Chapter 49

The young man took a deep breath, his mind wandering far and wide. It was as if he had already attained supreme cultivation, following the path described by Xuankong, where there were ways to ascend to the heavens and gates to enter the earth.

Xuankong mustered all his strength and began to enumerate the benefits of joining his sect.

Things like being immune to water and fire, or being able to walk without a shadow under the sun and moon, and pass through metal and stone without hindrance...

These were not extraordinary, he said, all just common skills. In the end, he condensed all his words into one sentence: "Child, you and I have a great connection, so don't refuse. Why don't you quickly bring tea to pay respects and become my disciple? What are you standing there for, looking so foolish?"

The young man, though well-traveled, was deeply moved by the perilous situation he had just experienced and the divine techniques Xuankong used to slay the demon with his flying sword. Now, with Xuankong's encouragement, how could he remain unmoved?

However, his family upbringing was strict, and he was still weighing the pros and cons, unable to make a decision.

Wang Qi smiled and said, "This young man, wanting to join but not daring to, must have some formidable elders at home."

The young man puffed out his chest and said, "I'll do what I want. What can my father say?"

When Xuankong first met the young man, he sensed a few hidden auras in the darkness, guessing they were guards sent by the young man's family to protect him. Knowing the young man came from a prominent background, Xuankong was initially reluctant to get involved and let him face the giant rat alone.

But as he spoke with him, his heart raced, and he used his divine powers to discover a master-disciple connection between them.

This was a matter of cause and effect, and Xuankong found it strange that he had not foreseen this connection before.

Further divination revealed that the prosperity of the Laoshan Sect was tied to this young man. Although the details were unclear, Xuankong, being a man of bold nature, decided to take the young man as his disciple without further hesitation.

The young man also deliberated, thinking that since he had run away from home, he might as well act according to his own will.

Having made up his mind, he did not hesitate. Seeing a teapot on the table, he poured a cup and held it above his head, then knelt down and said respectfully, "Disciple Wang Jun, I humbly request that Master accept me as a disciple and teach me the Dao. I am willing to face any danger!"

Xuankong was delighted and took the teacup from Wang Jun, not minding the cold tea, and swallowed it along with the tea leaves.

He laughed heartily, "Good, good! After drinking this cup of tea, you are my first disciple, the founder of the Xuankong lineage!"

Wang Jun bowed his head to the ground, "Disciple Wang Jun, I greet my Master!"

Xuankong, with his profound cultivation, had been emotionally volatile these past few days. He suppressed his joy and extended a gentle true essence to lift Wang Jun, saying, "My disciples don't need such formalities. You've bowed to me, and I've drunk your tea. From now on, we are family."

He was so excited that he almost blurted out a phrase often used by seniors when taking in juniors: "After drinking this cup of wine, we are all brothers!"

If he had said that, it would have messed up the hierarchy!

Wang Qi, seeing his senior brother's joy, started to speak in a mix of formal and informal language. Despite growing up in a merchant family that traveled extensively, he only half understood Xuankong's slang. He quickly coughed a few times to bring Xuankong back to his senses.

"Um!" Xuankong looked at Wang Jun, feeling even more delighted.

His eyes scanned the room and finally landed on the sword at his waist. He smiled, cast a spell to seal the sword's sharpness, and handed it to Wang Jun. Seeing Wang Jun's puzzled look, Xuankong laughed, "You've become my disciple today, so you can't join my Xuankong lineage for free. Other sects give their disciples magical treasures as gifts. Our Laoshan Sect, though newly established, cannot neglect the rules."

This sword was won by Xuankong in a bet with the immortal Qingtong Jun in the Dàyǒumíng Cave of Weiyu Mountain after he had achieved a small success in his Dao. Later, he refined it further after mastering the art of killing with a sword.

Compared to the famous Purple and Green Swords of later generations, it was no less impressive, and he had invested a great deal of effort into it. Yet, he was very generous to his first disciple, giving it away without a second thought.

Wang Jun finally reacted. Since he had seen Xuankong wield the sword, he knew it was extraordinary. Although he coveted it, he still held it with both hands and said, "I dare not trouble Master."

Xuankong's face turned serious, and he forced Wang Jun to tie the sword to his waist, then smiled, "Now that you are my disciple, I won't hide anything from you. The generations in our Laoshan Sect are named 'Wu Xuan Tong Sheng.' I offended your great-grandmaster, so I am currently in the 'Xuan' generation."

"I don't know how to place you in the lineage yet."

Wang Jun quickly said, "I leave it to Master's discretion."

Xuankong smiled faintly, "You are my eldest disciple, and I won't let you down. I will give you the Daoist name 'Zixu.' After I travel the world for half a year, I will take you back to the mountain and ask the great-grandmaster to record you in the Laoshan lineage."

Purple is the color of emperors, symbolizing supreme respect. 'Xu' means sky, representing the highest level.

Xuankong's choice of 'Zixu' for Wang Jun's Daoist name carried many expectations. How could Wang Jun not understand? He choked up and said, "My Daoist name will be Zixu. Thank you, Master, for the name!"

Wang Qi also nodded and recited softly, "Purple is profound and vast, the divine is supreme. Master, you have chosen a wonderful name!"

Xuankong was curious, "These two lines of poetry are ancient and fitting for Daoism. Who wrote them?"

He looked at Wang Qi, not believing that a merchant's son could come up with such a poetic and divine couplet.

Wang Qi blushed under Xuankong's gaze and said, "I don't know. They are inscribed on a family heirloom, a jade bead. I found them fitting and recited them."

Xuankong said, "Oh," with great interest.

Wang Qi, seeing Xuankong's disbelief, reached into his sleeve and pulled out a jade bead, about an inch in size, but not perfectly round, resembling a human figure. He smiled, "This jade bead is smooth and green, bought at a low price from a poor family in Lintao by my ancestors."

He sighed, "Unfortunately, the bead, though lustrous, has an irregular shape. It has been in our shop for decades without anyone showing interest. My mother secretly put it in my bag as travel money when I insisted on leaving home to learn Daoism on Laoshan."

If it weren't for the bead's appealing human-like shape, with all its limbs and features, he wouldn't have carried it with him. He had long forgotten about it until he remembered the two lines of poetry inscribed on its back.