"Other people send their disciples off at the sect gate. I'm sending mine off by digging a hole in the field."
—Lin Zhou
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1 | Grand to the Point of Absurdity
Early in the morning, the entrance to the Spirit Herb Workshop was packed with people.
The Red Frost Pavilion's entourage sent to pick up Xiao Li filled the entire street—eight horn-blowers in front, sedan bearers in the back, and even the small escort beasts in between were spirit foxes draped in red silk. Neighbors thought a royal prince was getting married.
Lin Zhou walked out carrying a basket of freshly picked radishes, froze for three seconds at the sight, and said, "…My disciple's going to cultivate, not to get married, right?"
The Red Frost Pavilion's lead female disciple said solemnly, "This is the standard ceremony for our sect to take in a disciple. It ensures he walks through the gate already imposing enough to suppress others."
Lin Zhou's mouth twitched. "You call this imposing? To me, it looks about ready to boil over with pomp."
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2 | A Tearful Farewell (In Theory)
Before departure, the Red Frost Pavilion specifically set aside a quarter of an hour in the courtyard for a "heartfelt farewell between master and disciple."
Everyone held their breath, expecting to see tears and reluctance.
Instead—
Lin Zhou pressed Xiao Li down at the edge of the field, handed him a hoe in one hand, and pointed at the spirit field with the other.
"Remember—loosen the soil evenly. Next time you come back, don't leave the ground full of potholes."
Xiao Li nodded seriously. "Mm! I'll draw formations to keep the soil from running away!"
The Red Frost Pavilion disciples on the side had frozen expressions:
—From any angle, this looked like two farmers handing over a plot of land.
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3 | A Promise Before Departure
Before getting into the sedan, Xiao Li suddenly turned his head and shouted, "Bro! When I come back, I'll definitely be super strong, and when that happens, if anyone dares bully you, I'll—"
Lin Zhou cut him off. "All right, all right, go on. If you keep shouting, the neighbors will think I'm sending you out to collect protection money."
The crowd of onlookers all came to the same conclusion in their hearts:
—This Lin Zhou, cold on the surface, must be reluctant inside!
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4 | The "Legend" on the Road
Not long after the sedan procession left the Spirit Herb Workshop, different versions of the story began spreading behind them:
Some said Lin Zhou was actually a reclusive immortal master, and Xiao Li was the sole heir he'd personally chosen;
others claimed the only reason the Red Frost Pavilion wanted Xiao Li was because Lin Zhou, while loosening the soil, had uncovered an ancient secret formation…
As for Lin Zhou himself, he was squatting at the edge of the spirit field, gnawing on a radish with a loud crunch, completely unaware that he'd already gained a new title outside—"The Mythical Disciple-Taker."