novelraw Chapter 436 - 234, Becoming a disciple of an Immortal
Chapter 436 - 234, Becoming a disciple of an Immortal
...
As Elder White Eyebrow had said, within a few days, the Upper Sect Pill Cauldron Sect dispatched a celestial envoy to the Lingzhi Courtyard to escort Xu Xing into the sect, making him an Inner Sect Disciple.
The celestial envoy was a disciple of Caiyun Fairy, ranked third, and her name was Yin Zi.
"Master is from the Great Elder’s faction and rarely accepts male disciples. Before you arrived, only Fifth Senior Brother was a male disciple..."
Yin Zi led Xu Xing to a solitary cliff amidst the mountain ranges within the Pill Cauldron Sect. Alighting from her cloud, she guided him while speaking.
The Pill Cauldron Sect was a large sect in the Chu Kingdom, ranked among the top three. It held jurisdiction over a territory nearly 10,000 square miles in area, and all the famous mountain ranges within this territory belonged to the sect.
Caiyun Fairy was a True Monarch in the sect, qualified to occupy an entire mountain and establish her own Cave Mansion.
"Senior Sister Yin, I have never met Caiyun Fairy. How... would Master accept me as a disciple?"
Xu Xing glanced back at the stone tablet standing before the mountain path. Inscribed upon it were the words "Caiyun Mountain." Understanding that the mountain was named after a person, he nodded inwardly and asked with curiosity.
Within the Lingzhi Courtyard, the news of his being the nephew of the True Monarch Freelance Cultivator "Yao Xing" had spread like wildfire. Despite this, he felt it was insufficient to attract the attention of Caiyun Fairy.
Even if Caiyun Fairy knew he was the nephew of True Monarch Freelance Cultivator "Yao Xing," she wouldn’t necessarily give him special consideration because of it.
"Hmm... Dean of Literature from the Lingzhi Courtyard and Master are close friends. So, whenever the Lingzhi Courtyard has any promising young talents, Dean of Literature recommends them to Master," Yin Zi explained with a smile.
The numerous subordinate courtyards of the Pill Cauldron Sect were also divided into different factions, and the Lingzhi Courtyard happened to be close to the Great Elder’s faction.
"So that’s the reason."
Xu Xing felt a sense of relief as his underlying worries dissipated.
Caiyun Mountain was not particularly beautiful; compared to the surrounding peaks, it appeared rather short. However, its interior was likely a place where spiritual veins converged, abundant in Spiritual Energy, with rare flowers and herbs visible everywhere.
At the end of the solitary cliff stood a Cave Mansion, tens of zhang high. Luminous pearls and array technique inscriptions were embedded into its outer walls.
Upon approaching, the sight was as brilliant as a sky full of stars, utterly magnificent.
Caiyun Fairy appreciates fine things. This could be a way to win her favor.
Xu Xing followed Yin Zi into the Cave Mansion. He observed its luxurious interior—the floor paved with green jade, the stone walls adorned with gold and jade—and instantly understood Caiyun Fairy’s preferences, mulling them over.
They walked into the inner hall.
Caiyun Fairy was seated cross-legged on a Cold Jade Bed, dressed in a Crimson Purple Fairy Skirt, its long train trailing on the floor. Her black hair was styled in a Flying Immortal Hair Bun, adorned with a Cold Plum Silver Hairpin. This complemented her full, fair, and delicate face. At first glance, she appeared cold and elegant.
Standing beside the Cold Jade Bed was a pair of children, each with Double-coiled Hair buns.
As Xu Xing followed Yin Zi into the inner hall, Caiyun Fairy’s eyelids lifted slightly, and a hint of a smile touched her lips. "Holy Flame Heart Fire," she said. "You are considered a disciple with great potential in the Pill Cauldron Sect. You already learned the Sun Heart Technique in the Lingzhi Courtyard. Consider this Fire Cloud Escape Technique a gift from your Master for officially becoming my disciple."
She flipped her palm, and a book appeared. She handed it to the child beside her, who then passed it to Xu Xing.
"Thank you, Master, for your generous gift."
Xu Xing took the book from the child. Glancing at the cover, he saw the four large characters "Fire Cloud Escape Technique" and a joyful expression immediately appeared on his face. He readily addressed Caiyun Fairy as Master.
Since Caiyun Fairy gave him this apprenticeship gift, she obviously hadn’t recognized his true identity. Calling someone of the same generation ’Master’ didn’t make him feel awkward at all. After all the time he’d spent navigating the official circles of Fengxi Country, he hadn’t been idle; his shamelessness had been honed to be thicker than a city wall.
"You are the seventh disciple I have accepted, so you will be ranked seventh."
Caiyun Fairy pondered for a moment before stating Xu Xing’s rank among her disciples.
"Of my disciples, the eldest is busy with Condensing Pill; the second is out traveling. If you have any cultivation issues, consult your Third Senior Sister..." she continued.
It was common practice in various sects for masters to delegate the teaching of their disciples. A Dao Pill Daoist might have a Lifespan of 1,500 years, but they obviously lacked the leisure to personally teach every Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
"Disciple obeys."
Yin Zi, standing to the side, heard this and nodded her Qiufu, indicating she understood.
She had average aptitude. Her acceptance as Caiyun Fairy’s disciple was thanks to her connections. For her, teaching on behalf of their Master and instructing a talented junior brother of the same generation was a good opportunity to form a positive connection.
When Caiyun Fairy finished her arrangements and Xu Xing remained silent, her willow-like brows knitted slightly. "Are you dissatisfied?" she asked.
"Disciple isn’t dissatisfied, but..." Xu Xing hurriedly bowed. "Disciple has just been promoted from a lower courtyard to the Upper Sect and is unfamiliar with many matters here. While Senior Sister Yin is kind, she is a woman. The necessary propriety between men and women could lead to many inconveniences."
The child who cries gets the milk. Caiyun Fairy held a high status in the Pill Cauldron Sect and wasn’t stingy. If he seized this chance to make a request, and if Caiyun Fairy agreed to it, it could save him decades of struggle in the Pill Cauldron Sect. Even if this soured his relationship with Caiyun Fairy, he wasn’t afraid. The sooner potential problems were addressed, the less likely they were to blow up later.
"Your point is valid."
Caiyun Fairy nodded slightly.
She automatically overlooked her own gender. She and Xu Xing were master and disciple; in such a relationship, gender distinctions were not particularly significant.
In the Cultivation World, ethical principles were no less stringent than in the Mortal World. Disciples who defied their Master or betrayed their sect would face universal condemnation and be despised by all.
"Your Fifth Senior Brother... has just completed Returning Core. His cultivation is currently insufficient to guide you," Caiyun Fairy said, shaking her head.
She believed Xu Xing’s stated concern for propriety was merely an excuse to avoid Yin Zi’s tutelage. There was a significant difference between being guided by a True Monarch versus a True Man. For a genius disciple like Xu Xing to have such a ’complaint’ was, in her view, understandable.