Although no one expected Richard Foster to say such a thing at first, when he did, no one was really surprised. Everyone knew that Richard Foster had always been devoted to the most beautiful woman in Taiyue City, Emily Bennett. It was just that, as always, the falling flower had feelings, but the flowing water was heartless. That would have been fine, but the key was that Emily Bennett had almost been betrothed to Henry Carter. That made things a bit awkward, so it was easy to understand why Richard Foster felt a knot in his heart.

　　Facing the sympathetic, pitying, or mocking gazes from those around him, Henry Carter didn’t say much. He glanced at William Clark, then at Richard Foster. He gently closed the scroll in his hands, then stood up and walked out of the cabin, actually leaving.

　　For a moment, the atmosphere in the cabin became a little awkward. After a while, William Clark laughed and said, “Now we can finally speak freely!”

　　“Haha, Henry Carter used to be so overbearing, but now he actually seems a bit pitiful…”

　　The mood in the cabin gradually improved, and someone, trying to curry favor with Richard Foster, deliberately spoke up with a laugh.

　　“No need to mention him. Fellow disciples, once we enter the Immortal Sect, we should all look out for each other…”

　　At this moment, Richard Foster also gave a faint smile and took the initiative to speak.

　　Immediately, countless people in the cabin responded. Once they entered Qingyang Sect, Richard Foster would indeed be the leader among the disciples from Taiyue City.

　　Meanwhile, Henry Carter, who had left the cabin, showed a helpless, bitter smile on his face…

　　“Although I’ve cursed you as a fool in my heart plenty of times, I’ve never actually acted overbearing on the surface, have I?”

　　Listening to the laughter from inside the cabin, he sighed helplessly.

　　Even so, he naturally understood that the point wasn’t whether he had ever been overbearing, but simply that he was unlucky!

　　Of all the possible mistakes, the biggest was that he was no longer at the top of the Jiazi Ranking!

　　Leaning on the side of the boat, he gradually became lost in thought.

　　At this moment, the magic boat was already flying in midair. Through the barrier surrounding the boat, Henry Carter could see the endless clouds below, deep as an abyss and vast as the sea. Gradually, his heart seemed to open up as well. With just a smile, the bit of unhappiness in his chest vanished like smoke, and instead, a sense of pride began to rise: “But if I get the chance in the future, I’ll let you all see what it really means to be truly overbearing!”

　　Everyone else thought that he was going to the Immortal Sect to become a menial laborer.

　　But deep down, Henry Carter was absolutely determined—he was going there to cultivate. This was just his first step into the world of cultivation!

　　The magic boat was extremely swift. From Taiyue City to Qingyang Sect, if a mortal rode a fast horse, it would take more than half a month. But with this immortal artifact, it took only about an hour before they could already see the immortal mountains ahead. Since only Henry Carter was outside the cabin at this time, he became the first to see the immortal mountains of Qingyang Sect. Staring at the endless splendor, he was momentarily stunned.

　　It was truly a sight mortals could never imagine: a series of towering, extraordinary immortal peaks standing amidst the clouds and mist. From afar, they all looked as if they were floating above the clouds. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the clouds were all tinged purple, and above the purple clouds, one could even see many immortal palaces, all floating directly in midair—just like the heavenly court itself!

　　Qingyang Sect, one of the five great Immortal Sects of Yue Kingdom, with its Four Marvels and Twelve Sights, was now revealed before Henry Carter for the first time.

　　Henry Carter was even a bit dazzled and entranced. He stared blankly at the stretches of immortal mountains and the palaces one after another. In his heart, hot blood seemed to surge, and a voice he could not suppress shouted out: “Qingyang Sect, I’ve finally come!”

Chapter Five: The Path of Cultivation

　　“Menial Affairs Office, Cleansing Pavilion, new menial laborer Henry Carter, this is your badge!”

　　After the magic boat entered Qingyang Sect, Henry Carter was separated from the others. He was sent to a small, somewhat old hall on the edge of Qingyang Sect, where he met a tall, thin steward in blue robes with a somewhat shifty look. This steward’s surname was Reed, and he had served in Qingyang Sect for more than ten years. Now, he managed a dozen or so menial laborers like Henry Carter.

　　He handed out all the necessary items to Henry Carter, including a special badge made by Qingyang Sect, a set of blue robes of unknown material—the standard attire for menial laborers—two Qi-Refining Pills that could strengthen the body, and a scroll of Qi-Refining cultivation method with a somewhat damaged cover. Then he led Henry Carter through the mountain forests and halls, chattering endlessly about the rules.

　　“The dining hall is here. There are three meals a day—morning, noon, and evening. The place to collect your monthly wages is over there. Remember to come on time at the end of each month. That’s where the sect disciples cultivate in seclusion—you can’t enter without permission. As for the back mountain, well, it’s not forbidden, but there are many fierce monsters there, so unless you want to feed them with your own flesh and blood, it’s best not to go in casually…”

　　Once Reed the steward started talking, he just couldn’t stop. At first, Henry Carter listened patiently, but soon he couldn’t help but let his mind wander, simply looking joyfully at the beginner’s Qi-Refining method and the two Qi-Refining Pills in his arms. Yet Reed the steward didn’t care whether Henry Carter was listening or not; he just kept talking in front, looking very excited, as if as long as he was happy talking, that was enough.

　　“Senior brother, can we really cultivate too?”