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Thus, he could only remain seated on the cushion, quietly waiting for the last person to question him.

Yet in the hall, beyond Wen Xu's sight, aside from Sect Master Gu Wufang, every elder who had intended to take on a disciple had already left Juyong Hall. At this very moment, there were truly only the two of them left inside.

"Do you know why they did not take you as a disciple?"

Wen Xu shook his head. "This disciple does not know."

Neither arrogant nor impetuous, Gu Wufang truly rather liked this disciple. "Among the five great sects under heaven, only the Harmony Sect has long held first place. I presume you know that the Hehe Sect is the foremost of the five great sects. And Jun Zhaoying, the Harmony Sect's Supreme Elder, is the greatest beneath the Tribulation Transcendence Realm. She is not yet six hundred years old, yet she already stands alone in the cultivation world, truly unmatched by anyone."

Wen Xu did not quite understand. Why had the sect master suddenly begun singing the praises of the neighboring sect?

"Most importantly, Jun Zhaoying is, like you, possessed of a Mutated Wind Spiritual Root. She does as she pleases and has yet to take a disciple. If she learns of your existence, she will certainly make a trip to Yonglu Mountain."

Wen Xu: ...

"Do you have anything to say?" Gu Wufang asked kindly. He even descended from the throne within the hall and came to stand before Wen Xu. "No matter. There are only the two of us here now. You may speak freely."

Wen Xu could not help but raise his head in surprise. Though he could not see the sect master's expression, he imagined it should be—

"This disciple is merely somewhat surprised. So Yonglu Mountain is unwilling to accept me because of this?" Wen Xu's nature destined him never to take the initiative unless driven into a corner. He preferred to plan before acting, preferred even more... to take one step back and seize the initiative.

Gu Wufang: ...This little fellow was not being honest.

"Of course not. We merely wished to give you another opportunity, lest you learn of it later and feel that Yonglu Mountain had delayed your cultivation."

The implication in those words was already exceedingly clear. At the very least, if this had been the Mortal Realm, and Wen Xu had fought through five passes and slain six generals to finally earn the right to study under a great Confucian scholar, only for that scholar to tell him after he entered the door, "With your talent and aptitude, you could take an even better great scholar as your teacher."

What was that? That was chasing three in the morning and four in the evening, a fickle heart, seeing one mountain and thinking the next was higher. Even if Wen Xu had indeed once considered joining the Hehe Sect, once he had decided to take Yonglu Mountain's examination, Yonglu Mountain had become his best choice.

Even if the Harmony Sect's Supreme Elder did sound more suitable to be his master, if he changed his allegiance at this moment and joined another sect, how would he differ from a faithless man who already had a marriage contract but wanted to break it to marry a princess instead?

Seeing the boy standing there in a daze, Gu Wufang spoke with great kindness. "You came from the Mortal Realm, so you may not understand the importance of a master's lineage in the cultivation world. Once you take a master, there can be no changing strings and shifting tunes. If you join Yonglu Mountain today, then someday if you wish to change masters—"

"Sect Master, this disciple has no such intention."

Wen Xu spoke indignantly. "This disciple also studied and learned to write in the Mortal Realm, and understands that a teacher for one day is a father for life. This disciple does not understand the purpose behind the Sect Master's earlier words, but if Yonglu Mountain does not wish to accept this disciple today, then I ask the Sect Master to speak plainly. This disciple is dull-witted and blind, and cannot understand the meaning between the lines."

Gu Wufang: ...Forget it. Whoever wanted to play the villain could play it!

"Very well. Since that is the case, this sect master will speak plainly." Gu Wufang sighed, and his tone gained a touch more helplessness. "Jun Zhaoying is renowned far and wide. That dog temper of hers—no one can do anything with it. She is young, but of high seniority. If you take a master, she indeed will not come to snatch you away, but she will trouble your master."

"You know, she is far too strong. There are not many people on Yonglu Mountain who can withstand her torment."

A Wind Spiritual Root disciple was wonderful, and quite glorious to boast about besides. Unfortunately... Jun Zhaoying was too difficult to deal with. Furthermore, she herself had declared that unless it was a Wind Spiritual Root genius, she would absolutely not take a disciple. Now that one had finally appeared, even if she herself had no intention of taking him, the others from the Harmony Sect would likely come calling to see exactly which lucky fellow had accepted the disciple fated for their Supreme Elder.

After hearing the blunt truth, Wen Xu thought: ...Your cultivation world does not sound very civilized.

"Then what does the Sect Master mean...?"

Gu Wufang cleared his throat. "Get up first. I will take you to meet someone. If he is willing to accept you, I guarantee no one will dare come knocking."

So the sect master had laid all that groundwork just for this?

Wen Xu was puzzled. Just who was worthy of the sect master treating them with such caution? "And if he is unwilling?"

Gu Wufang gave a soft snort, thinking: Then I'll hang myself halfway up Little Martial Granduncle's peak.

"Do not worry. Little Martial Granduncle is the kindest of people."

Wen Xu: That voice sounded... not very kind at all.

Wen Xu had only just entered the cultivation world. He could not yet fly on a sword, nor did he have a spirit boat or spirit beast to command, so he had hitched a ride on the sect master's flying sword from Juyong Hall to Springless Peak, where Little Martial Granduncle resided.

Come to think of it, this should have been his first time flying on a sword. Perhaps because of his Wind Spiritual Root, not only did he feel no fear, he even felt safer than when his feet stood upon solid ground.

The sensation of wind streaming beneath his feet made his whole body relax.

"Sect Master, am I climbing the peak alone?" Wen Xu confirmed.

Gu Wufang thought: I would like to accompany you up there too, but when I came to ask yesterday, I was already thrown out once. Yesterday was yesterday. If Little Martial Granduncle throws me out again today in front of a new disciple, where would my dignity as sect master be!?

"Mm. Go on."

Wen Xu fell silent for a moment, then stepped toward Springless Peak.

Springless Peak was named Springless, and it had never known spring. Snow lay thick all year round. From the foot of the mountain onward, the temperature was abnormally cold. Wen Xu had only just arrived and had not yet learned to use spiritual power to regulate his body temperature. The moment he entered the mountain, the bitter cold pierced to the bone, jolting him fully awake.

The wind here was also more bleak and murderous than elsewhere, cold and sharp.

The frigid wind swept up grains of snow, blotting out the sky and covering the earth until he could scarcely make out any path.

Fortunately, Wen Xu was a "blind man." He climbed step by step, the path growing ever more secluded, yet he gradually ceased to feel so cold. When he stepped onto the final stair, the wind... suddenly stopped.