NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31 - If You Won't Abandon Me, I Accept You as My Master
A lavishly decorated flying vessel, large enough to hold hundreds, sailed through the air. Inside, a group of young men and women sat in the cabin, their faces brimming with excitement and awe.
“I thought after being eliminated in the combat trials, I was out of luck. Who would’ve thought I’d somehow end up joining Heavenly Thunder Peak? This is truly a blessing in disguise!” one of them exclaimed.
“Exactly! When I told my father I got eliminated, he was all set to bring me home to inherit the family business. Now he’s telling me to seize this opportunity and bring honor to our family by becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator!”
“Joining the Qingming Sect and aiming only to reach the Nascent Soul stage? How humble of you, brother!” another chimed in with a laugh.
“Come on, I only have a passable root grade. If I can make it to Nascent Soul, I’ll be more than satisfied.”
“By the way, is Heavenly Thunder Peak really the weakest of the six peaks?” someone asked curiously.
“Not exactly. The last ranking was due to our strongest senior brother facing that terrifying Tu Shan Yaoyao from Purple Cloud Peak in the first round. She’s a prodigy of the Tu Shan fox clan and even inherited ancestral blood—no one could stand against her!” one knowledgeable youth explained.
“Oh no, if Tu Shan Yaoyao is that formidable, does that mean Heavenly Thunder Peak will be last place again in the next competition?” another muttered, visibly concerned.
“Yeah, if our best senior brother was defeated, then we, who’ve just joined, are nothing but fodder!”
“And now that Heavenly Thunder Peak and Purple Cloud Peak have enmity between them, we’re doomed if Tu Shan Yaoyao targets us next tournament!” Worry and apprehension spread through the group, and their initial excitement began to dissipate.
“Calm down, everyone. Purple Cloud Peak has an unspoken rule: they only send one representative to each Six Peaks Competition, and it’s usually the youngest among them. That means our opponent next time will likely be Liu Beifeng,” someone tried to reassure them.
“Thank heavens! If it were Tu Shan Yaoyao, I’d skip the tournament altogether!”
“Don’t underestimate Liu Beifeng, though. He ranked second in combat and first in the Heart Trials during the selection. He won’t be easy to beat.”
“But we’ve got Brother Li with us, haven’t we?” someone pointed out, and all eyes turned to Li Cangxuan.
Sensing the attention, Li Cangxuan smiled wryly and shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Though I only lost to Liu Beifeng by one move, I sensed he was holding back. If anyone here has a chance against him, it’s probably Xiao Ye.”
At the mention of Xiao Ye, a heavy silence fell over the group. Most of them had experienced Xiao Ye’s arrogance firsthand, and the fact that Master Wanjun had intervened to save him from Sage Lady Xue likely meant he had his eyes set on making Xiao Ye his personal disciple.
None of them were thrilled at the thought of spending their days on the same peak as someone as contemptuous as Xiao Ye, but they had to admit that he was the only one among them who might stand a chance against Liu Beifeng.
“Brother Li, you’re too modest. Xiao Ye may not even join Heavenly Thunder Peak, which would make you our natural leader here. Whether or not we have a smooth life here depends on you!” one of the youths said, the others nodding in agreement.
“That’s right. And if Brother Li ascends to the Nascent Soul stage, I hope he’ll remember to support us!” another added.
Li Cangxuan responded with polite smiles, though he seemed slightly uncomfortable with all the flattery.
“Don’t kill me!” Xiao Ye jolted awake with a scream, his face pale and covered in sweat, his whole body drenched as if he had been submerged in water.
“Young friend, you seemed to have had a nightmare,” a gentle voice spoke from behind him.
Startled, Xiao Ye turned to see a middle-aged man with a pair of greasy sideburns smiling at him.
“Who…?” Xiao Ye began, but then a sharp pain struck his head as memories surged through his mind.
Suddenly, he remembered the man’s identity. It… wasn’t a dream after all!
“Junior Xiao Ye thanks Master Wanjun for saving my life!” Xiao Ye bowed deeply, ignoring the throbbing pain in his head.
“There’s no need for such formality,” Master Wanjun said with a gentle wave of his hand. “But do you know why I was willing to risk offending Purple Cloud Peak to save you?”
“I…” Xiao Ye thought quickly and soon grasped the implications. Without hesitation, he knelt on the ground and declared firmly, “Xiao Ye has roamed far and wide, with no one to rely on. If Master does not mind, I am willing to take you as my master!”
Xiao Ye understood now that relying on his old master, Elder Li, was far from enough to guarantee his safety. With Wanjun as his backer, he could have protection and even a shot at seizing Purple Cloud Peak’s opportunities.
Wanjun looked pleased, nodding with satisfaction. “Good, very good! You are indeed teachable. Your insight is no less impressive than your root quality. From today onward, you are officially the 108th personal disciple of Heavenly Thunder Peak.”
“108th?”
Xiao Ye’s heart sank a little. ‘That many disciples? Does this mean I’ll be at the bottom when it comes to resources?’
Seeing his hesitation, Wanjun chuckled. “Are you concerned about your position within the peak?”
“Disciple would not dare,” Xiao Ye replied, carefully concealing his true thoughts.
Master Wanjun smiled knowingly. “Is it that you do not dare, or that you’re reluctant?”
Xiao Ye remained silent, realizing there was little point in lying.
“Listen well, disciple,” Master Wanjun said sternly, “this is your first lesson: never hide your thoughts from your master. Speak your mind. I won’t hold it against you.”
Encouraged, Xiao Ye took a deep breath and admitted quietly, “Disciple is only… a little concerned.”
“Good! Very good!” Master Wanjun’s eyes gleamed as he helped Xiao Ye to his feet. “Heavenly Thunder Peak has been too complacent, and my disciples have grown weak. With each Six Peaks Competition, we’ve fallen lower and lower, becoming a laughingstock among the peaks.”
“I need a disciple with ambition, someone who will shake up this stagnant pond and revive the peak’s glory!” he continued, his voice filled with conviction.
Xiao Ye hesitated. “Does this mean…?”
“Yes,” Master Wanjun answered. “Challenge your senior brothers. Injuries and deaths are no matter—as long as you win, all the resources will go to you!”
Xiao Ye’s eyes gleamed with excitement, and he bowed deeply once more. “Disciple will obey Master’s orders!”