Jiang Qianxun’s questions always struck directly at the heart of the matter.
Shen Qingchen had initially assumed she would ask academic, theoretical questions. Instead, they were practical and fundamental, the very same issues that had once troubled Shen Qingchen herself during her own cultivation.
Once these conceptual hurdles were cleared, vast amounts of knowledge would naturally fall into place and connect.
But that was just Jiang Qianxun. Had it been any other elder, they likely wouldn’t have even considered such questions, let alone known how to answer them. As the ancient sages said, “Learning without thought is labor lost, thought without learning is perilous.” In reality, most people were ordinary learners who studied without truly thinking. Those who could dig as deeply as Jiang Qianxun were exceedingly rare.
What made it even more precious was how down to earth she was, never floating on the surface of superficial understanding.
The more Shen Qingchen observed her, the more she felt the girl was excellent material for cultivation, destined to carve out a brilliant path for herself given time. Thus, a desire to nurture her grew. She asked, “Qianxun, is there an elder you admire? Have you ever thought about whose lineage you would like to join in the future?”
Jiang Qianxun, who was busy taking notes, replied without looking up, “Yours, of course.”
“What?”
“The one I admire is you. You’re the top cultivator in the immortal realm, after all. Who could possibly be stronger than you?” Jiang Qianxun paused her brush, then suddenly smiled. “Though, that was how I used to think.”
“And what do you think now?” Shen Qingchen wasn’t surprised by the initial response, but since she had no intention of taking on an apprentice, hearing that Jiang Qianxun might have other goals wasn’t a bad thing.
Jiang Qianxun said, “Now, I feel that what makes you most precious isn’t your strength. It’s the fact that despite being so powerful, you are gentle, attentive, and considerate of things others completely overlook. If everyone knew how wonderful you are in private, they would surely break down your threshold trying to become your disciple. Fortunately, they don’t know yet, so I get to enjoy this all to myself in secret.”
“…You don’t need to flatter me.” Unprepared for such directness, a sudden wave of warmth rushed to Shen Qingchen’s face. She was long accustomed to praise regarding her natural talent and felt nothing when people complimented her strength. Instead, it was this acknowledgment of her quiet, subtle traits that touched her heart and made her feel deeply comforted.
“I’m not flattering you, I’m just telling the truth,” Jiang Qianxun said. “But Master, why have you never taken on a disciple?”
Shen Qingchen had held the position of Sect Master for a century. One could argue she was too busy during the early days of her ascension, but in recent years, the immortal realm had been peaceful and the sect stable. It would only be natural to take a few disciples under her wing.
Perhaps she was simply still young and hadn’t reached the point of needing to train a successor. In the original plot of the book, Shen Qingchen never took a single disciple. When she eventually sacrificed her life for the righteous path, the nieces and nephews from various peaks came to mourn, but there was no direct disciple to carry her funeral banner or break the ceremonial clay basin. It was a lamentable thought.
At this reflection, a sudden pang of melancholy hit Jiang Qianxun.
Previously, she had only viewed this world as a book. Aside from the two people who had transmigrated along with her, everyone else was an NPC in her eyes. Even a heavily emphasized character like Shen Qingchen was merely moving within the boundaries drawn by the author, unable to escape her script.
Yet, after spending time with her master, Jiang Qianxun realized her own perspective had been far too narrow. This world might have originated from a book, but every individual possessed their own temperament and personal preferences. Compared to them, she felt more like an NPC who only knew how to cultivate.
However, the shift in her perception wasn’t entirely a good thing.
For instance, right now, the realization that her master would one day sacrifice herself made her nose prickle with tears. Life is unpredictable, she had no idea how much time they had left together.
“I haven’t taken a disciple because I don’t want my first disciple to become a target for everyone,” Shen Qingchen explained unexpectedly. “As you know, while the position of Sect Master isn’t restricted to any specific peak, the first disciple of the current Sect Master stands a very high chance of inheriting the role, provided they are capable.”
Shen Qingchen continued softly, “I don’t have a powerful family background behind me, nor do I have extensive networks or wealth. If my disciple were to be targeted by those who harbor ambitions for the Sect Master’s seat, they would have to fight a lonely battle alongside me. Rather than pulling someone into such danger, it’s better to keep things quiet and peaceful by not taking any disciples at all.”
This was the conclusion she had reached after much deliberation. Naturally, she wondered if such an answer would disappoint Jiang Qianxun, but in the end, she chose to speak the absolute truth.
After speaking, she looked at Jiang Qianxun, worrying the girl might feel sad. But Jiang Qianxun’s sorrow ran a hundred times deeper than she could have anticipated, she looked as if they were about to be separated forever.
“Master, I really don’t want to be apart from you…” Jiang Qianxun’s eyes brimmed with crystal tears. The corners of her eyes drooped, and her mouth pouted, making her look exactly like a little puppy with its tail down.
Does she really want to be my disciple that badly?
Shen Qingchen felt a bit flustered and said, “Actually, this matter isn’t entirely set in stone. It’s just that you must consider it carefully, once an arrow is shot, there is no turning back…”
“I’ve already thought it through. I want to spend more time accompanying you, Master.” Jiang Qianxun added, “It has nothing to do with whether you accept me as a disciple or not. I just want to stay here and keep you company every single day.”
Jiang Qianxun wasn’t sure if phrasing it this way was appropriate. At first, she was merely grieving over that inevitable death. But when she learned her master refused to take disciples out of a desire to protect others from being implicated, she could no longer hold back her emotions.
Her master was simply too good!
Why did such a gentle person have to end up dying alone in the end? Had her master never considered that outcome? She surely had, but she was unwilling to drag anyone else into the dangerous orbit of her life just to satisfy her own personal desires.
How could Jiang Qianxun just stand by and watch that tragic ending unfold?
When it came down to it, this was the only thing she could do.
Unaware of the intricate thoughts racing through the girl’s mind, Shen Qingchen only felt that the words carried a double meaning. Not being a disciple, yet wanting to keep company every day, wouldn’t that make them Dao companions?
Did Jiang Qianxun harbor that kind of intention?
Shen Qingchen wasn’t sure and couldn’t bring herself to ask. The ambiguity actually cleared her mind a bit, so she said, “There’s no rush for this. Once your injuries are fully healed, we can deliberate on this further.”
Jiang Qianxun also knew this couldn’t be forced overnight, so she nodded obediently.
Shen Qingchen noted, “You look tired. Shall we call it a day?”
Jiang Qianxun let out a yawn and nodded again.
“Then go to sleep. You still have classes tomorrow.” Shen Qingchen supported her, leading her to the side of the bed. Just as she was about to leave, Jiang Qianxun suddenly seemed to remember something and woke up slightly. “I’ll see you out.”
“No need, just sleep. It’s only a few steps away.” Shen Qingchen gently pressed her back down and pulled up the blanket. Jiang Qianxun offered a faint, half-hearted resistance, but the moment her head hit the pillow, she immediately became dazed and stopped fighting it.
“Goodnight, Master…” Her eyes were hazy with sleep, and her fingers clutched the edge of the blanket as she offered a sweet smile. It was a tender expression, even with the faint, glistening tear tracks still lingering at the corners of her eyes.
“Goodnight.” Shen Qingchen gently wiped away the tear traces, then extinguished the lamp.
Under the cover of the night, Jiang Qianxun slept peacefully and sweetly. Shen Qingchen stood by the bedside for a short while, waiting until the girl’s breathing grew deep and steady before quietly slipping out of the room.
Standing beneath the moonlight for a moment, Shen Qingchen suddenly let out a soft sigh.
No matter how she looked at her, Jiang Qianxun seemed like a child completely devoid of malice, pure, direct, and passionate. How could such a person have hidden depths? How could she have written those self-indulgent, scandalous stories, or harbored unspeakable, wicked designs?
And yet…
The girl’s actions were clearly aimed at drawing closer to her.
Inviting her for a late-night meeting, questioning her reasons for not taking disciples, and openly expressing a desire to remain by her side. Praise, pleading, and politeness, every single one of these was a powerful tool to move someone’s heart. The girl had executed it perfectly, before stepping out of that room, Shen Qingchen had been completely swayed by her emotions.
It was only just now, as the cool night wind washed over her, that her mind cleared.
She had come so close. She had almost been entirely moved by the girl’s sincerity, nearly making a reckless decision to accept her as a disciple right then and there. That would have been dangerous. Either she would be in jeopardy, or the girl would be; regardless, someone would inevitably end up in trouble because of it.
Rather than letting that happen, it was better to keep things peaceful and unchanged.
Once these two weeks passed and Jiang Qianxun recovered from her illness, they would return to their respective daily routines. They would no longer be shrouded in this elusive, floating sense of danger.
She had made her decision, yet a faint ache throbbed somewhere deep in her heart, two weeks. Did they really only have two weeks left together?
Involuntarily, she let out another quiet sigh.