Furthermore, in their view, the two disciples selected by Guliang Yuan were by no means top-tier, so naturally they had no desire to compete for them.
Beneath the mountain gates of the Taishang Holy Land, Mochen stood dressed entirely in black upon a bluestone slab. His gaze was fixed unblinkingly on Zhang Yang among the crowd, his expression so cold and fierce that none dared approach him.
Sensing the murderous intent in Mochen's glare, Zhang Yang did not dare linger for a moment. Dragging Song Xian'er with him, he squeezed frantically through the crowd, trying desperately to put some distance between himself and Mochen.
Song Xian'er remained completely oblivious to all this, simply following closely behind Zhang Yang.
Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure descended.
The crowd, packed so tightly there was scarce room to plant a foot, felt this formidable aura and instinctively retreated, clearing a wide open space.
Before the eyes of all, Guliang Yuan descended slowly from the sky, clothed in white with a faint, ethereal Dao rhythm radiating from his entire being.
Every movement and gesture exuded the demeanor of a true master.
As they beheld Guliang Yuan's appearance and bearing, the surrounding clamor instantly died away.
Every woman present—from the elderly grandmother of ninety-nine down to the toddler who had just learned to walk—felt her eyes light up.
It was as if they had drunk ice water in the sweltering heat; their spirits instantly became joyful and refreshed.
A seventy-year-old village matron let out a booming cry: "Good heavens, how can there be such a handsome lad in this world!"
A high-born maiden from the mortal realm gazed at Guliang Yuan in a trance:
"All men of the world are vulgar and crude; only this gentleman rests in my heart."
A female cultivator who appeared to be a matron muttered to herself:
"What a pity I was not born eighteen years earlier! If I could but share a night of passion with such a man, even if I never achieved the Great Dao, this life would not have been lived in vain!"
As for the men, far from feeling any jealousy toward Guliang Yuan, they lacked even the courage to compare themselves to him.
They felt only that such a man could not possibly be a mortal of this world, but rather an Immortal descended to the earthly realm!
Having acquired his immortal disposition long ago, Guliang Yuan was already accustomed to such gazes. He walked on toward Song Xian'er of his own accord.
Seeing this, the surrounding crowd squeezed tightly to clear a narrow path for Guliang Yuan, letting him pass unhindered.
Soon, Guliang Yuan arrived before Song Xian'er. Looking at the timid and bewildered girl hiding behind Zhang Yang, he revealed a gentle smile:
"Young lady, I am Guliang Yuan, grand-uncle-master of the Taishang Holy Land and Master of Forgetful Peak. I wish to take you as my disciple. What do you say?"
As soon as Guliang Yuan spoke these words, before Song Xian'er could reply, the scions of the cultivation aristocratic families in the crowd erupted into an uproar!
"Is this that legendary Guliang Yuan who entered the Nascent Soul realm in a single day?"
"I'd long heard that the Master of Forgetful Peak looked just like an Immortal. Seeing him today, he truly is extraordinary!"
"If one were to enter his lineage, wouldn't that be soaring straight to the heavens and becoming a direct disciple right away?"
"Not to mention a direct disciple, this Forgetful lineage holds an immensely high seniority. To enter his sect is to share the exact same seniority as the Holy Land's elders! Ordinary disciples would have to address you as Uncle-Master upon seeing you!"
"That's not all. I heard this Guliang Yuan dotes crazily on his disciples. He took in a mortal disciple before and handed out Heaven-tier magical treasures like they were nothing!"
"Goodness gracious, what incredible fortune for this little girl!"
Listening to the chatter of the crowd and looking at Guliang Yuan before her, Song Xian'er felt as though all of this were terribly unreal.
She glanced at Zhang Yang, whose expression was somewhat unsightly, and hesitated as she spoke to Guliang Yuan:
"Senior, did you perhaps make a mistake? My talent is very poor."
Instead of answering directly, Guliang Yuan countered with a question: "Why do you say that?"
Song Xian'er replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world: "Young Master told me so. He also said he would find spiritual treasures in the future to help me improve my talent."
Feigning puzzlement, Guliang Yuan said: "How could that be? As I see it, you possess the Water and Wood dual spiritual roots. Although not as exceptional as a Heavenly Spiritual Root, such talent still ranks in the upper-middle tier even within the Taishang Holy Land."
"Ah?"
Hearing Guliang Yuan's words and then looking at Zhang Yang, whose expression had grown even uglier, Song Xian'er felt her brain could no longer keep up.
How could this be?
Guliang Yuan spoke once more:
"So, are you willing to take me as your master now?"
Song Xian'er felt her mind grow somewhat hazy. Deep within her heart, a voice seemed to be telling her to seize this opportunity.
Yet ever since childhood, she had served as a menial in the Zhang household, forming the habit of consulting the head of the house on every single matter.
And so, as if possessed, she first looked toward Zhang Yang, seemingly asking for his opinion.
Watching this scene, the onlookers were all somewhat dumbfounded.
What is this? A grand-uncle-master of the Holy Land takes you as a disciple, and you're actually hesitating?
And you're asking for someone else's opinion?
Dual spiritual roots aren't all that rare in the Holy Land—just what gives you the right to be like this?
This was only because the Guliang Yuan before them had a good temper; had it been any other high-grade master with even a shred of temper, he would have flicked his sleeves and left long ago.
Guliang Yuan knew that this was because Song Xian'er had yet to awaken her past-life memories, which was why she was devoted to Zhang Yang and obeyed his every word.
Yet Guliang Yuan was entirely unpanicked: my Forgetful Dao is specifically designed to cure the disease of the simping dog!
My disciple can only listen to me!
Once the Glazed Immortal Crystal is found and Song Xian'er's past-life memories awaken, she will be able to sever all attachments in a single day and instantly enter the Dao!
Seeing all eyes gathered upon him, Zhang Yang felt profoundly awkward.
Though his spiritual roots were mediocre, he considered himself extraordinary.
Seeing someone now trying to take his maid as a disciple while completely ignoring him as the young master, he inevitably felt choked with grievance.
His original plan had been to tell Song Xian'er that she lacked the talent for cultivation, and then casually fool her with some random spiritual treasure, claiming it could help awaken her spiritual roots and set her upon the path of cultivation.
In this way, he would completely lock down Song Xian'er's heart and make her utterly devoted to him.
To this end, he had even spent a massive sum of money to purchase a spiritual treasure capable of concealing one's talent, hanging it upon Song Xian'er precisely to prevent others from discovering it.
He had never imagined that the Holy Land would be so brimming with hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and that before his grand plan could even begin, someone would already see right through Song Xian'er's talent.
In his heart, of course he did not want Song Xian'er to leave him right now.
Yet, looking at Guliang Yuan's warning gaze and the faint, palpable pressure...
He chose to submit!
A gentleman takes his revenge ten years later, and it is not too late!
Just wait—the humiliation of today would be repaid a hundredfold another day!
The fierce glint in the depths of Zhang Yang's eyes flashed and vanished. He then put on a magnanimous air and said to Song Xian'er:
"Xianer, perhaps it was simply my own lack of discernment before, failing to see your talent. The Immortal here is far more capable than I; if you have talent, naturally that is a wonderful thing."
"Why don't you hurry and pay your respects as master? Who knows, in the future I might even need you to protect me."
Though the fierce light in Zhang Yang's eyes had vanished in a flash, it was still sharply captured by Guliang Yuan.
He had not expected the Son of Destiny to be so petty; he was merely taking a disciple, yet he was already holding a grudge against him?
Still, thinking about it, it made a certain amount of sense. In the novels he had read in his past life, there were often plots where the sister or lover of the Son of Destiny was forcibly taken as a disciple by some mighty expert, leaving the Son of Destiny burning with fury, cultivating bitterly, and shouting a string of taunts at the aforementioned expert—or even wiping out their entire sect.
So taking a disciple to nurture is actually a crime in the eyes of you Sons of Destiny, is it?
Chapter 30: Lust is a Bone-Scraping Blade
However, Guliang Yuan had no time to dawdle with Zhang Yang right now. His most pressing task was to complete the system quest and quickly take on his disciples.
To Guliang Yuan's surprise, even after Zhang Yang had spoken thus, Song Xian'er still wore a deeply reluctant expression:
"Young Master, I can't bear to leave you."
Hearing this, Zhang Yang felt somewhat comforted inside, and he too assumed a look of great reluctance:
"I can't bear to see you go either, but your young master is currently in danger myself, let alone able to protect you. Being able to enter the Holy Land is your good fortune."
"I promise you, once my cultivation achieves success in the future, I will definitely come to see you."
Hearing Zhang Yang's words, Song Xian'er looked back at Guliang Yuan. Suddenly thinking of something, her eyes lit up:
"Immortal Elder, could you please take Young Master into the Holy Land along with me?"
Zhang Yang's eyes lit up as well, and he looked toward Guliang Yuan with hopeful anticipation.
Before Guliang Yuan could speak, perhaps due to Zhang Yang's inherent constitution for drawing scorn, the onlookers found they could no longer bear it and began voicing their complaints.
"What is this? Do you think the Holy Land is your family's estate, to enter and leave as you please?"
"Judging by the mottled spiritual energy around him, he must have mixed spiritual roots. I doubt he's even qualified to be a menial servant."
"This girl is simply ungrateful. She hasn't even entered apprenticeship yet, and she's already thinking about making demands."
"Exactly, the two of you master and servant think far too highly of yourselves."
Hearing this, a surge of irritation rose in Guliang Yuan's heart.
Yet immediately afterward, the Taishang Forgetting Emotions Scripture circulated on its own, instantly restoring clarity to his spiritual altar.
Recovering his senses, Guliang Yuan thought to himself how close that was—he had almost fallen under the protagonist's intelligence-lowering halo.
Song Xian'er's current behavior was due to her unawakened memories, not her true nature. Don't be angry, don't be angry.
Without a trace of arrogance, the current Song Xian'er was far tamer than his own past simping self!
Still, bringing the Son of Destiny into the Holy Land...
It didn't seem entirely impossible!
Right under his own nose, he would have even more room to maneuver!
At this thought, Guliang Yuan immediately said to Song Xian'er:
"A country has its laws, and a family has its rules."
"Though I am a grand-uncle-master of the Holy Land, I cannot disregard the Holy Land's regulations."
"This Zhang Yang possesses metal, wood, fire, and earth quad-spiritual roots. His aptitude is far too poor; he cannot enter my Forgetful Peak."
Seeing disappointment surface in Song Xian'er's eyes, Guliang Yuan changed his tone: "However, I can put in a word for him to go to the menial quarters and work as a handyman."
"Zhang Yang, are you willing?"
Hearing this, dissatisfaction stirred in Zhang Yang's heart.
Could it be that in the world of cultivation, spiritual roots represented everything?!
His own maid could become a direct disciple, yet he could only be a menial servant!
Zhang Yang had half a mind to refuse, but then he looked toward Mochen in the distance and prudently nodded.
There were still pursuers coming from behind; preserving his life took precedence.
As for the mocking gazes all around him, he made up his mind inside.
Just wait!
Even as a menial disciple, I will make something of myself!
My fate is mine, not decided by the heavens!
Seeing Zhang Yang nod, Song Xian'er cast aside all her remaining misgivings and immediately dropped to her knees before Guliang Yuan, performing a full kowtow: "Greetings, Master!"
Guliang Yuan flickered his sleeve, and a gentle wave of true qi lifted Song Xian'er to her feet:
"Good disciple, rise."
"Ding, congratulations, system quest completed. Supreme comprehension and cultivation-return functions have been issued."
Guliang Yuan casually clicked to claim them, feeling a slight vibration in his spiritual altar before all other sensations faded.
Yet when he opened his eyes to look at the world once more, he felt as though everything before him radiated a profound and abstruse aura.
Falling petals and chirping birds seemed to follow some underlying law in all things.
It felt as though with a mere flicker of thought, one could achieve sudden enlightenment.
So this was supreme comprehension; truly remarkable.
"System, compared to the awakened Mochen, how does my current comprehension stack up?"
"Ding, supreme comprehension is the highest in all the world. In terms of comprehension, neither in heaven nor on earth is anyone a match for the host."
That hit the spot.
Products of the system are bound to be fine goods.
Collecting his thoughts, Guliang Yuan pointed at Zhang Yang and instructed an outer disciple who was maintaining order nearby: "You should have heard what I just said. Later, take him and report to Steward Wang."
"This disciple obeys."
Having arranged all this, Guliang Yuan turned his gaze to the frowning Mochen standing to one side.
"Little fellow, are you willing to take me as your master?"
At first, a wave of wild elation surged through Mochen. He had merely come to watch the show, thinking how troublesome it would be to kill Zhang Yang if the latter entered the Holy Land, yet now he had been given the chance to enter the Holy Land himself!
But immediately afterward, his thoughts turned to Liu Shuang up on Sword Sect. If he entered the Holy Land, wouldn't that take him far away from his cousin Liu Shuang?
One path offered a bright future in cultivation; the other was the woman he loved dearly. How should he choose...
Was there even a need to choose?
He was definitely choosing the woman!
For Cousin Liu Shuang, he could give her his life, let alone cultivation!
And so, Mochen delivered a flat refusal:
"Many thanks for Senior's kind intentions, but Mochen has already entered the Profound Sword Sect. In life I am a ghost of the Sword Sect, and in death I shall remain its ghost."
"Even though Senior is a peak master of the Holy Land, you cannot shake my loyalty to the Sword Sect!"
Hearing this, the surrounding onlookers instantly felt a surge of awe and respect for Mochen!
What a fiercely loyal Mochen!
They asked themselves in their hearts and knew they could never abandon the chance to join the Holy Land just for the sake of a sect.
Though some felt Mochen was acting foolishly, no one dared to openly mock a loyal man.
Guliang Yuan was speechless...
You're pledging your loyalty now?
You don't want to leave the Profound Sword Sect? You just have the hots for Liu Shuang's body, you shameless hypocrite!
Guliang Yuan spoke again:
"The Profound Sword Sect is an affiliated sect of my Taishang Holy Land, and it regularly sends outer disciples to us. Joining us cannot be considered betrayal."
"Once you achieve success in your studies in the future, you can still give back to the Profound Sword Sect, can you not?"
Hearing this, the people around them felt it made complete sense and once more turned their collective gaze upon Mochen.
Mochen shook his head yet again: "To not hide it from Senior, the Profound Sword Sect is not only the place that raised and nurtured me, but it also holds the dearest love of my life..."
Oh?
The onlookers instantly displayed looks of deep interest.
Gossip?
Guliang Yuan felt a mixture of exasperation and anger at his stubbornness:
"There are plenty of exceptional women in the Holy Land. If you take me as your master, flocks of beauties will be yours to choose from—why fixate on a single tree until you die?"
Mochen shook his head once more, answering with ringing force:
"Lust is a bone-scraping blade; spending my days surrounded by women would only disrupt my state of mind. What I seek is simply to grow old with one person!"
The women nearby were deeply moved to see Mochen willing to give up even the chance to enter the Holy Land for the sake of his beloved.
As for the men around them, they beat their chests and stamped their feet, thinking Mochen was truly a fool!
Watching Mochen's display, Guliang Yuan nodded:
"I respect your wishes."
With that, he turned his head and looked at Song Rentou, who had appeared behind him at some unknown moment: "Later on, invite the daughter of the Profound Sword Sect's Master to the Holy Land as a guest, and have her reside on Wuji Peak."
A mischievous grin broke out across Song Rentou's face, and he immediately nodded in assent.
Mochen's heart skipped a beat!
Wuji Peak?
Wasn't that the peak where his cousin's beloved was located?!
If his cousin and that man were allowed to stay together, that would be catastrophic!
At this realization, he immediately cried out toward Guliang Yuan's retreating back:
"Wait a moment!"
Guliang Yuan turned around in puzzlement:
"What is it?"
Without another word, Mochen dropped straight to his knees with a heavy thud: "I am willing to take Senior as my master."
"Why, didn't you say you were a ghost of the Sword Sect even in death?"
"Being buried in the Sword Sect after I die amounts to the same thing."
"Doesn't the Profound Sword Sect hold your dearest love?"
"Only by becoming stronger can I protect my dearest love."
Guliang Yuan still waved his hand dismissively: "Lust is a bone-scraping blade. There are too many women in the Holy Land; your state of mind will be ruined."
Mochen looked at Guliang Yuan with a firm, unyielding gaze:
"Lust is a bone-scraping blade, but I, Mochen, am renowned for having bones of iron!"
"Senior, I can handle it!"
Chapter 31: You Look Down on a Disciple with a Heavenly Spiritual Root?
Guliang Yuan patted Mochen on the shoulder:
"What I appreciate most are men of iron. I'll take you as my disciple."
Mochen let out a mental breath of relief and bowed respectfully: "Many thanks, Master!"
"Ding, congratulations to the host for taking in three disciples, thus establishing the initial aura of a renowned teacher. The 'Road of the Renowned Teacher' series of quests has been issued:"
"Gather eight direct disciples. System reward: Three Ten-Thousand-Fold Critical Strike Cards."
"Ten-Thousand-Fold Critical Strike Card: Once used, it guarantees a one-hundred-percent activation of a ten-thousand-fold critical strike."
"Take in fifty inner disciples. System reward: One Enlightenment Pagoda."
"Enlightenment Pagoda: An Immortal artifact containing nine layers of space, corresponding respectively to the nine mortal realms. Correspondingly, the flow of time within is much faster than the outside world, and it possesses the ability to aid others in attaining enlightenment!"
Noticing the new system notification tone, Guliang Yuan's eyes instantly lit up!
A designated ten-thousand-fold critical strike—this was truly defying the heavens!
If he could find a few immortal artifacts and have the system execute a critical strike on them, wouldn't he be able to walk sideways across this cultivation world?!
And that Enlightenment Pagoda was simply an supreme divine weapon for nurturing disciples!
If he tossed all his disciples inside, wouldn't his own cultivation soar skyward in leaps and bounds?!
"System, do these inner disciples need to be simping dogs?"
"Ding, the host taking in inner disciples carries no restrictions regarding talent or other aspects. Correspondingly, inner disciples will not come with the cultivation-return function."
Inner disciples were not considered true disciples; if pressed, they could be counted as pupils. They belonged to the class of students attending Guliang Yuan's large lectures and lacked the qualification to call Guliang Yuan 'Master'; they could only address him as 'Teacher'.
Only those taken as direct disciples counted as true disciples.
Guliang Yuan rubbed his chin; fifty inner disciples shouldn't be too hard to gather.
Yet for the future of Forgetful Peak, the aptitude of the inner disciples could not be too poor either, so he still had to select them with care.
His first thought was of Zhang Yang, but he instantly dismissed the idea.
An un-housable dog would bite its master sooner or later.
Seeing both Mochen and Song Xian'er looking at him with eager eyes, Guliang Yuan instructed Song Rentou:
"Old Song, take them back to Forgetful Peak first. I'm going to look for some inner disciples."
"Understood."
Once Song Rentou had departed, Guliang Yuan returned to the summit of the peak. Ascending to high ground and looking out, he took in the talents of everyone present at a single glance.
Name: Han Feiyu
Infatuation Value: 20
Cultivation: Mortal
Spiritual Roots: Wood, Fire, Earth (tri-spiritual roots)
Comprehension: One in ten thousand
Destiny: The road is torturous (The path to success is always fraught with trials.)
Talent: Unyielding and persistent, growing stronger with every setback, peerless intelligence.
Summary: A candidate of the 'Heaven rewards hard work' type. Relying on an unyielding temperament and peerless intelligence, he might well carve out a considerable reputation in the cultivation world.
Guliang Yuan nodded. This one was good; although his spiritual roots were somewhat weak, his comprehension was quite good, and he possessed peerless intelligence. He might prove useful when supporting a dragon throne—accepted.
Name: Gou Dezhu
Infatuation Value: 90
Cultivation: Mortal
Spiritual Roots: Wind, Fire, Wood (tri-spiritual roots)
Comprehension: One in ten thousand
Destiny: Steady and secure (Luck experiences no drastic fluctuations, remaining relatively stable.)
Talent: Seeking victory through stability, cautious and meticulous, peerless intelligence.
Summary: A practitioner of the 'doggo' path of survival, following the principle of winning by playing safe; he will choose to run rather than fight whenever possible. Such an attitude destined him to have the last laugh. Though he possesses the makings of a protagonist, his foundation is insufficient—what a pity.
Guliang Yuan nodded. This one was also good—accepted.
Name...
Guliang Yuan examined them one by one. Out of hundreds of thousands of people, picking and choosing, he ultimately selected only twenty-eight.
The remaining twenty-two, Guliang Yuan prepared to seek out among the outer disciples; if none could be found even there, he would lower his standards slightly just to make up the numbers.
The grand apprenticeship ceremony below continued. In half a day's time, everyone on the field had been tested.
Out of the two hundred thousand arrivals, fewer than ten thousand possessed spiritual roots.
And that was only because many had come to the Holy Land precisely because they knew they possessed spiritual roots.
In the secular world, finding even a few individuals with spiritual roots within a small nation would likely prove difficult.
Those ten thousand disciples with spiritual roots then had to pass through two subsequent trials of comprehension and temperament.
Each trial eliminated a vast batch of disciples; after the two trials, fewer than three thousand people remained on the field.
The twenty-eight selected by Guliang Yuan were prominently among them.
Next came the appearance of the various peak masters, who stepped forward one by one to select their disciples.
However, there were seven peak masters, yet only two disciples with Heavenly Spiritual Roots on the field. Who wouldn't want the best?
Because of this, several peak masters nearly came to blows in their contention!
Guliang Yuan, however, showed no intention of competing whatsoever, standing off to the side merely to watch the show.
A mere Heavenly Spiritual Root simply did not meet the system's requirements for taking disciples, not to mention that neither of the two was a simping dog.
Down below, the prospective disciples watched this scene, their envy spilling over in full view.
They had begged just to enter a single peak; to say nothing of becoming a direct disciple, even becoming an inner disciple would be considered an immensely fortunate stroke of luck.
Yet these two before them were actually being fought over by a crowd of mighty experts.
Comparing oneself to others was truly enough to anger a person to death!
Finally, unable to resolve the dispute, Lü Qingmei stepped forward personally to mediate:
"Enough! The lot of you are figures who establish sects and claim mastery in Dongzhou. To make such a scene over taking a disciple—what kind of decorum is this!"
Once the others had ceased their bickering, Lü Qingmei looked toward the two somewhat bewildered possessors of Heavenly Spiritual Roots:
"The various peak masters are acting out of a fondness for talent. Since they cannot reach a consensus among themselves, the choice shall be placed in your hands. Which peak master do you wish to take as your master?"
Hearing Lü Qingmei's words, the young man and woman simultaneously felt their eyes light up.
Without prior collusion, they both turned their gazes in unison toward Guliang Yuan, who was standing off to the side yawning.
In terms of cultivation, Guliang Yuan might temporarily lag behind the other peak masters, but he was more than fully equipped to instruct them.
Besides, the man was someone who had entered the Nascent Soul realm in a single day—who was to say he wouldn't experience another stroke of enlightenment someday and surpass them all outright?
Most importantly, Guliang Yuan's reputation for doting crazily on his disciples was thunderously loud!
Heaven-tier magical treasures? Miraculous spiritual pills? The man actually handed them out!
Following the direction of their gaze, the remaining six peak masters, including Lü Qingmei herself, all turned in unison to look at Guliang Yuan.
This is going to be bad!
Could it be that disciples about to fall into their hands were instead going to turn into their junior fellow apprentice sister?
Feeling the gazes of everyone upon him, Guliang Yuan forcefully swallowed back a half-started yawn.
After carefully examining their attribute panels once more and confirming that neither of them was a proper fit anywhere, he slowly shook his head:
"The two of you are unsuited for my lineage. If you wish to apprentice under me, I can only take you in as inner disciples."
When Guliang Yuan spoke these words, not only those two disciples, but even the remaining peak masters failed to understand.
What? You're looking down on Heavenly Spiritual Roots?!
A Heavenly Spiritual Root referred to a cultivator with a single spiritual root, further subdivided into upper, middle, lower, and supreme grades based on the purity of the root.
Even a lower-grade Heavenly Spiritual Root possessed the potential to become a holy son or holy maiden of the Holy Land!
One could say that once a disciple with a Heavenly Spiritual Root put out word, any of the four great Holy Lands would let them pick and choose!
Uncle-Master, aren't you being far too picky?!
Hearing Guliang Yuan's words, the male disciple looked somewhat disappointed, then his gaze shifted among the various peak masters before finally landing beside Wanyan.
The female disciple, however, did not immediately choose another master. Instead, she asked Guliang Yuan with unconcealed reluctance:
"I know Senior has a senior grand-disciple who possesses a supreme Heavenly Spiritual Root."
"I consider my own upper-grade Heavenly Spiritual Root aptitude to not fall too far short of hers."
"I wish to ask Senior: where exactly do I not fit?"
"I want to ask you, Senior, why am I not a good fit?"
Listening to the question from the young woman before him, Guliang Yuan said nothing, merely smiling and shaking his head.
Why not a good fit?
Though her spiritual roots were fine, her comprehension was ordinary, her fortune mediocre, and she lacked even a destiny bone—she was simply unsuited in every possible way.
Qianqiu was not only blessed with a Supreme Heavenly Spiritual Root, but also possessed peerless comprehension, boundless good fortune, and the destiny of an Empress. How could anyone hope to compare to that?
Naturally, Guliang Yuan kept these thoughts to himself.
It was entirely normal for a young person to have a touch of pride; there was no need to deliberately crush her spirit.
Yet Guliang Yuan's silence seemed to have wounded her fragile self-esteem.
Clenching her fists, she put on a fierce front and declared, "My name is Jin Zhong'er, and one day you will regret this decision!"
With that, she turned her head toward Lü Qingmei and said, "I wish to take you as my master, Senior."
Lü Qingmei smiled and offered words of encouragement: "That's the spirit! Under my guidance, sooner or later you'll defeat that senior sister of yours, Qianqiu. When the time comes, you can make him regret it."
Like Guliang Yuan, she believed a bit of youthful arrogance was no bad thing.
"Yes!" Jin Zhong'er nodded heavily, entirely convinced.
Thinking it wouldn't hurt to give her some extra motivation for her cultivation, Guliang Yuan chimed in smoothly, "Very well. I shall wait for the day you make me regret my choice."
Both Guliang Yuan and Lü Qingmei had spoken merely to tease a junior.
Yet Jin Zhong'er etched every word deeply into her mind.
What she did not know was that starting from this very day, Qianqiu would become her ultimate, inescapable nightmare.
No matter how countless her fortuitous encounters, no matter the endless days and nights of arduous toil, she would find herself perpetually unable to surpass Qianqiu, watching the gap between them stretch wider and wider with every passing year.
Of course, that was a story for another time.
Seeing that both Heavenly Spiritual Roots had found their masters, the other peak masters had nothing left to contend over. Each proceeded to select one or two disciples, filling out the ranks of the inner sect by several dozen.
Guliang Yuan, too, successfully took twenty-eight inner sect disciples under his wing.
This move once again drew the scrutinizing gazes of the surrounding peak masters and elders.
In their eyes, the disciples Guliang Yuan had chosen were thoroughly unremarkable.
Lü Qingmei even grew somewhat concerned that Forgetful Peak would struggle to flourish, offering to personally hand-pick a few more promising candidates for him, only to be gently refused.
Recalling Guliang Yuan's uncanny knack for discerning Qianqiu's true worth, Lü Qingmei could only drop the matter, silently hoping this was simply another instance of his master-level insight into human character.
The disciple-induction ceremony began with a roar and ended with a grand flourish.
Those who entered the gates did so with bounding joy.
Those who failed departed in quiet dejection.
Perhaps even those who left might carve out paths of their own and find other fortuitous encounters elsewhere, even without joining the Holy Land.
But all of that had nothing more to do with the Taishang Holy Land.
The clamor and commotion at the mountain gates faded back into the profound silence of old.
Guliang Yuan led his newly acquired flock of inner sect disciples back up to Forgetful Peak.
After offering a few brief instructions to the disciples, he handed them over to Song Rentou to oversee their foundational training.
For a late Nascent Soul cultivator like Song Rentou, teaching a group of beginners the absolute basics was more than enough.
With these matters settled, Guliang Yuan felt a quiet sense of relaxation settle over his mind.
Suddenly, a gust of mountain breeze swept by, fluttering his sleeves.
Feeling the gentle touch of the evening wind against his cheek and the slight stirring of his hair, Guliang Yuan's thoughts drifted far away.
Did this moment happen simply because I chanced to arrive here just as the breeze happened to blow?
Or would this breeze still have blown even if I had never existed at all?
If it is the former, what kind of force caused all of this to come to pass?
Is it because of my existence that all the beauty in this world is unveiled before me?
Or am I, too, merely a component that helps constitute this beauty?
A state of self-awareness?
Or a state of selflessness?
What truly separates the two?
Does all of this leave any traceable tracks behind?
And if there are tracks to be followed, what is it that governs them all?
Is this simply the natural operation of the Dao?
Guliang Yuan plunged into deep contemplation. Unbeknownst to him, as he pondered, the Dao essence surrounding his body began to steadily climb, seeming to merge imperceptibly with nature itself.
If the other peak masters could witness Guliang Yuan in this state, green-eyed envy would surely consume them!
For the condition Guliang Yuan was in right now was the very state of sudden enlightenment that every single cultivator under heaven dreamed of attaining!
In this state, a cultivator's realm and cultivation base would soar at a terrifying pace.
All previous doubts and baffling mysteries would be illuminated and resolved in a single instant!
To call it an enlightenment would be an understatement; it was nothing less than the Heavenly Dao directly preaching the Dao to the cultivator!
In times past, there was a Mortal who achieved sudden enlightenment in a single day, immediately stepping onto the path of cultivation and founding the entire path of body-cultivators to become an honored master of the Dao!
There were Tribulation Transcendence cultivators nearing the end of their lifespans who attained enlightenment in a flash and achieved immortality on the spot!
There were ordinary martial artists who gained sudden enlightenment overnight and forged supreme divine abilities!
This was a state pursued by countless mighty figures of supreme power, yet completely out of reach.
And yet Guliang Yuan had triggered a direct state of sudden enlightenment simply from a passing breeze!
Within Guliang Yuan's mind, a fierce battle of heaven and man was waging.
As the Dao essence clinging to his body intensified, his cultivation base climbed step by step!
Does the self-subsumed world continue to turn, or does the world only exist because of my awareness of it...
A quarter of an hour...
Half an hour...
A short hour drifted by, and Guliang Yuan remained motionless in the exact same spot.
Suddenly, the chirp of a bird pierced Guliang Yuan's ears. Following closely behind, brilliant moonlight washed over his shoulders, and the rich scent of grass and trees drifted into his nostrils.
His closed senses slowly unsealed. Guliang Yuan abruptly opened his eyes, gazing out at the picturesque landscape before him, and an epiphany struck!
How can there be a distinction between self and selflessness?
Heaven and earth are born together with me, and I am one with all things in the universe!
With his thoughts running crystal clear, Guliang Yuan could feel that the previously sluggish flow of heaven and earth spiritual energy had suddenly grown vibrant and active.
Guliang Yuan had a premonition: while in this state, should he cultivate, his speed would be tenfold faster than before, if not more!
Cultivation?
At the thought of cultivation, Guliang Yuan hurriedly directed his inner vision toward his dantian.
To his astonishment, he discovered that his cultivation base had somehow quietly advanced all the way to the Nascent Soul Fourth Heavenly Layer!
"Ding! Congratulations, host, on successfully achieving sudden enlightenment. You have received the blessing of the Heavenly Dao and attained a Heavenly Bestowed Dao Body."
Only then did Guliang Yuan realize: was that what sudden enlightenment felt like?
A single gust of wind blew past, and just like that, he attained enlightenment?
Supreme comprehension truly was terrifyingly powerful!
"Open the system panel:"
Host: Guliang Yuan
Spiritual Root: Void Spiritual Root
Comprehension: Supreme
Physique: Heavenly Bestowed Dao Body
Cultivation: Nascent Soul Fourth Heavenly Layer
Identity: Master of Forgetful Peak, Taishang Holy Land
Cultivation Technique: Taishang Forgetful Scripture
Divine Abilities and Spells: Gengjin Swordsmanship, Nine Dragons Departing Fire Palm, Heavenly Thunder Escape...
Items: Earth Nine Sword, Mustard Seed Bracelet, Longevity Peach...
Disciples: Qianqiu, Song Xian'er, Mochen.
"Heavenly Bestowed Dao Body: Those born with this physique possess a natural affinity for the Dao. Every Daoist spell and divine ability can be mastered the moment it is learned. They also share an innate harmony with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and are blessed with the protection of the Heavenly Dao regarding fortune, resulting in fewer disasters and tribulations."
Overjoyed, Guliang Yuan found that not only had his cultivation increased following the sudden enlightenment, but he had also directly acquired a rare special physique. Simply wonderful!
It was just that the items and divine abilities sections looked a bit meager. It seemed he would have to work harder at teaching his disciples.
As it happened, he still had two fresh, bright-eyed disciples waiting for him to instruct. Apprentices, your master is coming!
***
Chapter 33: My Master Is Ridiculously Generous!
Arriving at the Forgetful Hall, Guliang Yuan found that Mochen and Song Xian'er had already been waiting inside for some time.
Seeing Guliang Yuan step into the main hall, the two of them quickly bowed and respectfully called out, "Master."
Guliang Yuan nodded in acknowledgment, then flicked his finger. Two streaks of light shot forward, entering their respective seas of consciousness.
Amidst their astonished gazes, Guliang Yuan spoke slowly:
"This is the foundation of our Forgetful Peak, the Taishang Forgetful Scripture."
Song Xian'er had never touched upon cultivation before. Looking at the characters floating before her, she felt as though she were reading a heavenly scripture, and could only nod in blank incomprehension.
Mochen, however, upon seeing the eight stark characters—"To practice this scripture, one must first forget love"—saw his expression shift drastically!
Scanning the room and locking his eyes on the main entrance, his footwork shifted instantly, and he bolted straight for the door.
Judging by that posture, he was clearly planning to run for it!
Unflustered and unhurried, Guliang Yuan spoke in a calm tone: "Go on then. Run. Once you're gone, I'll make the executive decision to arrange a Daoist partnership between Long Chen and Liu Shuang."
"Care to guess if Long Chen would dare to disobey an order from me, his grand-uncle master?"
Mochen, who had already bolted outside the hall, ground to an abrupt halt.
His expression twisted through a gamut of colors. By the time he turned back around, his face was already plastered with profound grief and indignation:
"What kind of talk is that, Master? My filial piety toward you runs deep! How could I ever dream of leaving?"
"I was simply worried that when Master preached the Dao, someone might be eavesdropping outside, so I ran out to investigate!"
"I never imagined Master would harbor such thoughts about me!"
...
What a righteous and awe-inspiring display from Mochen!
If I hadn't called out to you, you would have made it all the way to the foot of the mountain in the time it took you to give that speech!
Trying to dodge the bullet?
Guliang Yuan knew very well that the art of teaching required a balance of tension and release; pressing down too tightly all at once would only produce the opposite effect.
Even though he knew Mochen was putting on an act, he didn't expose him, choosing instead to continue:
"The practice of the Taishang Forgetful Scripture passes through three distinct stages. The first is the Severing of Love..."
At these words, Song Xian'er's expression also shifted noticeably. Clearly, she too had thought of Zhang Yang.
Yet Guliang Yuan's words did not pause:
"During this stage, under the augmentation of the Forgetful Scripture, your mind will grow exceptionally lucid, assisting you in cutting away the emotions harbored within your heart."
"Once you cross past the Severing of Love, you will enter the realm of Questioning the Heart."
"At that time, you will step out of the net of affection and interrogate your innermost self to decide whether or not you truly love that person. If your love is genuine, you may continue loving them just as before."
"Could it be that you feel your love for Liu Shuang is not deep enough?"
"If you believe your love for her is deep enough, why fear the temporary excision of your emotions?"
Guliang Yuan's words were no deception.
Take Qianqiu, for example: even though she had entered the stage of Questioning the Heart, her infatuation rating remained stubbornly at 100.
Yet Guliang Yuan knew that this result only came about because he had genuinely treated Qianqiu well.
As for these two? One had been blocked from cultivation by the person she loved. Though Song Xian'er currently lived in a haze, the moment her past-life memories awakened, she would be lucky if she didn't utterly despise Zhang Yang.
And then there was Mochen, this pure simp who would throw his life away for the woman he loved, while that very woman used him for amusement and yearned for someone else. Once he broke through the barrier of affection and thought about running back to her, he truly would be a hopeless fool.
Seeing Guliang Yuan question the depth of his love for Liu Shuang, Mochen immediately argued back:
"My love for her is absolute—far deeper than you could possibly imagine!"
Guliang Yuan seized the moment. "In that case, I shall lead you into the threshold of the Forgetful Scripture right now."
Mochen let out a cold snort and immediately sat down cross-legged.
Song Xian'er hesitated for a moment before imitating Mochen, settling into a similar posture.
Guliang Yuan immediately circulated his dharma power, guiding the spiritual energy through their bodies along the circulation pathway of the Forgetful Scripture to complete a full cycle.
Once the circulation finished, Mochen felt his spiritual platform grow crystal clear. He silently mused that this Taishang Forgetful Scripture was far more profound than the techniques he had practiced previously. Not only did it gather spiritual energy, but it also honed divine sense—truly remarkable.
As for Song Xian'er, rays of light flickered around her entire body, and she broke through directly into Qi Condensation Level 1.
Seeing that both disciples had successfully practiced the Forgetful Scripture, Guliang Yuan felt a swell of satisfaction.
The Forgetful Scripture could clarify the spiritual platform, and combined with his personal assistance, it would surely cure Mochen of his severe simp-syndrome.
That's right—being a simp was a disease!
And it needed to be cured!
At that very moment, Guliang Yuan suddenly felt an inexplicable surge of power pour into his dantian, causing his surrounding aura to swell dramatically!
Nascent Soul Fifth Heavenly Layer—achieved!
Guliang Yuan was delighted. He hadn't expected such an unexpected windfall!
Turns out, even stepping from a mortal into Qi Condensation counted as a realm breakthrough!
Because the gap in strength between Guliang Yuan and his two disciples was far too vast, they couldn't perceive his growth in cultivation at all. They only felt that the Daoist essence radiating from Guliang Yuan had grown even denser.
Noticing his two apprentices looking toward him, Guliang Yuan flipped his hand and produced two heavenly-grade sword-shaped magical artifacts.
"When your Eldest Senior Sister first entered the sect, I bestowed upon her a supreme heavenly-grade magical artifact. Though you two entered later, what is yours cannot be omitted."
"These two swords are named Blood-Remnant and Clear-Wind respectively. Both are supreme heavenly-grade magical artifacts; you may choose whichever you prefer."
Mochen and Song Xian'er were stunned speechless!
Although Song Xian'er had never cultivated prior to this, she had traveled far and wide with Zhang Yang and was somewhat acquainted with the world of cultivators. She might not have known the true value of the Forgetful Scripture, but she understood the basic common sense of the cultivation world.
A supreme heavenly-grade magical artifact!
That was the sort of treasure even Nascent Soul old freaks regarded as priceless jewels!
She had once heard that when a heavenly-grade magical artifact manifested in a certain region, seven Nascent Souls fought and died for it!
In the end, a Deity Transformation mighty figure had to personally step in to claim the artifact!
Such a precious item—and Guliang Yuan was just giving them away like this?
Mochen understood the weight of it even more deeply than Song Xian'er!
As a disciple of the Profound Sword Sect, his world revolved around two things: Liu Shuang, and practicing the sword.
When it came to famous swords throughout the world, he knew them like the back of his hand!
Before meeting Guliang Yuan, outside of winning Liu Shuang's heart, his greatest wish was simply to possess an earth-grade sword-shaped magical artifact!
Never in his wildest dreams had he expected that the moment he took Guliang Yuan as his master, he would be handed a heavenly-grade sword, instantly over-fulfilling his ultimate dream!
He suddenly felt that this master was well worth the kowtow!
It was just... why did Master harbor such a deep prejudice against his cousin? If only he could bring his cousin along to study under Master as well, he would truly have no regrets in this lifetime.
"What are you waiting for? If you don't want them, I'll take them back."
Hearing Guliang Yuan's prompt, the two of them snapped back to their senses.
Mochen stepped forward first, gripping Blood-Remnant tightly in his hand.
Song Xian'er followed closely behind, clasping Clear-Wind.
"Ding! Host has bestowed supreme heavenly-grade magical artifacts, triggering a five-thousandfold return. Return reward: Earth Twelve Sword."
"Ding! Host has bestowed supreme heavenly-grade magical artifacts, triggering a five-thousandfold return. Return reward: Earth Three Sword."
Guliang Yuan's eyes lit up. He had secured two of the twelve Earth Swords in one go—not bad at all, not bad at all.
Yet Guliang Yuan's bounty was far from finished. With another wave of his hand, an entire pile of magical artifacts materialized, hovering before the pair.
Flight treasures, spatial treasures, auxiliary treasures—everything one could possibly imagine was present. In an instant, the Forgetful Hall was flooded with brilliant magical radiances, leaving the two disciples dizzy with bedazzled wonder.
"Having offensive magical treasures alone is not enough. Your master happens to have some auxiliary treasures as well; I'll bestow them upon you all at once."
Clutching their supreme heavenly-grade magical artifacts in their hands while staring at the pile of earth- and profound-grade treasures floating before them, the two felt as though they were living inside a dream.