Watching the Mountain

Chapter 17: Chapter 12: Rematch

There weren’t many requirements for the Profound Pure Sect’s instructional lectures, just that new disciples within their first two years of joining were not allowed to be absent without cause.

A while back, the little rascal Zhang Zhentian had won a bet against Qing Xuan Master in class, and he hadn’t set foot in the Instructor Hall since.

Qing Xuan Master never commented on the matter. He was a man who honored his bets; even though his opponent was just a child, as an instructor, a deal was a deal. It was a promise that had to be kept, regardless of age.

That’s why Zhang Zhentian’s appearance in the Instructor Hall today came as a huge surprise to everyone.

”Elder, I request a rematch.”

The moment Zhang Zhentian saw Qing Xuan Master appear, he eagerly jumped to his feet and shouted.

He had spent the last little while goofing off with a group of children from the Sect’s upper echelon. Upon returning to the Sect, he heard rumors and finally learned the truth: the senior brother he had deliberately chosen for looking the oldest was not, in fact, the strongest.

In fact, that disciple’s talent and Comprehension were notoriously poor. He was the weakest of them all.

His chubby face flushed crimson the moment he learned of this.

’What was that supposed to mean?’

’Did this not mean that he, Zhang Zhentian, had deliberately picked the weakest person, bullying someone old and frail?’

’He, Zhang Zhentian, was destined to surpass Senior Brother Ye Shan and Senior Sister Yue Qingyu to become the Profound Pure Sect’s greatest prodigy! How could he possibly bully an old man?’

’He had to fix this. Otherwise, it would become a stain on his reputation. Even if he one day stood at the very peak of the Immortal Ancient World, an expert so powerful he could dominate an entire era, he’d never escape the label of someone who bullied old men.’

That was why, the moment he found out, he had rushed to the Instructor Hall to request a rematch.

’This time, to make everyone acknowledge his strength, he would challenge every senior brother present.’

Facing the combat-eager Zhang Zhentian, Qing Xuan Master simply glanced at him coolly and uttered two words:

”Not allowed.”

Zhang Zhentian’s expression froze. He stared at Qing Xuan Master, his eyes wide with disbelief, and asked miserably, ”Why?”

”You’ve already won.”

”But Senior Brother Xu is the weakest of them all! There’s no glory in beating him. People will just say I bully old men.”

Qing Xuan Master replied calmly, ”And?”

”So I want to challenge all the senior brothers here and prove myself.”

Qing Xuan Master shook his head. ”That’s unnecessary. No matter who you challenge, the outcome will be the same. You are guaranteed to win.”

”Hm?” Zhang Zhentian grunted in confusion. At first, he thought Qing Xuan Master was complimenting him. But upon seeing the profound look in the Elder’s eyes, he instantly realized the hidden meaning: he was implying that because his grandfather was the Grand Elder of Celestial Sea Peak, nobody would dare to actually beat him.

Once he understood the unspoken implication, his expression soured. ”By your logic, Elder, are you saying Senior Brother Xu was the same?”

At these words, Qing Xuan Master tilted his head slightly, glanced at Xu Ran at the side, and shook his head.

”I can’t say for sure. However... my impression is that he should be much stronger.”

Xu Ran, who had been observing from the sidelines, was inwardly impressed. ’Well played,’ he thought. ’Qing Xuan Master’s words are truly masterful. The ”stronger him” he remembers is obviously the me of today, yet he’s using his current impression to answer Zhang Zhentian’s question about the past.’

’Looks like Qing Xuan Master has that little rascal Zhang Zhentian wrapped around his finger today.’

Sure enough, things developed exactly as he had predicted.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhentian spun around, pointed at Xu Ran, and declared, ”That’s impossible! If that’s the case, then I demand a rematch with Senior Brother Xu!”

”Denied.”

”Why?”

”It’s meaningless.”

”What do you mean, meaningless? I have to prove my own strength!”

”What has that to do with me? You already won our bet, so as promised, I will no longer meddle in your affairs.”

”No! I insist on a challenge.”

Zhang Zhentian looked at the impassive Qing Xuan Master, took a deep breath, and then clasped his hands in a respectful bow. ”I beg you, Elder, please grant my request,” he said, his tone earnest.

Qing Xuan Master considered this for a moment before replying, ”A challenge is possible, on one condition. For the next six months, you must attend every lecture on time, pay close attention, and cause no disruptions.”

”If you can do that, I will permit your rematch and ensure he fights with his true strength. Do you agree?”

Zhang Zhentian’s face stiffened at his words. ’Aren’t these the conditions for if I had lost the challenge?’

’Why do I have to fulfill the loser’s conditions now that I’ve won?’

But for the sake of challenging Xu Ran again and proving himself, he grit his teeth and accepted.

”This disciple is willing.”

Although the brat Zhang Zhentian was a handful, he was a boy of his word. For the next six months, he did exactly as he’d promised. His conduct in Qing Xuan Master’s class was perfect—even better than any of the other disciples.

Qing Xuan Master also kept his end of the bargain. Just as they had agreed, he arranged a rematch between him and Xu Ran, promising that if he won, he would then be free to challenge anyone else he chose.

Zhang Zhentian had been waiting for this day for a long time. To prove himself to everyone, he even brought along many fellow disciples and his group of friends to spectate. After his relentless pestering, even his grandfather, the Grand Elder of Celestial Sea Peak, came to watch.

And so, a simple sparring match unexpectedly drew a crowd of hundreds.

With all eyes on him, Zhang Zhentian leaped onto the fighting stage.

Qing Xuan Master gave Zhang Zhentian a word of advice, ”Hold nothing back. Give it your all.”

At the same time, he secretly sent a voice transmission to Xu Ran: ”The Grand Elder of Celestial Sea Peak specifically asked me to make sure the boy learns a lesson.”

Xu Ran glanced at Qing Xuan Master. He understood.

After the two exchanged salutes, Zhang Zhentian gestured to Xu Ran. ”Senior Brother Xu, you can have the first move this time. That way, no one can say I’m bullying the elderly.”

Xu Ran returned the clasp-fist salute with a faint smile. ”Then pardon my impertinence.”

The words had barely left his mouth when he summoned his Flying Sword. Gripping it in his hand, he pointed it gently at Zhang Zhentian as an inexplicable pressure began to slowly spread across the stage.

The moment he saw Xu Ran draw his sword, Zhang Zhentian prepared to strike. But he suddenly found himself completely paralyzed. Every hair on his body stood on end like the quills of a frightened hedgehog, and cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

’Move an inch, and I’ll die.’

He stared in terror at the slowly approaching Xu Ran, his mind screaming for his body to move, but it was all for naught.

He felt as if he were being enveloped and crushed by an endless darkness. ’One move, and I’ll plunge into the abyss.’

To the onlookers, the battle looked like this: Xu Ran, sword in hand, simply walked step-by-step toward Zhang Zhentian until he was standing right in front of him.

Then, his face pale and his expression terrified, Zhang Zhentian collapsed bonelessly to the floor. Not until Xu Ran sheathed his sword did he begin to gasp for air, looking as if he had just survived a catastrophe.

”Junior Brother Zhang, thank you for the match.”

Long after Xu Ran had stepped down from the stage, Zhang Zhentian remained collapsed where he fell, drenched in a cold sweat.

Below the stage, the friends he had brought with him erupted. ”That’s it?”

”He was acting so high and mighty before, and he gets scared to the ground before a single blow is exchanged.”

”Disgraceful! An utter humiliation! I’m ashamed to call him one of us.”

”All he does is run his mouth, spouting nonsense about crushing Senior Brother Ye Shan and kicking Senior Sister Yue Qingyu. In the end, he just dragged all of us down to be humiliated with him.”

But Zhang Zhentian didn’t hear any of it.

His mind was still replaying that last scene over and over.

’Is this Senior Brother Xu’s true strength?’

’I didn’t even have the courage to make a move against him.’

Zhang Zhentian’s hands gripped the floor of the stage, his heart filled with unwillingness and bitter regret.

Time trickled by. When Zhang Zhentian finally snapped out of it, his friends were long gone, having left while muttering curses. The other disciples had dispersed as well.

Only his grandfather, the Grand Elder of Celestial Sea Peak, remained standing there in silence.

”Grandpa,” Zhang Zhentian called out softly.

The only response was a sigh, followed by the sound of his grandfather’s footsteps walking away.

’Grandpa... must be very disappointed.’

Contrary to Zhang Zhentian’s expectations, the battle didn’t generate much buzz within the Sect.

In fact, by the next day, no one was talking about it at all.

Because right now, just as had happened after his first fight with Xu Ran, everyone in the Sect was focused on one person: Ye Shan.

Battle reports were streaming in from the Secret Realm. Ye Shan, with a single sword, had challenged and defeated young disciples from all of the Four Major Sects. Even when surrounded, he defeated them all with one strike of his sword.

This news sent the morale of the entire Sect soaring, sweeping away the gloom of their previous defeats.

From this day on, the entire Sect was talking about Ye Shan.

Every day brought news of another battle: which Sect had sent which hotshot disciple, and which one would come next.

Defeating True Inheritance disciples and turning back other prodigies, the geniuses from four of the top Ten Major Sects of the Eastern Domain were being utterly suppressed by the Profound Pure Sect’s own prodigy.

The conflicts within the Secret Realm raged on, and Ye Shan’s name shone ever brighter.

By now, throughout the entire Immortal Ancient Eastern Domain Cultivation Realm, there was hardly a soul who didn’t know the name Ye Shan.

As Ye Shan’s fame grew, the disciples of the Profound Pure Sect walked with their chests puffed out. Many even started looking down their noses at the other sects.

’The Ten Major Sects of the Eastern Domain? So what? Aren’t they all being crushed by our Senior Brother Ye Shan anyway?’

’What’s more, our Profound Pure Sect also has Senior Sister Yue Qingyu, whose fame rivals Senior Brother Ye Shan’s! Sooner or later, the entire Immortal Ancient Eastern Domain will belong to the Profound Pure Sect!’

Then, one day, a new topic of debate suddenly arose within the Sect: who was better suited to be the next Sect Leader, Ye Shan or Yue Qingyu?

The moment the topic emerged, it spread like wildfire, engulfing the entire Sect. Even many of the Elders joined the debate, arguing until they were red in the face.

While Ye Shan’s fame was spreading across the Eastern Domain, Xu Ran hadn’t been idle either. He had made significant gains over the years.

After his match with Zhang Zhentian, Qing Xuan Master had appointed him as a teaching assistant for the lectures. He was often asked to demonstrate various Magic Techniques, which exposed him to many new ones.

More importantly, the research he had been conducting all this time had finally yielded results.

And so, while everyone was still debating whether Yue Qingyu or Ye Shan was better suited to lead the Profound Pure Sect, he quietly took his findings and sought out Yue Qingyu.