"You two have arrived," the Old Celestial Master greeted them, his eyes narrowed.
"Your disciple greets the Celestial Master," the two replied in unison, bowing.
Zhang Sishui said, "There are no outsiders here. You don't need to hide your identities. Take off your masks."
"Yes."
The two removed their masks. The male disciple was Yu Luming. He also held two other identities: codename "Kun Ding," and the Daoist name Yushun, bestowed upon him by Zhang Shantong.
The other, a female disciple, unmasked and then let down her hair. Her shoulder-length bob cascaded down. She shook her head of "three thousand worries" and rubbed her nose bridge, clearly finding the mask uncomfortable.
Zhang Sishui asked, "Yiren, how do you feel about today's battles?"
Liu Yiren replied, "The masters are as numerous as the clouds."
This female disciple from Longhu Mountain was precisely the second daughter of the Gu Ling Liu family, Liu Yiren. She was the last person brought back to Longhu Mountain by Zhang Sishui and sent to the Guanling Platform to receive the Dragon Tiger Secret Script.
Although Liu Yiren had not been at Longhu Mountain for long, the Old Celestial Master found her agreeable and did not object to her being Zhang Sishui's disciple, often personally guiding her. The Old Celestial Master had, in fact, played a significant role in Liu Yiren's rapid growth, though Zhang Sishui would never admit it.
"The Luotian Grand Ceremony has gathered the top disciples of the entire Daoist sect. It's normal for you, being new to the Daoist path, to feel pressure," Zhang Sishui comforted her.
Liu Yiren pursed her lips and nodded. She was already quite satisfied with reaching this stage. As for contending for the position of Celestial Master for her master… the thought of potentially facing Yan Shouyi or Lin Zhitong made her instinctively falter.
Zhang Sishui, sensing her apprehension, sighed and said, "Come back to the hall with me."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yiren showed a look of refusal. "Master, 'Zhi Ming Wu Yue' can help me grow quickly, but it will also affect you..."
"Silence!" Zhang Sishui suddenly rebuked, casting a glance at the Old Celestial Master. Seeing that the Old Celestial Master did not comment further, he gave Liu Yiren a look. She could only follow him obediently.
As they left, the Old Celestial Master sighed. "Sishui, when will you understand that to become the Celestial Master, the most important thing is not strength, but the heart? You've given so much. Even if Liu Yiren ultimately wins the position of Celestial Master, how many years will you have left to enjoy it?"
Zhang Sishui's steps halted. He turned back, his expression resolute, and said, "A person lives for a purpose. My purpose is the position of Celestial Master. Whether it's a few years or one, even if it's just for a day, I am willing to give everything!"
"As long as one possesses the Dragon Tiger Secret Script and wins the championship at the Luotian Grand Ceremony, they can become the heir to the Celestial Master. Since you established these rules, you must abide by them. If Yiren wins, she must be the next Celestial Master!"
"Yiren, come with me!" Zhang Sishui led Liu Yiren away.
The Old Celestial Master's expression turned grim. 'Zhi Ming Wu Yue' and 'Xi Zhao Wan Ling' were both miraculous techniques obtained by the ancestor of Longhu Mountain on Longhu Mountain. Currently, only the heir to the Celestial Master could acquire them. Liu Yiren had obtained 'Zhi Ming Wu Yue'. Its effect was that as long as the other party was willing, Liu Yiren could directly absorb their Daoist cultivation. However, she would ultimately only gain five to six tenths of the original amount.
For the past two days, Zhang Sishui had been continuously transferring his cultivation to Liu Yiren, giving almost half a century's worth of his Daoist energy to this female disciple he had taken in just over a month ago. Liu Yiren's strength had consequently soared. Zhang Sishui, on the other hand, was visibly aging.
The Old Celestial Master knew Zhang Sishui's intentions and had advised him several times, but Zhang Sishui refused to listen. The Old Celestial Master could do nothing about it. This morning's battles had likely shown Zhang Sishui the formidable power of Yan Shouyi and the others. Panicked, he had requested a temporary break in the proceedings, intending to transfer more cultivation to Liu Yiren.
Yu Luming had been watching quietly from the side. After the Old Celestial Master sighed, Yu Luming spoke, "Master, I have also inherited 'Zhi Ming Wu Yue'."
The Old Celestial Master immediately glared at Yu Luming. "Are you hinting at something, Master?"
Yu Luming said resentfully, "Look at how deep the master-disciple bond is between them."
The Old Celestial Master huffed, his beard bristling. "If you think Zhang Sishui is so great, go and become his disciple. Zhang Sishui would be happy to take you. That way, whether you or Liu Yiren win, his goal will be achieved."
"I was just mentioning it casually. Please don't be angry, Old Master," Yu Luming appeased him.
The Old Celestial Master patted his chest to calm himself and explained, "Your path is different from mine. Even if I wanted to pass on my cultivation to you, you might not be able to absorb it. Moreover, your future is still long. Absorbing my Daoist energy would actually limit your future development. No matter how hard you try, you would only reach my level, likely unable to advance further."
Yu Luming asked, "Then why did the Grand Elder pass on his cultivation to Liu Yiren?"
"Liu Yiren is merely a pawn Zhang Sishui is using to vie for the position of Celestial Master. After this Luotian Grand Ceremony, Zhang Sishui won't live much longer. Do you think he needs to care about Liu Yiren's future?" The Old Celestial Master paused, then added, "Besides, for someone like Liu Yiren, who had no prior foundation or cultivation, practicing 'Zhi Ming Wu Yue' is most suitable. Her limitations are fewer than yours."
Yu Luming nodded in understanding. The Old Celestial Master appraised Yu Luming and then chuckled. "Before the Luotian Grand Ceremony began, your eyes were only on Liu Yiren as a rival. Now, you hope I will pass on my cultivation to you. What is it? Are you scared?"
Yu Luming thought for a moment and then nodded quite seriously. "Yes, I am scared."
This time, it was the Old Celestial Master's turn to be slightly bewildered. Yu Luming had never taken others seriously before, and given his casual nature, he wouldn't have voiced his fear even if he felt it. This young man… seemed to have undergone some change.
The Old Celestial Master said, "Yan Shouyi and the others have wandered the martial world for years. Every time they fight, they face life-or-death battles. It's only natural that they are strong."
Yu Luming mused, "Should I also go out and gain some experience?"
"We'll plan for that after the Luotian Grand Ceremony," the Old Celestial Master said with a smile. "Earlier, when Yan Shouyi was trapped in the Ten Thousand Laws Altar by Wang Qihe, you also went on stage to try and break the barrier. What were you thinking at the time?"
Yu Luming blinked. "I don't think I was thinking of anything."
"You've changed a lot these past two days," the Old Celestial Master said with a smile.
Yu Luming touched his nose. Had he changed? Where had he changed? Why had he changed? He couldn't figure it out, but seeing his master's gratified expression, it seemed his change was a good thing. This was also a good thing for Yu Luming. He hadn't made progress in a long time, and the Old Celestial Master even nagged him daily, "Yu Luming, you will never become the Celestial Master." This time, having made some "progress," Yu Luming couldn't help but ask, "Master, am I qualified to become the Celestial Master now?"
The Old Celestial Master thought for a moment and vaguely replied, "Not yet qualified."
Yu Luming repeated the words a few times in his mouth, then a happy smile spread across his face. Before, it was "will never become the Celestial Master." Now, it was "not yet qualified." This meant he had indeed progressed! Yu Luming began to ponder. In the past, his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, yet he hadn't earned such a change in his master's opinion. But in the past two days, having done nothing, he received a different answer. Where exactly had he improved?