Lu Tianyu watched Gu Qingxi with bated breath, his knuckles white where he clenched his fists. Every fiber of his being vibrated with the urge to shout "I ACCEPT!" on her behalf. The air crackled with his unspoken plea.
Gu Qingxi met Mo Tiancheng's unwavering gaze. The sincerity radiating from him wasn't mere formality; it resonated deep within her spirit, a tangible promise etched into the calm certainty of his presence. A genuine smile, bright and relieved, broke across her face. "I accept," she declared, her voice clear and steady. She dipped into a respectful bow. "Disciple Gu Qingxi greets Master."
"Excellent." Mo Tiancheng's smile widened, transforming his already striking features into something radiant. "Come. We return to Zi Lin Peak. Formalities must be observed." He gestured towards the path leading away from the trial grounds. His decision wasn't solely swayed by Lu Tianyu's fervent advocacy or Qingxi's remarkable performance within the trials. A deeper current pulled him – an undeniable sense of karmic resonance, a feeling that this seedling was meant for his mountain.
"Allow me to ferry Shimei!" Lu Tianyu burst out, stepping forward eagerly, his eyes shining. "My flying technique is renowned!"
Mo Tiancheng's response was immediate and decisive. "Unnecessary. I shall carry her." His tone brooked no argument. A single, vivid memory flashed behind his serene eyes: Lu Tianyu's infamous 'Scarlet Comet' descent that had once left a visiting dignitary retching over the edge of the Cloud Piercing Pavilion. He harbored a distinct suspicion that subjecting his newly acquired, impressionable disciple to that particular brand of aerial enthusiasm might result in immediate, irrevocable regret regarding her choice of Master.
Lu Tianyu's face fell, his shoulders slumping visibly. He pouted, radiating wounded disappointment.
Mo Tiancheng ignored the theatrics. With a fluid motion, he summoned his flying sword. The blade materialized silently, hovering a handspan above the ground, its surface gleaming with restrained power. He stepped onto it with effortless grace, then extended a hand towards Gu Qingxi. "Step up, Qingxi."
Gu Qingxi approached cautiously, bracing herself internally. Memories of Lu Tianyu's stomach-churning velocity flashed through her mind. She gripped the hem of Mo Tiancheng's pristine white robe tightly, preparing for the inevitable lurch.
Instead, the sword rose with the smooth, gentle lift of a feather caught in a summer breeze. It ascended steadily, then began to glide forward at a pace that could only be described as serene. The wind whispered past, cool and pleasant, carrying the scent of pine and distant blossoms. The landscape unfolded below like a leisurely scroll painting.
Such tranquility!
The contrast was jarring. Instinctively, Gu Qingxi turned her head to look at Lu Tianyu, who was flying alongside them on his own sword, maintaining their sedate pace with visible effort, his expression still sulky.
Lu Tianyu caught her glance and mumbled defensively, "Shimei's flown with me before! She's incredible! Seriously, out of everyone I've ever carried, she's the only one who didn't spew! Absolute iron constitution!"
Gu Qingxi: "..."
Ah. Comprehension dawned, bright and clear.
That's why Shifu insisted on piloting personally.
That's why Lu Tianyu's 'wind-shearing, lightning-rending' flight technique was uniquely his own.
And judging by his proud declaration… everyone else subjected to his aerial acrobatics had indeed succumbed to nausea. Her Sixth Martial Brother wasn't just a cultivator; he was a specialist in aerial disorientation.
A final piece clicked into place: the awestruck, borderline reverential look the gate disciple had given her after her initial arrival on Lu Tianyu's sword. It hadn't been admiration for her courage in the trials; it had been sheer, unadulterated awe that she had survived Lu Tianyu's flight without decorating the mountainside. Lu Tianyu's reputation for terrifying aerial maneuvers was clearly legendary within Tian Qing Sect.
***
Zi Lin Peak
The transition was striking. Gone were the austere trial grounds. Zi Lin Peak greeted them with an ocean of jade. Bamboo forests stretched as far as the eye could see, their slender trunks rising like pillars of emerald, their leaves whispering secrets to the gentle wind. Waves of green rippled across the slopes, a breathtaking vista of serene vitality. The air itself tasted clean, crisp, and alive.
Shifu clearly holds a deep affinity for bamboo, Gu Qingxi observed silently, the tranquility seeping into her bones.
Zi Lin Peak Main Hall
The ceremony was simple yet profound. Gu Qingxi knelt on the polished bamboo floor, presenting a cup of fragrant tea brewed from peak-grown leaves. Mo Tiancheng accepted it, took a measured sip, and placed it aside. With that gesture, the bond solidified. Gu Qingxi was now the Seventh Personal Disciple of Zi Lin Peak Lord Mo Tiancheng.
"You have six senior Martial Brothers," Mo Tiancheng began, his voice warm. "Tianyu, whom you know, is your Sixth Martial Brother. Your Fourth Martial Brother is currently in secluded cultivation. The others are away on assignments. You shall meet them upon their return." He regarded her with evident satisfaction. "The blade you wielded within the illusion shattered. As your Master, I offer this humble replacement until we procure suitable materials for forging your Lifebound Sword." He reached into his sleeve, retrieving a sword from his spatial storage.
The weapon materialized in his hand. Its blade gleamed with a cold, inner light, like captured moonlight on winter ice. An aura of profound, ancient sharpness emanated from it, a silent promise of lethal elegance.
Lu Tianyu gasped, eyes wide. "Shifu! Isn't that... isn't that your Frostspring Sword? Your first blade?!"
Gu Qingxi stared at the offered weapon, her heart tightening. This wasn't just a sword; it was a piece of her Master's history, a symbol of his own beginnings. The depth of his acceptance and care was palpable in this gesture.
"Thank you, Shifu." Her voice held genuine reverence as she accepted the blade. She ran her fingers lightly along the cool metal, feeling the dormant power thrumming within.
"Ah! My turn!" Lu Tianyu exclaimed, scrambling forward. He began rummaging frantically through his own spatial pouch, digging past what sounded like loose tools and crumpled talisman paper. After a moment of intense searching, he pulled out a small, unassuming wooden box. He presented it to Gu Qingxi with an expression that mingled fierce pride and profound sacrifice. "Shimei! My... my most treasured possession! Secured through great peril! Cherish it! Cherish my bleeding heart!" He looked genuinely pained.
Gu Qingxi opened the box. Inside lay a single, wilted, rather pathetic-looking herb. Its leaves drooped sadly, devoid of any vibrant color.
Mo Tiancheng glanced at it, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Withered Glory Magnolia," he identified calmly. "A Fourth Grade medicinal herb. Quite valuable. Store it carefully." He observed Lu Tianyu's near-tragic expression with barely concealed mirth. His notoriously frugal Sixth Disciple parting with something of actual worth? The boy's affection for his new Shimei was undeniable.
Hearing Shifu's confirmation and seeing the genuine agony etched on Lu Tianyu's face, Gu Qingxi understood the magnitude of the gift. This scraggly herb truly was his most prized worldly possession. She accepted it with solemn gratitude. "Thank you, Sixth Martial Brother." She carefully placed the box in her own pouch.
Then, a thoughtful expression crossed her face. "I also have... humble tokens of respect for Shifu and Sixth Martial Brother."
"Sixth Martial Brother..." Lu Tianyu repeated the title slowly, savoring the sound. A wide, goofy grin spread across his face. "Perfect! Hah! Let those preening peacocks on Liuyun flaunt their gaggle of Junior Sisters! Now I have one too!" He puffed out his chest with visible pride.
Mo Tiancheng and Lu Tianyu watched with polite, indulgent curiosity as Gu Qingxi reached into her own pouch. They expected little – a token herb, perhaps a small trinket. She was, after all, merely at the First Layer of Qi Refining, and unaffiliated before this.
What emerged were stacks of talismans. Neatly bundled, radiating subtle power.
Lu Tianyu's jaw dropped. Mo Tiancheng's eyebrows, usually perfectly composed, lifted a fraction.
The talismans weren't simple Fire or Water seals. Among them shimmered glyphs resonating with Wind, Thunder, and even Ice Qi! And then there were the black ones – talismans of an unsettling, unfamiliar design that pulsed with a faint, ominous energy Mo Tiancheng couldn't immediately place.
"Shimei!" Lu Tianyu blurted, stunned. "Where... where did you acquire these?" The quality was unmistakable – Third Grade at minimum! Such talismans commanded prices starting at a hundred spirit stones each in the market. For a First Layer cultivator to possess them, let alone acquire them, was unthinkable.
"This..." Mo Tiancheng picked up one of the black talismans, his brow furrowing slightly. A palpable sense of pressure emanated from it, cold and faintly... necrotic? The design felt hauntingly familiar. "Is this...?"
"Five Ghosts Yin Lightning Talismans, Shifu," Gu Qingxi supplied helpfully.
"Indeed," Mo Tiancheng murmured, examining the intricate, almost baroque script. He'd seen Five Ghosts Yin Lightning Talismans before, crafted by the specialized Talisman Masters of Heaven's Chasm Peak. But those were crude sketches compared to the masterpiece he held. The difference was that between a child's scribble and a Grandmaster's calligraphy. And the sheer, unsettling power condensed within these lines... His gaze snapped back to Gu Qingxi. "You crafted these?"
Lu Tianyu choked on air. "Shimei! Are these the talismans you used against that Demonic Cultivator? These are worth a fortune! You're truly giving them to me?!" He stared, dumbfounded, at the thick stack Gu Qingxi was pressing into his hands.
"All for Sixth Martial Brother," Gu Qingxi confirmed, a hint of apology in her smile. "It's all I have worthy of offering right now. Just some talismans I sketched. I'll find better gifts later." She felt slightly embarrassed; her Shifu and Martial Brother had given treasures, while she offered mere paper and ink.
Lu Tianyu stared at the stack of talismans in his hands. His fingers trembled.
He hadn't misheard.
She drew them.
All of them.
This stack represented thousands... perhaps tens of thousands of spirit stones!
He gazed at the papers. They weren't talismans; they were liquid wealth! A fortune clutched in his perpetually empty hands! The phantom taste of bitter poverty that had haunted him for months vanished, replaced by the dizzying sweetness of sudden, overwhelming riches. Tears of pure, unadulterated gratitude threatened to spill.
Shimei! Shimei is truly the best! A celestial blessing descended upon Zi Lin Peak!
"May I test one?" Mo Tiancheng asked, holding his own, significantly thicker stack. His voice held a note of academic curiosity.
"Of course, Shifu," Gu Qingxi nodded. "They are yours to utilize as you see fit."
Mo Tiancheng selected a Fire Talisman from his stack. He channeled a wisp of Qi into it, then flicked it forward with practiced ease.
The talisman ignited mid-air. But it didn't explode into a simple fireball. Instead, the released energy coalesced, roared, and surged forward not as flame, but as a living, writhing serpent of pure, incandescent fire! A Flame Python, easily the length of two men, materialized with a hiss that scorched the air. It lunged across the hall, its heat palpable even from a distance, before dissipating against a shielded wall in a shower of harmless sparks, leaving behind only the faint scent of ozone and the lingering memory of its terrifying passage.
The Main Hall fell utterly silent. The whispering bamboo outside seemed to still.