Chapter 21: A Narrow Victory, Night Visit to Qingxuan Peak

Chapter 21: A Narrow Victory, A Night Visit to Qingxuan Peak

The old man's flesh, covered in black patterns, was instantly corroded and ulcerated by the vicious poison, ghastly white bones showing through—a gruesome, bloody, and eerie sight.

"Ah—!"

Agony wracked his entire body. The Blazing Bone Sect elder let out a blood-curdling scream, convulsing violently as his murderous aura shattered into chaos, his cultivation and combat power plummeting!

The crowd below watched the poison's effects in horror, faces filled with terror, hearts trembling.

No one could have guessed that an ordinary-looking vine hid such vicious poison!

Even a Nascent Soul elder had his flesh eaten away in an instant.

Ling Xuance's eyes were cold as ice. He flickered and stepped through the air, seizing the advantage!

Seizing the moment his opponent was distracted by pain, he twisted his wrist, leveling his blade, pressing it precisely against the Blazing Bone Sect elder's carotid artery.

The blade was cool against his skin, stopping with perfect precision—not a hint of excess killing intent.

"Senior, you concede."

Those four simple words settled the battle.

The sword at his throat was bitingly cold, and the ultimate humiliation of defeat sent the elder into a rage. A coppery taste rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed onto the arena platform, out cold.

The arena fell into a brief, deathly silence—so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

A few breaths later, deafening cheers erupted from the Taiyi Sect, thundering across the entire peak!

"Elder Lin, unstoppable!"

"Taiyi Sect wins!"

Disciples from other sects raised their hands in salute, faces full of admiration, offering loud congratulations. Applause rang out without end, joy filling the air.

The Blazing Bone Sect's entourage, faces deathly pale, scrambled forward to carry off their unconscious, badly injured elder, slinking away with heads bowed in disgrace.

The noise gradually died down, and the battle came to a complete end.

Ling Xuance took out a healing pill and swallowed it. It dissolved instantly, soothing the surging blood energy in his body and repairing his damaged meridians.

He steadied his breathing, suppressed his injuries, and stepped down from the arena, walking steadily to the high platform. He bowed deeply before the Supreme Elder.

"Master, your disciple has not failed the mission. I won by luck and brought no shame to the sect."

The Supreme Elder rose with a smile, his eyes brimming with barely concealed pride, his tone full of praise: "Good! Well said—'not failed the mission'! Today, you've brought great honor to Taiyi!"

And with that, the grand and solemn apprenticeship ceremony came to a perfect close.

Guests from all directions took their leave, one by one.

And this day—a three-hundred-year-old Mid Nascent Soul cultivator defeating a thousand-year-old late-stage Nascent Soul veteran, winning against the stronger through cunning, mastering both formations and poison, with a divine weapon to suppress baleful aura—his fame spread like wildfire throughout the entire cultivation world.

Ling Xuance became famous in a single battle, and the name Lin Che grew renowned—no one dared to underestimate him anymore!

The ceremony dispersed, the guests departed, and only the Taiyi Sect disciples remained on the mountain summit altar to clean up, leaving behind a tranquil silence.

Ming Qi stood alone in a corner, the earlier confrontation and humiliation weighing on his heart like a boulder.

The Blazing Bone Sect elder had gotten the chance to publicly humiliate the sect—ultimately, it was because of him.

As the number-one disciple of his generation in Taiyi, he had stagnated for decades, powerless to defend the sect in debate, letting outsiders seize the chance to mock Taiyi for lacking talent.

His heart heavy with bitterness and self-reproach, he walked slowly to the Sect Master, bowed his head, and said in a low, hoarse voice, filled with guilt and self-blame: "Sect Master, this disciple knows his fault. It's my incompetence that has brought shame to Master and the sect."

The Sect Master looked at the self-loathing in the young man's eyes and just shook his head gently.

He raised his hand and lightly patted Ming Qi's shoulder, speaking warmly in consolation: "Silly child, don't take it to heart. Cultivation is inherently defying heaven's will. Ups and downs, stagnation—it's all normal. No one walks an unbroken path."

"In your master's eyes, there's no fast or slow, high or low. We've never wished for you to break through at lightning speed—only that you're safe year after year, cultivating peacefully. That's enough."

The words were sincere, gentle, and forgiving, yet they only deepened Ming Qi's guilt. His nose suddenly stung.

He clutched his sleeve tightly, his tone firm and obstinate: "But this disciple doesn't want to stay stagnant forever, or watch outsiders mock the elders. I want to grow stronger, to have the ability to protect the sect."

He looked up, determination burning in his eyes: "Sect Master, this disciple humbly requests to go into seclusion for a while, to refine my dao heart and make up for my shortcomings."

The Sect Master gazed at his stubborn, guilt-ridden expression, silent for a long moment. He sighed softly and finally nodded slowly: "Alright, I permit your seclusion. But remember—seclusion is never self-imprisonment. If you get tired, come out anytime. Your master is here, and your senior brothers are here too."

Those few simple words, gentle yet weighty, shattered Ming Qi's carefully guarded defenses.

Years of anxiety over stagnant cultivation, today's guilt over his master being publicly humiliated—all of it surged forth at once, overwhelming every ounce of his composure.

The young man bent down, lay across his elder's knees, clutched tightly, and burst into loud sobs, releasing all the bitterness pent up in his heart.

The Sect Master gently stroked his back, silently comforting him, letting him let it all out.

Meanwhile, on Xuan Yue Peak above the sea of clouds, all was tranquil and windless. Gentle moonlight cascaded down, blanketing the entire courtyard.

Ling Xuance had shed his dust-stained outer robe, leaving only plain inner garments. Lin Yu's fingertips glowed with spiritual light as he pressed them to Ling Xuance's wrist, focusing intently on taking his pulse.

Clear spiritual power slowly coursed through his limbs and meridians. After a moment, the last trace of worry faded from his eyes.

Ling Xuance raised his hand and gently ruffled Lin Yu's soft hair, his voice low, hoarse, and warm with reassurance: "It's nothing, just superficial wounds. My blood energy is slightly disturbed, but I know my own condition. It's not serious."

The battle earlier had been fierce; he had seemed at a disadvantage, but in truth, he had controlled the flow of the fight the entire time, never truly placing himself in mortal danger.

Lin Yu looked up at him, the lingering fear from watching the battle still visible in his eyes.

After calming himself, he asked softly: "Brother Che, then... should we go to Qingxuan Peak now to pay respects to Master?"

Ling Xuance looked down at his clear eyes and nodded gently: "Mm, let's go."

Lin Yu obediently nodded, his form flickering as he vanished into his portable pocket world in an instant.

Ling Xuance straightened his robes, his aura settling back into calm composure. He turned and descended the mountain, heading straight for Qingxuan Peak, where the Supreme Elder resided.

Qingxuan Peak was serene and elegant, with ancient trees reaching toward the sky and dense spiritual energy. Gone was the clamor of the ceremony, leaving only the quiet dignity of the mountain gate.

A duty disciple on watch spotted Ling Xuance approaching from afar and hurriedly bowed in salute, not daring to be negligent, quickly entering to announce his arrival.

Inside the hall, the Supreme Elder sat quietly on a meditation cushion, eyes closed in repose.

Hearing the duty disciple announce Lin Che's arrival, a faint trace of confusion flickered in his eyes.

The apprenticeship ceremony had already concluded. Given his injuries, he should have returned to his peak to recuperate—why had he come specifically at this hour?

"Summon him in." The Supreme Elder spoke calmly, his voice warm and far-reaching.

Ling Xuance entered the hall upon the summons and bowed respectfully to the figure on the high dais.

Before the Supreme Elder could ask, he took the initiative to state his purpose directly.

"Master Elder, the ceremony today was crowded and loud. A Yu could not perform the formal rites in public, so I ascended the stage on his behalf to save face."

"Yet the rite of paying respects to one's master is the first ceremony of entering the Dao—it cannot be omitted. He cannot appear before the crowd, but his heart is set on the sect. He has come in person to complete the master-worship rite and formally become your disciple."

The confusion in the Supreme Elder's eyes faded, replaced by deep gratification, a warm smile in his gaze.

"Very good." The Supreme Elder nodded slightly and immediately raised a hand to command, "Attendants, dismiss all the servants and menial staff from the hall. No one may come within a step of the main hall without being summoned."

Everyone in the hall bowed and withdrew, the doors gently closing to shut out all outside noise and activity. Within the quiet, secluded hall, only the two of them and Lin Yu, still concealed, remained.

Seeing this, Ling Xuance's gaze flickered slightly, and he signaled in a low voice.

In the next instant, a slender white figure materialized. Lin Yu stood in plain disciple robes, his expression gentle and clear, his posture slightly reserved yet steady as he stood at the center of the hall.

Keeping in mind the ceremonial posture Ling Xuance had taught him earlier, he slowly knelt, back straight and proper, and kowtowed three times with utmost reverence.

His voice was soft but each word rang clear through the quiet hall: "Disciple Lin Yu pays homage to Master."

The Supreme Elder gazed at the kneeling youth, tenderness and love spreading fully in his eyes. He immediately raised a hand, gentle spiritual energy softly supporting him as he rose, and spoke with tender indulgence: "Good child, rise now."

"From this day forth, you are this seat's direct disciple. Enter my Taiyi sect and cultivate with peace of mind."

The rites were complete, and the master-disciple bond was firmly sealed.

The Supreme Elder's gaze shifted to Ling Xuance at his side, concern in his eyes as he asked softly, "In that fierce battle on the arena, you, at mid-stage cultivation, withstood a late-stage peak opponent. Are your injuries serious?"

Ling Xuance bowed slightly and answered calmly, "With your concern, Master, this disciple has already regulated his breathing and recovered. There is no serious issue."

The Supreme Elder nodded slightly, then recalled the strange vine from the battle, a hint of curiosity flickering in his eyes: "That vine attached to your sword—its poison was arcane, breaking the Blazing Bone Sect's sinister techniques. Is it your personal treasure?"

At the mention of it, Ling Xuance's gaze tightened, his lips pressing into a thin line as he fell briefly silent.

The vine's origin concerned Lin Yu's hidden constitution and special talent—too extraordinary to reveal. He was always cautious and dared not speak a word of it.

Seeing his silence, the Supreme Elder assumed it was a personal secret he wished to keep and did not press further, saying gently, "Never mind. Every cultivator has their hidden treasures; there's no need to display them. This seat asked too much."

But Ling Xuance shook his head lightly and looked up with candor: "It's not that this disciple is unwilling to tell you, Master. It's just that this matter concerns A Yu and has far-reaching implications. I hardly know where to begin."

Lin Yu, listening quietly nearby, his clear eyes flickered softly.

He understood all of Ling Xuance's concerns, yet after their time together, he felt a quiet conviction that this kind and gentle master was worthy of trust.

Lin Yu quietly raised his hand, his slender, warm fingertips gently squeezing Ling Xuance's palm—a silent signal: you can tell him.

The soft, resolute pressure in his palm instantly conveyed the message.

Ling Xuance turned his hand and gently clasped the youth's slightly cool fingers, drawing him close to his side. He looked up at the Supreme Elder above and spoke honestly: "Master, this vine is not my treasure. It grows from A Yu's dantian and can be summoned at will by thought."