Chapter 3 Part 1

“You’re called Shen He?”

“Yes, Senior.”

At that moment, Shen He had no idea that Pang Sanxian was rushing over to become his little brother. He held the jade pendant tremblingly and answered the questions from the Portable Grandpa who had suddenly appeared.

“This jade pendant was left behind by my father. Grandpa said he didn’t know what my father looked like because there was no moon that night. He only smelled a very fragrant scent. He said my father was an Immortal who was being pursued and had no choice but to entrust me to Grandpa…”

Shen He honestly recounted his life story. The boy, now fourteen or fifteen, had grown up in poverty and had long seen the hardships of the world alongside his grandfather.

Moreover, the descriptions from the Martial Uncles during the sect’s major class had given the boy a simple yet accurate understanding: Portable Grandpas were generally much shrewder than him. A greenhorn like him couldn’t fool an old fox of a Portable Grandpa.

And such a Portable Grandpa must have some request of him. As long as he stayed rational, told the truth, and didn’t argue with the old senior, he could avoid a lot of suffering. With good luck, he might even get something in return.

Even scammers had to set up the scheme and offer some benefits first, right?

Xie Linlang listened carefully and asked in detail about the appearance of the person who had entrusted the child.

But Shen He had only been a half-year-old infant back then and knew nothing. Everything came from what his adoptive grandfather had described.

This grandfather had sold Steamed Cakes in his early years. Later, he saved enough money to rent a street-facing shop where he sold Steamed Cakes daily to make ends meet. There was nothing unusual about him—at least, that was how it seemed from Shen He’s description.

Later, when Grandpa Shen grew too old to work, he rented out the shop and took his young grandson to work as a manager at the Pang Family Restaurant opened by Pang Sanxian’s family.

Xie Linlang then said, “Tell me about how you met the Immortal Master.”

Shen He replied, “The one I met was Uncle-Master Liu from the sect. Senior Brother Pang’s family had cultivators. Through special cooking methods, they could turn Demonic Plants tainted with Demonic Qi into delicious delicacies, so their business was always good. Uncle-Master Liu seemed to be handling affairs in Sanli Town and stopped by the Pang Family Restaurant to sample the dishes.”

Uncle-Master Liu went to the restaurant for a meal. Boss Pang knew Uncle-Master Liu was a high-ranking figure from Silent Night Palace, so he specially sent his son Pang Sanxian to show his face and see if there was a chance to join Silent Night Palace.

“I was doing odd jobs in the main hall at the time. When Uncle-Master Liu finished eating and came downstairs through the hall, he happened to see me. He said I had a Demonic Root, gave me a token, and Boss Pang made me Senior Brother Pang’s attendant. I followed him into Silent Night Palace.”

Shen He eloquently, quickly, and clearly explained how he had joined Silent Night Palace back then.

Xie Linlang fell silent after hearing this.

Cultivators absorbed the essence of heaven and earth to transcend the mortal world. After falling, their cultivation naturally dispersed into the world.

But what dispersed was their cultivation. Their long-tempered true souls fell into the Underworld, where they would be judged for merits and demerits by the many divine lords of the underworld.

Those with merits enjoyed fortune, longevity, and blessings. Those with demerits were received by the eighteen layers of hell.

Pei Ji had been open and sunny in temperament during his life and had done many good deeds. Even if he fell midway, when he entered reincarnation, he should have been born to complete parents in wealth and peace.

Why had his father been pursued and forced to entrust him to a widowed old man?

And Pei Ji had been an Orthodox Cultivator in his previous life—why did he have a Demonic Root after reincarnation?

Though there was little difference between Demonic Roots and spiritual roots, cultivating a spiritual root was always easier than a Demonic Root—slower progress, but safer!

Xie Linlang couldn’t figure it out. He asked Shen He, “What grade and attribute is your Demonic Root?”

“Heaven-Grade Fire Attribute.”

“Eh? Better than that Pang Sanxian’s.”

Shen He smiled bitterly. “Yeah, otherwise Senior Brother Pang wouldn’t keep asking me for Class Hours Points for no reason.”

After stepping onto the path of cultivation, a cultivator’s previous status no longer mattered—only talent and strength did. How could Pang Sanxian, who always saw himself as the Eldest Young Master, tolerate that?

Xie Linlang asked, “You’ve already entered Qi Refining?”

Shen He replied, “Yes. On the day I joined, I received the sect-issued cultivation method and resources. That very night, I directly broke through to Qi Refining Layer 1.”

Demonic Cultivators progress so quickly, Xie Linlang couldn’t help but grumble inwardly. Normal immortal sect disciples needed to study scriptures, sense heaven and earth spiritual qi, and take three to five days to develop a sense of qi before drawing it into their bodies to become cultivators.

Xie Linlang felt somewhat conflicted.

If he had been a cultivator in his previous life, he would likely awaken past memories upon restarting cultivation this lifetime. But Shen He showed no such changes.

Was it because his cultivation was too low? Or a side effect of becoming a Demonic Cultivator?