A quarter of an hour later, as the terrain ahead gradually flattened, Xie Yushan’s footsteps also slowed to a halt.
Before them stood a simple pavilion.
A small stream flowed from an unknown source beneath the pavilion, its waters murmuring, with fish occasionally leaping. Within the pavilion, a figure was leisurely swaying his head while holding a bamboo pole. Li Xuan glanced and saw it was Gong Zimo.
"Disciple Xie Yushan, I am here to bring Junior Brother Li Xuan, as ordered," Xie Yushan said, bowing respectfully to Gong Zimo before standing up.
"Disciple Li Xuan pays respects to Peak Master," Li Xuan said, quickly bowing as well.
Gong Zimo slowly opened his eyes, made a shushing gesture to Li Xuan and Xie Yushan, and then resumed holding his bamboo pole. Li Xuan and Xie Yushan exchanged a glance and then held their breath, waiting.
"Haha, finally a fish has taken the bait," a moment later, Li Xuan distinctly felt the water in the stream churning. Gong Zimo's voice then reached Li Xuan's ears.
Li Xuan looked over. A lively fish was hanging from Gong Zimo's bamboo pole. Gong Zimo removed the fish and, to Li Xuan's surprise, released it back into the stream.
"Little fellow, you must have waited a long time," Gong Zimo said, smiling at Li Xuan as the fish swam away.
"Reporting to Peak Master, I did not feel it," Li Xuan replied, cupping his fists.
Gong Zimo smiled and then stood up, walking out of the pavilion to look at Li Xuan. "Little fellow, you have truly delighted this old man today. Speak, what reward do you desire? As long as you can name it, I will surely be able to give it to you."
"Peak Master, this disciple merely feels that by following one's heart and not being fickle, one can remain true to oneself. Furthermore, this disciple has no particular needs. Also, may I ask why Peak Master summoned this disciple?"
Li Xuan was momentarily stunned. He glanced at Xie Yushan and saw him standing still like a statue, with his eyes lowered, so he could only shake his head helplessly and lower his gaze in response.
"The little fellow is quite eloquent. However, this old man is clear about rewards and punishments. Since you have pleased me, a reward is naturally in order. Moreover, I imagine you are also wondering what is cultivated on our Langya Peak, as Peak Master An cultivates swordsmanship, Peak Master Hong cultivates the physical body, and Peak Master Lianyi cultivates the divine soul."
"On our Langya Peak, we pursue only freedom of the heart in all things. The path we delve into is the cultivation of the mind. Therefore, since I feel you deserve a reward, I must give it. Otherwise, it would contradict my words of freedom of the heart."
With that, Gong Zimo waved his hand, and a jade slip shot towards Li Xuan. Seeing this, Li Xuan had no choice but to catch it.
"Within this jade slip lies one of my divine abilities, named the 'Stillness Incantation.' If you can comprehend it, it will be your fortune." Gong Zimo nodded with satisfaction as Li Xuan caught the slip.
"The disciple recruitment has now concluded, and a disciple celebration will be held shortly. There will be a few challenge matches during the celebration to liven things up. Little fellow, are you interested? I can tell you in advance that the rewards for winning are extremely generous."
"This disciple is new here and does not particularly like to be in the spotlight. Therefore, I hope Peak Master can find someone else," Li Xuan said, taken aback. Such a high-profile event would not necessarily be beneficial to him, so he shook his head and refused.
Gong Zimo smiled, seemingly having anticipated Li Xuan's refusal. He spoke again, "What if the first prize for the winner is a Shattering Obstruction Meteor Pill, and you still refuse?"
"A Shattering Obstruction Meteor Pill!" As Gong Zimo finished speaking, Xie Yushan, who had been silent since bowing earlier, exclaimed in surprise.
Li Xuan’s heart stirred. If something could make even a second-tier Saint Son like Xie Yushan lose his composure, it was clearly no ordinary item. Thinking this, he couldn't help but look at Gong Zimo with curiosity.
"Indeed, it is a Shattering Obstruction Meteor Pill. You must know that this pill can aid spiritual masters in breaking through bottlenecks and elevating their state of mind. Moreover, after entering the Harmonious Dao realm, one will possess thirty percent more spiritual power than ordinary individuals. Little fellow, are you truly going to refuse to participate?" Gong Zimo said, looking at Li Xuan with a smiling gaze, after casting a glance of admiration at Xie Yushan.
Li Xuan was also tempted. If what Gong Zimo said was true, then this item was truly something he needed. After all, Li Xuan's purpose in joining the Xuan Sect was to improve his strength. Seeing Gong Zimo's smiling face, Li Xuan understood that he would likely have to participate in this battle.
After contemplating this, Li Xuan cupped his fists and bowed. "This disciple is willing to participate."
As Li Xuan spoke, the smile on Gong Zimo's face widened.
"Little fellow, our Langya Peak is a relatively relaxed and comfortable place. After this matter is concluded, if you can advance to become a Chief Disciple, this seat can also take you as a disciple, setting aside the usual requirements."
"Speaking of which, apart from your Senior Brother Yushan, I have no other disciples. However, I do not know how many years it will take you to reach the rank of Chief Disciple. Alright, you may go now. Be sure to cultivate my Stillness Incantation with a focused mind; it will also be of some help to you in the challenge matches."
"This disciple obeys the order!" Li Xuan replied, cupping his fists.
"Master, Junior Brother Li Xuan possesses extraordinary talent. Why doesn't Master directly accept him as a disciple? Although Master's standard for accepting disciples requires reaching the Chief Disciple level, with Master's high regard for Junior Brother Li Xuan, making an exception should not attract criticism. Master's actions seem somewhat inconsistent with what you said earlier," Xie Yushan said, turning to Gong Zimo and bowing respectfully after Li Xuan had left.
Gong Zimo smiled at this. "This child is indeed excellent, and I do have the thought of taking him as a disciple. However, if I were to directly accept him, it might make him a bit too complacent, which is not good for him. Moreover, I also want to see if this child truly meets my requirements to become my disciple. If my memory serves me correctly, it took Chu Kuangtian five years to go from an introductory disciple to a Chief Disciple."
"Reporting to Master, Senior Brother Chu did indeed take five years. It caused quite a stir back then," Xie Yushan nodded in affirmation.
"Then let me see if this Li Xuan can surpass Chu Kuangtian in his journey from an introductory disciple to a Chief Disciple. If he surpasses Chu Kuangtian, that lingering resentment in my heart will naturally be relieved." Gong Zimo's face showed an expectant look as if he had recalled something amusing.
"So that's Master's plan. However, to change one's disciple rank, besides breaking through in personal strength, one also needs to pass the sect's trials." Xie Yushan paused and continued, "It took Senior Brother Chu five years to advance from an introductory disciple to a Chief Disciple under the guidance of Peak Master Hong. It will likely be very difficult for Junior Brother Li Xuan to surpass him."
Gong Zimo smiled slightly. "That's not necessarily true. If this boy can truly win the top prize in the disciple celebration and obtain the Shattering Obstruction Meteor Pill, passing the trials should not be a problem. I believe he can do it in three years." Gong Zimo's face lit up with joy as if he had thought of something delightful. "At that time, I imagine the faces of Hong Cheng'en, Wen Yuanbai, and Mu Qingyu will be filled with regret. Hahahaha."
Seeing Gong Zimo laugh so heartily, Xie Yushan also smiled. However, deep down, a trace of doubt lingered in Xie Yushan's mind: Will Li Xuan truly be as formidable as his master claims?
"Perhaps at the disciple celebration, you will give me the answer," Xie Yushan murmured to himself, his gaze drifting into the distance.
Langya Peak, halfway up the mountain.
Li Xuan held the token and, following the instructions, arrived in front of a cave dwelling, a satisfied look on his face. In front of the cave dwelling was a small pond, with rows of maple trees swaying by the pond. The distant mountain peaks were within view, and on leisure time, one could admire the scenery from outside the cave dwelling.
"Such a cave dwelling makes one feel a sense of home," Li Xuan smiled and then inserted the token into the stone masonry in front of the cave dwelling, causing a portal to appear.
Li Xuan walked directly into the cave dwelling, and his eyes immediately brightened.
Inside the cave dwelling, array formations fluctuated, and the spiritual energy was so dense that after just one breath, Li Xuan felt the spiritual power within him solidify considerably. Furthermore, the furniture and furnishings within the cave dwelling were complete. Its size was enough to accommodate not just Li Xuan alone, but perhaps even ten people.
"Three elegant rooms, one secret chamber, and a cultivation room. The treatment for a first-class disciple is truly excellent. Just this Spirit Gathering Array alone is likely enough to make people fight tooth and nail for it," Li Xuan observed the cave dwelling, his satisfaction evident on his face. The Spirit Gathering Array within the cave dwelling alone, Li Xuan noticed, contained three times the spiritual energy of the outside. Cultivating under such conditions for an extended period would truly yield twice the results with half the effort.
Buzz.
Just then, Li Xuan suddenly sensed a fluctuation from outside the cave dwelling. With a thought, he walked out.
"Brother Chu Yun, what brings you here?" Li Xuan said, smiling, as he saw Xi Chu Yun upon exiting the cave dwelling.
"I saw you return while I was in my cave dwelling, so I came over," Xi Chu Yun replied.
"I see. I didn't expect your cave dwelling to be around here as well, Brother Chu Yun," Li Xuan said, looking into the distance and noticing that Xi Chu Yun's cave dwelling was not too far from his own.
After a brief chat, Xi Chu Yun got up to leave. After all, Li Xuan would soon be participating in the challenge matches at the disciple celebration, and Xi Chu Yun wanted to give Li Xuan time to prepare.
As Xi Chu Yun departed, Li Xuan pondered for a moment and then immediately entered the Prison Suppressing Artifact.