Chapter 4: A Mentor Like a Father

With his hands clasped behind his back, the Dustless Daoist stood, exuding a certain air of immortal grace. At this moment, Yin Tianfang was still dazed; when illness had rendered him unconscious, his heart had long since sunk into utter despair, believing he would never awaken again. Yet not only had he not died, he instead found himself in the abode of an immortal.

“Are you willing to take me as your master and learn the ways of cultivation?” Once Yin Tianfang’s emotions had calmed somewhat, the Dustless Daoist spoke again.

Yin Tianfang started slightly, then immediately returned to his senses, overjoyed. He rose and knelt, bowing deeply. “Disciple Yin Tianfang wishes to take the immortal as his master. Master above, please accept my bow.”

“Good! Good! Good!” The Dustless Daoist laughed heartily. “From this day forth, you are my disciple.” He stepped forward, helped Yin Tianfang to his feet, and looked him over with growing satisfaction.

“Come, let me show you the sights of our sect.” The Dustless Daoist took Yin Tianfang by the hand, swept his sleeve, and a stream of light flew forth, transforming into a long sword. With Yin Tianfang in tow, he stepped onto the sword, leaving the cave abode and soaring into the skies above Azurecloud Sect.

“Tianfang, look—below us is the North Peak of Azurecloud Sect, where I reside. You will also cultivate here in the future.” The Dustless Daoist pointed to the mountain below.

Before them rose a majestic peak, towering into the clouds, wreathed in mist. Atop its summit stood a grand, radiant hall of gold and jade. Amid the clouds, flocks of cranes circled, their clear calls echoing melodiously through the air.

“That mountain is the South Peak, the main peak of Azurecloud Sect. That grand hall is the Main Hall of Azurecloud Sect. Come, let me take you to the main peak for a look around.” The Dustless Daoist smiled and steered the sword toward the main peak.

A stone bridge spanned the chasm between the two peaks, like a rainbow arching across the sky. The Dustless Daoist and Yin Tianfang alighted upon the bridge. Below, mist billowed and churned, the depths unfathomable. Standing on the bridge and peering down, Yin Tianfang’s legs trembled, his face turning pale.

“Don’t look down. Stay close to me.” The Dustless Daoist smiled, holding Yin Tianfang’s hand. “The South Peak is the main peak of Azurecloud Sect, a place of great importance. To show respect, no one is permitted to fly on swords here.” He explained patiently.

Yin Tianfang followed close behind, step by tentative step, like a child entering a strange land with his parents. Held by the Dustless Daoist’s broad, warm hand, Yin Tianfang felt a sense of safety he had never known.

Since childhood, he had endured only scorn and ridicule in the Ye family; everyone who saw him greeted him with contempt. He had never known the warmth of human affection.

“Perhaps this is the warmth I have always yearned for but could never attain,” Yin Tianfang thought, watching the Dustless Daoist’s back, a faint, involuntary smile blooming on his delicate face.

“Greetings, Grand Elder!”

“Greetings, Martial Uncle!”

On the main peak, many people knelt upon seeing the Dustless Daoist; a few bowed deeply without kneeling. Every youth who laid eyes on the Dustless Daoist showed respect and awe, their tones reverent. When their gazes fell upon Yin Tianfang, held by the Dustless Daoist, there was a hint of puzzlement, but even more envy.

The main peak was home to thousands of disciples. Every young member who saw the Dustless Daoist paid respects. As they walked, Yin Tianfang felt as if he were floating.

“Tianfang, our Azurecloud Sect boasts tens of thousands of disciples, with ten thousand laborers, thousands of outer disciples, and a hundred inner disciples,” the Dustless Daoist explained. “I am the Grand Elder of Azurecloud Sect, my rank second only to the Sect Leader. In future, no one in Azurecloud Sect will dare bully you. But you must not stir up trouble and must devote yourself to cultivation.”

“Yes, Master, I understand,” Yin Tianfang replied, nodding. Surrounded by so many watchful eyes, he was a little nervous, but more than that, he felt fulfilled. For the first time, he experienced what it meant to be respected and acknowledged—what a wonderful feeling.

The Dustless Daoist’s gentle and caring words lingered in his ears, that kindly smile ever vivid before his eyes, letting Yin Tianfang taste a feeling he had never known. Though not exactly fatherly love, it was something very close.

Yin Tianfang knew that from this moment on, he would no longer be bullied or forced to endure alone, for he now had a master.

As they walked, Yin Tianfang felt like a naive child following an elder into a bustling, unfamiliar world. Everything around him was new and wondrous—the strange flowers and rare grasses, the golden fruits hanging from ancient trees, filling the air with a rich aroma.

Though it was already late autumn in the outside world, here in Azurecloud Sect it was still as warm as spring; exotic blooms flourished everywhere, their fragrances mingling in the air. In the sky, cranes soared and sang melodiously. White clouds drifted, misty and ethereal. Such beauty dazzled Yin Tianfang.

Sometimes he fiddled with the flowers and grass, sometimes he climbed ancient trees to pluck golden fruit, or chased after the spirited cranes. The Dustless Daoist merely smiled in silence, standing at a distance and watching Yin Tianfang revel.

Suddenly, a field of medicinal herbs appeared before his eyes, the air thick with the scent of medicine. Light flowed over the field, where rare medicinal plants grew in abundance. Yin Tianfang had seen such herbs only in medical texts, never in any apothecary’s shop. Here, they were everywhere.

“If I sold these, how much money could I make?” Staring at the herbs, Yin Tianfang’s eyes gleamed. Any one of them would fetch an astronomical price in the marketplace.

Almost without thinking, he walked into the field, bent down, and was about to stealthily pick a stalk. Just as his hand touched the plant, a loud shout startled him.

“Where did this wild brat come from, daring to steal herbs—you must have a death wish!” Two figures rushed over, roaring at Yin Tianfang. Startled, he looked up to see two young men in gray robes bearing down on him. Without hesitation, he turned and ran.

Before long, he spotted the Dustless Daoist in the distance and cried out, “Master, help!”

The two gray-robed youths were swift; in an instant, they caught up to him, seized him, and prepared to strike. Yin Tianfang was still dressed in the faded blue robe he had worn before, so they had no idea he was now a disciple of the Azurecloud Sect, and more than that, the disciple of the Grand Elder himself.

Fists raised, the two were about to bring them down.

“Stop!” A gentle breeze swept by, and a figure appeared before them, his dark eyes radiating a powerful authority. The invisible pressure made the two gray-robed youths shiver with cold dread.

“Greetings, Grand Elder!” They immediately knelt, their bodies trembling as they cried, “Grand Elder, forgive us! This boy tried to steal herbs from the field. We caught him and he tried to escape…”

“Enough.” Before they could finish, the Dustless Daoist cut them off coldly. “He is my disciple.”

Those words struck the pair like thunder. Their faces went deathly pale, their bodies shaking as though sieved, despair filling their hearts. The Grand Elder’s disciple—what a lofty status! They were mere laborers, tasked with guarding the herb fields; to offend the Grand Elder’s disciple was a capital crime…

“You two—go to the Hall of Discipline yourselves.”

Utterly shattered, the two climbed to their feet. They could only accept their fate; to resist would only bring a worse death. In the eyes of these immortals, their lives were worth less than grass.

“Master, what will happen to them at the Hall of Discipline?” Yin Tianfang asked curiously, watching the two figures recede.

“To insult my disciple is a capital offense, naturally.” The Dustless Daoist patted Yin Tianfang’s head, smiling.

This act of protection made Yin Tianfang’s nose sting with emotion. No one had ever shielded him so before, not even when he was in the wrong.

When he regained his senses, the two gray-robed youths were already far away. Realizing something was wrong, Yin Tianfang hurried after them…