Watching the Mountain

Chapter 20: Chapter 15: The Direction of the Wind

Xu Ran first heard the news about Ye Shan in Qing Xuan Master’s lecture.

When the news arrived, the classroom erupted into an uproar. The disciples present passionately denied it, insisting it was impossible. How could Senior Brother Ye Shan possibly be defeated? This had to be a conspiracy by the Four Major Sects, deliberately spreading false rumors to undermine the sect’s morale.

To sum it up, their reaction was simple: it was all fake, and no one should believe a word of it.

To the disciples of the Profound Pure Sect, the name Ye Shan was synonymous with invincibility, a belief deeply ingrained in their hearts and minds.

Seeing the scene unfolding in the classroom, Qing Xuan Master, who sat on the platform, remained silent for a long while before waving his hand and announcing to the crowd:

”That will be all for today’s lesson. For now, everyone should return and await news from the Sect. Whatever the final outcome, I hope none of you forget your duties. Just like the True Inheritance disciple Ye Shan, you are all the hope of our Sect.”

”Senior Brother Xu, do you think the news about Senior Brother Ye Shan is true? Was he really defeated?”

The speaker was none other than the former troublemaker, Zhang Zhentian. Ever since his defeat at Xu Ran’s hands, he had become the very model of an exemplary student in Qing Xuan Master’s class.

There were three reasons for this. First was his bet with Qing Xuan Master. Second, his old companions started ignoring him after his loss. And third, naturally, was the convincingly theatrical sigh from his grandfather, the Grand Elder of Celestial Sea Peak.

After that duel, Qing Xuan Master appointed Xu Ran as a teaching assistant for the class. As a result, the troublemaker Zhang Zhentian latched onto him, always running over with questions.

Thanks to Zhang Zhentian’s constant pestering, Xu Ran’s own breadth of knowledge had expanded considerably.

Faced with Zhang Zhentian’s question, Xu Ran paused. Recalling the scene in the classroom moments ago, he thought, ’This isn’t an easy question to answer.’

So he turned his head to Qing Xuan Master on the platform. ”Elder, what are your thoughts?”

Qing Xuan Master saw right through him and retorted irritably, ”He’s asking you.”

Xu Ran’s expression froze. He then looked at Zhang Zhentian, who was staring at him expectantly. After pondering for a moment, he said:

”Don’t ask me. First, tell me what you think.”

Zhang Zhentian didn’t read too much into it and began to think seriously. After a long while, he spoke with hesitation:

”I think it’s probably true.”

”Oh? And why do you think that? We’re talking about Ye Shan—the same Ye Shan who has never once been defeated by a contemporary since he started cultivating. What makes you think he would lose?”

”I remember you often say, Senior Brother, ’There are heavens beyond heaven, and always someone stronger.’ Besides, Senior Brother Ye Shan has only ever been undefeated among his peers. Who can guarantee the fights inside the Secret Realm were only against his contemporaries? You also often say that two fists are no match for four. It’s possible he was ambushed and overwhelmed.”

Before Xu Ran could react to his answer, Qing Xuan Master, who was standing nearby, looked at Zhang Zhentian with open admiration. He nodded, a gratified look on his face. ’He hasn’t disappointed Elder Zhang,’ he thought.

But despite his inner thoughts, his expression darkened, and he spoke in a cold, hard tone:

”Ye Shan cannot be defeated. At the very least, *you* cannot believe he has been defeated. As a young man, you should be brimming with vigor, always striving forward. If there are heavens beyond heaven, then you must stand even higher. If there is someone stronger, then you must become stronger still.”

As he spoke, he shot a glance at Xu Ran, who wore a complicated expression, and continued stiffly:

”Don’t go learning everything from your Senior Brother Xu. He’s only a little over a hundred years old—not even considered a junior in the Cultivation Realm—yet he’s listless all day, without a shred of youthful vitality. He’s slippery, just like an old loach.”

”Uh...” Xu Ran’s expression froze. He just scratched his head and said nothing.

’Qing Xuan Master is my elder and teacher. When he’s criticizing me, I just have to stand here and take it. I certainly can’t argue back.’

Then, Qing Xuan Master again glanced at the slightly dazed Zhang Zhentian and said with a cold expression:

”The news isn’t even confirmed, and you’ve already lost heart. Where is your pride? I sentence you to practice your Swordsmanship at Avoiding Cliff for half a year. You are not to take a single step off that cliff for six months.”

Zhang Zhentian was completely dumbfounded. His eyes went wide, and he stammered in a panic, ”What? I was just giving my honest opinion! I’m being punished for that?”

He immediately shot a pleading look at Xu Ran. ”Senior Brother Xu, please say something to the Elder! I... I...”

He was so frantic he didn’t know what to say, and a sense of injustice welled up inside him. ’I just answered a question, how could I be wrong?’

”You dare to argue? Make it one year,” Qing Xuan Master said, his face dark as he stared at him.

”But... I...” Zhang Zhentian grew even more frantic. He looked helplessly at Xu Ran, hoping his senior brother would explain on his behalf.

Xu Ran glanced at the expressionless Qing Xuan Master and sighed to himself.

’He knew. Qing Xuan Master already believes the news about Ye Shan being severely injured. That’s why his attitude toward Zhang Zhentian changed so suddenly.’

’Over the years, under the joint tutelage of his grandfather—the Grand Elder of Celestial Sea Peak—and Qing Xuan Master, Zhang Zhentian’s temperament has matured considerably. The troublemaker from before has completely transformed.’

’Now that Ye Shan has fallen, the Sect naturally needs its next prodigy to step up.’

’And Zhang Zhentian is undoubtedly the one to succeed Ye Shan, to shoulder this heavy burden and carry the Sect’s banner.’

’All that sword-sharpening was for this very moment.’

Having understood Qing Xuan Master’s intentions, Xu Ran met Zhang Zhentian’s pleading gaze. He let out a soft sigh and said with a rigid expression:

”Junior Brother Zhang, you were indeed in the wrong.”

At these words, Zhang Zhentian’s pupils constricted. He stood frozen, ramrod straight, unable to believe his ears. ”Why?” he asked, dazed.

Before Xu Ran could explain, Qing Xuan Master snorted. ”Because the one who says you’re wrong is me. As a mere Outer Disciple, how could he possibly defy my will? I say you’re wrong, and even if he disagrees, he must fall in line.”

Zhang Zhentian snapped his head around to stare directly at Qing Xuan Master. ”Just because you say I’m wrong, Elder, does that make it so?”

Qing Xuan Master replied impassively, ”I say you are wrong, therefore you are wrong. Even if you refuse to accept it, you will hold your tongue. Wait for the day you become stronger than me. Then you can come back and talk to me about reason.”

”For now, shut your mouth. Whatever punishment I mete out, you will accept it without another word.”

Zhang Zhentian stood there clenching his fists, his chest heaving as he breathed heavily through his nose. After a long moment, he slowly raised his hands in a fist-and-palm salute and said:

”I understand. This disciple accepts his punishment.”

With a slight bow, he turned on his heel and walked away, his back ramrod straight.

After Zhang Zhentian had gone, Xu Ran turned to Qing Xuan Master on the platform and spoke in a relaxed tone:

”Elder, is that how you always train your disciples?”

’Qing Xuan Master’s methods were truly masterful,’ he thought. ’And his acting was simply divine. With a single gesture or look, he could stir up someone’s emotions to the point where they couldn’t think straight or make a rational judgment.’

’That’s how he fell for the master’s act back then. Part of it was due to his own personality, but if someone with the experience of two lifetimes could be fooled, what chance did a former troublemaker like Zhang Zhentian stand?’

Qing Xuan Master raised an eyebrow at his words. ”What? Do you have an objection to my teaching methods?”

Xu Ran quickly waved his hands. ”Not at all. I just feel... you could have explained it properly, guided him step by step. Why did it have to be like this? It’s too hurtful. He might truly come to resent you for this in the future.”

Qing Xuan Master fell silent for a moment before snorting. ”Hurtful? As his master, my duty is to teach him how to survive in this cruel Cultivation Realm. Tending to his feelings is a job for his grandfather and his family.”

He then added with a complicated expression, ”Besides, time waits for no one. We don’t have the luxury of letting him grow up slowly.”

He glanced at Xu Ran and added a word of caution, ”The peaceful days of the Sect are likely coming to an end. You should be careful.”

Xu Ran’s expression turned serious. He offered a fist-and-palm salute before asking, ”In that case, why did you step in to defend me just now, Elder?”

When Xu Ran had sided against him, Zhang Zhentian’s reaction was one of pure betrayal. He couldn’t believe that the senior brother he had always trusted would say something like that.

But then Qing Xuan Master had deliberately redirected that animosity toward himself, saving Xu Ran from being the target of his resentment.

Qing Xuan Master glanced at him and waved a dismissive hand. ”You and I are different. Even if he resents me, it will take him a very long time to surpass my strength. As for you... a year from now, when he comes out of Avoiding Cliff, he might just cleave you in two with one swing of his sword.”

”That’s why you can’t be the one he resents. You’re too weak, after all. There’d be no time for him to cool off.”

”Er...” Xu Ran’s expression stiffened. He took a deep breath, bowed with cupped hands toward Qing Xuan Master, and said, ”Elder, you’ve already called this disciple an old loach. Your goading won’t work on me.”

At this, Qing Xuan Master fell silent for a long time. He let out a long sigh, said nothing more, and silently turned and walked out of the Instructor Hall.

From the bottom of his heart, he truly disliked students like Xu Ran.

*

*

*

「A few days later.」

The news from the Secret Realm was fully confirmed. Ye Shan had indeed been severely injured and remained in a coma.

The specific details of the incident had also been circulated.

Ye Shan was as bold as he was skilled. Perhaps years of suppressing the disciples of the Four Major Sects had made him overconfident, or perhaps it was simply the nature of his Dao. In any case, he had actually attempted to break through to the Golden Core Stage while inside the Secret Realm.

It could only be said that Ye Shan was truly one of a kind, viewing all the world’s heroes as mere illusions to be cut down at will.

While undergoing his heavenly tribulation, he had fought back with wild arrogance against the members of the Four Major Sects who came to ambush and disrupt his breakthrough.

Faced with an ambush by more than a dozen of his generation’s top geniuses, he had just laughed wildly and met them with his sword.

After he defeated those dozens of geniuses, the Four Major Sects could no longer restrain themselves. Tossing aside all rules and decorum, they dispatched their older-generation Golden Core Powerhouses to intervene.

Ye Shan remained fearless. His Golden Core had already formed. With another wild laugh, he met them head-on with his sword.

He blocked a sneak attack from one of the veteran Golden Core cultivators. Then a second, and a third. But when the fourth attacked, he could no longer hold his ground. He was completely overwhelmed, covered in his own blood and about to collapse.

This sight struck terror into the hearts of the members of the Four Major Sects who had come to stop him. ’This Ye Shan must die.’

However, they failed. Because Yue Qingyu had arrived.

Yue Qingyu’s white robes were already stained red, a clear sign that she had just come from a vicious battle of her own.

Despite this, upon her arrival, she had calmly rescued Ye Shan from the clutches of the Four Major Sects.

She left them with nothing but the sight of her incomparably elegant departing figure.

When footage from the Secret Realm circulated through the Profound Pure Sect, the disciples’ blood boiled with a mixture of excitement and righteous indignation. They wished they could have been there to tear the shameless members of the Four Major Sects limb from limb.

They swelled with pride at the sight of their Senior Brother Ye Shan’s invincible bearing. He had casually suppressed an ambush by more than a dozen of his peers, and even when facing an assault by older powerhouses, he had still displayed a peerless grace.

They also cheered for Yue Qingyu, who had so calmly rescued Ye Shan from right under the noses of the Four Major Sects.

’As expected of Senior Sister Yue Qingyu,’ they thought. ’She always brings such a sense of security. As long as she’s here, the Profound Pure Sect will never fall.’

At first, that was how things were.

But after the Sect spent some time in the oppressive atmosphere following Ye Shan’s devastating injury, one day, the winds within the Sect suddenly shifted.