CHAPTER 31: DISCIPLE

Just ahead, he could see the entrance to Mu Qinxue’s private cultivation hall. The spirit qi was so dense near it, even the floor had veins of light running through the stone.

He adjusted his sleeves.

"Alright, time to see if Master Mu’s teachings is worth learning or not."

But unseen by him, eyes watched from hidden corners and lofty balconies. Whispers slithered through spirit threads and sound-isolating formations.

"Another one?"

"She actually accepted someone again?"

"No, not another. This one’s different. He’s still walking straight—and it’s already been a full day."

That alone was enough to cause murmurs. Because every single one of her previous disciples—male or female—had one thing in common:

They didn’t last.

Some vanished after a week.

Others collapsed into madness after a month, either too obsessed or too broken.

A rare few tried to bind her instead... and became permanent exhibits in the Frozen Soul Pagoda.

None of them ever came close to becoming what a true disciple should be.

Because Mu Qinxue didn’t just teach techniques.

She carried the Soul-Ensnaring Divine Physique—a constitution so absurd, so dangerously beautiful, that even elder cultivators couldn’t meet her eyes for too long. Her charm wasn’t a tool. It was a natural law.

And yet, She have now accepted another Disciple.

"Let’s see how long this one lasts," one elder muttered over tea, watching through a jade scrying disk. "Another week at most."

"A week?" a senior disciple scoffed. "I give him three days."

"...You’re both too generous," a voice laced with disdain cut in. "He’s just a mortal realm brat playing dress-up. The moment she uses actual charm qi, his knees will shatter like porcelain. I say one day."

Tian Lei, unaware of the wagers and whispered expectations now orbiting his name like vultures, stepped forward with calm steps and a straight back. His knuckles brushed once against the ornate door, and before the echo faded—

"Come in."

Her voice.

Soft.

Melodic.

Yet each syllable carried that same inexplicable gravity that had crushed greater men into obsession and ruin.

He stepped inside.

And froze.

This... isn’t a hall.

What greeted him wasn’t a cultivation chamber, nor any training hall the sect could’ve designed.

It was another realm.

The air itself felt lighter, more fragrant. Spirit flowers bloomed around his feet with every step he took, opening to the rhythm of his heartbeat. Trees of jade bark and silver leaf swayed in wind that didn’t exist. A soft mist curled along the stone path, enchanted koi swimming lazily through the air instead of water.

In the heart of the garden stood a pavilion made of moonlight and bamboo.

And at its center...

Mu Qinxue.

Sitting gracefully at a curved tea table made of translucent crystal, with her sleeves gently folded beside her, she looked like a painting that had come to life. One hand rested on her cheek, while the other poured tea—without looking—as if she already knew he’d arrived.

Snacks—carefully arranged fruits, spirit petals, and glazed pastries—decorated the table like offerings to a goddess.

"Sit," she said without lifting her gaze.

Tian Lei took a quiet breath and moved to sit across from her, neither too fast nor too slow. The way she watched him—eyes half-lidded, like a cat watching a mouse it might decide not to eat—sent a ripple through his spine.

Yet his face remained calm.

"I didn’t think your cultivation chamber would be like... this," Tian Lei said, casting a brief glance at the floating blossoms.

"Hm," Mu Qinxue replied, calmly pouring tea. "This is mine. The sect tried to build one for me centuries ago, but their design lacked... elegance. So I shaped this place myself."

"I don’t think this is just a minor adjustment," Tian Lei murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly as the fragrant aroma of the tea reached his nose.

He looked down at the cup before him, then lifted it and took a careful sip.

Instantly, he felt lighter. As if all the fatigue he hadn’t even noticed was washed away—his mind clearer, his breath smoother.

"It’s Soul-Calming Tea," she said softly, watching him. "Before we begin the lesson, it’s better to drink it. It prepares the mind and steadies the spirit."

She took a sip of her own cup, then gestured gracefully to the array of snacks on the table.

"Go ahead. Eat. You’ll need your energy."

Tian Lei nodded and began sampling the snacks one by one. Each bite melted softly on his tongue, surprisingly flavorful for something so delicate.

Then her voice, calm but direct, broke the pleasant silence.

"Before I begin teaching you, I’d like to know your past."

Tian Lei’s hand paused mid-bite. He lowered it, exhaled softly, then gave a nod.

"Hmm... well, I was a simple village boy. Lived with my mother in a small village near the Heavenly Sword Sect. I never met my father—I don’t even know who he was."

He looked down for a moment, gathering the pieces of a memory he hadn’t shared aloud in years.

"When I came of age, my mother brought me to the Heavenly Sword Sect. Somehow, I got admitted... though with only average talent. Nothing special."

He gave a short, humorless chuckle before continuing.

"As I trained there, I became acquainted with someone—Senior Sister Yuyan. She was talented, beautiful, but kind. I knew I wasn’t worthy of her, so I kept my distance. Still... we ended up on the same mission team."

A shadow passed through his eyes.

"Our partners betrayed us. Backstabbed us during the mission and threw us off a cliff. They thought we were dead. But instead of dying... we found a miracle."

He lifted his hand slightly as if still feeling it.

"A heavenly opportunity—the Sun and Moon Nectar. It not only healed us... it improved our constitutions. Our talents rose. Our potential bloomed."

He paused again. The weight of the next part threatened to choke him.

"When we returned to the sect... the sect master and Grand Elder saw our transformation. They feigned interest... but in truth, they were planning something dark."

He clenched his fists.

"The Grand Elder’s grandson had always lusted after Sister Yuyan. He... violated her. And then, to cover it up, he killed her."

His voice was low. Bitter. A controlled storm.

"I was powerless to stop it. But I used one of the trump cards I had obtained—alongside the Sun and Moon Nectar—and escaped."

He looked up at Mu Qinxue now. No hate in his eyes... only cold, resolute fire.

"I swore I would one day destroy that sect. I will avenge her, no matter what it takes."