Chapter 160 – The Discipleship Ceremony
Xia had always known something was wrong with her body, but she had no idea how to fix it. She lived each day prepared to die at any moment.
But now, the newly appointed Head of Shu Mountain seemed to understand her condition—and might even know how to cure it. The possibility overwhelmed her with joy.
"Master Chu… Can Shu Mountain really cure the strange illness in my body?"
Xia asked tremblingly, afraid she might hear something disappointing from Chu Yang.
"Miss Xia, please rest assured. I wouldn't say such a thing if there weren't a way."
With Chu Yang's firm assurance, Xia hesitated no longer and left together with Xie Cangxing.
"Mistress Mu… Miss Xia has a medical condition? Why didn't she mention it to us along the way?"
Xiahou Jinxuan looked deeply concerned.
Standing beside him now was a woman dressed in a light green gown, her figure graceful, her demeanor cold and striking.
Mu Changlan said calmly, "Young Master, we're just casual acquaintances. Why would Xia feel comfortable sharing something so personal?"
Xiahou Jinxuan looked crestfallen. "Just casual acquaintances…"
While Mu Changlan wore a smiling mask on her face, inwardly, she was uneasy. Unlike Xie Cangxing and Xia, she had her own agenda from the beginning.
Chu Yang accepting Xie Cangxing and Xia as disciples had been a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Xie Cangxing had always been destined for Shu Mountain—originally a junior fellow disciple of Li Xiaoyao and once a trueborn elder of the sect. But after the world's background merged, he had become just an ordinary martial artist.
Bringing him back into the sect was only natural.
As for Xia, she had been a stillborn in a massive earthquake over a decade ago. Her soul had been forcibly bound to her body by the Yasha Clan's Grand Elder Mo Yi and the Yasha King Long Ming using soul-binding arts.
Strictly speaking, she wasn't truly alive. Her senses of taste, smell, and touch were only at thirty percent of a normal person's. Alcohol was the only thing she could truly feel, which explained her fondness for drinking.
Her so-called "illness" was actually the result of a rejection between body and soul.
And she wasn't the only one. Mo Yi had also used the soul-binding technique to control the second lord of the Xiahou family—Xiahou Tao, uncle to Xiahou Jinxuan and younger brother of the current patriarch, Xiahou Zhang.
Xiahou Tao had also died in the same earthquake that took Xia's life. Chosen by Mo Yi alongside her, Xia was ultimately discarded due to her lack of value as a mere infant. It was a stroke of luck in misfortune.
Xiahou Tao, however, became a complete puppet vessel of Mo Yi, who used his identity to infiltrate the Xiahou family for years, gathering intelligence on the human realm.
He even taught Xiahou Jinxuan all of his magic techniques.
Only Mo Yi himself knew whether, after so many years, he had developed any genuine feelings for the Xiahou family.
Mu Changlan had joined this expedition with Xiahou Jinxuan purely for profit—paid to gather information for Mo Yi, though she was unaware of the true nature of her employer.
Chu Yang's reason for accepting Xia as a disciple was precisely to guard against the Yasha Clan.
The Yasha Clan had suffered greatly. With the water veins in the Demon Realm dried up, wars broke out among its nations. The Yasha Kingdom, located near the passage between the human and demon realms, had become a target for all.
They faced only two options: find a way to restore the Demon Realm's water veins, or migrate en masse to the human realm.
Mo Yi's movement through the human world via soul-binding was a backup plan for this very crisis.
The passage between the realms was the very Well of Gods and Demons that Xu Changqing and the others had been sent through by Chonglou.
More than a decade of careful plotting couldn't compare to a single wave of Chonglou's hand—an ironic reality.
As ruler of the Demon Realm, Chonglou had never cared about the lives of its people. In his eyes, only two things mattered:
Zixuan, and thrilling battles.
To suffering, he would simply say: survival of the fittest.
With a ruler like that, it was no wonder Mo Yi and the others considered themselves cursed by fate.
The merger ceremony naturally became a discipleship ceremony.
Following the idea that "if you're herding one sheep, you might as well herd a whole flock," Chu Yang decided to include other disciples who had not yet formally apprenticed under a master—like Li Xiaoyao, Lin Yueru, and the rest.
Suddenly, the atmosphere grew lively!
The oppressive mood left behind by the Demon Sovereign's appearance was noticeably lightened.
Just as the guests expected Chu Yang to take on disciples himself, he did something baffling yet again.
Without asking anyone, he handed the oldest of them—Xie Cangxing—to the Sword Saint as his disciple.
And because Lin Tiannan and the Sword Saint were sworn brothers, Lin Yueru also became the Sword Saint's disciple—his final disciple, no less.
Li Xiaoyao and Xia were assigned to the Drunken Sword Immortal. One was fated to be so, while the other's love of alcohol would likely make her a hit with the old drunkard.
Jing Tian and Liu Jinyuan apprenticed under Qingwei.
Though gifted in martial arts, Jing Tian was tired of fighting. With Chonglou constantly pressuring him, he'd even lost the will to wield a sword—better to learn some spells instead.
Liu Jinyuan had his eyes on the position of Imperial Preceptor. He needed to learn not just magic, but also governance—and only someone like Qingwei, the sect leader, could teach him that.
After all, managing Shu Mountain was no easier than ruling a nation; both held the lives of countless people in their hands.
As the ceremony drew to a close, the guests began exchanging amused glances.
If the Grand Elder took disciples, wouldn't that mean Li Xiaoyao and the rest would be of the same generation as Chu Yang and Xu Changqing the moment they entered the sect? What kind of headmaster would do something so foolish?
Only someone as eccentric as Chu Yang!
"Truly eye-opening."
Shang Fengzi shook his head and chuckled, though deep down he found himself intrigued by Shu Mountain's future. Maybe it wouldn't be brilliant, but it was bound to be interesting.
Unlike Shang Fengzi, Feng Yao of the Qionghua Sect didn't appreciate Chu Yang's behavior. She found it far too frivolous for someone in his position.
She quietly decided to keep her sect distant from Shu Mountain going forward.
With the discipleship ceremony concluded, the first part of the merger celebration had come to an end. Next came everyone's favorite part: the banquet.
Led by Xu Changqing, Shu Mountain disciples began ushering the guests to the main hall.
It was time to eat, drink, and enjoy. Chu Yang no longer had to give speeches and finally had some time to himself.
But just as he stepped down from the platform, he noticed Qingwei and the Sword Saint heading toward a group of people among the guests, along with several other elders.
They approached a group that included Daoists, monks, and people in traditional Miao-style clothing.
It was the group Chu Yang had seen before in Yuzhou City—he had lost track of them when Lin Tiannan appeared.
During all the earlier commotion, they had remained at the edge of the crowd, as if none of it had anything to do with them. Naturally, Chu Yang hadn't paid them much attention.
"Ayang, come here. Let me introduce you to a few people."
Qingwei waved him over with a smile.
Chu Yang approached and offered a respectful bow, though he didn't yet know who they were.
"These are fellow cultivators from the Divine Continent. The Divine Continent lies south of the Ten Thousand Mountains in Southern Border. It's no small feat to come this far—you must remember this kindness."
"The three leaders are Daoist Master Dao Xuan of Qingyun Sect, Elder Yun Yilan of Burning Fragrance Valley, and Master Puhong, the abbot of Tianyin Temple."
"Qingyun Sect has deep ties with our Shu Mountain Sect. Its founder, Qingyunzi, was once a disciple of Shu Mountain. We are, in a way, of the same lineage."
Qingyun Sect, Burning Fragrance Valley, and Tianyin Temple—these were the three great righteous sects of the Mortal world.
The protagonist, Zhang Xiaofan, had grown up in Qingyun Sect and was a disciple of Tian Buyi, head of the Great Bamboo Peak. He also practiced the supreme technique of Tianyin Temple—The Great Brahma Wisdom.
Possessing the strengths of both sects sounded powerful, but it was also a major taboo, so he kept it hidden most of the time.
"I'm curious—how did you cross the Ten Thousand Mountains to reach the Central Plains?"
Chu Yang asked with genuine interest. The Qingyun Sect might have sword-flight techniques, but how had the others managed?
"Burning Fragrance Valley is different from ordinary sects. We're located within the Ten Thousand Mountains and guard a secret path to the Central Plains. It's usually sealed and requires the combined effort of all three sects to open."
"Since the merger of Shu Mountain's two branches is a rare event in the cultivation world, we naturally didn't want to miss it."
Elder Yun Yilan explained with a smile. His accent differed notably from those in the Central Plains but didn't hinder communication.
As he finished, Abbot Puhong of Tianyin Temple sighed in awe. "I never imagined we'd witness such wonders on this trip—seeing the Demon Sovereign himself, a figure of legend."
"The Central Plains truly live up to their reputation."
Daoist Master Dao Xuan stroked his beard and laughed. "Headmaster Chu, you are truly a dragon among men—to subdue the proud Demon Sovereign, you've done all of us in the righteous path a great service!"
Chu Yang offered a humble bow. "I only used a few tricks and managed to win two rounds by luck."
Daoist Master Dao Xuan shook his head. "You underestimate yourself. There are many brilliant minds in this world, but who else has ever gained the upper hand against the Demon Sovereign? You mustn't be too modest, Headmaster Chu."
Chu Yang simply smiled.
"Alright, we're all among friends here. Let's not heap too much praise," Qingwei cut in with a chuckle. "Dao Xuan, Elder Yun, Master Puhong—bring your disciples with me."
Since the three sects were not native to the Central Plains, Qingwei personally played host to avoid any misunderstandings.
Inside the main hall, guests exchanged toasts and laughter filled the air.
Many young disciples couldn't help but glance toward the main seat where Chu Yang sat. Their expressions varied—some with envy, others with admiration, and some with quiet longing.
At roughly the same age as them, Chu Yang now stood at the peak of mortal authority. His every word and action could influence the fate of the entire world.
It was like comparing a 20-year-old world's richest man with someone still screwing bolts in a factory.
The disparity was enough to crush most people.
Yet the gulf between them couldn't be crossed by will alone. It was the greatest unfairness—and also the truest form of fairness.
Chu Yang didn't care how others looked at him. He was too busy chatting casually with Li Xiaoyao and the others—showing none of the airs of a sect head.
His earlier domineering attitude was merely for show. As the new leader, he had to set the tone and avoid unnecessary trouble.
As they chatted, they discussed their respective plans.
The Drunken Sword Immortal planned to live in the Palace of Seven Sages with A'nu and Ming Yuanqing. The sages each had their own peaks, so it wouldn't inconvenience anyone.
Some disciples might find it hard to adjust to Shu Mountain's new direction, but A'nu was all for it—excited, even. The Nanzhao Kingdom was small, and she'd traveled nearly every part of it. Staying in the Central Plains sounded far more fun.
Besides, Zhao Ling'er had become queen and no longer had time to play. Tang Yu, under the stern mentorship of Master Shi Gonghu, would soon become a pillar of the state and also couldn't be with her every day.
Right now, the only one who could accompany her in traveling and sightseeing was the Drunken Sword Immortal.
Li Xiaoyao often traveled back and forth between Shu Mountain and Nanzhao. With his sword-flying technique, it wasn't a difficult task. However, Zhao Ling'er was due to give birth in a few months, so he expected to remain in Nanzhao for an extended period when the time came.
Zixuan planned to settle in Yuzhou City and become neighbors with Jing Tian and the others.
After returning, Jing Tian—thanks to the help of Shu Mountain—opened a pawnshop even larger than Yong'an Hall and became its boss. He and Tang Xuejian were also getting close to tying the knot.
Lin Yueru devoted herself to martial arts, determined to become a heroine, while Liu Jinyuan immersed himself in studying the Dao, hoping to benefit the world. Each had their own aspirations.
In fact, Chu Yang initially had the idea of bringing the two of them together, but eventually decided to let things take their natural course.
After all, fate couldn't be forced. Trying too hard could backfire.
After chatting for a while, Chu Yang drank a few more cups with Lord Tiger and the General Nanman, then finally stood up and left.
He headed straight toward the Four Great Clans.
Sitting near the Four Great Clans, Shen Qingfeng assumed Chu Yang was coming to cause trouble for him. He immediately grew uneasy, looking as if he were sitting on pins and needles, his face filled with dread.
The noisy main hall suddenly fell silent due to Chu Yang's unexpected action.
Once again, everyone's eyes turned toward this unpredictable new leader of Shu Mountain.
"Is Shen Fortress about to suffer now?"
"I doubt it... I mean, even if the head of Shu Mountain wants to settle accounts, there's no need to do it right here and now, in front of so many people from the martial world, right?"
"You can't judge Master Chu by ordinary standards—who knows what he might do?"
"Looks to me like Shen Fortress won't get out of this unscathed!"
Whispers filled the air. Even Daoist Master Daoxuan couldn't help but ask Qingwei, "Brother Dao, surely Master Chu isn't planning to publicly embarrass a mundane clan like this in front of everyone?"
Qingwei shook his head and chuckled. "I know Ayang's temperament. He wouldn't even bother to put someone like Shen Qingfeng in his eyes. At most, he'll just have Nephew Yueru give him a hard time at the next martial arts gathering."
As his words fell, Chu Yang had already walked past the members of Shen Fortress, leaving only his back to the pale-faced Shen Qingfeng.
"Which one of you is Jiang Cheng?"
Chu Yang stopped in front of the Ouyang family's table and asked.
Ouyang Ying looked in astonishment at his favorite disciple, as if asking when he had managed to offend the leader of Shu Mountain.
A young man stood up—he wore a rough purple robe with leather armor covering part of his upper body. He cupped his fists and said, "I am Jiang Cheng. May I ask what instruction Master Chu has for me?"
Chu Yang looked at the composed and spirited Jiang Cheng, and couldn't help but feel sympathy for the hardship awaiting him in the future. He said, "Come with me. There's something I need to tell you."
Jiang Cheng gave a bow and asked, "May I know what this is about? Would Master Chu be willing to tell me directly?"
Chu Yang shook his head. "It concerns your lineage. It's better we find a quiet place to discuss it—this is a personal matter, after all."
My lineage?!
Jiang Cheng's heart trembled, and he suddenly looked up at Chu Yang in shock.
The people nearby wore expressions full of curiosity. What kind of background could be so significant that the leader of Shu Mountain himself would deliver the news?
"Could it be that this Jiang Cheng of the Ouyang Clan is actually the illegitimate child of some Shu Mountain elder?"
Speculation buzzed throughout the hall.
Meanwhile, the Drunken Sword Immortal, who had been eating and drinking, suddenly bared his teeth in pain.
He looked down.
Ming Yuanqing was pinching the soft flesh at his waist.
Just sitting at home and still getting blamed out of nowhere!
The Drunken Sword Immortal hurriedly waved his hands.
"This time, it really has nothing to do with me!"
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