Chapter 17: Taking a Disciple

As the line grew shorter and shorter, Xia Ying and Lin Congcong, who had been waiting in front of him, finally entered the hall. At last, Wen Xu stood alone before the palace doors.

The doors of Juyong Hall were towering, rising so high they seemed to pierce the clouds. But since Wen Xu was “blind,” he stood straight and unaware, only hearing the creaking of the doors opening and closing.

With his hands hanging by his sides, he gripped the Wind-Folding Fan hidden in his sleeve, quietly suppressing the excitement in his heart.

Wen Xu was now well aware that he possessed an exceptional talent for cultivation. A Mutated Wind Spiritual Root mutated from wood and earth roots. It not only possessed all the elemental advantages of both wood and earth, but also granted him an absolute comprehension of wind. Whether his future path leaned toward offense or support, he would always be one step ahead of others.

If an ordinary person had awakened such a spiritual root talent, they would probably wake up laughing from their dreams. Wen Xu was naturally delighted as well, but extremes breed reversals, and patience brings resolution. Having been toyed with by fate for the first twenty years of his life, he still could not fully let his guard down, even though his spiritual root was already set in stone.

The palace doors creaked open once more, and this time, they opened for him.

Wen Xu smoothed his robes and stepped inside. Because his eyes were covered, he could not see the hall’s furnishings, but a pleasant, ethereal fragrance drifted through the air. Combined with the rich, almost intoxicating spiritual energy, the tension he had guarded so closely began to ease.

“Disciple Wen Xu pays respects to the Sect Master and the Elders.”

Kneeling was not common in the cultivation world; cultivators rarely knelt even to heaven and earth. The only exception was when formally taking a master, where a disciple would perform a full kowtow. This was far simpler than the etiquette of the mortal imperial examinations. Wen Xu had formally studied etiquette, so even when performing a simple bow with hands clasped, he carried himself with a grace and character that surpassed others.

Thus, even though thirty-four people had entered before him, Wen Xu still managed to make a striking impression.

Ah, he is a good child, but unfortunately, none of us are destined to be his master.

The crowd went through the motions, asking Wen Xu about his cultivation, whether his progress had improved, what direction he wished to take, and so forth. Wen Xu answered all of them perfectly, but unfortunately… not a single person offered to take him as a disciple.

Wen Xu was deeply perplexed, but haste breeds anxiety. He could not possibly question the elders at this moment about why they were unwilling to accept him.

Thus, he could only remain seated on the futon, quietly waiting for the last person to ask him a question.

In reality, in the hall that Wen Xu could not see, all the elders who had any intention of taking disciples had already left Juyong Hall, leaving only Sect Master Gu Wufang behind. At this moment, there were only the two of them in the hall.

“Do you know why they won’t take you as a disciple?”

Wen Xu shook his head. “This disciple does not know.”

Calm and unhurried. Gu Wufang truly liked this disciple. “Of the Five Great Sects, the Hehe Sect has long held the top position. I assume you know that the Hehe Sect is the leader of the Five Great Sects, and their Supreme Elder, Jun Zhaoying, is the undisputed number one below the Tribulation Transcendence Stage. She is not even six hundred years old, yet she stands alone at the peak of the cultivation world, truly without rival.”

Wen Xu did not quite understand. Why was the Sect Master suddenly singing the praises of a rival sect?

“Most importantly, Jun Zhaoying, like you, also possesses a Mutated Wind Spiritual Root. She acts entirely on whim and has yet to take a disciple. If she learns of your existence, she will undoubtedly pay a visit to Yonglu Mountain.”

Wen Xu: “…”

“Do you have anything to say?” Gu Wufang asked warmly. He even stepped down from his throne in the hall and stood before Wen Xu. “Do not worry. Since it is just the two of us, you may speak freely.”

Wen Xu could not help but raise his head in surprise. Although he could not see the Sect Master’s expression, he figured it must be one of expectation. “This disciple is merely a bit surprised. Is Yonglu Mountain unwilling to accept me because of this?” Wen Xu’s personality dictated that unless pushed to the brink, he would never take the initiative. He preferred to plan before acting, to take a step back to seize the upper hand.

Gu Wufang: “…” This little fellow isn’t being honest.

“Of course not. We only want to give you another choice, lest you find out later and feel that Yonglu Mountain held back your cultivation.”

These words were already very blunt. If this were the Mortal Realm, it would be like Wen Xu overcoming countless obstacles to earn the right to study under a great scholar, only for the scholar to say upon his entry that with his talent, he could study under an even greater master.

What was that? It was being fickle and indecisive, always looking for something better. Even if Wen Xu had indeed thought about joining the Hehe Sect initially, the moment he decided to take the Yonglu Mountain exam, Yonglu Mountain became his best choice.

Even if the Supreme Elder of the Hehe Sect sounded like a more suitable master for him, if he were to turn coat and seek another master now, how would he be any different from a fickle, ungrateful man who broke his betrothal just to marry a princess?

Seeing the boy standing there dazed, Gu Wufang kindly said, “Since you come from the Mortal Realm, you might not understand the importance of lineage in the cultivation world. Once you take a master, it is absolutely impossible to change your mind. If you join our Yonglu Mountain today, and wish to change sects in the future…” But before he could finish, Wen Xu spoke up indignantly, “Sect Master, this disciple has no such intention. When I was in the Mortal Realm, I also studied and read. I understand the principle that a teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime^[1]. I do not understand what the Sect Master means by those words, but if Yonglu Mountain does not wish to accept me today, please speak plainly. I am dull and blind; I cannot read between the lines.”

Gu Wufang: “…” Forget it, let someone else play the good cop!

“Fine. Since that is the case, this Sect Master will speak plainly.” Gu Wufang sighed, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness. “Jun Zhaoying is famous, but her terrible temper is notorious, and no one can handle her. She is young but holds a high seniority. If you take a master, she indeed won’t come to snatch you away, but she will make trouble for your master.”

“You must understand, she is too strong. Very few in Yonglu Mountain can withstand her antics.”

A disciple with a wind spiritual root was wonderful, and boasting about it would bring great prestige. Unfortunately… Jun Zhaoying was too difficult to deal with. Furthermore, she had already declared that unless it was a wind spiritual root genius, she would never take a disciple. Now that one had finally appeared, even if she herself had no such intention, the others from the Hehe Sect would likely come knocking to see which lucky soul had taken in their Supreme Elder’s destined disciple.

Wen Xu, having just heard the blunt truth, thought: …Your cultivation world sounds rather uncivilized.

“Then what you mean, Sect Master, is…”

Gu Wufang cleared his throat. “Rise first. I will take you to meet someone. If he is willing to take you as a disciple, I guarantee no one will dare come looking for trouble.”

So the Sect Master had spent all this time building up to this?

Wen Xu was puzzled. Just who was worthy of the Sect Master treating them with such caution? “And if he refuses?”

Gu Wufang gave a soft snort, thinking to himself: Then I’ll hang myself halfway up Little Grand-Uncle Master’s peak.

“Rest assured, Little Grand-Uncle Master is the most gentle soul.”

Wen Xu: That tone of voice doesn’t sound very gentle at all.

As a newcomer to cultivation, Wen Xu could not yet fly on a sword, nor did he have a spirit boat or spirit beast to ride. Thus, to get from Juyong Hall to Guochun Peak, where Little Grand-Uncle Master resided, he had to hitch a ride on the Sect Master’s flying sword.

Strictly speaking, this was his first time flying on a sword. Perhaps because of his wind spiritual root, he felt no fear at all. In fact, he felt even more secure than he did with his feet planted firmly on the ground.

The sensation of the wind rushing beneath his feet made him feel entirely at ease.

“Sect Master, am I to climb the peak alone?” Wen Xu asked to confirm.

Gu Wufang thought: I would love to go up with you, but I was already thrown out once when I came to ask yesterday. Yesterday was yesterday, but today, in front of a new disciple, if Little Grand-Uncle Master throws me out again, what will become of my dignity as Sect Master?!

“Yes, go ahead.”

Wen Xu fell silent for a moment, then stepped forward toward Guochun Peak.

Guochun Peak was named “Passing Spring,” yet it had never known spring. It was blanketed in snow year-round, and the temperature was abnormally cold even at the foot of the mountain. Having just arrived, Wen Xu had not yet learned to use spiritual energy to regulate his body temperature. Entering the mountain so suddenly, the bone-chilling cold instantly jolted him awake.

The wind here was also harsher and more biting than elsewhere.

The freezing wind whipped up flurries of snow, blanketing everything and making it almost impossible to see the path.

Fortunately, Wen Xu was “blind.” He made his way up the stone steps, climbing higher into the desolate heights, and surprisingly stopped feeling the cold. When he stepped onto the final stair, the wind… suddenly died down.

He bowed tentatively. “Disciple Wen Xu pays respects to Little Grand-Uncle Master.”

Yet the world remained vast and silent. His voice echoed across the peak, but no response came.

Wen Xu possessed very little spiritual energy, and before long, the cold began to cloud his mind. In that moment, he thought to himself that his luck was indeed terrible. Even with a top-grade spiritual root, the smooth sailing others imagined had nothing to do with him.

But so what? Today, he would succeed in finding a master. He had to join Yonglu Mountain, no matter what!

“Your name is Wen Xu, is it?”

Suddenly, a man’s voice drifted from the distant distance. Even without seeing him, the voice carried the chill of endless wind and snow. This had to be the Little Grand-Uncle Master the Sect Master had mentioned.

“Yes, this disciple is named Wen Xu.”

“You can hear, and you can speak. Your name is well-chosen. Unfortunately, I detest noisy people, and I detest liars even more.”

Wen Xu wanted to open his mouth to explain, but found himself unable to speak.

His vision swam, and suddenly a man covered in snow stood before him.

“Can you not see after all? You can see, yet you claim you cannot. Since you have no use for these eyes, why not give them to someone who needs the light more?”

The man’s voice was cold and ruthless. Even though Wen Xu could not see his face clearly, he could still feel the chilling aura. This man was looking at him as if he were nothing but a corpse!

Terror gripped Wen Xu’s heart. Perhaps because his fear had reached its absolute peak, he actually managed to find his voice. “This disciple can see, yet it is no different from being blind. Since childhood, I have been unable to recognize anyone’s face. Even the most familiar people, those I have seen countless times, I have never been able to see clearly. Would anyone really want a pair of eyes like these?”

This was the first time Wen Xu had ever revealed the truth about his eyes to anyone. For some reason, he spoke without the slightest hesitation, never once faltering as the words flowed naturally.

It was as if revealing the truth to this man was the most natural thing in the world.

And it was precisely this realization that made the terror in his eyes grow even deeper.

“Oh? To think there is such a strange affliction. It seems you were not entirely lying.” The man rested his chin in his hand, pondering for a moment before speaking. “Since that is the case, I shall take you as my disciple.”