White-Browed Alchemist's Favor

The Drunken Snow Blade brought about a tremendous change in Chu Yun, granting him a robust physique that made him stand out like a crane in a flock of chickens among these youths. As he walked along, the boys and girls cast curious, solemn, and suspicious gazes his way, though more often than not, they were filled with competitiveness and a desire to challenge him.

These people were all the most outstanding Spirit Beast Master seeds from their respective islands. They could be called young geniuses, standing head and shoulders above their peers, and each possessed a core of arrogance.

They're all just a bunch of stuck-up little brats... Though, if it were the me of my past life, would I have acted the same way? Heh.

Thinking of this, Chu Yun smiled faintly. He did not stop his feet, and after turning past a few steps, the view before him suddenly brightened—he had reached the deck.

Standing on the deck, he looked out into the distance; the sky was high, the sea was vast, and white clouds drifted by as sea birds glided lightly through the blue world.

It was a magnificent scene of ocean splendor.

Chu Yun couldn't help but exhale a breath of stale air, then took a deep breath. The sea breeze rushed toward him, and the air, heavy with the scent of the ocean, made his heart and chest feel remarkably open. The stuffiness from his days of cultivation in his room dissipated entirely.

"It seems that your hard work in cultivation these past few days, never stopping from dawn till dusk, has yielded some results." A steady voice came from his side.

Chu Yun looked back to see the White-Browed Alchemist, dressed in green robes with black hair and white brows, looking him over from the side.

At this moment, he was sitting on the edge of the ship's rail, holding a long, greenish-blue fishing rod, and was in the middle of fishing.

After spending several days together on the ship, Chu Yun had gained a general understanding of this teacher from the Heavenly Song Academy.

The White-Browed Alchemist was steady in temperament, calm and rigorous, and possessed a deep, calculating mind. He was a pillar of the Heavenly Song Academy, a man who would not change his expression even if Mount Tai were to collapse before him.

Such a person did not wear his emotions on his sleeve, and his thoughts were unfathomable. However, Chu Yun's experience in dealing with people was seasoned, far beyond that of a thirteen-year-old peer. After a few interactions, he could feel that the White-Browed Alchemist held a certain degree of favor toward him.

"Student Chu Yun greets the Alchemist." Offering a respectful bow from a distance, Chu Yun knew the other party would not greet him without reason; there must be something to say. Thus, he walked toward the White-Browed Alchemist.

The latter, however, turned his head and fixed his gaze back on the sea.

The Treasure Ship was sailing, and waves churned on both sides of the hull. Snow-white foam swallowed the fishing line, making it impossible to see what was happening beneath the water.

The White-Browed Alchemist seemed completely focused, as if he had forgotten about Chu Yun standing beside him. He stared intently at the fishing line, as if he had entered a state of self-forgetfulness.

Chu Yun walked to the side of the White-Browed Alchemist, and his gaze fell upon the fishing line as well.

For a time, both were silent.

After a full quarter of an hour, the White-Browed Alchemist spoke abruptly: "The Drunken Snow Blade is good, but its potential is limited. The Heavenly Fox should be the object you focus on cultivating. Do you understand this, Chu Yun?"

Truly, a remark that shocked the listener!

The moment he heard these words, Chu Yun felt as if a bolt of lightning had suddenly exploded in his mind.

The identity of the Heavenly Fox had actually been discovered by the White-Browed Alchemist?!

What do I do? Is he bluffing to test me, or is he already certain? Should I continue to hide it, or confess everything?

For a moment, Chu Yun's heart was in turmoil, and he felt a sense of panic.

The Heavenly Fox was a supreme-grade Demon Beast. If the existence of such a creature were known, the entire All-Star Archipelago would be thrown into an uproar. The crime of harboring a treasure would mean even Shu Family Island could not protect the Heavenly Fox.

Originally, Chu Yun had intended to keep this secret hidden for as long as possible. When one possesses a great treasure, one should keep a low profile. But he had never expected that the identity of the Heavenly Fox would be exposed so quickly!

Suddenly hearing what the White-Browed Alchemist said to him, Chu Yun's heart skipped a beat, his breathing grew heavy, and his thoughts raced in chaotic disarray.

"Yes, this student has exactly that intention." Taking a deep breath, Chu Yun made a decision in his heart. Following his intuition, he did not continue to cover it up, but instead admitted it frankly.

"Hehehe." The White-Browed Alchemist couldn't help but chuckle softly. As he turned his face, the look he gave Chu Yun held an undisguised sense of admiration.

This young man was truly interesting.

As the second-in-command of the Heavenly Song Academy, he had seen all the most outstanding young talents of the All-Star Archipelago. Over the countless years, his standards had grown higher and higher, and ordinary geniuses could no longer catch his eye.

Yet, even he had to admit that the Chu Yun before him brought him a different feeling. It made him feel that he was excellent—extraordinarily excellent.

First, there was his aptitude.

At thirteen years of age, he could already control a Great Demon. This showed that his own spiritual light was abundant and his aptitude was excellent, a rarity among his peers.

Second, there was his temperament.

He was brave—fearlessly brave. Even when facing an opponent like the Remnant Wolf with no chance of victory, he was still willing to strike.

Bravery alone was one thing. Newborn calves are not afraid of tigers; at this age, boys are often ignorant and fearless, and a brave personality is quite common.

But Chu Yun was not only brave, he was also steady and hardworking. There were many youths on the Treasure Ship, and most were noisy and boisterous when they first arrived. Once the novelty wore off, they would often stare blankly out of boredom or sleep their days away.

Only Chu Yun remained calm in body and mind, not allowing the changes in the external environment to affect his state of mind. During these days, he had barely stepped out of his room, absorbing the spiritual energy of the Drunken Snow Blade and engaging in arduous cultivation.

Such a character truly made the White-Browed Alchemist's eyes light up. If he hadn't known Chu Yun's background, he would have almost thought he was an ageless master, pretending to be young and innocent to play among the mortals.

Just now, the White-Browed Alchemist couldn't help but test him. He had deliberately ignored Chu Yun, focusing on his fishing. He hadn't expected that Chu Yun would remain unhurried and impatient, waiting quietly by his side. Such a temperament made the White-Browed Alchemist marvel.

Third, there was his potential.

The supreme-grade Demon Beast, the Heavenly Fox, represented immense potential. Once it grew up, combined with Chu Yun's temperament, his future achievements would absolutely not be low.

There was no mistake; the White-Browed Alchemist had indeed seen through the true nature of the Heavenly Fox. From their first meeting, he had been suspicious. The excuse of a "mutated Fire Fox" might deceive some, but it could not fool the knowledgeable White-Browed Alchemist.

Especially after observing him secretly a few more times, he became even more certain of this guess.

While shocked, the White-Browed Alchemist had initially thought that Chu Yun himself did not know the true identity of the Heavenly Fox. But after further contact and understanding Chu Yun's temperament, he realized that Chu Yun must have known the truth and was merely using that excuse to cover it up in order to protect himself.

If an ordinary youth had encountered such a stroke of luck, they would likely have made a scene and shouted it from the rooftops. By comparison, Chu Yun appeared even more steady, possessing both courage and strategy.

Finally, there was his moral character.

To save his foster father, he had disregarded his own safety. Facing an enemy dozens of times stronger than himself, in a battle with no chance of winning, he had been willing to give up a bright future to face death with composure.

At that time, even his own son and his wedded wife had already given up on him...

This is what filial piety and righteousness mean!

Virtue has nothing to do with talent; there are plenty of people who are talented but lack virtue, or virtuous but lack talent. However, virtue is what draws people's favor.

A person so loyal and filial, even if devoid of talent, will still invite goodwill.

Even if such a person commits a mistake, once the public learns the offender is a man of great filial piety, their collective rage will subside. Of all virtues, filial piety comes first; a person who honors their parents cannot be truly wicked.

This is the nature of the human heart.

A youth who possesses all four—aptitude, character, potential, and virtue—is destined for a bright and boundless future, provided he does not die an untimely death.

This is a matter as certain as nails driven into a board.