Volume 1, Chapter 7 – The First Disciple

“Mama Master~ Are we going to live here from now on?”

Little A-Yao opened her round black eyes wide and curiously looked over the unfamiliar palace complex around her.

“Yes… we’ll be living here from now on.”

Gu Han sighed, making one last attempt to resist.

“And also, just calling me Master is fine. You don’t have to add those extra words at the end.”

“Oh…”

A-Yao nodded as if she understood, then answered in her soft, milky voice,

“Got it, Master Mama!”

Gu Han: “…”

Forget it. She could call her whatever she wanted.

Why bother arguing with a little thing whose memories were missing and whose mind had regressed to that of a child?

Carrying A-Yao in her arms, she walked into the vast and magnificent main hall.

Inside the hall, the pillars were made of white jade, the floor was paved with glazed crystal, and above, the lofty dome shimmered with starlike spiritual light that moved of its own accord. It was every bit the scene of an immortal abode.

At the moment, however, it was empty. Only at the very top stood a cloud couch that looked plain and simple at first glance, yet in truth contained Dao resonance.

After setting little A-Yao on the cloud couch, the couch automatically changed shape, becoming better suited for the little girl to sit and lie on.

A-Yao rolled around on the soft cloud couch curiously, letting out bright peals of laughter.

Looking at this pure and innocent little girl, whose potential was so great it bordered on the absurd, the small discomfort in Gu Han’s heart over being mistaken for “Mama” gradually turned into a certain sense of responsibility.

Since I awakened you by chance, and the system has judged you to be a “peerless immortal seedling,” then this must be the fate between us.

She gathered her thoughts. Her expression turned solemn yet gentle as she said to little A-Yao, who was currently playing with her own hair,

“A-Yao.”

“Mhm?”

Little A-Yao lifted her head and looked at her with those pure, wide eyes.

“Since you have entered my sect, you are now the first disciple of my Yaochi Immortal Palace.”

“Today, I will formally accept you as my disciple, pass on to you the supreme Dao, and guide you back onto the immortal path. Are you willing?”

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Gu Han’s voice was clear and resonant, carrying a trace of unquestionable authority as it echoed through the empty great hall.

Although little A-Yao did not really understand what “first disciple” or “the immortal path” meant, she could sense the seriousness and kindness in Gu Han’s words.

She nodded her little head vigorously and replied in a crisp voice,

“I’m willing! A-Yao is willing to follow Master Mama!”

【Ding! Host has accepted the first disciple (A-Yao)!】

【Aptitude evaluation: above ten stars. Requirements met!】

【Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the “Peerless Immortal Seedling” gift pack!】

【Distributing gift pack contents…】

The chain of system notifications sounded at just the right time, making Gu Han’s spirits rise.

Here it comes!

【Congratulations, Host. You have obtained “Nine Heavens Xirang ¹ 息壤/Xirang (Breath-Growing Earth) originated in Chinese mythology as a miraculous self-expanding soil described in the Classic of Mountains and Seas ” (a congenital spiritual treasure, the supreme material for reconstructing a physical body)!】

【Congratulations, Host. You have obtained “Primordial Source Liquid” (can nourish the soul and fuse perfectly with a physical body)!】

【Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the “Primordial Unity Immortal Scripture” (suited to this disciple’s innate foundation)!】

【Congratulations, Host. You have obtained 500,000 low-grade spirit stones.】

【Congratulations, Host. You have obtained 10,000 Master’s Dao Points (can be used to purchase items in the system shop).】

The series of reward notifications left Gu Han dazzled.

Not only had it given her the materials to reconstruct a body, it had even prepared the matching cultivation technique and startup funds.

She immediately took out the two radiant treasures from the system space.

Nine Heavens Xirang:

It was only a fist-sized lump of yellowish earth, yet it was as heavy as a mountain. Nine-colored radiance flowed across its surface, as though it contained endless mysteries.

Primordial Source Liquid:

Stored inside a pure jade vial, there were only three drops. Each one shimmered with a hazy glow and gave off a mysterious aura.

The question now was: how was she supposed to use them?

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Though she possessed cultivation, she had absolutely no experience with such high-level operations as reconstructing a body.

“System, how exactly do I mold this body? Is there some kind of instruction manual?”

【The Host only needs to guide it with divine sense, mold the “Nine Heavens Xirang” into the desired form, drip the “Primordial Source Liquid” into it, and finally guide the target into it.】

“The desired form…”

Gu Han looked at the innocent little A-Yao, then at her own body, rubbing her chin.

“Then let’s just make it according to how she looks now. If she’s younger, she’ll be easier to teach too.”

Following the system’s guidance, Gu Han carefully wrapped her divine sense around the lump of Nine Heavens Xirang.

When touched by her divine sense, the legendary congenital spiritual treasure trembled slightly and gave off a gentle, weighty pulse.

She focused her mind and began sketching A-Yao’s physical form within her thoughts.

As her will moved, that lump of Nine Heavens Xirang slowly flowed and changed shape as though it had come alive.

First came the outline of a tiny head, then a slender neck, a petite torso, and four small limbs.

As for the finer details, the rounded cheeks, the slightly curled fingers, even the first delicate outlines of long, thick eyelashes,

all of them appeared little by little beneath the precise control of Gu Han’s powerful divine sense.

The whole process lasted about the time it took for an incense stick to burn.

When the final detail was completed, a yellowish clay doll, identical to A-Yao, floated in midair.

Although the color and material were completely different, its facial features and proportions were already those of another A-Yao.

Its eyes were merely shut, devoid of life.

“Next is the Primordial Source Liquid.”

Gu Han picked up the jade vial and removed the stopper.

At once, an indescribably fresh aura spread through the air, as though it contained the primal origin of life itself.

She guided out one drop of Primordial Source Liquid. That drop was like quicksilver with a will of its own.

Shimmering with the light of primal chaos at the dawn of creation, it fell with perfect accuracy onto the clay doll’s brow.

Buzz!

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The moment the Primordial Source Liquid fused into it, the shell formed from Nine Heavens Xirang erupted with brilliant nine-colored radiance!

Its originally yellow earth-colored body quickly became lustrous, its color changing toward that of normal human skin. It even seemed as though blood vessels and meridians were generating and extending themselves beneath the skin.

A vast vitality spread out from this newborn body.

“A-Yao, now, go in!”

Gu Han immediately called to the little immortal soul beside her, who had been watching with curiosity.

Though A-Yao was still innocent and childlike, she instinctively felt the attraction that body held for her.

She gave an “Mm!” and turned into a streak of light, plunging into that newly born shell.

The light gradually drew inward, and the tiny body that had been floating in the air slowly descended to the ground.

Her skin was fair and rosy, delicate enough to seem breakable at a touch, and soft black hair naturally spilled down around her.

She lay there quietly, her chest rising and falling ever so slightly with each breath, as if she were only asleep.

Gu Han held her breath and watched nervously.

She could feel A-Yao’s immortal soul perfectly fusing with the body that had just been shaped.

The process looked calm on the surface, but it was in fact critically important. Not the slightest disturbance could be allowed.

A moment later, those long lashes trembled lightly like butterfly wings.

Then those pure, black gemlike eyes slowly opened.

The confusion in them quickly faded, replaced by a liveliness and vitality unlike anything before.

She blinked, lifted her little hand to look at it curiously, then wriggled her toes. A fresh and delighted expression appeared on her face.

“Master Mama!”

When she called out, her voice was more real and crisp than it had been in her immortal soul state, carrying the soft sweetness unique to a child.

“A-Yao… feels so comfortable! So warm!”

She tried to stand up. She wobbled a little at first, but soon steadied herself.

This physical body, shaped from Nine Heavens Xirang and Primordial Source Liquid, fit her incomplete immortal soul perfectly.

Not only was its foundation incomparably stable, it was also innately close to the Great Dao, its sensitivity to the spiritual qi of heaven and earth sharp to an astonishing degree.

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Looking at the first disciple before her, reborn with new life, Gu Han finally felt a heavy weight lift from her heart. At the same time, an indescribable sense of accomplishment welled up inside her.

After all, this was a disciple she had personally “made,” a peerless immortal seedling with above-ten-star potential!

“As long as you feel comfortable, that’s good.”

A genuine smile appeared on Gu Han’s face. She crouched down and patted A-Yao’s soft hair.

“From now on, this is your own body. Come, try this.”

With a thought, she had the system transmit the “Primordial Unity Immortal Scripture” into A-Yao’s sea of consciousness.

The cultivation technique was of immortal grade, profound beyond measure.

The system’s method of imparting it was gentle and direct, transforming it into simple text and visualization diagrams that A-Yao could understand.

A-Yao quickly received the technique. A flash of understanding appeared in her large eyes.

Following the instructions in the scripture by instinct, she sat down cross-legged with her five centers facing heaven and attempted her first round of cultivation.

The instant she entered meditation, the spiritual qi throughout the entire Yaochi Immortal Palace stirred slightly.

Centered on her tiny body, a vortex of spiritual qi formed, and an enormous amount of the spiritual qi of heaven and earth poured into her body like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

Time passed bit by bit.

A-Yao’s body seemed like a bottomless abyss, greedily absorbing all that spiritual qi.

Off to the side, Gu Han clicked her tongue inwardly in amazement.

So this was the terror of a talent above ten stars?

Her very first attempt at drawing qi into the body was already on the same scale as an ordinary cultivator’s Foundation Establishment!

And judging from her absorption speed and conversion efficiency, it was simply unbelievable.

【Ding! Disciple A-Yao has successfully stepped into the first layer of Qi Refinement!】

【Ding! Disciple A-Yao has successfully stepped into the second layer of Qi Refinement!】

【Ding! Disciple A-Yao has successfully stepped into the third layer of Qi Refinement!】

【Ding! …】

The system’s notifications rang out in Gu Han’s mind at regular intervals.