Chapter 244: Shen Yue’s Astonishment
Regarding Li Qingqiu’s words, Shen Yue was half-believing and half-doubting. After all, the Xiao Clan’s Three Brothers and Yun Cai also possessed strong aptitude, yet Li Qingqiu had not accepted them as disciples.
“Then I’ll accompany you to look around. If I encounter a disciple who suits my eye, I’ll make an exception and accept them into the Sword Sect,” Shen Yue said.
Although the sect had its rules, elders were permitted to make exceptional promotions, just not excessively. Chu Jing’s Immortal Protection Guard specifically supervised such matters.
“Speaking of the Sword Sect, aside from Sword Solitary, are there any other disciples worth the sect’s focused cultivation?”
As Li Qingqiu ascended the mountain, he casually asked.
“Of course there are. There are quite a few good seedlings, but none who can compare with Sword Solitary. That kid is someone who can match your disciples in aptitude. His Sword Intent is truly extraordinary. In the future, it’s not impossible for him to compete for the position of the sect’s strongest disciple.”
When Shen Yue mentioned Sword Solitary, he praised him without restraint.
He felt that Sword Solitary would surely become the sharpest sword of the Clear Sky Sect in the future.
“He’s already taken your Third Junior Brother as his master. Aren’t you afraid that master and disciple will join forces to trouble you in the future?” Li Qingqiu asked with a chuckle.
Shen Yue laughed. “What’s there to fear? At worst, I’ll just admit defeat.”
“Oh? You can really admit defeat?”
“The future belongs to the younger generation.”
Li Qingqiu did not believe him. This fellow was putting on an act. His competitive nature was no weaker than anyone else’s, and he even possessed the 【Number One Under Heaven】 Fate Trait, destined to pursue being number one under heaven throughout his life.
Trust between people was truly growing thinner and thinner. As an elder, he was not sincere when facing the Sect Master. The ways of the world were truly declining.
Li Qingqiu sighed inwardly, yet on the surface the two chatted and laughed, as though they shared an excellent relationship.
Ziyang Peak was likewise bustling with activity. As the Clear Sky Sect’s second peak, the name Ziyang had already spread far and wide.
Xu Ning’s cave dwelling was located on Ziyang Peak, and she was the strongest beneath the Sect Master. As a result, all the disciples of Ziyang Peak felt honored.
Ziyang Peak was also decorated with lanterns and colorful banners. Many disciples set up stalls along both sides of the mountain path or within the forest and along the cliffs, bartering items for items. There were also quite a few martial arenas set up on open ground, drawing much attention.
Wherever there were many people, Li Qingqiu would wander over, all the while searching for Hu Yan.
He had already memorized Hu Yan’s appearance, but Ziyang Peak was too crowded. Finding him would still take time.
On the other side.
Around a martial arena halfway up the mountainside, Hu Yan and Duan Xiaojuan were watching a duel among the crowd. On the stage were two disciples at the third layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm. They had already grasped basic spells, and their fight was extremely spectacular, drawing continuous cries of amazement from the disciples below.
Hu Yan and the other were also watching with great excitement.
“So amazing. With such skills, they still aren’t True Transmission Disciples. Just how powerful must True Transmission Disciples be?” Duan Xiaojuan exclaimed.
Hu Yan thought of the disciple who had once saved him. He did not know whether that person was a True Transmission Disciple.
After the two disciples on stage determined the victor, they both bowed to each other, displaying excellent manners.
Once the two stepped down, other disciples went up onto the stage, once again drawing cries of amazement from the audience.
“It’s Senior Brother Ye Nan from the Spirit Finance Hall!”
The disciple standing on the stage was precisely Ye Nan, who possessed the 【Innate Hero】 and 【Sudden Enlightenment in One Moment】 Fate Traits. His joining the Clear Sky Sect had been due to his master going up the mountain in search of a Qilin, which allowed him to enter the Sect Master’s field of vision.
Now, relying on his fairly good cultivation aptitude, Ye Nan had already risen to prominence within the sect. His cultivation level might not be outstanding, but he was righteous by nature and often helped fellow disciples, earning him excellent popularity.
Hu Yan and Duan Xiaojuan had not heard of Ye Nan before, but judging from the reactions of those around them, Ye Nan was far from simple.
Very quickly, the two learned of Ye Nan’s past from the surrounding disciples.
Ye Nan had actually met the Sect Master. That was truly remarkable.
For Hu Yan and Duan Xiaojuan, not to mention the Sect Master, even the Hall Masters of the Eight Halls were transcendent existences they could never come into contact with.
Ye Nan’s opponent was also a disciple at the fourth layer of the Nourishing Vital Energy Realm, clearly no match for Ye Nan.
After watching for quite some time, Hu Yan took a deep breath and said, “Let’s go. Duels like this can be seen often in the future. We should hurry to understand the sect and then step onto the path of cultivation as early as possible.”
Duan Xiaojuan withdrew her gaze and nodded.
These few duels ignited fighting spirit in both of their hearts, making them wish they could immediately begin cultivating immortality.
However, new disciples could not cultivate immortality just because they wanted to. They first had to put in labor. They could understand this. The fact that the sect could guarantee them food and clothing already pleasantly surprised them.
Having only arrived at the Clear Sky Sect for two days, they were already filled with gratitude and anticipation toward it. The Clear Sky Sect was far better than they had imagined.
The two followed the mountain path and continued downward.
As they walked, they suddenly encountered more than a dozen disciples. Leading them was a female disciple wearing a crown ornament, with delicate features, like an immortal maiden surrounded by stars.
Hu Yan and Duan Xiaojuan recognized this woman. She had entered the Clear Sky Sect together with them yesterday. They had not expected her to be surrounded by so many disciples.
However, when they had seen her yesterday, they already felt that she was not simple, completely different from other new disciples.
Hu Yan remembered her name—Zhu Qingling.
The two wanted to pretend they had not recognized her and prepared to take a detour.
“It’s you, Hu Yan, right?” Zhu Qingling suddenly stopped and looked at Hu Yan as she asked.
Hu Yan secretly cried out in alarm. He instantly sensed the malice from the disciples around Zhu Qingling. Ever since he was young, he had possessed such intuition, able to judge whether others harbored ill intent toward him.
He quickly replied, “May I ask what business Senior Sister Zhu has with me?”
Zhu Qingling was one year older than him. Addressing her as Senior Sister was in accordance with etiquette.
Zhu Qingling sized him up and said, “If you encounter difficulties in the sect in the future, you can come find me.”
Hu Yan did not sense malice from her, but reason told him that it was best to stay far away from this woman. The gap in their statuses was too great. Even if she did not target him, the people around her would suppress him.
Duan Xiaojuan could not help but ask, “We’re both new disciples. How can you speak with such confidence?”
As soon as these words fell, a male disciple behind Zhu Qingling could not help laughing, sneering, “Junior Sister, don’t you know the Zhu Clan’s status within the sect?”
The Zhu Clan?
Duan Xiaojuan frowned. She truly did not know. Before entering the Clear Sky Sect, she had merely been a commoner. How could she have known about the Zhu Clan?
Zhu Qingling also frowned and turned her head to reprimand him in a low voice, “Don’t speak nonsense. Say such things less. Within the sect, everyone is equal. Understand?”
That male disciple curled his lips without rebutting, while the other disciples also revealed disapproving expressions.
“Thank you for Senior Sister Zhu’s good intentions. We’ll be leaving now.”
After speaking to Zhu Qingling, Hu Yan pulled Duan Xiaojuan along and went down the mountain.
Once the two had gone far away, a Zhu Clan female disciple could not help asking, “Qingling, what’s that kid’s background? Other than being somewhat good-looking, I can’t see what’s impressive about him.”
Zhu Qingling replied, “There’s a righteous aura about him. During the disciple assessment, he was still able to spare effort to help other disciples who made mistakes. I think he’s not simple. In the future, he may amount to something.”
After hearing this, the other disciples looked at each other, feeling that she was overthinking it. What kind of righteous aura was that supposed to be?
Hu Yan did not know Zhu Qingling’s evaluation of him. In any case, he kept his distance from Zhu Qingling.
Walking beside him, Duan Xiaojuan asked with a grin, “That Senior Sister Zhu is quite pretty. Did your heart stir?”
Hu Yan rolled his eyes at her and said, “Nonsense. I devote myself wholeheartedly to cultivating immortality. I won’t be moved by women.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course.”
“Then that’s good. How about we make an agreement—before attaining longevity, we must not let mortal feelings arise. How about it?”
“No problem.”
Hu Yan agreed without hesitation. This suited him perfectly.
Duan Xiaojuan smiled, her large eyes curving like crescent moons. The two chatted and laughed as they walked down along the mountain path.
After One Incense Stick’s Time, they encountered Li Qingqiu and the other.
Hu Yan and Duan Xiaojuan had never seen Li Qingqiu or Shen Yue, but the bearing and aura of these two were clearly extraordinary. They took one glance and then lowered their heads, afraid of offending them.
Shen Yue did not pay attention to Hu Yan and the other. He was discussing sword techniques with Li Qingqiu.
As Li Qingqiu brushed past Hu Yan, he suddenly stopped and spoke, “What is your name?”
Hu Yan was startled into stopping. He hesitated, afraid that the question was not directed at him.
Duan Xiaojuan instinctively turned back and happened to see Li Qingqiu turning his head.
She froze.
What a handsome man.
She had never imagined someone could look so good. The closer she was, the more perfect his features seemed, especially those eyes, as if they could see through people’s hearts.
Seeing her turn back, Hu Yan could not help turning as well, and then met Li Qingqiu’s gaze.
“Y-you… were you asking me?” Hu Yan asked cautiously.
He did not sense malice from Li Qingqiu and the other, but his intuition told him that these two were not simple in identity.
Shen Yue examined Hu Yan and Duan Xiaojuan, yet did not perceive anything special about the two.
Hu Yan’s 【Righteous Qi of Vast Integrity】 needed to be cultivated before it could awaken.
Li Qingqiu looked at Hu Yan and asked with a genial smile, “I was asking you.”
Hu Yan hurriedly cupped his hands in salute and said, “This disciple is named Hu Yan. May I ask what instructions the two seniors have?”
“A new disciple? Have you taken a master?”
“I only entered the sect yesterday and have yet to have a master. I am merely a Registered Disciple.”
Hu Yan did not think himself a genius, because true geniuses could directly become Outer Disciples, or even Inner Sect Disciples. Zhu Qingling, for example, was an Outer Disciple.
The smile on Li Qingqiu’s face deepened as he said, “In that case, then take me as your master.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Hu Yan froze. Duan Xiaojuan’s eyes widened, and even Shen Yue felt astonished.
So casual?
Shen Yue had accompanied Li Qingqiu the entire time. Coupled with having just heard Hu Yan’s self-introduction, he could determine that Li Qingqiu had truly just happened to encounter Hu Yan and directly proposed taking him as a disciple.
Could it be that Li Qingqiu really accepted disciples purely based on first impression?
“I… I can?” Hu Yan’s heart raced as he asked cautiously.
Duan Xiaojuan came back to her senses and asked, “Who are you? You should at least explain your identity to him, right?”
Li Qingqiu looked at her. He also had a good impression of this girl. Although she was not good-looking, she dared to stand up for Hu Yan. She was a good seedling.
“As for my identity, I won’t tell you for now. Follow me, and you’ll naturally find out,” Li Qingqiu said, deliberately putting on an air of mystery.
Duan Xiaojuan hesitated somewhat.
Shen Yue said irritably, “What? Within the Clear Sky Sect, are you afraid someone would harm you? There are Enforcement Hall disciples everywhere, and Sword Sect disciples are patrolling as well.”