Chapter 15: Joining Misty Peak, Sun Qian Makes Trouble Again!

Xia Gucheng stretched and let out a yawn, showing no regard for his dignity. The elders and peak masters present were left speechless, their faces darkening with embarrassment.

"So, you’re the lad who wants to be my disciple?"

Xia Gucheng opened his eyes lazily and looked at Li Wudao, his tone filled with intrigue. "Speak up, why choose to apprentice under me?"

"I feel... well, you and I are quite compatible, and you look like a kind soul." Li Wudao stammered. He could not possibly reveal his true intentions.

Xia Gucheng shook his head slightly. "I have never taken on a disciple and have no experience in such matters. You would be better off looking elsewhere."

"Don't say that..." Li Wudao grew anxious and began to ramble, "Actually, I’ve grown accustomed to a lazy life and dislike being constrained. The competitive pressure at the other peaks is too much for me; I prefer peace and quiet. Besides, I enjoy drinking and listening to music in my spare time, which would likely ruin the atmosphere of the other peaks. I’d rather be on my own, free and easy."

He suddenly recalled the recent events mentioned by the system, and his heart skipped a beat.

*This kid...*

The senior figures of the sect felt their faces turn black. The youth looked harmless, but they hadn't expected him to be so undisciplined. The newly appointed inner disciples were speechless, their expressions twitching. Is this guy really the one ranked second? Is he sure he isn't some debauched young master who frequents brothels?

Jiang Churan was also stunned, her large eyes blinking. What was Li Wudao playing at? With her intelligence, she could naturally see that he desperately wanted to apprentice under Xia Gucheng. But as far as she knew, this Peak Master Xia did not care for cultivation. To put it nicely, he was fond of nature and living a carefree life. To put it bluntly, he spent his days either drunk and asleep, listening to music in pleasure houses, or indulging in frivolous pastimes.

His reputation among the high-ranking members of the sect was poor. However, because he had been personally invited to be a peak master by the Supreme Elder and possessed a mysterious background, the other peak masters and elders were wary and did not provoke him easily. In her previous life, until the moment she left the Xuantian Sect, she had never once seen Xia Gucheng take action; she had only heard rumors, and his true strength remained an unknown.

"Oh? You enjoy drinking?" Xia Gucheng seemed to have developed a bit of interest.

"Yes, yes. I cannot be happy without wine; if I go a day without a drink, I feel terrible," Li Wudao insisted. He did drink, though not to the point of obsession, but he had to play along.

Hearing this, Xia Gucheng fell silent for a moment. "You’re an interesting kid..." He stared at Li Wudao, his eyes—part clear, part murky—seeming to peer into his very soul. "I suppose I could consider taking you on as a disciple, but you won't receive the same treatment as the others. From here on out, you will have to secure all your own cultivation resources. Are you still willing to accept that?"

Xia Gucheng’s tone grew serious.

"This disciple accepts," Li Wudao replied without changing his expression, nodding in agreement. The other peaks might be rich in resources, but they were unlikely to surpass what he could achieve. If nothing else, his *Heart Sutra of the Martial Emperor* and his hundred-fold comprehension were things the Xuantian Sect could never offer. He had never intended to rely on the sect to grow stronger; he relied on his destiny.

"Good. In that case, you are now my first disciple."

Xia Gucheng grinned, revealing a row of yellowed teeth. Seeing that Li Wudao had completed his apprenticeship, the other peak masters shook their heads and sighed; such a promising talent, wasted just like that. With no other choice, they had to settle for selecting the remaining inner disciples. After much deliberation, only two were chosen to join the peaks of the masters. The remaining five new disciples looked dejected and unhappy. After all, there was a difference between a standard inner disciple and a direct disciple of a peak master. In an instant, the disciples were left with mixed emotions, their joys and sorrows divided.

With that, the entrance ceremony came to an end.

"Now, would the deacons please lead the disciples to settle in? Very well, you are dismissed," Elder Wu said, before departing with the other high-ranking sect members.

Outer and inner disciples had to register at the Bureau of Internal Affairs to arrange their accommodations, and where they lived depended entirely on their strength. Direct disciples, however, could move into the main peak, enjoying independent courtyards and halls, surrounded by the purest spiritual energy—always a cut above the rest. Li Wudao could not help but marvel at the strict order of the great sect; the hierarchy was rigid, and the law of the jungle prevailed, perfectly in line with the laws of heaven and earth.

"Time to go, kid." Suddenly, Xia Gucheng grabbed him by the back of his collar and soared into the sky, reaching the heights in three strides.

"Where are we going? Slow down, I'm afraid of heights!" Li Wudao went limp like a sick chicken, not daring to look down. He hadn't even said goodbye to his little maidservant yet. But then again, they were both inner disciples now, so it shouldn't be difficult to see each other. Regardless, Jiang Churan had to protect him for the next year; he would have plenty of opportunities.

Xia Gucheng walked on air, covering hundreds of meters in a single breath. The gale whipped the boy’s mouth into a pout, and his hair was, needless to say, messier than a bird's nest. Looking up, he could see faint wisps of white cloud; they were at least a thousand meters in the air. If he fell from here, he would surely be smashed to pieces.

"Oh, right, Master. I still don't know the name of our Seventh Peak," Li Wudao said, trying to distract himself.

"Piaomiao Peak," Xia Gucheng replied.

"..." Li Wudao was amused, and for a moment, he wasn't quite so afraid of heights. He couldn't reconcile the word "Piaomiao" (Ethereal) with his slovenly master. He felt "Salted Fish Peak" would have been much more fitting.

Meanwhile, on the plaza, Sun Qian and several Sun family disciples looked worried. They had planned to apologize to Li Wudao once the ceremony concluded, hoping to restore their previous relationship. But since the latter had been whisked away by Peak Master Xia, they could only watch helplessly, sighing at the distance between them.

"It's alright, we'll have another chance later," the others comforted Sun Qian.

Sun Qian bit her lip, her face pale. She felt immense resentment and humiliation; she could not accept this. The Li Wudao of the past was nothing but a piece of trash whom anyone could step on. But now, he was a direct disciple—someone she could no longer insult at will. Never mind taking revenge for that slap; if she wasn't careful, the entire Sun family would be buried along with her. In just a few days, everything she had experienced felt like a dream—too unreal.

Just as Sun Qian was lost in her thoughts, a few young figures approached from a distance.

"Qianqian, why the blank stare?" A man with a long face stepped forward and asked affectionately. The visitor was none other than Ruan Fei, whom they had encountered at the Li residence. He was the son of the Third Elder of the Xuantian Sect, and upon hearing that Sun Qian’s assessment was finished, he had rushed over to celebrate.

"Brother Ruan, why are you here..." Sun Qian felt slightly better seeing him.

"You don't seem like yourself. Did someone bully you? Tell me, and I will vent your anger for you." Ruan Fei noticed Sun Qian's red eyes and immediately sensed something was wrong.

Sun Qian sobbed, but shook her head. "It's nothing, just a small grievance, not worth mentioning."

At this point, several Sun family disciples stepped forward and began to voice their grievances on her behalf. After embellishing the story, Ruan Fei understood the situation.

"I didn't think that piece of trash would actually dare to come to the sect, let alone slap you! He clearly has no respect for me!" Ruan Fei’s brow furrowed, his tone filled with anger. He hadn't expected that the ant he hadn't cared about a few days ago would transform into a direct disciple.

"Forget it, Brother Ruan. Li Wudao is a direct disciple now. There's no need to offend him for my sake; it’s not worth it... I'm fine." Sun Qian wiped her tears, looking so delicate and pitiful that it stirred feelings of compassion in those who saw her.

Seeing this, Ruan Fei’s heart melted, and his hatred for Li Wudao reached its peak. He turned to the men behind him, his gaze falling on the two at the front.

"Brother Tang, Brother Deng, you two have to help me out with this." Ruan Fei said, grinding his teeth with resentment. "If you can teach that brat a painful lesson, I will cover your salaries for the next half-year!" To get revenge for Sun Qian, he had no choice but to ask direct disciples for help. A direct disciple's monthly salary was five hundred low-grade spirit stones; he was essentially gambling away six thousand. Even as the son of the Third Inner Sect Elder, this was a massive expenditure.

"Since Brother Ruan has asked, as brothers, we cannot be timid. Surely a mere newcomer to the direct disciple ranks can't turn the world upside down, right?"

"Exactly. Leave this to us. We’ll make sure that new disciple takes a hard fall." Tang Yi and Deng Lin boasted, thumping their chests.

"Thank you, brothers." Sun Qian bowed. Her fair features were enough to keep the two direct disciples from looking away, and they secretly gulped. It was no wonder Ruan Fei was willing to lose his temper for a beauty; with Sun Qian's looks, she was a top-tier beauty in the entire Xuantian Sect.

Ruan Fei and his group came and went quickly. Because of Li Wudao, they were in a rush to return and plot their strategy to deflate his ego.

Sun Qian watched their retreating backs, a cold, imperceptible smirk playing on her lips. She hadn't expected such a sudden turn of events; Ruan Fei, an inner sect disciple, was actually able to enlist the help of two direct disciples. Now, she wouldn't have to lower her status and swallow her pride to apologize.

"Li Wudao, so what if you've become a direct disciple? I can command direct disciples now. I haven't lost yet. We'll see who has the last laugh..."