Chapter 81
A Named Disciple had a Master-Disciple Relationship in name only.
There was no need to be tied to a Master’s side, nor was there a need to polish and Refine one’s sword all day long.
“Originally, even a Named Disciple had to enter the Sect, but since leaving here would mean being away for a long time, I shall make an exception and allow you to remain in your Clan.”
‘…I’m saved.’
Baek-Cheong breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
But her relief was only momentary.
Even as a Named Disciple, forming a Master-Disciple tie with a Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect carried no small amount of weight.
Above all, she felt puzzled by the fact that he was accommodating her so much, and it unknowingly showed in her body language.
“If you are wondering why I am going this far, it is because suspicious individuals have begun to emerge, so it is about time I finished my search for a Disciple.”
The Pacheon Sword Saint continued in a calm tone.
At his demeanor, Baek-Cheong slightly raised her head and studied his expression.
“Suspicious individuals?”
Baek-Cheong slightly raised her head and gauged his mood.
The Pacheon Sword Saint’s face remained dry and expressionless.
However, his words contained a matter that could not be lightly brushed off.
Just a moment ago, the Pacheon Sword Saint made it clear.
Wandering around looking for a Disciple was merely an excuse, and he was touring the Continent because he had matters to attend to before ascending to Soul Formation.
And if suspicious eyes had started to follow that excuse.
“His important business is either finished, or entering its final stages.”
It meant his reason to wander the Continent had disappeared.
And taking in a Named Disciple meant…
‘He’s trying to use me to put an end to it.’
Since he claimed to be touring the Continent to find a Disciple, he needed a result to complete the excuse.
He visited the Yeonha Baek Clan and made her his Named Disciple.
With this, the justification for his tour would be concluded.
“I thought only uncle was using me.”
She had guessed that her uncle used her as bait to draw in the Pacheon Sword Saint, but the Pacheon Sword Saint was likewise in a position where he needed a Disciple to keep up appearances.
Their mutual interests had aligned perfectly.
She dared not guess what was hidden behind all this.
A matter that a Great Cultivator at Nascent Soul Grand Perfection considered more important than ascending to the Soul Formation stage.
Learning the full story would mean stepping into a place of no return.
The closer one got to dangerous matters, the more misfortune outweighed fortune.
So she deliberately did not ask.
Instead, she carefully formulated a refusal and bowed her head.
“I dare not fathom the Sword Saint’s intentions. However, this Young Girl is already receiving teachings from Yak-seon. How could I possibly serve two masters?”
She spoke in a roundabout way, but her intention to refuse was clear.
The Pacheon Sword Saint quietly looked at Baek-Cheong.
A brief silence flowed as he stroked his beard.
Eventually, he spoke in a low voice.
“According to the rumors spreading outside, you handle multi-layered techniques and show Talent in various fields, from Pill Refining and Talisman Crafting to Puppetry. However, they dismiss it as merely a brief flash of prominence from a young child still in the Qi Condensation Stage.”
It was out of the blue, but Baek-Cheong knew he was talking about her.
Multi-layered Techniques, Pill Refining, Talisman Crafting, Puppetry.
These were all things that had been revealed in official settings.
Her demonstration in front of the Biun Sect Delegation, or her actions at the Golden Core Banquet.
They were not things to be hidden, but events that had occurred right in front of many people’s eyes.
‘If it’s only to that extent.’
If they were dismissing it as the fleeting Talent of a Qi Condensation child, it wasn’t dangerous yet.
However, the very fact that stories about her were spreading outside was not something to be pleased about.
Rumors only spread when they became a topic of interest to cultivators.
Receiving attention from cultivators was bound to bring more harm than good.
Attention invited probing, probing invited discovery, and discovery invited danger.
As her worries grew, her complexion stiffened.
She tried to manage her expression, but she couldn’t hide the furrowing of her brow.
The Pacheon Sword Saint quietly observed Baek-Cheong’s stiffened complexion and continued.
“Even these are merely what has surfaced above the water. In a short time, you have learned formations that are incredibly difficult to comprehend.”
Baek-Cheong unknowingly bit her lip.
No one knew the fact that she was learning formations.
Yet the Pacheon Sword Saint knew.
“A Divine Sense that rivals the Early Golden Core Stage, despite its possessor being in the Qi Condensation Stage.”
A Divine Sense of 23 zhang surpassed the limits of the Qi Condensation Stage and was on par with the Early Golden Core Stage.
It was something normally difficult to catch, but accurately pinpointing it was a different story.
“The lingering resonance of lightning energy despite her not being a Lightning Spirit Root holder, and…”
The Pacheon Sword Saint knew she handled lightning energy.
When she entered the Family Head’s Hall, and when he showed her the sword fragment, there hadn’t been a single mention of lightning energy.
He had noticed it from the start but hadn’t shown it.
“It is even a bizarre spirit root that I cannot identify.”
Baek-Cheong was beyond surprised; her face turned pale blue.
He had noticed the Unification Latent Spirit Root that manifested when she realized Five Elements Unification.
Since he said “that I cannot identify,” it seemed he didn’t know exactly what it was.
But she couldn’t hide her shock that he had even faintly noticed the Unification Latent Spirit Root.
“If the things hidden beneath the surface are revealed, even the fence of your Clan will not be able to protect you.”
The Pacheon Sword Saint said, looking straight at Baek-Cheong.
At this, Baek-Cheong bowed her head, unable to move an inch.
“Can a Nascent Soul Cultivator on the verge of Soul Formation see through everything in such detail?”
Three Nascent Soul Cultivators had attended the Golden Core Banquet.
But none of them had ever pointed this out.
Was it possible because he was at Grand Perfection, rather than the early or middle stages of Nascent Soul?
“This is possible because it is I.”
As if reading Baek-Cheong’s agitation, the Pacheon Sword Saint spoke a degree softer, as if to reassure her.
“Not everyone at the Nascent Soul stage can see through this. So put away your pointless worries.”
She had her doubts, but when she thought it over carefully, it made sense.
The three Nascent Soul Cultivators hadn’t noticed a single thing at the Golden Core Banquet.
Since he was a Nascent Soul Cultivator on the verge of Soul Formation, his caliber was bound to be different.
Feeling belatedly relieved, she felt the tension slightly leave her stiff shoulders.
However, right after reassuring her, the Pacheon Sword Saint added weight to his words again.
“But someday, it will become difficult to hide. That is the way of things as one’s realm increases, so even if the Heavenly Sword Sect protects you, you will not be safe.”
Baek-Cheong couldn’t say a word.
The Pacheon Sword Saint paused for a moment before continuing.
“However, if you become my Named Disciple, the story changes. With my name attached to you, no one will easily try to lay a hand on you. Not only you, but your Clan will also be safe, so you need not worry anymore.”
They were calm words, but the weight they carried was not light.
Because it meant he would protect her with the very name of the Pacheon Sword Saint.
“I will speak with Yak-seon separately, so do not worry.”
Baek-Cheong chewed over his words, unable to raise his head.
He had seen through her secrets and then offered protection.
He also said her Master-Disciple Relationship with Yak-seon wouldn’t be an issue.
Looking solely at his words, one found no flaws.
But as soon as she heard this much, a single question came to mind.
“Why?”
Was there a need to go this far to persuade someone who was merely in the Qi Condensation Stage?
Even if her spirit root was bizarre and she had Talent, was it something a Great Cultivator at Nascent Soul Grand Perfection should put so much effort into persuading?
Even if taking in a Named Disciple was necessary to finalize his excuse, what was the reason it specifically had to be her?
Perhaps her puzzlement showed, for the Pacheon Sword Saint slightly raised the corners of his mouth.
“Just consider it an old man’s goodwill.”
After speaking in a light tone, he immediately continued.
“And externally, I will declare you my Inheritor Disciple.”
“Inheritor Disciple?!”
A scream almost rose up from inside Baek-Cheong.
Not a Named Disciple, but an Inheritor Disciple.
A Disciple in name only and a Disciple who inherits secret arts are as different as heaven and Earth.
If the title of the Pacheon Sword Saint’s Inheritor Disciple spread through the Cultivation World, it would cause repercussions beyond imagination.
However, as if expecting Baek-Cheong’s reaction, the Pacheon Sword Saint immediately added.
“However, since you are young, walking the path of a physical cultivator would be too harsh.”
“Of course it is.”
For an eleven-year-old, Physical Cultivation Training was no different from abuse.
Even so, there were many children her age living as physical cultivators, but that was a story unrelated to her.
“Therefore, it will be known that I am leaving you in your Clan and will teach you later when the time comes.”
“So I really am just a Named Disciple in the end.”
Baek-Cheong organized her complicated thoughts.
She didn’t need to grab a sword right away, nor did she need to dive into Physical Cultivation Training.
If she could receive protection under the Pacheon Sword Saint’s name, continue Pill Refining under Yak-seon, and enjoy the Nameless Forum just as she did now…
“These conditions are too good.”
Rather, that was exactly why her anxiety wouldn’t fade.
Clearly, on the surface, there were only beneficial conditions for her.
But for a Great Cultivator at Nascent Soul Grand Perfection to offer such good conditions to someone in the Qi Condensation Stage was questionable.
It was a universal truth that nothing in the world was free.
‘And I can’t even ask about it.’
She felt anxious, but she couldn’t bring herself to show it.
The Pacheon Sword Saint had seen through most of her secrets.
The more she held out here, the worse the situation would get.
She stepped back and faced the Pacheon Sword Saint head-on.
Then, she slowly bowed deeply, bringing her hands neatly together.
“Disciple Baek-Cheong, I shall uphold Master’s teachings.”
Baek-Cheong exerted effort to keep her voice from trembling.
With her head bowed, she directed her gaze at the floor.
From above her head, the Pacheon Sword Saint’s soft laughter could be heard.
“Good.”
The Pacheon Sword Saint leaned against his chair, nodding in satisfaction.
Warmth had settled on his previously dry and expressionless face.
It was a grandfatherly expression she was seeing for the first time.
Baek-Cheong couldn’t tell if he was genuinely pleased or just satisfied that things had gone according to plan.
However, she didn’t sense any hint of malice.
But even these thoughts were ruthlessly shattered.
The Pacheon Sword Saint stroked his beard and opened his mouth.
“Still, since you are an Inheritor Disciple externally.”
“Pardon?”
“Shouldn’t I teach you a few moves to keep up appearances?”
Baek-Cheong replayed the words she had just heard in her mind.
“Wait.”
Things were flowing in a strange direction.
But there wasn’t even time to think.
“I shall stay at the Yeonha Baek Clan for the time being and teach you.”
“You said the Inheritor Disciple thing was a disguise!!! You said I was a Named Disciple!!!”
She screamed inwardly, but she couldn’t let it out of her mouth.
Calmly soothing her small chest, she opened her mouth.
“By “for the time being”…”
“It is just for external appearances, so it will not take long. I have things I must do as well.”
The Pacheon Sword Saint answered as if it were nothing.
And he said it wouldn’t take long.
However, the sense of time of a long-lived Great Cultivator was different from the norm.
There was no telling how long he would stay and teach her.
“I was tricked!”
Baek-Cheong squeezed her eyes shut, having no choice but to inwardly wept tears of blood.
And, biting the bullet, she managed her expression and spat out words she didn’t mean.
“…It is an honor to receive your teachings.”