Chapter 10: The Immortal-Grade Root Bone and the Sect Master’s Arrival

Observing the anomaly before the Trial Stone, the Grand Elder could not help but exclaim with admiration:

“This spiritual energy, utterly devoid of impurities, and these celestial phenomena—there’s no mistaking it. This is an immortal-grade root bone, and it even possesses some unique variation. This root bone is no less remarkable than my Yaoyao’s.”

The Third Elder, standing nearby, echoed their sentiment:

“If nurtured with care, in time, our Yuqian Sect will produce another heavenly prodigy! However, you already have Yaoyao; you certainly can’t snatch this one from me.”

“What nonsense,” the Grand Elder chuckled, “but I suspect that even if I didn’t contend for them, the others…”

Boom!

A deafening crash abruptly interrupted their conversation.

They turned their gaze toward the testing platform, only to discover the Talent Stone shattered into countless fragments strewn across the ground.

On the platform, Yu Lingyue slowly withdrew her hand, her thoughts stirring subtly at that moment.

‘Since you were willing to defy the sect rules to help a stranger like me, then I shall not disappoint you.’

Her eyes then drifted upward to Qin Yangjun.

Just then, a crimson rift suddenly tore open in the sky.

From within the fissure, a woman emerged, adorned with a phoenix hairpin and draped in a golden gown.

Her face was as round and luminous as a silver moon, her eyes like limpid pools, her lips crimson without rouge, and her brows verdant without paint.

To describe her beauty as one that could shame fish and make geese fall from the sky would be no exaggeration.

Standing high above, a pair of long, slender legs immediately caught the eye.

Her red fingernails exuded a bewitching allure, and perhaps in her haste, she had not worn any shoes.

As her exquisite feet came into view, none of those below dared harbor even a hint of irreverence.

She radiated brilliance, much like a sun.

She was the Yuqian Sect’s sole sun, the Sect Master of Yuqian Sect.

The Resplendent Sun Immortal, Mu Xianxian.

Gazing at the dazzling figure in the sky, Qin Yangjun was abruptly reminded of the plot involving this nominal sister (TL Note:  (piányi jiějie), a Chinese web novel trope for a character who is considered a sister by circumstance, but not blood, often with complex plot implications).

She was a Void Tribulation Realm cultivator, one of the apex figures in the cultivation world of the Great Yu Continent, and also a minor boss the protagonist would face before their ascension.

Naturally, the fate of bosses rarely ended well.

She was attacked by the two protagonists working together; although the two protagonists were not her match, they possessed formidable backing.

At the critical moment, someone from the Upper Realm intervened.

Though she didn’t perish, a significant portion of her cultivation was scattered, leading to the decline of the Yuqian Sect.

In any case, her ending was quite tragic.

Her initial conflict with the protagonist had also been because of him.

Just as Qin Yangjun was lost in thought, several streaks of light cut across the heavens.

Above the assembled crowd, they coalesced into three women and two men.

These were the remaining five elders of the Yuqian Sect.

With their arrival, all seven elders of the Yuqian Sect were now present.

For a moment, a profound aura permeated the sky.

Mu Xianxian’s gaze swept over the crowd below, settling on Yu Lingyue, before she softly spoke:

“Ignore us. The assessment continues.”

Mu Xianxian’s voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone’s ears.

The two assistant examiners promptly replaced the Trial Stone.

However, due to Yu Lingyue’s appearance, the subsequent tests felt more like a mere formality.

Had the Sect Master not been present to maintain order, the elders would likely have rushed forward to shower Yu Lingyue with greetings and concern.

“I knew it, Senior Brother. You had a good reason for helping her; now my master and the others have nothing to say,” Hua Yaoyao whispered playfully into Qin Yangjun’s ear.

“Cough, cough.”

The Third Elder cleared her throat twice.

Although Hua Yaoyao’s voice was soft, one should not forget that her master was a Void Glimpse Realm cultivator and stood so close that Hua Yaoyao’s words were effectively spoken directly into her ear.

Her disciple’s words left the Third Elder feeling intensely awkward.

‘A daughter grown is a daughter lost (TL Note:(nǚ dà bù zhōng liú), an idiom meaning a grown daughter will eventually leave her family for her husband), why is this girl’s elbow turning outwards (TL Note:  (gēbózhǒu wǎng wài guǎi), an idiom meaning to favor outsiders over one’s own people)?’

The Grand Elder, however, let out a hearty laugh, turning his gaze toward Qin Yangjun.

“No wonder you were so composed earlier, saying we should wait until the trial ended. So you were planning to use facts to slap us in the face, eh? Your mind truly works in profound ways.”

Qin Yangjun had only just snapped back to his senses.

Upon hearing their words, a sense of foreboding settled in his heart.

‘Deeply calculating? Slapping them in the face with facts?’

He hadn’t considered any of that; he genuinely wanted to be confined.

“Grand Elder, what are you saying? The sect rules are clear. A violation must be punished…”

Qin Yangjun had not even finished articulating the principle that the law tolerates no exceptions.

The Third Elder, standing beside them, interjected:

“You rascal, are you still being contrary with us? Do you take us for inflexible old fossils (TL Note: ‘(bù dòng biàntōng de lǎo gǔdǒng), an idiom referring to someone who is old-fashioned and unwilling to adapt)?”

‘Well, then. It seems there’s no escaping the re-ranking of the Heavenly Ranking.’

“May I ask, Senior Brother Qin, how did you discover her unique qualities?”

At that moment, Yueyao, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

She had seen Yu Lingyue before, and aside from finding her quite attractive, she hadn’t perceived anything unusual about her.

“Why don’t you take a guess, Junior Sister?” Qin Yangjun said with a smile.

In truth, he had no idea how to explain it.

However, if he didn’t acknowledge it now, he would be embarrassing the two elders, so he had no choice but to go along with it.

“I can’t guess,” Yueyao replied bluntly, her gaze fixed intently on Qin Yangjun.

She seemed to be waiting for Qin Yangjun to give her an answer.

Qin Yangjun’s mind was actually numb; events had unfolded entirely beyond his expectations.

At this point, he could only feign profundity.

“She is now our junior sister. So in the future, time will tell you the answer.”

Yueyao fell silent.

She suddenly felt as if she didn’t recognize the person before her.

The former Qin Yangjun, though the chief disciple, always seemed to be putting on an act in everything he did, as if he thoroughly enjoyed flaunting his abilities.

To put it plainly, he was hypocritical, and Yueyao disliked such people.

Thus, even though he was the Sect Master’s younger brother, she had resolutely rejected Qin Yangjun’s advances twice.

Yet, the man standing before her now gave her a sense of unfathomable depth.

Had she not felt his familiar aura, she would have believed that this person was someone else in disguise.

And the methods he employed at the start of the trial—the Qin Yangjun she knew certainly didn’t possess such intricate thoughts.

‘Could it be that he was always hiding his true capabilities (TL Note:  (cáng zhuō), an idiom meaning to hide one’s clumsiness, or more generally, to conceal one’s talent or skill)?’

‘Were his previous ‘pursuits’ merely a way to ascertain my background? No, no… that would be too…’

Just as Yueyao was deep in thought, Qin Yangjun’s voice suddenly resonated in her ear.

“Oh, right, Junior Sister, you… have you broken through to the late-stage Golden Core Realm?”

This caused Yueyao’s body to tremble slightly, a hint of shock surfacing in her eyes.

Not long ago, she had obtained a secret technique that allowed her to subtly conceal her cultivation, so much so that even a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator might not be able to discern it.

Yet he had easily seen through it?

Qin Yangjun sighed inwardly.

Although Yueyao hadn’t spoken, her expression had already given Qin Yangjun his answer.

The reason Qin Yangjun had asked her so tentatively was primarily because the plot had deviated significantly.

Thus, he couldn’t help but wonder: if the protagonist had undergone so many changes, was it possible that Yueyao hadn’t broken through either?

If she hadn’t broken through, he might still have a chance to contend with her (TL Note: (bāi bāi shǒuwàn), an idiom meaning to arm wrestle, or metaphorically, to compete or contend with someone).

But now it seemed he had no choice but to face the Yueyao who had already broken through.

Did that mean he would have to abandon that matter later on…?

“Little Jun.”

A soft murmur pulled Qin Yangjun’s thoughts back to reality, accompanied by a waft of fragrance.

Mu Xianxian appeared by Qin Yangjun’s side.

“You did well this time. Tell me, what reward do you want?”

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