Prestige

Zhang Yang arrived at the summit of Azure Cloud Peak. Without bothering to check whether Azure Cloud Master was there, he barged straight into Azure Cloud Master's room.

Azure Cloud Master sat quietly on his meditation cushion, watching Zhang Yang without a word.

Years ago, Zhang Yang had come here often. But after Zhang Yang entered the Core Formation Realm, he rarely came anymore.

That was because every time the brat came, he rummaged through everything. Yet the room was utterly bare—not a single valuable item could be found. It was the kind of place where even a rat would leave in tears... So Zhang Yang later stopped coming. Whenever he needed something, he simply shouted from afar.

Yet now he had come in person. Was he planning to make a big move?

Thus, although Azure Cloud Master sat there quietly, he felt a little nervous inside.

"Master, you're here!"

Zhang Yang chuckled and plopped down in front of Azure Cloud Master. He habitually looked around, then sighed inwardly. Still nothing here!

"Master, you took so many Spirit Stones, yet you never bothered to decorate properly. This room really looks terribly shabby!" Zhang Yang lamented.

Azure Cloud Master remained silent, not even moving an eyelid.

He muttered inwardly. Was this brat testing something?

Whether Azure Cloud Master answered or not, Zhang Yang continued on his own. "Master, in a few days, I'll find some things to decorate your room."

"No need. I'm used to it!" Azure Cloud Master finally spoke. "As cultivators, pursuing the Great Dao is our ultimate goal. Everything else is merely worldly possessions. You should take heed as well—do not let other matters delay your cultivation."

Anything he decorated would be pointless. Before long, Zhang Yang would surely swipe it away. What was the point of decorating?

Zhang Yang smiled. "Master's lesson is correct."

But the more polite he was, the more uneasy Azure Cloud Master became.

"Did something happen?" Azure Cloud Master asked proactively.

"No." Zhang Yang shook his head. "Everything is fine now. I haven't encountered any problems in cultivation either. Since I had nothing to do, I came to chat with Master. And while I'm at it, I wanted to ask whether Master will be busy tomorrow. If not, someone wishes to meet you."

Azure Cloud Master snorted inwardly. He knew this brat never rose early without profit.

Could it be about taking in another disciple?

But previously, Zhang Yang had always acted first and reported afterward. This time, he had actually come to ask for permission. That was quite an improvement.

"Go on, who are you taking as a disciple this time?" Azure Cloud Master asked.

In less than a month, he had taken in two disciples. He had not taken in this many over the previous hundred years...

"It's not about taking in a disciple." Zhang Yang shook his head. "Senior Qin has been at the Nascent Soul Realm for many years and has been unable to break through. He wants to seek your guidance. Master, you must not refuse. He will be helping our Azure Cloud Sect make money in the future, so we have to give him some benefits."

Azure Cloud Master abruptly relaxed. "That's all? Tell him to come. I'm always here."

Wasn't it just guiding someone in the Nascent Soul Realm? What kind of matter was that?

Zhang Yang shook his head. "Master, I knew it would be like this... You are the sect master of our Azure Cloud Sect. Given Azure Cloud Sect's historical standing, your status ought to be incomparably exalted. Besides, you are... Say, Master, you're in the Dao Integration Realm, right?"

"Just take it that I'm in the Dao Integration Realm," Azure Cloud Master answered casually.

"Right, you're also a great figure of the Dao Integration Realm, one of the few top experts in the world." Zhang Yang looked solemnly at Azure Cloud Master. "As a great figure, how can you lack prestige?"

"What?" Azure Cloud Master stared at Zhang Yang in astonishment. "What is prestige?"

Zhang Yang froze instead. How was he supposed to explain that?

"It means the bearing, status, manner, and style of a great figure... all that sort of thing. Prestigiousness, for short!" Zhang Yang said with utmost seriousness. "Master, you are such an eminent expert, yet you act like some old man by the roadside. Whenever someone seeks the Dao, you simply give it to them? Master, you know what a brothel is, right? Even the women in there charge money..."

Azure Cloud Master demanded in a deep voice, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Comparing him to a brothel woman was something he could not endure.

Had this not been his personally accepted disciple, he would already have been reduced to ash.

Zhang Yang was not afraid either. Lowering his voice, he said, "When I go back later, I'll tell Qin Yushu that, after my persuasion, you agreed to guide him. But when he comes tomorrow, you must make him stand outside the door for at least one shichen before calling him in. You have to make him understand that your guidance is not obtained so easily. He must feel grateful toward our Azure Cloud Sect."

If Qin Yushu had been someone familiar to the Azure Cloud Sect, Zhang Yang would not have pulled such a trick.

The problem was that Qin Yushu belonged to the Situ Family and had been ordered to protect Situ Mingyue. But no one could say clearly when Qin Yushu might return to the Situ Family.

After all, now that Situ Mingyue had entered the Azure Cloud Sect, her safety was assured.

Furthermore, Qin Yushu would need to take control of the Azure Moon Merchant Association for some time to come and familiarize himself with the Azure Moon Merchant Association's secrets. If Qin Yushu returned to the Situ Family and brought those secrets back with him, it would pose no small threat to the Azure Moon Merchant Association.

Even though Situ Mingyue belonged to the Situ Family, as long as it was a merchant association, competition would inevitably exist.

That was why Zhang Yang had no choice but to keep a guard up.

Azure Cloud Master's guidance was a favor bestowed upon Qin Yushu, so that when Qin Yushu made decisions in the future, he would consider them more carefully.

That was also why Zhang Yang had come to see Azure Cloud Master so solemnly, despite clearly being able to call out to him.

Azure Cloud Master said irritably, "Wasn't it you who wanted me to guide him? Other Nascent Soul Realm cultivators do not even have the qualifications to see me."

He was telling the truth!

Zhang Yang's eyes lit up as he exclaimed, "Yes, yes, yes, Master, that's prestige! Keep up exactly this kind of demeanor. Let people know that your Great Dao stands lofty and distant, that you do not lightly descend into the mortal world. Oh, right, you should decorate this room too. Don't let it look so plain, or it'll make our Azure Cloud Sect seem like we're so poor we can't even lift the lid off the pot."

"I know, I know!" Azure Cloud Master waved his hand impatiently. "Go cultivate your Golden Core. Do I need you to teach me these things?"

Zhang Yang turned and left. Before going, he reminded him once more, "Master, prestige!"

Azure Cloud Master shook his head again and again. Taking in such a disciple—his Azure Cloud Sect truly had committed some sin!

Yet when he thought of how, since Zhang Yang had come up the mountain, the Azure Cloud Sect had broken free from its former deathly stillness, he could not help smiling.

"My Azure Cloud Sect can be considered to have undergone the utmost sublimation. After declining for so many years, it is time for us to raise our heads. Once that brat grows up, the Future of the Azure Cloud Sect will surely be splendid."

He thought of receiving Qin Yushu tomorrow.

"Prestige..."

Azure Cloud Master smiled faintly. Within the shabby meditation chamber, the Laws of Heaven and Earth suddenly surged wildly, and the Power of the Great Dao erupted.

Though it was clearly only a small room, it seemed to transform into a small world.

Zhang Yang returned to his villa and found Qin Yushu. With a solemn expression, he said, "Senior Qin, after much pleading on my part, Master has agreed to see you. Tomorrow morning at the hour of the dragon, I'll take you to meet Master."

"Many thanks!" Qin Yushu hurriedly expressed his gratitude.

Situ Mingyue also hurriedly said, "Thank you, Eldest Senior Brother."

Zhang Yang shook his head and sighed. "To tell the truth, I don't know what Master has been busy with lately. He was actually somewhat unwilling to meet you. But I argued my case with reason and told him that Senior Qin is helping us manage the merchant association and is extremely important to us. Only then did Master reluctantly agree.

Fortunately, I have finally not failed Senior Qin's trust."

"Thank you!" Qin Yushu thanked him again with gratitude.

He did not doubt Zhang Yang's words at all. After all, an eminent expert of the Dao Integration Realm naturally possessed the bearing of an eminent expert.

He even felt a sense of good fortune in his heart. Tomorrow, he would be able to receive guidance from a great figure of the Dao Integration Realm.