Gensheng acknowledged the summons but didn't follow immediately. Instead, he went to check his inventory of wasps.

  Beneath the Sap-Heavy Tree, the swarm buzzed with a rhythmic, heavy vibration. [Soul-Devouring Corpse Wasps] Rank: 3 (Low-tier) | Count: 725 [Corpse-Miasma Wasps] Rank: 2 (Low-tier) | Count: 4,401

  Satisfied with the progress, he finally headed toward the sect gate with an air of annoyance. This was the "stable life" he craved.

  At the entrance, most new disciples had already been claimed. Only one remained—a young girl about twelve or thirteen, scrawny and covered in freckles. She stood motionless in a corner, neither crying nor looking around, her head bowed as if she were a wooden stake driven into the earth.

  "Her. Take her to get settled, then bring her to the Spirit Herb Garden," Gensheng said. He had no room in his head for social niceties; if it wasn't about cultivation or insects, it was a waste of space.

  Back in the garden, the spiritual energy was rich, and the Sap-Heavy Tree’s essence was more than enough to accelerate his swarm's breeding. He sat cross-legged, his six arms working in a blur of activity while his divine sense monitored every single wasp to ensure they didn't kill each other over a fresh leaf.

  Suddenly, the pale green barrier rippled. He paused, sending out a thread of divine sense.

  It was the scrawny girl. She wore the grey, oversized robes of a low-level disciple, looking even more fragile than before. She stopped ten paces from the tree and stood in silence.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Gensheng retracted his arms and walked over to her. Li Simin appeared silently behind him, her hollow eyes scanning the girl. Pseudo-Spiritual Roots. Utter trash.

  "Do you know how many years of suffering you’ve skipped by being picked by an Elder the moment you walked in?" Gensheng said, poking her forehead. "And yet, you won't even speak? It makes me uncomfortable."

  The girl remained stubborn, her neck stiff. Gensheng’s patience hit zero.

  "I’ve seen plenty of stubborn mules, but you take the prize. That servant said you were quiet; I didn't know you were a mute." He squatted to look her in the eye. "What is your name? Where are you from? Why seek immortality?"

  Silence.

  "Listen, I only took you because the sect forced me. If you were smart, you’d help me weed the garden. But if you’re useless... I’ve got plenty of room for fertilizer. You’re thin, but you’d still make those Qi-Condensing grasses grow well."

  A few Soul-Devouring Wasps descended from the canopy, circling her with a nauseating scent of death. She flinched, her shoulders shaking. Then, she burst into a frantic, howling sob.

  "People die. You're still alive. What's there to cry about?" Gensheng grumbled. He pulled a small paper packet from his storage ring. "Eat this. It’ll stop the hurt."

  The girl didn't know what it was. Assuming it was a sweet from this strange master, she hesitantly took it.

  "Immortals... they always like giving people things to eat," she whispered, her voice finally cracking through the tears. "My mother said cultivators are good people. Elder Zhang is an immortal too... his smile is so kind, like the teacher in my village."

  "He gave us so many treats. He said he would take the adults to a place of joy. So... why did he kill them all?"

  Gensheng’s entire body froze.

  "Which Elder Zhang? Zhang Cuizhan?"

  He grabbed the girl by her collar, lifting her like a scruffy kitten, and dragged her toward the Sap-Heavy Tree.

  "That packet is arsenic. Don't eat it. Now, tell me everything you know. Every single word."

  "I... my name is Zhou Shu."