Hong Jiu'er blinked, surprised. Her parents and siblings had told her that once she entered a sect, endless hours of boring training awaited her, so she had mentally prepared herself for it from the moment a master was assigned to her.
But for the first thing to be going out for a walk and getting to know the place was somewhat unexpected. Even so, she understood her position as a disciple, so she lowered her head.
"Yes, Senior Brother."
Wu Huang took a light robe and stepped out first, gesturing for her to follow him.
"This is the servants' residence. Normally, most live in communal dormitories, but I have certain privileges, so I have my own room," he explained as he showed her the place. "This is the male servants' section, and that over there is for the female servants. In essence, they are the same and there is no real difference, but they are kept separate to avoid unseemly behavior."
"Unseemly things?" she asked, confused, not fully understanding.
"You'll understand when you're older," Wu Huang replied as he continued walking.
They continued until they reached a small, empty dining hall, with just enough capacity to comfortably hold a few dozen people.
"That is the dining hall. Most prefer to eat outside, but you can get some food here. It's not the best in the sect, but it serves to fill the stomach."
He showed her the rest of the places. Although he wasn't sure if she would live in that residence or have her own, like him, it was worth showing her those things so she would acclimate little by little. Once they finished touring the servants' residence, they stopped at the gate.
"Well, that's everything on this side. Let's head down to the center of the sect. Don't wander too far or it will be difficult to find you," he said as he began to descend.
The interior of the sect was like a small city, where disciples roamed day and night.
"This is the Mission Hall. Currently, since you are not an outer disciple, you can only look at it but not enter. Once you pass your servant stage, you will be able to access it."
He did not fully know the interior himself, and since he only wanted her to see it on the surface, they continued without stopping too much. They arrived at a place where numerous disciples were constantly entering and leaving. Some carried nothing in their hands, while others carried bags full of various items.
"This is the Exchange Pavilion. Here you can exchange different items for all kinds of things: cultivation manuals, mystic techniques, and resources," he explained as he went inside and showed her the shelves. "Of course, the price at which you sell is less than the one at which you buy, so keep that in mind when making transactions."
"These resources are of little use to you in your current state, but once you become a true cultivator, you will have to come here constantly, either to acquire materials or to sell what you find on your adventures outside the sect."
Hong Jiu'er looked around with shining eyes.
"It's so bright..." was all she could say.
Wu Huang nodded slightly.
"That's mostly to attract attention. Except in some cases, most weapons look quite ordinary."
After browsing the place for a while, they left and headed to another building, guided by Wu Huang.
"This is the Alchemy Hall. Normally you won't come here, unless you have materials and want to pay a master alchemist to prepare a custom elixir for you," he explained.
They went inside, though they could not access the internal forging areas. From a distance, they could observe several cultivators working with blazing furnaces and steaming flasks.
Hong Jiu'er frowned slightly.
"It's very hot..."
"It's alchemy fire. Although it is not considered a true spiritual fire born from heaven and earth—since it is an artificial imitation created by cultivators—it is indispensable for alchemy. It fulfills its purpose for refining elixirs, but it lacks the power and mystical properties of a naturally sourced fire," he explained as he extended his hand.
A small flame appeared over his palm.
"Although I am not an alchemist, I managed to condense a small alchemy flame a while ago as a reward for helping an elder," he added, showing it to her.
Hong Jiu'er, her eyes sparkling, reached out her hand like a butterfly drawn to light. However, the fire, which would normally have burned her, caused her no harm.
"How...?" she asked, surprised.
Wu Huang laughed softly.
"It is my own fire, so I can control everything from its temperature to its ability to burn," he said as he extinguished it.
They stayed a while longer watching the alchemists work before continuing their tour. They visited even more places: from the formation hall to the talisman hall.
"And what did you think?" Wu Huang asked.
"Everything is so exciting," Hong Jiu'er replied with shining eyes. "I didn't expect it to be so interesting and amazing."
"I'm glad you like it. You will have time to learn a bit of everything eventually," Wu Huang said as they walked through the sect, conversing peacefully.
The sun began to set. Wu Huang looked up.
"It's best to head back."
Hong Jiu'er, a bit saddened that the tour around the sect was over, nodded. Wu Huang laughed softly seeing her dejected.
"Don't worry, you will see these things so often that you will end up completely bored of them," he said as he patted her on the head.
Hong Jiu'er, a bit shy at that slightly intimate gesture, blushed. For Wu Huang, a man with over thirty years of accumulated mental maturity from his past life, that small gesture lacked any malice or importance.
They walked back toward the servants' residence, but first they stopped at a small stall.
"Aren't you hungry?" Wu Huang asked.
Hong Jiu'er was about to refuse, but the sound of her stomach, not subtle at all, made her stop and lower her head shyly.
"Don't worry. Since you haven't started cultivating yet, you haven't reached the state of inedia. Being hungry is the most natural thing in the world for mortals," Wu Huang said, turning to the vendor. "Give me two orders, please."
"On it," the man replied, starting to prepare the orders quickly.
It didn't even take a minute, and the vendor placed two freshly made steamed buns on the counter, one meat and one sweet bean, still piping hot. Wu Huang took one and offered it to Hong Jiu'er.
"Be careful, it's hot," he warned.
Hong Jiu'er took the bun carefully, admiring the steam rising in spirals. As she took her first bite, her eyes shone with surprise and satisfaction.
"It's delicious!" she exclaimed, with a smile that lit up her face.
Wu Huang smiled faintly, pleased.
"You'll get used to these flavors in no time," he said, as both continued their way back to the residence, enjoying the sunset and that small moment of tranquility.