After Accidentally Entering the Forbidden Land and Forming a Bond with the Grandmaster - Chapter 19

Chu Lanci gradually learned many things over time. He eventually discovered that Xie Zhuo had taken disciples before his long absence. Now that he had returned, those disciples had re-established their connection with him.

Inside the Hall of the Myriad Immortals, the six disciples stood in a line. This included the newly recruited Chu Lanci. Together, they bowed respectfully to Xie Zhuo.

After the apprenticeship ceremony concluded, Xie Zhuo kept the eldest disciple, Lin Jingchi, behind to speak in private. The others stayed in the side hall. Among the five remaining, Chu Lanci only knew Wei Daoping. Now, however, he was introduced to the rest: the second senior sister, Zhang Minmin; the third senior brother, Feng Yu; the fourth senior brother, Wei Daoping; and the fifth senior sister, Wan Biaoli.

The five of them shared a close bond and knew one another well, so their conversation was quite lively.

After chatting for a while, Wei Daoping said, “Let us not just talk amongst ourselves. Let us get to know our little junior brother. From now on, he is our youngest member. Master has instructed us to take good care of him.”

Hearing this, Chu Lanci hurriedly stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting. “Greetings, senior brothers and senior sisters.”

His formal greeting made someone laugh. It was the fifth senior sister, Wan Biaoli, who said, “Little junior brother, do not be so stiff. We are all very easy to get along with.”

Sister Wan’s appearance was quite distinctive. She wore an ethereal white gown that fluttered as she moved, but her behavior was rather eccentric. She would occasionally pinch her fingers in a delicate gesture or partially hide her face behind her wide sleeves. Her speech was somewhat affected, as she often trailed off her sentences with a theatrical flair.

“Quite right. We are all members of the same sect now. We should strive together in our cultivation,” the third senior brother, Feng Yu, added.

Chu Lanci, naturally good-natured, smiled at them. “If there is anything you need me to do, please just tell me. I will do my best to assist you.”

Upon hearing this, Wan Biaoli immediately asked, “Really? Little junior brother, in that case, could you ask Master to check my spiritual bones for me?”

As soon as those words were spoken, the third senior brother nudged her. Wan Biaoli snapped back to her senses and laughed. “I was only joking, little junior brother.”

Chu Lanci understood the situation somewhat, but not entirely. “It is no matter,” he replied.

“In any case, if anyone ever bullies you, just let us know,” Wei Daoping said, leading the group’s promise.

Chu Lanci, being very sincere, accepted their kindness.

Everything here was new to him. He knew he was a latecomer to the sect and could not compare to the hundred years of friendship they shared. However, he did not mind. He believed that as long as he could truly learn some skills, that was all that mattered. He intended to treat everyone with sincerity, believing that honesty would eventually move others.

Regardless of the challenges, a new life had begun.

While they were talking, Lin Jingchi walked out and approached Chu Lanci. “Master is looking for you.”

At these words, everyone’s gaze shifted back to Chu Lanci.

Chu Lanci’s ears grew slightly warm. “Thank you, eldest senior brother.”

Lin Jingchi gave a faint, neutral nod. He was not cold, but he was certainly not warm either.

Wei Daoping asked Lin Jingchi, “Does Master not wish to see us?” A hundred years had passed, and they had been waiting for their teacher all this time. They truly hoped Master would test their cultivation levels.

Lin Jingchi replied, “Master gave me a magical artifact. He said we can use it to test ourselves.”

Hearing this, the disciples looked at Chu Lanci with expressions of envy. This was the clear difference in treatment.

However, they doubted their Master would truly spend his time teaching Chu Lanci personally. A figure of Xie Zhuo’s stature would hardly bother teaching someone in the Integration Stage, so why would he teach a mortal with no spiritual roots?

It seemed like a massive waste of effort. What could he possibly gain from it?

Even the eldest disciple, Lin Jingchi, who had reached the late stage of the Void Refinement Realm, was often told to meditate on his own. He received personal guidance from Master less than once a year. As the saying goes, “The master leads you to the door, but the cultivation depends on the individual.” No master spent every day hovering over a student.

Despite this, they all wished to be closer to Xie Zhuo. Their feelings for him were complex: a mix of envy, affection, and admiration, but mostly, it was pure worship. To them, he was a man so high above that even his failures were uniquely magnificent.

It seemed as though nothing could bother him, and nothing could move his heart.

They did not openly show these deep-seated feelings, but there was a silent understanding among them.

Because they were subtle, Chu Lanci genuinely felt that his seniors were kind. When Xie Zhuo later asked him about them, he replied, “They are wonderful, Master. They treat me very well and are very friendly.”

Wonderful? Xie Zhuo certainly did not believe that.

Some of these disciples were older than he was and had lived longer lives. Even the youngest had lived for over a century. They were all shrewd, seasoned individuals. They could not possibly be truly friendly in a simple way.

It was all an act, an act so convincing they had started to believe it themselves.

He did not know if Chu Lanci truly believed them or was just being polite. It was likely the former, as this boy was naive enough to believe Xie Zhuo himself was a good person.

Then again, if the disciples were like that, he, as their Master, was certainly no saint either.

“That is good, then. You should follow them and practice your cultivation. Who would you like to learn from?”

Chu Lanci was surprised and blurted out, “Is it not going to be from you?”

Xie Zhuo teased, “What do you want to learn from me? How to catch snakes?”

Chu Lanci asked innocently, “Do we start with that?”

Xie Zhuo paused. “No, Master was only joking.”

His little disciple had completely missed the underlying meaning. It was not that Xie Zhuo was unwilling to teach him, but for someone with Chu Lanci’s lack of foundation, it was more appropriate for someone in the Golden Core or Nascent Soul stage to teach him. In fact, even the Nascent Soul level might be too difficult for him.

Chu Lanci finally realized the situation and said slowly and sincerely, “Master, but I do not know them well. They seem very powerful. Of course, you are also very powerful, but I simply want to learn from you. Is that possible? I promise I will not bother you too much.”

Xie Zhuo had taken many disciples, but Chu Lanci was the first to state his desires so directly to his face. He was both sincere and humble.

Chu Lanci’s implication was that he chose Xie Zhuo because he was more familiar with him. It was interesting that someone would choose a teacher based on familiarity rather than prestige.

A mortal without spiritual roots should be easy enough to teach. He decided he could give it a try.

“Wait until I have finished my current tasks,” Xie Zhuo said.

Chu Lanci nodded repeatedly. “Understood, Master!”

Seeing the moving expression on Chu Lanci’s face, Xie Zhuo smiled. “Come here. I have something for you.”

Chu Lanci wondered what it could be. He walked forward slowly to face Xie Zhuo.

Xie Zhuo produced a bottle of high-grade Face-Preserving Pills.

“What is this?”

“Take one every day. Ordinary pills have too much spiritual energy and require the consumer to have a certain level of cultivation. Only Face-Preserving Pills can be used safely even by mortals.”

Chu Lanci looked at the bottle and knew it must be something very valuable. He did not ask further questions. However, he felt that since he had accepted a gift, he should show some gratitude. He worried that if Master did not actually want a kiss, he would humiliate himself like he had last time.

He hesitated, lingering in place.

Xie Zhuo looked back at him and noticed that his eyes were shining brightly. “Come closer to take it,” he said in a low voice.

Chu Lanci had initially thought he should refrain. He had just officially become a disciple, and his fellow disciples were just outside. Engaging in intimacy with his Master inside the hall felt wrong. He only took one small step forward before Xie Zhuo grabbed him by the waist and pulled him gently into his embrace.

He felt the firmness of Xie Zhuo’s chest and found he had no room even to turn around.

“Master,” he whispered softly.

Xie Zhuo gave a doting, shallow hum of acknowledgment. “Are you happy now that you have entered the Inner Sect?” he asked.

At the mention of the Inner Sect, Chu Lanci’s spirits lifted. “I am very happy! Master, you have no idea how nervous I was. I was truly afraid of being rejected.” He had, after all, been rejected several times before.

Xie Zhuo laughed. “There was no need to be nervous. That fake spiritual talisman would not make a mistake. If I said you could enter, you could enter.” At his level of cultivation, taking a disciple was entirely based on his mood. “However, your cultivation practice must be set aside for a moment. We must first focus on the arrangements for our Covenant.”

“All right.”

After talking for a while, Chu Lanci asked, “Did Master want a kiss just now?”

Xie Zhuo was momentarily speechless. Had he been that obvious? “What do you think?”

Chu Lanci laughed. “Why else would you ask me to come closer?”

Xie Zhuo realized that in front of this boy, any sense of subtle ambiguity vanished. He admitted it openly. “Then, are you willing to kiss me?” He tilted his head toward Chu Lanci.

Chu Lanci looked back at him. Master’s refined and gentle demeanor always gave off a strong but deceptive impression. He obediently leaned in and pressed a kiss onto Xie Zhuo’s cheek.

Xie Zhuo chuckled and shook his head. “Not there.”

Chu Lanci stared at those thin lips. He recalled someone saying that thin lips on a man indicated a heartless nature. Was Master heartless? Not at all. He was so good to him that no one would believe it if he told them.

Any lingering hesitation Chu Lanci felt had vanished. He had been so dazzled by the recent favors he had received that he could hardly think of anything else.

He leaned forward and lightly touched Xie Zhuo’s thin lips. After a brief press, he could not help but lick them. It was not intentional, but rather a natural, instinctive reaction.

He felt Xie Zhuo stiffen momentarily as his gaze turned deep and intense.

“Continue,” Master’s voice was low and hoarse.

Chu Lanci did not know exactly what he was doing to make Xie Zhuo happy, but he was pleased to be of use. He extended his soft tongue again and licked Xie Zhuo’s lips. As his wet tongue slid across the surface, it slipped inside and brushed against the man’s firm, straight teeth. Sensing the resistance, his tongue gave a shy swirl and tried to retreat.

Xie Zhuo would not allow it. He closed the distance and dominantly captured the adventurous little tongue, pinning it beneath his own and ravishing it at will.

What followed was a deep kiss that left Chu Lanci breathless. He felt as though he could no longer breathe and needed Xie Zhuo to remind him when to inhale.

Chu Lanci wrapped his arms around Xie Zhuo’s neck, trying his best to hold himself up. Xie Zhuo, however, anticipated this and pulled him entirely into his lap, letting him sit across his waist. Chu Lanci’s legs felt as though they had lost all strength. Because his body was so soft, he became incredibly sensitive to every sensation.

He could feel the intensity of his Master’s desire, a force so strong it was impossible to ignore.

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