To be considered as the Mystic Pill Sect's flower, being beautiful and possessing talent in alchemy wasn't enough.
If that was enough, wouldn't the female core disciples be a better fit to be considered as the sect's flower?
The reason Li Na was so sought after by even core disciples was due to how strong she was despite her young age.
Despite having not exited her teenages not too long back, Li Na was so talented that she had already entered the Xiantian Realm.
In fact, if it was another Great Sect that Li Na was a disciple of, her status would be that of a Core Disciple.
Unfortunately, in the Mystic Pill Sect what mattered wasn't one's cultivation realm and rather the highest level of pill they could refine.
Therefore, even though Li Na had entered the Xiantian Realm, she was yet to refine a pill which the Inner Disciples needed to become Core Disciples. Due to this despite her status as an Inner Disciple, there was no shortage in the number of Core Disciples who sought after her.
However, given how young and talented she was, Li Na refused every single one of her pursuers without any hesitation.
After all, most of the Core Disciples despite looking like they were as old as her were in their 40s or 50s. Due to this, Li Na who wanted to be with someone as talented as her wasn't interested in any of them.
But now that someone more talented than her showed up, Li Na couldn't refute the fact that he successfully captured her attention.
Excluding how he thought she was too beautiful to exist, Yang Shen's talent and potential in both cultivation and alchemy were actually greater than her own.
Thus, Li Na while guiding the three individuals who passed all the tests with her to finish the formalities and officially grant them the status of Outer Disciples began thinking if maybe the time to pick her Dao Companion had come.
As long as his growth kept up with her expectations, it was guaranteed that he would easily become an Elder of the sect.
In fact, it was highly possible that he could become a Grand Elder!
Therefore…. Secretly glancing at the young man who had a snake around his neck through the corner of her eyes, Li Na mentally began seeing if he checked all of the boxes she had regarding how her Dao Companion should be.
Young? Check
Talented? Check
Good looking? Double-check
Kind and caring? Given how cute and naive he is, he's definitely a good one. Check
Seeming like she was forcing herself to believe that he was everything she wanted towards the end of the checklist, Li Na arrived at the building where the formalities to become an Outer Disciple were finished.
…
"Here. These tokens are proof that you are an Outer Disciple of the Mystic Pill Sect. If you lose them while outside the sect, there's no guarantee that you'll be able to obtain another one."
Handing the three new disciples a golden token each which had their name written behind it, and then a jade slip each, Li Na continued by saying, "These jade slips are used to keep count of your contribution points. The restriction on it is something which ensures that only Deacons, and those above can add or deduct points."
"Even if you figure out how to undo the restriction and alter your points, I suggest you don't do that unless you want to be kicked out of the sect."
Sternly glaring towards the two of them who were beside Yang Shen, but not him as if he was the incarnation of righteousness, Li Na continued by handing over three robes each and along with it some books related to alchemy as well.
"This is all you obtain by becoming an Outer Disciple. Everything else needs to be obtained by yourself. Pill formulas, alchemy furnace, herbs, cultivation techniques, books related to alchemy, all of them have to be obtained by yourself by exchanging them with contribution points."
"As Outer Disciples, you'll obtain 50 contribution points every month. To earn more points, you can complete the various quests available inside the sect. However given your statuses, most of the missions cannot be completed. Therefore the easiest way for you to obtain contribution points is by selling herbs that you gather from outside the mountain or through the pills you've refined by yourself."
"Got it? Now leave. Your tokens are the keys to enter each of your private residences. Go and find which residence you've been allotted by yourself."
"Not you. You stay. We need to have a talk."
Glancing towards Yang Shen with a complicated expression since he never expected for him to pass, the one who passed the test finally after attempting it for more than two hundred times left the building along with the average looking female who passed the test along with them.
…
"M-Me?"
"Yes, you."
Grinning like a tiger who spotted its prey upon seeing how scared Yang Shen looked after she asked him to stay back, Li Na licked her lips as she approached him.
Arriving so close to him that there was less than a few inches separating both of their bodies, Li Na used her hands to comb through Yang Shen's hair as she said, "Since you've discovered that I'm an Elder in a disguise and not an Inner Disciple, I can't let you walk around freely and reveal the truth to the others."
"Therefore, you'll be living with me at my residence from now on. Got any objections?"
Smiling even more widely as she saw Yang Shen shake his head with a terrified expression, Li Na had to desperately resist the desire to steal the scared boy's first kiss.
Seeing all of this, other than Lijuan's eyes shooting open, her lips started twitching despite the fact that she was in her snake form.
What the hell was with that scared expression on his face?
Licking her own lips as she felt that she could share the thoughts which were corrupting Li Na's mind upon seeing Yang Shen act like this, Lijuan began imagining a story where he entered the cave she was sealed inside by mistake and she preyed on his scared self.
'Fufufufufuf... It's so fun teasing him. Huh?! Did the snake just show human emotions?'
Shaking her head and convincing herself that she was thinking too much, Li Na took the 'scared' Yang Shen with her on a tour through the sect.