Chapter 501: Chapter 333: Instruction
“Zhao Xuanqi, your master will be Elder Qiu Qing!”
Hua Guangcan’s voice echoed among the disciples, causing a stir.
“I heard long ago that Elder Qiu would choose one of the New Disciples to take under his wing this time. I just didn’t expect it to be Zhao Xing!”
“It’s not that surprising it’s Zhao Xing. Back when Elder Qiu was personally checking us for hidden issues, didn’t he praise Zhao Xing in front of everyone? The moment I heard Elder Qiu was personally taking a disciple, I thought of him.”
“That’s Elder Qiu we’re talking about, an Innate Martial Artist! To become his disciple… I’m so envious.”
“…”
The disciples looked at Zhao Xuanqi, their eyes filled with envy and even a hint of jealousy.
Hidden in the ranks, the inconspicuous Sun Jiajin watched Zhao Xuanqi’s back, a complex mix of emotions flashing in his eyes: joy, melancholy, and also relief.
Zhao Xing, who had once been in the same boat as him—or perhaps even worse off—had now become someone he had to look up to.
He recalled the words Zhao Xuanqi had once said to him.
If anyone in the sect bullies you in the future, come find me.
Looking back now, it seemed those might not have been empty words after all.
But where some were happy, others were worried.
When Zuo Dongrui and his group heard the news, their faces instantly paled, and their bodies couldn’t help but tremble slightly.
They knew that once Zhao Xuanqi gained power, they would be the ones to suffer.
Their entire families might even be dragged down with them.
An Innate Martial Artist was a being who could single-handedly dominate an entire region among the common folk. How could they possibly afford to provoke someone like that?
“Congratulations, Zhao.”
Standing beside Zhao Xuanqi, Peng Lin had an honest smile on his face. He clasped his hands in a salute to Zhao Xuanqi, showing no signs of envy or jealousy; he seemed genuinely happy for him.
“Zhao, congratulations.”
On the other side, Shen Hong’s expression was conflicted. He finally sighed, clasped his hands, and offered his congratulations. But after speaking, he seemed unconvinced, adding, “You may have won this round, but I’ll be stronger than you in the future.”
However, faced with the varied gazes of the crowd and the congratulations from Peng Lin and Shen Hong, Zhao Xuanqi’s expression was a bit strange.
He had no desire to be chosen by Qiu Qing as his disciple. The man was extremely powerful, and with prolonged, close contact with such an expert, he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t be exposed.
Perhaps he had already been exposed. Otherwise, why would Qiu Qing have chosen him, of all people, to be his disciple?
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Zhao Xuanqi quickly composed himself, precisely controlling his facial muscles to form a joyous smile in response to everyone’s congratulations.
Hua Guangcan paused for a moment, giving the disciples time to whisper amongst themselves, before continuing to announce the assignments for the other disciples.
About half an hour later, Hua Guangcan finished the announcements. He distributed the corresponding Tokens to each disciple and then dismissed the crowd, telling them to continue their usual lessons for the day. Starting tomorrow morning, they would no longer need to gather here but should instead report to their respective masters.
The day passed without incident, and night soon fell. After finishing his duties, Zhao Xuanqi returned to his room. The entire way, he focused his Spirit and carefully sensed his surroundings, but he didn’t detect anyone monitoring him, nor did he perceive any hint of danger or malice.
Sitting on his bed, he closed his eyes and carefully sensed his surroundings once more. After confirming that there was nothing unusual, he began to think about the day’s master assignments.
‘Did Qiu Qing discover my secrets during the inspection that day? Was his performance back then intentional? Is he taking me as his disciple now for some ulterior motive?’
Zhao Xuanqi couldn’t be sure, but he felt it wasn’t likely. At the very least, when the man had inspected him with Primordial Qi, it had indeed failed to penetrate deep into his body’s acupoints.
As for why he was chosen, there were some clues. For one, the Red Heart Sect needed new blood, and it was normal for an Elder like Qiu Qing to lead by example and take on a disciple. For another, his performance in various aspects had been genuinely commendable. Even while hiding his true strength, his base level of Primordial Qi was a tier higher than the other disciples.
Besides, if the man were truly plotting something against him, he should have sent people to monitor him during this time to prevent him from leaving the Red Heart Sect.
‘Perhaps there’s some suspicion, or perhaps it’s just a coincidence.’
Zhao Xuanqi pondered. He felt that while becoming Qiu Qing’s disciple carried the risk of exposure, it was also an opportunity.
After all, with this status, he could more easily access the Red Heart Sect’s core secrets, obtaining Cultivation Techniques and other intelligence, which would save him a considerable amount of Merit Points.
When it was time to perform, he should indeed perform appropriately and not be overly reserved.
‘I’ll know for sure after I meet this Elder Qiu tomorrow.’
Zhao Xuanqi thought to himself. He quickly stopped dwelling on the matter and began to cultivate by circulating the Life Primordial Qi from within the Rebirth Jade.
Even though he was currently tied up with many daily affairs, he would be able to complete the transformation of his heart using the Five Evils Technique in three days at most, officially stepping into the Realm of Five Qi and Profound Understanding.
If he could continue cultivating so peacefully, without any accidents or disruptions, he would be able to complete the transformation of his five organs in about two months and reach the realm of Five Qi Chaoyuan. At that time, the Second Gate of the Dragon Gate would open, and his strength would enter a new realm.
Only by recovering his strength as quickly as possible could he seize some measure of control in this world.
…
…
Early the next morning, Zhao Xuanqi got himself ready, took the Token that Hua Guangcan had given him the day before, and prepared to go report to Qiu Qing.