Chapter 43: Master and Disciple
Unaware of the other disciples’ reactions, Mingyan was carried by a mysterious force, following Holy Master Yue Wu Xia to a secluded island, where they landed.
As the energy surrounding him dissipated, a captivating fragrance enveloped him, nearly intoxicating him. He steadied his mind and noticed the island was covered in spirit herbs and medicinal plants, their forms graceful and alluring. As if sensing his gaze, the plants suddenly retreated into the ground. Mingyan was surprised. Had they developed sentience?
He had heard that spirit herbs of a certain level, or those that had grown for many years, could develop sentience. They would become shy, elusive, and even choose a master. Once they chose a master, they wouldn’t resist being used for alchemy, but capturing them would become incredibly difficult for others.
These herbs must belong to Yue Wu Xia, having already chosen her as their master.
She turned to face him, her figure hazy and indistinct. “When we first met, I didn’t sense anything special about you. Only today do I see your uniqueness. I’ve been observing you since you arrived at the Sacred Land. Huang Junru sent me a letter, informing me of your exceptional talent. However, due to the Huang family’s unique circumstances, they couldn’t accept you and recommended you to me instead.”
“Huang Junru and I are friends, but I also wanted to confirm your talent myself. Otherwise, I would have sent you to a more suitable place. I’ve been considering accepting you as my disciple since you passed the first test. I only appeared just now because I had finally made up my mind. I know you’re intelligent and likely guessed I was observing you, and might resent me for it, so I wanted to be clear.”
Previously, surrounded by so many people, Mingyan had been preoccupied with his own decision and hadn’t noticed much else. Now, alone with Yue Wu Xia, he found her voice incredibly pleasant, like a celestial melody, her cold tone carrying an air of calmness and nobility.
Mingyan was silent for a moment, then knelt down on one knee. “Disciple harbors no such resentment.”
“Whether you do or not, we both know. But I don’t want any lingering resentment between us.” Yue Wu Xia said calmly, “From now on, we are master and disciple. We must be united. You will respect and honor me, and I will teach and guide you.”
“Disciple obeys,” Mingyan said, lowering his head.
“You are my second disciple and my personal disciple. You shouldn’t address yourself as ‘Disciple’.” Yue Wu Xia turned her back to him.
Her figure was blurry, hidden in the mist, despite being only a few steps away, like the moon veiled by clouds, mysterious and aloof.
“This disciple… obeys?”
Yue Wu Xia was silent for a moment, then turned around. “You had another master at Rain Terrace Blessed Land?”
“Before coming to the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sacred Land, my previous master declared me to have completed my training under him. So, strictly speaking, I no longer have a master,” Mingyan replied softly, still kneeling.
“Good. From now on, I am your only master. Perform the discipleship ceremony.”
Mingyan nodded, checked his attire, and, finding nothing amiss, crossed his hands over his chest. “From this day forward, I, Mingyan, become the disciple of Master Yue Wu Xia. I will respect and honor you. A teacher for a day, a father for life…”
When he became Liu Yunfeng’s disciple, since Liu Yunfeng was male, he had said “a father for life.” It had seemed appropriate then, but with Yue Wu Xia, it felt slightly awkward.
Although the phrase didn’t literally mean the master was now his father, but rather a figure deserving of paternal respect, it still felt strange…
Yue Wu Xia didn’t react, simply observing him silently.
“A teacher for a day, a mother for life,” Mingyan corrected himself, seeing her silence. He didn’t hear any reaction from her and sighed in relief.
He then placed his hands on the ground and kowtowed three times, then looked up at her. “Master.”
Yue Wu Xia took two steps forward, her jade-like hand emerging from the mist, her skin as pale and flawless as moonlight. She placed a finger on his forehead. “From this day forward, I, Yue Wu Xia, become the master of Mingyan. I will guide and protect him on his cultivation journey. May our ancestors bear witness.”
A cool sensation spread from his forehead, and Mingyan felt a jolt as profound and arcane scriptures flooded his mind. He had never seen them before, yet they felt strangely familiar, like forgotten memories resurfacing.
“I’ve imparted the Wind Spirit Scripture and the Moon Shadow Scripture to you. Cultivate the Wind Spirit Scripture. The Moon Shadow Scripture is a female cultivation technique. Cultivating it as a man would be detrimental. I’ve given it to you for reference.” Yue Wu Xia withdrew her finger, her figure becoming hazy again. “I expect you to comprehend them on your own. If you have any questions, you may ask me.”
“Also, these scriptures are not to be shared with outsiders. I’ve placed a restriction in your mind. You won’t be able to write down or explain their contents. If anyone attempts to forcefully search your soul, they will suffer severe backlash. It won’t be pleasant for you either. Your senior sister will explain the details later. Rise. The ceremony is complete. You don’t need to kneel before me in the future. A simple bow will suffice.” Her voice was cold and indifferent. She then turned and entered the house in the center of the island, closing the door behind her.
Mingyan stood up. Senior sister? Did she mean Yue Qingying?
He looked around but didn’t see anyone else. He then began examining the island.
It seemed to be located at the highest point above the mountains, overlooking the entire Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sacred Land. From the edge of the island, he could clearly see the two branches: the Wind Spirit Courtyard, shrouded in mist and occasionally emitting a pale green glow, and the Moon Shadow Courtyard, shimmering like a mirage, bathed in a faint moonlight. The entire Sacred Land seemed hazy and indistinct from afar, likely adding to its mystique.
Even Huang Feiyan and Huang Junyi had mentioned its unique nature.
The island wasn’t large. There were only two houses: the one Yue Wu Xia had just entered, presumably her residence, and a smaller one beside it, likely belonging to his senior sister, Yue Qingying.
He didn’t seem to have a place to stay… He couldn’t share a room with his senior sister, could he? Although cultivators didn’t need to sleep, and the spiritual energy here was incredibly dense, making meditating on the ground a viable option, he still preferred some privacy.
Just then, he saw a hazy figure approaching the island. He looked closely and recognized Yue Qingying. She wore her usual elegant white dress, her aura ethereal, like a celestial maiden from the moon palace. She landed on the island, looked at him with a slightly strange expression, and although her figure was also somewhat blurry, likely due to the difference in their cultivation levels, he could clearly see her face, partially hidden by a veil.
“Senior Sister,” Mingyan bowed respectfully.
Yue Qingying nodded, sighing softly. “When we first met, I wondered why Feiyan valued you so highly. I didn’t expect you to become my junior brother so soon… We’re quite fated.”
She hadn’t been at the Sacred Land. Holy Master Yue Wu Xia had sent her to observe the female applicants and had only just recalled her. She had just learned that Yue Wu Xia had accepted Mingyan as a disciple, making him her junior brother.
“Indeed…”
Yue Qingying hesitated for a moment, then removed her veil. “Since we’re now senior and junior siblings, I shouldn’t hide my face from you. My name is Yue Qingying. Like Master, my surname is Yue. Master also gave me my name, Qingying, which also relates to moonlight. From now on, we’re senior and junior siblings. We should look after each other.”
With her veil removed, Mingyan could finally see her full face.
He had assumed she was beautiful, judging by her voice and the visible parts of her face, but he had underestimated her. Her features were exquisite: a delicate nose, rosy cheeks, and full, red lips. She resembled the breathtakingly beautiful celestial maidens he had seen in the ancient texts from his village, her gaze cool yet captivating. Birds of a feather flocked together, indeed. Were all of Feiyan’s friends this beautiful?
Mingyan quickly looked away. Huang Junyi’s “torment” had significantly improved his self-control. Staring was rude, even though Yue Qingying was undeniably attractive.
He wondered… Although he had feelings for Ning Feixuan, in terms of appearance, both Huang Feiyan and Yue Qingying were comparable, perhaps even more beautiful. Why was Ning Feixuan considered the most beautiful woman in the Eastern Continent?
“My name is Mingyan. Ming as in ‘bright,’ and Yan as in ‘flowing water’,” he said. “I’ll be in your care, Senior Sister…”
Yue Qingying smiled faintly and put her veil back on. “Master asked me to explain the situation here in the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sacred Land, but I think arranging your accommodations is more important. On this island, besides Master’s residence, there’s only my room. Although we’re now senior and junior siblings, it’s not appropriate for us to share a room. I’ve prepared some materials before returning. Let’s build you a room first.”
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