After The Death Escape and Ascension, The Male Protagonist of Long Aotian Went Crazy - Chapter 4

The Immortal Abode of Suyu Immortal Venerable stood alone on a mountain peak.

The mountain was so tall that from afar it appeared shrouded in clouds and mist. At its summit, above the rolling fog, rose a majestic immortal residence, like a solitary island in a vast sea.

Shi Hua carried Xie An on her sword as they flew toward her Immortal Abode.

Below them, all living beings were hidden within the ranges of mountains.

Xie An looked down and immediately felt his legs go weak. Yet, unwilling to let Shi Hua think him timid, he mustered his courage and put on a fearless front.

“Mas… Master…”

Shi Hua’s gaze did not waver. Her side profile was flawless, her loose strands of hair fluttered in the wind, and her eyes reflected the boundless mountains and seas.

Xie An could not resist. He timidly reached out and pinched a corner of her robe.

“I… I grew up listening to stories about the Immortal Sect, holding Master’s name in the highest reverence. I cultivated bitterly all these years only to be accepted under Master’s tutelage. Now that my lifelong wish has finally come true, I… I feel as though I’ve stepped into a dream.”

Xie An was dazed and foolish.

Before Wei Shizhou, he had boasted eloquently. Yet before the true Immortal Venerable herself, he became tongue-tied.

“The jade token already bears your name. Your status as this Venerable’s disciple is set in stone.”

Therefore, there was no need to worry he was dreaming.

Her disciple would stand in the place that everyone looked up to—overlooking all beings.

Unconsciously, Xie An gripped the jade token at his waist.

The token contained a trace of Shi Hua’s spiritual power. Strong spiritual energy made its surface glow with flowing light, and held close it emanated a gentle warmth.

Xie An silently made up his mind: he absolutely must not bring shame to his Master!

“Master, rest assured!” Xie An raised his head with firm resolve, his eyes blazing. “This disciple will train diligently and strive to establish my Foundation as soon as possible!”

“Though my talent is not as great as Senior Brother Wei’s, I believe diligence can make up for my shortcomings!”

If he could not match Wei Shizhou’s gifts, then he would rise early and work harder!

Little did he know, the heavenly spiritual root he possessed was a talent countless people envied, unattainable by effort alone.

Shi Hua, having never taken a disciple before, did not know how others usually treated their disciples.

She typically secluded herself within her Immortal Abode, never stepping out unless matters were critical.

She had never witnessed anyone else’s experience of taking disciples.

Helpless, she could only mimic from her own memory of when she had apprenticed herself, following the same pattern to teach.

“This mental method will help you circulate spiritual energy throughout your body. Practice it when you are idle. Later, I’ll find you a better one.”

“As for sword techniques, start with this manual. After some time, I’ll summarize my own sword methods and personally pass them down to you.”

Hugging the two manuals, Xie An was overwhelmed with gratitude.

Was Master going to personally teach him her sword techniques?

Those legendary, awe-inspiring sword moves?!

“Yes, Master!!!”

Xie An couldn’t hold it in and shouted in excitement.

Shi Hua froze in surprise. Was taking a disciple supposed to be like this?

During the three-entry trials, she had realized Xie An admired her greatly. If he insisted on apprenticing under her, perhaps he was even more suitable than Wei Shizhou.

She just had not expected this disciple to be so ecstatic.

Shi Hua began to reflect.

Perhaps… she needed to change her teaching strategy?

Her Immortal Abode was vast, yet lonely.

Apart from herself, there were almost no living beings within.

She had no taboos. She let Xie An choose whichever room he liked, instructing him where he should not wander and where it was best to cultivate.

Trailing behind her, Xie An felt thrilled, but then he suddenly remembered—this should have been Wei Shizhou’s.

His expression fell.

Noticing his gloom, Shi Hua turned to look at him.

“What’s wrong?”

Xie An muttered dispiritedly: “Master, I know very well that taking in Wei Shizhou would have been your best choice.”

This Master was someone Wei Shizhou had yielded to him.

Xie An grew hesitant and insecure.

Would Master regret taking him instead?

He was sinking into misery when suddenly a warm touch landed atop his head.

A hand softly stroked his hair.

He heard his revered Master’s voice, calm and gentle:

“Just now you vowed not to bring shame to me. How is it you’re already dispirited?”

“Since I have taken you as my disciple, I will not regret it.”

“Even though the Heavenly Immortal Bone is an extraordinary gift, it doesn’t guarantee superiority in everything. Your Heavenly Spiritual Root follows a different path of comprehension. With me personally guiding you, why doubt yourself?”

“If you cannot believe in yourself, do you not even believe in your Master?”

Her voice was clear and melodic, each word like pearls striking jade, crisp and pleasant to the ear.

Confidence surged within Xie An.

Suddenly, it all clicked.

Since the Immortal Venerable had already accepted him, he would not hand her over again. Wei Shizhou had given her up willingly—he had never forced it.

Even if Wei Shizhou regretted it later, he would never give up!

He would be Suyu Immortal Venerable’s only disciple!

“Then…” Having thought it through, Xie An asked shyly, “Master, will you take any other disciples?”

Shi Hua immediately shook her head. “One is enough.”

Any more and she couldn’t handle it.

With zero experience in mentoring, she did not wish to go through it a second time.

Xie An was even more moved by her words.

“Master, I will work hard in my cultivation!!!”

How could Master be so gentle!

Truly, his choice had been right!

After taking in a disciple, Shi Hua devoted herself to researching how to be a teacher.

Having set Xie An’s cultivation tasks for the day, she flew her sword toward another mountain peak.

Compared to Shi Hua’s lofty peak, Chi Qingxuan chose a slightly lower one as his Immortal Abode. This way, disciples of the sect could easily reach him, and the view from his pavilion was unmatched—overlooking the entire sect.

Shi Hua had come in response to his message.

As she descended, she saw Wei Shizhou emerge from the hall.

Wei Shizhou bowed respectfully. “Greetings, Martial Aunt.”

Shi Hua nodded faintly, her gaze never lingering as she stepped into the inner hall.

From behind a drifting veil, Wei Shizhou glimpsed a streak of vermilion.

Such bright lip color.

He remembered his mother’s chatter about buying rouge when he was still at home—women seemed especially fond of such things.

But he himself never understood women’s preferences, which often earned him an ear-pulling scolding from his mother.

What was that wicked woman doing here?

Wei Shizhou tried recalling the plot of the storybook. This scene hadn’t existed—so it must be unimportant.

He tucked the storybook back into his spiritual bracelet.

Such things were better left unseen.

Meanwhile, Shi Hua entered the hall, just in time to see Chi Qingxuan raise his hand and set up a barrier.

Her brows knitted slightly.

“Senior Sister.”

Chi Qingxuan looked grave. “During your last tribulation… did something go wrong?”

In the past, no matter the outcome, Shi Hua would always come to him afterward.

This time, she hadn’t shown up for a long while, so he feared something had happened. Yet now that he saw her, she didn’t look badly injured.

Shi Hua sat calmly.

“This tribulation failed. But I’ve found another way to ascend. You don’t need to worry about me. Though my cultivation has dropped somewhat, it won’t be easy for anyone to take my life.”

“How far did it drop?”

Shi Hua was silent for a moment before raising her eyes. “Late-stage Mahayana.”

She had originally been at the Tribulation Stage. Because of the thunder tribulation, her realm had forcibly fallen by one whole major boundary.

Chi Qingxuan grew tense at once. “And your body? Were you injured?”

“I can’t unleash my full strength for now.”

In other words, though she still had late-stage Mahayana cultivation, her body was too damaged to handle her peak power.

Across the cultivation world, the only one who could rival her was Lingyao Immortal Venerable of Sword Dust Sect.

The two had agreed to duel once every three years to decide superiority.

Chi Qingxuan fell silent, then thought of something.

“I recall that the Nine-Domain Snow Lotus cures all ailments.”

But the lotus only bloomed once every three thousand years. The last one had been taken by Lingyuan Pavilion. They would have to search for another.

Chi Qingxuan pondered. “In three years, a secret realm will open. If I’m not mistaken, there should be a Nine-Domain Snow Lotus there.”

Ordinary elixirs could only nurture wounds, not cure them.

The damage left by tribulation lightning could only be healed by the Snow Lotus.

Chi Qingxuan feared that news of her drop in cultivation would spread, drawing lurking opportunists to target her, plunging Shi Hua into danger.

“This matter stays between us. Until we obtain the Snow Lotus, Senior Sister, you must be cautious.”

Seeing his serious expression, Shi Hua couldn’t help but laugh.

“No need to look so grim. Do I seem so reckless to you, junior brother?”

Chi Qingxuan gave her a look that said of course.

Thinking back, during their early days as fellow disciples, he had cleaned up after her more times than he could count.

Though her senior in title, he was usually the one worrying.

When Shi Hua was angry, her actions knew no restraint.

“All right, I’ll be careful,” she said, not bothering to argue. She was in the wrong, after all.

【Immortal Venerable, don’t forget the plot.】

Shi Hua’s gaze flickered slightly.

“Junior Brother, when will the disciples sent out to temper themselves return?”

Chi Qingxuan paused. “About a month, I think. Why?”

“The next secret realm only allows those of the Golden Core stage to enter. Among the new disciples, a few have decent talent. With proper guidance, they may reach Golden Core by then.”

A Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivates a hundred times faster than normal.

With just a little guidance, three years would be enough for them to form a Core.

She remembered the purple-clad youth—already mid-Foundation Establishment.

“Not bad,” Chi Qingxuan nodded, pleased at the thought.

But then, recalling the earlier matter, he frowned again.

“Senior Sister, that Wei Shizhou… he can’t even draw qi into his body. I really don’t know how to guide him.”

Drawing qi into the body was the simplest step, as easy as eating or drinking.

To not even manage that—was he truly a Heavenly Immortal Bone?

The bone-testing stone never made mistakes.

That was why Chi Qingxuan was troubled.

Worse still, Wei Shizhou had told him he didn’t want to cultivate.

Chi Qingxuan nearly spat bl00d on the spot.

Why come to Xuanyin Immortal Sect if not to cultivate?!

Shi Hua also fell silent at this.

“System.”

The system understood her meaning, speaking pitifully: 【Immortal Venerable, I don’t know either!】

The story only said that the Overbearing Protagonist joined Xuanyin Immortal Sect, shone brilliantly, advanced farther and farther on the path of cultivation, and eventually formed a Dao couple with his senior sister Ji Jie.

But the story hadn’t filled in every detail.

【Maybe… once the male lead meets the heroine, he’ll be willing to cultivate?】

The plot stated that the male lead fell in love with the heroine at first sight. Feeling unworthy due to low cultivation, he then resolved to work hard and train diligently.

Since they hadn’t met yet, it made sense he hadn’t started cultivating.

That explanation… was somewhat reasonable.

“Where is the heroine now?”

The system replied softly: 【She’s gone down the mountain for training.】

So for this entire month, the male lead wouldn’t cultivate?

Shi Hua could not accept that.

How could cultivation depend on romance?

Without the heroine, would Wei Shizhou refuse to cultivate his whole life?

“The so-called Child of Heaven’s Fortune is far too ridiculous.”

The system dared not argue.

After all, the truth was plain to see.

【This is Heaven’s arrangement. Immortal Venerable, best not to speak against it.】

Otherwise, Heaven’s wrath would descend as lightning.

Shi Hua sneered.

“Senior Sister, could you perhaps give Wei Shizhou some guidance?”

Shi Hua blinked, caught off guard.

Instinctively, she murmured, “Mm.”

Chi Qingxuan thought she had agreed, overjoyed. “It was supposed to be you who took him in anyway. I don’t have the gift of an Immortal Bone, so I fear misleading him. That boy…”

With all those spiritual treasures on him, killing him wouldn’t be easy either.

He was worried he’d die first.

“I—”

Shi Hua wanted to refuse.

She hadn’t even wanted to take the male lead as a disciple. Why would she be willing to guide him?

【Immortal Venerable, according to the plot, you were supposed to take him as your disciple. The cultivation of an Immortal Bone differs from ordinary people’s—you know this.】

The Immortal Bone could absorb spiritual energy on its own. Ordinary methods and sword arts had little effect on one who bore it.

Shi Hua’s face darkened.

So after all this circling around… the plot had returned to its original track again?