The Most Generous Master Ever Chapter 2 - Are You Willing to Take Me As Your Master?

The various peak masters had assumed their positions. Below them, a crowd of youths watched with bated breath, their gazes filled with intense anticipation as they scanned the peak masters. In the Great Desolate, the path of Cultivation was viewed as the ultimate pursuit for every individual; they hungered for the day they might finally cross the threshold into the immortal Sect.

“Perfected One, we implore your aid…” A young man stepped forward from the quiet hall, dropping to his knees to weep openly.

Driven by his initiative, the others followed, all beseeching Meng Tianzheng to deliver justice. Having recently suffered a tragedy that razed their families to the ground, they were all drowning in agony.

As the youth sobbed, a flicker of unique charm—subtle and nestled deep between his brows—involuntarily emerged. It was so faint that it would be overlooked by any casual observer.

Upon catching this, the eyes of the masters sharpened. It was as if they had stumbled upon a piece of uncut jade, and their gazes immediately turned covetous.

“Alas, my poor children, please stand,” sighed the benevolent Meng Tianzheng. He had spent the entire day investigating the savage beast riot at the base of the mountain, yet he had found nothing. This gathering of the peak masters was meant specifically to determine the fate of these orphans.

“I am fully aware of your plight! Rest assured, since this calamity occurred at the foot of our Heaven Mending Sect, we shall investigate it to the very end.” He turned toward the peak masters behind him before adding, “However, stay patient. An investigation of this magnitude requires time. You may remain on the mountain to pursue Cultivation; should any news arise, I will inform you immediately.”

Within the crowd, Lin Qingzhu’s face was slick with tears, her heart feeling like ash as she listened to his platitudes. Memories of her parents’ death fueled an intense indignation; she burned with the desire to grow strong and exact vengeance. Yet, she knew all too well that few were truly willing to champion a cause like hers.

Revenge was a task she would have to shoulder alone. Only one path remained: securing a master, learning the arts, and biding her time. When her strength was sufficient, that was when she would strike.

“Junior Brothers, what are your thoughts?” Meng Tianzheng gestured toward the masters standing behind him.

Any keen observer knew that the selection of disciples was about to begin. Those with exceptional talent would be snatched up or even contested, while those lacking in aptitude would likely be left with nothing but the status of lowly labor disciples, forced to scrape their way from the very bottom.

Liu Qingfeng had briefed them before they entered, so they were prepared for the transition, anxiously waiting to see if any master would claim them.

“Haha, Senior Brother Sect Master, since you have opened the floor, I shall not hesitate.” Qi Wuhui stepped out first, his eyes locked on the youth who had initiated the appeals.

Seeing Qi Wuhui move, Yang Wudi, the master of Sword Evaluation Peak, could no longer remain idle. He shifted his corpulent frame forward and interjected before Qi Wuhui could claim his prize: “Senior Brother Sect Master, this child clearly shares a fated connection with me. Might I take him as my disciple?”

A ripple of eye-rolling moved through the room. This was a tired ruse, and nobody was falling for it.

“Junior Brother Yang, I claimed him first!” Qi Wuhui retorted, his voice dripping with annoyance.

“Does first word grant you ownership? What kind of logic is that?”

“You…”

“What about it? Shall we step outside and spar?”

“So be it. Do you imagine I fear you?” Qi Wuhui, possessed of a fiery temperament, feared no one in the sect apart from the Sect Master and the late Perfected Xuantian.

The two nearly came to blows over the boy. The other peak masters, knowing they stood no chance against such volatility, chose to settle for the remaining options.

Though the prospects were less than ideal, they selected those they felt they could salvage. Before long, those who had been overlooked stood in the hall, feeling abandoned.

Lin Qingzhu was among them. Confused and desperate, she couldn't understand why she was deemed unworthy. Refusing to succumb to defeat, she tightened her fists, yet reality hit her with brutal force. Her dreams of strength were crumbling. If she remained unselected, she would be relegated to a menial labor disciple—a path already difficult for those with mediocre aptitude.

Just as despair began to consume her, a white-clad figure drifted before her like a beacon of light in the gloom. Lin Qingzhu looked up, startled to find the young peak master who had been sitting quietly in the corner throughout the proceedings.

“Are you willing to acknowledge me as your master?” Ye Qiu asked, his voice calm and steady.

“I am willing. Disciple Lin Qingzhu greets Master…” Lin Qingzhu did not hesitate for a second. She dropped to her knees, offering her respects instantly.

In this humiliating moment, Ye Qiu offered her the remnants of her dignity and provided a glimmer of hope. Revenge was still a possibility if she could learn under him. Regardless of his relative experience or power, he was, at the very least, a peak master. If she missed this chance, there would be no others.

“Very well, follow me,” Ye Qiu said lightly, turning to exit the hall.

Lin Qingzhu hurried after him, but as she crossed the threshold, she caught a venomous remark.

It was the biting voice of Qi Wuhui: “Haha, a master of no talent taking in a disciple of no talent. What an impressive alliance. As they say, birds of a feather. A pity, indeed, that the thousand-year legacy of Violet Cloud Peak will vanish in the hands of these two mediocrities.”

A frown creased Lin Qingzhu’s brow, her mind whirling with confusion. Walking ahead, Ye Qiu seemed to sense her inner turmoil.

After a short distance, he came to a sudden halt.

“Master?” Lin Qingzhu murmured, her voice sounding small.

Ye Qiu turned back to face her. “You heard what was said. What is your opinion?”

Lin Qingzhu hesitated. She felt a cocktail of confusion and burning rage. Why would Qi Wuhui slander them so? Even though her apprenticeship was only moments old, she had already decided to honor her commitment. Regardless of his strength, he had reached out when she had nothing, granting her dignity when she had none. Others could chatter all they wanted, but she would not permit them to denigrate her master.

“Master, I am unversed in the grand principles, but I know one thing: A teacher for one day is a father for a lifetime. When no one would accept me, you gave me hope. I shall spend my entire life defending your reputation. I will not bring you shame, even if I must face ruin to preserve it.

“Master, have no fear! I will labor with all my strength. One day, I will prove to them that you are no mediocrity, and I am no waste…” Her voice was cold, her fists white from the pressure of her grip.

Ye Qiu beamed with satisfaction. He had chosen well. He had watched the hall closely, intentionally avoiding the frantic struggle for the most gifted, knowing he would lose those encounters. Instead, he had targeted the one abandoned by the others, betting on the loyalty that grows from a desperate act of grace.

Most people in her position would be overflowing with gratitude. For a mortal soul, this was enough to inspire unwavering devotion.

“Splendid! Let us proceed…” Ye Qiu offered no further explanation. With a casual flick of his wrist, he summoned the Violet Cloud Sword. Grasping his new disciple’s hand, he ascended into the sky, soaring toward Violet Cloud Peak.