Elder Qin had always avoided trouble and disliked leaving the house, which was why he had been slow to take any action. Today, however, a "registered disciple" came to pay a New Year’s visit, and He Yuzhu happened to run into him. A registered disciple is someone who is technically an apprentice in name but has never been formally accepted; they usually bypass the traditional, grand initiation ceremonies. Upon hearing that the man was merely a registered disciple, He Yuzhu clearly looked disappointed.
Elder Qin, a man of great experience, instantly caught the shift in his mood. He patted He Yuzhu on the shoulder and said, "Don't look down on him. While he is only a registered disciple and I never personally taught him, he was remarkably gifted in his youth. He once studied under several masters and quickly surpassed them all, which was quite the talk of the town back then. It was only because he was overly competitive and lived a life in the shadows of the underworld that I refused to officially mentor him—my disdain for his character and background is not a reflection of his skill."
"Of course," he added, "your strength is on an entirely different level, so don't compare yourself to him."
Chapter 40