Was Hongling's aptitude truly poor?
The answer, of course, was no.
Putting aside everything else, being able to cultivate to the Dongxuan Realm in a mere few thousand years was impressive, no matter what fortuitous encounters she had had.
As for Lin Xuan himself, he had never been someone who could be measured by common sense, so naturally, his cultivation speed could not be used as a comparison.
In short, Hongling had decent aptitude, and her heart toward the Dao was also very firm.
But that could not serve as Lin Xuan's reason for taking her as a disciple.
After all, the two of them were old acquaintances.
Although the cultivation world spoke with strength, and those who had achieved more could be teachers, Lin Xuan still felt quite uncomfortable taking Hongling as his disciple.
However, he could also understand Hongling's feelings.
If the two of them changed places, and he himself had not been doing well in the cultivation world while an old acquaintance from the past had become a mighty ancestor of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, he would probably also want to seize the opportunity before his eyes and take her as his master.
The immortal path was hard and obscure. With such a master, one could avoid many winding paths, not to mention the other benefits.
Lin Xuan was, after all, a clever and adaptable person. After his surprise passed, he thought for only a moment before guessing the other party's thoughts clearly.
"Fairy's kind intentions are understood by this Lin, but taking me as your master is improper. Fairy need not mention this matter again in the future," Lin Xuan said firmly.
"Oh, Hongling understands."
Seeing Lin Xuan's expression that brooked no doubt, Hongling was dejected to the extreme, but she could not very well persist.