Little Junior Brother Liu Qingfeng—New Book, Please Collect

Holding back the urge to curse.

Lu Changsheng walked into the main hall.

He had already made up his mind: once he became the Da Luo Sect Leader, he would definitely tear down this Ascension Ladder. Even if he did not demolish it, he would change its rules. Climbing up on foot was simply exhausting.

"Changsheng greets Master!"

"Greetings, Uncle-Master Liuyun!"

"Greetings, Uncle-Master Baiyun!"

Upon entering the hall, Lu Changsheng's etiquette was impeccable.

"Good, good, good!"

"Senior Brother Qingyun, you truly chose an excellent disciple. Compared to that disciple I took in years ago, he is better by heaven knows how much. Ah, what a pity—such a flawless piece of jade was snapped up by you."

Uncle-Master Baiyun simply adored Lu Changsheng. Almost every time he saw him, he said the same thing.

"Watch your words. If your disciple heard that, he would surely be heartbroken again. And what do you mean, 'what a pity'? Would Changsheng lose out by taking me as his master?"

Qingyun Daoist said irritably.

Lu Changsheng, however, remained silent. He had no desire to meddle in the elders' squabbles, nor could he. He did not even want to smooth things over. It would be best if they started fighting—only then would he feel a little better.

"Enough, Senior Brothers. Stop bickering. Let us discuss proper business first."

Uncle-Master Baiyun spoke up. He was genuinely afraid the two would start fighting, so he hurriedly tried to mediate.

At the mention of proper business, the two became somewhat more serious.

"Changsheng, tomorrow is the grand ceremony. Before the entire sect, I will establish you as Eldest Senior Brother. There are therefore some matters you must handle properly. Do not make any mistakes."

Qingyun Daoist spoke solemnly.

"This disciple understands."

Lu Changsheng nodded. The Da Luo Grand Ceremony was no small matter. Everything, inside and out, needed to be handled properly. If anything went wrong and word got out, would they not become the laughingstock of all?

In matters concerning a Sacred Land, nothing was too small. Everything had to be handled with utmost rigor.

"Qingfeng."

Qingyun Daoist called out.

Before long, someone entered from outside the hall. He was around Lu Changsheng's age, with delicate features and no shallow cultivation. Dressed in a Qilin White Robe, he was a Da Luo Core Disciple.

For one so young to be a Core Disciple, he was clearly second generation.

"Changsheng, this is your Junior Brother Qingfeng. His father is the Sword Control Hall Master, and he is somewhat younger. Qingfeng will explain every matter concerning tomorrow's grand ceremony to you. You only need to follow Qingfeng."

Qingyun Daoist said this.

Lu Changsheng nodded.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Changsheng."

Qingfeng glanced at Lu Changsheng, then immediately bent at the waist in salute.

"There is no need to be so formal." Lu Changsheng hurriedly helped Qingfeng up. After all, he was a second-generation disciple; building a good relationship with him could never be wrong.

Qingfeng was simple-minded. The moment he saw Lu Changsheng, he was shaken to the core, as though he had seen an immortal. He had never expected Lu Changsheng to be so easygoing, which left him both astonished and ashamed of his own inferiority.

Thinking of how he had grown a little full of himself after receiving a few compliments because of his father's status, then comparing himself to this Senior Brother, the difference was truly as vast as heaven and earth.

Liu Qingfeng was filled with self-reproach, his mind overflowing with inner drama. Yet Lu Changsheng had no idea what Liu Qingfeng was thinking. He simply found Liu Qingfeng quite pleasing to the eye.

Young, with considerable cultivation and clean, handsome features—like a proper little lad. More importantly, his father was the Sword Control Hall Master. If Lu Changsheng learned sword control in the future, he could perhaps take the back door and save himself all that long-winded hassle.

"Qingfeng, you must learn well from your Eldest Senior Brother. Your father paid such a great price precisely so that you could learn something by Changsheng's side. Remember this: do not indulge that childish temper of yours, understood?"

Qingyun Daoist spoke, instructing this little Junior Brother.

"A childish temper? Did Junior Brother Qingfeng do something before?"

Lu Changsheng was somewhat curious.

At those words, Liu Qingfeng could not help lowering his head, looking a little bashful.

"Some time ago, the Sun Moon Sword Sect Vice Sect Leader sought out his father to discuss a marriage arrangement. Qingfeng met the little girl once, and that was the end of it. When she returned, she told her father that she would rather marry a block of wood than marry him! Hahahahaha!"

Uncle-Master Baiyun burst into laughter, paying no heed to Liu Qingfeng's embarrassment.

Lu Changsheng was somewhat surprised. Liu Qingfeng looked rather good—clean and refined—and his cultivation was not shallow either. He had actually failed at a marriage meeting?

But was it appropriate to be matchmaking at such a young age?

"Uncle-Master Baiyun, it is not nearly as exaggerated as you make it sound. We simply did not get along in temperament, that is all."

Liu Qingfeng could not help defending himself.

But these people clearly did not care about Liu Qingfeng's feelings and merely laughed.

"Enough. You and your Senior Brother may leave. As for the arrangements for the grand ceremony, do not make any mistakes."

Qingyun Daoist said.

So Liu Qingfeng was told to take Lu Changsheng away.

"Master, is there anything else?"

Lu Changsheng asked.

"No."

Qingyun Daoist thought seriously for a moment, then gave an affirmative answer.

This left Lu Changsheng even more depressed. He had climbed all those stairs for something like this?

"If that was all, why didn't you just have Junior Brother Qingfeng come find me directly?"

Lu Changsheng could not help asking.

At those words, Qingyun Daoist froze. After considering it carefully, he looked at Lu Changsheng and said, "You truly have a point there. As expected of my disciple—you're smarter than your master."

Clearly, Qingyun Daoist truly had not thought of it. Hearing Lu Changsheng say this, he could not help praising him.

"Yes, Changsheng is indeed clever."

"If nothing unexpected happens, Changsheng may truly comprehend the Great Dao and ascend to the Immortal Realm in the future."

Uncle-Master Liuyun and Uncle-Master Baiyun could not help praising him as well.

Yet this praise did not make Lu Changsheng feel the slightest bit pleased.

He sighed inwardly.

Then Lu Changsheng left with Liu Qingfeng.

Once outside the main hall, Liu Qingfeng saw that Lu Changsheng seemed slightly unhappy and could not help asking, "Eldest Senior Brother, why are Uncle-Masters praising you so highly, yet you do not seem happy at all?"

Hearing Liu Qingfeng's question, Lu Changsheng fell even more silent. He did not know how to answer.

He could only let out a long sigh.

Seeing that his senior brother would not answer, Liu Qingfeng did not press the matter.

Only after they had descended the Heavenly Stairway

did Lu Changsheng break the silence between them.

"When you met that woman, was she unwilling, or were you unwilling?"

"It was not some matchmaking meeting. We merely met once. Perhaps our personalities did not suit; she does not like me."

"What did you think of her, then?"

"She was fairly decent. I just do not know why she did not think much of me."

"Did you mention that your father is the Sword Control Hall Master?"

"I did not, but she should know. Besides, why bring up one's parents over such a matter?"

"Oh! Then did she ask how many houses your family has?"

"She did not."

Little Junior Brother Qingfeng answered honestly. Lu Changsheng immediately wore an expression that said I understand now, making the junior brother curious.

"Eldest Senior Brother, do you know why she dislikes me?"

Liu Qingfeng could not help asking.

"I understand a little, but not completely."

Lu Changsheng looked rather profound and unfathomable.

"I beg Eldest Senior Brother to clear up my confusion."

The junior brother's curiosity had been thoroughly stirred.

"You are too young. Even if I told you, you would not understand; and even if you understood, you would not comprehend. Better not to say."

Lu Changsheng said casually.

"Oh!" Junior Brother Qingfeng nodded and did not continue asking.

Thus, the two walked one before the other toward Red Peak.

As the sun set in the west, its brilliant radiance spilled over Lu Changsheng, outlining an indescribable immortal air. Dressed in white, he possessed an ineffable charm; every gesture and movement made him seem like a Fallen Immortal.

Especially when he stood silent, his eyes seemed to contain stars and the cosmos within them.

One could not help but think that perhaps this was what immortals looked like.

Only, after a long while, Lu Changsheng's voice shattered the silence again.

"How many fields and houses does your family have?"