After Becoming The Master In A Master-Disciple Novel - Chapter 3

The fourteen-year-old girl had not yet fully grown, and she was half a head shorter than her two senior sisters. Now her eyes shifted, her clean, fair little face filled with confusion and bewilderment.

“Eldest Senior Sister.” She turned to Suwei and acted spoiled in a soft voice, her face full of innocence and childish charm.

Suwei lowered her eyes and glanced at her. The chilling sword intent around her withdrew somewhat, but she still stood in front of Yuyan, strictly carrying out Wei Hanzhen’s command.

Wei Hanzhen’s emotions did not show on her face. She merely looked at Yuyan indifferently, brows slightly furrowed.

Yes. Yuyan did not understand rules.

Unlike her two senior sisters, she had been raised by Wei Hanzhen’s side since childhood. She did not need to accept missions and go outside to temper herself, nor would her cultivation and conduct be tested. All she had to do was act spoiled and throw little tantrums in Wei Hanzhen’s arms, and Wei Hanzhen would set aside her dignity and solve every big and small problem for her.

The cave residence fell into silence.

Wei Hanzhen pressed her fingers against her brow. After the memories merged, the story of this world pressed against her own past, gradually blending her together with the “Wei Hanzhen” from the book. Perhaps she could reject it and force it out, but Wei Hanzhen did not do so.

Complicated emotions intertwined within her.

Since she had been given a chance to live again, then she was Wei Hanzhen.

Seeing that Suwei still stood there without moving, Yuyan shifted her gaze to Qingsheng, who had a faint, ambiguous smile hanging on her face.

“Second Senior Sister! Look!” She stared pitifully at Qingsheng, speaking in her usual spoiled tone.

Qingsheng’s gaze darkened slightly, but the smile on her face deepened. There were very few times when she was not smiling. She shook her head at Yuyan.

From the look of things, the truth had been exposed!

A sympathetic gaze swept over her little junior sister. Qingsheng knew what sort of words ought to be said on what sort of occasion. In her impression, Master had always been gentle and kind, but when it came to the time they had actually spent together over these decades of cultivation, it had been extremely brief. How could she know what Master’s true nature was?

Better to rely on oneself than on others.

She gave Yuyan a look that said, “I can’t help you.”

Yuyan’s face was charming and adorable, but all kinds of thoughts circled in her heart.

Wei Hanzhen’s sudden coldness was easy to sense. On top of that, Eldest Senior Sister had gone to Danding Courtyard to get medicine. Clearly, many things she did not want to see had happened in between.

A dark glint flashed through her eyes. But when she raised them again, they were still filled with that sunny innocence and ignorance of the world.

She looked helplessly at Wei Hanzhen and said softly, “Master, did Yan’er do something wrong?”

Her voice trembled with grievance, as if she might start crying in the very next moment.

Wei Hanzhen’s heart felt sour and swollen. Aside from that, there was also an indescribable anger. These were emotions brought about by the newly filled memories.

She looked coldly at Yuyan and had no intention of bringing up that humiliating matter. In a low voice, she said, “You have done nothing wrong. It is only that I feel you cannot continue being so unrestrained.”

Yuyan stared at Wei Hanzhen in confusion.

Suwei’s face was cold as ice, her eyes quiet and empty, as though nothing at all existed in her heart. Yet even now, she also glanced at Wei Hanzhen, and surprise flashed briefly across her face.

They were all direct disciples of Pengxuan Peak, but only Little Junior Sister was especially different. She alone could stand above Changguan Sect’s rules. All of that had been something Master had set aside her dignity to request from the sect leader. From this, one could see how much she doted on Little Junior Sister.

But that was understandable as well. Little Junior Sister was so innocent and adorable, and they had watched her grow up together. If they let her go out to gain experience, it would be hard not to feel reluctant and worried.

Wei Hanzhen ignored them and continued, “The rule of our Changguan Sect is that disciples of the three peaks are chosen from among the Foundation Establishment disciples of Yinghua Courtyard. Back then, even though your eldest senior sister was personally brought back by me, she still entered Yinghua Courtyard and only counted as a member of my Pengxuan lineage after successfully reaching Foundation Establishment. As for your second senior sister, she came to Changguan Sect on her own to seek immortality and only became a direct disciple after reaching Foundation Establishment, so there is no need to speak further of that. But you—”

Wei Hanzhen deliberately paused.

“Ever since you returned to the sect with me, you have remained on Pengxuan Peak. You do not accept Yinghua Courtyard’s missions, nor do you participate in its assessments. You know nothing of the outside world’s cruelty. Continuing like this is not a solution. From today onward, you will also go to Yinghua Courtyard to temper yourself. After you reach Foundation Establishment, you may return to Pengxuan Peak.”

“Master!” Yuyan’s expression changed drastically, and anxiety clouded her eyes.

Once she went to Yinghua Courtyard, she could forget about staying by Master’s side for long. Even if she reached Foundation Establishment and returned to Pengxuan Peak, she would still have to accept Yinghua Courtyard’s missions, just like Eldest Senior Sister and Second Senior Sister, earning merit in exchange for cultivation resources and Daoist texts.

For more than ten years, she had clung to Master’s side. She understood the situation of her two senior sisters very well.

Although they were direct disciples of Pengxuan Peak, when it came to competing for resources, who cared who your master was? Besides, Master’s attitude on this front had always been not to interfere, allowing her disciples to experience countless dangers and hardships.

She had heard that Shangji Peak and Taixuan Peak had originally had several direct disciples as well. However, they had unfortunately perished along the path of cultivation, leaving not even a name behind.

“Master, Little Junior Sister is still young. She…” Qingsheng considered for a moment before speaking.

But beneath Wei Hanzhen’s indifferent gaze, she silently swallowed her words back down.

Wei Hanzhen’s tone could be called cold and ruthless. “On the path of cultivation, I do not look at age. I look only at ability.”

Qingsheng fell completely silent.

Judging from Master’s attitude, she was determined to send Little Junior Sister to Yinghua Courtyard.

It seemed that this time, Little Junior Sister had truly gone too far.

“Master, I don’t want to!” Yuyan said angrily, cheeks puffed up.

Wei Hanzhen swept her gaze over her. With a lift of her hand, two emerald-green rulers appeared in her palm.

This was a pair of paired rulers, one named “Rules” and the other named “Measure,” taken from the saying, “Without rules, nothing can take shape.” They were profound artifacts used to discipline disciples.

One had to know that in the Nine Provinces, magical tools were divided into four grades: treasure artifacts, spiritual artifacts, profound artifacts, and true artifacts. Among them, true artifacts were magical treasures that had given birth to true spirits and were extremely rare. Even profound artifacts were enough that a person possessing two or three could be considered wealthy.

Now Wei Hanzhen had even taken out profound artifacts. This clearly left no room for Yuyan to argue.

None of them doubted that if Yuyan refused, those rulers would definitely land on her body.

“Little Junior Sister, Master is truly angry this time. Just endure the grievance for now. Wait until Master’s anger passes before saying anything else,” Qingsheng hurriedly transmitted, afraid that her little junior sister would stubbornly resist.

Yuyan bit her lower lip, her eyes glistening with tears. She also knew that Wei Hanzhen was deeply angry.

“Yes. This disciple will go to Yinghua Courtyard now,” she said in a fit of pique. She stomped her foot, turned, and ran out.

Wei Hanzhen gave a cold snort, then sent a knife-like look toward Suwei.

Her spiritual power had also recovered. As ripples of water spread, the two disciples looked back toward the stone bed, only to find that she was already gone.

Qingsheng narrowed her eyes, smiling like a sly little fox. She stroked the ring on her finger and sighed. “Master really is furious this time. Little Junior Sister too—if she didn’t have complete confidence, she shouldn’t have done that sort of thing.”

Suwei swept a glance over Qingsheng and did not respond.

Qingsheng knew Suwei had always had this cold-as-ice personality, so she did not mind and continued, “Now that Little Junior Sister has gone to Yinghua Courtyard, things are fair.”

She suddenly leaned closer to Suwei and asked with a smile, “What good thing did Master give you to make you fetch medicine for her?”

Suwei did not like others drawing near, even if they were her own junior sisters.

A gust of wind rose inside the cave residence and sent Qingsheng a little farther away. Only then did Suwei say lightly, “Biyang Treasure Gourd Seeds.”

Qingsheng clicked her tongue. “Master really is generous. It seems the rumors in the sect aren’t false. Even the sect leader can’t compare to Master. But still—”

Her words suddenly turned, faintly carrying a trace of complaint.

“We’re all true disciples of the three peaks. Look at the senior brothers and sisters of Shangji Peak and Taixuan Peak. The magical treasures they carry were all bestowed by their masters. What has our master given us? Everything has to be earned through our own merits. Even our cultivation methods weren’t personally taught by her.

“Right, Eldest Senior Sister, Master cultivates both metal and water techniques, and you cultivate the water-attribute Northern Underworld Profound Water, the same as Master. Yet she still refuses to teach you personally. Tell me, isn’t that infuriating?”

Suwei furrowed her brows and said coldly, “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Her cultivation method had indeed not been personally passed down by Master. But the path of cultivation relied on oneself. Who exactly had taught it was not important. When she had doubts in cultivation, if she went to ask, Master would still explain them for her. It was only that Suwei herself disliked doing so.

Qingsheng narrowed her eyes and smiled. “The three of us senior and junior sisters rarely gather together. I was just making some idle conversation.”

When Suwei heard this, she looked at Qingsheng impatiently and said coldly, “Go talk to Little Junior Sister. Don’t disturb my training.”

Without waiting for Qingsheng to respond, the restrictions inside the cave residence began to operate and sent her out.

Qingsheng: “……”

Fortunately, she reacted quickly. When she landed, her posture was graceful enough that she did not fall to the ground.

Her gaze swept over the strange flowers and rare grasses in front of Suwei’s cave residence, and she let out a long sigh.

Eldest Senior Sister was really something. Heartless and emotionless, with not even a hint of fellow-disciple affection.

She clapped her hands and summoned an elegant immortal crane. Flipping onto its back, she rode it toward her own residence.

Changguan Sect occupied an enormous area, and among it, the places where the three peaks stood had the most abundant spiritual energy.

The mountains were steep and sharp as swords, thrusting straight into the clouds. That sword intent circled them with a chilling force that had not dispersed for a thousand years. Looking downward, palaces, temples, and halls stood scattered in brilliant splendor, the result of several millennia.

Qingsheng withdrew her gaze, and two shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks.

After leaving Suwei’s cave residence, Wei Hanzhen did not return to her own. Instead, she turned and headed toward Tianji Hall, where the sect leader resided.

Changguan Sect had been passed down for nearly ten thousand years, and now it was under the rule of its fifth-generation sect leader, Chen Zhuya.

Chen Zhuya was Wei Hanzhen’s eldest senior brother. He was currently at the second level of Origin Transformation. As the leader of a sect, his cultivation was somewhat unimpressive.

But who could blame the fourth-generation sect leader for having no interest in taking disciples? He had only accepted a few disciples later on. Yet not long after taking them in, he hurriedly ascended. Before leaving, he hastily appointed Chen Zhuya as the next sect leader, and the people of Changguan Sect had done their utmost to assist him.

But the other sects of the Nine Provinces had watched them like tigers eyeing prey, hoping to tear a large chunk of flesh from Changguan Sect. Fortunately, several elders had bitterly held the line, preventing them from succeeding.

Now, Changguan Sect was still the number one sect in the Nine Provinces, but its momentum was far inferior to what it had been in the past.

Because of this, Sect Leader Chen Zhuya was extremely busy.

“Junior Sister, how do you have time to come to my Tianji Hall? How are your injuries?” When he saw Wei Hanzhen, a faint smile appeared on Chen Zhuya’s face.

“Sect Leader Senior Brother.” Wei Hanzhen bowed to Chen Zhuya and said solemnly, “I intend to go out and search for medicine.”

Chen Zhuya’s expression sharpened. He fixed his gaze on Wei Hanzhen and said seriously, “The pills from Danding Courtyard are ineffective?”

Wei Hanzhen nodded, placing this blame squarely on Danding Courtyard’s head.

Then she added, “It is not only that. I also want to travel around and see whether I can take in another obedient disciple.”

“Why not choose one from Yinghua Courtyard?” Chen Zhuya asked in confusion.

Wei Hanzhen said calmly, “No fate.”

After thinking for a moment, she added, “Qingsheng is close to forming her core. Aside from myself, I also have to think of her. When forming a core, if the external medicines are not prepared, it may damage her Dao foundation.”

When cultivators formed their cores, they had to endure the Bifeng wind and pass through Yin fire.

The so-called Bifeng wind did not refer to ordinary wind, but a kind of “Yin wind.” It blew in through the fontanelle, entered the internal organs, passed through the dantian, and pierced the nine orifices. Without external medicine to protect the organs and meridians, one’s internal organs would certainly rot away.

Yin fire, meanwhile, rose directly from the Yongquan acupoint to the Niwan Palace. If one could not withstand it, all five organs would turn to ash.

According to Changguan Sect’s rules, the external medicines needed for core formation were to be found by oneself. But if Wei Hanzhen, as their master, wanted to do it on their behalf, no one would say anything.

This rebellious disciple could serve as her excuse this once.

Chen Zhuya pondered for a moment, then said, “Since that is the case, you may go. Just be careful on the road.”

Wei Hanzhen nodded. “I understand.”

Chen Zhuya then said, “Right. Your eldest disciple is now at the second level of Golden Core. Why not bring her with you?”

Author’s Note:

The Bifeng wind and Yin fire are based on Journey to the West.