Never Yours, and You Can't Keep Me Either.

As the saying goes, if it is not your own dark history, it is just a joke.

Sipping his spirit wine bit by bit, Chu Xingchen began to recount some of Yuan Kong's past embarrassments. He also talked about Yuan Kong's senior brother, Yuan Jing, who still evoked a sense of regret when thought of.

The cold and guarded look in Qian Qing's eyes gradually faded.

She had originally thought Chu Xingchen was a cultivator who relied on his cultivation base to bully Yuan Kong for being an honest person.

But in reality, the Chu Xingchen before her had practically watched Yuan Kong grow up from a young age.

The young Yuan Kong was just like how he was now that he had grown up.

During their casual chat, Chu Xingchen never mentioned exactly what kind of favor Yuan Kong owed him. Moreover, he spoke with great humor, put on no airs, and seemed to know the limits when teasing Yuan Kong.

He did not look like an immortal cultivator at all.

Yunxiao, on the other hand, looked every bit the immortal. Holding a wine bottle, he drank alone while gazing at the moon, neither participating in the conversation nor looking their way.

Yuan Kong was no longer the somewhat reckless little novice monk he used to be. Now, he could participate in the chat quite humorously and would even bring up some of Qian Qing's embarrassing moments to tease her.

The moon gradually dimmed.

The wine bottles were silent.

Having finished her bottle, Qian Qing slowly collapsed onto the table.

Chu Xingchen cast a playful glance at Qian Qing, then looked at Yuan Kong and gently raised an eyebrow.

Martial artists simply knew too little about cultivators. Whether she was pretending to be asleep or not, Chu Xingchen did not even need to look closely. Such a level of deception could not even fool a Golden Core cultivator like Yuan Kong, let alone Chu Xingchen.

Yuan Kong nodded slightly, signaling that he could continue speaking.

Chu Xingchen turned to Yunxiao, who was sitting to the side, and said:

Fellow Daoist Yunxiao, could I trouble you to go out and scout the surroundings for me?

Yunxiao placed his wine bottle back on the table and turned to leave without saying a word—if he was not allowed to listen, he would not listen.

Little Yuan Kong, only now can I finally say long time no see. Chu Xingchen stretched lazily, then propped his face on his hand and said, I didn't expect you to have an interest in raising a daughter.

What kind of interest is that? Yuan Kong smiled bitterly. I just saw her so pitiful that she couldn't even walk, and it reminded me of how Senior Brother looked at me back then.

Chu Xingchen chuckled softly and said:

The ruthlessness of immortals is not true ruthlessness. It is just that the river of immortal time flows so fast that it cannot retain fleeting pasts.

In her thirties, by mortal standards, even if she hasn't started a family or established a career, she should have left her master's embrace.

Yuan Kong glanced at Qian Qing and said, Jiangyue City is the final stop. There are few cultivators and no spiritual energy here. It's the best place for a pure martial artist like her to stay, and it offers the best opportunity for her to make a name for herself.

After all, having raised her for so many years, it would be a lie to say I have no feelings for her. If I'm going to leave, I naturally have to find the best place for her to settle down.

Chu Xingchen raised an eyebrow slightly, You can't really say that. It wouldn't be a big deal to keep bringing her along. If you can't bear to part with her, you don't have to. After all, you're a cultivator.

Forget it, the fact that she has no spiritual roots is the answer. Destinies come and go, but they always have an end. Yuan Kong slowly exhaled and said, I have to learn to let go. After all, when she is old and dying, I will most likely still look exactly like this.

Chu Xingchen looked at Qian Qing and said:

It is not cultivators who are ruthless, but the unceasing flow of time.

Yuan Kong's expression grew even more depressed as he asked:

Then what did you come to find me for?

The sect is missing a floor sweeper.

I admit I'm stupid, please speak more directly.

Take me as your master first.

Ah? Yuan Kong's face was filled with confusion and shock.

Chu Xingchen looked serious as he said, Don't ask why. Acknowledge me as your master, and then I'll leave. If you want to find me, go to the Tianyan Sect. If you want to send Qian Qing to the Tianyan Sect, that's fine too. I won't interfere in her affairs, and I can stay out of yours as well.

Yuan Kong stared at Chu Xingchen's serious face for a long time, before finally letting out another helpless sigh:

Every time I think I can understand you a little bit, you always manage to make me realize that I don't understand you at all...

Fine, I'll take you as my master. It's still better than eating the pills you refine. I don't know what use you have for a monk taking you as a master anyway.

Saying this, Yuan Kong stood up. Looking at Chu Xingchen, he pressed his palms together, then prostrated himself fully on the ground, calling out in a rather devout tone:

Master.

If one were to say that the person who had the greatest influence on Yuan Kong was Yuan Jing, then the second greatest would be Chu Xingchen.

Although they rarely interacted normally, whenever he was truly in trouble, Chu Xingchen was always there to support him.

Moreover, the joking remarks Chu Xingchen occasionally made about worldly affairs during their casual chats had been verified time and time again along Yuan Kong's journey.

When he was young, he only found them funny, but as he grew older, he found them to be a source of helplessness.

This address of Master was, at the very least, sincere coming from Yuan Kong.

After all, in a way, Chu Xingchen had taught him many principles.

[Apprentice acceptance successful]

[Target: Yuan Kong]

[Cultivation: Late Golden Core stage]

[Golden Trait: Natural Born Buddha Child]

[Purple Trait: Seeing Through Illusions]

[Purple Trait: True Self is Me]

[Blue Trait: Overcoming Myriad Hardships]

[Blue Trait: Intelligence]

[Blue Trait: Compassionate Heart]

[Quest Completed]

[Early Mahayana stage — Mid Mahayana stage]

[All apprentice acceptance quests completed]

[Quest Reward 1:]

[Mid Mahayana stage — Early Tribulation stage]

[Quest Reward 2:]

[True Plate of the World Map]

[Note: Mountains and rivers have their limits, mountains and seas have their other shores.]

[Innate destinies are all contained within this map.]

[Technique Issued: Mahayana Karma Universal Heart Sutra]

[Spiritual Treasure Issued: Gilded True Dragon Karma Staff]

[Obtained an opportunity to upgrade a trait]

Chu Xingchen glanced at Yuan Kong twice, then decisively chose [Seeing Through Illusions].

The trait [Seeing Through Illusions] upgraded to [True Essence of All Things].

Yuan Kong suddenly sensed something unusual. He looked up at Chu Xingchen, then turned his head to look back and forth.

Soon, Yuan Kong confirmed that this was neither an anomaly nor an illusion.

He nimbly climbed to his feet and looked at Chu Xingchen with a solemn expression. After pondering for a moment, he gritted his teeth and spoke:

This... You...

Keep it a secret, you will know in the future. Chu Xingchen interrupted him. He then took out the cultivation technique and the spiritual treasure staff from his spatial system and, without allowing any argument, stuffed them directly into Yuan Kong's hands. Memorize the technique first. I need to take it back for now, and I will give it to you again when your cultivation level is appropriate. Consider this spiritual treasure a gift for acknowledging me as your master.

As for the technique, if you meet an heir you truly want to pass it on to, just do it. You don't need my permission.

If there is anything unusual, just treat it as a gift from the Heavenly Dao.

Yuan Kong looked down at the golden staff in his hand, which radiated a gentle Buddhist light, and then at the equally golden secret technique manual.

It was obvious from Yuan Kong's expression that he desperately wanted to ask for details, but he forced himself to hold back.

After all, Yuan Kong was a Golden Core cultivator. A somewhat convoluted Buddhist cultivation heart sutra posed no difficulty for a Buddhist cultivator like him.

Chu Xingchen only left with peace of mind when Yuan Kong could truly recite it backwards fluently. He also instructed him that if he couldn't remember it, he shouldn't practice it blindly, but instead come find him at the Tianyan Sect.

The sun began to rise.

Chu Xingchen bid farewell to Yuan Kong and departed.

The first light of dawn shone down upon this inconspicuous little courtyard in Jiangyue City.

As Yuan Kong watched Chu Xingchen's departing figure, he suddenly heard a faint sound behind him.

He turned around.

Only to see Qian Qing's shoulders trembling, the movements growing larger and larger.

In this world, perhaps the only thing more despairing than having something taken away is...

That it never belonged to you.

And you could never make it stay.