Chapter 48

  Antechamber (IV)

  Long Tao left after about six seconds, give or take, his tiny frame appearing as I exhaled in relief.

  He crossed over the bridge, seeming as apathetic as ever--

  Son of a bitch, he broke through!

  This guy actually broke through!

  I made it a habit to use Creator's Eyes on him at least once a day (as it does not cost a 'charge' when I use it on my disciples), and, yup, right there where it used to say 'Twelfth Stage of Qi Condensation', it now said 'First Stage of Foundation Establishment (Perfect)'.

  Just as I read that, the other side of my view got absolutely blasted by a whole heap of notifications, startling me for a moment. However, now's not the time! I still got one kid to send in there, and, at the very least, it was clear that Elder Qin didn't realize Long Tao broke through.

  "How was it, kid?" Elder Qin asked Long Tao, who seemed to be in thought for a moment before replying.

  "Quite beneficial."

  "Ho ho, of course," Elder Qin nodded, mindfully stroking his beard... yet again. "Alright, your sins are your own. Girl, it's your turn."

  Dai Xiu nodded and nervously walked past Long Tao, pausing for a moment as though expecting a word of advice; the latter, though, just shrugged, like it had nothing to do with him, disappointing the girl and peeving me.

  Come on, man! Give her something!

  I eyed him as he approached me and stopped by my side, and he merely smiled before his attention was dragged elsewhere. Where? Only the God knows.

  --hmm. Wait. Didn't Elder Qin promise he'd provide all the breakthrough pills necessary when we made the bet? Yeah... but how the hell can I take him up on that offer?! By the time these two should logically be breaking through to the Foundation Realm, who the hell knows what their actual realm will be?!

  Won't I get stiffed?! It's one of the major parts of the bet! Maybe I should just let him in on the secret--nah, nope. I don't trust him. I don't trust him at all. Look, he seems like a nice, old, grandfatherly sort of a man, but his personality is so... ugh, normal? And he's nothing like the rumors or even the memories original Lu Qi has of him.

  Maybe he's possessed too by some demons? But he can hide them even from the system?

  Haah.

  "What are you thinking about so deeply, Elder Lu?" he asked, drawing me out.

  "... just the future," I replied semi-honestly.

  "Hm. You have a lot of work ahead of you."

  "Any advice?"

  "... when I was young," he said, looking over at me. "I was... well, 'ambitious' is a nice word for it. Any time a hidden realm was found, or we skirmished with the Fire Sun Sect, or even if some strong demonic beast was spotted, I was the first in line to leave this place. I'd died, actually, four times in my life, brought back at the last second. All my early days, I felt... anger, and it pushed me onward to greater and greater risks. It's fine to foster ambition in your disciples," he sighed. "But my Master at the time... she never equaled it from the other end.

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  "As you should push it, you should also anchor it. Your disciples are talented, and they are strong, but... they did not do a smart thing, winning so effortlessly." tsk. Tell me about it. "Their actions, whatever spirit was in them, will be construed in one way only: a hunger. Older kids will pay attention to them and probably come to challenge them often under the guise of 'guiding the younger generation'. Really, though, it's pettiness bordering jealousy. Under no circumstances, however, no matter what happens, are you to interfere."

  "I wouldn't," or, rather... why the hell would I? If there's something that stumps Long Tao, then there's pretty much nothing I can do about it, can I?

  "We all say that," he said, smiling bitterly. "But then you watch a kid you've grown fond of have his limbs broken, and something in you just... snaps. It's a hard distinction to draw, but you always have to remember: you are their Master... not their parent. Your job isn't to protect them from the world, merely give them tools to protect themselves."

  There is strange... sincerity in his words, so much so that I can't even muster a quip--not even in my mind, let alone out loud. He is genuinely giving me advice, and one that seems based on something he went through.

  "... thank you," I squeezed the words just in time for Dai Xiu to emerge.

  Unlike Long Tao, who stayed six seconds, she stayed just three. However, the vines or whatever didn't activate as Elder Qin said they would, nor did she look particularly disturbed or disheveled. She just looked... kind of confused? Maybe a bit disappointed?

  She hurried over the bridge and toward me, stopping and bowing, her eyes teary.

  "I'm sorry, Master!" she said. "Your Disciple is a failure! I... I couldn't feel anything... because my talents are..." Her voice had cracked, and she was an inch away from weeping.

  "You're a body cultivator, Xiu," I quickly said. "This place simply wasn't designed for you." Elder Qin eyed me strangely as I tried to sort of bullshit my way through this.

  "R-really?" She asked for reaffirmation, but it was mostly for a show; she'd already recovered, as she trusted every word I said as though it was a law...

  "Really," I sighed inwardly but smiled, wondering whether I'd have the energy to play this role for the rest of my life... and the answer is, Hell no! I'm gonna have to figure out a way to get this girl in shape--oh my God, she's just twelve, you moron! Just let her be a kid, Jesus!

  "I--I promise I will work twice as hard from now on to never disappoint you!"

  "Khm, yes, well, it's alright. Elder Qin, I should take my disciples back."

  "Hm, of course."

  "... uhm," I fiddled in place for a moment, feeling a bit awkward. "A-about the, uhm, the 40% Spiritual Qi you promised..."

  "..." I saw his eyebrows wince and his steps stumble; I knew it! Just my ass! The guy probably hoped I forgot about it! "You are rather shameless, Elder Lu."

  "Uh..."

  "Did you think I forgot?"

  "Very much so, yes--I mean, of course not, Elder Qin. You are upright and just; you must have been busy, and I felt compelled to merely remind you as a man of your status must have many things on his mind and--"

  "--yes, yes, please... just stop. I've already diverted it this morning after you left. Haah," the old man sighed helplessly as I felt a churn of guilt manifest in me.

  ... no, wait. What if he's lying? What if he just said that and will now rush over to actually do it and--

  "--Elder Lu, you call me a just man," Elder Qin said, smiling strangely. "So, how should I punish you for questioning and suspecting your Elder superior?"

  "... uhm. A stern warning not to do it again?"

  "..."

  "..."

  "Just go away."

  "It was a pleasure, Elder Qin." I quickly grabbed my disciples and hurried out; look, it's in my nature to doubt things, you know? And if I'm wrong, I'm wrong--I'm more than happy to accept that. But if I'm right? Heh. Well, there's not much I can do even if I'm right, honestly.

  In fact, what the hell was I even thinking? So what if Elder Qin decided to renege on the bet? I'm betting there's not a soul in the sect that wouldn't back him up. Haah, you old fool, just take whatever you are given and otherwise pretend the things undelivered were never promised...