"Glug! Glug! Glug!" Jue Yunzi glanced at the many empty wine jars rolling around in his courtyard, hesitantly saying, "Ancestral Martial Uncle, you should drink less..."
Bai Qiuran asked, "Is this your 'request'?"
Bai Qiuran sat on the steps in front of the Sect Leader's residence, tilting his head back and drinking a bottle of strong liquor as if it were water. He then lowered his head, tears streaming down his face, and shouted, "Damn it! She has entered the Foundation Establishment stage! It only took her six years!"
Jue Yunzi looked at the empty jars again and said, "Ancestral Martial Uncle, you should really drink less..."
But Bai Qiuran was never short on time or energy, and over the years, he had gathered many prime energy seeds. Sitting on those steps, he raised his head again and drained another bottle of liquor. "Damn it! She entered the Foundation Establishment stage in just six years!"
Jue Yunzi nodded vigorously, giving a thumbs-up as he looked at him.
The two began to bicker and poke at each other's sore spots, a routine that had gradually formed between them. Bai Qiuran covered his face, shaking his head, "I'm so happy I could cry..."
"Ancestral Martial Uncle, you really should drink less..." Jue Yunzi urged again.
Bai Qiuran was still covering his face. To compensate for his battle capabilities, and more importantly, to appear more like a true cultivator, Bai Qiuran had taken an unusual path, learning many things that didn't require entering the Foundation Establishment stage, one of which was the sealing technique.
"You've entered the Foundation Establishment stage. Truly, congratulations..."
"Stop blabbing! Can you understand the pain in my heart right now? You, a Mixed Core stage brat!"
Bai Qiuran's frustration boiled over as he smashed a wine jar against the wall, clutching his heart and saying, "I always knew that this day would come eventually. I didn’t think it would happen so soon. Of course, my Master’s realm surpassed mine, and it’s only natural that my junior brothers and sisters would surpass me as well. Over these three thousand years, having taken no disciples made me fear this day. Have I finally been surpassed by a disciple I personally guided?"
For instance, the Fire Seal was something Bai Qiuran had painstakingly crafted by forcing a demon phoenix in the wild to spit out a bit of its true fire.
In the world, various paths could essentially rely on the formation of seals to use related abilities. Although the power of the sealing technique, once perfected, rivaled that of spells, it was difficult to practice, requiring considerable time and effort alongside energy seeds of the same attribute to guide its use.
A loud clap echoed as Bai Qiuran slammed a jar down, dark clouds of emotion brewing inside him.
"It’s so painful to hear! It feels like a bitter drink flows down my throat, piercing my heart," Bai Qiuran lamented dramatically.
"I am here to convince him to go back."
Their shouting and playful disputes had already become a normal part of their interactions. Bai Qiuran, still upset, suddenly felt much smaller in front of the girl who had broken through. He heartily shook his head, unsure how to express his conflicting feelings.
After all this, Bai Qiuran raised his eyebrows, still wrestling with the reality of it all.
"How could you waste so much like this?"
This girl, who had been his junior disciple, didn't seem to mirror the roles expected of them as she had slain demons and monstrous sect leaders but had never faced Bai Qiuran’s hand.
As the two left the Sect Leader's residence and made their way back to Seven Stars Peak, Jue Yunzi smiled slightly and said, "Ruo Wei truly is impressive; if we encounter the Ancestral Martial Uncle not cooperating in the future, we can ask her for help."
"Ah, Ruo Wei," Bai Qiuran murmured as he continued to reflect on his situation.
"Congratulations on entering the Foundation Establishment stage..." Jue Yunzi added.
Suddenly, a calm yet fragrant aroma of wine enveloped the air when Ruo Wei pushed the door wide open. As Bai Qiuran noticed this delightful scent, he felt the True Yuan just forming within him growing denser, revealing the quality of the wine. All around, empty jars littered the courtyard, and Bai Qiuran sat there, blindly staring at the moon, a wine jar clutched in his hands.
Bai Qiuran wearily slumped back down. "It's so good that it makes me want to cry..."
"Ruo Wei, how could you be so strong?"
“It’s great, truly!” Bai Qiuran lamented, aware that without feelings of inadequacy, things could take a different turn.
Rumors of a stark contrast between his strength and hers continually niggled at him, yet Bai Qiuran had the time and energy to continue this path without regrets, having built a wealth of elemental seeds along the way to power his future techniques.
So, amidst the drunken haze, a seed of resolve began to sprout.