Chapter 132: Taking on an Apprentice

Dong, dong, dong. The sound of the bell, rarely heard at the Hall of Jade Flowers on Maple Peak, resonated through the air. It was a toll struck only for the most significant events of the Yihua Sect.

A surging crowd of hundreds of disciples moved about, soon arranging themselves in perfect order. All disciples holding seniority within the Yihua Sect were gathered before the Hall of Jade Flowers.

With a final chime, a Daoist nun, appearing to be in her late forties, emerged slowly from the hall. She possessed a silvery, pale complexion, and her brow carried a carefree, heroic air. A closer look revealed that she must have been a great beauty in her youth; yet, tragically, a dark red birthmark marred her cheek, stretching up toward her eye—a cruel twist of fate that nature would place such a blemish on so perfect a face.

As the nun stepped out, the atmosphere turned exceptionally solemn. Beside her stood another woman, dressed not in Daoist robes, but in the simple, elegant attire of a layperson—a plain white, green-tinted garment. Though only a year or two younger than the first, she was strikingly plain in appearance. She spoke in a clear, resonant voice: "Today is a day of celebration for our Yihua Sect. The Sect Leader has personally sounded the bell. Let us welcome the Sect Leader."

With a rustle, the disciples raised their hands, and a myriad of Yihua blossoms rose into the air. Though their colors varied, the sheer volume of flowers was truly stirring.

The nun with the birthmark raised her hand, and the disciples lowered the flowers. Her voice was not loud, yet it carried immense authority: "For a hundred years since the founding of the Yihua Sect, we have weathered countless storms, yet we remain standing as one of the five great spiritual sects of the Linglong Continent. This is an undeniable fact. The City of Guihai attempted to shake our foundations, but that was like striking a stone with an egg. Today, I bring you good news: Junior Sister Guyu has returned from the City of Guihai, and the Guihai clan has been completely purged by our sect." This woman was none other than the current Sect Leader of the Yihua Sect, Master Gumeng.

The disciples were filled with joy, secretly feeling fortunate to be part of the Yihua Sect. As one of the five great powers of the Linglong region, the Yihua Sect was unique in that it accepted only female disciples, who were divided into Daoist and lay branches. The sect did not interfere with the personal happiness of its members, though those who embraced the Daoist path found it more conducive to spiritual cultivation. For a century, every Sect Leader had been a woman who had fully embraced the Daoist life.

Master Gumeng paused before continuing: "As they say, good things come in pairs. The flowers on Maple Peak are in full bloom, and at last, Junior Sister Guyu has decided to take a disciple."

This announcement sent a ripple of excitement through the disciples. Among the contemporary Yihua Sect, the foundation lay with the four great masters—Gu, Chu, Meng, and Hua. The eldest, Master Guchu, had long ago entered the monastic life and had not been seen on Maple Peak for years; it was impossible to become her disciple. Master Gumeng herself had declared she would take no more students after accepting her ninth, Lan Ruoting.

Many had placed their hopes on Master Guyun, the plain-featured woman who had introduced the Sect Leader. Her spiritual cultivation was profound, likely rivaling that of Master Gumeng, and she had already accepted three disciples, leaving room for others to aspire to join her ranks.

Master Guyu, however, had always been aloof, and no one had ever heard of her intending to take a student. The disciples had lost hope, but the news following the Lingjue Tournament came as a massive, pleasant surprise.

Because the other masters of the 'Gu' generation lacked the prowess of the four great masters, Guyu’s decision opened a new path for the disciples. They looked at one another, hearts pounding. With over a thousand disciples in the sect, only a few hundred were qualified to stand here. Each was an elite, anxious yet hopeful to be the lucky one. To be the first disciple of Master Guyu, and to have the induction ceremony presided over by Master Gumeng herself, was a supreme honor.

Master Gumeng, in high spirits, nodded to Master Guyun beside her: "Third Junior Sister, let the Fourth go ahead and accept her disciple."

Master Guyun bowed to the Sect Leader and announced to the crowd: "I invite Master Guyu to the stage to begin the induction ceremony."

Master Guyu shook out her robes, her face radiant. The disciples realized at once that their junior master must have found a student she deeply cherished; otherwise, she would never have smiled so brightly.

"Ganyu, my disciple, come forth and receive the Sect Leader’s blessing," Guyu called out clearly.

The name "Ganyu" left the crowd in confusion. Even some of the most talented disciples frowned; they had been defeated in the recent tournament but didn't even know who had beaten them. Who was Ganyu? The name had never been heard on Maple Peak.

Beside them, Lan Ruoting offered a mocking smile, thinking the others foolish. It was obvious: Master Guyu had been on the mountain for years without taking a student. To announce one immediately upon returning from a journey meant the girl must have been discovered outside. It was no wonder these others couldn't catch the eyes of the four masters; they were indeed dull.

Just then, a refined and ethereal young woman stepped from behind Lan Ruoting. She appeared to be about twenty years old—a bit late to begin spiritual cultivation—but in the Linglong Continent, anything was possible. If Master Guyu dared to take her as a disciple, she must have been prepared.

High above, Master Gumeng looked at the approaching Ganyu and her brow smoothed. She thought to herself that Guyu’s eye was indeed discerning. The girl was elegant and serene, fitting the character of the Yihua Sect perfectly.

"Ganyu pays respects to the Sect Leader, the Third Master, and my teacher," Ganyu said, bowing with perfect decorum.

Master Guyun remained expressionless, as her smile was often more unsettling than her neutral face. Master Gumeng gestured, a flow of spiritual energy gently lifting Ganyu to her feet. "My Fourth Junior Sister has been on Maple Peak for many years and has finally found such a satisfactory disciple. I am very happy. Yu'er, this is a welcoming gift from your Sect Master. From today on, you are officially a disciple of the Yihua Sect. Cultivate diligently with Master Guyu, and one day you may bring glory to our sect." As she spoke, she opened a small purple box, releasing an intoxicating fragrance.

Even Master Guyu was stunned. She had not expected the Second Senior Sister to hold Ganyu in such high regard, not only presiding over the ceremony herself but also bestowing the sect's treasure, the Spirit-Gathering Pill. When she had accepted Lan Ruoting, she had only been given a Spirit-Solidifying Pill. Though the names were similar, the efficacy was worlds apart.

Fearing Master Gumeng might retract the gift, Master Guyu immediately urged: "Yu'er, thank your Senior Master."

Ganyu did not know the value of the Spirit-Gathering Pill, but seeing her teacher’s urgency, she immediately knelt to kowtow in gratitude. Master Gumeng personally bestowed the pill upon her.

Below, the disciple Honglin laughed and whispered to the woman beside her: "Fifth Junior Sister, look at how biased our teacher is. She didn't even give such a profound medicine to you, despite you being Master Guyu's own niece."

The woman beside her, dressed in black, had an heroic air, a straight nose, and large eyes. She was a beauty, but she wore her hair in a unique short bob that grazed her neck—a rarity among women in the Linglong Continent. As the breeze stirred her hair, she looked effortlessly dashing. She was Mu Ziyan, Master Gumeng’s fifth disciple and Master Guyu’s niece. She smiled, "Senior Sister, you tease. Ganyu is fortunate to be my aunt’s only disciple and deserves a special gift. But in my opinion, this pill is a matter of person-to-person. If our teacher had given this to the youngest junior sister instead of the Spirit-Solidifying Pill, the results might not have been much better."

Honglin smiled, "Fifth Sister, your eyes are sharp. You saw at a glance that this Ganyu has no foundation in spiritual cultivation at all."

Ziyan replied, "I hope the Spirit-Gathering Pill can help her clear away the impure energy and enter the true path of the Yihua Sect quickly, or else my aunt will be very sad."

Honglin asked skeptically, "Fifth Sister, how do you know Master Guyu won't take more disciples? Perhaps Ganyu isn't the only one."

Ziyan turned to her and shook her head: "Senior Sister, did you meet some heart-throb at the tournament? Why are your wits so dull? Do you want to work my aunt to death?"

Honglin was left speechless. Had she met someone? A thought flickered in her heart—where had that man gone?