"Hahaha!"
A loud, self-satisfied laugh rang out behind her, dripping with pride and showmanship. "As expected of my disciple, Shen Huaizhuo's student! It seems all the ancestors of the sect warmly welcome my disciple into the Xuantian Sword Sect."
"As the direct descendants of these esteemed predecessors, shouldn't you all express something on behalf of your masters?"
"Though my disciple has been in the sect for five years, she's been dressed in rags all this time—clearly, she hasn't had an easy life here. Whatever you give is fine. My disciple is lacking in everything right now, and she's not picky—as long as you can part with it!"
The shameless speech from behind made Yu Lanqing stifle a laugh, warmth blooming in her chest.
But what felt even better than that was the light still shining upon her.
Amidst the dazzling radiance, it was as if someone was whispering techniques in her ear, or demonstrating countless sword forms, guiding her through each movement.
Yu Lanqing immersed herself in the experience, intoxicated by it all. By the time the light faded, she had already pushed everything else to the back of her mind, itching to draw her spirit sword and practice right then and there!
In that brief moment, she had gained so much—the blessings of the ancestors were truly worthy of their reputation.
Thankfully, in this life, she hadn't missed it.
Still savoring the sword intent she had just grasped, Yu Lanqing heard her master's voice again in her ear.
It seemed that during the earlier congratulations, one of the elders had added, "If you ever grow tired of teaching a disciple, you can send her to my spirit peak."
Shen Huaizhu, who had been all smiles just moments ago, immediately bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He warily put distance between himself and that elder before flashing to Yu Lanqing's side.
"Now that you've paid respects to the ancestors and I've collected the welcoming gifts from the elders on your behalf, let's return to our Qingzhu Peak, disciple!"
With a flick of his sleeve, a gust of wind carried them both away, vanishing from the front of the Sword Hero Hall.
Left behind, Sect Master Yunhai shook his head helplessly. "A disciple of such exceptional talent, yet she ends up under Elder Shen's tutelage. Who knows if that's a blessing or a curse?"
"What do you think? Of course, it's a curse! What a waste of such incredible potential!" The elders sighed in regret.
After lamenting for a while, they finally remembered Ji Fuyao, who had been overlooked.
"Disciple Ji, receiving blessings from the Cangfan Sword Sovereign is no small feat either."
"In a few decades, our Xuantian Sword Sect might gain two more Sword Sovereigns!"
One of them was flattering Ji Fuyao, who had been taken in by the Changyuan Sword Sovereign and possessed such striking looks.
As for who the other one was—well, that went without saying. Everyone who had witnessed that blinding radiance earlier knew exactly who they meant.
Listening to the elders' praises, Ji Fuyao, who had already returned to the Changyuan Sword Sovereign's side, secretly clenched her fists.
She lowered her head as if shy, not telling anyone that the faint glow she had received had abruptly vanished the moment it was overshadowed by the dazzling light beside her.
...
Once ranked first among the four great sects of the Eastern Continent, the Xuantian Sword Sect occupied vast territories.
Just the spirit peaks housing spiritual veins alone numbered forty-nine—some large, some small.
The more populated peaks housed a thousand people, while the sparser ones had only a hundred.
For hundreds or even thousands to share a single spiritual vein was already an extraordinary privilege in these times, when spiritual energy was dwindling and major sects from the Northern and Southern Continents were migrating eastward.
But to Shen Huaizhu, none of that mattered.
As the master of Qingzhu Peak, he lived there alone.
A single person, monopolizing an entire high-grade spiritual vein!
Now, that number had increased to two.
Standing on a cushion that had enlarged several times over, they flew through the shifting white mist of the barrier, and a vista of lush greenery suddenly unfolded before them.
Unlike the grand, majestic style of the Xuantian Sword Sect as a whole, this spirit peak was meticulously arranged.
At the peak, within the Bamboo Garden, several elegant yet refined structures were scattered tastefully. The garden was filled with exotic flowers and plants of clearly high grade, along with several exquisitely carved sculptures—likely made from no ordinary materials. Even from a distance, Yu Lanqing could sense the dense spiritual energy radiating from them.
Behind the Bamboo Garden, a small stream meandered downward, its banks dotted with delicate bamboo houses.
About two-thirds down the mountainside, steam rose from the water's surface. Following a fork in the stream led directly to a hot spring pool paved with jade.
Mist swirled around the pool, and through the haze, one could vaguely make out various decorations lining its edges.
Many of these were things Yu Lanqing had never even seen before.
Further down, at the halfway point of the mountain, spirit beasts roamed. Regardless of cultivation level, not a single one was of low grade or ugly in appearance.
Shen Huaizhu took Yu Lanqing on a tour before pointing at the bamboo houses scattered along the stream. "They're all new, built atop the spiritual vein, and no one's lived in them yet. Pick whichever one you like best."
Yu Lanqing wasn't one to hesitate. With a quick glance up and down, she settled on a two-story bamboo house located midway between the Bamboo Garden and the hot spring.
This bamboo house wasn't as grand as the ones near the hot spring, nor as ornate as those closest to the Bamboo Garden.
But she had her reasons for choosing it.
First, it wasn't too close to her master. Shen Huaizhu was used to living alone, and being too near would inevitably disturb him.
Second, it wasn't too far either. Even with her current Foundation Establishment cultivation, she could reach him within half the time it took to drink a cup of tea if summoned.
Third, the little house had a unique vantage point, overlooking both the spiritual fields near the hot spring and the mountain path leading into Qingzhu Peak. It was perfect for tending her master's fields and keeping an eye on the entrance—couldn't be more ideal.
Shen Huaizhu didn't notice how much thought his disciple had put into this in the blink of an eye. He simply assumed she liked the look of the house.
With a flick of his sleeve, he guided the cushion beneath their feet toward it.
A wave of his hand later, the empty little house was furnished with several items.
A bed, tables and chairs, lamps, and meditation mats.
Every single piece was exquisite, every single one luxurious.
Once done, Shen Huaizhu tossed out a casual, "Let me know if you need anything else," before flying off, leaving the two-story bamboo house behind.
Yu Lanqing watched his figure disappear into the emerald bamboo at the mountaintop before finally turning away and stepping inside.
Though called a "little house," the two floors combined had four rooms—perfect for hosting guests, living quarters, cultivation, and one left for alchemy or artifact forging.
The furnishings her master had provided made the divisions obvious at a glance.
As she took in the fully stocked house, a wave of emotion welled up in Yu Lanqing's chest.
But when she took a closer look, that emotion instantly turned to shock.
This table was made of third-grade golden-thread spirit nanmu.
Her master was obscenely wealthy!