Chapter 29: Give Him To Me
After the lunch break concluded, Xiang Yu and Li Yao returned to their training ground, the afternoon sun casting dappled shadows through the forest canopy. The empress’s voice echoed in Li Yao’s mind, offering a suggestion that made her eyes light up with excitement.
[Since you want to help your senior brother train, why don’t you put on weight clothes when you spar with him? That way, you can both train simultaneously.]
Li Yao marveled at the brilliant simplicity of the idea. She hadn’t even considered it herself! This was perfect—she could assist her senior brother while simultaneously advancing her own cultivation. It was the definition of efficiency, killing two birds with one stone. Three, if she counted practicing the new sword technique she was learning.
Xiang Yu absorbed another powerful blow from Li Yao, his feet sliding backward across the packed earth. Unlike earlier encounters, he managed to stabilize his stance rather than tumbling helplessly to the ground. Though he couldn’t muster a counterattack, the improvement was undeniable—progress worth celebrating in its own small way.
As he regained his balance, a thought crystallized in his mind: his junior sister was truly a monster of talent. Even with weighted clothing hampering her movements and wielding a sword technique she wasn’t yet familiar with, she still generated enough pressure to push him to his limits. She embodied everything a protagonist should be—extraordinary talent, unstoppable growth, and boundless potential. The realization settled over him like a comfortable truth; he was training with the main character of this cultivation world.
From his private chambers atop the mountain, Elder Guo observed his disciples with quiet approval. His weathered fingers stroked his beard thoughtfully as he watched their training unfold below. After a while, he rose from his seat and departed the room, his footsteps carrying him toward the forest’s edge.
The elder stood silently at the riverbank, watching crystalline waters tumble over smooth stones with hypnotic rhythm. The Azure Cloud Sect sprawled across an impressive mountain range, each pavilion occupying its own distinct peak. His gaze drifted upward, settling on the most imposing summit of all—Celestial Summit Peak, home to the sect leader and the highest point in the entire sect.
As he contemplated the majestic scenery, a feminine voice broke through his reverie.
"Are you still worried?"
Elder Guo turned unhurriedly, his eyes meeting those of Huang Fengqi, the respected elder of Phoenix Ascension Pavilion—a branch of the sect specializing in bloodline exploration and martial physiques.
"He’s grown up now," she continued, approaching with measured steps. "He can take care of himself."
"What are you talking about?" Elder Guo responded with feigned nonchalance. "I was just admiring the scenery."
She studied him for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Is that so?"
"Yes," he affirmed, his tone leaving no room for debate.
"Uncle Master was..." she began, but before she could complete her thought, Elder Guo had already launched himself skyward.
"I’m going to cultivate," he called back dismissively as he soared away.
Huang Fengqi watched his retreating form with a resigned sigh. "This guy..." she muttered before taking to the air herself, following in his wake.
Soon after, the two elders sat together atop a secluded peak, sharing wine as they caught up on events. Huang Fengqi took a measured sip from her cup, appreciation evident in her expression.
"Looks like your brewing skills have improved," she remarked.
"Yeah, because someone keeps asking me to brew for them," he retorted dryly.
"Does that mean I helped you improve?" she asked with unmistakable cheekiness.
Elder Guo glanced at her, opened his mouth as if to issue a sharp retort, then simply sighed in defeat. "You—" He shook his head, abandoning whatever protest he’d planned to make.
"Are those your disciples?" Huang Fengqi inquired, gesturing toward the distant figures still training below.
"Yes," he confirmed, a hint of smugness creeping into his voice. "Jealous?"
Without warning, Huang Fengqi stood abruptly, her eyes widening. "Wait! Is that...?"
"He!" Elder Guo’s face broke into an unabashed grin. "So you realized. It’s just as you thought—he has trained a technique to the Major Success level."
Seeing Huang Fengqi’s astonished expression, he couldn’t resist adding, "And it’s only been a week since he started." His laughter echoed across the mountaintop, unrestrained and triumphant. "It seems I have an eye for disciples. My second disciple is a genius that appears once in a million years, and my first disciple is a comprehension genius!"
Huang Fengqi’s expression shifted dramatically, all humor vanishing as intensity took its place. She grasped Elder Guo by his collar, shaking him slightly.
"Are you sure about this?" she demanded, her voice dropping to an urgent whisper.
Elder Guo wondered what had gotten into her, discomfort evident in his features. "Yeah, it’s true. Would I lie to you about this?" He detached himself from her grip with a puzzled frown.
"Elder Guo—no, Senior Brother—you have to give me this disciple," she declared, her tone unnervingly serious.
"What are you talking about? Why would I give you my disciple?" he responded, eyeing her with growing suspicion.
"This boy, if he really has as much comprehension as you said, then you should really give him to me," she insisted, leaning closer.
"You’re not making any sense," Elder Guo protested, pushing her away as she attempted to close the distance between them. "I knew you came here with bad intentions! I treat you well, and you want to poach my disciples? Why don’t you just kill me and take the entire peak while you’re at it?"
"I can do that?" she asked with exaggerated surprise, causing Elder Guo to leap backward defensively.
"I’m just kidding," she clarified with a laugh, producing an enormous scroll which she thrust into Elder Guo’s hands. "It was research I was doing."
She tapped the scroll meaningfully. "If what’s written here is correct, then our sect will have another genius on the level of Li Yao."
Elder Guo unfurled the scroll with undisguised skepticism. He assumed Huang Fengqi was simply drunk and spouting nonsense. Did million-year geniuses grow on trees now? Did she think him stupid enough to believe such claims? If creating geniuses were so simple, wouldn’t everyone be one?
But as his eyes traced the first few characters, his expression transformed from dismissive to astonished. He continued reading, each line deepening his shock until disbelief overwhelmed him.
"How is this possible?" he uttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked up, meeting Huang Fengqi’s eyes with newfound sobriety. "Are you sure this is true?"
"Well, it hasn’t been tested yet, but the chances are high," she replied. "If we can have a test subject..." She allowed the implication to hang in the air, unfinished.
"So," she continued after a moment, "what do you think? Will you give him to me?"