Chapter Eighteen
Great Marsh Mountain hadn't seen such liveliness in over a century. Dong Hua's emergence from seclusion infused the long-quiet mountain gates with grand celebratory spirit. Not to mention the disciples from various peaks moving with brisk steps, even the birds and beasts in the back mountains were frolicking in celebration.
Bound by the restrictions of their respective realms, the Celestial Emperor and the Demon Emperor had remained in the Lower Ancient Realm. Since the start of the Later Ancient Calendar, Dong Hua was the first Immortal Lord on the verge of Ascension to the Divine Realm. This event was the foremost grand occasion in sixty thousand years. Thus, although Great Marsh Mountain had not yet sent out invitations, the heads of every notable Immortal Mansion had spontaneously begun making their way to the mountain.
The first ones Dong Hua naturally met upon emerging were his two disciples in charge of the mountain gates. After the incident at Phoenix Tree Island, affairs at Great Marsh Mountain had grown quiet. The only notable event was Gu Jin enrolling a Water Condensation Beast into the mountain's registry. After much hesitation, Xian Shan and Xian Zhu ultimately reported this matter to Dong Hua with a rather protective tone. They spared no effort in speaking favorably—how Water Condensation Beasts were inherently gentle, that while Great Marsh Mountain had many immortal beasts, it had never taken in a Water Condensation Beast, and how Little Jin Gu's Immortal Power had grown rapidly since having a Little Immortal Beast, and so on.
Given Dong Hua's fondness for Gu Jin, the two disciples initially thought this would merely be a formality. Unexpectedly, Dong Hua, who had already attained Divine Attainment and transcended the mundane, upon hearing this, actually wanted to take a look at this Water Condensation Beast.
When he said this, he did not include Gu Jin. Unfortunately, his obtuse disciples failed to notice this and summoned Gu Jin along with the beast. Gu Jin, who had just taken a bath after coming out of the Forbidden Valley, learned that Dong Hua wanted to see the Water Condensation Beast. He tidied Ayin up neatly and, holding her little hand, took her to Dong Hua's Shangshui Hall.
News of a Water Condensation Beast being enrolled in the mountain registry had already spread throughout Great Marsh Mountain. As Gu Jin led Ayin along the way, fellow disciples curious to see the rarity crowded the entire mountaintop. Only after Gu Jin had walked halfway up the mountain did everyone belatedly realize that this handsome, spirited, and energetic youth was actually the same young disciple of the head who, years ago, used to dash around the mountain carrying hundreds of pounds of excess weight. Unable to accept this immediately, the disciples of Great Marsh Mountain, dazzled by the youth's profound Immortal Power, cried out at the unfairness of heaven.
Not only had he, after scrambling for over a thousand years, become the privileged indoor disciple of their grandmaster, but now his Immortal Power was visibly at the level of a Lower Lord, and he was also hiding such a fine appearance. How were they, his grand-disciples and great-grand-disciples, supposed to make their way in the Immortal Realm?
Sighing, the dejected disciples lowered their heads and then caught sight of the little girl held by Gu Jin's hand. Instantly, their eyes lit up and they fell silent. So this must be that Water Condensation Beast. The claim that it hadn't shape-shifted was nonsense—couldn't they see it was a little girl? Female disciples were scarce at Great Marsh Mountain, and such an endearing little girl was a rare find. She instantly became a treasure all the senior and junior brothers wanted to hug and pinch. Having lived at Great Marsh Mountain for over a hundred years, Gu Jin was well aware of what these grand-disciples and great-grand-disciples were thinking. He tightened his grip on Ayin's hand, his face unconsciously stiffening a bit, and swept into Shangshui Hall like a gust of wind.
"Greetings, Master and two elder brothers."
Dong Hua was in Shangshui Hall chatting with his two disciples when suddenly a proper, respectful, and handsome youth called out "Master," causing the old man to startle.
In his memory, his little disciple had been steadily gaining weight for over a hundred years since arriving at Great Marsh Mountain, his small eyes hidden within a fleshy face, nearly impossible to find. He was usually pampered, fond of acting cute and coquettish. So who was this energetic, slender, upright youth calling him Master?Qing Yi was a straightforward soul. For over a decade, he had been delivering Drunken Jade Dew, watching his young martial uncle transform from a several-hundred-pound giant into a handsome youth, yet it never occurred to him to mention this to the two elders. Xian Shan and Xian Zhu were unaware, and naturally, Dong Hua was too. Thus, when Gu Jin boldly led Ayin into the Upper Water Hall, the three people inside were utterly stunned for quite some time.
It was only when Dong Hua caught a glimpse of the late True God Bai Jue’s shadow in Gu Jin’s face that he tentatively spoke up, “Disciple?”
Having endured over a decade of hardship in the Forbidden Valley, Gu Jin was finally released due to his master’s Divine Attainment. His nose tingled with emotion as he responded, “Yes, Master.”
Dong Hua staggered, nearly tumbling from his meditation cushion despite the composure of Divine Attainment, and almost shed tears of joy. He had taken the most revered Little Divine Lord of the Ancient Realm as his disciple, yet through carelessness, had let him grow into such a state. For over a century, he had been plagued by guilt and unease. Now, after several years of seclusion, his young disciple finally bore the shadow of the True Gods of old. How could he not be moved?
“Come, come, disciple, let your master take a look.” Dong Hua called his young disciple over, scrutinizing him inside and out for a long while before stroking his beard with relief and satisfaction.
In just over a decade, Gu Jin had progressed from the combat prowess of an immortal dreg to the rank of Lower Lord in the Immortal Realm. At this rate of cultivation, it wouldn’t take a century for him to ascend to the position of High Lord, achieving what others might take millions of years to accomplish. It seemed only Gu Jin possessed such immortal fortune. Dong Hua understood clearly in his heart: as the son of two True Gods, it would be absurd if Gu Jin were merely ordinary. Previously, the boy had been too indifferent to cultivation, which was why he had made no progress for a century. After thoroughly examining his treasured disciple, Dong Hua’s gaze suddenly shifted to Ayin, standing alone in the hall.
Dong Hua’s white beard twitched slightly as he nodded inwardly. This child was remarkable. His divine hall was permeated with divine might, yet from the moment she entered, she had remained calm and composed, without a trace of timidity or evasion. Such composure alone set her apart from ordinary immortal beasts.
“Disciple, is this the Water Condensation Beast you took in?”
“Yes, Master.” Gu Jin nodded, taking Ayin’s hand and leading her before Dong Hua. “Master, I found Ayin in a cave in the Forbidden Valley. At the time, she hadn’t yet hatched from her shell. I nurtured her for half a year before she shape-shifted into a young beast. She’s still young and doesn’t understand the rules of Great Marsh Mountain. I will teach her properly.”
Gu Jin gently nudged Ayin toward Dong Hua. “Come, Ayin, pay your respects to Master.”
Since shape-shifting into human form, Ayin had remained in the Forbidden Valley. To her, Gu Jin and she were one. Unfamiliar with the customs of immortal sects, she followed Gu Jin’s cue and obediently knelt before Dong Hua, performing a kowtow. “Ayin greets Master.”
Her address left all four people in the hall stunned. Innocently, she had followed Gu Jin’s lead in addressing Dong Hua, and the kowtow had already been completed.
Even Gu Jin felt uneasy. His master had not taken on any disciples for ten thousand years, and it was only because Tian Qi personally came to Great Marsh Mountain to plead for an exception that Gu Jin had been accepted. Ayin’s address might put his master in an awkward position. As Gu Jin’s thoughts raced, he was about to speak up to smooth things over for Ayin when he noticed Dong Hua gazing kindly at the kneeling girl, his eyes filled with profound meaning."Who would have thought that before the old man's ascension, he would have such an encounter. It's a pity that when I accepted Gu Jin as my disciple, I had already decided he would be my last closed-door disciple. However, since you have bowed to me and called me Master, it is fate between us."
Dong Hua's voice sighed softly as he waved the dust whisk in his hand and looked toward Ayin. "Ayin, from today onward, you shall be an inner disciple of Great Marsh Mountain, of the same generation as A Jin. Though I will not take you as my disciple, I can bear the title of your enlightening teacher."
After Dong Hua finished speaking, a faint divine light emanated from his dust whisk and drifted toward Ayin. Ayin rose from the ground and floated into mid-air, enveloped by a thick golden divine power. The divine power flowed through every inch of her small body, and the sound of immortal bones growing could be heard. Within the divine light, Ayin's blurred face showed an expression of pain, yet her will was firm, and she never let out a single groan.
Gu Jin, still young after all, could not bear to see Ayin suffer. In a panic, he tried to rush toward Ayin, who was enveloped in the divine light, but was held back by Xian Zhu beside him.
"Junior brother, don't be foolish. Master is using divine power to cleanse Ayin's meridians, lay her foundation, and reshape her immortal body. This is a great fortune others could only dream of." Xian Zhu's eyes also held surprise as he shook his head at Gu Jin with emotion.
Gu Jin looked toward Dong Hua and saw that he had closed his eyes, his entire primordial spirit focused on the divine power flowing from the dust whisk.
Xian Shan spoke solemnly, "A Jin, did Qing Yi say that this Water Condensation Beast stayed in the valley for several years before hatching?"
Gu Jin nodded. "Yes, senior brother. When I found her in the Forbidden Valley, it seemed she had been there for many years."
"Ayin is only a branch of the Water Condensation Divine Beast. The delay in hatching must be due to her inherently weak immortal constitution. If she were to cultivate on her own, even after another hundred years, she would remain the size of a child, unable to shape-shift into an adult. With Master's help, her path of cultivation should be much smoother in the future." Xian Shan explained to Gu Jin.
Gu Jin remembered that in the Forbidden Valley, Ayin had only succeeded in shape-shifting after drinking a large barrel of Drunken Jade Dew, allowing spiritual energy to enter her body. This reassured him somewhat. Still, seeing Ayin's pained little face within the divine light, he couldn't help but feel heartache.
After all, she was the little girl he had raised with his own hands. Master had never taken a female disciple before—what if he accidentally used too much divine power? Gu Jin, with his handsome face, frowned, his heart filled with worry.
Within the blurred halo, the young Ayin slowly grew larger under the astonished gazes of the three, until half an hour later, when Dong Hua's divine power gradually dissipated, revealing the scene inside.
A young girl dressed in fiery red ancient robes walked out from the golden light. Her small, tied-up hair had transformed into shoulder-length black locks, and her childish face now bore the appearance of a young maiden. Though still youthful, her brows and eyes held a hint of sharpness and pride that was hard to ignore. Beneath her feet, a fiery totem flashed briefly, unnoticed by anyone.
The plump, soft little girl had grown into a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old maiden in the blink of an eye. She opened her eyes, her pupils exceptionally dark and pure, like fine glass, clearly reflecting the deeply contoured face of the young man before her.
As if destined by fate, Ayin's hatching, shape-shifting, and growth—her first glimpse of the world—had all coincided with Gu Jin.The youth standing beside Dong Hua was momentarily stunned. Unconsciously, he shifted his feet and reached out toward the girl in mid-air, only to quietly withdraw his hand the moment he regained his senses. Ayin happened to catch sight of this, and a broad smile welled up in her eyes as she gave Gu Jin an unsubtle wink.
A rare hint of embarrassment appeared on Gu Jin’s face. He averted his gaze, yet the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curl upward slightly.
The last remnants of Divine Power on the Dust Whisk supported Ayin as she landed steadily on the ground. Though she had only hatched a few years ago, her mind was in no way lacking. She stepped forward and bowed to Dong Hua.
"Thank you, Master, for the grace of Refining and Absorbing my immortal bones," Ayin said, lowering her head in a sincere and solemn gesture. "Though Master is unwilling to accept Ayin as a disciple, your profound kindness deserves the rites of a disciple." Ayin bowed three times to Dong Hua with proper decorum, and in the way she raised her head and performed the rites, it was unmistakably the ancient Immortal Sect’s disciple ceremony.
Ayin, naive and unaware, did not realize that the habits and upbringing imprinted deep in her soul were different from others. Gu Jin, having been raised by Tian Qi and Feng Ran since childhood, naturally did not notice it either. However, Xian Shan and Xian Zhu, standing nearby, exchanged a glance, their eyes flickering with surprise. Seeing Dong Hua’s calm expression, they suppressed their doubts and astonishment.
How could a Water Condensation Beast, merely fortunate enough to hatch and shape-shift by the grace of heaven and earth, know the ancient Immortal Sect’s disciple ceremony?
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