Chapter 16: The Disciple is Afraid of Being Discovered

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The Disciple is Afraid of Being Discovered

"Forgive me, Senior Brother. I was ignorant and failed to recognize your true stature."

Yang Haichen struggled with the decision for a moment before choosing to apologize directly. ’What’s a Spirit Chef, after all? They’re your patrons, the ones who can provide the very sustenance that accelerates your cultivation.’ ’Besides, if Master found out, he’d probably drag me over to apologize anyway. The outcome would be the same, so it’s better to just get it over with now.’

"Please, rise, Junior Brother. I’m just curious why you didn’t use the main path. Why risk climbing up the cliff?"

Liu Chen didn’t dwell on the man’s attitude. ’At least he’s not some hothead who resorts to violence right away, so that’s something,’ he thought. ’But to risk his life over something like this... that seems a bit much.’

"As you know, Senior Brother, it wouldn’t look good if someone saw me trying to arrange a private spar. That’s why I decided to come up this way."

Yang Haichen said it frankly. It was what he truly thought and the best way he could conceal his movements.

"Have you considered, Junior Brother, that if you were to slip, there’d be no coming back from it?"

Liu Chen glanced at the cliff’s edge. To be honest, he had no idea what lay at the bottom. But even if it was a lake, a fall from a cliff this high—one you couldn’t even see the bottom of—would almost certainly be fatal.

Aside from being able to sense and make rudimentary use of Spiritual Qi, a Body Tempering Realm cultivator’s body was fundamentally no different from a mortal’s.

"Don’t worry, Senior Brother. There’s a lake below."

Yang Haichen smiled faintly, absolutely confident in his abilities. Even if he slipped, he could use the Clear Wind Technique just before impact to mitigate the damage.

’This Senior Brother must spend all his time researching Spirit Chef Skills, leaving no time to learn magic,’ Yang Haichen thought. ’But that makes sense. If he were a Spirit Chef *and* had incredible cultivation talent, what chance would the rest of us have?’

"If you need to visit again, Junior Brother, it would be best to use the front gate."

Liu Chen thought about the living arrangements he’d just settled with his two junior sisters. This was going to be their home now. ’If this guy is going to be popping up out of nowhere, we’ll have to find a new spot.’

"Since it is your request, Senior Brother, I will of course comply."

Yang Haichen nodded slowly. ’This meeting was awkward, but at least we’re acquainted now,’ he thought. ’Maybe next time I can manage to get some Spiritual Cuisine. Then my cultivation can advance even further.’

’I have to keep this a secret, though. If I’m the only one who knows this Senior Brother is a Spirit Chef, my chances of getting Spiritual Cuisine will be much better.’

"It’s getting late, and I still need to cultivate. I’ll come visit again another time."

Yang Haichen was no fool. Seeing that Liu Chen had no desire to continue the conversation, he left him with those words, turned, and leaped straight off the cliff.

Startled, Liu Chen rushed to the edge and looked down. He saw the supposed junior brother descending very slowly, a gentle breeze swirling around him. ’Well,’ Liu Chen thought, relieved, ’at least there won’t be any rumors about an Outer Sect disciple falling to his death and a manhunt for the mysterious culprit.’

’According to my junior sisters, they were the only ones who came to Purple Bamboo Peak recently,’ Liu Chen mused. ’That means this guy isn’t my junior brother. He must be a senior brother from somewhere else.’

Liu Chen stroked his chin, muttering to himself. He had been the only one when he first joined; his master had said it was outside the normal recruitment period. His two junior sisters had also joined Purple Bamboo Peak through connections, which also meant it wasn’t during a normal recruitment.

’Besides, if he really were my junior brother, wouldn’t reaching Body Tempering Great Success in such a short time be a little too absurd?’

’Body Tempering Great Success in half a month? At that rate, would he achieve immortalization in a year?’

***

"Master, I have returned."

Inside the Bamboo Garden, the Grand Elder was resting with his eyes closed when a hurried voice from outside made the normally benevolent-looking man frown.

"Such a panic. What has become of your composure?"

As the footsteps entered the Bamboo Garden, the Grand Elder opened his eyes to scold the newcomer. But when he saw Yang Haichen’s state, the Grand Elder shot up from his prayer mat.

Yang Haichen halted, his gaze faltering. It was the first time he had ever seen such an expression on his master’s face. It was clear his master was genuinely angry.

A moment later, Yang Haichen froze. ’I haven’t even given my report yet,’ he thought, bewildered. ’What’s Master so angry about?’

Thankfully, it wasn’t long before Yang Haichen saw his master’s expression soften considerably.

"Speak. What in the world happened?"

The Grand Elder frowned, taking in Yang Haichen’s wretched state. He looked like he could grab a bowl and start begging for a living. At first, the elder had thought the boy had been thoroughly beaten, but a closer look revealed he was merely disheveled, not injured in the slightest.

"I climbed up the cliff from below the waterfall to the back of the mountain..."

As Yang Haichen recounted his tale in vivid detail, the Grand Elder’s expression gradually darkened. His gaze fell upon the Duster at his side, and after a moment’s hesitation, he finally closed his eyes with a sense of helplessness.

Yang Haichen could clearly sense that something was off, so he decided to skip the more embarrassing parts of his story and get straight to the point.

"Master, that Senior Brother... he’s a Spirit Chef."

The Grand Elder’s eyes shot open, a bright glint appearing within them. But the moment his gaze landed on Yang Haichen, the light vanished, and he couldn’t help but sigh.

’Why is there such a huge gap between disciples?’

"Kneel."

The Grand Elder spoke coldly. Without asking why, Yang Haichen immediately knelt. A moment later, the Grand Elder’s Duster struck him squarely on the back.

After striking him three times, the Grand Elder took a deep breath and asked, "Do you know why I am striking you?"

"You must have your reasons, Master."

Yang Haichen replied with a simple honesty. He was well aware of who approached him with ulterior motives and who genuinely cared for him. He felt far more at ease with his master than with any of his fawning peers.

’In a situation like this, the best thing to do is just quietly accept the punishment,’ he thought. ’Maybe Master will explain why later. It can’t be because I offended that Spirit Chef, can it? On second thought, even though that Senior Brother didn’t seem to want to talk much, he wasn’t disgusted with me. That definitely doesn’t count as offending him.’

"How did I end up with a disciple like you? If you’d fallen off that cliff, who would I have to look after me in my old age?"

The Grand Elder tossed his Duster aside and sat down, exasperated. He had taken Yang Haichen on because the boy was talented, could endure hardship, and wasn’t swayed by flattery. His intention had been to groom a successor.

The boy had done well up until now. But the very first time he was given a task, he dared to gamble with his own life. An old man’s heart like his just couldn’t take it.

"Master, I’m fine. When my Spiritual Power ran out mid-air, the worst that happened was I swallowed a few mouthfuls of lake water."

Yang Haichen said it nonchalantly. That was, in fact, the reason he was late.

"A lake on the back mountain?"

The Grand Elder thought for a moment. Before Mo Xuan became the acting Peak Master, anyone could go to the back of the mountain. One could still go now, but since there were bamboo forests that needed tending, the Purple Bamboo Peak disciples generally avoided going to other groves to prevent trouble.

"It’s the place where the disciples usually fetch water."

Yang Haichen was a little puzzled. ’Could it be that Master doesn’t even know about this? That can’t be right!’

"Isn’t that at the foot of the mountain?"

"I was afraid of being seen, so I used the Clear Wind Technique to descend."