novelraw Chapter 250 : “What Is a Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal
Chapter 250 : “What Is a Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal
Chapter 250: “What Is a Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal?”
The second place on the 【Must-Eat List of Play Companions】 knew very well—little girls needed coaxing.
Naturally, Chu Huaixu wanted these treasures. He also truly hoped he could have eight ridiculously powerful masters.
But he couldn’t just let the Old Girl down!
“After all, she’s my ‘angel investor’,” he said to himself.
Moreover, he understood clearly what Chu Yinyin truly desired—what she yearned for the most.
At this moment, this Second Master truly felt the respect her disciple held for her.
With such a generous gift of apprenticeship right before her, she could very well accept it of her own accord.
After all, she was merely a master in the Art-Dao; what need was there for anyone else’s approval?
Chu Huaixu understood perfectly—wasn’t she just fond of showing off?
Cute and lovable, without a brain.
Let her show off then!
In an instant, everyone’s gaze focused on the Little Junior Sister.
Chu Yinyin immediately puffed up her chest—which was barely distinguishable from her back—and placed her hands behind her back. Then, she began a long and deliberate hum: “Well then—”
The Old Girl thoroughly enjoyed this moment.
But still, she couldn’t help glancing at Chu Huaixu.
Only to see that he still wore a solemn expression, appearing as though everything depended on his Second Master, and he dared not overstep.
What did it mean to respect one’s master and uphold the Dao?
This was it!
In Chu Yinyin’s heart, fireworks were already exploding in joy.
“To have a disciple like this—what more could a master ask for!”
“As his master, wouldn’t it be inappropriate to stop him from accepting treasures and embarking on the path of the Art-Dao?”
The Tenth Elder of the Dao Gate finally gave a slow nod and said with swagger, “Enough, enough. The Art-Dao mastership, I leave to you all!”
This made Li Chunsong and the others rejoice inwardly.
“Little Junior Sister, from now on, each of us sticks to our own role! Don’t go calling us Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, or Eighth Masters!” Zhao Shuqin squinted as he spoke up.
Chu Yinyin pursed her lips in disdain. “I am the dignified Second Master. Who would stoop to competing with the likes of you!”
For a time, all were delighted.
Chu Huaixu immediately bowed toward everyone.
“Disciple Chu Huaixu, greets all masters.”
Smiles of satisfaction appeared on everyone’s faces.
—That hit the spot.
Next came the competition for true discipleship, and now it was time to contend for the positions of masters for Han Shuangjiang and Xu Ziqing.
Chu Huaixu had already discussed this with them.
“The Big Ice Block seems to favor Nangong Yue more.”
“Little Xu wants to deepen our bond—he wishes to become Shen Man’s disciple and be my junior under the same master,” Chu Huaixu thought.
After hearing their thoughts, everyone turned to look, and Nangong Yue naturally beamed with delight.
The two stood together as master and disciple—one imposing and dignified with plentiful accomplishments, the other with slender jade legs and plump peach-shaped buttocks—an eye-catching pair indeed.
Only Zhao Shuqin sighed beside them. “Seventh Junior Sister has been in seclusion in the bamboo forest and has already taken in two beloved disciples.”
Xiang Yan smiled and said, “Come, let’s all go to the Purple Bamboo Forest and ask Seventh Junior Sister her own thoughts.”
So the group set off grandly toward the Purple Bamboo Forest, leaving only Mo Qingmei behind to see them off.
She couldn’t wait to share the good news with Niu Yuanshan.
“That bull-headed one cares most about Chu Huaixu.”
It’s not that I want to see him.
I’m just doing a little good deed—letting him know out of kindness, that’s all.
Meanwhile, the group had already arrived at the inner sect’s Purple Bamboo Forest.
Because of the restrictions between the inner and outer sects, Chu Huaixu normally found it difficult to travel.
Without someone leading him, it would have been hard for him to even meet his First Master.
All along, Chu Huaixu had been most curious about Shen Man.
Perhaps it was because they had met the least, or because 《Borrowed Sword》 offered so little information about her.
That gaunt Daoist nun who sat atop a giant rock with her back to them always appeared to him like she was veiled in mist—mysterious and elusive.
She was the Seventh Elder of the Dao Gate, publicly recognized throughout the Xuanhuang Realm as one of the strongest in the Seventh Realm, and also the only female sword cultivator among the 【Four Great Divine Swords】.
Xiang Yan looked up at Shen Man and smiled. “Seventh Junior Sister, Xu Ziqing wishes to take you as his master. Would you accept him as your true disciple?”
After a long pause, they finally heard her slow, stammering voice:
“D-Do I need to?”
Just like when she took in Chu Huaixu, she didn’t really care about whether she accepted a disciple or not.
If everyone said she should, then she would.
“Aiya! Just take him already!” Chu Yinyin said directly.
Xu Ziqing’s talent in sword cultivation was evident to all. He was indeed best suited to learn from this divine sword master.
“Very well.” The gaunt Daoist nun atop the boulder gave a small nod.
Immediately after, Chu Huaixu and the others held their apprenticeship ceremony right there in the Purple Bamboo Forest.
The inner sect disciple tokens on their waists, which had only been hanging there for a short while and which they hadn’t even memorized the design of, were all replaced with the most prestigious True Disciple Tokens among peers.
The outer sect disciple tokens were brown.
Inner sect disciple tokens were black.
True disciple tokens, however, were black-purple.
This made Chu Huaixu feel that the tokens hanging from his waist had become a bit of a color clash.
So, he simply moved the white Body Training Jade Pendant to the left side on its own.
A rare smile appeared on Xiang Yan’s ugly face—his mood visibly lifted.
These were all excellent seedlings. The three before him were the future of the Dao Gate.
He said, “Little Martial Uncle has gone down the mountain for demon elimination and isn’t here. Normally, as acting Temple Master, he would arrange your residences.”
“Today, I’ll decide for myself. You three can each choose whichever residence you like.”
“Also, you must already know: upon entering the Gentleman Temple, each disciple is granted a Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal.”
“Later, we’ll go to the 【Dao Bell】. Place your hand on the Dao Bell, and a trace of its power will emerge within you.”
“Then, you’ll need to complete a trial.”
“To put it simply—you must descend the mountain and eliminate demons, slaying an evil cultivator at least one major realm higher than you.”
“The Dao Bell will then grant you a seal based on your performance.”
Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang understood immediately.
When they were in the 【Dao Ancestor Inheritance Secret Realm】, they underwent a trial within an illusion.
And in the end, based on their performance in that illusion, the Dao Ancestor bestowed them a three-character Dao Seal.
Only now, after joining the Gentleman Temple, the illusion had become reality—and they must descend the mountain and eliminate demons for real.
Clearly, the Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal—what characters it contained, and what type of Dao Seal it was—was not given at random.
Xiang Yan looked at Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang and smiled. “You two have already received your three-character Dao Seals. Now, do you understand what a Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal is?”
“Disciple does not. I humbly ask Master for guidance,” Chu Huaixu replied at once.
Hearing the word “Master,” Xiang Yan felt gratified in his old age. The ugly smile on his ugly face grew even broader.
“The so-called Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal may stem from one’s disposition, or one’s conduct—in short, there are always traces to follow.”
“The characters on the Dao Seal might be the Dao Ancestor’s decree, an encouragement, or even a piece of advice.”
“As for the true meaning—you’ll have to comprehend it for yourselves in the future.”
At that moment, Lu Pan suddenly thought of something. “Oh right! After receiving your three-character seals, did you notice the smaller text that appeared beside the Dao Bell?”
“Hmm?” Chu Huaixu blinked.
“Shuangjiang’s Dao Seal was 【Return to True Origin】, and the verse beside the bell was: ‘Return to True Origin, reflect my liver and gall, temper crimson blood to sever all mortal dust.’” Lu Pan spoke with his ink-black face.
“Yours, Huaixu, was 【Southward Sunlight】, and the accompanying verse was: ‘Southward Sunlight pierces layered clouds, washing the mortal world with ten thousand miles of clarity.’”
Both of them paused for a moment before beginning to chew over the verses.
Only Xu Ziqing, who had nothing yet, stood nearby with a face full of wonder.
Chu Huaixu couldn't help but feel the verse contained an overwhelming sense of earnest expectation for him.
It was hard not to think of the Origin Spirit Realm and the Heaven-and-Earth Calamity!
Lu Pan continued, “When joining the Gentleman Temple, the Dao Ancestor typically grants a two-character Dao Seal.”
“If you like the characters, you may adopt them as your Dao title.”
“For example, mine is the seal 【Pine and Cypress】, so I go by Daoist Pine and Cypress.”
Chu Yinyin, that big mouth, chimed in, “That’s only because you were very satisfied with the characters, of course you’d use them as your Dao title!”
Which was perfectly understandable. In the eyes of many scholars, pine and cypress held beautiful connotations.
They symbolized: resilience, integrity, and unyielding spirit.
Perhaps that was exactly what Lu Pan lived by—hence why he became the Enforcement Elder of the Dao Gate.
Some words might seem ordinary, but their symbolic meaning was extraordinary.
For some reason, seeing Lu Pan with his 【Pine and Cypress】 seal, and his later role as Enforcement Elder, made Chu Huaixu find the Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal increasingly intriguing.
At this moment, taking advantage of Little Martial Uncle’s absence, Chu Yinyin laughed and said, “You’re one of the few, Lu Pan. My seal, 【Withered Flower】, is alright, but it’d sound odd as a Dao title. And look at Little Martial Uncle—he’d never use his seal as a Dao title, hahahaha!”
The Old Girl’s Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal: 【Withered Flower】.
Chu Huaixu immediately thought of one phrase: The last flower to bloom in spring.
After all, he had gone through nine years of compulsory education and naturally knew what those words meant.
——The flower that blooms latest in spring.
For some reason, connecting this with how she had stubbornly refused to break through to the next realm—deliberately lingering in the Sixth Realm—he suddenly found the Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal incredibly mystical!
As for what Jiang Zhi’s Dao Seal was, Chu Huaixu suddenly grew curious.
Someone like him, a cold-blooded killer—what kind of seal would the Dao Ancestor bestow?
“Second Master, what about Little Martial Uncle Ancestor—no, I should call him Grandmaster now. What characters make up Grandmaster’s Dao Seal?” he asked.
The thought that Jiang Zhi had ended up with a disciple’s disciple like him made Chu Huaixu feel the old guy must have hit the jackpot. He probably used up all his lifetime’s fortune to get so lucky!
Chu Yinyin looked at him and suddenly burst into laughter.
“Little Martial Uncle, huh? His Dao Seal is—【Purity Sovereign】! Hahahaha!”
Chu Huaixu was stunned.
What the heck was 【Purity Sovereign】?