Watching the Mountain

Chapter 253: Chapter 161: Fellow Disciples

Xu Ran didn’t refute Shen Wuchen’s words. Instead, he let out a soft sigh and said slowly,

”Logically speaking, as your teacher, I should be encouraging you to work hard and raise some outstanding disciples.”

”However, I’m more afraid of giving you false hope. I’d hate for the final result to be a disappointment that leaves you discouraged.”

He poured a cup of Spirit Tea for Shen Wuchen, placed it before him, and gestured for him to calm down before speaking in a heartfelt tone:

”You need to remember, when it comes to training the new generation of disciples, your Senior Brother Zhang has a natural advantage. Or rather, your Flying Immortal Stream has a natural disadvantage.”

”For any disciple with decent talent and a bit of ambition, the Flying Immortal Stream would never be their first choice. After all, when it comes to combat power or lifespan, it can’t compare to a normal Cultivator. Otherwise, the outside world wouldn’t have given it the name ’Pseudo-Cultivator’.”

”If you want to compete with your Senior Brother Zhang in nurturing the next generation and hope to best him, you’re starting one step behind. I hope you understand this.”

Shen Wuchen fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then nodded.

Xu Ran watched his reaction and pondered for a moment. He had never been the type to lecture or force his own views on others.

This time, however, he felt it was necessary to give Shen Wuchen a few words of advice. ’In my heart, Shen Wuchen is already my disciple, and I have a responsibility to him.’

He was mainly worried that Shen Wuchen’s obsession with surpassing Zhang Zhentian was so deep that he would get hopelessly fixated on it.

So, after a moment of thought, he looked at Shen Wuchen and said with a somewhat serious tone:

”You can think of it as a competition with your Senior Brother Zhang in training disciples, but I need you to understand something beforehand. Your disciple is not a tool for you to win. You must first genuinely want to nurture him into a great talent. When he eventually becomes accomplished, your pride in him should come naturally, from the heart. Only then will you have truly surpassed your Senior Brother Zhang.”

”You are responsible for him first. The pride he brings you is secondary.”

Hearing Xu Ran’s slightly stern words, even someone as single-minded as Shen Wuchen could understand his meaning.

A flustered look crossed his face, and he quickly declared, ”This disciple will remember Teacher’s teachings. If I take a disciple, I will certainly do my utmost to nurture and guide him.”

Xu Ran nodded in satisfaction. He was reassured; he trusted Shen Wuchen as long as he didn’t get fixated on the issue.

After Shen Wuchen finished, he began to explain himself, ”Teacher, my desire to take a disciple isn’t entirely about competing with Senior Brother Zhang. It’s mainly because I saw that Senior Brother Zhang took a disciple...”

Shen Wuchen was different from others. When he was nervous or shy, he wouldn’t blush. Instead, he would put on an aloof and arrogant expression, making it impossible for others to read his emotions.

He wore that very expression now. Then, in a stiff tone, he added, ”Like Senior Brother Zhang, I am also a Supreme Elder.”

Xu Ran found his appearance rather amusing. He understood what Shen Wuchen meant. ’The guy just saw Zhang Zhentian take a disciple and is simply a little envious.’

’Thinking about it, although Shen Wuchen has the cultivation of the Nascent Soul Stage, he’s only about three hundred years old. For the Nascent Soul Stage Realm, that age couldn’t be any younger.’

’His current attitude is quite fitting for a young man.’

Xu Ran smiled faintly. Even after becoming a Nascent Soul Stage expert, Shen Wuchen had remained consistent, not changing much at all. Xu Ran thought this was a good thing.

Cultivators have long lifespans, and their mental state isn’t necessarily tied to their age. However, those who can remain true to themselves are few and far between.

Take Zhang Zhentian, for example. Xu Ran had watched him grow, step by step, from a little rascal into a mature pillar of the Sect.

While this was a good thing, sometimes it made one miss the person he used to be.

Xu Ran sighed inwardly, then shook his head and said to Shen Wuchen with a smile:

”That’s true. You are a Supreme Elder of the Sect now. It’s about time you shouldered your responsibilities and nurtured some pillars of talent for the Sect.”

”Work hard. I have high hopes for you.”

Greatly encouraged by Xu Ran’s words, Shen Wuchen excitedly bid him farewell and left.

Shen Wuchen was a man of action. Barely a month later, he brought a young boy before Xu Ran, introducing him with a somewhat smug expression:

”Teacher, allow me to introduce you. This is my first disciple, Lu Mingchen.”

Xu Ran followed his gaze and saw a boy who looked simple and timid standing behind him. The boy stood rigidly, his head slightly lowered, furtively sizing him up.

’This person must be from some remote little mountain village. He seems rather timid and lacks self-confidence.’

This was Xu Ran’s first impression of the boy named Lu Mingchen.

After finishing the introduction, Shen Wuchen turned to Lu Mingchen and said, ”Mingchen, come and greet your Grandmaster.”

Lu Mingchen obediently nodded, hastily stepping forward to bow with clasped hands toward Xu Ran. ”Greetings, Grandmaster.”

Hearing this form of address, Xu Ran felt a wave of emotion. Not long ago, when Zhang Zhentian brought his disciple, Li Daoyi, for the first time, the boy had called him ”Martial Uncle.”

Now Shen Wuchen had brought his disciple over, and this time the title had changed to ”Grandmaster.”

The generational shift was happening so fast that for a moment, he felt like he couldn’t quite keep up.