Chen Wentian led his two disciples to soar across the sky. Compared to Lin Qingcheng's first time, Zhou Ziyun was more reserved and didn't scream and shout like she was about to die. However, it was still a thrilling experience that left her breathless. This flight was a symbol of her new life. She looked forward to the future path of cultivation with her master.
He was a fabled immortal, a being that could rule over millions of souls. To ordinary people, he was akin to a heavenly deity. But she understood now that he was still a human with human flaws. She had taken advantage of that to gain his acceptance. She hoped that he wouldn't blame her in the future.
Of course, Chen Wentian wouldn't. She had done such a good job. He was more than satisfied. She didn't know it yet but she was indeed quite lucky. Her new master had some real skills. He wasn't a swindler like some useless immortals. He wasn't the type to be stingy with his disciples nor did he intend to act aloof and unapproachable. Her life was sure to be amazing from now on.
Chen Wentian flew around River East City and arrived at the Zhou Clan Manor. Compared to the Lin family which only had one building, the Zhou Clan's complex occupied a whole city square and consisted of two layers of walls, countless buildings big and small, as well as several courtyards and gardens. The size and wealth of such a large clan were obvious at a glance.
After announcing his presence, he landed in the central courtyard. Zhou Ziyun's parents hurried out to meet them. Her father was named Zhou Tong while her mother was known as Madam Ping. They were astonished at the news and knelt before him with free-flowing tears.
Chen Wentian beckoned to Zhou Ziyun who arrived before him. "Maiden Zhou Ziyun, we were fated to meet each other today. I, Immortal Blue Dragon Chen Wentian, sect master of Ten Thousand Flower Valley, wish to take you as my disciple. Do you accept?"
Zhou Ziyun fell to her knees. This time, her heart soared with happiness. She bowed gracefully bowed three times and said, "Thank you, master. I'll be in your care."
"Please rise. Old Zhou and Madam Ping, please rise" Chen Wentian said and helped them up, "You two have raised a good daughter. This is a gift for today's auspicious event."
He again withdrew ten thousand taels of gold along with ten kilograms of spiritual crystals.
"Oh, my!" Zhou Tong exclaimed, "Spiritual crystals!"
As an experienced businessman and a cultivator at the Mind Focusing Realm, father Zhou understood the value of spiritual crystals. He was reluctant to receive such a heavy gift but Zhou Ziyun eventually managed to convince him.
Zhou Tong's expression became lively as he called over servants to store away the gift in the treasury. This was an impressive amount even for a large clan, enough to keep them afloat for four or five years.
After that, Zhou Tong excitedly proposed a banquet to celebrate. Chen Wentian did not reject but he told the old clan head that he wanted to meet all of their senior members for a talk. Sensing the seriousness of the matter, Zhou Tong promised that he would set it up immediately.
---
That evening, a meeting was held in the main hall of the Zhou Clan Manor. Chen Wentian and Zhou Ziyun were there. So were Clan Head Zhou Tong and Madam Ping. Additionally, there were over a dozen elders of the Zhou Clan. Some were already within the city while others had hurried back from various branches. Those that were too far away had to be left out. These people had wrinkled and weathered faces and heads full of white hair. They exuded experience and competence.
Everyone's expression was serious. The celebration banquet for Zhou Ziyun would be held in two days. The topic for tonight was entirely business.
Chen Wentian was the first to speak, "As some of you may have guessed, one of the reasons I accepted Zhou Ziyun as my disciple is because of the Zhou Clan. My sect, Ten Thousand Flower Valley, is a brand-new immortal sect. I have chosen a suitable location but there is nothing there except trees and dirt. There are many things that need to be done but I am only one man. I also used to be a solitary person in the past. Although I have ascended to the immortal realms, I have no one to rely on. Therefore, I can only rely on my disciples. I hope you all can understand what I mean."
He looked around. Various people nodded. Some smiled with confidence. They all seemed to be intelligent people. Their performance so far was within his expectations.
"As an immortal, there are many things that occupy my time. I can't handle very little ordinary matter. I intend to let Zhou Ziyun handle the things I do not have time for. For now, this includes constructing the various facilities for the sect. In the future, she will also manage various aspects of the sect such as day-to-day operations and future projects. Ziyun, do you accept this responsibility?"
She quickly bowed, "Disciple Zhou Ziyun accepts wholeheartedly."
He smiled, "Good. I will only give orders and tasks to you. It is up to you to utilize your clan to the fullest. Your current businesses and struggles against rivals, they are not my concern. All I care about is the sect. Everything you do should be for the sect."
"I understand, master." She replied.
"Good." He turned to the other people, "Members of the Zhou Clan, what I want from you all is very simple. Immediately raise Zhou Ziyun as the new clan head."
He looked pointedly at her father.
"This..." Zhou Tong was taken aback.
He had expected the immortal to make use of their clan but he didn't expect to suddenly lose his job. The other elders also started whispering amongst themselves.
Chen Wentian's stern words interrupted them, "This is not a suggestion but an order."
Zhou Tong jumped in fright and quickly bowed, "This one has no objections!"
The others immediately joined in, "No objections!"
"Good!" Chen Wentian smiled.
He wanted to use the Zhou Clan but he did not want to interact with a bunch of old farts all the time. Where was the fun in that? Everything would go through his disciple. This was the natural order of things that he desired.
"Next, regarding the matter of my sect."
He waved his hand and an enormous pile of gold appeared in the middle of the hall. He waved his hand again and a large map appeared with the location of the valley clearly marked.
Everyone's eyes widened at the massive amount of wealth, enough to build a new city. Their breathing became heavy. Their throats dried out as they tried to resist the urge to lunge forward. All of their prior discontent vanished in an instant.
He said, "This five hundred thousand taels of gold is just the initial down payment for the construction of the sect. You don't have to waste money on needlessly expensive things but the final product should be fitting for a cultivation sect. There will be more funds if you run out. I will entrust everything to the Zhou Clan. Report all matters to Zhou Ziyun. You can start immediately."
"Yes, Lord Chen!" They all shouted in unison.
After that, these experienced elders promptly began a heated debate on various matters required for establishing a new sect in the wilderness.
Chen Wentian beckoned to Zhou Ziyun and they left the hall. Side by side, they strolled through the manor towards the rear courtyard where they were staying.
"Ziyun, how do you intend to deal with the people that had wronged you and your clan in the past?" He asked.
She thought about it and then answered earnestly, "Master… I have dreamed about such matters many times in the past. I hoped that I could destroy those business clans and humiliate those people for revenge. I even wanted some of them to die. I have to admit... I even thought about it right after I became your disciple. In the city's grand hall, when you held all of those people's lives in your hands, I had sincerely wished that you would have killed a few of them."
She paused and gave a sigh, "However, your words just now changed my mind. I understand now. My only task is to serve you and help you fulfill your wishes. When I became your disciple, I stepped into a different world. The difficulties of the past, even if I do nothing, my clan will naturally deal with them in turn. Those matters of mortals are no longer my concern. My only concern is you."
Chen Wentian nodded along, grinning widely. His second disciple was so smart and thoughtful. He was very satisfied. Her mind worked in wonderful ways and her words were smooth like honey. Her silver tongue was amazing in more ways than one.
"Good disciple. Good disciple!" He praised.
"Thank you, master."
The two of them soon arrived at their private courtyard. Lin Qingcheng was sitting by the garden, idly humming to herself while eating some sweet cakes. When she saw them, she hurried over while wiping her hands.
"Master." She said and then glanced at Zhou Ziyun with an awkward expression.
"Qingcheng, Ziyun," He said, "You two are both my disciples now. You should get to know each other and greet each other properly."
"Ah, yes Master! Disciple Lin Qingcheng greets older sister... eh?"
He prodded her, "Wrong!"
She gave him a pouty, confused look.
Zhou Ziyun giggled, "Disciple Zhou Ziyun greets senior sister."
"Oh, I'm the senior? That's right, hehe." Lin Qingcheng finally wrapped her head around it.
Two pretty disciples meant double the happiness. Chen Wentian was in a great mood. The night was still early so he proposed their first group lesson. They gathered in his room and he began to explain the intricacies of cultivation.
Of the three great mortal realms, the Body Refinement Realm began when humans entered puberty. This was a mysterious law of the world that nobody questioned. Before puberty, no matter the amount of physical exercise or training, one would not gain a single level of cultivation. For Lin Qingcheng and Zhou Ziyun, their current progress wasn't too bad. Even the most gifted descendants of the most powerful sects could only begin cultivating in their teenage years.
The Mind Focusing Realm could be reached once a person's body had been completely refined. It involved unlocking the hidden limits within one's mind and thus further increasing their ability with the aid of their mind. Once one's body and mind had reached the apex, one would be able to sense and absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. This was a mysterious energy that existed in all things. Utilizing spiritual energy, one could control fire and ice, solidify invisible swords out of thin air, and even transform their body and mind.
There was no limit to how spiritual energy could be used. The paths of cultivation were endless. The great Dao of the world could exist in many forms. This was why there were countless immortals in the world with strange, fascinating abilities. New paths could be created if one was talented enough. Even those with no background or outside assistance could become an immortal through fortunate encounters.
However, all forms of immortal cultivation were extremely difficult. If the first three mortal realms were like climbing the tallest mountain peak in the world, reaching the immortal realm would be like leaping toward the heavens from that point. The paths up the mountain may vary from person to person but everyone could learn it and climb steadily upward. All humans, on a fundamental level, can understand the path to the peak of mortality. Some sects might provide easier path-finding with good teachings and training. Other sects might give a physical edge through cultivation resources. Some people might even be born with a head start due to their talent.
The path to the mountaintop was well understood but the heaven's way was too profound. A thousand of the most talented disciples might not be able to take the same path as their master. Even if one was fortunate enough to step onto the right path, it would still take a very long time. Every step was a challenge and they could fall down at any moment.
This was why immortals were so few compared to the mortal population. This was also why most immortals were old. A talented mortal cultivator might reach the peak of the Spirit Initiate Realm in their mid-to-late-thirties. They would start their immortal journey in their forties but they might not see much progress for many decades. It might take them until their seventies or eighties to finally break through.
"But I am a special case. I am actually only twenty-five years old. I have not modified my appearance to look younger at all. I cultivate a very special Dao. It is incredibly powerful and allowed me to become the youngest immortal in the subcontinent, perhaps the entire world!" He said proudly.
Chen Wentian looked at his two disciples and his smile faltered. He had expected them to praise him but they seemed disappointed.
"Master, does that mean..." Lin Qingcheng said softly, "that I won't be able to use blue dragon flames like you?"
He scratched his head, "I... I mean... My immortal Dao is a bit unique. It really cannot be taught or passed down."
He didn't want to say much else. His powers were too profound and too heaven-defying. His disciples were still weak and could not safeguard his secret. If it were to leak out, his life would be in danger.
Zhou Ziyun spoke up, "Master, I understand. Just as you have said, some immortals owe their breakthroughs to fortunate encounters that cannot be repeated. Master should fall under this category. Even so, we as disciples should be satisfied that we can be your disciples without longing for powers that are unreachable."
Lin Qingcheng's small mouth opened and closed. She then nodded her head vigorously, "Sister Zhou is right! I apologize, master."
Chen Wentian laughed and shook his head, "It's not quite right. Even though I cannot pass down my unique Dao, I still want you both to strive for the immortal realms. I believe that you both are special in your own ways and have the potential. I have a lot of treasures and resources at hand due to my good luck in the past. I will spare no expense in supporting your cultivation. You both have sworn an oath to me so this is my oath to you."
Lin Qingcheng and Zhou Ziyun looked at each other and then bowed to him, "Thank you, Master!"