This family is not proper

Tang Xiaoxue was brought to the front hall of the Qingyun Sword Sect's master.

"Xiaoxue, wait here for a moment. I'll go report to the sect master," the female cultivator said.

"Okay, senior sister," Tang Xiaoxue replied.

As soon as the female cultivator stepped into the main hall, her demeanor completely changed.

"Master, bad news, bad news!"

The Qingyun Sword Sect's sect master and group of elders looked towards the door.

Seeing it was his disciple, the sect master scolded, "Jade Butterfly, what's with the yelling and shouting?"

Li Yudie quickly stopped and paid respects, "Greetings Master, greetings elders."

The head elder laughed, "Girl, when will you fix that rash behavior of yours?"

"Elders, please listen to me first," Li Yudie said.

"Go on then, speak," the elder replied.

Li Yudie quickly continued, "Master, elders, I've discovered an excellent cultivator seedling. You should confirm how good she is."

The sect master scolded, "Then why were you yelling bad news?"

Li Yudie mumbled while pulling at her clothes, "I was afraid other sects would find out!"

"Alright alright, Yudie was just worried," the second elder mediated.

"Call the person in first!"

"Yes! I'll bring her in immediately, Master!"

Returning to the front hall, Li Yudie resumed her previous tranquil manner.

"Xiaoxue, come in with me. The sect master wants to see you."

"Okay, senior sister."

Stepping into the hall, Xiaoxue was a little nervous and stuck close behind her senior sister.

"Tang Xiaoxue pays respects to seniors," she greeted.

Seeing the girl, the sect master immediately smiled, "Xiaoxue, don't be scared. We just want to test your aptitude."

Li Yudie thought to herself, [Master is so petty, whispering gently to Xiaoxue yet yelling at me.]

Xiaoxue nodded.

"Eldest brother, test Xiaoxue," the sect master said.

"Alright."

As the head elder inserted spirit energy into Xiaoxue's body, his expression continuously changed.

"Metal, wood, water - three attribute spiritual roots."

The other elders exclaimed in unison, "What? Three attributes simultaneously? Even disciples personally taught by the Holy Land rarely have three attributes!"

The sect master forced himself to stay composed, already plotting to take Xiaoxue as a disciple.

He transmitted to his disciple, "Whether Xiaoxue can become your junior sister depends on you."

"Understood," Li Yudie replied.

The second elder took out an artifact, "Let's test her aptitude again!"

The head elder gently told Xiaoxue, "Xiaoxue, put your hand here."

"Okay, senior."

As Xiaoxue placed her hand on the artifact, everyone craned their necks staring at it.

The artifact quickly lit up white, then rapidly cycled through colors -

Blue, yellow, green, purple, orange, red.

It stopped on red without changing further, only shining brighter.

The head elder wondered, "Why is it getting brighter without changing color?"

While the sect master and elders were confused, Xiaoxue plainly said, "Can it only test up to red?"

Everyone turned to Xiaoxue, frightening her into quickly lowering her head.

Unsure, the second elder ventured, "It seems... it should... maybe it can only test up to perfect grade."

The others were also uncertain until the sect master stamped his authority, "Then it's perfect."

Everyone readily agreed.

Blinking her large eyes, Xiaoxue thought, their arbitrary decision really shows how stupid the elders are, just like Master said.

Before anyone could react, the sect master stated, "Since her spirit roots are only perfect grade, I can reluctantly take Xiaoxue as my disciple!"

"Xiaoxue, hurry and bow as disciple."

Hearing this, Xiaoxue immediately knelt, "Disciple Tang Xiaoxue pays respects to Master."

"Good good, my well-behaved disciple, rise."

The second elder said, "Junior brother is truly our..."

He didn't finish saying "perfect" before reacting, "Junior brother, how shameless! You reluctantly accepted a perfect grade aptitude. Do you have no shame?"

The others also reacted, "This bow doesn't count. We don't agree!"

The head elder jumped up, "Our sect hasn't produced a perfect grade aptitude disciple in hundreds of years. It's rare to encounter one, yet you used such underhanded means to cheat her away. I'm the first to disagree!"

"We don't agree either!"

Unperturbed, the sect master breezily said, "It can't be helped since I'm smarter than you all. Otherwise, Master wouldn't have let me be sect master."

"You mean we're stupid?"

"I didn't say that. It was our late teacher who said it," the sect master replied.

"We'll compete with you for her!"

The sect master instantly cowered, "Everyone, let's talk it out. Violence won't solve anything. Most urgent now is how to teach and conceal Xiaoxue."

"You're right."

The group of people then started discussing.

Xiaoxue thought, Master really was right about the stupidity of the elders.

In the end, the sect master took Tang Xiaoxue as personal disciple with the elders all participating in teaching her and claiming to be her masters.

Of course, Xiaoxue's status as personal disciple wouldn't spread outside. Only those present knew.

Xiaoxue didn't disappoint her many masters. In just one day, she absorbed energy into her body achieving the Energy Refining Realm. In one month, she reached late Energy Refining Realm, ready to establish her foundation at any time.

The sect master and elders all became arrogantly proud, each one trying to claim credit. To build a good foundation for Xiaoxue, the old fellows took out all their treasures.

Li Yudie felt considerably vexed. Ever since Xiaoxue's arrival, she was no longer the apple in her master and seniors' eyes, reduced to some outsider. But for those heavenly treasures, Li Yudie thought - I can endure another decade.

Inside the main hall of Qingyun Sword Sect, the group was immersed in intense debate.

"Xiaoxue should focus on metal attribute arts."

"Wood attribute."

"No, it should be water attribute."

The daily headache for the sect master was his unreasonable elders acting like immature children.

"Enough arguing. Have Xiaoxue learn arts of all three attributes."

"Sect master really has the solution."

"Sect master is wise."

This was distressing for Tang Xiaoxue who had to cultivate three attributed arts daily, keeping each one evenly matched without falling behind the sect's other geniuses. It indirectly showed her astoundingly high aptitude for cultivation.

What truly gave Xiaoxue a headache wasn't cultivation itself but her meddling masters - a group of nosey old men fussing over her like nagging grandparents over a cherished granddaughter.

Xiaoxue currently only thought of reaching Golden Core Realm, so she could cultivate independently and go out adventuring by herself.

The sect master and elders believed for foundation building that Xiaoxue might not do it right without sufficient supervision.

As for Tang Xiaoyu after over a month of long-distance travel, he finally arrived at White Tiger City, the one nearest to Maple Moon City.

Tang Xiaoyu thought - I'll never willingly change locations in this vast cultivation world again, even if you beat me to death.

Entering White Tiger City, Tang Xiaoyu tangibly felt it was more dangerous than Maple Moon City.

"Uncle, let's find a spot to busk first. Otherwise, we'll have to leave the city to scrounge for food again," he said.

The man dressed like a farmer, Lu Changchun, nodded, "I'll listen to you."

After wandering the city half the day, they finally found a nice looking area.

Setting up their instruments and a signboard made beforehand, the pair prepared to work for their day's income.

Tang Xiaoyu didn't know where Lu Changchun had obtained a guqin but insisted on accompanying his singing.

Tang Xiaoyu felt an additional instrument would enhance the singing performance, but lessons on teaching Lu Changchun the accompanying melody were true torture.

After over ten days instruction, Lu Changchun was finally taught with subsequent public performances in some nearby villages to test things out. The reception felt fairly positive.

Eager for some fresh entertainment and lacking other amusements, quite a few villagers would come listen to Tang Xiaoyu's singing. In turn, the two obtained a fair number of eggs, fruits and vegetables.

"Uncle, first sing that song I taught you, 'The Ascetic Monk', to draw people in."

"No problem, I'll let my desolate and slightly mournful voice captivate everyone," Lu Changchun answered.

Tang Xiaoyu could only shake his head, thinking [Even if your singing is great, must you be so narcissistic?]

Initially rather shy with stage fright, only encouragement from the rustic common folk allowed Lu Changchun to slowly grow accustomed to singing before crowds. Now he could sing casually anywhere.

As the guqin's melody rose, Lu Changchun gradually got absorbed singing out 'The Ascetic Monk'.