Chapter 518: A Straw in the Wind
The girl's name was Shi Ying. Though she appeared young, her true age was not as small as it seemed.
Back when Qin Sang had mingled among the crowds of Qingyang Market, he had often heard her name mentioned by fellow disciples of the Demonic Qingyang Sect.
For immortal cultivators, qi and blood remained abundant before their vitality waned, making them far less prone to aging than ordinary mortals. Moreover, some special cultivation arts could even work wonders in preserving one's appearance.
Added to that, Shi Ying was a rare type of ascetic. Since childhood, she had secluded herself within a cave dwelling, cultivating day and night without ever stepping into worldly affairs. That she appeared like an innocent young maiden was therefore unsurprising.
Her fame stemmed precisely from these facts.
Among the many youths entering immortal sects, very few, whether male or female, could endure solitude and tedium without distraction when they were first admitted.
Even among those mighty advanced cultivators who ultimately achieved greatness, most had undergone a painful process of refining their hearts, only awakening through some pivotal enlightenment before finally devoting themselves wholeheartedly to the Dao.
As for the majority of cultivators, they might never achieve that awakening in their entire lives.
If not for the fact that Qin Sang had lived two lives and survived the brink of death, he too might have faltered back when faced with the temptations of power, beauty, and wealth.
Shi Ying, however, was different. From the moment she entered the Demonic Qingyang Sect at a young age, she displayed astonishing willpower. In her eyes, it seemed there existed only the word "cultivation."
She was strikingly beautiful, with a delicate, pitiful aura that naturally drew the affection of others.
Some senior brothers admired her deeply, but Shi Ying always treated everyone with the same distant indifference. Other than completing the minimal sect duties required of her, she spent all her time secluded in her cave dwelling, cultivating.