C3 The Current Situation of the Sect

"Peace isn't from Mossview, is he?" Lee Qingyun inquired.

"This... the Immortal Elder truly has discerning eyes," the old village chief acknowledged with a sigh of respect.

"Eleven years ago, I found him by the well at the entrance to our village. He was barely clinging to life... All he had was a jade plate engraved with the word 'peace,' so that's what I named him."

"He doesn't have a last name?"

"No, he doesn't carry the Wang Family bloodline, so the elders wouldn't allow him to be included in our family records. We've just called him 'Peace' ever since."

Lee Qingyun glanced at the young boy, now shy amidst a circle of children, and murmured to himself, "Could he be from the Sun Family?"

...

Three days later, at the base of Green Mountain.

Peace clutched the tail of an old donkey, dragging his feet on the ground and whimpering for a reprieve, "Master, can't we rest a bit? I can't go on..."

"We're nearly home," Lee Qingyun replied, tugging at the halted donkey. Understanding the cue, the donkey resumed its pace, and Peace was hoisted along behind it.

"Wuwuwu..." Peace's cries filled the air, but Lee Qingyun knew better; the boy was cunning and had often feigned tears during their journey.

"Master, how come you never get tired?" Peace asked, realizing that his act wasn't working and posing a pointed question.

Lee Qingyun chuckled to himself, proud of the moment. He had planned to teach the boy this lesson once they returned to their sect, but now the question had come up spontaneously.

"That's a secret."

Releasing the donkey's tail, Peace trotted behind Lee Qingyun, tugging at his robe and gazing up with pleading eyes, "Master, Master, won't you tell me?"

"Why should I?" Lee Qingyun countered.

Caught off guard, Peace paused, but then his eyes sparkled with realization. "If you tell me, I won't hold you back on our future journeys!"

"That's logical."

Peace grinned, scratching his head.

"Still, it remains a secret."

"...Oh."

Ping An fell silent, simply trailing behind Lee Qingyun. Then, quite "by accident," a book tumbled from Lee Qingyun's possession.

"Oh no! The master's secret tome has fallen!"

"Ping An, quickly help your master retrieve it."

Ping An's previously furrowed brow smoothed out, his lackluster eyes suddenly sparkling with life as he swiftly stooped to snatch up the book.

"Master, is this your secret to never getting tired?" Ping An asked, eyes wide, as he gulped.

"Yes, Ping An, are you curious to see it?"

"Uh... Gulp! No, not really," Ping An replied, his gulp audibly loud.

"Good boy, Ping An. Keep it safe for me."

"...Okay!"

"Master..." After a moment, Ping An's tentative voice rose again: "This secret must be incredibly powerful, right?"

"Powerful or not, you'll know once you take a look, won't you?"

"Huh?"

"Go ahead and look if you want to, Ping An."

"Really!?"

"Absolutely," Lee Qingyun said with a gentle chuckle.

Overcome with excitement, Ping An gushed, "Thank you, Master! Thank you! I promise to train diligently and... someday, I'll repay your kindness!"

"Ha ha ha, then go ahead and read, Ping An. It's time for us to head back home."

Green Mountain lay hundreds of miles from Mossview, meaning that in the past month, Lee Qingyun had traveled those miles from Green Mountain in search of two prodigies destined to be his disciples.

Lee Qingyun had figured out that every three days, he'd come across a village brimming with Spiritual Qi. Over the month, he'd visited ten villages and met five hundred suitable young cultivators.

Yet, only two had met the system's criteria: his first disciple, the sixteen-year-old Xun Liang, and now the twelve-year-old Xiao Ping An.

At last, they arrived at the gates of the Twin Rage Sect.

Lee Qingyun stroked the old donkey's neck, saying, "Old donkey, it's been a long road."

The old donkey nuzzled Lee Qingyun's hand in response.

The entrance to the Twin Rage Sect was somewhat weathered, with an elder in hemp clothing diligently sweeping the fallen leaves at the threshold.

"Uncle Liu! I've returned!"

It took a moment for Uncle Liu to register the arrival. "Ah, the Sect Master has returned!"

Lee Qingyun had to raise his voice, "Yes, I've just arrived! And I've taken on a new disciple!"

Uncle Liu's hearing was notoriously poor, a long-standing issue, so Lee Qingyun always had to shout to be heard.

"Oh! That reminds me, Sect Master, Miss Ye has come to visit."

"Ah?" Lee Qingyun's eyebrows shot up. "What brings her here?"

"How long has she been waiting, Uncle Liu?"

Uncle Liu remained silent, diligently sweeping the floor.

Lee Qingyun quickly made his way to the main hall.

In the courtyard, several ancient pines stood tall, with birds chattering amongst the branches.

Approaching the living room, Lee Qingyun ascended the six steps and caught sight of a pair of legs beneath the central table that made his heart skip a beat.

Those elegantly poised legs extended from beneath the table, leading up to a water-blue skirt draped perfectly over the knees. The sight was tantalizing yet tasteful, and Lee Qingyun struggled to avert his gaze, chastising himself internally for the lapse.

Lifting his eyes further, he saw the girl in the water-blue dress watching him with an amused smile. Her radiant eyes and enchanting smile captivated him, leaving him breathless.

"Lee Qingyun!"

A thunderous shout snapped him out of his reverie. The voice was harsh and filled with anger, clearly not belonging to the lady with the captivating legs... ahem, the lady in the blue dress.

Lee Qingyun turned toward the source and noticed a woman in red standing next to the blue-dressed lady. Her features were quite striking, but the disdainful glances she cast from beneath her lackluster brows put Lee Qingyun on edge.

Ignoring the red-clad woman's unexplained ire, Lee Qingyun warmly addressed them, "My apologies for not greeting you sooner, esteemed guests. It was an oversight on my part."

"So, you realize it was a slight? Xiaoyu and I have been waiting for you the entire afternoon," the woman in red scoffed, giving Lee Qingyun a disdainful eye roll.

"Senior Sister Lau, I apologize for the inconvenience; I've taken on a disciple," Lee Qingyun said with humility.

"Oh? Taking on a disciple now, are we? Has our esteemed young sect master finally seen the error of his ways? Or is this just another act..." Senior Sister Lau's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Senior Sister Lau, please, enough," came the gentle voice, soothing as a sweet breeze. Ye Xiaoyu, the lady in the blue dress, finally spoke up, putting a stop to Senior Sister Lau's relentless teasing.

Lee Qingyun's gaze found Ye Xiaoyu, who returned his look with eyes clear as autumn waters. Their eyes locked for a brief moment before something seemed to cross her mind, darkening her expression, and she quickly looked away.

With her head bowed, Ye Xiaoyu spoke softly, "Qingyun... Sect Master Lee, Senior Sister Lau and I are here to offer you help once more. But this will be the last time..."

"Oh?" Lee Qingyun sensed the deliberate distance in Ye Xiaoyu's tone.

Senior Sister Lau cut in, "Xiaoyu feels sorry for you. The three-year protection period granted to Twin Rage by Nature's Mystery Pavilion is almost up.

"If you fail to earn the Pavilion's recognition, you'll be treated like any other insignificant sect, fair game for the others to devour. Surely you're not ignorant of this?"

Lee Qingyun, unfazed by Senior Sister Lau's insolent remarks, simply nodded in acknowledgment; he was well aware of the situation.

Since the mysterious demise of Lee Qingyun's parents three years prior, the sect's elders had deserted Twin Rage, taking their disciples with them. The once-thriving Twin Rage was now a shadow of its former self.

Nature's Mystery Pavilion, a unique entity on the continent, had offered protection to Twin Rage out of respect for the past relationship with Lee Qingyun's parents, granting a three-year grace period.

This was Lee Qingyun's window to rebuild the sect. However, before his transmigration, the original soul of this body had squandered his days in a daze. Despite Ye Xiaoyu and Senior Sister Lau's repeated attempts to assist, they had grown increasingly disillusioned with his lackluster spirit.

Hence, Senior Sister Lau's initial mockery. In her eyes, Lee Qingyun might as well have been a piece of decayed wood, beyond the sculptor's art.

Perhaps only Ye Xiaoyu still harbored a sliver of hope for him.

"Good to know. Xiaoyu has learned that Wang Ruhai, the Deepmere branch manager of Nature's Mystery Pavilion, will host a banquet at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant in three days. Bring some exquisite gifts with you, sweet-talk a little, and share your plans to restore the Twin Rage Sect. Ask him to pass the message to the Wildwallow branch."

"With you as a Foundation Stage Sect Master, reclassifying as a one-star sect shouldn't be a challenge."

"Once Nature's Mystery Pavilion acknowledges you, you won't be at risk of being annexed by other sects as if you were just some wild, nameless sect."

"Then, you'll be able to recruit disciples within the city, sparing you the trouble of having to coax them in from the villages."

"Even if you're only of low grade..."

"Senior Sister Lau!" Ye Xiaoyu cut off Senior Sister Lau once more, glancing apologetically at Lee Qingyun, "Sect Master Lee, that's the situation. If there's nothing else, we shall excuse ourselves."

With that, Ye Xiaoyu, with a discontented Senior Sister Lau in tow, headed out.

Pausing at the threshold, Ye Xiaoyu added, "It's truly exhausting to shoulder the weight of a sect alone. If you'd prefer to avoid such weariness, consider joining the Soul Capturing Sect. I've already pleaded on your behalf with Elder Situ, who has agreed to accept you as his direct disciple."

"No need," Lee Qingyun replied after a lengthy silence. "Lee Qingyun chooses to stand on his own."

"Very well, then. Take care, Sect Master Lee!"

...

Unseen by Lee Qingyun, as he declined Ye Xiaoyu's offer to join the Soul Capturing Sect, she turned away, her face breaking into a radiant smile that seemed to momentarily still the air itself.

Indeed, Qingyun was rallying once more!

I knew I wasn't wrong about him.

"Take care, then, Sect Master Lee!" Ye Xiaoyu cheered silently, her fist raised in determination. I eagerly await the day you rise to the challenge, Sect Master Lee!