Above the Cangzhou, peaks rise one after another, the scenery is enchanting, and an ancient sect has stood here for thousands of years.
Two figures walked along the road, heading towards the mountain ahead.
One was a handsome young man with a tall and upright posture, exuding an ethereal aura.
Beside him was a middle-aged man, appearing to be in his forties, dressed in luxurious clothing, looking at the young man with a peaceful expression and a smile on his lips.
"Tianyi, it's been years since we last met. I didn't expect you to have reached the sixth level of Condensing Yuan. It's truly astonishing!" the middle-aged man spoke.
The young man's name was Ye Tianyi, and the place they were in was called the Cangyun Sect.
This sect had seven main peaks, each with a peak master overseeing it.
The two were climbing one of the seven peaks, Qingyun Peak.
Ye Tianyi was the direct disciple of Qingyun Peak.
Hearing the praise, Ye Tianyi shook his head and said, "Uncle Lin, you're overpraising me. This level of mine is nothing!"
"No need to be modest. Compared to you, my direct disciples are not worth mentioning. I truly envy your master for having disciples like you; Qingyun Peak will be worry-free for a thousand years!"
Lin Po spoke with genuine admiration, without any flattery.
Ye Tianyi couldn't help but ask, "By the way, Uncle, ten years ago when my master returned to the sect, he took in a disciple. He said my junior brother was exceptionally talented, incomparable to ordinary geniuses, and that such a talent wouldn't appear even once in a hundred years in Cangzhou. Is he really as amazing as my master said?"
"Who? Lu Changsheng?"
"Yes!"
Mentioning this name, Lin Po instinctively frowned, not knowing how to respond for a moment.
After pondering for a while, he slowly spoke.
"I can't really comment on that. You should see for yourself. But there's one thing that's very true!"
"What is it?"
"In Cangzhou, not even in five hundred years would you find someone like him!"
Hearing this, Ye Tianyi showed curiosity and said, "It seems my junior brother is quite extraordinary!"
"He is indeed extraordinary..."
"Is he in the sect now?" Ye Tianyi inquired.
"Right there!"
Lin Po was taken aback, pointing not far away, under an old pine tree.
***
On a reclining chair, a young man in white lay leisurely, gently fanning himself with a folding fan, savoring a cup of tea.
He appeared particularly at ease.
In front of him stood several figures, each with a sack in front of them, glistening in the sunlight, all filled with white spirit stones.
"Senior Brother Changsheng, the monthly share of spirit stones from Cangyun City has arrived. Would you like to check?"
Someone spoke, with a flattering smile on their face.
Lu Changsheng took a sip of tea and said unhurriedly, "No need to check, I trust your work!"
Hearing this, they all smiled.
Lu Changsheng continued, "But there's something you need to pay attention to!"
"What is it?"
"Some shops seem to have found new backers and haven't handed over the spirit stones for two months. I'll leave this matter to you!"
"They must be tired of living, daring to owe Senior Brother's spirit stones!"
"Bastards, I'll burn their shops tomorrow!"
Each of them was filled with righteous indignation, defending Lu Changsheng as if he were their elder brother.
Lu Changsheng waved his hand and said, "No need for that. I'm a soft-hearted person and can't stand bloodshed. Just have them hand over the spirit stones within three days!"
"What if they don't hand them over?"
"If they don't, can't you take them yourselves? Don't you know what's valuable? Do I have to teach you?" Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow.
Everyone suddenly understood, right, if others don't give, can't we take it ourselves? If you can't even do that, what's the point of having cultivation?
But these words fell into the ears of Ye Tianyi and Lin Po.
Lin Po was accustomed to it, but Ye Tianyi's forehead was lined with black lines.
"Uncle, is he really my junior brother?"
"Rest assured, he definitely is!"
"Rest assured..." Ye Tianyi's mouth twitched, he had just heard what?
So-called extraordinary talent, rare in a hundred years?
Others practice day and night, tirelessly, even the senior brother, the benchmark of Cangyun, is like this.
Yet this junior brother seems to be living a retirement life, sleeping, strolling, drinking tea, not reading books or practicing techniques, not thinking about major cultivation matters, only occasionally practicing...
And that's not all, he even incites these inner disciples to act as his lackeys, collecting spirit stones for him in Cangyun City?
Lin Po comforted, "Nephew, you'll get used to it over time!"
"Is this all he does?" Ye Tianyi asked, still holding a sliver of hope.
Lin Po pondered for a moment and answered seriously, "Of course, he occasionally does other things!"
"What things?"
"For example, when the outer disciples receive their spirit rice every month, he always arrives on time and carries away two sacks. When the inner disciples receive their pills, he arrives early and leaves with a basketful. When the direct disciples receive their spirit stones, he also goes to collect them on behalf of your senior brother. And every half month, he definitely goes to the elders, saying that senior brother needs spirit stones for crucial cultivation moments..."
Lin Po recounted Lu Changsheng's decade-long routine, never missing a single time.
A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.
Listening to this, Ye Tianyi's face turned red with anger, unable to help but say, "Doesn't anyone stop him? Doesn't senior brother care?"
"Indeed, no one seems to stop him. But as a direct disciple, carrying two bags of spirit rice is nothing. The outer sect elders wouldn't dare offend your master, and as for pills, the sect can afford his share. As for spirit stones, maybe your senior brother really does need them!" Lin Po comforted.
Ye Tianyi's eye twitched wildly. He was upright, righteous, priding himself on strict sect discipline, yet his own peak had produced such a character...
"Tianyi, don't worry about it. Your master isn't here, and they're busy with cultivation, leading to lax discipline. Now that you're back, you can slowly guide him!" Lin Po advised.
Ye Tianyi nodded, determined to properly discipline this junior brother.
Lin Po then said, "Changsheng!"
Hearing the call, the people under the pine tree turned around.
The others, seeing Lin Po, trembled, quickly shouldering their sacks and running up the mountain.
Lu Changsheng, however, remained calm, slowly standing up with a smile on his face.
"Uncle Lin, what brings you to Qingyun Peak today? Looking for my senior brother?"
Lu Changsheng asked as he slowly walked over.
Ye Tianyi carefully observed Lu Changsheng, feeling surprised.
What he saw was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth, with handsome features, dressed in white, eyebrows like sword edges, eyes like stars, exuding an indescribable ethereal and transcendent aura.
Yet he couldn't imagine such an extraordinary person being such a... character.
Lin Po couldn't help but say, "I just ran into your second senior brother on my way back to the sect and decided to chat with him!"
"Second senior brother?" Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow, looking at the young man beside him.
To be honest, he had never met this senior brother before.
"Aren't you going to greet your second senior brother?"
Lin Po spoke, Ye Tianyi stood with his hands behind his back, full of pride, quite upset, not looking at him, thinking to establish authority for future guidance.
But Lu Changsheng grinned and slowly said, "Second senior brother, have you eaten?"
In an instant, Ye Tianyi was stunned, opening his mouth, unable to utter a single word.
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan