, step to the left!”

A crowd of people obediently did as he said.

He pulled out a magical artifact and tossed it into the air.

The crowd buzzed with discussion: “What is he doing?”

As the artifact took effect, runes lit up beneath their feet. Immediately afterward, the space around Ruan Mingyu changed. He could no longer see the noisy crowd.

Presumably, this was the Taoist of the Three Purities’ test for him.

The surroundings turned into a lush bamboo forest. Ruan Mingyu cautiously stepped onto the small path within the bamboo forest. He expected some fierce beasts or monsters to appear, but there was nothing. After walking around a few times, he still couldn’t leave the bamboo forest. Tired, he randomly found a spot to sit down and, before long, fell asleep.

When he woke up, he was back in the starting area. The people around him were looking at him with envy.

A moment later, a few more people woke up.

The Taoist of the Three Purities nodded: “We won’t wait for the others.”

It seemed the candidates for the disciples were among them.

The old Taoist and his disciples whispered to each other. Ruan Mingyu saw them pointing at him and vaguely heard someone say: “The aptitude is all similar. Why not choose the one who is most pleasing to the eye? Look, doesn’t that one resemble…”

After a moment, the old Taoist of the Three Purities cleared his throat and announced: “The old man has chosen a disciple.”

Everyone was full of anticipation, hoping to hear their own name.

The white-bearded old man stroked his mustache, drawing out the suspense, and said: “The chosen person is—you.” He pointed his finger in Ruan Mingyu’s direction.

Everyone present was shocked and began to murmur:

“What, it’s him?”

“Could there be some underhanded deal? What does he have besides his looks that surpasses us?”

“Did he bribe someone? It can’t be possible to choose him!”

Ruan Mingyu hadn’t expected to be chosen so easily. He finally let out a sigh of relief. From now on, Shen Yanyuan probably wouldn’t dare to do anything to him, right?

The old man pointed at him and said: “You, come. We’ll set off immediately and return to Yuantai Peak.”

Before long, a giant white crane soared over. It was the mount of an immortal.

Everyone looked on with envy. What kind of incredible luck did Ruan Mingyu have to become an immortal sect disciple in just one day?

Ruan Mingyu climbed onto the crane’s back.

A gust of wind swept by, the crane spread its wings, and Ruan Mingyu felt his body ascend into the air.

Gradually, the buildings beneath their feet turned into small black dots. He was truly going to cultivate immortality now…

Ruan Mingyu couldn’t articulate the emotions in his heart right now. Happiness or sadness? He couldn’t distinguish. On the one hand, he was overjoyed to be free from Shen Yanyuan’s control, but on the other hand, he was lost and confused about the uncertain future.

A boundless melancholy suddenly rose in his heart.

The old Taoist of the Three Purities said: “You’re going to cultivate immortality, and you’re not happy?”

Ruan Mingyu said: “I am happy, of course I am. It’s just that the immortal path is long, so I’m inevitably melancholic.”

The old man: “You worry too early. More troubles await you once you get to the mountain and start cultivating.”

Ruan Mingyu asked curiously: “Why did you choose me?”

“I saw everything you encountered in the dream realm. It is rare to see someone like you who is desireless and only seeks a wide world for oneself. Now you know why I chose you.”

“I am desireless?”

“More accurately, you don’t care about anything.”

The crane continued to soar. After flying for a short while, they reached Yuantai Peak. Looking down, there was a continuous mist of immortal energy, unlike the mortal world.

The Taoist of the Three Purities dropped him off in one spot and left him alone, telling him to wait and someone would come to meet him shortly.

Ruan Mingyu waited until he was almost asleep before finally seeing a female cultivator approach.

The female cultivator was smiling, with distant-mountain eyebrows and a high ponytail. Her whole demeanor was sharp and capable. It looked like she was wearing a pendant around her neck, but when Ruan Mingyu got closer, he realized it was a cat, a real, live cat. The cat sat on her neck and didn’t jump around, which was strange.

The female cultivator asked: “Are you our Junior Brother Ruan Mingyu?”

Ruan Mingyu said: “Senior Sister, it’s me.”

Senior Sister: “You are now a member of our Yuantai Peak. Come with me first, I’ll take you to your accommodation.”

Ruan Mingyu nodded and followed behind her. After walking for nearly half an hour, they finally reached their destination.

It was a serene mountain top, covered with lush, green, vibrant trees.

The Senior Sister pointed to the room furthest to the right in the courtyard and said: “You will live there from now on.”

Ruan Mingyu entered and put down his belongings. It looked like someone might already be living inside, but since the Senior Sister told him to stay there, it should be fine.

Exhausted from the day’s events, Ruan Mingyu only wanted to fall into bed and sleep. He took off his outer robe, lay down, and immediately drifted off into a dream.

He hadn’t even fully settled into his sleep when he suddenly heard a voice laced with a suppressed chuckle: “Is Mingyu sleeping soundly?”