Hearing this voice, everyone looked in its direction.
They saw a slender girl in white robes standing behind them, though no one knew when she had arrived.
The girl had a refined and beautiful face, her snow-white robes were immaculate, and her dark eyes were quietly observing them.
The two Disciples exchanged a glance, seeing the confusion in each other's eyes.
"Who is this?"
Beside them, Junior Sister Su Liu's face lit up with joy.
She subconsciously took half a step forward, about to speak.
However, as the words reached her lips, she seemed to remember something, swallowed them back, and turned to look at Senior Brother Chen Yuan beside her.
Following her gaze, the two Disciples clearly realized what was happening.
By the looks of it... is she an acquaintance of Senior Brother Chen Yuan?
Noticing everyone's gaze, Senior Brother Chen Yuan couldn't spare the time to explain to his two companions first.
He wiped the worry from his face and hurriedly stepped forward, cupping his hands in a salute: "Guest Elder... Guest Elder Jiang."
Guest Elder?
Hearing this term, the other two Disciples felt their bodies tremble, and the confusion in their eyes deepened.
However, the two had been staying within the Sect all this time.
They enjoyed walking between the various peaks, listening to gossip.
At this moment, thoughts raced through their minds.
They quickly recalled a rumor that had been spreading like wildfire among the Inner Sect Disciples recently.
The rumor was that a very young Guest Elder had recently arrived at the Sect. Although their surface-level cultivation was not high, their talent was terrifyingly monstrous.
It was said that a few days ago, when Elder Taizhen held a lecture, this Guest Elder had only entered halfway to listen.
In just a short while, they had actually mastered the first method under the Jieqing Sect's Spiritual Method, the Six-Cycle Heavenly Flow.
As Inner Sect Disciples, they naturally knew the Six-Cycle Heavenly Flow all too well; the difficulty of mastering this technique was extremely harsh.
Even compared to the true Spiritual Methods of the Sect, it was no less impressive.
Thinking of this, "hiss..." the two couldn't help but gasp.
The casual look in their eyes vanished instantly.
Being able to hold the title of Guest Elder with such Heaven-Defying Comprehension Ability was not something that ordinary Disciples like them could afford to neglect.
The two dared not speak further and hurriedly adjusted their posture.
They bowed respectfully and cupped their hands: "Greetings, Guest Elder..."
Jiang Yuechu nodded slightly, acknowledging the greeting.
Then, her gaze shifted, moving past the two of them: "Tell me, what is it?"
Hearing these three words, Senior Brother Chen Yuan looked uneasy, his hands subconsciously clutching the corners of his robes.
Seeing Jiang Yuechu appear, with such a great Opportunity right before him, it would be self-deception to say he had no hope in his heart.
But having joined the Jieqing Sect since childhood, even after living for so long, he still had to care about face and gratitude.
Last time in Huangshan City, he and Junior Sister had already benefited immensely, gaining a substantial amount of Sect merit for nothing.
She was a dignified Guest Elder with a lofty status and heaven-reaching methods.
Why should she take them, these dead weights, along to take advantage of things every day?
He let out a dry laugh and hurriedly tried to brush it off: "Sorry to trouble Guest Elder, but it's really nothing important."
"It was just a few fellow Disciples chatting, and we missed out on some trivial errands, nothing worth mentioning."
These words might have sounded proper to others.
But Junior Sister Su Liu, standing beside him, was burning with anxiety.
What time did he think it was?
The path of Dao cultivation was like rowing a boat against the current; for the sake of those meager resources to Cultivate, which Disciple below wasn't struggling with all their might?
Now that such a Heaven-sent Opportunity was right before them, how could Senior Brother still be concerned about some illusory face?
If they missed out this time, that substantial merit from the Five-Child Demons would be completely beyond their reach.
Junior Sister Su Liu gritted her teeth.
She stopped paying attention to the frequent glances Senior Brother Chen Yuan was shooting her.
She suddenly stepped forward and made a deep bow to the figure in white robes.
"We had set our sights on a trial to clear out the Five-Child Demons. We had originally gathered enough people, but just before setting off, one person suddenly broke their promise. The Deacon Hall has strict rules: without someone of equivalent combat power to lead, they won't allow us to accept this mission."
Having said that, she took a deep breath and looked at Jiang Yuechu with burning eyes: "The reward for that trial is extremely generous, and we are truly unwilling to let such an errand fall into the hands of others, which is why we were here worrying."
Hmm?
Jiang Yuechu raised an eyebrow slightly.
She had been worrying about how to earn some merit, and now this errand delivered to her doorstep was not bad.
She silently suppressed the excitement in her heart and just spoke indifferently: "Tell me in detail."
Seeing that Junior Sister had already laid the matter bare, Senior Brother Chen Yuan sighed.
He decided to just give up and, gritting his teeth, began to explain.
"Replying to Guest Elder, it's not actually some earth-shattering matter, it's just that the Karma involved is a bit complicated."
"At the border between the Jieqing Sect and the Wusang Sect, there is a fairly large merchant organization. They started by trading at the border of the two Sects and have a rich foundation."
"This merchant organization has always been slick, currying favor with both sides and offering tributes to both, yet they have never truly become a vassal to either Sect."
"But recently, the merchant organization's base was inexplicably harassed by a Five-Child Demon, suffering heavy casualties. The merchant organization was unable to resist on its own and had to seek help from both Dao Sects."
Senior Brother Chen Yuan paused, his tone becoming a bit more serious.
"The merchant organization has declared that whichever Dao Sect can be the first to slay this demon for them, the merchant organization will fully submit to that Sect from then on, paying annual tributes with absolute loyalty."
"Therefore, the merit and rewards for this trial provided by the Deacon Hall are extremely generous, far exceeding ordinary Five-Child Demon errands."
Hearing this, Jiang Yuechu was a bit puzzled.
Since the affiliation of this merchant organization was so important and could bring long-term income to the Sect... they should have sent those Disciples with profound cultivation to handle it.
How could it ever be the turn of ordinary Disciples like Senior Brother Chen Yuan to look at it longingly here?
She glanced at Senior Brother Chen Yuan and asked in confusion: "Since the Sect values the affiliation of this merchant organization so much, why would they hand the errand to you few?"
This was said bluntly.
It was equivalent to implying that Senior Brother Chen Yuan and the others were useless.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, the other two Disciples showed displeasure.
However, hindered by the other's status, they found it difficult to say anything.
But Senior Brother Chen Yuan and Junior Sister did not think there was anything wrong with what she said.
They just explained with bitter expressions: "Guest Elder, you may not know."
"That merchant organization is located in a remote area, a long distance from the mountain gate of our Jieqing Sect, and the round trip takes quite a bit of time."
"But even so, in the past, such a generous errand would naturally not have been our turn... but recently, it seems some incredible changes have occurred within the Sect."
Saying this, Senior Brother Chen Yuan secretly glanced around and lowered his voice: "By rights, the Elders of each peak selecting True Disciples... their standards are so high, how could ordinary Inner Sect Disciples catch their eye? But recently, many Inner Sect Senior Brothers have frequently been accepted as True Disciples... The rest of those who have any cultivation, seeing this, are all staying honestly within the Sect, waiting for news from the Sect. Who would still have the heart to run to such a remote place to slay demons for a merchant organization..."