Fairy, Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Blind

Chapter 48: Official Disciple

“You flatter me, Immortal Gu. I am unworthy of such a gift…” You Su quickly declined.

“Hey! Don’t belittle yourself. Besides, if you don’t accept this, and in the future, when you ascend to the Great Dao, you tell everyone about this incident, won’t I lose all face?” Gu interrupted, pushing the brocade box forward. “You don’t have to refuse anymore. This item isn’t of much use to me, but it will be of great benefit to someone like you.”

Although Gu spoke in a joking tone, You Su didn’t take it lightly. Even if the rich have money to spare, they don’t just give it away to the poor for no reason.

“Immortal Gu, you are exaggerating. The great Dao is far beyond my reach. Even if I were lucky enough to ascend, I wouldn’t dare talk about you lightly. But may I ask, what do you mean by this?”

Gu’s attitude made it clear to You Su that this wasn’t just a token of gratitude for helping him that day, but also an investment in his future. To refuse now wouldn’t just be to refuse a valuable gift – it would be to refuse the goodwill of this Divine Mountain Immortal. After all, who would go out of their way to give a carefully chosen gift to a junior if not for such reasons?

Seeing that You Su was inclined to accept, Gu opened the brocade box, revealing a milky-white stone. Upon closer inspection, the stone was actually transparent, and the milky substance inside seemed to pulsate and flow like an embryo in the process of forming.

Gu pushed the box closer to You Su and said, “Hold it and try releasing your spiritual sense to perceive your surroundings”.

You Su hesitated, but took the stone in his palm and did as Gu instructed, releasing his spiritual sense.

The milky substance in the stone seemed to react, seeping out like a liquid or gas and merging into You Su’s palm.

At first, You Su didn’t understand what Gu meant, as his spiritual sense seemed normal. But suddenly, the world became much clearer in his mind.

To use a metaphor from his previous life, You Su’s spiritual sense allowed him to outline the shapes of the objects around him in his mind. However, the perception of someone in the Spirit Platform Realm was limited. Without focusing intently, it was like being severely nearsighted, where only squinting could bring the world into focus.

This milky stone was like a pair of glasses that, while not perfectly matched, reduced his nearsightedness from severe to moderate. Even with a casual release of his spiritual sense, the details of the world became much richer.

For You Su, a blind man, this was a significant aid in both combat and daily life.

You Su quickly placed the stone back into the box and said in astonishment, “This gift is too precious, Immortal Gu. I am unworthy of it.”

Gu feigned anger. “If you don’t accept it, does that mean you look down on it?”

Seeing that You Su was about to explain, Gu softened his tone.

“This is a White Stone Pearl, made of an extremely rare mineral called White Stone. It is often used by Divine Mountain cultivators to nourish their spiritual sense. However, once one reaches a higher realm, its benefits become negligible, so it is often passed down to juniors or sold. I don’t have any disciples, and I’m not short of money. Giving it to you is perfect, and it saves me from carrying around a stone that’s just a nuisance,” 

Gu’s smile was genuine, and his words were sincere. Even without knowing about the Lotus Sword Venerable’s special interest in this young man, You Su’s performance alone was enough to earn his respect.

You Su paused for a moment. The intention behind Gu’s words was clear – he wanted to make a connection. There was no reason to refuse. You Su solemnly said, “Since you insist, I will humbly accept. If Immortal Gu ever has any needs in the future, I will do my utmost to fulfill them.”

“With your talent, we will have many opportunities to meet in the future,” Gu said, straightening his sleeves. “Now, let’s get down to business. Tell me about your sect.”

You Su gave a brief overview, omitting the details of dual cultivation and focusing on the legacy of the Mandarin Duck Sword. He also briefly mentioned Junior Sister and Master’s Wife.

“What is your master’s name? Does he have a title?”

“No title. His name is Guan Chujun.”

“Guan Chujun…” Gu repeated the name, searching his memory but finding no information about it. “I’ve never heard of him.”

The most notable cultivator with the surname Guan that he could recall was a woman from a century ago, when he was still an outer disciple of the Mystic Firmament Sect. She had fought her way to the Divine Mountain and had even reached the Ancestral Pagoda. But she was a fist cultivator, and You Su’s sect was a sword sect. There couldn’t possibly be a connection.

“It’s normal that Immortal Gu hasn’t heard of him. My master isn’t a famous figure, and his cultivation is only at the lower Water Condensation Realm.”

“Lower Water Condensation Realm?” Gu was visibly surprised. This was much lower than he had expected – certainly not the level of someone who could teach a disciple like You Su. He didn’t know that most of You Su’s skills were self-taught.

“Although my master’s realm isn’t high, he is very skilled in combat. Even Sect Leader Qi of the Guardian Firmament Sect was defeated by him,” You Su said, not wanting others to look down on his master.

“Sword cultivators are excellent in combat. The fact that your master could defeat Sect Leader Qi, who is at the upper Water Condensation Realm, speaks volumes about his abilities. His travels will surely take him to greater heights,” Gu praised sincerely. Sect Leader Qi’s aura was profound, and among those at the upper Water Condensation Realm, he was considered a formidable opponent. It was no small feat for someone at the lower realm to defeat him.

“Thank you for your kind words, Immortal Gu.”

Gu nodded, then sighed with apparent regret. “The strength of your Mandarin Duck Sword Sect’s leader meets the standards for an affiliated sect, but it falls short in other aspects. Although I admire your sect’s sword techniques, I’m afraid it won’t qualify as an affiliated sect.”

You Su had never expected the Mandarin Duck Sword Sect to become an affiliated sect of the Mystic Firmament Sect. Moreover, someone like his master would never allow himself to become subordinate to others.

The Guardian Firmament Sect was like the only major institution in a third-tier city. If the education department were to promote anyone, who else would it be?

“Immortal Gu, you are joking. My humble sword sect wouldn’t dare to aspire to such a thing,” You Su said with a polite laugh.

For the first time, Gu’s smile faded and he spoke seriously. “Although your sect doesn’t qualify, you do.”

You Su was taken aback. What did Gu mean? Was he hinting at something?

“What do you mean, Immortal Gu?”

“Before yesterday, I had already decided to include you and Wu Cheng as listening disciples. But after yesterday’s battle, I changed my mind,” Gu said, his tone enticing. “I have decided to promote both you and Wu Cheng as official disciples. Whether you become an outer disciple or a true disciple of an elder will depend on your own efforts.”

“May I ask, what is the difference between an official disciple and a listening disciple?”

“A listening disciple can only attend lectures. An official disciple, on the other hand, has access to resources such as cultivation techniques, spirit stones, and magical artifacts. You can also choose to study under one of the Mystic Firmament Sect’s thirteen Grand Elders or twenty-three Minor Elders, each of whom is a renowned figure across the five continents. The cost is that you must leave your current sect and henceforth act under the name of the Mystic Firmament Sect. Wu Cheng has already agreed to become an official disciple, so I have come to ask for your decision.”

“Thank you for your kindness, Immortal Gu, but I must decline.”