Watching the Mountain

Chapter 6: Chapter 4: I Hate Geniuses

Yue Qingyu looked at Ning Caique and fell silent for a moment. Her face revealed no emotion as she gave a slight nod and said, ”I will speak to the Sect about your matter.”

Upon hearing this, Ning Caique prostrated on the ground and kowtowed heavily. ”I am in your debt, Senior Sister.”

Seeing this, Yue Qingyu gestured for her to rise. ”Between us, there is no need for such formalities.”

But Ning Caique remained kneeling, her head bowed low. ”There is,” she replied. Only then did she slowly stand up, but she kept her head deeply bowed, not daring to look at Yue Qingyu’s expression.

At this, Yue Qingyu fell silent once more. After a long while, she waved her hand and turned to look at Xu Ran, who was standing to the side.

She stared at Xu Ran for a moment before speaking softly:

”Congratulations on the progress in your Cultivation. How have the last ten years in the Sect been for you? Have you encountered any problems?”

Upon hearing her, Xu Ran hurriedly and respectfully replied, ”Thank you for your concern, Fairy. I...”

But before he could finish, Yue Qingyu cut him off with a wave of her hand.

”Now that you have entered the Sect, you should call me Senior Sister, just like Xiaoque’Er.”

As the name ”Xiaoque’Er” left her lips, Xu Ran caught a glimpse of Ning Caique, who was standing beside him, visibly trembling.

He didn’t pay it too much mind, however. He gave Yue Qingyu a Daoist salute and said naturally:

”Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister Yue. The Sect is wonderful. The Elders provide careful guidance, and my fellow disciples are supportive. The daily tasks aren’t too demanding, so my cultivation has been progressing smoothly and my level has improved.”

Yue Qingyu nodded lightly. ”That is good. Cultivate well. Although you are a bit old, you ate a longevity-extending fruit, so your lifespan is still ample. As long as you work hard, there is still hope for you to reach Foundation Establishment, and perhaps go even further.”

Xu Ran nodded. ”I will be sure to remember your words of encouragement, Senior Sister.”

Yue Qingyu gave a slight nod, then looked at Ning Caique again. After a brief pause, she slowly turned, waved her hand, and said, ”You may go.” Then she walked into the inner room.

Ning Caique bowed once more in the direction Yue Qingyu had left before turning to give Xu Ran a nod and heading out of the Cave Mansion.

After they walked out of Yue Qingyu’s Cave Mansion, Ning Caique said faintly, her back still to Xu Ran, ”That was pathetic, wasn’t it?”

Xu Ran was slightly taken aback. Before he could react, Ning Caique turned around, snorted coldly at him, and said, ”You’re not much better.”

”Now we’re even.”

With that, she waved her hand to summon her Flying Sword, and her figure transformed into a streak of sword light, disappearing over the horizon.

Xu Ran watched Ning Caique’s retreating figure and shook his head slightly. ’She feels she owes Yue Qingyu too much, but what she sees as a debt is something countless people could only dream of.’

’But that’s just how it is sometimes. People can never get over their own mental hurdles.’

As for the current situation, he couldn’t say whether this counted as repaying the favor he owed her, but he didn’t dwell on it. He turned his focus back to his daily cultivation.

Recently, the most exciting event for the Profound Pure Sect was the Grand Sect Competition. It was held once every ten years, offered generous rewards, and the disciples were all incredibly enthusiastic.

Xu Ran participated as well and successfully earned the experience of being eliminated in the first round. And that was only because his opponent, seeing his head of white hair and not knowing how to attack, intentionally went easy on him.

Xu Ran had no regrets about this outcome.

Although he had been cultivating for a long time, he had never actually fought anyone. He had only just learned his Magic Techniques recently. He had gone on stage simply to test his progress.

’And just as I expected, it was exceptionally poor.’

The Grand Sect Competition lasted for a month, and Xu Ran watched from the sidelines for a month, gaining a great deal.

Watching his fellow disciples fight, he finally got a taste of combat between Cultivators. The matches between the True Disciples, in particular—clashes between the greatest geniuses—were a real eye-opener for him.

Then he recalled what he looked like when he practiced his Magic Techniques and immediately felt a sense of shame.

’It seems what Yue Qingyu said before about me lacking Spirituality and having poor Comprehension wasn’t just about cultivation.’

’Perhaps because I lived in a peaceful era in my past life, my talent and Comprehension for combat are even more abysmal.’

This made him reflect on his painful experience and resolve to train his Magic Techniques diligently, honing his combat skills based on what he had learned from watching the competition.

’If my talent and Comprehension are lacking, then I’ll just have to rely on the principle that practice makes perfect.’

As the Grand Sect Competition drew to a close, the most anticipated series of matches—the one between the True Disciples—was ultimately won by a disciple named Ye Shan, a personal student of a Supreme Elder.

Like many other disciples, Xu Ran watched the high-spirited Ye Shan, who was surrounded by admirers, with a flash of envy in his eyes.

’These geniuses are really something else. At only seventy years old, Ye Shan has already reached the Purple Mansion Stage. He’s being hailed as the Sect’s next Divinity Transformation Seed after Yue Qingyu.’

’And then there’s me. When I was seventy, I was still worrying about how to break through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer.’

’Comparisons are truly odious.’

Xu Ran originally thought that he and a genius like Ye Shan would never cross paths; after all, they lived in different worlds.

Unexpectedly, they met on the second day after the Grand Sect Competition ended.

At that time, Xu Ran had just finished de-bugging the Spirit Rice in his Spirit Field. Recalling the previous day’s competition, he had just resolved to painfully grind and improve his Swordsmanship.

But he had only been practicing for a short while when a sneering laugh came from behind him. ”PFFT! You call that Swordsmanship?”

Hearing the voice, Xu Ran put away his Flying Sword and silently turned around to see Ye Shan trying to stifle a laugh.

Seeing Ye Shan, Xu Ran was completely bewildered. ’Why is he here?’ Then he remembered that the reward for the Grand Sect Competition was an Elixir. ’He must be here for that.’

And while he was puzzled, Ye Shan, standing opposite him, was also sizing him up with a look of confusion.

After a moment, Ye Shan asked with some curiosity, ”Forgive my poor judgment, Senior. Are you the newly appointed Steward for Spirit Stream Peak? May I ask your name?”

Hearing this, Xu Ran quickly raised his hands in a salute. ”Spirit Stream Peak Outer Disciple Xu Ran. Greetings, Senior Brother Ye.”

”Outer Disciple?” Ye Shan was taken aback for a second, then slapped his forehead in realization. ”Oh, so you’re that old... er, that somewhat older disciple Senior Sister Yue recommended. I know you.”

He then looked at the Flying Sword in Xu Ran’s hand and added, ”If I may be blunt, Junior Brother Xu, you have no talent for Swordsmanship. I suggest you stop practicing it and try something else.”

Xu Ran’s expression stiffened. He was well aware and had already admitted to himself that his talent and Comprehension were poor, but to have someone say it so bluntly to his face was still a gut punch.

”To answer Senior Brother Ye, I don’t have talent for other weapons or Magic Techniques either. Swordsmanship... is probably what I’m best at.”

Although his tone was calm, his words sounded utterly bleak.

Ye Shan was astonished to hear this. He stared at Xu Ran for a moment before speaking slowly:

”Junior Brother Xu, my words just now might have been a bit too direct. If I offended you, I apologize. There’s no need to play this kind of joke on me.”

He truly didn’t believe it. Based on the Swordsmanship Xu Ran had just displayed, a few random people who had only been cultivating for a few days could probably do better.

’And now this guy is telling me it’s what he’s best at? Do I look like an idiot?’

Seeing Ye Shan’s reaction, Xu Ran didn’t explain. Instead, he slowly turned around and, right in front of him, demonstrated every Magic Technique he knew.

He performed them one by one, from the Fire Control Technique, to the Cloud Rain Technique, Spirit Shield Technique, Wood Shield, Quicksand Technique, Vine Entanglement Technique, Hundred Binding Technique, and finally, the Five Elements Shield Technique.

After finishing his demonstration, he turned back around and looked at Ye Shan with a calm expression. ”What do you think, Senior Brother Ye?”

’If I hadn’t seen that displeased, slightly angry look on Ye Shan’s face, I wouldn’t have wanted to reveal such a pathetic side of myself either.’

’But if I didn’t do this, he definitely wouldn’t have believed my explanation. And I don’t want to offend a genius disciple who’s currently in the limelight and rising like the sun.’

Ye Shan stared at him, dumbfounded and utterly incredulous. ”This...”

Xu Ran then added, ”Let me be clear, I wasn’t holding back. This is my true skill level. I can swear an oath on it.”

Hearing this, Ye Shan hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly, ”Junior Brother, these are just basic Five Elements Daoist Techniques. Perhaps your talent simply doesn’t lie here. Why don’t you try something else?”

A melancholy expression crossed Xu Ran’s face. ”Senior Brother, have you considered the possibility that the reason I chose these techniques is because they are the only ones I’m capable of learning?”

”That’s impossible!” Ye Shan said with absolute certainty. ”How could anyone in this world have zero talent for Magic Techniques or weapons? Absolutely impossible! It must be that you haven’t tried enough, Junior Brother.”

Xu Ran’s mouth twitched slightly. ’That’s like someone in my past life telling me that no matter how stupid a person is, there’s no way they can’t learn calculus.’

’Geniuses really are infuriating to listen to. I hate geniuses.’

Xu Ran took a deep breath and replied calmly, ”But that’s just how it is. I’ve basically tried everything I can.”

”Really?”

”Really.”

”Uh...” Ye Shan’s expression froze. He had been a genius his whole life and usually only interacted with other geniuses. Suddenly encountering someone as thoroughly mediocre as Xu Ran left him feeling awkward and unsure how to respond.

After a long moment, he offered his suggestion faintly, ”Why don’t you just stop practicing these, Junior Brother? Just focus on raising your Cultivation.”

”How could I do that?”

”Why not?”

Of course, Xu Ran couldn’t admit he was afraid of dying. So, he puffed out his chest and replied with righteous indignation, ”As a disciple of the Sect, I must naturally take it upon myself to protect the Sect. The Cultivation Realm is not at peace these days. Though I may be old and withered, if a day comes when the Sect needs me, I am still willing to shed my blood and give my life for it, to offer up this withered body of mine. I am always prepared.”

”This...” Ye Shan’s expression turned serious. He had to admit, Xu Ran’s declaration was incredibly inspiring, and it made his own blood boil with passion.

’This junior brother may be old and mediocre, but his principles are truly righteous.’

He quickly waved his hand and said, ”Junior Brother, your resolve is admirable, but it’s unnecessary. The kind of situation you’re describing won’t happen. And even if it did, you would not be needed on the battlefield.”

”Why? Is it because I’m too mediocre?”

”No, no, no. It’s because, strictly speaking, you aren’t actually a disciple of our Profound Pure Sect. Why would the Sect send you to the battlefield?”

”Huh?” Xu Ran was stunned. ’I’m not a disciple of the Profound Pure Sect?’