Chapter 143 – Taking a Master
"Greetings, True Lord!"
As Mei Qiuyuan descended upon the mountain manor, several Core Formation Elders of the Qinglu Sect immediately stepped forward to pay their respects. Those who were already aware of what had transpired couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
This could be the breakthrough Qinglu Sect desperately needed in its time of crisis.
If Zhuo Suzhu's Heartflame corrosion could be cured, with her foundation, she would stand a real chance at breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. Should she succeed, even if reclaiming the sect's main grounds wasn't immediately possible, having a Nascent Soul cultivator holding the line would at least grant Qinglu Sect the strength to defend itself.
"Hm."
Mei Qiuyuan's gaze swept over the Core Formation Elders of Qinglu Sect. Though these elders seemed lofty and imposing to the ordinary disciples, before a Nascent Soul True Lord like Mei Qiuyuan, they were insignificant.
"You there, little girl—come here."
It didn't take long for Mei Qiuyuan to spot Chu Feifei in the crowd—or rather, she sensed her first. Mei Qiuyuan had picked up Chu Feifei's unique fragrance before her eyes even landed on her.
"Greetings, True Lord!"
Chu Feifei stepped forward. She had already heard a rough account of the events and was understandably stunned by the news that a Nascent Soul True Lord from a powerful overseas sect wished to take her as a disciple.
"Not bad, not bad!"
Mei Qiuyuan reached out and pinched Chu Feifei's cheek. With just that brief contact, she was able to confirm that Yuan Niya hadn't been exaggerating—this girl indeed possessed the Hundred Blossom Sacred Physique. Although it wasn't a complete manifestation of the physique, that hardly mattered.
With the resources of the Hundred Blossom Sect, they could easily make up for what was lacking.
"Little one, are you willing to become my disciple?" Once she confirmed Chu Feifei's potential, Mei Qiuyuan's expression turned solemn.
By rights, a Nascent Soul True Lord accepting a disciple should involve a grand formal ceremony. But someone with a Hundred Blossom Sacred Physique like Chu Feifei—if Mei Qiuyuan brought her back to the sect without taking her in on the spot—would no doubt attract competition from her fellow senior and junior sisters.
So Mei Qiuyuan had decided to formally accept her here and now. The ceremony could wait until they returned.
"Disciple greets Master!"
It was near impossible to refuse an offer to become a Nascent Soul cultivator's disciple—Chu Feifei was no exception. She'd also learned from the Core Formation Elders that only if she acknowledged Mei Qiuyuan as her master would the latter agree to treat Elder Zhuo.
Chu Feifei held deep gratitude toward Elder Zhuo, who had given her the status of an inner disciple. Now that she could help resolve the Heartflame affliction tormenting Elder Zhuo, she did not hesitate—especially since the price was merely accepting a Nascent Soul cultivator as her master.
That wasn't a cost—it was a tremendous opportunity.
"Good girl!"
Mei Qiuyuan accepted Chu Feifei's formal bow, unable to hide the smile blooming at the corners of her lips. She then took out a talisman and pressed it into Chu Feifei's body.
It was a passive life-saving charm—powerful enough to let someone at the Qi Refining stage escape from a Nascent Soul cultivator's grasp. That alone spoke volumes of its value.
But in Mei Qiuyuan's eyes, Chu Feifei was absolutely worthy of such protection.
"Now, take me to see your master who's been afflicted by Heartflame," Mei Qiuyuan said, turning to Yuan Niya. The Qinglu Sect had just delivered her a disciple with the Hundred Blossom Sacred Physique—the karmic debt was far too great. Mei Qiuyuan was eager to settle it quickly.
"Right this way, True Lord!"
Seeing that the Nascent Soul cultivator was ready to intervene, Yuan Niya quickly led Mei Qiuyuan into the manor's inner quarters. There, on a bed, lay the unconscious Zhuo Suzhu.
"True Lord, what do you think?" Yuan Niya asked nervously. After giving up on the Iceheart Fruit, this Nascent Soul cultivator from the Hundred Blossom Sect had become her master's final hope.
"It's a small matter."
Mei Qiuyuan raised her hand, and a dense, fragrant aroma immediately filled the room. As the scent wafted through the air, Yuan Niya's nerves gradually calmed, and her mind became startlingly clear. Even some of her long-standing cultivation confusions suddenly began to dissolve.
Beside her, Chu Feifei's body also began to emit a faint natural fragrance in response. Though hers was subtle, it was distinct—and not even the scent Mei Qiuyuan had released could fully mask it.
Mei Qiuyuan noticed this change instantly. She wasn't surprised. The sect's records on the Hundred Blossom Sacred Physique clearly described such traits. If anything, this reaction only further confirmed Chu Feifei's unique constitution.
"Go."
With a flick of her finger, Mei Qiuyuan directed the fragrant essence toward the unconscious Zhuo Suzhu. The aroma condensed into a wisp of smoke and entered her nostrils. A moment later, Zhuo Suzhu's eyelashes began to flutter slightly.
Seeing this, Mei Qiuyuan withdrew and exited the room.
"Master!"
Yuan Niya, now visibly elated, rushed to her teacher's side as she began to wake.
"Where am I...?"
Roused by Yuan Niya's voice, Zhuo Suzhu slowly opened her eyes, still groggy with confusion. From the moment she'd acted during the Qinglu Sect's crisis, her consciousness had been clouded by the invading Heartflame.
"I see…"
After listening to Yuan Niya's explanation, Zhuo Suzhu finally understood what had happened during her period of unconsciousness. She couldn't help but marvel—who would have thought that the once-insignificant chore disciple would end up becoming her savior?
"Junior Zhuo Suzhu greets the True Lord. I offer my deepest thanks for your life-saving grace." After composing herself, Zhuo Suzhu stepped out to the courtyard, where Mei Qiuyuan had already begun instructing Chu Feifei.
To Mei Qiuyuan, Chu Feifei's foundations were far too crude. She would have to be rebuilt from the ground up. Fortunately, Chu Feifei was still early in her cultivation, so starting over wouldn't be difficult.
"Rise."
Mei Qiuyuan waved her hand, then produced a jade vial and handed it to Zhuo Suzhu. "This is a bottle of Tier-4 Fragrant Dew. When you make your attempt at breaking into the Nascent Soul realm, it will protect you from Heartflame corrosion."
Chu Feifei's karmic debt was immense, and Mei Qiuyuan felt that merely dispelling the heartfire corrosion afflicting Zhuo Suzhu wasn't quite enough.
So, Mei Qiuyuan took out a vial of fourth-grade fragrance elixir that she had personally concocted. This level of fragrance elixir was no less valuable than a high-grade pill of the same tier.
Especially for Zhuo Suzhu, this fragrance elixir was as precious as a Nascent Soul Pill. After all, the greatest obstacle in Zhuo Suzhu's advancement to the Nascent Soul stage was the corrosion of heartfire.
Once that was resolved, Zhuo Suzhu stepping into the Nascent Soul realm wouldn't just be possible—it would be highly likely.
"Thank you, True Lord, for your generous gift!"
Zhuo Suzhu's hands trembled as she received the jade vial. This was her chance—her path. No longer suffering from heartfire corrosion—Zhuo Suzhu understood better than anyone what those words meant.
"With this, the karma is settled. Disciple, let us go."
Having given the fragrance elixir, Mei Qiuyuan considered the karmic bond resolved. It was now time to take Chu Feifei back to the sect for proper training.
"Niya-jie, if you see Gu Mo, please tell her I've gone to Hundred Blossoms Sect with Master," Chu Feifei sent a voice transmission to Yuan Niya. She had already said her goodbyes to everyone else, but Gu Mo was the one person she hadn't managed to part with. Not knowing Gu Mo's current whereabouts, she could only ask Yuan Niya to pass on the message.
"Don't worry. We'll come visit you at Hundred Blossoms Sect when we have the chance." Yuan Niya waved to Chu Feifei, a trace of nostalgia in her heart for the days when the three of them trained together.
But this was Chu Feifei's opportunity, and what Yuan Niya could do now was simply offer her blessings.
"Disciple, come here."
As Mei Qiuyuan departed with Chu Feifei, Zhuo Suzhu called Yuan Niya into the room. Then, she handed her the vial of fourth-grade fragrance elixir.
"M-Master, what is this?" Yuan Niya was baffled by the gesture.
"It's for your cultivation of the Heartfire Technique." Zhuo Suzhu pressed the jade vial into her hand. Now that Chu Feifei was gone, Yuan Niya would no longer be able to rely on the unique scent from Chu Feifei's body to suppress her heartfire.
But this fourth-grade fragrance elixir, left by a Nascent Soul True Lord like Mei Qiuyuan, could fulfill that purpose. It would be sufficient for Yuan Niya to use until she reached peak Core Formation, and even assist her when she attempted to break into the Nascent Soul stage in the future.
"Master, you need this more than I do to break through to the Nascent Soul realm. I can't take it." Yuan Niya quickly shook her head. Compared to her, her master needed the elixir more, and the Qinglu Sect urgently needed a Nascent Soul cultivator.
"My heartfire corrosion has already been eradicated. The resources left by the sect are enough for me to attempt the breakthrough." After her initial excitement upon receiving the fourth-grade elixir, Zhuo Suzhu realized that giving it to Yuan Niya was actually the better choice.
Using it herself would merely add an extra layer of assurance when she tried to advance. Even without it, with her foundation and the sect's standard Nascent Soul resources, she still had a solid chance.
But one Nascent Soul cultivator alone could at most ensure the sect's survival. To reclaim their sect grounds from Fenghua Sect—who had two Nascent Soul True Lords—was nearly impossible.
Zhuo Suzhu's combat power, bolstered by the Heartfire Technique, would surpass an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator's. But Fenghua Sect's Nascent Soul elders came from overseas and were unlikely to be lacking in methods or resources.
Zhuo Suzhu was confident she could take on one of them, but not both—especially when reclaiming the sect meant confronting a powerful defensive formation. She couldn't do it alone.
Thus, she decided to rely on the sect's standard Nascent Soul resources for her own breakthrough and give the fourth-grade fragrance elixir to Yuan Niya.
Yuan Niya's foundation was even stronger than her master's. From the very beginning of her cultivation, she had met Gu Mo and Chu Feifei, laying a solid foundation and never once suffering heartfire corrosion.
This meant Yuan Niya had an excellent chance of reaching the Nascent Soul realm herself. Once Qinglu Sect had two Nascent Soul cultivators, that would be the true moment to reclaim their mountain gate.
For this, Zhuo Suzhu was willing to accept the slight risk of breaking through without the elixir. That mountain gate was her home—the place of memories with fellow disciples and elders. Now that it had been taken by villains, she naturally longed to take it back.
"Master, I will work hard and cultivate with everything I have."
After hearing Zhuo Suzhu's words, Yuan Niya no longer refused. Becoming stronger and reclaiming their sect's land had already become the unwavering belief of every Qinglu Sect disciple.
"Sister Zhuo!"
As Zhuo Suzhu and Yuan Niya exited the room, several Core Formation elders greeted them with respectful salutes. Zhuo Suzhu's recovery had given them someone they could rely on once more.
"Return for now. The sect will focus on reducing exposure from this point on," Zhuo Suzhu said. Though the heartfire corrosion in her body had been cleared, the toll from all those years would take time to recover from. Only when she returned to peak condition would she attempt her breakthrough to Nascent Soul.
Until then, they had to remain hidden. This was the darkness before dawn. Once Zhuo Suzhu succeeded in breaking through, the Qinglu Sect would no longer need to hide.
---
Main City of the Immortal City – Tier 3 Courtyard
"Still no trace of the Qinglu Sect remnants?" He Shaogang's expression was grim. The failure of the Iceheart Fruit operation had left him furious—the losses this time were substantial.
Rumors had already started spreading, questioning his competence. Within any major sect, there were always factions. He Shaogang had risen above the others by leading the charge in capturing Qinglu Sect's spiritual grounds, earning immense merit and becoming the top contender for the position of sect master.
But that didn't mean the others accepted it. Many of the true disciples who once surpassed him in talent and power weren't pleased.
They had originally been the prime candidates for sect master. Now, He Shaogang had jumped the line, and they were naturally resentful. However, they couldn't refute his enormous contributions.
Now, with the failure of this operation, their criticism had started to resurface. After all, no amount of merit could excuse repeated failures. The last bait plan using Qinglu Sect's unique signals had ended in disaster, causing many sect disciples' deaths and even the loss of a false Core Formation elder.
Now the Iceheart Fruit plan had failed again—this time costing them financially rather than in lives. Since the great achievement of seizing Qinglu Sect's mountain gate, He Shaogang had been blundering one move after another, causing significant personnel and resource losses for the sect.
If this happened again, his status as sect master's successor might very well be in jeopardy.
After all, Fenghua Sect couldn't allow someone who continually caused damage to lead them.
That's why He Shaogang was so furious at the moment.
"Young Master, all the previous signs of Qinglu Sect have suddenly disappeared. It seems they've completely gone into hiding," Yao Shifeng reported with a bow.
In truth, they had already tracked down some traces of Qinglu Sect survivors. It wouldn't have taken long to find their hideout. But then, all the signs suddenly vanished.
This meant Qinglu Sect had recalled all its disciples and chosen to go into full seclusion. Such a turtle-shell tactic could be fatal for a sect.
Without going out to gather spirit stones or resources, they would consume their reserves. No matter how deep their foundations, they would eventually be depleted. The upside was that by not moving, they wouldn't leave any tracks or get exposed.
"Let them be. They're slowly digging their own grave," He Shaogang exhaled deeply. Qinglu Sect's retreat might not be bad news for him. Their self-imposed isolation would only weaken them further, making them less and less of a threat.
Now that Qinglu Sect had chosen seclusion, any hope of them making a comeback was essentially gone. So He Shaogang shifted his focus to another target.
"Come. Let's pay a visit to that spirit plant master from the Lu family," He Shaogang said, rising to his feet and addressing Yao Shifeng.
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