I courted death and then tried to escape, so the whole sect wants to get rid of me.

The stone tablet was entirely black, covered with densely packed characters, and gleamed with a cold light in the fading glow of the sunset.

"These are the rules of our Nine Saints Hall."

The elder's voice was authoritative and cold: "All newly initiated disciples must study the hall rules for two hours every day until they can recite them completely before they can be exempted from this course."

There was a moment of silence on the platform.

Then came a series of gasps.

Song Yao stood in the crowd, her eyes glazed over: "So many?"

The Nine Saints Hall is mainly for sword cultivators, and it's all about freedom. When has it ever had so many rules?

Suddenly, someone lowered their voice and said mysteriously, "You guys don't know, do you? I heard that these rules were all created because of that Senior Sister Song."

Song Yao: "......"

Senior Sister Song...?

"Senior Sister Song?"

Someone leaned over and asked, "That sword demon?"

"Yes, that Song Yao, the one with the divine-level golden spiritual root who was attacked by the entire Nine Saints Hall."

The person in the know pointed to the stone tablet and said, "See that? No fireworks or firecrackers are allowed in front of the main hall of the sect. Violators will be confined to the wall for three months."

"It is said that Senior Sister Song drank too much one night and set off fireworks all night in front of the main hall of the main peak, which even pierced through the roof of the main hall."

Song Yao: "......"

Spreading rumors.

She wasn't drunk at all!

The insider then pointed to another side: "And there's that rule: no music can be played on the main peak, violators will be confined to the wall for six months."

Song Yao's eyelids twitched.

"I heard it's because Senior Sister Song drugged Senior Brother back then, and he lost his composure, took off his outer robe on the spot, and danced."

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into chaos.

"Take it off, take it off?"

"Dancing?! Senior Brother? That senior brother who's supposedly reached the late Nascent Soul stage?!"

"right."

The person in the know coughed lightly, "I heard that ever since then, the eldest brother has developed a chronic illness; he trembles all over whenever he hears musical instruments."

After he finished speaking, he added, "But I only heard it secondhand, so I don't know if it's true or not."

Song Yao hid herself behind Ning Zhou again.

How come it left a psychological scar?

This doesn't work.

She really can't stay in the Nine Saints Hall for long.

If you tremble at the sound of music, you'd go crazy if you saw her.

"Just who is this Senior Sister Song?"

A new student murmured, looking at the stone tablet, "They set off fireworks to burn down the main hall, stole all the stones from the array cultivators, and gave laxatives to the body cultivators to make them thinner..."

"Could all these thousands of rules be because of her?"

"How can she be even more demonic than a demonic cultivator?"

A wail rang out, and Song Yao felt a strong sense of resentment, and inexplicably felt as if she had shot herself in the foot.

Ning Zhou turned around, looking on with a sigh: "This Senior Sister Song was truly a talent. It's a pity she died too young. If she were still alive, I would like to get to know her."

This was the first time he had received recognition since his rebirth, and Song Yao couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder: "You have good taste."

In the distance, the Grand Elder's voice rang out again: "Alright, that's all for today. The day after tomorrow at dawn, all new disciples must be on time at the Fuguang Platform to study the hall rules. Those who are late will have to copy the entire hall rules."

-

Before leaving, the Seventh Elder did not forget to take his new disciple with him.

This little girl looks rather frail, very thin, and her clothes don't fit her very well.

It seems like it could easily be killed by raising them.

He sighed and, when they reached the sky above Baicao Peak, pointed out the accommodations to Song Yao: "They're all empty over there. Go and choose a courtyard you like to stay in."

Song Yao was very satisfied.

There are many disciples on other peaks, so how can each person live in a courtyard?

Only Baicaofeng was bombed by her before, and it was renovated and expanded.

Moreover, alchemists are not very popular in the Nine Saints Hall, and there are not many alchemists on the entire Hundred Herbs Peak.

but......

She glanced at it all.

Isn't there a bit too few people here?

The Seventh Elder explained calmly, "They all ran away. Before, the Pill Pavilion was bombed, pills were scarce, and the amount of pills being refined was large. In addition, the barrier behind the mountain was shattered, and demons often sneaked in, so all the disciples ran away."

Song Yao: "......"

So, the Seventh Elder's reluctance to accept a disciple was actually for her own good?

She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Why not build a barrier?"

"I heard that Lao Ba's formation stone was stolen."

The Seventh Elder spoke expressionlessly, "Moreover, the barriers in other places have also been shattered. We don't have the time or the resources to repair them."

Song Yao: "...Oh, okay."

The two landed on the outskirts of Baicao Peak, where a rich aroma of herbs filled the air.

Song Yao looked around. The mountains were steep and the environment was serene. The spiritual fields stretched from the foot of the mountain to the middle of the mountain, and were planted with all kinds of medicinal herbs.

The Seventh Elder walked ahead, his back view exuding a sense of desolation.

Song Yao hesitated whether to comfort him, then stopped when she glanced at him.

Not far away, a wooden sign stands beside the mountain path.

The sign read in large characters: "Song Yao is prohibited from entering."

Below that was a line of smaller print: "Those who violate this rule will bear the consequences themselves."

Song Yao watched for a while and nodded.

Her name was written quite well.

The Seventh Elder took a few steps, then turned around and saw Song Yao squatting next to the sign: "What's wrong?"

"Isn't Senior Sister Song dead?"

Song Yao pointed to the wooden sign and asked, "Why is this still standing there?"

A complex emotion flashed across the Seventh Elder's face, and his voice carried a hint of resentment: "You should have heard about her deeds. Keep this as a warning, and you must take it as a lesson."

Song Yao nodded vigorously: "Disciple will remember."

The Seventh Elder withdrew his gaze with satisfaction and continued walking forward.

He took a few steps, then stopped and turned to look at Song Yao, who was still squatting there: "Why aren't you moving?"

Song Yao spoke weakly, "Master, I'm hungry."

Seventh Elder: "?"

How come this Heavenly-level disciple is so weak?

There was no food on Hundred Herbs Peak, so the Seventh Elder took out a Qi-replenishing pill and handed it over.

The pill was brought to her lips, then stopped. Song Yao asked weakly, "Does this cost money?"

Seventh Elder: "?"

He suddenly remembered something.

It seems this girl wanted to leave the Nine Saints Hall, but money stopped her.

He pondered for a moment and nodded: "Not for now. Each disciple has a quota of fifteen Qi-replenishing pills per month, but if you leave the sect, then yes, you should. After all, you know that our sect is currently short of pills."

Song Yao: "......"

She silently handed the pill back, thought for a moment, and then gave the Seventh Elder a fawning smile: "Master, could you lend me five thousand six hundred and five spirit stones?"

Is it right to borrow money right after becoming an apprentice?

The Seventh Elder asked in confusion, "Why borrow five more spirit stones?"

Song Yao: "I'm hungry, I can have a bowl of wontons."

"..."

The Seventh Elder looked at her with mixed feelings.

The little girl was so thin, squatting on the ground like a tiny ball, her hair messy and a bit dry and yellow, she looked quite pitiful.

He couldn't bring himself to do it in the end, so he handed over the Qi-replenishing pill, saying, "You eat this first, this one is on me."

After saying that, he rummaged through his mustard seed bag again, took out ten spirit stones and handed them to her: "Find some time to go down the mountain tomorrow and buy some steamed buns. That should be enough to last you for a few days."

Song Yao: "......"