Because of her outstanding performance, almost the entire Nine Saints Hall was talking about Lin Mu.
But after the next group's matches on the second day, the subject of discussion shifted from Lin Mu to Jiang Jin.
A seventeen-year-old youth at the early Golden Core Stage, who had managed to challenge and defeat five senior brothers and sisters at the mid and late Golden Core Stages to claim the top spot, was undoubtedly the most surprising dark horse of the annual grand tournament.
By the end of the matches, several elders couldn't resist leaving Yunzuo Mountain to watch the event in person.
The group clicked their tongues in admiration. “Heaven has not abandoned our Nine Saints Hall. To think we would produce two such promising talents in this generation.”
“Though they are slightly lacking compared to those personal disciples, they are still outstanding geniuses among men.”
“It is a pity that although Lin Mu has talent, she lacks ambition. As for Jiang Jin, his talent is slightly inferior to Lin Mu's, but he has plenty of drive...”
“There are currently no sword cultivators among the personal disciples. If these two children can fill Song Yao's position, we can consider our lineage secured.”
As those words fell, the elders fell into a complicated silence once more.
How could there be a second Song Yao in this world?
Achieving great mastery in the Dao of the sword in five years, and ascending to the very top of the Heavenly Revelation Board with her sword at the age of eighteen—her comprehension of the sword was something even they felt inferior to.
No matter how great a talent was, it would appear mediocre before her.
If she had walked the righteous path obediently, the position of the next Nine Saints Hall Master would undoubtedly have been hers.
What a pity she was truly...
The crowd sighed and lamented for a while. Losing their interest in the spectacle, they were about to disperse when Zhu Zhao arrived late from the main peak.
According to what was said before, the Hall Master was supposed to emerge from seclusion within these few days.
But there was no movement from the forbidden grounds. The only ones who could speak with the Hall Master were Zhu Zhao and Xie Zhou.
Standing in the air atop the Black Bird, the young girl spoke in a clear and majestic voice under the tense gazes of the crowd: “Master is currently in seclusion within the forbidden grounds, comprehending the source of the Great Dao. As his realm is on the verge of rising, he will not emerge for the time being. All affairs of the hall, large and small, will continue to be managed jointly by the eighteen elders, each performing their respective duties without acting on their own authority.”
“Furthermore, during his seclusion, the Hall Master has already chosen his preferred disciple. An official announcement will be made during the Grand Annual Ceremony.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a clamor of discussion erupted within the martial arts arena.
The disciples were incredibly excited, speculating who the next personal disciple would be.
The elders, however, exchanged looks, their expressions turning slightly grave.
...
Song Yao learned of this news from He Yu.
He rushed into Song Yao's courtyard with great excitement. “Junior Sister, you were so majestic yesterday! The personal disciple spot is eighty percent likely to be yours! I heard the spiritual energy on the main peak is incredibly abundant, and you can enter and exit the forbidden grounds at will. If you go there, you must cultivate diligently. Who knows, you might reach the Nascent Soul Stage one day!”
Song Yao frowned slightly, but her mind was on something else.
In the original novel, the Hall Master broke through his realm early on. If he was still in seclusion now, could something have gone wrong?
The same went for Eldest Senior Brother and Fifth Junior Sister—one had run off to the Earth Realm, and the other's whereabouts were still unknown. It was completely different from the original novel.
The book provided by the system indeed had some issues.
After pondering for a long while, she shook her head to cast these thoughts aside.
She was no longer the old Song Yao now, so why should she meddle in those matters?
The deeper she got involved, the harder it would be to live her ordinary life.
As for becoming a personal disciple...
After dealing with one Song Yao, the Hall Master probably wouldn't choose someone as unmotivated and rule-breaking as her to enter the main peak again.
Jiang Jin clearly seemed much more suitable.
If worst came to worst, she could just refuse when the time came.
They couldn't exactly force her to go.
She merely smiled without saying a word, while He Yu continued to mumble, “But the main peak is probably quite boring. There are only a few people there in total. If you're unhappy staying there, you can always come back and live here...”
As they were speaking, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard, and Jiang Jin pushed the door open and entered.
His cheeks and arms were stained with blood, and his Daoist robe was tattered from sword qi. Yet, his back remained as straight as ever, his dark hair damp with sweat and clinging to the side of his pale neck, his eyes shining with an astonishing brightness.
Hearing He Yu's words, his footsteps paused, and he forced a smile. “Senior Brother He Yu certainly has a lot of confidence in Junior Sister Lin.”
He Yu's voice caught, and he instantly looked embarrassed.
Everyone knew that Jiang Jin also wanted to become a personal disciple.
And his chances of being chosen were no lower than his junior sister's.
This was just like talking behind someone's back and getting caught red-handed.
He cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject. “Junior Brother Jiang, are those injuries from the match? Why didn't you go to the Ward-Off-Illness Pavilion?”
Jiang Jin looked straight at Song Yao. “I came to find Junior Sister Lin.”
Possessing a strong sense of boundaries, He Yu stood up and walked out. “Oh, right. Well, you two talk. I'll go tend to my work first.”
Song Yao sat on the bench under the corridor, clutching her book, with one leg propped up on the seat. Unable to guess his intentions, she spoke lazily, “Congratulations on taking the top spot.”
Jiang Jin said, “You too. I heard you defeated Ming Ran in a single move. Have you really never learned swordplay?”
It was that testing feeling again.
Song Yao was too lazy to argue with him. “What kind of swordplay does a Golden Core need to defeat a Foundation Establishment?”
“...”
That made sense.
Jiang Jin finally flashed her a gentle smile and said seriously, “Still, you must not be arrogant. What you should be doing most is studying medicine and refining pills diligently. Do not put the cart before the horse and fall behind in your progress.”
Song Yao: “?”
Why was he lecturing her now?
She yawned listlessly. “Did you come all this way just to tell me this?”
“Of course not.”
A faint blush appeared on Jiang Jin's pale cheeks, his earlobes burning hot. He said awkwardly, “I'm injured like this, and aren't you planning to become a medical and pill cultivator? Help me tend to them.”
Song Yao: “...”
Instead of going to the Ward-Off-Illness Pavilion, he came to her for treatment?
Had this overpowered protagonist's brain gone soft?
She gave him an incomprehensible look, put down the medical book on her knees, and leaned against the pillar. “Fine. But you have to pay the consultation fee first.”
Jiang Jin froze. “Why are you bringing up money between the two of us?”
Song Yao: “?”
She found it utterly bizarre and felt a bit like laughing. “Between the two of us, if we don't talk about money, what else is there to talk about?”
The youth's face flushed even redder, and he coughed twice. “I understand.”
He took out a jade token and handed it to Song Yao. “I am a sword cultivator, so I will often get injured in the future. There are a hundred thousand spirit stones inside this. Consider it a prepayment, and you...”
Her eyes lighting up at the sight of money, Song Yao tactfully accepted the card. “Whenever you get injured in the future, just come find me.”
“Thank you.”
“Have a seat.”
Although she had agreed, Song Yao was still a bit worried.
She had never treated anyone's wounds before. In the past, she had often gotten injured while practicing the sword or challenging others to fights.
When she suffered minor injuries, Fourth Junior Brother would follow right behind her to help tend to them.
When she suffered major injuries, she would shamelessly roll right up to Eldest Senior Brother's door.
Eldest Senior Brother loathed and detested her to a tragic extent, refusing to say even a single word to her.
But he was a medical cultivator, after all.
With a healer's benevolent heart, even though he despised her to death every time, he would still drag her back inside to heal her before kicking her out again.
Now that she had to do it herself, it was truly no easy task.
After some thought, she ran to the Elixir Pavilion to ask the Seventh Elder for some medicinal pills, bandages, and ointments, treating Jiang Jin by copying what she had seen others do.
The very moment she laid her hands on him, Jiang Jin felt a deep wave of regret.
Rate on N.U.
