Watching the Mountain

Chapter 34: Chapter 29: Disheartened

Except for the first two years following each recruitment drive, attendance at Spirit Stream Peak’s Instructor Hall was never fixed. Disciples came and went as they pleased.

Ever since the Sect downsized, the number of attendees had stabilized at around a hundred people for each session.

Today, however, the hall was packed. There had to be over a thousand people, as many had heard that the Grand Elder of Celestial Sea Peak, Flowing Clouds Master, was filling in for Zhang Zhentian.

The Sect’s disciples were generally familiar with the Elders of each main peak, so of course the disciples of Spirit Stream Peak knew of the great Flowing Clouds Master. An opportunity to hear him lecture, however, was exceptionally rare.

Ordinarily, unless a lecture was specifically declared open to the entire Sect, disciples were not permitted to attend sessions at the Instructor Halls of other main peaks.

Now they had the chance to hear a lecture from the Grand Elder of Celestial Sea Peak—one given specifically for them, the disciples of Spirit Stream Peak. It was an opportunity they were naturally unwilling to miss.

It was safe to say that, apart from those in secluded cultivation or away on missions, nearly every disciple from Spirit Stream Peak had shown up.

Watching the sea of faces below, all looking up at Flowing Clouds Master on the stage with anticipation, Xu Ran couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. ’The Instructor Hall hasn’t been this lively in a long, long time.’

Flowing Clouds Master, on the other hand, glared when he saw the crowd. ”Why are there so many people?” he grumbled. ”Didn’t that little brat say there’d only be a hundred or so? He tricked me again! It’s infuriating!”

Flowing Clouds Master was burly in appearance and renowned for his fiery temper. The moment he spoke, his voice, like the wailing of ghouls, sent an instant shiver through the Spirit Stream Peak disciples.

But he had no sooner finished than he muttered, ”Ah, forget it. In for a penny, in for a pound. It makes no difference.”

He then cleared his throat and greeted the assembled disciples. ”Fellow disciples of Spirit Stream Peak, I am Flowing Clouds. My greetings to you all.”

”You probably all know the situation. I’m here to clean up my grandson’s mess. But first, I must apologize. Due to Sect regulations, I can’t exactly give you a formal lecture.

”My thinking is this: for the time being, if you have any questions about your cultivation, I will answer them. Alternatively, without touching upon the secret teachings of Celestial Sea Peak, I can share some of my own insights. I hope you can all understand. Flowing Clouds thanks you for your consideration.”

Hearing this, the disciples of Spirit Stream Peak initially felt a bit cheated. But they quickly realized this was actually a great opportunity. Wasn’t this equivalent to receiving one-on-one guidance from a Golden Core Master?

At this realization, looks of eager anticipation appeared on the faces of the Spirit Stream Peak disciples.

But even though they understood the opportunity before them, no one was brave enough to ask the first question. Flowing Clouds Master’s imposing presence was simply too much.

His burly features, combined with his reputation for being short-tempered, made everyone hesitate.

He had said as much, but what if someone actually asked a question and he flew into a rage?

So, many chose to wait and see.

Xu Ran, however, had no such reservations. The moment he heard Flowing Clouds Master’s offer, he immediately patted Little Xiyue, who was beside him, and said:

”This is your chance. Didn’t you say there were some things you didn’t understand? Hurry, take this opportunity and ask them all at once. Remember, don’t ask one by one. Ask all your questions in one go. Otherwise, with so many people here, you’ll never get another turn.”

Little Xiyue had already begun her cultivation, her progress having reached the Qi Cultivation First Layer.

While her innate talent didn’t qualify her as a prodigy, it was far from poor. Within the Profound Pure Sect, it was the sort of aptitude that would grant direct entry into the Inner Sect.

Hearing this, Little Xiyue glanced at the other disciples and said with some hesitation:

”Will that be okay? No one else has asked anything. I’m just here auditing the class... if I’m the first to speak, will the others think poorly of you?”

Little Xiyue didn’t care for herself, but she didn’t want to cause trouble for Xu Ran. The time a few years ago when disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall had shown up at their door—even though it turned out to be a misunderstanding—had given her a terrible fright. She didn’t want to be the cause of any more difficulties for him.

Hearing this, Xu Ran gently flicked her on the forehead. ”What do you mean, auditing? Have you forgotten? You’re an official member of the Sect now.”

At his words, it dawned on Little Xiyue. ’Oh, that’s right. I’m a disciple of the Profound Pure Sect now.’

With that realization, her hesitation vanished. She shot to her feet, her young face serious, and extended her small hands in a respectful bow toward Flowing Clouds Master. ”Master,” she called out, ”this disciple has a question.”

Flowing Clouds Master turned, and upon recognizing her as the little girl who was always with Xu Ran, he put on a benevolent smile. ”Let’s hear it,” he said.

Heeding Xu Ran’s advice, Little Xiyue unleashed a torrent of dozens of questions she had encountered in her recent cultivation. The list was so long it took her quite some time just to recite it.

When she finally finished, the other Spirit Stream Peak disciples were staring at her, completely dumbfounded. A wave of admiration washed over them.

’Wow,’ they thought, ’this junior sister may be small, but she’s got guts. She’s really not afraid of Flowing Clouds Master’s wrath.’

Flowing Clouds Master stared at her, his expression darkening. After a long silence, he said grimly:

”That’s far too many questions at once. Let’s take them one by one. There are many other disciples here; you must leave your senior brothers and sisters a chance to ask something.”

But Little Xiyue remembered Xu Ran’s words: with so many people, it would be hard to get a turn. If she missed this chance, there was no telling if she’d get another. And she was eager to grow stronger quickly so she could help Xu Ran.

So, facing Flowing Clouds Master’s words without a trace of fear, she replied with perfect seriousness, ”It is one question.”

Flowing Clouds Master’s face froze. He was on the verge of exploding with anger, but then he remembered it was his first day on Spirit Stream Peak. He had to maintain some semblance of decorum, so he held his temper in check.

Still, he turned his indignant gaze to Xu Ran. ”You! You tell me! Is this one question?”

Xu Ran rose, offered a cupped fist salute to Flowing Clouds Master, and replied calmly:

”While this question may contain many smaller inquiries, they are all interconnected. They all pertain to a single person’s current stage of cultivation. They belong together as a whole. Is that not, then, a single question?”

Hearing this, Flowing Clouds Master fought the urge to explode. A vein throbbed on his forehead. ’Fine, just fine,’ he thought. ’The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’

He knew Little Xiyue’s background. ’Truly, like master, like disciple,’ he fumed internally. ’This pair is absolutely shameless.’

With a flick of his sleeve, he turned to scan the crowd of Spirit Stream Peak disciples and boomed:

”I’ll let it slide this once! But don’t any of the rest of you try this, or I can’t guarantee what I’ll do.”

The disciples nodded in terrified haste, agreeing profusely. They had all been breaking out in a cold sweat for Little Xiyue just a moment ago.

Then, Flowing Clouds Master turned back and, with forced patience, began to answer the dozens of questions Little Xiyue had posed.

*

*

*

For Little Xiyue, the thing she most looked forward to after receiving her Identity Jade Talisman wasn’t being able to attend classes at the Instructor Hall legitimately.

It was finally having the chance to eat at the Spirit Stream Peak’s Outer Sect Cafeteria.

Every time she had painstakingly prepared meals for Xu Ran in the past, he had always complained, saying that the food from the Outer Sect Cafeteria was better.

This made her feel quite indignant, and she desperately wanted to see for herself what was so special about the skills of the Spirit Chefs there.

Xu Ran knew what she was thinking and had offered to take her there many times, but she had always refused.

In her eyes, auditing classes at the Instructor Hall was one thing. That was a necessity because her master was unwilling to teach her, claiming his own Cultivation was insufficient and that he feared teaching her incorrectly and holding her back.

She herself didn’t mind, but Xu Ran insisted, so she had no choice. Besides, attending the Instructor Hall had been approved by Qing Xuan Master, so it was at least justifiable.

But freeloading meals was different. She could cook, so it wasn’t a necessity. If she went, what would people think of Xu Ran?

That he was always bringing someone around to freeload meals, drinks, and even classes, completely disregarding the Sect’s rules?

She had promised herself she would never be a burden to Xu Ran. Thus, no matter what he said, she insisted on not freeloading at the Outer Sect Cafeteria.

Until, that is, she received her Identity Jade Talisman. Then, she immediately pulled Xu Ran along and marched right into the Outer Sect Cafeteria, open and aboveboard.

When the Spiritual Cuisine was served, she took one bite, and her expression changed instantly.

At that moment, she finally understood why Xu Ran always said her cooking was terrible. When she ate it herself, she had never thought it was so bad.

But now, after a single taste of the food here, she suddenly felt that Xu Ran’s past complaints had been mild. No matter how much he grumbled, he had always finished everything she cooked.

She imagined that if it were her, after tasting something this delicious, she would find it impossible to swallow her own cooking.

A profound sense of defeat washed over her. Preparing Xu Ran’s daily meals had been one of the few things she could do for him, and now even that felt redundant.

’With such a delicious cafeteria available, why would he ever need to eat my terrible cooking again?’

’If that’s the case... what else can I even do for him?’

Just as she was lost in thought, a shout came from outside the cafeteria. ”Two buckets of Spirit Rice, a Fire Spirit Chicken, and a jug of Hundred Fruit Wine!”

An old man then walked in, his robes ornate but his overall appearance disheveled.

The old man came in, plopped down, and immediately put one foot up on his stool. The posture made Little Xiyue frown.

”Ye Zhenzhuan, your appetite is growing again!”

”Of course! The appetite of a True Disciple is beyond the comprehension of mere Outer Disciples like you.”

Little Xiyue noticed that ever since the old man had arrived, the atmosphere in the cafeteria had become much more boisterous, filled with chatter and laughter.

She looked at Xu Ran curiously. ”Who is that?”

She saw a rare, solemn expression on Xu Ran’s face. He was silent for a long moment before he slowly spoke. ”He was once a legend.”

Little Xiyue paused, stunned. After a moment of thought, she asked, ”Is he... the Ye Shan?”

She had heard many stories about Ye Shan and knew exactly who he was.

Xu Ran nodded. Little Xiyue nodded back thoughtfully, her gaze fixed on Ye Shan, her eyes glittering with a strange light.

A few days later, she sought out Xu Ran. ”If you want to get close to someone who’s lost their way,” she asked, ”what’s the best way to do it?”