Chapter 27: Protecting Your Safety
Outside the hall, there were still disciples waiting. Even if there were some disruptions during the exam, it had to proceed.
When it was finally Yu Qishu’s turn to enter the hall, he instinctively looked for the familiar figure of the faction leader but saw Xiao Tingyun standing behind Meng Xueli.
Yu Qishu was startled, sensing something was off. The elders had peculiar expressions, Liu Xiaohu looked dazed, and Meng Xueli appeared calm but with a distant, unfocused gaze, not paying him any attention.
There must have been changes beyond the original plan and even beyond his imagination.
No one in the hall spoke, and the elders remained silent. Yu Qishu’s heart was racing. Just as the Head Attendant was about to speak, Meng Xueli suddenly reacted:
“I am Elder Meng of Changchun Peak. Do you wish to become my disciple?”
Yu Qishu’s face lit up with relief as he quickly stepped forward to offer tea, “I do! I greet my master!”
Meng Xueli breathed a sigh of relief, “Get up quickly.”
Xiao Tingyun came to help him, “Junior Brother.”
Yu Qishu looked up in shock. It was over; he was no longer the eldest senior brother.
Thus, the Changchun Peak faction was finally complete: the timid young disciple, the Qi Refinement stage master, the eldest senior brother plagued by a cough, and the abandoned second senior brother.
To outsiders, this peak could almost be renamed ‘Changliang Peak.’
Note: Changliang means grow cold.
After the year-end assessments, the students of the Hall of Legal Principles had each gone their separate ways. Those who did not become disciples might become attendants or wait for the next year’s exam. Outside the hall, attendants were tidying up tables and chairs, while elders and their disciples left one after another, heading back to their respective peaks. On the way, there was casual conversation, congratulating each other on finding good talents and the continuation of their teachings.
Meng Xueli bade farewell to the Sect Leader, who nodded and then turned to Xiao Tingyun and Yu Qishu, reminding them, “You must take good care of Elder Meng.”
Meng Xueli touched his nose, thinking to himself that he wasn’t a child, just a bit short.
The Sect Leader continued, “Go to the library and Sword Training Platform more often. Tingyun, the sect has high expectations for you. You must not neglect your cultivation.”
Ji Xiao agreed.
After everyone left, only the Sect Leader and the Peak Masters remained in the hall.
The Sect Leader sighed, “I hope his path ahead goes smoothly.”
The Peak Masters had mixed feelings. They had hoped that if the innate sword spirit physique had joined their own peak, they would have devoted themselves to teaching. However, Xiao Tingyun’s cough was difficult to cure, requiring him to stay in a warm climate for a prolonged recovery.
Tianhu Vast Realm’s lord must have seen this and issued the ‘avoid snow’ decree.
Liulan Peak Master said, “Everyone, don’t worry. Being with Changchun Peak is better than following Zhou Yi and joining Daoist Revered Tai Heng.”
The Sect Leader reprimanded him, “Be careful with your words!”
After Ji Xiao’s passing, the younger generation in the Supreme Elder’s family became increasingly arrogant, causing growing dissatisfaction among the disciples of the other five peaks.
The Sect Leader said slowly, “With external threats looming, our Han Shan Sword Sect must remain united. We need to set an example, prioritize the bigger picture, and act as role models for the younger generation. Let’s not speak of this matter further… Once the younger disciples participate in the grand competition at the Hanhai Secret Realm, they’ll understand the importance of unity and fighting the enemy together, and any grudges will naturally resolve.”
“Hopefully, that will be the case.” Chongbi Peak Master deliberately changed the subject. “Realm Master has instructed Tingyun to ‘avoid snow.’ But tell me, does ‘Xueli’ count as ‘snow’?”
Ziyan Peak Master chuckled, waving her round fan, “You’re overly cautious, seeing enemies in shadows and soldiers in the grass. There are countless cultivators with names or titles that include ‘snow.’ There’s Fairy Xuewei from Xiashan, Fairy Chuxue from Songfeng Valley, Master Muxue from Wuyin Temple. Just last month, my youngest disciple asked me for a title, and I named her ‘Xuening.’ Would he then have to avoid every ‘snow’ he encounters? How would he ever explore the world?”
After a moment’s thought, Chongbi Peak Master nodded. “You’re right, Junior Sister—I was overthinking it.”
…
Meng Xueli walked along the path back to Changchun Peak, accompanied by a young disciple and followed by his two new disciples. From afar, his eldest disciple was half a head taller than him, and the youngest was about the same height.
The news that Xia Tingyun, with his innate sword physique, had become Elder Meng’s disciple quickly spread through Han Shan. Disciples they passed on the mountain path greeted Elder Meng and, covertly, studied Xia Tingyun.
After crossing the floating suspension bridge, they finally found themselves without bystanders. Yu Qishu quickened his pace to catch up with Meng Xueli and whispered, “We agreed I’d be the Senior Brother of Changchun Peak. How did I end up as the junior disciple? It’s a blow to my status as the Deputy Leader.”
Meng Xueli replied, “Our sect has always been somewhat informal. You don’t even need to call me ‘Master.’ So, must you really call him ‘Senior Brother’?”
Yu Qishu thought about it and agreed. “True enough. Then, if you take in another disciple, let me be the Second Senior Brother!”
Meng Xueli: “Hard to say. There aren’t many easy-to-trick ones left.”
“Come here.” Meng Xueli motioned for his eldest disciple to come closer. “When there’s no one else around, let’s interact as we used to, so we don’t feel awkward. In front of others, just call me ‘Master’ once; that’ll be enough.”
The thought of setting formal rules, having Yu Qishu and Xia Tingyun bow and serve him tea morning and night, made Meng Xueli uncomfortable.
Meng Xueli: “Xiaohuai, take Senior Brother Yu on a tour around Changchun Peak. Start from the small path at the base of the peak. Once he’s familiar with the route, meet me in the peach blossom grove.”
The young disciple, eager for his rare task, responded enthusiastically, “Senior Brother Yu, please follow me.”
The peach grove was filled with a fragrant breeze, delicate green leaves, and blossoms of varying shades covering the branches.
The golden-thread peach blossoms Meng Xueli planted had golden filaments at their cores, with branches taller than ordinary peach trees. Their petals were a deeper pink, bordering on red.
Occasionally, a petal would land on the white hem of his robe or sleeve, adding a touch of vivid beauty.
He had once walked through the grove with Ji Xiao, blossoms falling all around them, both of them silent.
At the grove’s center, a bamboo couch, a rocking chair, and a tea table were set up. Every morning, the young disciple would collect dew from the peach blossoms, storing it in a jade container near the tea table for Elder Meng’s use.
The last time Ji Xiao came here, he had brewed tea for Meng Xueli. This time, as he went to fetch water, Meng Xueli stopped him and gently smiled, “You sit. I’ll do it.”
Ji Xiao was surprised to notice the subtle change in the little Dao companion’s demeanor toward him.
Previously, there had been hints of caution and hesitation. Now, a sudden warmth, as if Meng Xueli was deliberately showing goodwill.
The fragrant tea filled the cup with its clear golden hue.
Meng Xueli handed him the tea cup. “I already know why you decided to become my disciple.”
Ji Xiao assumed that the Meng Xueli had overheard the Sect Leader’s explanation in the hall. He nodded and smiled, saying, “Thank you, Elder Meng, for taking me in.”
Meng Xueli cautiously asked, “Is your mother… still alive?”
Ji Xiao was taken aback, unsure why he asked. Whether it was the original parents of this body or his own, they had long since turned to dust. He could only answer truthfully, “No, she is not.”
Meng Xueli gazed at him, his eyes seemingly filled with countless unspoken words. “I have never taken on a disciple before, but I will treat you well. I will ensure you grow up safely and pursue the Great Path. When I return from the Hanhai Secret Realm, you will rightfully inherit the ‘Endless Sky Sword’!”
“Cough, cough, cough.” Ji Xiao choked violently on his tea.
Meng Xueli stood up and patted his back. “There’s a way to cure your cough as well. After my duties in the Hanhai Secret Realm, I will visit Tianhu Vast Realmn and ask the Realm Master for a miraculous pill to cure you.”
Ji Xiao coughed even harder, stammering, “Cough… cough… there’s no… no need…”
“Such a silly child,” Meng Xueli said lovingly.
Meng Xueli’s initial impression of Ji Xiao was deeply profound.
The Sword Sovereign’s black cloak billowed in the wind as he emerged from a storm of snow, saving his life like a god descending from above.
In Meng Xueli’s heart, there was both gratitude and a sense of reverence.
As for Xiao Tingyun, he was just a frail young man who could still be teased by Meng Xueli. Once, he even made Xiao Tingyun write an essay, and though the boy clearly disliked it, he obediently complied. Maybe it was because Meng Xueli was Ji Xiao’s Dao companion and elder; even though he was usually reserved, he would often smile at Meng Xueli.
Yet, Meng Xueli did not know that after narrowly escaping death, Ji Xiao had rebuilt himself with a broader mind, becoming naturally more personable.
Reflecting on his past, Ji Xiao vaguely realized that his long years of isolation and status had affected his interactions with others, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint exactly where he had gone wrong.
Author’s Note:
Hu Si: You proposed at the Sword Tomb, and you wonder where you went wrong??!!!
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
