“Congratulations, Elder Qian.”
“Elder Qian, you truly have sharp eyes.”
“To find such an outstanding disciple and recruit someone of this calibre, you will surely receive a mid-grade reward from the sect.”
In an instant, almost all the elders present were fawning and flattering, offering congratulations to the yellow-faced elder.
At this moment, the yellow-faced elder looked extremely smug. He deliberately glanced at Duan Liufeng with sarcasm, then shot a mocking look at Chu Feng before turning his gaze back to Hua Xu.
“Hua Xu, you truly did not disappoint your master.”
Elder Qian stroked his beard and said with a beaming smile.
“Master?”
“Elder Qian, does this Hua Xu intend to take you as his master?”
“Are you certain?”
Upon hearing this, the other elders widened their eyes in disbelief and asked with tones full of astonishment.
Strangely, taking a master was obviously a very simple matter.
Yet these elders seemed somewhat doubtful.
Their expressions suggested they thought Elder Qian was lying and did not quite believe what he said.
“Yes, Hua Xu promised this old man long ago that if he passed the talent test, he would take me as his master.”
Elder Qian replied.
“Congratulations, Elder Qian. Heartiest congratulations.”
“Elder Qian, this is truly a joyous occasion. To receive such an excellent disciple means you can finally return to the Northern Profound Courtyard. In the future, please do not forget about us.”
“With Elder Qian’s cultivation, you should have entered the Northern Profound Courtyard and become an elder there long ago. You were only lacking the right opportunity.”
“Now that you have accepted a disciple like Hua Xu, even upon entering the Northern Profound Courtyard, your status will be superior to others.”
At this point, the elders’ flattery grew even more intense.
At the same time, they kept glancing toward Hua Xu from time to time.
They remained suspicious about Hua Xu taking Elder Qian as his master.
“Elder Qian, thank you for guiding Hua Xu into the Lying Dragon Martial Sect.”
“However, Hua Xu actually has no intention of taking Elder Qian as his master.”
Finally, Hua Xu spoke up.
He openly rejected Elder Qian in front of everyone.
The strangest part was that when Hua Xu publicly refused, the elders showed no great surprise. Instead, they looked at Elder Qian with gloating amusement.
Elder Qian’s face turned awkward, and anger flared in his eyes. His complexion changed from rage.
“Hua Xu, what are you saying?”
“After I brought you into the sect, I personally asked you whether, if you passed the talent test, you would be willing to take this old man as your master.”
“You clearly said that as long as you successfully entered the sect, you would be willing to take me as your master.”
“Now… are you going back on your word?”
Elder Qian asked angrily.
“To be honest with Elder Qian, in my clan, there is a senior who joined the Lying Dragon Martial Sect more than five thousand years ago.”
“Once, when he went out on a mission and received a reward from his master, he was allowed to return to our clan to visit. Because of that, I have heard about how the Lying Dragon Martial Sect selects disciples.”
“If I had only released white radiance on the test platforms like that useless one, then taking Elder Qian as my master would not have been impossible.”
As he said this, Hua Xu deliberately glanced at Chu Feng.
Although he did not say it outright, everyone knew that the “useless one” he referred to was Chu Feng.
“But now, I have released blue radiance.”
“With my talent, I can definitely catch the eye of an elder from the Eastern Dragon Courtyard.”
“However, if I take you as my master, with your cultivation, you can only bring me into the Northern Profound Courtyard.”
“Elder Qian, as an outer courtyard elder of the Lying Dragon Martial Sect, you should understand the difference between the Eastern Dragon Courtyard and the Northern Profound Courtyard.”
“As the saying goes, people die for wealth and birds die for food. Martial cultivators, even more so, must consider their own future. Therefore, please do not hold it against this disciple.”
“Because the courtyard this disciple wishes to enter is the Eastern Dragon Courtyard, not the Northern Profound Courtyard.”
“I humbly ask Elder Qian to fulfil my wish.”
At this point, Hua Xu bowed to Elder Qian.
As for Hua Xu’s words, the surrounding elders all nodded in agreement. Not a single one blamed him.
They knew that what Hua Xu said was true. A disciple who released blue radiance on the test platform could indeed gain the favour of an elder from the Eastern Dragon Courtyard.
Elder Qian wanting Hua Xu to take him as master was indeed wishful thinking.
This was why, when Elder Qian claimed that Hua Xu would take him as master, the others had found it hard to believe.
Elder Qian gritted his teeth in fury and trembled with anger. It was clear he regretted bringing Hua Xu into the Lying Dragon Martial Sect.
Yet he forcibly suppressed his rage, forced a smile, and actually returned the bow to Hua Xu.
“Hua Xu, you speak too gravely.”
“In truth, when I asked you that earlier, it was only said casually.”
“With your exceptional talent, even if you were willing to take this old man as your master, I would not truly hold you back.”
Although Elder Qian was clearly furious, his attitude had completely changed. There was even a hint of fear toward Hua Xu.
The other elders could understand this shift in Elder Qian’s demeanour.
There was a hidden meaning in what Hua Xu had just said.
Hua Xu’s clan had a senior who was also in the Lying Dragon Martial Sect.
Moreover, that senior was able to leave the sect and return to the clan to visit. This showed that Hua Xu’s senior was no ordinary figure.
Although Hua Xu had only just entered the Lying Dragon Martial Sect, in reality, he already had a backer within the sect.
A backer far beyond what Elder Qian could compare to.
This was why Elder Qian, despite his face changing colour from anger, still altered his attitude.
He did not dare offend Hua Xu.
“If that is the case, then it is for the best.”
“Elder Qian, rest assured. I will report the reward for guiding elders to you.”
Hua Xu said.
“Then I must thank you.”
Elder Qian returned the bow. The smile on his face now looked much more natural.
He must have believed it. After all, he truly could not keep a disciple like Hua Xu, but receiving the reward was still satisfying.
“Elder Duan, what do they mean by Eastern Dragon Courtyard and Northern Profound Courtyard?”
At this moment, Chu Feng had returned to Duan Liufeng’s side and asked the question that had been puzzling him.
When he first arrived here, he had noticed something.
The elders seated behind the three test platforms wore clothes different from those of Duan Liufeng and the others.
Not only were they different, but on the chests and backs of those elders’ robes, the three characters “Northern Profound Courtyard” were embroidered with exquisite materials.
Earlier, Duan Liufeng had only told Chu Feng that passing the talent test would allow one to take a master and learn the arts. He had not explained much about the Lying Dragon Martial Sect itself.
And the conversation between Hua Xu and Elder Qian just now had left Chu Feng even more confused, making him increasingly curious.
This time, Duan Liufeng did not hide anything. He began explaining the structure of the Lying Dragon Martial Sect to Chu Feng.
The Lying Dragon Martial Sect was divided, from strongest to weakest, into the Eastern Dragon Courtyard, Western Tiger Courtyard, Southern Sparrow Courtyard, Northern Profound Courtyard, and the Outer Courtyard.
Any disciple who passed the talent test had the chance to enter one of the four inner courtyards—Eastern Dragon, Western Tiger, Southern Sparrow, or Northern Profound—to cultivate.
The cultivation period was one year. If one met the standards within that year, they could remain in the courtyard indefinitely.
If one failed to meet the requirements within one year, they would be demoted to the Outer Courtyard.
Being demoted to the Outer Courtyard essentially meant losing all future prospects.
Because the so-called Outer Courtyard consisted merely of miscellaneous workers, whether elders or disciples. They could no longer be considered true elders or disciples.
Elders like Duan Liufeng, Elder Qian, and most of the elders present were actually elders of the Outer Courtyard.
