Now that Chuxuan's memories had recovered, his dedication to cultivation grew even firmer. Early the next morning, he resumed his daily practice.
Having arrived at Longhu Mountain, Chuxuan had been so entirely absorbed in his cultivation that he had no idea he was already making quite an impression across the mountain. After all, how could the Old Celestial Master taking in a new closing-door disciple fail to attract the attention of those around him?
Just as Chuxuan was deep in practice, he suddenly sensed an unfamiliar presence approaching.
He instinctively opened his eyes and looked with a trace of puzzlement at the newcomer. The visitor was quite young, around twenty or so, much like Chuxuan himself. Dressed in a simple, loose white robe and moving with agile strides, the youth appeared before Chuxuan in the blink of an eye, fixing him with a scrutinizing gaze.
"Who are you, and what brings you here?" Chuxuan asked slowly, rising to his feet and looking at the young man with some confusion.
The young man looked Chuxuan up and down, as if trying to see right through him. Then, seemingly satisfied with what he observed, he nodded slightly at Chuxuan and said, "Chuxuan, the closing-door disciple accepted by Master. You're not bad."
Chuxuan was left utterly baffled by the remark, unable to make head or tail of it. Just as he opened his mouth to ask for clarification, the young man turned and walked away, his figure vanishing as swiftly as he had arrived.
Over the days that followed, Chuxuan alternated between cultivation and listening to the teachings of the Old Celestial Master, losing himself completely in his pursuit of power.
With his mind solely set on cultivation, Chuxuan had no heart to concern himself with anything else. Yet how could his arrival fail to draw the attention of others within the Celestial Master Mansion? Chuxuan remained completely oblivious to this, and even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared in the least.
Through his time studying the realm of cultivation in this world, Chuxuan had gained some understanding of its power levels, though nothing too precise. In his own view, his strength was still far too weak. If he ever wished to reach profound heights and attain the power to protect the people he loved, he still had a very long road ahead of him.
Chuxuan rarely even went to pay his respects to Senior Brother Rongshan. In the three-plus months since he had come up the mountain to apprentice, aside from Rongshan occasionally dropping by to check on him and taking him out to view the scenery of Longhu Mountain, Chuxuan had practically never set foot anywhere else on the mountain.
Since Rongshan was usually the one who came to visit, out of everyone in the Celestial Master Mansion, he and Chuxuan shared the closest bond. Through their conversations, Chuxuan had learned a great deal about matters concerning Longhu Mountain.
Chuxuan knew the most about the Old Celestial Master, and had learned that he had ten other senior martial brothers and sisters ahead of him. As the Old Celestial Master's final disciple, Chuxuan learned from talking with Senior Brother Rongshan that the master hadn't taken on any new apprentices for many years.
The Old Celestial Master's tenth disciple was roughly Chuxuan's age. This reminded Chuxuan of the white-robed young man he had encountered earlier—the one who had seemed to harbor an inexplicable hostility toward him, a mystery Chuxuan could never quite figure out. He could sense that the young man's strength was formidable, which inevitably placed a measure of pressure on his own heart. It seemed he would need to redouble his efforts.
As for the rest of his senior martial brothers and sisters, Chuxuan had only ever met Senior Brother Rongshan; the others rarely showed their faces, and Chuxuan had yet to lay eyes on them.
Arriving once more, Senior Brother Rongshan found Chuxuan as engrossed in his cultivation as ever, unable to pull himself away.
"Junior Brother Chuxuan, I have the utmost admiration for you! Having stayed on Longhu Mountain for so many years, this is the first time I've ever seen a disciple practice like you do—starting early and working late every single day. Truly hardworking!"
Looking at Senior Brother Rongshan, Chuxuan gave a faint smile and replied, "Senior Brother Rongshan, you exaggerate. I only just entered the sect, and I started practicing at such an advanced age. If I don't work hard, how can I ever hope to catch up to the pace of you seniors? Besides, if I don't strive, how could I ever live up to Master's grace in imparting the Dao to me?"
Hearing Chuxuan speak with such sound reasoning, Rongshan found himself momentarily at a loss for a rebuttal. He offered a wry smile and said, "Alright, Junior Brother Chuxuan, you make a good point. Still, you mustn't push yourself too hard. Master often says that cultivation is a lifelong endeavor; one must know how to balance work and rest. I imagine you understand that much, at least."
Chuxuan nodded earnestly. "Yes, I know. Master has admonished me as well. Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother, I will keep it in mind."
Patting Chuxuan on the shoulder, Rongshan smiled and said, "Remember to balance work and rest, Junior Brother! I won't disturb you any longer."
Chuxuan gave a slight nod, watching Senior Brother Rongshan depart with a heart full of gratitude for this senior martial brother.
Deep down, Rongshan held a profound admiration for his junior brother. Moreover, over these past few days, he had sensed that the aura surrounding Chuxuan was growing steadily stronger—so much so that he felt his junior brother's power was on the verge of surpassing his own.
Chuxuan himself had no idea what realm he had reached. He knew only to cultivate, paying no heed to anything else—which was perhaps a major reason why his progress had been so astonishingly fast.
After finishing his midday meal, Chuxuan cleaned up his bowls and chopsticks, rested for a little while, and then resumed his practice.
A routine had gradually formed during his time on Longhu Mountain: rising early every morning for morning exercises, running through a set of boxing techniques taught to him by the Old Celestial Master. The routine bore some resemblance to Tai Chi, serving both to strengthen the body and enhance one's power. Chuxuan practiced it diligently every single day.
After that, he would begin his day of cultivation. At noon, he would rest for a spell beneath the large tree in the courtyard. Such days were truly comfortable, yet Chuxuan never forgot his goal in his heart, refusing to let such a life make him complacent.
As evening approached, Chuxuan stepped out of his courtyard and strolled along the path.
Along the way, he encountered quite a few disciples of the Celestial Master Mansion. Many of them were older than Chuxuan, yet their seniority on Longhu Mountain was lower than his. Chuxuan neither knew them nor paid them any mind. At first, these people hadn't known who Chuxuan was either, but by now they had learned his identity.
Knowing that this fellow was young in years yet vastly superior to them in seniority made quite a few of the disciples deeply uncomfortable, planting the thought in their minds of how they might teach their little martial uncle a lesson.
Strolling along today, Chuxuan took in the surrounding scenery, considering it a way to relax his mind and spirit. After all, for the past few months, he had practically shut himself away in his courtyard, entirely devoted to cultivation, which had taken a heavy toll on his mental focus.
He had ventured out today to clear his mind and readjust his state before continuing his practice, entirely unaware that certain individuals had already set their sights on him.
As Chuxuan wandered around the back mountain of Longhu Mountain, he remained completely oblivious to the several figures quietly trailing behind him.
Though he had been on Longhu Mountain for over three months, Chuxuan had yet to explore the entire place, let alone gain a deep understanding of it.
This time, however, he finally caught a glimpse of the stunning scenery of Longhu Mountain. Surrounded by mountains and embraced by rivers, the air was fresh, the trees grew lush and shady, the scenery was picturesque, and spiritual energy was abundant—truly a blessed land capable of nurturing exceptional people.
Chuxuan's fondness for Longhu Mountain deepened by the moment. A profound sense of belonging welled up in the depths of his heart, and he had already come to regard Longhu Mountain as his true home.