Chapter 52: The Sect Master’s Gift of Thanks
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Master Qing Yan cast a casual glance at the storage pouch.
The space around them seemed to compress, producing an ear-piercing screech. In the next moment, the storage pouch exploded violently. Everything within it was reduced to ashes, leaving no trace behind—not even fragments.
Yu Zhao stood up, unperturbed.
“Since I am no longer a disciple of Lone Moon Peak, it would be inappropriate for me to linger and disturb Master Qing Yan. I shall take my leave now.”
Sect Master Ji Yuan, still pondering Yu Zhao’s true intentions, snapped out of his thoughts at her words. He let out an awkward laugh and said, “In that case, I will take her away now. Apologies for the disturbance, Master Qing Yan. Farewell.”
The two left the grand hall one after the other, their movements remarkably in sync.
Master Qing Yan sat motionless for a long time.
A vein throbbed visibly at his temple.
He had never liked Yu Zhao and had indeed considered expelling her from the sect.
Though Yu Zhao’s departure had aligned with his own desires, there was no joy in his heart. Instead, he felt an inexplicable void, an unsettling emptiness.
Closing his eyes, he couldn’t help but recall scenes involving Yu Zhao.
Their first meeting had been in a remote frontier town.
The small town had just suffered the ravages of war. It was desolate and in ruins, with streets filled with homeless refugees.
Passing through, Master Qing Yan’s divine sense had picked up an inexplicable calling. Following it, he found Yu Zhao among the emaciated refugees.
Yu Zhao was six years old at the time but looked no older than three or four. Her face was gaunt, with hardly any flesh, and her eyes were disproportionately large.
Master Qing Yan was not one for sentimentality.
Yet, from the moment he saw Yu Zhao, a pang of compassion stirred within him.
His original intention had been to take her to a bustling city and find a reliable mortal couple to adopt her. Unexpectedly, he discovered that her innate potential was extraordinary, making her an ideal candidate for cultivation.
He changed his plans immediately, taking Yu Zhao back to the Five Elements Dao Sect and accepting her as his disciple.
Everyone believed it was her talent that earned her a place in the sect. No one knew it was Yu Zhao’s presence that had caught his attention first; her talent was merely a pleasant surprise.
Before this, Master Qing Yan had never accepted a female disciple. Yu Zhao was his only exception.
Master Qing Yan’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
He remembered now.
He had once declared that Yu Zhao would be his final disciple and that he would take no more.
Later, he met Ye Cong Xin.
He broke his promise.
A frown creased Master Qing Yan’s brow as he opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within them.
He was a man of his word.
To go back on his promise was unthinkable!
Moreover, with his cultivation at the Nascent Soul stage, forgetfulness was an impossibility.
A falling leaf, a withered flower—he could trace their origins and restore their vitality. How could he have forgotten his vow to Yu Zhao?
Someone had tampered with his memories!
The very thought sent a chill down Master Qing Yan’s spine.
He was nearly at the pinnacle of the cultivation world. Who could approach him silently and alter his mind without leaving a trace?
For a moment, he wondered if he was overthinking things.
Yet his instincts as a cultivator told him otherwise. How else could he explain breaking his own principles by accepting a disciple with a frail constitution and mediocre talent?
Master Qing Yan’s gaze shifted to the unconscious Ye Cong Xin, lying in the distance. His expression grew increasingly unreadable.
…
“You now hold a special status. Why not come with me and reside at the Main Peak?” Sect Master Ji Yuan spoke softly after a long silence as he and Yu Zhao descended from the summit of Lone Moon Peak.
Yu Zhao hesitated for a moment but ultimately shook her head in refusal.
Although the hierarchy within the Five Elements Dao Sect wasn’t excessively rigid, there were clear distinctions regarding the ranks of disciples and their corresponding privileges.
Personal disciples were allowed to live with their masters, while inner-sect disciples without a direct master lived uniformly in the Inner Courtyard. The accommodations in the Inner Courtyard were quite decent, with each disciple allocated a small, private residence. However, compared to the cave dwellings atop the peaks, it was undeniably less luxurious.
Yu Zhao could indeed take advantage of her situation and stay at the Main Peak. Yet, she wasn’t the type to ignore the gossip it would generate or the potential impact on the sect master’s reputation.
This time, she had successfully severed ties with Lone Moon Peak only by leveraging the sect master’s influence. She wasn’t someone to repay kindness with trouble, so she had no intention of creating additional burdens for him.
Moreover, Yu Zhao already had a plan in mind.
Her epiphany during her time in Dragon Roar Valley had propelled her cultivation to the late stage of Foundation Establishment. She intended to enter seclusion to stabilize her foundation and then set out on a journey for further training.
After acquiring the remaining two materials required for artifact crafting, she planned to visit the Green Wood Sect to borrow a pill-refining chamber for crafting her artifact.
Thus, she wouldn’t remain in the sect for long and wouldn’t need to worry about external influences disrupting her state of mind.
Sect Master Ji Yuan could tell from Yu Zhao’s demeanor that her decision was firm, so he didn’t press the matter further.
“If you’re free, feel free to visit your senior sister on the Main Peak. She’s quite fond of you,” he said.
“Alright, I will,” Yu Zhao replied.
After rummaging through his belongings, Sect Master Ji Yuan pulled out an ancient storage pouch.
“I know what happened in Dragon Roar Valley. You did an excellent job. Thank you for saving Little Yue. This is my gift of thanks as your master. The sect’s official rewards will take some time to be distributed.”
The items Yu Zhao and her team had brought back from the secret realm—including a chest of ore and the Scarlet Flame Lion cub—had already been handed over to the sect. The sect would later evaluate the contributions and distribute rewards accordingly.
Ji Yuan explained this to avoid any misunderstandings on Yu Zhao’s part.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Yu Zhao reached out and accepted the storage pouch with sincerity. “Thank you, Sect Master.”
She had no choice—poverty breeds compromise.
“This is what you deserve. Let’s go. I’ll take you to the Logistics Hall.”
Though Ji Yuan didn’t express it openly, he was deeply grateful to Yu Zhao.
Aside from the dangerous sensation he had felt during the sect council meeting, the accounts from Zhou Jin Yue and Zhang Jun vividly painted the perilous scenario.
Zhou Jin Yue was Ji Yuan’s first disciple, whom he had personally raised. To Ji Yuan, she was like half his life. By saving Zhou Jin Yue, Yu Zhao had effectively saved Ji Yuan himself.
The sect master’s willingness to risk offending Master Qing Yan by visiting Lone Moon Peak wasn’t just for Zhou Jin Yue’s plea—it was also to repay Yu Zhao’s kindness.
Given Yu Zhao’s delicate position in the sect, Ji Yuan understood that if he didn’t personally escort her, she would undoubtedly face challenges and mistreatment.
For Zhou Jin Yue’s sake, Ji Yuan had meticulously considered every aspect of Yu Zhao’s situation.
Yu Zhao recognized the sect master’s thoughtful efforts and accepted his guidance with gratitude.
Thus, a small number of disciples from the Five Elements Dao Sect witnessed the rare sight of the sect master personally accompanying Yu Zhao to the Logistics Hall.
The elder in charge of the Logistics Hall was named Elder Hou, a kindly-looking man with a gentle temperament. His speech was calm and measured.
With a beaming smile, Ji Yuan introduced Yu Zhao to Elder Hou. “Elder Hou, starting today, Yu Zhao is an inner-sect disciple. Please update her status in the records and assign her a new courtyard in the Inner Courtyard.”
The smile on Elder Hou’s face froze instantly.