Personal Disciple or Husband?

Zhang Baichi couldn't shake the feeling of something being wrong off of himself, so he tried diverting from the topic again. "Why are you deciding who she marries? What about her parents? And her own opinion?"

"Oh? You're interested in her? So you'd rather marry her instead of becoming my disciple?", the Sect Master's smile didn't fade while teasing Zhang Baichi.

The latter also didn't bat an eye, but raised an eyebrow. "You're talking about marrying off a child to a 13-year-old. Do you know how crazy you sound?"

"Haha!", the Sect Master's grin widened and he just continued to look at Zhang Baichi, clearly amused. "Why? Isn't this much normal? I have the sect to worry about and I don't have any descendants."

"So you pick up some random girl, call her your disciple and marry her off in the name of your sect? Crazy old man.", Zhang Baichi held his forehead, not knowing how to talk to this Sect Master.

By their side, Li Yao had already turned beet red and lowered her head, not making a single sound. She was so embarrassed that she was hoping she could hide in a hole.

Next to her, Jian Fu was drenched in cold sweat. Among the people present, he knew the Sect Master – his own brother – the best. The way Zhang Baichi was talking to him was dangerous; akin to walking along a cliff, backwards, on your hands, and with your eyes blindfolded.

Jian Fu couldn't watch it any longer, but he didn't dare interfere in fear of breaking the subtle balance the Sect Master and Zhang Baichi had established.

The Sect Master continued to smile. "Come on, make a decision. You're not leaving this mountain until things are decided."

"You're forcing me now?", Zhang Baichi frowned, but the Sect Master just continued to smile.

A short while passed in silence and Zhang Baichi opened his mouth again. "What do you think about the Fractured Star Sword Technique?"

"It's truly incredible.", the Sect Master answered without hesitation. "I don't know if it was the Martial Emperor who created it, but whoever it was is truly a grandmaster, truly worthy of everyone's respect."

"You won't try to take it from me? It'd be easy, wouldn't it?", Zhang Baichi once again questioned, his expression neutral.

The Sect Master looked at him and his smile faded. His tone was sombre. "If you want to give the technique to the sect, there's no way I would decline. However, it's your technique, not the sects and I will not stand by idly if anyone tries to steal it from you."

Zhang Baichi remained silent once more. 'System, is there any way for me to defeat him?'

[Ding! No.]

'…Wow, that's it?', Zhang Baichi was speechless, but it also confirmed his guess; He might be able to barely fight across a major realm, but anything more than that is absolutely impossible. The system's merciless judgement was testament to that.

As his expression fell, Jian Fu and Sect Master Jian Wubai naturally noticed that, but both chose to remain silent.

Zhang Baichi turned to the side and faced Jian Fu. "Old man, can the Sect Master be trusted?"

Both, the older men and Li Yao, were shocked by his question. He was asking the Sect Master's elder brother whether he could be trusted…?

Jian Fu quickly regained his wits and glanced at the Sect Master. "He is unreasonable, and he always follows his heart. Rules can be bent at a whim and other's opinions mean nothing to him."

Li Yao stared at the old man, flabbergasted. She had never heard her Uncle Fu say anything bad about her Master, much less to the latter's face in front of two children.

The Sect Master stared at his brother and grinned, while the latter continued to speak leisurely. "But he never goes back on his word. Ever. Since he said that you can choose to marry little Yao or become his disciple, you can choose as you please. And since he said that no one will take your Sword Technique, that means 'no one'."

"I'll take your word for it then…", Zhang Baichi muttered, then turned his head to face Jian Wubai again.

He looked the Sect Master in the eyes for a moment, then went down on one knee and bent his head into a bow. "Disciple Zhang Baichi greets Master."

This was a custom he remembered from reading all kinds of novels, and from the old Zhang Baichi's memories. So, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it, yet the Sect Master remained quiet.

A few moments passed and just as Zhang Baichi was about to move, the Sect Master spoke. "Alright, raise your head. From today onwards, you are my, Jian Wubai's, second disciple."

Zhang Baichi raised his head and stood up. Jian Wubai stood in front of him, his expression solemn and his hands clasped behind his back. "There's only a few rules for my disciple."

"First, no infighting. Second, don't do anything unjust. Third, don't do anything that goes against your own heart.", after he finished speaking, his solemn expression was replaced by a carefree smile. "That's it."

"…Right.", Zhang Baichi said. He once again bowed and promised to abide by those rules.

The Sect Master looked him over, satisfied, and nodded his head a few times. He had the same carefree smile on his face as before. "Now get back to the Outer Sect."

"What?", Zhang Baichi's expression was blank. The two of them looked at each other, one smiling, the other confused, and the Sect Master broke the silence again. "What are you doing? I told you to get back to the Outer Sect."

"Ah, no, I heard you, but… Uh…", Zhang Baichi didn't know what to say. He couldn't wrap his head around what the Sect Master meant.

"What, did you expect preferential treatment? Look at yourself, brat. Is someone in the 7th Layer of the Body Forging Realm worthy of being the Sect Master's personal disciple? I have an image to care about.", Jian Wubai's expression didn't change and he shooed Zhang Baichi away.

Before Zhang Baichi could speak up, Jian Wubai continued talking. "No one will interfere in your match in two months - My elder brother already told me about that. You are to reach the peak of the Body Forging Realm by then."

"Deal with Ji Jian as you please and I'll announce you as my personal disciple afterwards. Consider this the second part of my test for you. Similarly, no one will interfere even if you die. So make sure you're strong enough.", Jian Wubai's smile faded and he spoke with a neutral expression.

Zhang Baichi calmed down and he grew appreciative of this new Master of his. He clasped his hands and bowed his head. "Understood, Master."

"You're only allowed to call me Master once you've broken through to the Qi Gathering Realm.", Jian Wubai set another demand and pointed at Li Yao. "Look at your Senior Sister. She's so much younger than you, but her cultivation level is much higher. Aren't you embarrassed to call me Master?"

With a sigh, Zhang Baichi once again bowed and grumbled in an annoyed tone. "Understood, Sect Master."

"Good.", Jian Wubai nodded, then turned to Jian Fu and told the old man to take Zhang Baichi back to the Outer Sect.

As they left, only Li Yao and Jian Wubai stayed at the peak of the mountain. Jian Wubai smiled and casually muttered to himself. "It's gonna be interesting from now on. I wonder how those old fogies of the three families will react."

Li Yao stood next to him and stared down the mountain. "Master, do I really have to marry him when we're adults?"

"That depends. If you like him and he likes you, I don't mind if the two of you marry.", Jian Wubai said. He looked down to Li Yao and smiled. "But, is that what you want?"

"I don't know…", Li Yao shook her head, then frowned and confusion painted her face.

The Sect Master patted her should and laughed. "Go back and rest for today. Remember what I told the kid? Don't do anything that goes against you own heart."

"My… own heart…", Li Yao muttered as the Sect Master returned to his wooden cottage. She stood there in silence and continued to look down the mountain for a long time.

Jian Wubai sat down in his cottage and sighed. "Poor girl. I wonder if she'll manage to find her own heart. Brother Li, this is the most I can do for your daughter…"

.

.

.

Jian Fu and Zhang Baichi stood inside the Law Enforcement Division and the old man looked at Zhang Baichi with an excited expression. "Guess you'll have to call me Uncle Fu in the future."

"Sure, I'll do that. Only after the Sect Master makes the announcement, though.", Zhang Baichi replied, exasperated that the old man kept him here just to say that.

Humming and nodding his head, Jian Fu patted Zhang Baichi's back a few times, then moved his hand into the sleeve of his robe. "Since my brother didn't give you anything, I won't either."

He pulled out a small metal insignia and threw it to Zhang Baichi. It was made of silver and had the symbol of three swords crossed over each other engraved on one side. On the other were the words 'Law Enforcement Division' written in striking calligraphy.

Zhang Baichi's confused expression prompted the old man to explain. "Keep the insignia with you. It's proof that you're innocent. No one from the Law Enforcement Division will make things difficult for you."