Naming Technique of the Night

Chapter 467: 314, Not everyone can be my student.

Countdown to Return 127:00:00.

Dusk.

The moment just before nightfall.

The weather was clear, and in the sky above the mid-mountain estate, the setting sun cast its glow on the fiery clouds rolling in from the distance.

As Li Ke tidied up the utensils on the table, he said, “Master, tonight Father will bring the others, and together they will perform the ceremony to acknowledge you as their teacher.”

Qing Chen lay on the recliner, using the spiritual practices from the ‘Mysterious World’ to nurture his spirit with the principle of ‘winning others over with virtue’. He merely responded with a simple ‘Hmm’ without further comment.

...

Ever since he discovered that the secret of the passageway had been exposed, he hadn’t felt at ease for a moment, fearing that some monster might crawl out and finish him off instantly.

If it weren’t for Li Ke coming to cook, he might still be sitting on the steps at the entrance of the passageway right now.

Seeing that the Master was indifferent to the matter, Li Ke did not say anything more.

At this time, a large group of people in the mid-mountain estate were majestically making their way towards Autumn Leaf Courtyard.

Leading them was none other than Li Ke’s father, the head of the Li’s Secretariat.

Li Yun Shou.

The curious onlookers, who followed, discovered that several key strategists from the Secretariat were also in the procession.

In the procession, the servants carried Red invitation cards and tea sets.

The bystanders were stunned—these were the offerings traditionally used in the Li Clan’s teacher acknowledgement ceremony.

As the procession headed towards Autumn Leaf Courtyard, could it be that the promising youths of the Li Clan were about to formally acknowledge their teacher?

This was no small matter. If people like Li Su were to acknowledge their teacher, then that instructor’s status would be on par with the second generation of the Li Family, with the right to participate in family meetings!

However, Li Su and the others had, upon first returning, immediately gone to the Secretariat to sign confidentiality documents.

Why were they now making such a public display of acknowledging a teacher?

Some people were beginning to doubt, wondering what was going on.

The parents who had once indulged their children by letting them sleep in, now bitterly regretted it.

Some, seizing the opportunity before the procession reached Autumn Leaf Courtyard and before matters were final, hurried in front of the group to whisper to Li Yun Shou, “Big brother, it was my foolishness before, allowing my child to oversleep. You can punish me as you see fit, but please make sure to include your nephew on the invitation card.”

Li Yun Shou glanced at the other man, “I gave you two days to admit your mistake. If only you had been a bit more sincere in acknowledging your error, you wouldn’t be pleading with me here. You still don’t understand—the main character in this matter is the Master inside Autumn Leaf Courtyard, not me.”

The supplicant grimaced, “Big brother, does the old man know you’re showing so little brotherly love?”

Li Yun Shou stopped in his tracks, and the procession behind him came to a halt.

This figurehead of the Li’s Secretariat, stared at his half-brother, “I was planning to tell you tomorrow, but the old man wants all of you to go to the Bao Pu Pavilion to receive punishment with a caning. If today I show favoritism, then tomorrow I will also have to receive punishment.”

To receive a caning was a family discipline. However, that old man had not used this rule in over a decade, causing many to gradually forget about it.

The face of the one pleading turned pale—he too was a decision-maker in the Li Clan, not as glorified as Li Yun Shou or Li Changqing, yet a person of reputation, nonetheless.

If he were to receive a caning tomorrow in front of Bao Pu Pavilion, how could he face anyone afterwards?

However, he was well aware that he could not escape this fate.

…

…

The next moment, the procession had reached the gates of Autumn Leaf Courtyard.

Li Yun Shou gently knocked at the door, “Li Yun Shou leads the Li Clan disciples to present the invitation.”

“Please come in.”

A clear voice from Qing Chen resonated from inside Autumn Leaf Courtyard.

Li Yun Shou was the first to step inside; it was his first encounter with Qing Chen. For some reason, he felt an inexplicable aura surrounding the other party.

Even amidst the grand gesture of homage from the Li Clan, the youth before them remained entirely unfazed.

Qing Chen also sized up the middle-aged man before him, noting his sharp eyes and partially grey temples—the man’s gaze was penetrating, as if he could see right through someone in the blink of an eye.

The man moved with a vigorous stride, clearly someone who had also honed his skills within the Federal Army Group.

Li Su and the others entered Autumn Leaf Courtyard, and upon seeing the youth on the recliner, they too were momentarily stunned.

They knew they had returned to acknowledge their teacher and to learn the orthodox methods of cultivation, but they had not expected their future Master to be so young!

Li Ke was twenty-six years old; the youngest of these elite soldiers was twenty-four.

As for Qing Chen? A quick glance told them that their Master was likely not even twenty.

Furthermore, why did the Master look so weary? Was he really a cultivator?

Li Su realized his expression might be off. Seeing doubt and skepticism in the eyes of others, he hurriedly signaled with his eyes—since they were going to acknowledge their teacher sooner or later, and now they were here, they shouldn’t question it.

Receiving Li Su’s hint, everyone concealed their expressions.

Just as Li Yun Shou entered Autumn Leaf Courtyard, he saw his son washing dishes and wiping the stove in the kitchen.

The courtyard was already filled with people. Yet as if blind to them, Li Ke washed another plate of winter peaches and set them on the stone table.

The fourteen-year-old boy pondered, recalling that yesterday all six winter peaches he had washed were eaten by the Master, which meant the Master liked them.