Stealing Luck from the Heavenly Dao's Favorite

Wei Lingyue finally softened his stern expression when he saw his daughter's bright smile. After a few more words of comfort, he handed her a small gift as a form of compensation before departing from Zhuóhuá Courtyard.

Wei Yunxi carried the delicate box into her cultivation room, curious to see how much her father had spent to appease her this time.

When she opened it, she found a pair of ruby earrings nestled on fine brocade. They were beautifully crafted, glowing faintly with spiritual energy—clearly not ordinary trinkets.

"They're nice, but a bit too mature for me right now."

Still, Wei Yunxi couldn't help lifting them to her ears for a try.

Beside her, Feng Xiu offered a cheerful explanation. "Miss, this is a Grade-One defensive artifact. It can block at least one strike from a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Once you're ready to leave for Haoran Sect, you can refine it for use."

Wei Yunxi muttered, "Yeah, but the style definitely needs some work."

She liked pretty things too. Who didn't? And if it served as protection, there was no reason to refuse.

Feng Xiu stepped in quickly. "If you trust me, you could give it to me. I'll find an artifact refiner to change it into a stud design—it would suit you much better."

"Alright, I'll leave it to you."

Wei Yunxi placed the earrings back into the box and handed it to Feng Xiu.

Once Feng Xiu stowed it into her storage pouch, she glanced at the girl, noticing her hesitation."Miss, is there something else you'd like to ask?"

Wei Yunxi nodded. "You said Zhenzhu gave me a Rónglíng Dān that would destroy my spiritual roots. But Father said it was just a pill that made me ill. Is he protecting her?"

The question revealed her trust—she was choosing to believe Feng Xiu over her own father. Feng Xiu immediately answered with seriousness:

"Miss, Master Wei isn't protecting Zhenzhu. He said she's already been dealt with, which likely means she was silenced. The one he's trying to protect... is the person who gave Zhenzhu the order."

"You mean Concubine Du?"

Wei Yunxi had never once acknowledged Du Ruolan as a wife of the Wei family—not in front of people she trusted.

"Yes."

"Then if she's guilty, why hasn't she been punished?"

Feng Xiu thought for a moment, then chose words the girl could grasp.

"Master Wei isn't just protecting Du Ruolan. He wants peace. He doesn't want you to carry resentment toward the Du mother and daughter. Once you're all in Haoran Sect, you may need to rely on each other."

Wei Yunxi shook her head, trying to sound older than she was. "Clouding the truth won't help. There's no way Yunqing and I would ever support each other. If she doesn't trip me up, that'll already be a blessing. Just because her aptitude's slightly better—did you see the way she smirked?"

Feng Xiu smiled. It seemed her young mistress was sharp—she already understood who truly cared for her, and who only wished her harm.

The next day, the Wei family gathered all the disciples chosen to enter the sect. Wei Lingtao gave a rousing speech before their departure.

This time, the Wei family had secured eight spots. Besides the five originally selected, three more had been added: Wei Yunxi, Wei Yunting, and Wei Zonghao.

Wei Yunting was Wei Lingtao's eldest daughter, ten years old and already at the third layer of Qi Refining. Her spiritual roots included water, wood, fire, and earth. She hadn't joined Haoran Sect earlier because the sect hadn't taken new disciples the year she turned five. And truthfully, her aptitude was average. After five years of cultivation, she had only reached Qi Refining stage three.

But since the sect had granted extra spots this year, Wei Lingtao gave one to his daughter.

Wei Zonghao was a boy from a collateral branch of the family, with fire, wood, and earth spiritual roots, totaling seventy-five in aptitude. He had been cultivating for a year, currently at Qi Refining stage one. A sturdy little chub of a boy.

Wei Yunxi scanned over the new faces, then turned her gaze back to Wei Lingtao, who was still passionately delivering his speech.

Fifteen minutes later, he finally wrapped up. The message was simple: cultivate well, don't embarrass the Wei family, and if you find good resources, report back. The family would reward you appropriately.

As a gesture of support, each disciple received a Grade-One storage pouch.

Wei Yunxi, like the others, pricked her finger on the spot to recognize ownership, then checked its contents.

Inside were one hundred spirit pearls, ten pieces of lower-grade spirit stone, a bottle of Qi Refining Pills, a bottle of Fasting Pills, and a bottle of Healing Pills—all Grade-One, suited for beginners like them.

Wei Yunxi felt the supplies were practical. Not a lot, but fitting for their current level. Too many treasures could easily attract the wrong kind of attention.

Soon after, the group of eight followed Wei Lingyue to the gates of Kunyu City to meet up. Yufeng Zhēnjūn had made it clear—departure would begin on time, with no delays.

By then, a crowd had already gathered outside the city. Most were there to see their children off.

Yesterday had been the busiest day in Kunyu City. Families had rushed over as soon as the sect's recruitment was announced. Children from the city came first, followed by others from nearby villages who traveled through the night with five-year-olds in tow.

For ordinary folk, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. One successful selection could change an entire family's fate. So they came, driven by hope. Some left disappointed. Others walked away with new dreams.

Yufeng Zhēnjūn seemed quite satisfied with this recruitment. After testing, Kunyu City had contributed seventy-eight selected children, not counting the eight from the Wei family. It was a bountiful harvest.

Sweeping his divine sense across the crowd, Yufeng Zhēnjūn announced,

"We depart now. You have one quarter-hour to say your goodbyes. No waiting after that."

His voice carried directly into everyone's minds, and farewells quickly sped up.

At that moment, Wei Yunxi was being pulled aside by her uncle, Feng Jiaqing.

"Yunxi, once you're in the sect, be careful. Don't draw too much attention to yourself. You're still young, avoid acting alone. Try to stick with disciples from the Wei family, the Feng family, and Kunyu City.

The sect is competitive. It's normal for newcomers to be bullied. Don't start trouble, but don't be afraid of it either. Remember, the Wei family has ties to Yufeng Zhēnjūn. If needed, don't hesitate to use that to your advantage. Understand?"

Wei Yunxi nodded quickly. "I understand."

"Your mother left some things for you. I'll keep them safe for now. Once you reach Foundation Establishment and can leave the sect to gain experience, return to Kunyu City. I'll pass them on then.

You're still young, and your cultivation is low. Carrying too many treasures could be dangerous. You understand what they say—'a jade pendant invites a thief.'"

All she could do was nod again.

Once he'd said his piece, Feng Jiaqing gestured for her to return to the Wei family's formation.

But just as she was about to leave, Wei Yunxi pulled out a small porcelain bottle and pressed it into his hand, whispering, "Uncle, this is for the soul lantern. Please keep it safe."

Feng Jiaqing immediately understood. His heart warmed at how thoughtful she was. The child had plans of her own. That was enough for him.

He tucked the bottle into his storage pouch with a smile. "Go on, Yunxi. Go line up."