Just how great a storm the affair with Yue Zuan had stirred within the upper echelons of the True Spirit Sect, only those present knew. Sect Master, Daoist Tusheng, personally confiscated that Sun-Swapping Spirit-Stealing Grand Art. On this matter, the four Inner Sect Elders were also in unanimous agreement.
There was no other reason; the act of this evil art stealing another's spiritual root was simply too vicious, and not even a sliver of it could be allowed to spread.
“Furthermore, there is an Outer Sect Disciple, Zhao Chun. After having her Wood Spiritual Root extracted by Yue Zuan, she unexpectedly transformed into a Metal-Fire Dual Spirit Root. I wish to bring her into the Inner Sect. What do all you elders think?”
The first to speak was a white-haired old man named Ge Xingchao. His long eyebrows raised as he said, “We still don't know if the evil art will be an obstacle to her cultivation. To rashly bring her into the Inner Sect, what if in the future she can't even reach Foundation Establishment?
Wouldn't that be a joke?”
“Spiritual roots are innate. It only depends on how the disciple uses them. I have heard that her temperament is resilient; even before the evil cultivator Yue Zuan, she showed no fear. It's clear she is a good seedling.”
Qiu Jianying, on the other hand, nodded, her words filled with praise for Zhao Chun. Another elder, Wu Yunzhang, lowered his eyes and said, “Bringing her in to try first is also fine. If she reaches the age limit and has not established her foundation, she can just be returned to the Outer Sect.”
Ge Xingchao quickly looked toward Li Su—the one among the four Core Formation Elders who had yet to speak. Seeing that Li Su was noncommittal, with the appearance of closing his eyes to rest, he instead grew temperamental and said, “Then let her in!
If she can't reach Foundation Establishment in the future, then have her hurry back to the Outer Sect. Don't let her occupy another's resources!” Daoist Tusheng smiled and nodded, knowing that he always had this kind of temper, liking to raise dissenting opinions.
“There is one more matter. Zhao Chun is entering the Inner Sect at a young age. Logically, we need to find a master to teach her. Are any of you willing?”
The hall fell silent for a moment. Ge Xingchao was naturally unwilling. He held a teacup in both hands, nestled in his seat, and observed how the other three would act.
Wu Yunzhang simply pretended he heard nothing. It was Qiu Jianying who raised an eyebrow and said, “Among all the elders, only I have not yet taken a disciple under my tutelage. In that case…”
Before she could finish, Li Su opened his eyes and interrupted, “I recall that Junior Niece Qiu is of the Water attribute, right? How can you teach a disciple with a Metal-Fire dual spiritual root?” Having been cut off, Qiu Jianying's expression was not very pleasant.
She said coldly, “The disciples under Elder Li's tutelage are not all Metal spiritual root cultivators either.”
“Not at all! Not at all!”
Li Su shook his head repeatedly, then looked toward Daoist Tusheng.
“Cultivators with Metal spiritual roots are rare to begin with. Very few of my apprentices share my attribute for this very reason. Now that we've encountered one who cultivates both Metal and Fire, it is quite a rare find. Senior Brother, you should just entrust her to me.”
From previously weighing whether she should even enter the Inner Sect, to now two elders fighting over her, this turn of events left the remaining three somewhat baffled. Qiu Jianying also did not know why Li Su wanted to oppose her. Angrily, she said, “How many apprentices has Elder Li accepted?
If not twenty, then fifteen, right? Disciples are valued for quality, not quantity. Don't you go and hinder their path of the Dao.”
“Is Junior Niece suggesting that I am misleading my disciples?”
Li Su retorted.
“If Elder truly thinks so, I also…”
Seeing the two's argument growing more and more intense, Daoist Tusheng waved his hand and said, “Enough! Stop right there!” He was also very conflicted.
After careful consideration, he cast an apologetic look at his disciple, and everything was understood without words. Qiu Jianying was annoyed that he always sided with others. She turned her head away, unwilling to look anymore, and sure enough, she heard Daoist Tusheng say, “Then let's assign that disciple to Junior Brother Li's tutelage.”
After the Sect Master left his seat, she was the first to rise and angrily depart from the great hall, her dissatisfaction clear for all the elders to see. Ge Xingchao walked back with Li Su and asked in confusion, “Senior Brother, why did you accept that disciple?
She has a Metal-Fire spiritual root, which only has a slight similarity to yours, doesn't it?” Li Su glanced at him and replied, “Whether I accept her or not is of little significance to me. I just don't want Qiu Jianying to gain another supporter.
In recent years, Wu Yunzhang has also leaned her way. Once she breaks through to the late Core Formation stage, who else will have a say?”
“Then why let that disciple into the Inner Sect at all? Wouldn't leaving her in the Outer Sect have been enough?”
“Muddle-headed. The Sect Master brought this up today, which means he already had the intention of letting that disciple into the Inner Sect. It is ultimately improper to go against his wishes. After taking her under my tutelage, if she's good, I'll raise her up as a showpiece. If she's truly hopeless, I'll simply not bother with her.”
Li Su did not truly value Zhao Chun either. He was just waiting to have her cultivate on her own after accepting her as a disciple to see what her aptitude was really like. He had many disciples with dual spiritual roots; he was not lacking for one whose future was uncertain.
This political maneuvering of the upper echelons, Zhao Chun naturally could not have known. Hearing that an Inner Sect Elder wanted to take her as a disciple, she felt a sense of joy.
From a Probationary Disciple to being under a Core Formation Elder, she could be considered to have ascended to the heavens in a single step, stirring up quite a storm in the Thirty-ninth Courtyard and even the entire Outer Sect.
No one did not envy her for obtaining such a fortuitous opportunity, but they did not know what kind of perils lay behind it. If not for the protection of the bead, she would have long since lost her life at Yue Zuan's hands. Thinking of the bead, Zhao Chun took it out from her person.
Since the incident that day, it had returned to its transparent appearance, as if nothing had happened at all. But the feeling of craving that came from her dantian was so real, it made her even more certain of the idea that the bead was a treasure, something she dared not speak of to outsiders.
On the day she left the Daylily Garden, Lian Jing said solemnly, “I now hear from others that you only obtained your dual spiritual roots because you acquired a treasure. Regardless of whether this is true or false, there will always be people with their eyes on you. You must be extremely careful in the Inner Sect.
Endure what you can, for only when you have strength will others not dare to look down on you.” The matter of Yue Zuan could not be spread, but a pretext had to be created for the Liao siblings and Zhao Chun.
Recently, a rumor had been circulating in the True Spirit Sect, saying that their group had encountered a spiritual object of heaven and earth on their journey, one that could create dual spiritual roots. They were then robbed by an evil cultivator, who killed the Liao siblings and was about to attack the others.
At the critical moment, Meng Han made a desperate counter-kill against the evil cultivator, saving everyone's lives. By clashing head-on with a Foundation Establishment cultivator while at the late Qi Refining stage, he made quite a name for himself.
As for Zhao Chun, she was the one who, while Meng Han was entangled with the evil cultivator, secretly consumed the spiritual object of heaven and earth. Although she gained dual spiritual roots because of this and was able to enter the Inner Sect, her actions were ultimately looked upon with contempt.
This version of events was full of holes, yet quite a few people believed it. Perhaps there truly were peerless geniuses who could counter-kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator while at the late Qi Refining stage, but that was definitely not something Meng Han could achieve.
As for Zhao Chun, if she had really committed such an unrighteous act, why would she still travel back to the sect with Meng Han and meet the elders? It was just that some people felt it was unfair and insisted on slinging mud at her.
Since Zhao Chun knew that arguing was pointless, she didn't waste her breath on a fruitless effort. The energy spent on verbal disputes with others would be better spent on cultivation. Once her strength increased, who would dare to wag their tongues about her?
Meng Han was also reliable. The storage pouch she had entrusted him to buy was delivered the day before she was to head to the Inner Sect. Although she could not use it out in the open, being able to place her valuables inside it put her mind at ease.
The daily necessities, clothing, and accessories for Inner Sect disciples were all supplied by the sect, so Zhao Chun really had nothing she needed to bring.
She just put on an appearance by carrying a bundle containing forty or fifty Essence Stones and, holding the small potted sapling that Zhou Pianran had given her, she followed the person who came for her. The Inner Sect was located west of the Heaven-Piercing River, occupying half of the Secluded Valley.
Aside from the Shangyan Hall where the Sect Master resided, and the halls of the four elders, the remaining vast territory was inhabited by just under two thousand disciples. Therefore, each person had an independent courtyard, where they could find some peace and quiet.
Elder Li Su had a total of nineteen disciples under him, which meant Zhao Chun had eighteen senior brothers and sisters above her. Those who could become disciples of an elder all had dual spiritual roots, so among them, she was just one of the crowd.
Using secluded cultivation as his reason, Li Su prevented Zhao Chun from coming to pay her respects.
He only bestowed a rush cushion that could help one concentrate their mind and calm their qi as a discipleship gift, saying that when she broke through to the ninth layer of Qi Refinement and was about to attempt Foundation Establishment, she could go to him and ask for a spiritual object to use as the foundation for her spiritual qi.
Her senior brothers and sisters were also quite busy. They had someone deliver gifts like Essence Stones and elixir pills as a greeting gift, but they did not show up in person. Zhao Chun vaguely felt that her new master and fellow disciples didn't seem to welcome her very much.
Perhaps it was because of the rumors outside, she slightly furrowed her brows.
(End of this chapter)