It was a medicinal herb glowing pale blue. Qian Renyue looked up at Chen Xin, who said, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I sought you out today mainly because there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"..."
Thinking that Chen Xin wasn't the sort to harm people for no reason, Qian Renyue didn't dwell on it. Right now, she would gladly accept help from anyone who could free her from this strange state.
Taking the herb Chen Xin offered, she found a quiet spot and immediately sat down to absorb it. Chen Xin and Gu Rong stood guard nearby to keep anyone from disturbing her.
Gu Rong looked at Chen Xin and thought, He hasn't even taken her as his disciple yet, and he's already handed over an herb he's treasured for years. Once he does, won't he spoil her to the heavens?
Isn't it just swinging a sword around? How did taking on a disciple get dragged into this?
Gu Rong grumbled inwardly, though even he wasn't sure what he was unhappy about.
Absorbing the herb took nearly half an hour. Only once it had merged into her body did Qian Renyue feel truly alive again.
She opened her eyes, stood up, and immediately bowed her thanks. With a full day of rest saved, she could go do other things.
Chen Xin courteously helped her straighten up and got straight to the point. "Little girl, there's something I'd like to ask your opinion on."
Ask my opinion?
Qian Renyue blinked. "Please go ahead, Senior."
"Do you enjoy learning swordsmanship?" Chen Xin asked.
Swordsmanship?
Qian Renyue considered it. That question came out of nowhere. Could he be planning to take me as his disciple?
Did Chen Xin see my Frost One Sword at the Soul Fighting Arena earlier?
Qian Renyue raised an eyebrow slightly. In truth, she wasn't very good with a sword. Frost One Sword was a skill she had cobbled together in her head from countless scenes in novels she had read.
Still...
If she could really learn swordsmanship, it certainly wouldn't hurt. Besides, this Sword Douluo before her was a powerhouse among powerhouses. Becoming his disciple would be no losing bargain.
Qian Renyue weighed it up inwardly, then nodded and answered against her true feelings, "Yes, I do!"
"Good. Then would you be willing to become my disciple?" Having received the answer he wanted, Chen Xin stopped beating around the bush and went straight to the point. Both looked more resolute than the other, though in truth, one of them had already said quite a few things she didn't mean.
"I'd love to!" Qian Renyue nodded with an innocent, bewildered look. In Gu Rong's eyes, this little girl was incredibly easy to fool. A few words were all it took to lure her away. She really wasn't afraid they might be bad people.
Chen Xin waived the formal apprenticeship ceremony and introduced himself to Qian Renyue. She introduced herself as well, but left out where she came from. After becoming her master, Chen Xin couldn't help wanting to confirm his suspicions. Looking at her, he asked, "Little Yue, are you from Spirit Hall?"
"Yes." Qian Renyue nodded. She hadn't intended to hide it from Chen Xin anyway. They were going to be grasshoppers tied to the same string, after all. Once they had spent enough time together, even if she said nothing now, someone as intelligent as Chen Xin would soon discover her background. Rather than struggle to explain it later, she might as well reveal it herself now. "I'm Spirit Hall's Second Young Lady. The Great Enshrined is my grandfather."
Qian Renyue spoke honestly. Upon hearing this, Chen Xin and Gu Rong's expressions suddenly turned serious.
The Great Enshrined's granddaughter?
Qian Daoliu's granddaughter?
She really is the Pope's illegitimate daughter?
Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined was a level ninety-nine Peerless Douluo, known as the strongest in the skies. To Chen Xin, however, what mattered most was the death of his father, Chen Jianjun, all those years ago.
Seeing Chen Xin's serious, complicated expression, Qian Renyue suddenly remembered something.
Oh no!
I forgot that Qian Daoliu killed Chen Xin's father!
And I forgot that one of the enshrined had gone to crush the Sword Sect back then!
I'm done for!
I think I just poked at an old wound!
"So you're his granddaughter." Chen Xin's tone was neither warm nor cold. His face was expressionless, and Qian Renyue couldn't read anything from it.
Before his death, Chen Jianjun had specifically instructed Chen Xin not to seek revenge, and Chen Xin had naturally kept that in mind. His father had pursued the way of the sword all his life. In the end, so that he would leave no regrets behind, he had chosen to battle Qian Daoliu, a level ninety-nine Peerless Douluo. Of course, Chen Jianjun had proved no match for Qian Daoliu and ultimately died in that battle.
Before Chen Jianjun, Chen Xin's grandfather had been an undisputed master swordsman. Unfortunately, he had been defeated in a battle against the Ancestor Haotian, Tang Chen, and afterward faded from the Soul Master World, never to be heard from again.
In truth, every head of the Chen Clan had been a genius. They had simply been born in an era when gods clashed: above them stood the three great Peerless Douluos, and below those stood several enshrined of the same rank as them. Even if they shone brilliantly, beneath the radiance of the three great Peerless Douluos, they still seemed far too dim.
"Master, why do you look a little unhappy?" The older generation's affairs should be settled by the older generation. Qian Renyue had no intention of letting those matters drag her into them. She tugged at Chen Xin's hand and put her cuteness to work.
Chen Xin lowered his eyes to look at his newly accepted little disciple. He had to admit that perhaps children really did have the power to heal people's hearts. Faced with Qian Renyue's smile, he chose not to dwell on the matter, though he had already let go of those old affairs long ago.
"I'm not unhappy. I just remembered a few things from the past," Chen Xin explained with a faint smile.
"Oh, all right, then. I thought you'd changed your mind," Qian Renyue said mischievously. She had gained this master for free, and she certainly didn't want to lose him just like that.
Hearing this, Chen Xin laughed heartily. He raised his other hand to rub Qian Renyue's head and reassured her, "Don't worry. Your master won't go back on his promises. Besides, I was the one who chose to take you as my disciple. As long as you don't regret it, I will never abandon you."
"Mm-hmm, I'll remember that! Master, if you ever dare abandon your little disciple, I'll..." Qian Renyue deliberately drew out her words. She gave two little huffs, her eyes seeming to warn Chen Xin that if he did something of the sort, she would retaliate in kind.
"Hahahaha-"
Chen Xin was amused by the little girl's antics. Gu Rong, standing nearby, wasn't about to miss out either. He couldn't resist teasing her. "You silly little thing, Old Sword is a Titled Douluo. What could a tiny Soul Elder like you possibly do to him?"
"Of course I could do something!" Qian Renyue lifted her little face and huffed. "Once Master and I get to know each other well, I'll naturally have something on him. If he isn't afraid of dying of embarrassment, he's welcome to try. I won't lose anything anyway. Besides, Senior Bone Douluo, 'doing something' doesn't necessarily mean using force. There are other ways, like social death. Sometimes that's even more humiliating than losing a fight."
"Hm? Social death? What does that mean?" Gu Rong asked, raising an eyebrow.
Qian Renyue put on a mysterious air. "You'll know when the time comes!"
"Tch, you little brat!" Gu Rong smiled despite himself and shook his head, thinking, This child really is a mischievous little imp!
After successfully taking her as his disciple, Chen Xin had intended to bring Qian Renyue back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. However, since she still had matches to fight in the coming days, her swordsmanship lessons would have to be postponed for a while. Chen Xin didn't mind. He gave her a few instructions and left his token with her. Once Qian Renyue had finished handling her own affairs, she could come find him at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
He also asked Qian Renyue her age in passing.
When they learned that Qian Renyue was ten, both he and Gu Rong were a little surprised. After all, having eaten poorly for so many years, she couldn't possibly have restored her body in just a few months. She was already in much better condition than when she had first arrived at the Worship Hall, but compared with Ning Rongrong, she looked far shorter, thinner, and frailer.
Because of this, Chen Xin couldn't help wondering whether that old fellow Qian Daoliu had been mistreating Qian Renyue.
Looking at Qian Renyue with pity in his eyes, Chen Xin was already planning how to nourish his little disciple.
After saying goodbye to Chen Xin and Gu Rong, Qian Renyue headed back toward the hotel. With little time remaining for the God of Kindness's First Trial, she had to pick up the pace.
Just as she was thinking this, an unfamiliar voice suddenly rang out-
"Little Yue!"
Before you continue