You and I Seem to Have a Bit of Master-Disciple Fate

Zhao Gongming had recently begun to feel that the way Luxuan looked at him was rather strange.

There was no hostility or dissatisfaction in it.

If he had to describe it, it was probably like an old farmer who had cultivated spiritual roots for many years suddenly discovering a wild sapling by the roadside that was growing exceptionally well.

Every time he saw it,

he would inspect it once.

Yet he never said a word.

The feeling made Zhao Gongming's scalp prickle somewhat.

Another hundred years passed.

At last, he could no longer hold it in.

"Senior."

Luxuan was sitting beneath the Enlightenment Ancient Tree, examining the changes in Penglai's spiritual veins. At the sound, he raised his head.

"What is it?"

Zhao Gongming carefully organized his words.

"Has there been anything improper about this junior's cultivation recently?"

"No."

"Then why does Senior..."

Zhao Gongming paused.

"Keep looking at this junior like that?"

Luxuan fell silent for a moment.

He could hardly say that he merely found it regrettable that Zhao Gongming's growth brought no returns, so he kept looking at him.

Such honesty was clearly unsuitable to voice.

Fortunately, the answer was not difficult to find.

Luxuan set down the Enlightenment Ancient Tree leaf in his hand, his expression gradually turning solemn.

"This Daoist merely suddenly realized."

"You seem to have some karmic affinity with my Penglai as well."

Zhao Gongming was slightly stunned.

Luxuan continued,

"Your foundation in the Great Dao is not bad, and your temperament is passable as well. Since your three younger sisters have already entered this Daoist's sect, if you are willing, you may also remain in Penglai to cultivate."

At last, Zhao Gongming understood.

This was...

Luxuan preparing to accept him as a disciple?

For some reason,

if he had heard those words on the day he first arrived at Penglai, his first reaction would probably have been refusal.

But he had lived here for so many years now.

He had personally witnessed how his three younger sisters had grown.

And merely by listening in on a single lecture, he had found the path to Great Luo that had been blocked for countless years.

When he heard the words "take a master" again, Zhao Gongming actually felt little resistance.

There was even a faint trace of...

temptation.

But a very practical problem swiftly emerged.

Zhao Gongming turned to look at the Three Cloud Sisters in the distance.

Just then,

Bixiao also heard their conversation.

The little girl's eyes instantly lit up.

"Big Brother, are you taking a master too?"

A bad feeling suddenly rose in Zhao Gongming's heart.

Sure enough.

Bixiao immediately followed with her next sentence.

"Then will you have to call me Senior Sister from now on?"

Zhao Gongming: "..."

It had come.

The problem he feared most had still come.

He was the elder brother.

He had taken form earlier than his three younger sisters.

Yet from now on, when they met, he would have to begin with, "Senior Sister Bixiao."

Just thinking about it made Zhao Gongming feel as though his Dao heart had suffered a blow.

Qiongxiao could not help laughing as well.

"Eldest Sister entered the sect first. If Big Brother joins now, then according to the order of the sect, he really would rank behind us."

Although Yunxiao did not join in the teasing, the amusement in her eyes could not be concealed.

Bixiao became even more excited.

"Junior Brother Gongming."

"Call me that once for us to hear?"

The veins on Zhao Gongming's forehead twitched.

"Bixiao!"

"What?"

Bixiao wore an innocent expression.

"I'm only getting used to our sect relationship in advance."

Zhao Gongming felt that she was clearly using public business to avenge a private grudge.

Back then, he had often disciplined this younger sister by relying on his status as her elder brother.

Now, she had finally found a chance to turn the tables.

Watching them make a commotion, Luxuan finally realized that this arrangement of seniority was somewhat troublesome.

He accepted Zhao Gongming to gain another good disciple.

Not to make the siblings agonize every day over who should call whom Senior Sister.

"Enough."

Luxuan spoke.

"Zhao Gongming and the three of you are siblings to begin with."

"In private, you may still address one another as before."

Bixiao was a little disappointed.

"What about within the sect?"

Luxuan thought for a moment.

"You three are direct disciples."

"If Zhao Gongming is willing, he may first become a registered disciple."

"That way, he may enter this Daoist's sect without needing to be ranked according to the order of the direct disciples."

This solution was quite simple.

Zhao Gongming also breathed a sigh of relief after hearing it.

A registered disciple it was.

At the very least, he would not have to call Bixiao Senior Sister whenever he saw her in the future.

Otherwise, this girl would mock him over it for ten epochs.

Luxuan looked at Zhao Gongming again.

"What do you think?"

This time, Zhao Gongming did not hesitate for long.

Over these years, he had already seen things clearly enough.

The most important things in taking a master in the Great Wilderness were nothing more than lineage, resources, protection, and the master's character.

What did Penglai lack?

Cultivation methods and lineage.

Luxuan had casually given one lecture, and Zhao Gongming had found his path to Great Luo.

Resources.

There was no need to even mention that question.

Saying too much would only make those impoverished cultivators outside weep.

Protection.

Dongwang Gong had personally brought one hundred thousand immortal soldiers here, only to be beaten by Luxuan until he had to compensate Penglai with resources.

As for the master's character,

he had personally watched how his three younger sisters lived for hundreds of years.

If he still did not take such a sect as his master,

then he would truly be somewhat unable to distinguish good from bad.

Zhao Gongming rose and straightened his robes.

Then he solemnly knelt before Luxuan.

"This disciple, Zhao Gongming,"

"is willing to take Senior as my master and cultivate under Penglai's banner."

After speaking,

he kowtowed three times.

At last, a smile appeared on Luxuan's face.

"Good."

"From today onward, you shall be a registered disciple under this Daoist."

"Rise."

A gentle current of mana lifted Zhao Gongming to his feet.

In the unseen depths, the Great Dao and the sect also truly acknowledged this master-disciple bond at that moment.

Before Luxuan's eyes, more complete information about Zhao Gongming immediately appeared.

Innate foundation.

High-grade innate divine being.

Cultivation.

Late Primordial Unity Golden Immortal.

Great Dao directions.

World, space, suppression.

Only an exceedingly thin layer remained before the barrier to Great Luo.

Luxuan's eyes immediately brightened a little.

Sure enough.

Accepting this disciple had been worth it.

Bixiao was the first to come over.

"Big Brother."

Zhao Gongming looked at her warily.

"What?"

"Although Master said we should still address one another as before in private,"

Bixiao said with a grin,

"the fact that I entered the sect before you is still true, right?"

Zhao Gongming's face was expressionless.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing."

Bixiao patted his shoulder.

"If there's anything you don't understand in Penglai later, you can ask me, an old hand."

Zhao Gongming's mouth twitched.

You, an early Taiyi, want to teach me, a late Taiyi?

Had internal bullying already begun the moment he entered this sect?

Yunxiao truly could not bear to watch any longer and pulled Bixiao back.

"Big Brother has only just taken a master. Stop making trouble."

Luxuan, meanwhile, could not be bothered to deal with these little troublemakers at all.

He had already sensed it.

As Zhao Gongming formally became his disciple, the World Great Dao that had gradually condensed because of the lecture underwent another distinct change.

That barrier leading to Great Luo

probably would not hold for much longer.

"Zhao Gongming."

"This disciple is here."

"You have already found your own path these past years."

Luxuan glanced at him.

"From now on, there is no need to suppress your cultivation."

"Go back and enter seclusion."

Zhao Gongming's heart shook.

"Master means..."

Luxuan nodded gently.

"It is time to break through."