Watching the Mountain

Chapter 7: Chapter 5: Scorching Sun

Xu Ran suppressed his emotions, cupped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute toward Ye Shan, and said,

”Senior Brother Ye, what do you mean by that? I’ve been on Spirit Stream Peak for ten years. How could I not be a disciple of the Sect? Don’t tell me you think I’m so mediocre that you’re preparing to have the Sect expel me?”

Facing Xu Ran’s questions, Ye Shan quickly waved his hands and explained, ”No, no, no, Junior Brother, you’ve misunderstood. How could I, Ye Shan, do something like that?”

”Then why?”

Ye Shan looked at him, hesitating for a moment before explaining, ”The Sect has regulations regarding the requirements for its disciples. When you joined, Junior Brother Xu, you were far from meeting the Sect’s standards.”

”If Senior Sister Yue were just an ordinary True Inheritance disciple or an Elder, then arranging for someone to join the Sect wouldn’t be a big deal. But she is the Sect Leader’s personal disciple, the top disciple of this generation, and is basically seen by everyone as the successor to the next Sect Leader.”

”Given her status, and the fact that Senior Sister Yue is a proud person by nature, she would never take the lead in breaking the Sect’s rules.”

”So, although she arranged for you to enter the Sect, Junior Brother, aside from your status as an Outer Disciple, all your other benefits have been paid for by deducting from Senior Sister Yue’s own Contribution Points.”

”Do you understand now?”

”The Sect hasn’t been supporting you; Senior Sister Yue has. If you truly wish to spill your blood and sacrifice your life, offering up your withered body, it should be for Senior Sister Yue, not the Sect.”

After listening to Ye Shan’s explanation, Xu Ran’s expression became complicated. So that was how it was. No wonder his life in the Sect had felt so peaceful, completely devoid of competition.

’I originally thought it was because I was too old and my aptitude was too mediocre for anyone to consider me a rival. It turns out it’s because I’m not even considered an Official Disciple.’

’This is really... hard to put into words.’

Seeing Xu Ran standing there in a daze, Ye Shan probably guessed what he was feeling and quickly tried to console him:

”Of course, that’s how it is now. But if you can cultivate to the Foundation Establishment Stage, Junior Brother, you can become an Official Disciple. Then Senior Sister Yue’s Contribution Points will no longer need to be deducted.”

”So, Junior Brother, rather than dividing your attention to practice Magic Techniques and Swordsmanship, you should focus on raising your Cultivation.”

”Although you’re old now, Junior Brother, you still have plenty of longevity. Back when you were young, you explored a Secret Realm with Senior Sister Yue and accidentally ate a Longevity Exotic Fruit. You have more than enough time to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.”

But as soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly remembered Xu Ran’s ”achievement” of reaching the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer in a hundred years. After a brief pause, he waved his hand again and added consolingly,

”Of course, it doesn’t matter if you can’t make it. In any case, the few Contribution Points you use are nothing to Senior Sister Yue. You don’t need to worry about it too much.”

”Hm?” Xu Ran let out a sound of surprise. What had Ye Shan just said? He’d accidentally eaten a Longevity Fruit while exploring a Secret Realm with Yue Qingyu?

He instantly understood her intentions. ’So that’s how Yue Qingyu reported it to the Sect.’

In truth, when Xu Ran had first fabricated the story about accidentally eating a Longevity Exotic Fruit, he’d realized the excuse would leave behind a small problem.

Specifically, it would attract people trying to get information on where he obtained the Longevity Fruit. After all, even though he’d eaten the fruit, the tree itself was surely still there. Perhaps there were even other Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in the same place. People would definitely want to go and investigate.

No one had come asking about it before, and he’d assumed it was because they were wary of Yue Qingyu’s status. Now, hearing Ye Shan’s words, he finally understood that Yue Qingyu had long since smoothed over this lingering trouble for him.

Since he said he ate the Longevity Exotic Fruit while exploring a Secret Realm with her, no one would naturally think of trying to find out where that Secret Realm was located.

This made Xu Ran recall what Ning Caique had told him a few days ago: Yue Qingyu might seem otherworldly, but she actually understands everything. Most of the time, she just doesn’t care enough to bother with it.

’Sure enough, she really does understand everything. She’s done so much for me, all without a single word.’

Before, when Ning Caique had said he wasn’t much better, he’d thought she was just saying it out of spite to make herself feel better.

Now that he knew about Yue Qingyu’s arrangements, he finally realized he had misunderstood. He really wasn’t much better.

’Suddenly, I kind of understand how Ning Caique feels. I feel like I owe Yue Qingyu more and more.’

After a moment of silence, Xu Ran raised his hands and bowed deeply to Ye Shan. ”Thank you, Senior Brother Ye, for telling me all this.”

Hearing this, Ye Shan’s face suddenly stiffened, his expression turning to one of chagrin. After a moment, he waved his hands at Xu Ran in a fluster and said,

”Right, well, you keep up the hard work, Junior Brother Xu. I’m going to go collect my reward.”

With that, he turned and left in a hurry.

Hearing his words, Xu Ran nodded slightly. ’Just as I thought. Ye Shan came here to collect the reward for the Sect’s grand competition.’

Watching Ye Shan’s departing figure, he remained silent for a moment before picking up his sword and resuming his practice.

He wasn’t one to stand on ceremony. Now that he knew about Yue Qingyu’s arrangements, his heart felt heavy with a sense of indebtedness.

But since things were already like this and he had no way to repay her at the moment, he might as well accept her kindness with a clear conscience and continue practicing according to his plan.

He believed that in the future, he would surely have the ability to repay the karmic debt he owed Yue Qingyu.

He hadn’t been practicing for long when Ye Shan, who had just left, suddenly returned. As he appeared, he shouted to Xu Ran, ”Junior Brother Xu, catch!”

He then tossed an object over. Xu Ran instinctively reached out and caught it, only to find it was a Jade Bottle.

Seeing it, he asked in confusion, ”Senior Brother Ye, what is this?”

Ye Shan smiled faintly. ”The reward from the competition.”

”What?” Xu Ran’s expression changed in alarm. The competition reward? The prize for first place among the True Inheritance disciples in the Sect’s grand competition was a Fourth Grade Elixir.

But before he could refuse, Ye Shan flicked his sleeve, a smirk playing on his lips. ”I thought the reward would be something good, but it turned out to be just a Healing Elixir.”

He then cupped his hands toward Xu Ran and said, ”Junior Brother Xu, I’ve thought about it, and I feel my earlier words were a bit presumptuous and hurtful. And... about what I told you regarding Senior Sister Yue, just keep it to yourself. Don’t say it came from me.”

”Consider that bottle of Healing Elixir my apology and your hush money.”

”This is too valuable, I can’t accept it,” Xu Ran hastily refused. ’A Fourth Grade Elixir... I couldn’t afford it even if I sold myself.’

But Ye Shan just waved his hand and said, ”Valuable or not, a Healing Elixir is useless to me. Just accept it.”

”Hm?” Xu Ran was a little surprised.

Ye Shan puffed out his chest with a proud expression and said nonchalantly,

”I, Ye Shan, have never carried a Healing Elixir in my entire cultivation journey, nor have I ever taken one. Only the mediocre fear injury. As for me, I am fearless.”

”Whatever problem or enemy I encounter, I cut it down with a single strike of my sword.”

Without waiting for Xu Ran’s reaction, he turned and began to walk away slowly. While walking, he waved a hand over his shoulder, his back still to Xu Ran:

”Junior Brother Xu, I, Ye Shan, never take back something I’ve given away. It’s yours now, so what you do with it is your business. If you don’t want it, you can just throw it away.”

「It was noon, when the sun was at its most intense.」

Xu Ran watched Ye Shan’s figure, which seemed as dazzling as the brilliant, scorching sun, and a trace of envy rose in his heart.

He was a rising sun, at the peak of his high-spirited youth. It probably wouldn’t be long before his name resounded throughout the world.

After a moment, Xu Ran withdrew his gaze and silently resumed practicing his clumsy Swordsmanship.

He was not on the same path as paragons like Yue Qingyu and Ye Shan.

Yue Qingyu’s and Ye Shan’s paths were for the present era; his path lay in the distant future.

He believed that as long as he continued walking at a steady pace, he would sooner or later shine as brilliantly as Yue Qingyu and Ye Shan in some future era.

And unlike Yue Qingyu and Ye Shan, after their brilliance faded, they would inevitably enter their twilight years, just as the midday sun always becomes the setting sun, and finally, gives way to night.

But once he rose, he would never fall. He would shine on forever. From the moment he ascended, all future ages would belong to him, until the very end of time.