Atop the high platform.
Song Jiayu's cool, frost-like brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
She followed the voice — filled with indignation and resentment — to its source.
Her gaze landed on a female disciple in the Jade Bamboo Peak section, who was glaring at her with fierce intensity.
This disciple…
At first, Song Jiayu had little impression of her, only a vague sense of familiarity.
She searched through the long, blurry roster of registered disciples in her mind for a short while before barely managing to recall.
It seemed like a long time ago, for reasons she could no longer remember, she had casually taken this person on as a registered disciple.
Her name was Zhao Yanran.
Song Jiayu was a woman of detached temperament who disliked worldly affairs. She had quite a number of registered disciples under her name, all of them female cultivators.
She rarely involved herself in their day-to-day affairs or offered personal guidance, so she had no particularly deep impression of any of them.
At this moment.
Here at the Sect Assembly, in front of everyone, being so sharply questioned by her own registered disciple — the first thing that rose in Song Jiayu's heart was not anger.
It was the disturbance of her peace, and a faint, creeping impatience.
She had already been somewhat uncomfortable attending this crowded gathering. She had thought the formalities were finally over and she could take her two newly accepted girls back to the quiet of her cave dwelling — to read her beloved storybooks, or to muse over small curiosities in her cultivation.
She hadn't expected a complication to arise at the very last moment. How tiresome.
Though she felt a flicker of displeasure, as an Elder with all eyes upon her, she could hardly ignore it outright.
She suppressed that small impatience, and her cool gaze settled on Zhao Yanran. Her voice was flat and emotionless, betraying nothing:
"What is your grievance?"
Seeing that her master had finally looked her way and spoken, the pent-up grievance, fury, and resentment in Zhao Yanran's heart found an outlet at last.
She drew a deep breath, forcibly swallowed the sweet, metallic taste rising in her throat, and mustered her courage. She raised her hand and pointed at Song Chunxin and Liu Yiyi — the two who had just had their hair buns arranged by Song Jiayu herself and been granted a surname.
Her voice trembled slightly with agitation, yet carried clearly across the entire plaza:
"This disciple refuses to accept this! Personal Disciples are the pillars of the sect and the embodiment of a master's prestige! By sect convention, even if peak cultivation is not required, they should at minimum be promoted from among the best inner disciples! Yet these two…"
Her voice suddenly rose, sharp with accusation:
"They are not even outer disciples! They are nothing more than attendants — people of low standing who depend on others! Such a promotion is unheard of, contrary to reason, and contrary to the rules! How can anyone accept this?! I implore Master to reconsider, to rescind this decision, and to select someone truly worthy — lest we become a laughingstock and damage Master's reputation and the good name of Jade Bamboo Peak!"
Her words rang out with conviction, every sentence anchored in "rules" and "precedent," as she attempted to seize the moral high ground.
Sure enough.
The moment she finished speaking, the plaza — which had only just settled down — erupted into an uproar once more!
"What? They're not even outer disciples?"
"Just attendants? This…"
"Senior Sister Zhao does seem to have a point… Personal Disciples should at least be inner disciples, shouldn't they?"
"Right, there really is no precedent for this…"
"Could it be that Elder Song takes on disciples so… casually?"
Murmurs rippled through the crowd below, and many disciples wore expressions of agreement or bewilderment.
After all, the sect had its own system of advancement.
From laborer to outer disciples, then to inner disciple, and only then might an Elder take notice and accept someone as a Personal Disciple — this was the path that virtually every disciple considered self-evident.
Liu Yiyi and Song Chunxin leaping straight to the top had indeed broken all convention.
On the high platform.
Song Jiayu was caught slightly off guard by Zhao Yanran's righteous and forceful challenge.
She had never wanted to take on disciples in the first place — when had she ever thought about such tedious rules and precedents?
She instinctively tilted her head slightly toward Shen Hongmei at her side, and in a voice only the two of them could hear, asked with a touch of genuine confusion:
"Junior Sister… does the sect actually have such a rule or precedent?"
She had long been removed from worldly affairs and truly knew little about such regulations.
However.
At this moment, Shen Hongmei's expression had completely darkened, as though a layer of frost had settled over her face.
She had presided over this assembly precisely to stabilize the sect against the turbulence that might arise from the Sect Master's conflict with the Elder of Crimson Glow Peak — to ensure a smooth transition.
Everything for the sake of the sect!
And yet…
At the very last moment, Zhao Yanran had jumped out to publicly challenge the decision of a Foundation Establishment Elder.
This was a slap to her face.
It was also a challenge to the authority of the Elders!
Especially when the corner of her eye swept, with the utmost subtlety, toward the direction where Chen Yang stood below — her displeasure at Zhao Yanran's disruption reached its absolute peak.
This woman was truly a nuisance!
And at this very moment.
Standing among the crowd below, Chen Yang's heart was flooded with shock and fury!
He had never imagined that Zhao Yanran would dare, in a setting like this, to openly step forward and challenge — to destroy the heaven-sent opportunity that had come to Liu Yiyi and Xiaochunhua!
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
He watched Liu Yiyi and Xiaochunhua on the high platform, thrown into uncertainty by Zhao Yanran's challenge.
He watched the joy and sense of belonging they had just found be replaced by confusion and unease on their faces.
An irrepressible surge of fury shot straight to the top of his head!
No!
Absolutely not!
This was their opportunity — their chance to leap through the dragon's gate!
He would never let Zhao Yanran destroy it out of personal spite!
Without a moment's hesitation, Chen Yang stepped sharply forward, striding out from among the inner disciples.
He drew a deep breath, suppressed the fury in his heart, and did his best to keep his voice steady and clear. He spoke out loudly, his voice instantly cutting through the murmurs below:
"This disciple, Chen Yang, believes Senior Sister Zhao is mistaken!"
Every gaze in the plaza instantly shifted from Zhao Yanran to this young inner disciple who had suddenly stepped forward.
Chen Yang felt countless eyes upon him — including the scrutinizing gazes of Foundation Establishment Elders — and his heart was not without nerves. But his eyes were resolute, and he continued in a clear, carrying voice:
"A Personal Disciple inherits the master's path and aspirations. What matters is future potential and character! Cultivation realm is certainly important, but it is only one measure of strength — it is by no means the sole criterion for selecting a Personal Disciple! Junior Sister Liu Yiyi and Junior Sister Song Chunxin may have shallow cultivation at present and have not yet reached the outer disciples, but that does not mean they lack the qualifications to become Personal Disciples!"
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before finally settling on Zhao Yanran's face, which was written with venom. His voice rang out with conviction:
"I believe that qualifications should not be limited to cultivation alone! What should matter even more is… character and virtue! The courage shown in moments of peril, the goodness maintained in times of ordinariness! These things are far more precious, and far more worthy of a master's regard and cultivation, than one's current realm!"
His words rang out with force. Though they clearly carried a protective intent, they also articulated a genuine point of view, and more than a few disciples fell into quiet reflection.
Zhao Yanran heard Chen Yang's voice and first froze, then an expression of disbelief crossed her face.
Immediately after, that disbelief transformed into even more intense jealousy and hatred!
She had never imagined that Chen Yang would step out so openly to refute her — all for the sake of these two women!
In her eyes, this was nothing short of naked betrayal!
She trembled with rage, her face cycling between green and white. She bit down hard on her silver teeth and pointed at Chen Yang, her voice turning sharp and venomous with extreme fury:
"Junior Brother Chen! How quick you are to speak for them! I've heard that these two charming ladies were living in your courtyard all along, spending every day and night with you! Now you rush out to defend them with such eagerness — could it be that you… can't bear to leave behind their tender company? With conduct like that, how dare you stand here and lecture us about character and virtue? How utterly laughable!"
Her words were vicious.
She had flung mud directly at the relationship between Chen Yang, Liu Yiyi, and Xiaochunhua, attempting to drag them all into a moral gutter.
Chen Yang's expression instantly turned cold, as though ice water had been poured over his head. He snapped back furiously:
"Senior Sister Zhao! Mind your words! Stop slandering people with baseless accusations and smearing their reputations! My relationship with Junior Sister Liu Yiyi and Junior Sister Song Chunxin is like that of siblings — we support and respect one another, and there is not a shred of impropriety between us! Do not judge others by your own standards!"
His words were righteous and forceful.
However.
The very instant he finished speaking, an unbidden memory of Xiaochunhua's bold antics in their daily life flashed through his mind — and the tips of his ears, beyond his control, flushed with a telltale shade of red!
This detail, to Zhao Yanran — who had shared a bed with him for years — was as clear and glaring as a lantern in the dead of night!
Zhao Yanran knew Chen Yang's habits far too well!
This husband of hers, who had come from the mortal world — before his cultivation reached Foundation Establishment and completely transformed the subtle reactions of his body — still retained many mortal habits.
For instance.
When he felt guilty or was lying, his ears would turn red beyond his control!
Which meant…
All of Chen Yang's high-minded talk — "like siblings," "mutual respect" — was a complete lie!
His ears had turned red!
He was lying!
He must have long since gotten involved with those two shameless women!
Perhaps they had already been rolling around together, utterly without shame!
This discovery was like a poison-tipped dagger, plunging straight into Zhao Yanran's heart, leaving her in such pain she could barely breathe!
Boundless jealousy and humiliation instantly consumed her reason!
"You… you're lying! Chen Yang! You…"
She was so furious her eyes nearly split at the corners. She pointed at Chen Yang, about to unleash even more venomous words to expose his "true face" before everyone.
"Silence!"
Just as the situation reached a knife's edge and was about to spiral completely out of control.
Atop the high platform.
Shen Hongmei, who had been watching with cold eyes all along, could sit still no longer!
She let out a sharp, sudden rebuke.
Her voice was not particularly loud, yet it carried the weight of invisible thunder — laden with the authority and Spirit Pressure of a Foundation Establishment Elder — and swept across the entire plaza in an instant!
Chen Yang felt a crushing pressure descend upon him without warning.
It was as though a great mountain had been pressed against his chest.
Every word he had been about to say lodged in his throat. His face went pale, and instinctively he closed his mouth and stood with his head bowed.
Zhao Yanran bore the brunt of it even more.
That fury-laden rebuke struck her mind like a heavy hammer.
She let out a muffled groan as her qi and blood churned violently within her.
The even more venomous words she had been about to speak were forced back down. Her face turned even more ghastly pale, and her body swayed before she barely managed to steady herself.
She could disregard everything and challenge Song Jiayu — after all, Song Jiayu was her master, and might still show some consideration for their bond.
But she would never dare openly defy Shen Hongmei!
This Elder of Spirit Sword Peak was not only a master of the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, but also the Junior Sister of the Sect Master himself!
Rumor had it that once she successfully formed her golden core, she was all but certain to become the next Sect Master of the Verdant Wood Sect!
Her standing and status were incomparable to those of an ordinary Elder!
Shen Hongmei's face was frosted over, her gaze sharp as lightning. She swept her eyes over Chen Yang and Zhao Yanran, her voice cold enough to cut bone:
"This Sect Assembly is a place of dignity and solemnity — is it somewhere for the two of you to bicker and carry on like common street brawlers?! Have you no sense of propriety!"
The plaza fell utterly silent.
Every disciple present was cowed by the authority Shen Hongmei radiated in that moment.
Not a sound was made.
Shen Hongmei looked at the two who had gone quiet below.
She swept her gaze over the disciples, whose expressions varied widely, and her mind raced.
She knew…
If this matter was not resolved properly, it would fester into future trouble — bad for Song Jiayu's authority, bad for the stability of the sect.
She drew a slow breath, suppressed the anger in her heart, and spoke in a measured tone, her voice restored to calm but carrying an unmistakable air of finality:
"One of you holds that a Personal Disciple should be judged primarily by cultivation realm, following established precedent. The other holds that a Personal Disciple should be chosen above all for character and virtue, even if it means breaking convention. Among cultivators, differing philosophies lead to disputes — that is nothing unusual."
She paused briefly, her gaze passing over Chen Yang and Zhao Yanran before she reached her decision:
"In that case, let us follow the custom of the Cultivation World and settle this dispute with a spell duel! The two of you will face each other here on this plaza! The victor's words shall earn their own believers. The loser shall accept the victor's reasoning and raise no further objections!"
Shen Hongmei's voice reached the ears of every person present with perfect clarity.
A spell duel to settle the dispute!
This was indeed the most direct — and most fitting — resolution by the rules of the Cultivation World!
Chen Yang heard this and first froze for a moment, then a flash of resolve crossed his eyes.
He raised his head, his gaze steady as he looked up at Shen Hongmei on the platform. Without any hesitation, he replied in a firm, low voice:
"This disciple, Chen Yang, accepts Elder Shen's decree!"
To protect the opportunity that had come to Liu Yiyi and Xiaochunhua, he had to take on this fight!
And he had to win!
Zhao Yanran heard the decision and a flash of surprise crossed her pallid face.
Then the gaze she turned on Chen Yang filled with icy coldness and a venomous certainty of victory.
At the same time, her thoughts churned rapidly:
Chen Yang, oh Chen Yang — you barely managed to beat that good-for-nothing Li Yan by sheer luck, and you actually think you're something now?
I have already reached the seventh level of the Qi Refinement Realm, and my Jade Ripple Art cultivation is well advanced. This is the perfect chance to let you see what happens when you cross me, Zhao Yanran!
She was just about to speak and accept the challenge.
However…
"Yanran, there is no need for you to act personally."
A low, rough, yet powerfully self-assured and commanding male voice rang out like a muffled thunderclap from one side of the plaza, cutting off the words that had been about to leave Zhao Yanran's lips.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
From beside the Jade Bamboo Peak disciple section, a tall, powerfully built figure parted the crowd and strode forward with a dragon's stride — steady and forceful — coming to stand beside Zhao Yanran, shoulder to shoulder with her.
The man's features were sharp and resolute, his eyes keen as a hawk's. Waves of powerful spiritual energy radiated from his entire being — he was unmistakably at the ninth level of the Qi Refinement Realm!
Standing there, he was like a steadfast mountain, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure.
He looked calmly up at Shen Hongmei on the platform, gave a slight bow of his hands, and spoke in a resonant voice:
"Elder Shen, why should Yanran trouble herself with such a minor matter? Allow this disciple to take her place and exchange a few pointers with Junior Brother Chen Yang here — to determine right from wrong. What do you say?"
The newcomer was none other than Yang Tianming — whose cultivation had already reached the ninth level of the Qi Refinement Realm, and who was now preparing for Foundation Establishment!
Chen Yang's gaze instantly sharpened.