Once Scorned for My Mixed Spiritual Roots, Now They Weep at My Power! - Chapter 5 - Disciple of Xiaozhu Peak

The sect master nodded with a smile, saying, “Though your aptitude is somewhat lacking, you seem quite clever.”

“In that case, you shall become a disciple under Junior Sister Yan of Xiaozhu Peak.”

“When she returns from her travels, I will personally inform her of this matter.”

“Wen Qing, since your master is away, you will take on the responsibility of teaching in her stead.”

The woman in the blue dress standing by the empty chair immediately stepped forward, respectfully saluting the sect master, “Yes, disciple Wen Qing accepts the task.”

Though Wen Qing was the senior disciple of Xiaozhu Peak, with a prestigious status and favored by her master, she dared not defy the sect master’s orders.

Since the sect master assigned Xiao Yun to Xiaozhu Peak, she naturally couldn’t refuse.

The sect master nodded slowly, “Alright, that’s all for today. You may all return to your respective places.”

Everyone bowed and took their leave.

As they departed, the Chief Elders of Each Peak cast subtle, mocking glances at Xiao Yun.

Xiao Yun was puzzled.

What was that about? Was it really necessary?

You are all Chief Elders, why mock a small fry like me?

While Xiao Yun was still confused, a gentle and melodious voice suddenly came from beside him, “Junior Brother, from today onwards, you are a disciple of Xiaozhu Peak. What is your name?”

Xiao Yun quickly turned his head to see that it was the blue-dressed beauty named Wen Qing who had spoken.

“Greetings, Senior Sister. My name is Xiao Yun.”

Wen Qing smiled, “I am Wen Qing, the senior disciple of our master. You should indeed call me Senior Sister. Come, I’ll take you to Xiaozhu Peak.”

At this moment, Wen Qing had no other thoughts. Since the sect master had entrusted this Junior Brother to Xiaozhu Peak, he was now one of them.

She did not look down on Xiao Yun for his Mixed Spiritual Roots.

Instead, she felt that because Xiao Yun’s aptitude was poor, she should take extra care of him.

Xiao Yun followed Wen Qing out of the Main Hall.

With a casual wave of her hand, a Bamboo Sword appeared in front of them.

Wen Qing stepped onto the Bamboo Sword first, then gestured for Xiao Yun to join her, “Come on, Junior Brother.”

Xiao Yun’s eyes lit up. Was this Sword Flight?

He immediately mimicked Wen Qing and stepped onto the Bamboo Sword.

The sword dipped slightly but then stabilized in mid-air.

“Hold on tight, Junior Brother, don’t fall off.”

Wen Qing turned back and gave Xiao Yun a gentle smile, making him feel as if he were basking in a spring breeze.

All his previous frustration vanished.

This Senior Sister Wen Qing truly lived up to her name, gentle as water.

It seemed he had found a blessing in disguise.

Xiao Yun lightly placed his hands on Wen Qing’s slender waist, “I’m ready, Senior Sister.”

“Alright.”

With that, Wen Qing commanded the Bamboo Sword to rise into the air, heading towards a mountain peak in the east.

It was Xiao Yun’s first time experiencing Sword Flight, and he was understandably nervous. He dared not look down, gripping Wen Qing tightly and keeping his eyes fixed ahead.

Wen Qing’s silhouette was beautiful.

Her figure was graceful and elegant, with long, black hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, adorned with a delicate floral hair tie.

Xiao Yun had never seen such a beautiful silhouette before, and he found himself becoming somewhat entranced.

After a while, Xiao Yun gradually overcame his fear of Sword Flight. They arrived at a mountain peak covered with towering green bamboo. Below, he could vaguely see dozens of disciples chopping bamboo.

Unable to hold back his curiosity, Xiao Yun asked, “Senior Sister, are those people down there our Xiaozhu Peak disciples?”

Wen Qing replied gently, “Those are servant disciples from the other six peaks. Our Xiaozhu Peak produces Green Rock Bamboo, which has many uses. Servant disciples from various peaks come here daily to chop some and take back.”

“So that’s how it is. How many direct disciples and outer disciples do we have at Xiaozhu Peak? Do servant disciples have a lot of work?”

Despite Wen Qing’s approachable nature, Xiao Yun was aware of the disparity in their statuses. She was someone who could stand in for the Master and attend meetings with the Chief Elders of Seven Peaks. Even though he had joined Xiaozhu Peak, he knew he might not see her often in the future. It was better to first understand how much work he would have to do daily.

Wen Qing’s expression suddenly dimmed, but she managed to force a smile and said, “The Master has only accepted me as a disciple for now. With you joining, I finally have some company.”

Xiao Yun was overjoyed. This was fantastic news. Even if he was a servant disciple, he would only be serving the Master and Senior Sister. And with such a gentle and beautiful Senior Sister, he felt he had struck gold!

Thinking about spending his days with such a kind and lovely Senior Sister made Xiao Yun excited. Joining Xiaozhu Peak was indeed a wise decision!

He wouldn’t trade this for being a direct disciple of the sect master, no matter what!

Soon, Wen Qing led Xiao Yun to the main hall of Xiaozhu Peak. From afar, he could see the golden plaque with the words “Zhengqing Hall” inscribed on it.

Wen Qing guided the Bamboo Sword to a stop at the entrance of Zhengqing Hall and introduced it. “This is the main hall of our Xiaozhu Peak. The back mountain is where Master and I reside. There are over a hundred empty rooms there, and you can choose any one to live in.”

Looking at the grand hall before him and considering Wen Qing’s words, Xiao Yun couldn’t help but think that Xiaozhu Peak must have been bustling with people in the past. But now it had fallen on hard times, leaving only the master and disciple.

“Let’s go inside the hall. Since Master isn’t on the mountain, we don’t need to be too formal.”

Xiao Yun followed Wen Qing into the hall, where he performed a simple ceremony to pay respects to the Master’s seat. Wen Qing then took Xiao Yun on a tour of Xiaozhu Peak.

After spending most of the day exploring, they finally finished touring Xiaozhu Peak. Xiao Yun chose a room next to Wen Qing’s as his residence.

Wen Qing didn’t find anything inappropriate about this arrangement. After all, she was the only disciple at Xiaozhu Peak, and living close by would make it convenient for them to talk and handle matters. So she didn’t object.

Later, Wen Qing brought Xiao Yun to a Quiet Room for training, preparing to teach him the introductory techniques.

Before passing on the techniques, Wen Qing said, “Junior Brother Xiao, you have Mixed Spiritual Roots, so you can learn any technique. I’ll teach you the Azure Sea Tide Technique that Master taught me. How does that sound?”

Xiao Yun was not picky; he was grateful to have something to learn. “Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Wen Qing chuckled, “Actually, this is the only technique you can learn because I don’t know any others.”

Her laughter was charming, her eyes curving like crescent moons, making her incredibly endearing. Coupled with her gentle and graceful demeanor, Xiao Yun found himself growing more fond of her with each passing moment. His affection for Xiaozhu Peak was also deepening, feeling more and more like home.

“The Azure Sea Tide Technique sounds impressive just from the name. It’s an honor to learn such a remarkable skill,” Xiao Yun said with a smile.

“You sure know how to flatter. Let me first introduce you to the divisions of cultivation realms.”

“Please enlighten me, Senior Sister.”

“In our cultivation world, there are five realms: Qi Refining Realm, Foundation Establishment¹ Realm, Golden Core Realm, Nascent Soul² Realm, and Spirit Transformation³ Realm. Each realm is divided into nine layers.”

“The Qi Refining Realm allows you to absorb spiritual power from heaven and earth, strengthen your spirit, cleanse your body, and refine it to perfection, which leads to Foundation Establishment.”

“Once you reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, you can use Magic Treasures and Spells.”

“To advance further, you need to consolidate your spiritual power into your qi sea and dantian⁴, compress it, and solidify your True Essence. Once your True Essence is solidified, you can form a Golden Core and enter the Golden Core Realm.”

“In the Golden Core Realm, you’re considered beyond ordinary humans, with a lifespan extending up to five hundred years, and some can live for a thousand.”

“You don’t need to know about the later stages for now. I’m currently at the fifth layer of the Golden Core Realm, which makes me quite skilled among the disciples of the Spirit Sword Sect.”

At this point, Wen Qing’s face showed a hint of pride.

“Senior Sister, you’re amazing! May I ask what kind of Spiritual Roots you have and how long it took you to reach the Golden Core Realm?” Xiao Yun complimented her.

“I’m different from most people; I have a Supreme Grade Ice Spiritual Root, a variant of the Water Spiritual Root. It took me fifteen years to reach the Golden Core Realm.”

“That’s incredible, Senior Sister, reaching the Golden Core Realm in just fifteen years.”

Xiao Yun wasn’t sure how impressive the Golden Core Realm was within the Spirit Sword Sect, but he knew it was best to keep praising her.

“What about our Master and the sect master, and the Chief Elders of Each Peak? What are their cultivation levels?”

“The Chief Elders are likely at the Nascent Soul Realm. It’s rumored that the sect master has touched the Spirit Transformation Realm, but no one knows for sure; it’s all speculation.”

Xiao Yun nodded slowly, marveling internally, “Senior Sister seems so gentle, yet her cultivation level is so high! She’s only one major realm below the Chief Elders! Truly a master!”

“Is my Mixed Spiritual Roots really only capable of reaching the third or fourth layer of Qi Refining? It’s so frustrating!”

“Senior Sister, I think I understand now. Can you teach me the Azure Sea Tide Technique?”

“Alright, I’ll teach you now.”

Footnote:

1. Foundation Establishment(筑基):A stage in spiritual cultivation where practitioners strengthen their foundation, preparing for higher levels of cultivation.
2. Nascent Soul(元婴): A stage in cultivation where the practitioner develops a spiritual entity or soul that embodies their true essence, allowing for advanced spiritual practices.
3. Spirit Transformation(化神): The process of refining one’s spirit and consciousness to achieve higher levels of awareness and enlightenment.

Dantian(丹田): In traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts, it refers to specific energy centers in the body, particularly the lower dantian (located in the lower abdomen), which is considered the main storage area for Qi (vital energy). It plays a crucial role in practices like Qi Gong and Tai Chi, where cultivating and balancing Qi is essential.