Chapter 6: Thorough Discovery

In the midst of yet another bustling day, the disciples of the Qing Shan Sect were totally committed and never slacked off in their practices and studies, staying on point without any hesitation.

Lu Ye, aggrieved by the tormenting pain and haunting dreams that plagued him day and night, had accustomed to their incessant presence. Indeed, the more intense his suffering, the stronger his burning desire to defeat this renowned disciple whose name resounded far and wide across the realm.

A month had passed since then, and Lu Ye had been engaging in a swordsmanship session with Hua Ran. The resounding clash of their blades filled the area with its resonance. This time, Lu Ye displayed an astonishing endurance, effortlessly withstand every qi-infused blows unleashed by Hua Ran. As the fight raged on, Lu Ye gradually grew acquitanted with Hua Ran's technique.

This turn of events disturbed Hua Ran, shaking his pride as the sect's most skilled disciple. He couldn't be defeated, just the thought of it feared him. After all, his master was none other than the Legendary Blade Knight, Zhang XiYi. Other than saving the Sect Leader's grandson, one of his recorded history was "The Monastery Defense," wherein he single-handedly protected the sect when the people of the destroyed Grim City ambushed them in search of Bai Chang's missing head 300 years ago.

Damu Lan, the greatest martial artist around, was truly unmatched. But even he held deep respect for Zhang XiYi. The thought of losing and disappointing his esteemed master was just too much for Hua Ran to bear.

But as he got caught in fear of defeat, Hua Ran guard's slipped, giving Lu Ye the perfect opportunity to strike back. The resulting clash echoed through the air, shaking the ground and kicking up clouds of dust. Hua Ran found himself flat on his back, and the table had turned completely. Instead of looking down on Lu Ye in defeat, it was him who was down for the count.

Lu Ye swiftly sheathed his sword and respectfully bowed to Hua Ran. "Impressive moves, Senior Hua. I've learned a lot during this session. I thank Senior Hua for generously sharing his wisdom with me."

Hua Ran's expression remained unreadable, yet hints of visible unease surfaced. Sweat trickled down his forehead, as if he had just encountered a fearsome monster before him. The fear he once instilled in others now haunted him. This was his very first defeat.

The murmurs rippled through the ravend, disbelief painted on their faces as it was almost unbelievable that the renowned Hua ran would lose to a junior.

But before long, an imposing figure made his entrance, stealing the spotlight. The man had a commanding presence, standing a solid six feet tall, with his hair neatly tied up and a strict expression came across his face. Broad shoulders adorned with armor completed his formidable image.

"Ancestor Zhang."

The disciples swiftly straightened their postures, bowing their heads.

"What's with the fuss?" Zhang XiYi asked.

But nobody dared to speak. All eyes remained fixed on him as he scanned the surroundings, until his gaze fell upon his favored disciple.

"Hua Ran, explain yourself," Zhang XiYi demanded.

Hua Ran hesitated for a moment, then mustered the courage to rise back to his feet.

"This disciple greets Master. Welcome back from your expedition," Hua Ran greeted, his voice tinged with deference.

"We had a little spar during our training session, and I ended up losing to this junior. It's a testament to his hard work that he was able to defeat me. So, I ask you, Master, to not hold it against him," Hua Ran explained.

Zhang XiYi cast a glance at Lu Ye, still somewhat unfamiliar with his presence. His eyes twitched slightly.

"Who might this be?" Zhang XiYi asked, his gaze fixed with a piercing glare, directed at Lu Ye

There was only one thought that crossed Lu Ye's mind as he met Zhang XiYi's resentful glare.

He did not like it.

Notwithstanding the discomfort brewing inside him, he chose to answer with utmost politeness considering Damu Lan's respect towards him. "Greetings, Ancestor Zhang. Disciple of Qing Zhu Jun, I introduce myself, the name is Lu Ye."

"A disciple of Damu Lan? Unbelievable. How long have you been here?" Zhang XiYi's voice was deep, it was clear that he was not trying to hide his displeasure.

"Eight months and a half, Ancestor Zhang," Lu Ye replied, his voice steady despite his inner apprehension.

Zhang XiYi stood firm, then he blinked and turned to Hua Ran. "So, how was it?" He asked.

"How was the taste of your first defeat?"

Hua Ran was left momentarily speechless. It wasn't exactly the most tactful question to ask someone who had just suffered a loss in a spar. But then again, this was Zhang XiYi— so it was acceptable.

"It was...frustrating and disheartening that I felt like I wanted time to turn back," Hua Ran admitted. "For a moment, I felt like I didn't know how to see myself anymore. It was a whole new experience to me, I can't really explain. I apologize, Master."

"That's great." Zhang XiYi remarked. "It's through defeat that we grow and learn the most. So keep that experience with you for the long run. Let it fuel your determination to defeat him next time."

Hua Ran breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that he hadn't received any punishment. "This disciple thank you for your wise words, Master," he said. "I'll strive to become an even better version of myself in the near future."

Zhang XiYi simply nodded, patting Hua Ran on the shoulder. His stern expression remained unchanged as he cast another glance at Lu Ye. The disdain and displeasure were revealed in his gaze as he locked eyes with Lu Ye, but Lu Ye tactfully evaded his eyes, making a conscious effort not to be bothered by it.

Hua Ran turned to face Lu Ye and offered a respectful bow.

"I congratulate junior disciple for being able to defeat me," he declared. "I advise you to keep working on your moves because this senior disciple will not lose again."

Lu Ye flashed an awkward smirk before quickly bowing in response. Just as others were preparing to leave the training ground, another figure made his grand entrance. This time, it was a man in his mid-fifties, surveying the surroundings. He wore a white outer robe, with a hint of blue silk peeking through, and his hair displayed a few strands of gray hair amidst the black.

"I heard Damu Lan took in a new disciple. One that lasts longer than expected." The man remarked.

The disciples immediately bowed again, showing their respect.

"Welcome back, Sect Leader!"

Huang ChenTao, the sect leader, had just returned from a long expedition and meeting with other sect leaders, accompanied by Zhang XiYi and a handful of other disciples.

However, the arrival of this man sparked an unsettling feeling within Lu Ye. It wasn't a mere displeasure; it was something closer to...fear.

"So you're Damu Lan's disciple? How outstanding," Huang ChenTao remarked, his gaze fixed on Lu Ye as he offered a friendly smile. But Lu Ye could feel his stomach churning, making it difficult to respond to Huang ChenTao's gaze without feeling nauseous.

"Junior, are you okay?" Hua Ran called out to him.

Lu Ye snapped back to reality, shaking off the unease that had just now consumed him. He composed himself, readjusted his posture, and respectfully bowed to the sect leader.

Though his mind remained steady, beads of sweat continued to trickle down Lu Ye's forehead. Despite that, he managed to cope with it.

"Disciple of Qing Zhu—" Lu Ye began to introduce himself, but before he could continue, Damu Lan stepped forward, draping his fur cloak over Lu Ye.

"Damu Lan welcomes the sect leader back from his expedition," Damu Lan said, bowing respectfully.

Despite the 25-year age gap, Damu Lan maintained a deep respect for Huang ChenTao, being the descendant of the founder of the sect, Huang ZeChuan, the only descendant to his master, Huang JunJie.

"I heard the sect leader of WuShang will be arriving later in the evening. I remind the sect leader to prepare himself," Damu Lan added.

"Oh, you're right. Well then, I'll take my leave for now," Huang ChenTao declared. "Xi Yi, you can take a break. I'll have Jin An accompany me."

"Thank you, Sect Leader," Zhang XiYi responded with a nod.

After Huang ChenTao left, Zhang XiYi turned his attention to Damu Lan. Just like Jin An and Cang Ren, Zhang XiYi was equally close to Damu Lan, as they used to study in the same timeline.

"It's been a while, and you've taken another disciple, huh?" Zhang XiYi remarked.

"Welcome back, Xi Yi." Damu Lan replied simply.

Zhang XiYi cast another glance at Lu Ye, who was still hiding behind Damu Lan.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm here to take my disciple back. It's time for him to train with me," Damu Lan answered.

Zhang XiYi was confused. He had intended the question for Lu Ye who was hiding behind Damu Lan, but Damu Lan had taken it upon himself to answer. However, Zhang XiYi decided to let it be. He knew Damu Lan well enough to understand his nature, so he simply let out a "hah." And turned.

.

They stood at the edge of the Qing Shan Sect's cliff. The mist blanketed the view of the cliff's edge, yet glimpses of other mountains remained slightly visible.

Damu Lan extended his finger, gesturing towards a specific peak as he gazed ahead and referred to Lu Ye. "I want you to transform into your spiritual animal form and retrieve an amethyst crystal flower from the cave in that mountain over there."

"Understood, Master."

Without wasting a moment, Lu Ye's physical body contorted and morphed into that of a raven, soaring away from their current spot.

Even though he had seen the sight before, Damu Lan still couldn't help but gasp slightly, as if he had just witnessed something significant. Observing humans transforming wasn't entirely foreign to him, but what took his interest was Lu Ye's spiritual animal form—a raven. What surprised him even more was how oddly familiar it felt. Lu Ye's spiritual animal form stood out from the ordinary ravens in a major way. His raven emitted an icy coolness that nearly matched the chill of winter. And there was this peculiar scent lingering in the air surrounding him, not exactly pleasant, but certainly not pleasant either. As he soared around, his fiery red eye blazed with a fiery flame, yet emitted no heat.

Just like that, Damu Lan patiently waited for that disciple of him to return. His eyes gazed out into the distance, but his mind had made its way back to a distant memory—a vivid flashback to a time when he was just a young boy.

It was a day much like this one, the sun hid behind a blanket of clouds while the wind frolicked in a playful pursuit in the mountains. The atmosphere carried the lingering essence of rain, creating a weather reminiscent of post-storm tranquility.

Young Damu Lan, with a heart full of kindness at his tender age of twelves, made his way around the mountain. On that fateful day, his eyes caught sight of something unusual in the distance. A glimpse of ebony feathers contrasting against the vibrant greens and earthly brown.

As he approached, he discovered a raven perched upon a moss-covered rock. The raven's once glossy feathers now lay tattered and charred. Gently, Damu Lan wrapped the raven and rushed towards his room. It appeared as though the raven was caught by lightning. So Damu Lan cleansed the burnt feathers, applied soothing ointment, and created a cozy nest.

Days turned into weeks, the raven's wounds gradually healed, much to Damu Lan's relief. Damu Lan had grown deeply attached to the raven during their time together. However, his master advised against keeping it as a pet, which left Damu Lan with a heavy heart. He had even named it, yet he reluctantly accepted that he would have to bid farewell to the raven once its recovery reached completion. In the meantime, to ease his sadness, he made a decision to sleep with the raven nestled beside him each night.

The day of parting finally arrived, and as Damu Lan opened his eyes to greet the morning, he was greeted with an empty space where the raven used to rest by his side. A wave of panic rushed over him, urging him to quickly rise and begin searching.

"Mo Yun?! Where are you?"

Yet, as he turned around in desperation, an unexpected sight awaited him. Standing before him was a boy of his own age—

"Good morning, Damu Lan."

The figure of the boy appeared somewhat blurry and indistinct, but the resonance of his voice lingered vividly in Damu Lan's ears.

In an instant, the air was filled with the sound of fluttering wings, jolting Damu Lan back to reality. Lu Ye had finally returned, clutching three amethyst crystal flowers tightly in his raven's beak. However, as he descended, he tumbled heavily to the ground, causing him to lose the ability to revert to his human form. His body carried the enduring marks of injuries, as though he had been scratched by thorns, leaving visible carvings on his skin.

"Disciple? What happened?!" Damu Lan exclaimed with concern.

"It's nothing, Master..." Lu Ye replied, still in his raven form. "The wind was too strong, knocking me off course, and I ended up falling. It took many tries but I managed to take three."

"If you're injured in this form, you won't be able to transform back into a human. I'll treat your injuries. Let's return." Damu Lan fixed his gaze upon Lu Ye and carried him in arms, holding the flowers in the other hand, ready to head back.

.