Chapter Seven: Master Yellow Dragon

“Oh!” At the upper seat, Gu Beishan uttered a surprised exclamation; clearly, Wang Yuncheng’s answer had caught even him off guard. The sect leader and the various peak masters each harbored their own thoughts—some felt disappointment, but curiosity and astonishment prevailed.

“Zixuan is not present. If you wish to become his disciple, you’ll have to invite him yourself,” spoke Master Lingxu from the high seat, his meaning unmistakable: if Wang Yuncheng wanted to apprentice himself to Master Zixuan, he would have to summon him from Cloud Soaring Island, which floated across the sea of clouds opposite.

Wang Yuncheng understood Master Lingxu’s words. He turned and gazed upon the small island adrift in the boundless sea of clouds, then called out loudly, “Master Zixuan, Wang Yuncheng of the Eastern Ridge Wang Clan seeks to become your disciple.”

His voice, wrapped in spiritual power, carried across to Cloud Soaring Island. Yet, after a considerable wait, the island remained utterly still, as if devoid of life.

“He actually wants to apprentice under my master,” Qin Yi murmured to himself with a smile. He didn’t hold much hope for this endeavor; as a disciple of his master in his previous life, he knew all too well his master’s temperament. Zixuan loved solitude—why else would he choose to live alone on Cloud Soaring Island, far from Taiyi Platform? Moreover, taking four disciples had not been his master’s desire, but due to a certain reason: all four of them shared a common fate—they were orphans.

“So he wishes to apprentice under Master Zixuan. It seems the path may not be smooth,” Zhang Chen remarked with a smile, having heard tales of Master Zixuan’s reputation and his ways.

“Yet, isn’t it strange? The one branded as a traitor to humanity, the disciple of Taiyi Mountain, is also a disciple under Master Zixuan. Why would Wang Yuncheng still seek him as a master—does he not fear the weight of public opinion?” Zhang Chen wondered aloud.

Qin Yi bristled at this, retorting, “Zhang Unworthy, why do you keep calling him a traitor? Who’s actually proven he betrayed humanity?”

“Hmm! Qin Unjust, do you have a special connection to that Qin Yi besides sharing the same name?” Zhang Chen laughed, having noticed Qin Yi’s unusual agitation whenever the Taiyi Mountain prodigy of the same name was mentioned.

“Nothing, nothing. I just think, since we’ll soon be disciples of Taiyi Mountain ourselves, it’s not right to speak ill of a senior brother,” Qin Yi replied hastily, repeating himself before managing a rather awkward excuse.

“Oh!” Zhang Chen responded indifferently, knowing this explanation was not the truth, but since Qin Yi did not wish to elaborate, he refrained from pressing further. Trust existed between them; there was no need to pry.

On the high platform, Wang Yuncheng’s face had grown exceedingly grim. His voice, imbued with spiritual power, had long been sent to Cloud Soaring Island, yet there was still no response. It was impossible that Master Zixuan had not heard or was absent.

Firstly, his voice, carried by spiritual force, was sure to reach Cloud Soaring Island—even ordinary folk could not help but hear it, let alone cultivators.

Secondly, Master Lingxu had stated clearly that if one wished to become Zixuan’s disciple, he must personally invite him from Cloud Soaring Island. With Master Lingxu’s status, he would never toy with a junior.

Wang Yuncheng glanced meaningfully at Wang Rui nearby, silently urging him to deliver the invitation to Cloud Soaring Island for Master Zixuan to appear. Wang Rui understood immediately and, like Wang Yuncheng, called out loud towards the island, “The Eastern Ridge Wang Clan requests Master Zixuan’s presence at Taiyi Platform.”

Wang Rui’s tone lacked any deferential plea, instead exuding the pressure of status and authority. Clearly, they believed their position in Lingzhou meant they need not humble themselves before anyone—even when seeking a master.

Yet whether they used force or gentleness, Cloud Soaring Island remained unresponsive. This time, the expressions of those present began to turn strange.

“My master truly gives no face to others,” Qin Yi chuckled inwardly. His master’s temperament was unchanged.

This left Wang Yuncheng’s face thoroughly pale, his anger barely contained as he forced a smile and asked Master Lingxu, “Is this how Taiyi Mountain treats its guests?”

“Master Lingxu, does Taiyi Mountain look down on the Ninth Prince of the Eastern Ridge Wang Clan?” Wang Rui and the four generals of the Wang Clan’s forces spoke out together, turning Wang Yuncheng’s attempt to apprentice under Zixuan into a conflict between two dominant powers in Lingzhou.

“Heh! Not so, not so. My junior has always been this way, and as his elder brother, I can’t persuade him otherwise,” Master Lingxu replied with narrowed eyes, attributing everything to Zixuan’s personality.

“Mmm, mmm...!” All the other peak masters, save for Xue Songmei, nodded in agreement, clearly supporting Lingxu’s statement.

“If even my master is so difficult to invite, what if I fail at my turn?” Qin Yi felt a touch of sympathy for Wang Yuncheng, like a hare witnessing the fox’s plight.

Seeing the sect leader and peak masters behave this way, Wang Yuncheng and Wang Rui were on the verge of outrage—when suddenly, an unexpected voice interrupted.

“Little one of the Wang family, what say you become my disciple? With my cultivation, guiding you at your stage should be more than sufficient.”

From the void, an ancient voice echoed, lingering above Taiyi Platform. As the voice faded, a white-robed elder, whose hair and beard were snowy and face pale as jade, appeared beside Master Lingxu.

“Uncle Master Huanglong,” the sect leader and peak masters all bowed in deep respect.

“Grand Elder,” the disciples of Taiyi Mountain called out, revealing the elder’s esteemed status within the sect.

“Even Grand Elder has appeared,” Qin Yi murmured. He naturally knew this figure: Master Huanglong, the highest ranked in Taiyi Mountain.

It was curious that Grand Elder Huanglong would appear at the mountain’s entry ceremony, given he had not taken a disciple in a hundred years.

“So it’s Master Huanglong,” Wang Rui commented, showing no surprise—he had clearly heard of him.

Master Huanglong ignored him and turned to Wang Yuncheng with a smile, “Young man of the Wang family, am I qualified to be your master?”

“Master, please accept your disciple’s salute,” Wang Yuncheng replied without hesitation, performing the formal rite of apprenticeship.

“Mm!” Master Huanglong nodded, then with a flick of his sleeve, sent a golden speck of light swiftly to Wang Yuncheng’s hand. Many Taiyi Mountain disciples who recognized the golden light looked on with envy, though most had surpassed the stage where such pills were useful.

“That’s a Foundation Pill! Only one is refined each year on Jade Spirit Peak!” someone exclaimed in astonishment.

“Surely so. Grand Elder Huanglong is generous indeed—when I was advancing through the Foundation stages, I never even saw one,” another remarked with envy.

Qin Yi, meanwhile, was unfazed, having taken Foundation Pills himself in the past.

“I know you lack nothing of such worldly items; this is merely a token,” Master Huanglong said kindly from his seat.

“Thank you, Master, for your gift,” Wang Yuncheng replied respectfully, regardless of the elder’s words.

Having accepted Wang Yuncheng as his disciple, Master Huanglong smiled and addressed Gu Beishan, “All right, Beishan, let us proceed with choosing the peaks.”