No one expected that there would actually be someone willing to join the Hehuan Sect.
More importantly, it wasn’t just anyone, but a genius with dual Water and Wood attribute spiritual roots, and a sixth-grade rare spiritual root at that.
Hearing this, even Tai Lingxuan’s pupils dilated slightly as she looked at the girl in disbelief.
“You… you really want to join our Hehuan Sect?”
The girl blinked her bright, shining eyes and nodded repeatedly.
“I’m sure!”
“Ahem, a sixth-grade rare spiritual root, that’s not bad.”
Chen Yuyang cleared his throat, stepped forward, and wore an expression of mild satisfaction.
“What’s your name?”
“Yun Lian.”
“Good. In that case, Yun Lian, you are now the Master’s seventh disciple, and my little junior sister.”
“Here, I have a third-grade Su Shui Lotus. Consider it a gift from your senior brother to welcome you.”
With that, Chen Yuyang raised his hand, and a pale blue lotus flower slipped effortlessly into Yun Lian’s palm.
Yun Lian froze on the spot, dazedly catching the lotus.
Tai Lingxuan raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
She knew this lotus was something Yuyang obtained inside the Ziyang Secret Realm…
But as a welcome gift, it was rather precious.
Sure enough, when Chen Yuyang casually gave away a third-grade spiritual herb, the crowd watching gasped in astonishment.
A third-grade spiritual herb, at the very least, was worth hundreds of top-grade spirit stones.
Giving one away so easily.
The Hehuan Sect must be incredibly wealthy!
Immediately, another girl stepped forward, raising her hand eagerly.
“I-I have a fifth-grade Water attribute rare spiritual root. I want to join the Hehuan Sect too!”
Gu Qiushui’s eyes brightened, ready to agree immediately.
However, Chen Yuyang shook his head at once and patted the plaque with the words written on it.
“No, no acceptance.”
“Our sect’s resources are limited; only one disciple is accepted.”
The girl was stunned, and the onlookers were equally dumbfounded.
You’re a disciple and casually hand out third-grade spiritual herbs like that, so rich—and yet you say the sect’s resources are limited?
But at that moment, everyone began to believe what Chen Yuyang had said earlier—that the Hehuan Sect followed an elite path.
Joining the Hehuan Sect meant gaining massive resources…
This idea began to spread.
Tai Lingxuan watched the young man all along without stopping him; on the contrary, she looked thoughtful.
Gu Qiushui was full of confusion but didn’t immediately ask questions.
The disciple recruitment was considered complete.
With the newly recruited little junior sister Yun Lian in tow, everyone returned to Ziyang City.
“Junior Brother Yuyang, why is that?”
“That fifth-grade rare spiritual root was also a great talent. Why didn’t you accept her?”
Gu Qiushui lowered her voice and quietly asked Chen Yuyang in his ear.
“Only one is accepted—no exceptions,” Chen Yuyang said.
“But…”
“No buts, Senior Sister. Setting such a high entry threshold is the first step to changing their impression of us.”
“First, it lets them know that the Hehuan Sect is not just any sect.”
“Only accepting one, and rejecting a fifth-grade rare spiritual root that any major sect wouldn’t refuse, strengthens that impression even more.”
“Watch and see—although we’re only taking one disciple this year, the name of the Hehuan Sect will begin to spread.
By the time the secret realm opens again in three years, when the Master brings the greatly strengthened Yun Lian to recruit disciples, countless people will be eager to sign up.”
Gu Qiushui listened, half understanding.
Though Chen Yuyang spoke quietly, Tai Lingxuan standing nearby could hear clearly.
This aligned perfectly with her own suspicions.
Yuyang, this child, was thoughtful.
Moreover, he was even more far-sighted than she, the Master.
Though only one disciple was accepted this time, a sixth-grade rare spiritual root disciple…
Tai Lingxuan was already very, very satisfied.
Such an outstanding disciple, once cultivated, would surely become a pillar of the Hehuan Sect.
“By the way, Senior Sister, is your spiritual root really only fourth-grade?”
Suddenly, Chen Yuyang changed the subject and asked Gu Qiushui.
“A fourth-grade spiritual root can reach Nascent Soul Realm at your age?”
Gu Qiushui was taken aback.
She hadn’t considered this before.
Tai Lingxuan realized what he meant, stepped forward, placed a hand on Gu Qiushui’s shoulder, and began to probe her spiritual perception.
It’s only when you check that you realize—Tai Lingxuan’s expression subtly changed.
“A sixth-grade rare spiritual root!”
“Qiushui, you’re also a sixth-grade rare spiritual root?”
Tai Lingxuan was shocked.
When she accepted Gu Qiushui, she had checked and was certain Qiushui had a fourth-grade spiritual root.
A rare spiritual root was already considered a genius, as it surpassed 99% of cultivators.
Yet now, Tai Lingxuan’s spiritual root had silently progressed to sixth-grade.
She had never heard of spiritual root advancement before.
But Chen Yuyang clearly knew why Gu Qiushui possessed a sixth-grade rare spiritual root.
Because he had helped her refine her heart.
However, when Chen Yuyang helped Gu Qiushui refine her heart, she was already a fifth-grade rare spiritual root.
Chen Yuyang also knew well how Gu Qiushui had silently risen from fourth-grade rare spiritual root to fifth-grade rare spiritual root.
It was related to the time they lived together years ago.
Now, Gu Qiushui herself seemed unaware her spiritual root had advanced so much, so Chen Yuyang deliberately brought it up this way as a reminder.
“Sixth-grade rare spiritual root.”
Hearing this, Gu Qiushui was stunned.
Yun Lian beside her was surprised too.
She had thought that joining the Hehuan Sect, with her talent, she would naturally outshine other disciples.
Yet it turned out this Senior Sister was also sixth-grade rare spiritual root.
But why did neither the Master nor the Senior Sisters seem to know this?
“This… well, it’s useless to think too much. Maybe it’s some kind of fate you have.”
Tai Lingxuan didn’t understand either but had no intention of digging deeper.
There are many things in this world that can’t be explained by logic; insisting on answers only leads to mental dead ends.
Besides, it’s a good thing, so no need to worry.
After this breakthrough, Qiushui’s strength was now greater than that of Senior Sisters Chun Shuang and Xia Lan.
Only her own senior apprentice Bai Zhiruo, who had been training outside for over five years, surpassed her now.
Lost in such thoughts, the group returned to Ziyang City together.
They called Ling Xi, who was cultivating in her room, and Tai Lingxuan decided to immediately head back.
At this moment, many small and medium sects had already left Ziyang City, returning to their respective sects.
Outside the town, Tai Lingxuan gently blew out a breath and summoned the Xuankong Flying Boat.
The boat was about two zhang long and half a zhang wide; including Tai Lingxuan, four people could fit comfortably.
The flying boat pierced the air, and with its spiritual energy barrier deployed, the wind couldn’t even stir a hair on those aboard Chen Yuyang’s group.
“So, this is the Master’s newly accepted… junior sister?”
Ling Xi blinked, eyes sparkling with excitement as she looked at Yun Lian.
Although Yun Lian was older, in apprenticeship, entry order mattered more than age.
Thinking this, Ling Xi rubbed her hands eagerly.
“Hehe, Yun Lian junior sister, call me ‘senior sister’ and let me hear it.”
Gu Qiushui couldn’t help but roll her eyes.
This girl…
Yun Lian lowered her eyes, appearing somewhat reserved, but obediently whispered.
“Se-senior sister.”
“Yay! I, Ling Xi, now have a junior sister! Yun Lian junior sister, don’t worry, now that you’ve joined the Hehuan Sect, I’ve got your back. If anyone bullies you, just tell me.”
Ling Xi was thrilled to be a senior sister and enthusiastically patted her chest, promising.
“Mm.”
Yun Lian obediently responded but clenched her fist tightly inside.
This girl….Already showing off.
But now that she was inside, she could only tolerate it…
Thinking this, Yun Lian turned her gaze to the handsome young man sitting opposite her, who was turning his head to look at the scenery outside the flying boat.
Yun Lian naturally remembered the reason she had joined the Hehuan Sect.
It was him who killed Anyu, ruining the plan…
But her sister had said that their future continuation depended on him…
Just this brat—why?
“Yun Lian junior sister, why are you staring so intently at Junior Brother Yuyang?”
Gu Qiushui noticed the girl’s gaze and asked with some concern.
“Ah, this… I’m just a little curious. Isn’t the Hehuan Sect only for women? How did Senior Brother Yuyang join the sect?”
Yun Lian asked sincerely, curious.
Gu Qiushui smiled knowingly and explained:
“Our Hehuan Sect indeed does not accept men.”
“But Junior Brother Yuyang was an abandoned infant. Fourteen years ago, Senior Sister Chun Shuang and the Master found him barely alive beneath the mountain gate.”
“The Master couldn’t bear to see him freeze or starve to death, so he took him in.”
“Originally, the Master intended to let him find his own way once he grew up.”
“But unexpectedly, Yuyang showed exceptional cultivation talent at the age of three or five.”
“Having raised him for so long, the Master grew deeply attached and decided to formally accept him as a disciple. From then on, he became our senior brother.”
Beside them, Chen Yuyang listened to Gu Qiushui’s words, and though he didn’t turn his head, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes secretly.
At the beginning….Wasn’t it because they noticed his ‘Pure Yang Supreme Body’?