Chapter 18: Becoming a Disciple

“Like extracurricular classes?” The system paused for a long time before finally replying, “Extracurricular classes are not included in the healthy growth protection settings. Hobbies and interests are beneficial for a child’s healthy development and can be supported. Alchemy is not part of the healthy growth protection.”

If it weren’t for her grandfather and the others being present, Ji Jiuxuan would have burst out laughing. It seemed she had found a way to resolve the time restriction!

“Grandfather, let’s go! I’m actually looking forward to attending the Academy of Learning.” Ji Jiuxuan took Qi Shuoyuan’s hand and walked toward the academy.

The Academy of Learning was also built at the foot of the main peak’s back mountain.

The place was tranquil, the entire academy hidden as if in mist, exuding a mysterious aura that inspired reverence.

Inside, the Academy was vast, and Ji Jiuxuan discovered that even within, formations had been set up. From the outside, it appeared to connect only a small portion of the rear mountain’s large palace, but once inside, it became clear: because of the formations, the academy’s interior was expansive enough to accommodate all disciples of the sect for study.

Word quickly spread throughout the Academy: the Sect Master had brought the daughter of the Senior Brother. It was a leisure period, and many curious disciples came out to see what she looked like.

Qi Shuoyuan had always intended for Ji Jiuxuan to be known by everyone and did not stop the disciples’ actions.

A white-robed elder, with long white hair and beard, stood at the center of the Academy waiting.

Qi Shuoyuan became excited upon seeing the elder and walked over quickly. “Elder Zhou, you’ve come in person?”

Looking at the elder, Ji Jiuxuan had her suspicions. This must be the Master of the Academy, Zhou Guangsheng, who had entered the Dao through literature, his cultivation even higher than Qi Shuoyuan’s. He was devoted to teaching and nurturing, considering this a form of cultivation itself.

Since his enlightenment, Zhou Guangsheng had always appeared as this immortal-like elder. No one knew how many years he had lived. The people of Xuantian Sect only knew that, as generations of disciples came and went in the Academy, Zhou Guangsheng remained as its master, teaching and guiding.

If it was indeed this person, his presence was truly an honor.

Ji Jiuxuan respectfully greeted him, “Elder Zhou.”

She didn’t know how many generations separated them; calling him grandfather would be inappropriate, so she followed suit and addressed him as Elder Zhou.

Looking at the little girl before him, Zhou Guangsheng’s eyes were filled with tenderness. In his mind, the spirited youths seemed to overlap with her.

He had watched those two grow up, and for Ji Minghuai, he had even considered accepting him as a disciple.

But he knew Ji Minghuai belonged to the world outside.

Though there was no formal master-disciple relationship, their bond was no less than that of true master and disciple.

“Good, good.” The older one gets, the more sentimental one becomes. Zhou Guangsheng’s eyes were slightly moist as he looked at the girl, feeling both joy and sorrow. “Just entrust her to me.”

Qi Shuoyuan hadn’t expected Zhou Guangsheng to personally take charge. Seeing his intent, he quickly said to Ji Jiuxuan, “Ah Jiu, greet your master.”

Though their seniority was now muddled—indeed, through the master-disciple relationship, Qi Shuoyuan’s rank might eventually be lower than Ji Jiuxuan’s.

But what did it matter? He was still her grandfather, and he would always cherish little Ah Jiu, as long as she was well.

Zhou Guangsheng was very satisfied with Qi Shuoyuan’s attitude. Unable to accept the young man as a disciple, accepting his daughter was just as good.

With her talent, she was best suited for the martial path, but it seemed Qi Shuoyuan wanted her to cultivate other disciplines as well to temper her character.

That was just as well. With less of a killing aura, perhaps she would not walk her parents’ old path.

Ji Jiuxuan was slightly surprised, but obediently knelt. “Master, please accept your disciple’s salute.”

The surroundings fell silent, punctuated by low murmurs of astonishment.

It was well known that Elder Zhou rarely accepted disciples. From the beginning until now, he had only twice considered taking a disciple. Once, he succeeded—Yao Chaoxi, now an instructor at the Academy, who happened to be away on business today.

The other time failed: Ji Minghuai, the fallen Senior Brother—Ji Jiuxuan’s father.

Realizing this, everyone understood and said no more.

The Senior Brother was admired and respected; though he was gone, his only child was now met with tolerance and protection.

Ji Jiuxuan was unaware that this appearance had almost made her the beloved figure of the entire Xuantian Sect, though it would make it harder for her to fulfill the system’s protection requirements.

“Good, good, here’s your gift for meeting.” Zhou Guangsheng happily handed her a storage ring.

It was tradition: upon accepting a disciple, the master would present a gift. Ji Jiuxuan accepted it without hesitation after thanking him.

She now considered herself quite wealthy. Her grandfather, uncle, Wen Ying, and others had given her plenty of spirit stones and treasures, and now her master had added more.

Novels always claimed sword cultivators were the poorest, but she wasn’t. She was flush with wealth.

“Go on. From now on, come to the Academy daily to seek your master and study. If you have any questions about swordsmanship, come to me. Your Aunt Wen Ying will accompany you.”

Watching Qi Shuoyuan’s departing figure, Ji Jiuxuan suddenly felt that he was simply a caring elder concerned for his granddaughter, just like those doting elders in the mortal world.

No matter how ruthless the cultivation world was, she still had a host of people who cared for and loved her. In her past life, she was an orphan, highly sensitive to such things, but now it seemed she had let go.

At that moment, Ji Jiuxuan’s spiritual energy began to fluctuate, and the surrounding aura surged toward her.

Everyone was astonished that she was advancing under such circumstances. She had only cultivated for a short while and was already reaching the third stage of Qi Refining—a truly miraculous feat.

Moreover, she appeared to have gained sudden insight.

To gain enlightenment during the Qi Refining stage shocked everyone into silence.

Yet, remembering her genius parents, it was not so unbelievable.

Had it been someone else, such an event would have caused a sensation, even attracted others’ scrutiny, perhaps suspicion she possessed some rare treasure.

But for Ji Jiuxuan, such phenomena aroused no doubts.

She had the Ji family of Yunmengze, ranked among the top three on the wealth list of the South Sea coast for her father’s side, and was the granddaughter of the Xuantian Sect Master for her mother’s side, with the Qi family of King Jingbei from Yunxuan City.

One side had money, the other had power—no one dared provoke her.

When Ji Jiuxuan opened her eyes and saw everyone behaving normally, she was instantly reassured. She had worried her advancement was too unusual; after all, what she knew of breakthroughs involved secluded cultivation, never such casual progression.

With everyone so calm, she assumed others had experienced the same. That relieved her.

Zhou Guangsheng looked at the little girl’s composed demeanor and nodded. “Follow me to class first; come find me again after school.”

“Yes, Master.” Ji Jiuxuan was led to her future classroom. Seeing Feng Hanxiao and Qin Yuzhou, she was not surprised; she already knew the newly assessed disciples would study theory together—nothing out of the ordinary.

Both reacted when Ji Jiuxuan entered. Feng Hanxiao waved, signaling her to come sit together, while Qin Yuzhou stood up and walked toward her.