The Thirty-Third Disciple

Gu Changyuan’s face carried a gentle smile as he looked at the young girl before him, who had shed her former innocence. He spoke slowly:

“Then I’ll still call you Xing’er. After three years, it’s become second nature, and there’s no need to change it. Besides, your senior brothers and sisters are all used to calling you Xing’er, so let’s keep it as it is.”

“Mm.”

Gu Xing’er nodded lightly. Her voice was soft, but it carried a steadiness that hadn’t been there before.

“Now that you’ve recovered your original memories—”

Gu Changyuan paused, his tone casual yet carrying a hint of seriousness.

“Would you like to become my disciple, the thirty-third under my tutelage?”

Gu Xing’er lowered her head again, silent for a moment.

Then she immediately bowed deeply, respectfully performing the ritual greeting before Gu Changyuan:

“Your disciple is willing. Disciple Gu Xing’er pays respects to Master.”

It was only at this moment that she truly recalled who this person was—the one she had called by another name for three years.

He was the supreme being standing at the very pinnacle of the entire Nine Heavens Realm, the Saint Ancestor of the Celestial Sanctuary.

Among his thirty direct disciples, any one of them who stepped out into the world was a top-tier powerhouse who commanded reverence from countless cultivators.

Human cultivators, nourished by spiritual energy, matured quickly in both spirit and mind. Ordinary children by the age of eight already understood reason, recognized hierarchy, and possessed basic, complete thoughts and values.

Though Gu Xing’er had appeared naive and innocent over these three years, everything she had seen, heard, and experienced had been etched without error into the depths of her soul.

Before, she hadn’t understood. But now, with her soul fused and her memories unified, Wei Xinyin naturally realized what an immense fortune and honor it was to become a disciple of this Saint Ancestor.

From childhood, she had heard countless legends about the Celestial Sanctuary in the mortal world. Her entire Wei family, generation after generation, had dreamed of producing a child who could enter that sacred place. Now she had entered it, yet sadly, things had changed. The home she once knew no longer existed.

Gu Changyuan watched the young girl performing the formal bow with proper decorum, a faint smile curving at the corners of his mouth:

“Good. But from now on, the way you address me is up to you.

‘Master’ works, or ‘Big Brother.’

Of course, you can also use what you called me before.”

Gu Xing’er snapped back to attention and nodded earnestly.

Gu Changyuan spoke again, his tone calm and matter-of-fact, with a touch of bluntness:

“You should know that the reason I stepped in to save you back then was entirely because of your constitution.

If you weren’t a Chaos Star Spirit Body, I might not have acted at all.

Would you hold that against me?”

Gu Xing’er lifted her head, her gaze falling on his face.

There was no hesitation in her eyes, no evasion—only unwavering resolve:

“Not today, and not in the future.

To possess such a constitution and to have met Master is already the greatest blessing in Xing’er’s life.

If Master hadn’t seen through my constitution and saved me, I would have been nothing more than a slain soul beneath a hail of blades, without even a chance to survive.

Xing’er is only grateful for Master’s life-saving grace and vengeance for our blood debt. How could I possibly harbor any resentment?”

Her voice was sincere and earnest, her spiritual essence pure and untainted.

Gu Changyuan could tell at a glance that her words came straight from her heart, without an ounce of falsehood.

Gu Xing’er took a deep breath and bowed again:

Xing'er also has one request. In the future, once my cultivation has borne fruit, I wish to go to the Heavenly Xiao Sect to avenge the blood of my Wei family.

Gu Changyuan nodded, his tone indifferent:

“For a cultivator, having a goal to sustain one’s journey is essential to go further. It is good that you have this resolve.”

He waved his right hand, and a disciple token flew out from his palm, landing in front of Gu Xing'er.

Xing'er accepted it with both hands solemnly, clutching it tightly in her palm. A warm current seemed to flow from the token into her body, calming her mind somewhat.

"Alright."

Gu Changyuan stood up.

"Come, let me reintroduce you to your senior fellow disciples."

Xing'er nodded firmly.

"Mhm."

She tried to climb down from the bed, her feet reaching the edge, then stopping.

The space beneath the bed was empty—no shoes.

The former, naive Xing'er had never worn shoes, running around the courtyard barefoot all day long, so naturally there were none.

Now, with her feet dangling in midair, Xing'er wanted to step onto the ground, but she felt embarrassed at the thought of walking around barefoot at eleven years old.

Gu Changyuan saw her hesitation and waved his right hand.

A pair of small silk shoes, embroidered with star patterns and perfectly sized, appeared at her feet.

"You don't actually have to wear them," he said with a smile.

"You've been running around barefoot for three years; your senior fellow disciples are long used to it. They wouldn't say anything about it."

Xing'er put on the shoes and stood up.

"It's not about what they think. I just feel embarrassed myself if I don't wear shoes."

She stood obediently in front of Gu Changyuan.

He ruffled her hair and led her to the living room.

The living room was brightly lit.

Ye Qingxue, Lin Jingyu, Bai Ling'er... except for Xu Mengyao, who was out playing, all the other disciples had gathered.

They sat or stood, and when they saw their master leading Xing'er in, their gazes fell on the small figure.

They had witnessed the beam of light just now, the heavenly phenomenon.

They had also sensed the fluctuation in Xing'er's soul.

Recalling what their master had said earlier, they had guessed the general situation—Xing'er had likely regained her memories.

Assuming that was the case, their master would probably want her to reintroduce herself, so they had waited in advance.

Gu Changyuan brought Xing'er before the disciples.

"I think you've all figured out what's going on.

Her original name was Wei Xinyin, but now she goes by Gu Xing'er.

She has formally become my disciple, the thirty-third direct disciple under me, and your youngest junior sister."

Xing'er stepped forward and bowed deeply to her senior fellow disciples, her voice clear and her words well-ordered.

"Xing'er greets all my senior brothers and sisters. I hope you will look after me in the future.

Please continue to call me Xing'er. Thank you for your care all these years."

She straightened up, her gaze sweeping over every familiar face.

She knew these faces—through Xing'er's memories.

But those three years of memories had been too hazy. She remembered their appearances and their kindness to her, but she had never truly understood what that kindness meant.

Now, with her memories fused together, looking at these faces felt completely different.

Seeing Xing'er speak so much at once, the disciples felt a bit strange.

The old Xing'er had always spoken one or two words at a time; three words were already a stretch.

Now, delivering such a long speech so fluently made it almost feel as though she had been replaced.

Well, indeed, she had been replaced.

One by one, they stepped forward, smiling and greeting her warmly, their tone gentle and close, without a hint of distance.

Gu Xing'er responded to each one with polite grace, composed and at ease, with not a trace of her former naivety.