Chapter 143: Taking A Master
“Yes, the Gate of Myriad Wonders is profound and mysterious, naturally allowing one to master everything and advance a thousand miles in a day.” Lu Xian agreed wholeheartedly, saying, “The cultivation methods of my Lu Clan greatly aid in strengthening the meridians. If you hadn’t cultivated the Heaven and Earth Righteous Law to the Earth Rank, your meridians would have likely burst and you would have died long ago.”
“But I’ve also encountered a bottleneck with this cultivation method,” Lu Yun said with a bitter smile. “My father only managed to open his Ren and Du Meridians a few years ago, and he’s still clueless about subsequent cultivation, so he can’t teach me anymore.”
“Just say you want to take me as your master.” Lu Xian laughed heartily, his laughter unrestrained. Taking Lu Yun as his disciple was a solution he had pondered for a long time. This way, he could legitimately study Lu Yun all day and feel much better about himself. As the saying goes, a master for a day is a father for life, and it is only natural for a disciple to show filial respect to their master by offering him their cultivation methods.
It’s just that Lu Xian was initially embarrassed to ask directly, as it would make the master-disciple relationship seem too transactional. Even though it wasn’t much better now, at least Lu Yun was asking him for something, and he could finally bring himself to ask.
“This…” Lu Yun was overjoyed. This was one of the conditions he had thought of earlier. If Lu Xian became his master, he would not only have someone to guide him but also a Heavenly Rank Grandmaster as a backer, allowing him to walk sideways in the Capital City from then on.
Moreover, even if Lu Xian found out later about his attempt to assassinate Xiahou Lei, this master-disciple relationship would surely change his attitude. Therefore, Lu Yun was delighted about taking this master, but he wasn’t satisfied with just that. So, he put on a look of difficulty and said, “I still need to report this to my father first.”
“Isn’t that simple? Lu Xin is still guarding outside the Bamboo Garden right now. I’ll have someone call him in immediately. I don’t believe he’ll dare to refuse!” Lu Xian said excitedly.
“Wouldn’t that be like forced buying and selling?” Lu Yun looked troubled.
“What? Does becoming my disciple humiliate you?” Lu Xian asked displeasedly. “You’re being indecisive, not like someone of our generation!” He then added, completely serious, “If you really find it difficult, how about I become your disciple?”
“Uh…” Lu Yun genuinely wanted to agree. But he couldn’t afford to joke about something this serious. If the Clan Leader found out, he’d be skinned alive.
“Then I’ll be your disciple,” Lu Yun said, seeing that Lu Xian was about to get angry if he dragged it out any longer. He quickly lowered his stance. “However, I do have a few requests, and I implore you to agree to them.”
“Now that sounds like a human speaking,” Lu Xian grunted. “Go ahead.”
“First, regarding my affairs, I implore you to keep them confidential,” Lu Yun said softly.
“That goes without saying,” Lu Xian, a master of assumption, was exceedingly considerate and didn’t need Lu Yun to elaborate. “If the matter of the Imperial Extreme Profound Cave Skill were to get out, it wouldn’t just be you, but even our Lu Clan would be in great trouble.”
“Even the Clan Leader cannot know,” Lu Yun added.
“Agreed,” Lu Xian nodded. It was naturally best for as few people as possible to know about such a thing.
“Not only the Imperial Extreme Profound Cave Skill, but also my current strength,” Lu Yun added very cautiously.
“Isn’t that obvious!” Lu Xian sneered. “Without the Imperial Extreme Profound Cave Skill, even if you were a peerless genius, you couldn’t have opened the Ren and Du Meridians in your teens!”
“That’s not necessarily true,” Lu Yun retorted decisively, shaking his head. “I’ve seen a woman who already has Earth Rank strength, and she’s definitely under twenty.”
“Hmm.” Lu Xian paused, then pondered for a moment. “Could it be that woman is from the Heavenly Master Dao?”
“Yes,” Lu Yun nodded.
“That makes sense,” Lu Xian sighed. “The Taiping Dao and the Heavenly Master Dao share a common origin, both being legitimate schools of Taoism. Furthermore, the Heavenly Master Dao’s scriptures are far richer than those of the Taiping Dao. Since the Taiping Dao has Profound Cave Skill, it’s understandable that the Heavenly Master Dao would have a similar cultivation method.” He then added strangely, “It’s just that I’ve never heard of anyone cultivating it before.”
“Since it’s not absolute, then me achieving Earth Rank strength before the age of twenty shouldn’t be too shocking, right?” Lu Yun asked with great anticipation. He had always been unable to openly display his true strength, and the feeling of being restrained was truly terrible.
“Why wouldn’t it be shocking?” Lu Xian shot him a glance, radiating dominance. “However, my disciple, even if he’s shocking, so what? At next year’s Grand Competition, you just need to make a name for yourself!”
Lu Yun nodded excitedly, feeling for the first time that taking this master was truly worthwhile.
“So, you agree to become my disciple?” Lu Xian also smiled.
“There’s just one last thing,” Lu Yun said somewhat sheepishly.
“Speak,” Lu Xian’s smile faded slightly. Although he had accepted this disciple for practical reasons, he still didn’t want a greedy and unprincipled disciple.
“Can I tell my father about what Master teaches me?” Lu Yun hesitated, then said softly, “And Lu Bai and the other two.”
Lu Xian had initially expected Lu Yun to ask for something like him helping Lu Xin become a Steward. While no one in the Lu Clan would object if he asked, Lu Xian had declared years ago that he would not involve himself in clan affairs, and for someone who valued his reputation like him, going back on his word would be too difficult.
However, in pursuit of the Great Road, he would still reluctantly agree. But doing so would make his impression of Lu Yun terrible.
But upon hearing Lu Yun’s request, which was completely different from what he imagined, Lu Xian’s face finally showed a smile again. “You still have some conscience, not forgetting your companion.” He paused and said, “Actually, over the years, I’ve known I should mentor the younger generation and let the disciples in the clan grow up quickly. We can’t just have these seven or eight Grandmasters who are arrogant and increasingly unruly!”
Lu Yun nodded, if Lu Xian hadn’t had this intention, he wouldn’t have agreed to mentor the four of them.
“It’s just that cultivation is difficult, and I’m in a state of restlessness, so I really dread starting this!” Lu Xian sighed, then delegated the authority to Lu Yun, saying, “You can make the decision on this matter yourself. You know better than I do what can and cannot be said.” As he spoke, he sternly instructed, “But there is one thing, the Cultivation Method of my Lu Clan absolutely cannot be passed on externally. As for the essence I impart, besides your father and those three little fellows, even other clan members cannot be told.”
Lu Yun responded in a deep voice. The family’s ultimate Cultivation Method was the most precious resource of the Noble Clans, and the essence of a Grandmaster’s experience was the most precious of treasures. No matter how extraordinary Lu Xian was, he could not escape the prejudice of his sect, nor could he casually impart his Cultivation Method to others. Even for disciples of the Lu Clan, it was not permitted to be taught without Lu Xian’s personal approval.
In fact, Lu Xian had already approved of Lu Bai and the other two; otherwise, he wouldn’t have spared his precious time to teach the four of them. If Lu Yun hadn’t brought up these three, Lu Xian would have looked down on him. Only Lu Xin was agreed to by Lu Xian out of consideration for Lu Yun.
“Do you have any other requests? Speak them all at once,” Lu Xian said, looking at Lu Yun with a half-smile. “After formally becoming my disciple, if you dare to be so unruly again, I’ll break your legs!”
“No more, no more,” Lu Yun dared not make any more requests, he was already content. He quickly bowed respectfully and said, “Master, you are above, please accept this disciple’s bow.”
“Haha, good!” Lu Xian laughed heartily. “Now that’s one of us! No need for elaborate rituals; one bow is enough!”
“I know Master dislikes that sort of thing,” Lu Yun said with a smile. “But your disciple’s sincerity is unwavering.”
“Hahaha!” Lu Xian laughed heartily. “You don’t need to remind me. Since I’ve become your Master, I will naturally teach you diligently!”
“Master thinks I’m too devious…” Lu Yun said with a helpless expression. “It’s as if everything your disciple says has an ulterior motive.”
“You brought this upon yourself!” Lu Xian said, pointing at Lu Yun, both annoyed and amused. “Others are terrified in front of Grandmasters and Vice Sect Masters; they only know how to listen to lectures. But you, clearly having leverage over me, are still trying to wrestle with me!”
“It will never happen again,” Lu Yun quickly pledged.
