Chapter 57: It’s Up to Junior Martial Sister

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: It’s Up to Junior Martial Sister

"This is the stipend for the three of you for the next two months. You won’t be considered a true Inner Sect Disciple until after the Inner Sect assessment. Before that, your monthly stipend will remain ten Spirit Stones. As for these Storage Rings, consider them my discipleship gift to you. Don’t go around treating those common Storage Rings from the market like treasures."

Mo Xuan tossed the three Storage Rings directly to Liu Chen. He glanced at the Storage Ring on Liu Chen’s finger. He hadn’t originally planned to give them out so soon; they weren’t really needed on the back mountain anyway.

However, Liu Chen was about to make a name for himself on Purple Bamboo Peak, and even in Purple Cloud Valley. If people saw his, Mo Xuan’s, disciple wearing the most common type of Storage Ring, he’d be laughed to death.

"Thank you, Master."

Liu Chen accepted the three Storage Rings for the time being. Leaving aside the internal space, just from their appearance, these Storage Rings were a higher level than the one Senior Brother Yang had brought. The one from Senior Brother Yang was just a plain Iron Ring, while the ones gifted by his master looked more like they were polished from some kind of ink-colored jade.

"Yang Haichen guessed correctly. The Inner Sect Disciple assessment has indeed been moved up. It will start at the beginning of the eighth month. This doesn’t concern you, but you should still prepare. At the beginning of the ninth month, there will be an Inner Sect Disciple trial. All Inner Sect Disciples below the Meridian Passage Realm will be required to participate."

Mo Xuan added another instruction. The Grand Elder had only guessed based on prior events, whereas he had been part of the decision-making. The traitors who were Inner Sect Disciples at the Meridian Passage Realm had already been captured and brought back. However, the traitors at the Body Tempering Realm had fled to Fire Dragon Valley, a place that had always been lawless.

Purple Cloud Valley was already coordinating with Qingxu Hall and Thunder Mountain. If they succeeded, they would send disciples into Fire Dragon Valley in batches according to their Realm for a trial, with the goal of completely leveling the place and transforming it into a trial ground shared by the Three Immortal Sects.

"I understand."

Liu Chen didn’t have strong feelings about the trial, but since his master had specifically mentioned it, he figured he should take it seriously. In the nearly two months he had, it should be enough time to raise his Cultivation to the Body Tempering Peak. After that, raising a few offensive Magic skills to a level of mastery shouldn’t be a problem.

If there was time after that, he would also raise his Swordsmanship to a level of mastery. Then, at the very least, he’d have the power to protect himself.

"Go on back."

Mo Xuan nodded. He was quite confident in Liu Chen. Something he had inadvertently witnessed in the past was enough to prove this disciple was not some rigid, pedantic person.

Liu Chen bowed and turned to leave. As she watched him go, Bai Qiulan, who had been silent at his side, narrowed her eyes. "Somehow, his gaze just now felt different than before."

"Did you really think he was some kind of goody-two-shoes?"

Mo Xuan shook his head. Just as he was about to take a sip of tea, an Ink-Colored Jade Bracelet smacked him on the back of the head. A dizzying sensation washed over him, and the teacup in his hand fell to the floor, splashing tea everywhere.

"Junior Sisters, this is a discipleship gift from Master. Your stipends are stored inside."

Before their afternoon cultivation, Liu Chen handed the two Storage Rings to his two junior sisters. He had already examined the rings. The space inside was more than ten times larger than the one Senior Brother Yang had brought. If he calculated it based on the price Senior Brother Yang had quoted back then, a single one of these Storage Rings would be worth at least three thousand Spirit Stones.

And yet, inside the Storage Ring right now were only ten Spirit Stones.

"It’s so beautiful."

Ji Suyao took it and put it on her hand right away. A drop of blood fell into it, and faint golden patterns slowly surfaced before quickly disappearing.

"A discipleship gift?"

Ye Linglong picked up the Storage Ring and performed the Blood Recognition, but her focus was elsewhere. ’Where would Outer Sect Disciples get a discipleship gift? Aren’t you only able to take a master after being promoted to the Inner Sect?’

Besides, according to the information she received before coming to Purple Cloud Valley, not all Inner Sect Disciples even had masters. It was a two-way street.

"That’s right, a discipleship gift. The things you were worried about, Junior Sister... in fact, the moment you were taken in by our Master’s wife, you no longer needed to worry."

Liu Chen nodded. If everything before had just been his speculation, then the moment his master uttered the words "discipleship gift," he understood the whole situation. Even if these two junior sisters of his really couldn’t become Inner Sect Disciples within ten years, they would undoubtedly be allowed to stay on Purple Bamboo Peak.

But something like that would never happen. Leaving aside their cultivation progress, simply being a disciple taken in by the acting Peak Master guaranteed they would become Inner Sect Disciples.

"Senior Brother, are you telling the truth?"

Ye Linglong shot to her feet, her usual elegance gone. If this was true, then her begging Senior Brother back then was a bit redundant. The disciple of a Steward... although that might not be enough to completely destroy the Nangong Family, the Ye Family’s future survival would surely be guaranteed.

"Isn’t the proof right there in your hand?"

Liu Chen glanced at the Storage Ring, which automatically drew a drop of blood for recognition the moment it was worn. ’They’ve already been given discipleship gifts,’ he thought. ’How could any of this be fake?’

"This..."

Ye Linglong studied the Storage Ring on her hand, her mind drifting back to when she lived with her master. It seemed that even back then, her master hadn’t treated her as just an ordinary student, but as a true disciple.

"You two Junior Sisters just need to focus on your cultivation. Becoming Inner Sect Disciples as soon as possible would be the best way to repay our Master and Master’s wife."

Noticing that Junior Sister Linglong was about to be overcome with emotion, Liu Chen gave a gentle reminder. Liu Chen was good at many things, but comforting people was not one of them. However, Ji Suyao had already pulled Ye Linglong into an embrace.

Liu Chen slowly backed away from the area. It was best for him to stay clear of what was coming next. He figured it would be another long session of talking and pouring their hearts out.

By evening, when Liu Chen saw his two junior sisters again, both had changed their clothes. Ji Suyao looked the same as always, but Ye Linglong gave Liu Chen a completely refreshed feeling.

The clothes and the person were the same ones he saw every day, but to Liu Chen, it felt like she had transformed. It was clearly the effect of a change in her mindset.

"Senior Brother, my branch of the Ye Family doesn’t control many resources. I’m afraid I can’t offer you much more."

Ye Linglong sat down and looked at Senior Brother Liu Chen. She had gone to see her master and received a promise, which finally put her heart at ease. Even if they couldn’t solve the problem themselves, her master and Master Mo Xuan would intervene.

No matter what, the engagement would definitely be broken.

"There are resources to be had?"

Liu Chen’s eyes narrowed. He knew, of course, that becoming an Inner Sect Disciple was all about getting resources, but he hadn’t helped his junior sister with any of that in mind.

"Of course there are."

Ye Linglong was silent for a moment. She wasn’t a fool; she understood that her senior brother hadn’t wanted any resources at all. But regardless, she had to make a gesture. What’s more, these resources could be sourced from the current Patriarch’s branch of the family. It would be a waste not to take them.

"Just do whatever you see fit, Junior Sister. Don’t force it. Senior Brother Yang and I have arranged a big deal. If you two junior sisters can help me prepare Bamboo Shoots and Spirit Rice for eight people, there’ll be a share of the Spirit Stones in it for you."