Direct Disciple

Chen Tianyu's entire body trembled.

He could tell Qin Yuan was not joking. This youth, who looked only seventeen or eighteen, carried a coldness and decisiveness in his eyes far beyond his age.

"Y-yes... it was me." He finally lowered his head, his voice hoarse. "I had Sun Xing and Wang Meng arrange for someone to pretend it was a misunderstanding, seize Lin Qing'er and take her to the back mountain, then... then use the chance to threaten you and force you to hand over your opportunity..."

"Opportunity?" Qin Yuan narrowed his eyes.

"You went from Level 7 Qi Condensation to Foundation Establishment Level 6 in three days. You must have obtained some heaven-shaking opportunity..." Chen Tianyu gritted his teeth. "I've been stuck at Foundation Establishment Level 7 for three years. I need an opportunity to break through..."

Qin Yuan fell silent.

Looking at this utterly bedraggled "senior brother," he suddenly found him somewhat pathetic.

On the road of cultivation, how many people resorted to every conceivable means for that tiny sliver of opportunity, only to end up like this?

"So you used such vile, underhanded methods?" Qin Yuan rose to his feet and looked down at him. "The Fifth Peak's senior brother was only capable of this much?"

Chen Tianyu's face flushed crimson, but he had no answer.

Just then, an angry roar came from outside the hall.

"Insolence!"

A figure shot into the hall like lightning. He was an old man with grizzled hair and beard, his face dark and grim. It was the Fifth Peak's Enforcement Elder, Chen Changqing—Chen Tianyu's grandfather.

After landing, he saw his grandson's miserable state, and fury instantly flared in his eyes. "You little beast! You dare injure my grandson!"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and struck at Qin Yuan with his palm!

This palm strike was unleashed in fury. Spiritual energy transformed into a giant azure hand that blotted out the sky and covered the earth, carrying the terrifying pressure of early Golden Core realm as it sought to suppress Qin Yuan on the spot!

Qin Yuan's pupils contracted.

Golden Core realm! This was not something he could contend with right now!

At that critical moment, when a thousand pounds hung by a single thread—

"Stop!"

Another voice rang out. Elder Xu appeared in the hall and swept his sleeve, erecting a gentle yet resilient barrier of spiritual energy before Qin Yuan.

"Boom—!!"

The giant azure hand slammed into the barrier, sending ripples upon ripples through it, yet it could not advance even an inch.

Chen Changqing glared furiously at Elder Xu. "Senior Brother Xu! You intend to protect this little beast?!"

"Junior Brother Chen, the matter has not yet been clarified. Why are you in such a hurry to act?" Elder Xu said calmly. His gaze swept over the hall, lingering on the wounds on Lin Qing'er's body and the miserable states of Wang Hu and Li Bao. His brow furrowed slightly.

"What else is there to ask?!" Chen Changqing pointed at Qin Yuan. "This little beast has only just joined the Fifth Peak, yet he already dared strike his fellow disciples so viciously in the main hall! If he is not severely punished, what rules will the Fifth Peak have left to speak of!"

"Rules?" Qin Yuan suddenly spoke, his voice calm. "Elder Chen, why not ask your fine grandson what he did before discussing rules?"

Chen Changqing froze and turned to Chen Tianyu.

Chen Tianyu's face went pale. He lowered his head, not daring to speak.

Elder Xu sighed. "Junior Brother Chen, I heard those words outside the hall just now. Tianyu, this child... has truly disappointed me."

He briefly recounted what had happened.

The more Chen Changqing listened, the uglier his expression became. By the end, his face had turned ashen.

"You... you unfilial wretch!" He pointed at Chen Tianyu, shaking all over with rage. "I told you to cultivate properly, yet you dared resort to such methods?!"

"Grandfather... I..." Chen Tianyu still wanted to defend himself.

"Shut up!" Chen Changqing roared, then turned to Qin Yuan with a complicated look on his face.

He remained silent for a long while before slowly speaking. "Qin Yuan, Tianyu was indeed at fault first in this matter. But he is still your senior brother. You may have struck too heavily."

"Too heavily?" Qin Yuan looked at him. "If I had not arrived in time, Qing'er would already have been taken to the back mountain, with her life and death unknown. At that point, would Elder Chen still think I struck too heavily?"

Chen Changqing was left speechless.

Of course he knew that if Lin Qing'er had truly been taken away, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Though the Third Peak's internal competition was ruthless, it was fiercely protective of its own against outsiders. If it learned that one of its disciples had been kidnapped on the Fifth Peak, it would surely come seeking retribution in force.

When that time came, Chen Tianyu would not be the only one implicated. Even he, the Enforcement Elder, would not escape responsibility.

"This matter..." Chen Changqing drew a deep breath. "I will severely punish Tianyu. As for your injuring fellow disciples, since there was a reason behind it, it will not be pursued."

"Not pursue it?" Qin Yuan smiled. "Elder Chen is truly magnanimous."

Anyone could hear the mockery in those words.

Chen Changqing's face alternated between green and white, yet he could not fly into a rage—on this matter, they were in the wrong.

Elder Xu spoke at the right moment. "Enough. Let this matter end here. Junior Brother Chen, take Tianyu away to treat his wounds. He is to reflect behind closed doors for three months."

He then looked at Wang Hu and Li Bao. "The two of you aided a tyrant in his evil. You are sentenced to serve in the back mountain mines for one year."

Finally, he looked at Qin Yuan, approval flashing through his eyes. "Qin Yuan, though your actions were somewhat heavy-handed, you had cause, and you stood forth for a fellow disciple. Your courage is commendable. From this day onward, you are a Direct Disciple of the Fifth Peak."

The instant those words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked.

A Direct Disciple!

The Fifth Peak had only three Direct Disciple positions in total. The first two had already been taken by two other senior brothers, yet the third was being given to Qin Yuan, who had joined only one day ago?!

Chen Tianyu suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with unwillingness and venom.

Direct Disciple... that was the position he had dreamed of! He had cultivated bitterly for ten years for it, yet he had never managed to break through Foundation Establishment Level 8. And now Qin Yuan had received it after arriving for just one day!

Why?!

Chen Changqing's expression also changed. "Senior Brother Xu, is this... not too hasty? Qin Yuan's talent may be outstanding, but he has only just joined the sect and has rendered no merit. Promoting him directly to Direct Disciple may leave the other disciples unconvinced..."

"Unconvinced?" Elder Xu said indifferently. "Whoever is unconvinced may come reason with me."

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He swept his gaze across the hall. Though his voice was soft, it carried unquestionable authority. "With Foundation Establishment Level 6 cultivation, Qin Yuan defeated Liu Feng, who was at Foundation Establishment Level 4, with one punch and brought glory to the Fifth Peak in yesterday's grand competition. Today, he exposed a fellow disciple's scheme and protected someone from his hometown. With such strength and responsibility, is he not worthy of the position of Direct Disciple?"

Chen Changqing had nothing to say.

Elder Xu continued, "Besides, the Nine Peaks Direct Disciple Tournament will be held in three days. Our Fifth Peak has ranked last for three consecutive tournaments. If we rank last again this time, our resource allocation for the next decade will be cut by thirty percent. Qin Yuan is the Fifth Peak's only hope."

He looked at Qin Yuan solemnly. "Qin Yuan, are you willing to represent the Fifth Peak in the Direct Disciple Tournament?"

Qin Yuan cupped his hands. "This disciple is willing."

"Good!" Elder Xu nodded with satisfaction. "Then prepare well. At the tournament three days from now, the Direct Disciples of the Nine Peaks will all gather. Most of them are at Foundation Establishment Level 9, Level 10, and some may even be at the peak of Foundation Establishment. Do you... have confidence?"

Foundation Establishment Level 9, Level 10, peak?

A glimmer flashed through Qin Yuan's eyes.

Three days were enough for him to make another breakthrough.

"Yes." It was only one word, yet it contained boundless confidence.

Elder Xu laughed heartily. "Good! That is the spirit a disciple of my Fifth Peak should possess!"

He took out a golden token and handed it to Qin Yuan. "This is the Direct Disciple Token. With it, you may enter the top floor of the technique pavilion, receive double resources, and freely enter and leave the Xuan Yuan Secret Realm. In addition, I will personally give you a bottle of Core Condensing Pills to help stabilize your cultivation."

Qin Yuan accepted the token and pills. "Thank you, Elder."

"Go. Prepare well." Elder Xu waved his hand.

Qin Yuan nodded and helped Lin Qing'er leave the main hall.

Behind them, Chen Tianyu stared fixedly at Qin Yuan's retreating back. His fingernails dug deeply into his palms, blood flowing freely.

"Qin Yuan... just you wait..."

After returning to Listening Bamboo Garden, Qin Yuan had Lin Qing'er sit down, then took out healing pills for her to consume.

"Brother Qin Yuan, thank you." Lin Qing'er lowered her head, her voice slightly choked. "If not for you, today I might have..."

"Don't say it." Qin Yuan interrupted her. "I was the one who dragged you into this. They were targeting me. You were merely caught up in it."

Lin Qing'er shook her head. "It is not your fault. Those people are simply too cruel."

After pausing, she suddenly said, "Brother Qin Yuan, I... I want to come to the Fifth Peak."

Qin Yuan was startled. "Is the Third Peak not good?"

"No." Lin Qing'er's eyes reddened. "The atmosphere on the Third Peak is terrible. Everyone schemes against one another and will stop at nothing for resources. A Single Spiritual Root cultivator like me is supposedly a priority for training, but in truth... they only see me as a chess piece that might prove useful in the future. They have no intention of truly nurturing me."

She raised her head, her eyes full of disappointment. "Do you know? I have been on the Third Peak for three years, and my master has only seen me three times."

Normally, I cultivate by myself, and I have to exchange completed missions for resources. They say that is the Third Peak's method of training—make you fight and scramble for everything yourself. Only if you truly prove your worth will they actually nurture you."

Qin Yuan fell silent.

He had not expected that even Lin Qing'er's talent was not considered "valuable" in the Third Peak's eyes.

"What about their Direct Disciples?" he asked.

"Direct Disciples?" Lin Qing'er smiled bitterly. "The Third Peak has three Direct Disciples, and every one of them is a monster. Eldest Senior Brother Chu Feng is at the peak of Foundation Establishment and is said to have already touched the threshold of Golden Core. Second Senior Sister Su Yu is at Foundation Establishment Level 10 and specializes in formations. Third Senior Brother Lu Yun is at Foundation Establishment Level 9, a swordsmanship genius."

"The three of them are the ones the Third Peak truly devotes all its efforts to nurturing. As for ordinary inner sect disciples like us... we are merely supporting characters."

Qin Yuan nodded, gaining a clearer understanding of the Third Peak's strength.

Peak Foundation Establishment, Level 10, Level 9...

They truly were strong.

But they were still not enough.

"You want to come to the Fifth Peak. Will Elder Xu agree?" Qin Yuan asked.

"He probably will." Lin Qing'er sounded uncertain. "I am a Single Spiritual Root cultivator, after all. Though the Third Peak does not value me, on the Fifth Peak, my talent would still be considered quite good. And besides..."

She secretly glanced at Qin Yuan. "And now that you are a Direct Disciple of the Fifth Peak, your words should carry some weight, right?"

Qin Yuan laughed. "I'll try."

He took out a communication talisman and informed Elder Xu of Lin Qing'er's situation.

A moment later, the communication talisman lit up, and Elder Xu's voice came through. "Let her stay. The Third Peak does not want a Single Spiritual Root genius, but we do."

Lin Qing'er was overjoyed. "Thank you, Elder Xu! Thank you, Brother Qin Yuan!"

"You needn't thank me." Qin Yuan said, "But the Fifth Peak lacks resources, so you may need to prepare yourself mentally."

"I'm not afraid!" Lin Qing'er's eyes sparkled. "As long as I can cultivate in peace, it is better than anything."

Qin Yuan nodded and took out another bottle of pills for her. "These are Qi Gathering Pills. Use them for now. I will have someone arrange your lodging."

"Mhm!"

After Lin Qing'er left, Qin Yuan sat alone in the courtyard, gazing at the setting sun on the horizon.

Three days later, the Direct Disciple Tournament.

The Direct Disciples of the Nine Peaks would gather, and the weakest among them would be at Foundation Establishment Level 9.

And he was only at Foundation Establishment Level 8.

The gap seemed considerable, but Qin Yuan was confident.

The system still held forty years of cultivation for him, and with the twenty years he could extract today, that made sixty years. If he also made use of the Xuan Yuan Secret Realm's time acceleration...

"Three days," he murmured to himself. "That will be enough for me to charge toward the peak of Foundation Establishment."

He took out the Xuan Yuan Token, determination flashing through his eyes.

This time, he would let everyone know that the Fifth Peak would no longer be the one at the bottom.

And the name Qin Yuan would resound throughout the Nine Peaks!

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