Master Series Chapter 1.3

After coming out of seclusion and seeing Qian Gu for the first time, I realized I had longed to see him.

He, naturally, had longed to see me even more. His normally solemn and serious face displayed a faint smile, giving people a comfortable feeling.

With a meek expression, resembling a big dog waiting to be praised, he said:

" Master, these five years I have diligently taken care of Kong Ling summit."

Yes, you have taken good care.

"Master, every day I have studied hard to improve my cultivation. Not daring to slack off even once."

I can see, he has progressed quite a lot.

"Master…….." He lowered his head, holding a faint smile.

"I always waited for you, hoping you could come out of seclusion earlier."

I became silent.

He didn't complain when I went into seclusion, didn't feel wronged when I ignored him for five years. Silently, he took care of everything, waiting for me to praise him a bit after seeing him again. Just like how he had longed for me to give him some candy as reward for practicing his skills when he was little.
He didn't want much, he clearly knew the feelings he harboured are not allowed. So, he concealed those feelings and only vaguely disclosed his hope to be complimented.
But if I met his hopes, it was hard to say that he wouldn't develop bigger ones.

So, I restrained myself and didn't praise him.

Qian Gu also became silent.

I could see that he felt hurt by my indifference, but after a moment he became his old self again.

In the following days I would sometimes see his gaze secretly resting on my body. Five years of not seeing each other, it seems like nothing has changed.

He was more persistent than I had thought.

So, I changed my method.

I accepted my second ever disciple.

He, like Qian Gu, was a natural cultivation prodigy, but at that time he was already eighteen years old. He had completely missed the best years for cultivation.

So, without considering Qian Gu's opinion, I singlehandedly gave my second disciple one hundred years of my own cultivation. Thus, filling in his gaps in cultivation.

Just like that time I accepted Qian Gu, I also accepted my new disciple's kowtows at Kong Ling Mountain's summit.

There I bestowed him a celestial sword and gave him the name "Qian Zhi".

I didn't want my disciple to leave a mark for generations to come anymore. I only wanted him to know reason and proper behaviour, to know manners and moral integrity, to know when to proceed and when to stop.

During Qian Zhi's acceptance ceremony I didn't even look at Qian Gu once.

But I knew that he was standing behind me, silently.

Qian Zhi is the polar opposite of Qian Gu; his character is flamboyant, he likes to act and doesn't like to stay still.

After Qian Zhi moved in, Qian Gu became even more taciturn. Conversation between these two often only included Qian Zhi chattering.

"Senior Brother, has witchcraft been performed on your face and that's why you can't move it anymore? In these ten years I have never seen you smile."

"Senior Brother, how do you feel when you're called Senior Grand Uncle when you go down the mountain? Don't you also feel pretty smug? Do you think I will get beaten if I show off a bit?"

"Senior Brother, if I get beaten because of running my mouth off will you and Master come help me?"

Inside my room I laughed after hearing his questions. But suddenly, screams could be heard:

" Senior Brother! Senior Brother! I won't run my mouth! Don't hit……… Aiyo!"

After Qian Zhi came here Qian Gu really liked to beat him; he didn't practice well – would get beaten, said something annoying – would get beaten, did things too slow – would also get beaten.

Even though Qian Gu could always find a good reason for hitting him, but I thought he harboured some personal resentment. He sometimes dealt with Qian Zhi with so much force that even my door shook.

Maybe, after accepting Qian Gu I didn't beat him enough, thus enabling him to develop those misguided feelings of his.

So, Qian Zhi being beaten now is probably a good thing.

I originally thought taking in such a lively disciple would lighten up the atmosphere and return our Master-Disciple relationships to normal.
But I never would have guessed that Qian Zhi would make me worry even more than his Senior Brother…..

Qian Zhi, during his cultivation, was very impatient. He loved most to descend the mountain after his practice and show off in front of his fellow sect members.
He just liked to brag a bit, his natural disposition wasn't bad. The occasional vanity would even allow him to become more motivated during his cultivation and that is why I didn't try to stop or change him.

But who knew that he would dare to use his skills of only twenty years to descend Kong Ling Mountain and provoke the evil spirits and monsters that were locked up in the demon pond?

The demon pond is a deep pool of black water; locked inside are the demons that the sect members caught on their expeditions. Those monsters were already harbouring resentment due to being locked up and since Qian Zhi delivered himself to their doorstep, of course he would be dragged into the pond by them.

Him ending up like this, although his fellow sect members played a part in inciting him, but the biggest fault lied within his own arrogance.

After accepting him as a disciple, I didn't try to restrain his temperament and let him be proud.

Come to speak of it, it was also my fault.

As his Master I naturally couldn't shirk the responsibility of saving him.

But it was also this matter, that pushed his Senior Brother who had finally straightened out his state of mind……..

thoroughly onto the road to ruin……….