Taking on Disciples

Up until half a year ago, Xiao Ruobai was in a ruined temple listening to two traveling merchants chatting.

"Did you hear? The Azure Profound Sect is recruiting disciples. That's a major sect in Xuan State. I heard that when the Azure Profound Sect recruits disciples, they value character and virtue above all else; aptitude is actually secondary..."

Xiao Ruobai jerked his head up, the dead silence in his eyes exploding with sparks of life.

He traded his last few copper coins for a map and begged his way toward the Azure Profound Sect.

When his straw sandals wore through, he walked barefoot.

When he was starving, he dug up wild herbs to stave off the hunger.

When he encountered wild beasts, he fought them to the death, relying on the ruthlessness he had honed in the valleys.

When the mountain gate of the Azure Profound Sect finally appeared amidst the clouds and mist, Xiao Ruobai's feet were worn to a bloody pulp, yet his back remained perfectly straight.

He knew this was his last chance.

Father, Mother, wait for me.

Gu Changge saw the first half of Xiao Ruobai's life and sighed softly. Poor child.

This person's incomplete War God Physique, though not in its perfect state, still had its foundation intact.

More importantly, the resilience hidden in the depths of this youth's eyes suited his taste far better than those children with outstanding talent but arrogant attitudes.

Having made up his mind, Gu Changge rose from his long chair, patted non-existent dust from his robes, and leisurely walked toward the center of the plaza where the disciples waiting to be accepted were gathered.

His pace was not fast, but he carried an invisible aura. Wherever he passed, the originally noisy crowd subconsciously quieted down, turning their heads to look at him.

Finally, he came to a stop in front of Xiao Ruobai.

The youth had a frail figure and wore clothes washed until they were faded. His hands tightly gripped the hem of his shirt, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

"What is your name?"

Gu Changge asked, his voice calm and placid, yet it seemed to carry a certain penetrating power that landed directly in Xiao Ruobai's ears.

"Xiao Ruobai."

The youth jerked his head up, a trace of astonishment flashing in his eyes, seemingly not expecting this senior to take the initiative to ask his name.

He quickly composed himself, stepped out of the crowd, and bowed respectfully to Gu Changge. "Disciple Xiao Ruobai greets Senior."

His movements were slightly stiff, yet they revealed the distinct discipline unique to a military family.

A wave of whispers immediately broke out across the elder seating area.

"Hasn't this child's aptitude already been tested? Low-grade Mortal rank. He barely even meets the standard for an outer sect disciple."

"Why would the Purple Bamboo Peak Master take a liking to him?"

Gu Changge ignored the crowd's doubts and simply looked at Xiao Ruobai. Under the gaze of his Delusion-Shattering Divine Eyes, the faint yet exceptionally tenacious cluster of golden battle aura within the youth's body was slowly circulating.

That was the origin source of the War God Physique. Even if incomplete, it still harbored world-destroying potential.

"Are you willing to take me as your master and enter my Purple Bamboo Peak?"

As soon as Gu Changge's voice fell, a massive uproar instantly swept across the plaza.

"This person's aptitude is Low-grade Mortal rank. Peak Master Gu isn't mistaken, is he?"

An outer sect deacon responsible for registering aptitudes cried out in shock, the jade slip in his hand clattering to the ground.

He clearly remembered that on Xiao Ruobai's spirit-testing crystal, there was only a gray light representing the lowest grade of aptitude.

"I heard this Peak Master Gu keeps his peak closed all year round. He probably doesn't know what Low-grade Mortal rank means, right?"

Several newly promoted inner sect disciples huddled together and muttered.

"Although our Azure Profound Sect doesn't judge solely on aptitude, someone with a Low-grade Mortal rank would find it hard to even draw qi into their body. Taking him in as a personal disciple?"

Others cast their gazes upon Gu Changge's plain white Daoist robe, their eyes carrying a bit of curiosity.

Over at the elder seating area, the atmosphere also turned subtle.

The Sword Roar Peak Master frowned, his tone carrying a hint of disapproval.

"Changge, accepting a disciple is no child's play. This child's aptitude is truly too poor."

"You should still carefully select a few good seedlings. If you don't want to go through the trouble of teaching them, my Sword Roar Peak can assign an elder to help you."

The Pill Cauldron Peak Master also chimed in to persuade him: "I think that Shen Jinghong is not bad. With his Heaven-grade aptitude, keeping him by your side at least wouldn't disgrace the reputation of Purple Bamboo Peak."

The Sect Master on the high platform coughed lightly, his gaze gentle yet evaluating.

"Changge, if you just want to find a companion, making him an in-name disciple would suffice. A personal disciple concerns the lineage and inheritance of a peak. Why don't you think it over?"

They had known Gu Changge for many years and knew that although this kid appeared undisciplined, he actually had a clear and perceptive mind. Yet right now, he was choosing the most inconspicuous one, which inevitably made people feel it was inappropriate.

Standing amidst the crowd's gazes, Xiao Ruobai clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deeply into his palms.

He knew his aptitude was poor, so poor that he might not even be selected as a chore disciple. But hearing these words, his heart still ached as if it were being squeezed.

Right at this moment, Gu Changge suddenly smiled and cupped his hands toward the Sect Master and the various Peak Masters.

"Thank you for your good intentions, senior brothers. However, when I choose a disciple, I only ever care about whether they are pleasing to my eye or not."

He turned his head to look at Xiao Ruobai, not a shred of hesitation in his eyes.

"What? You don't want to take me as your master?"

Xiao Ruobai's head snapped up, his eye sockets instantly turning red.

He saw Gu Changge's clear eyes, saw how the other party remained perfectly composed despite clearly being at the center of the storm.

When everyone else felt he was worthless, it was this person who reached out a hand to him in front of the entire Azure Profound Sect.

The threshold for inner sect disciples of the Azure Profound Sect was impossibly high. He originally thought he could at best scrape by as a chore disciple, obtaining meager resources and struggling at the very bottom day after day, making his revenge a distant dream.

But now, the position of a personal disciple to a Peak Master was like a ray of light shining into his dark, sunless life.

"Disciple is willing!"

Xiao Ruobai's voice carried a hint of a sob, yet it was exceptionally firm. He bowed deeply to Gu Changge, his forehead nearly touching the ground.

"To be graced with Master's acceptance, your disciple will not hesitate even if it means dying ten thousand deaths!"

"Ding! Detected that the host has recruited a personal disciple. Task [Passing the Lamp of Purple Bamboo] completed."

"Rewards distributed: Delusion-Shattering Divine Eyes (Activated), Primordial Violet Qi x100, A Lake of Connate Spirit Marrow, Great Emperor Cultivation Method 'War God Stratagem'."

Gu Changge rejoiced in his heart. It was actually Primordial Violet Qi, and a full 100 wisps at that! The rewards for taking in a disciple were rich indeed.

This was the legendary connate qi born during the creation of heaven and earth, containing the most fundamental laws of the Great Dao.

As for the Great Emperor Cultivation Method 'War God Stratagem', one look was enough to tell it was prepared specifically for Xiao Ruobai.

That Connate Spirit Marrow was an aggregation of heaven and earth's spiritual essence. It could cleanse the marrow, refine the meridians, and rebuild one's foundation. For an incomplete War God Physique, it was simply a tailor-made supreme treasure.

Gu Changge looked at the system space and the bottomless lake of Connate Spirit Marrow.

He mused to himself that the system was truly extravagant. Giving a whole lake right off the bat; with such generosity, one probably couldn't find a second portion like this in the entire Black Yellow Great World.

He glanced at Xiao Ruobai, who was still in a daze, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"From today onward, you are my, Gu Changge's, personal disciple. Come back to Purple Bamboo Peak with me. Senior brothers, Changge will take his leave first."

Gu Changge paid no further attention to the discussions behind him; he simply turned and walked away.

Xiao Ruobai followed closely behind, his back perfectly straight.

He could feel countless gazes glued to his back. There was surprise, there was pity, but more than anything, there was the weight of being chosen, something he had never experienced before.

In the elder seating area, the Sect Master watched their receding figures and suddenly smiled at the Azure Cloud Peak Master beside him.

"What that child has in his eyes is far more precious than Heaven-grade aptitude. Perhaps this child truly will achieve something great."

The Pill Cauldron Peak Master stroked his beard thoughtfully. "That kid Gu, his taste is certainly getting weirder and weirder..."

Meanwhile, the subjects of their discussion had long since walked into the depths of the mist.