Jing Zhe taught Yuan Xia about the Trial of Intent.

As an event that tested one’s heart and mind, 75% of Heaven’s Law Sect applicants failed at this stage. It was also why the major Orthodox Sects didn’t oppose Hua ChunMing’s mass disciple recruitment in the first place—they had no expectations for a majority of the new cultivators.

Depending on the cultivator themselves, the prompt changed for each trial, and would be displayed on a large mirror-screen for disciples and Elders to witness.

Additionally, the difficulty of the trials updated with each cultivator as well. For beginners with an aptitude in pill-forging or medicine, the trial could be to find a rare herb. On the other hand, talisman or weapon cultivators could be tasked to fight.

The biggest concern for the Orthodox Sects wasn’t the trials themselves; it was how long they would take, given the hundreds upon hundreds of newly recruited outer disciples.

Listening to Jing Zhe’s explanation, Yuan Xia wondered if his Trial would be based upon his old or current skill level.

Would it even register him as a Demonic Cultivator? What if it mistook his intent?

Hopefully the Trials would register his reborn self.

“I’m very optimistic about you two!” Jing Zhe’s rambling came to a halt, alongside Yuan Xia’s tumultuous thoughts. “You’re low-level cultivators but very smart; I’m sure you’ll pass the Trial with ease.”

“Thank you.” Deng QiuShi answered for both herself and Yuan Xia. She hoisted Yuan Xia up in her arms.

“Of course,” Jing Zhe replied.

As Jing Zhe’s chittery voice came to a halt, the surrounding conversations flooded the silence. Yuan Xia began to categorize all of the different scents he recognized.

Eventually, Deng QiuShi came to a halt. Darkness overtook the lanterns’ haloes, and Yuan Xia understood that they had reached the end of their path. He turned towards Jing Zhe, wondering if the boy would lead them past the Autumn Moon Festival or bring them back.

To Yuan Xia’s surprise, Jing Zhe simply stood in place.

“A major tradition of the Autumn Moon Festival is to eat mooncake with friends and family.” He gazed at the moon, a hint of longing in his voice.

Knowing Jing Zhe’s family situation, Deng QiuShi didn’t pry. But she asked about Yu Shui.

“Is your mentor not celebrating?” She followed Jing Zhe’s gaze, and her eyes widened at the sight of the full moon.

“He… doesn’t have family.” Jing Zhe shook his head.

Yuan Xia sighed in pity.

Then, he froze.

Something didn’t add up—he’d clearly seen the elder Doctor Yu when he was reborn in Thousand Festival Village.

Staring intensely at Jing Zhe, Yuan Xia opened his mouth, but in the end, he couldn’t catch the boy’s attention. He dropped his head, and his hands balled into fists.

Before Yuan Xia could figure out how to relay this information, Jing Zhe regained his spirits and jumped in determination.

“Alright!” He shouted at the moon. “I’ll go to Yu Shui’s house! I am his only family now, after all.”

“Yu Shui’s house?” Deng QiuShi couldn’t help but inquire. “Why don’t you bring Yu Shui to yours?”

“My house….” Jing Zhe grew quiet. “No one’s in it.”

“Oh.”

Deng QiuShi lowered her head, intending to apologize. But Jing Zhe shook his head, perked up, and pointed at a distant branch of Heaven’s Law Sect.

“But Yu Shui lives very close. Just past that branch there, near the Intersection of New Greetings.” He grinned, a genuine smile blossoming amidst the memories.

“The Intersection of New Greetings?” Deng QiuShi repeated.

“Yes. You’ve never heard of it?” Jing Zhe’s mouth widened in shock.

Both Deng QiuShi and Yuan Xia shook their heads. Yuan Xia thought he’d heard it in passing, but didn’t recognize the name.

“Oh my….” In a very Yu Shui-esque manner, Jing Zhe brought his hand to his mouth. Then, he looked up.

“Basically, it’s like a portal to the intersection between all four main Orthodox Sects. You know, Heaven’s Law Sect, The Temple of Beneficence, The House of Creation, and a fourth, unnamed one….”

Jing Zhe waved his arms up and down.

“It’s thiiiis big! It spans across clouds, and a goddess resides over the immigration process!”

“There are four Orthodox Sects? I’ve never heard of the fourth one.” Deng QiuShi followed up with another question—one that Yuan Xia had been thinking about for a while.

“Yeah, I’ve never seen anyone from that sect either.” Jing Zhe sighed. “But apparently, like how the House of Creation only has Sisters because they’re an all-female sect, the fourth unnamed sect has lots of strict Judges.”

Both Deng QiuShi and Yuan Xia made astonished expressions.

This time, Yuan Xia wondered about the House of Creation. If they only recruited female disciples, where did everyone else go?

To this matter, Jing Zhe understood Yuan Xia’s concerns right away.

“You’re curious about the sects, right?” He crossed his arms and smiled. “It’s a long story, but in short: The Temple of Beneficence accepts mostly male disciples, and the House of Creation, female. Even though there are many religious motifs, they aren’t enforced within the two sects. Everyone is free to practice what they’d like, where they feel safe.”

He pointed at Deng QiuShi.

“I feel like you would have gotten along with my mother.”

Deng QiuShi was taken aback.

“Would you have called me Sister Deng, then?” She smiled. “But I wouldn’t be able to bring Yuan Xia.”

Jing Zhe recognized this, and his finger faltered.

“Well….”

He looked apologetically at Yuan Xia, then slowly drifted away towards the festive scene.

“Well, it’s getting late. I think I’ll celebrate with Yu Shui this year.” Before he finished his words, he’d already run halfway into the crowd. “It was nice talking with you both; I’m going to buy some mooncakes! Good night!”

And with that, the orange-haired boy vanished into the night.

Deng QiuShi, still holding Yuan Xia, turned to the darkness ahead.

“A festival to celebrate with family, huh?” She glanced down at Yuan Xia. “But I think we’ve celebrated enough.”

She paced forwards.

“Yuan Xia, let’s go home.”

Clinging to Deng QiuShi’s clothes and basking in her flowery perfume, Yuan Xia subconsciously nodded. He wondered if the fragrance she used had narcotic properties—he felt a rare exhaustion from being out all night.

Or, perhaps, this was a result of his hermitage-dwelling of two months.

Before Yuan Xia fell asleep, he felt Deng QiuShi brush a lock of hair behind his ear. She whispered a faint ‘good night’ before walking into the darkness.