Chapter 14: Your Peak's Teachings Are Not Proper!

Outside the Secret Realm.

A towering triangular stele, ten zhang high, stood upon a raised platform. Dozens of elders and peak masters gathered beneath it, seated evenly on both sides.

All eyes were fixed upon the stele, breaths held in unison.

The transparent crystal monument bore gilded names that rose and fell, seemingly fierce in competition, yet the fluctuations were subtle.

Suddenly, a streak of golden light shot upward from the base of the stele, so swift it blurred the names. When it reached the top, the characters “Ling Xi” burst forth in radiant gold, scattering light in all directions.

The points behind the name churned incessantly, golden sparks flickering wildly, but the exact number was indiscernible.

“Ling Xi?! Which peak master’s new favored disciple is this? I’ve never seen this name on the outstanding disciples list,” one elder murmured in confusion.

“I haven’t either. Could it be someone sneaking in from the neighboring Tianheng Sect, trying to disrupt our plans and catch us off guard during Qingchuan Sect’s grand competition?”

“No, Old Zhao, you’re overthinking. The Tianheng Sect is even more conservative than our Ningjing Peak…”

The elder was elbowed sharply by a companion, who glanced up and caught Gu Jiuyuan’s gaze, shivering as he hastily corrected himself, “They uphold the gentleman’s code; they wouldn’t stoop to such tricks. If anything, it’s more believable that the demons, bored out of their minds, randomly meddled.”

...

The elders whispered among themselves, all invariably probing for any information about “Ling Xi.”

Leaning lazily in his wooden chair, Luo Chen propped his head with his right hand while his left held a book, its cover changed, which he read with great interest.

As the story reached its climax, he couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

Gu Jiuyuan, seated just below Luo Chen on the left, snorted coldly. “What’s there to be so smug about? It seems only Peak Master Luo has fixated on one face and desperately stuffed treasures into that discarded disciple of mine.”

“Indeed, he stuffed her with a treasure—a red thread of fate—so her senior brother could support her. Such a captivating disciple, if she dies, where else would I find one? I can’t just pick up the leftover rejects from your peak.”

Stretching with a faint smile, Luo Chen closed the book adorned with swordsmanship on its cover and gave Gu Jiuyuan a half-amused glance.

His fingers concealed in his sleeve subtly calculated something. A glint of gold flickered in his eyes; a shock ran through him. He looked up, narrowing his eyes as he glanced at the points stele, the smile on his lips deepening.

Truly, an outstanding disciple—just as expected!

Gu Jiuyuan heard the provoking words but only snorted lightly twice, refusing to engage further.

Luo Chen, however, deliberately raised his voice, “Peak Master Gu, it seems you’ve gifted me a fine seedling! No one ever heard of such a person in your Ningjing Peak before. Now, as soon as she arrives at my peak, she shines brilliantly. Clearly, your peak’s feng shui is off, and your guidance is lacking. How about I adjust your feng shui for you sometime? As a friend’s favor, just a thousand top-grade spirit stones.”

---

Gu Jiuyuan gripped his teacup tightly and gulped down a cup, his furrowed brow slowly easing.

“Don’t spout nonsense. It’s her own lack of effort, what does it have to do with me?”

He was usually like this with his disciples—except for the frail Lin Rou and the eldest disciple, all others were taught and guided by the eldest disciple.

He only occasionally demonstrated sword techniques and never had much patience to repeat lessons.

Ling Xi was slow-witted by nature and an ordinary person without opened spiritual awareness; it was only natural she struggled.

If not for Luo Chen secretly feeding her numerous treasures, how could she have made it onto the points list?

Out of some remnant of their teacher-student bond, he refrained from loudly exposing the truth in front of everyone.

His cold gaze swept Luo Chen, signaling him to stop.

“Don’t look at me like I owe you millions. If not for Ling Xi’s kind nature, risking the snowstorm with a mortal body to gather Ice Crystal Lotus to repay you, missing her chance to open her spirit, she’d have already reached the half-step Golden Core stage.”

Luo Chen had long disliked Gu Jiuyuan and seized the opportunity to put him in his place.

His Ling Xi was not someone to be bullied without consequence.

Gu Jiuyuan’s eyes snapped open, swiftly turning to Luo Chen. “Don’t spread lies. The Ice Crystal Lotus was personally gathered by Rou’er for me. There’s no deception there, and she was injured because of it.”

“Are you mistaking the blood on the petals? Your dear Rou’er said she was hurt by a strange beast while picking the lotus and got a little blood on it. Now, let me tell you where that blood really came from.”

“The Ice Crystal Lotus is a rare remedy for spiritual deviation and cultivation mishaps. That blood is hers—Ling Xi’s. She got it when she made a bargain with the lord of the secret realm, which affected her spirit opening.”

...

Luo Chen recounted Ling Xi’s choice calmly, his voice rich with storytelling charm.

His teasing tone was like a fine needle, lightly pricking Gu Jiuyuan’s heart.

Gu Jiuyuan glanced away briefly, once again assuming an expression as calm as a still pond.

“Even lies have limits. A little blood won’t affect one’s foundation for three whole years. I hope Peak Master Luo won’t make a fuss.”

Luo Chen remained unruffled. “Because the exchange wasn’t the blood, but the secret realm lord suppressing her potential, wanting to see if she was worth the battles with ferocious beasts along the way.”

A flicker of insight crossed Gu Jiuyuan’s eyes. Luo Chen did not press further but quietly transmitted another message.

The elders present sensed the abnormality between the two peak masters, quietly observing their movements while feigning disinterest by glancing at the points stele.

“Not another duel, I hope!”

---

“At this time, it’s obviously not a duel. Could it be they already know who the names on the crystal stele belong to?”

...

“You all must have been dozing when you entered today. For that Ling Xi, Peak Master Luo completely tore his relationship with Peak Master Gu apart.”

“I heard Ling Xi’s cultivation isn’t strong. So what’s going on now?”

The disciples watching from outside exchanged glances, silently ending their gossip.

What else could it be? Peak Master Luo had used his secret treasures to bolster that little girl’s reputation.

Otherwise, a mere mortal would have been eliminated long ago.

How could she have even made it onto the points list?

The eerie quiet lasted less than half an incense stick’s time before the outer disciples began chattering again about the battle.

“Oh my, the names of several senior brothers who were just on the list have suddenly dropped to zero points and fallen off.”

“But they’re top-tier outstanding disciples, yearly exemplary students!”

“Did I see that right? The name of the second senior disciple of Danpo Peak just shot up. Isn’t he crippled, unable to hold a sword?”

...

The disciples below erupted into a clamor, and the elders finally turned their full attention to the points list.

They hadn’t realized before, but now their hearts pounded wildly.

On Danpo Peak, the names of a cripple and a discarded disciple glowed brilliantly at the very top, with no specific points visible.

The only explanation for the invisible points was that the score exceeded the list’s threshold of thirty thousand.

Inside the Secret Realm.

Ling Xi was completely unaware.

Her hand rested on her brow as she gazed into the distance, her eyes shining with boundless light.

The sect’s eldest senior brother had finally been found. After completing this task, she would rest for a while.