Chapter 8: A Crush from the Past? The Ten-Year-Old Senior Sister!
To be honest, in his previous life, Xiao Yifeng had joined the sect twenty years later than this. By that time, Su Miaoqing had already blossomed into a stunning, peerless beauty. He had been captivated by her grace and had even harbored a secret crush on her for a time.
Seeing the childhood version of the woman he once admired, Xiao Yifeng was filled with a complex mix of emotions. He suppressed the awkwardness, solemnly cupped his hands, and smiled.
"Xiao Yifeng pays his respects to Senior Sister."
"Hah!" Su Miaoqing exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as if she had discovered a rare treasure.
She had expected to fight for her seniority, but she didn't expect this somewhat slow-witted boy to be so sensible. She turned to Lin Ziyun, beaming with delight. "Mother! Look, I’m a Senior Sister now!"
Several Senior Brothers and Sisters nearby couldn't help but chuckle at the scene, and Xiao Yifeng joined them with a warm smile.
In Wuya Hall, Su Miaoqing had always been ranked last. Although her martial siblings doted on her, the age gap was simply too massive for them to be playmates. As for the servant disciples or the Second-Generation disciples, she was the Hall Master’s little princess—she naturally looked down on them.
"Good boy, Little Junior Brother," Su Miaoqing said, puffing out her chest. "You must listen to your Senior Sister from now on, okay?"
Xiao Yifeng bowed his head obediently. "Yes, Senior Sister!"
"Don't be mischievous," Lin Ziyun chided gently, pulling her daughter back to her side.
She then turned her gaze to the eldest disciple. "Tiange, your Little Junior Brother is still young. He will be attending classes with Qing’er, but since he is starting late, he may struggle with the coursework. Please take extra care of him."
Xiang Tiange bowed respectfully. "Yes, Master’s Wife."
At that moment, the other True Disciples stepped forward one by one to introduce themselves. Including Xiao Yifeng, Su Qianyi had a total of eighteen True Disciples.
Three were currently away on missions, leaving fifteen present in Wuya Hall. Su Miaoqing was counted among them. Currently, only Xiao Yifeng, Su Miaoqing, and seven other disciples who had joined in the last few decades lacked the qualifications to establish their own independent peaks.
These nine "juniors" were the ones eligible to participate in the upcoming "Jiazi Competition" (60-year cycle) of the Seven Veins Martial Meet. Veterans like Xiang Tiange, who had been cultivating for over a century, participated in the Centennial Competition.
Having lived two lives, Xiao Yifeng was naturally intimate with the histories of Su Qianyi’s disciples. He greeted each Senior Brother with practiced courtesy.
One man, looking to be over seventy years old, was Xiao Yifeng’s Second Senior Brother, Daoist Lingxu. Ironically, he looked even more ancient and weathered than their Master, Su Qianyi.
Daoist Lingxu possessed a true immortal-like demeanor—ethereal, calm, and venerable. If a stranger were told he was the Hall Master of Wuya Hall, they would likely believe it without question. He was amiable and had started cultivating late in life, yet his talent was exceptionally high. He was currently a late-stage Nascent Soul expert, sharing the same realm as the Eldest Brother, Xiang Tiange.
Among the group, two figures left a dark impression on Xiao Yifeng: a man with a gloomy, cold expression, and a woman dressed in red.
The gloomy man was the Third Senior Brother, Gong Tianyu, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
The woman in red was the Fourth Senior Sister, Ju Youshan. Her appearance was average—sweet, but not stunning—and she was at the early-stage Nascent Soul realm. She was extremely close to Su Miaoqing and would later become Daoist partners with Gong Tianyu.
These four—Xiang Tiange, Daoist Lingxu, Gong Tianyu, and Ju Youshan—were the pillar experts of Wuya Hall, all in the Nascent Soul realm.
And among these four, there was a traitor.
It was precisely this traitor who would lead Wuya Hall to its eventual ruin.
In his previous life, Xiao Yifeng had never discovered the mole’s identity. Now, he scrutinized their faces, searching for any crack in their masks, but he could detect not the slightest clue. They all seemed like loyal martial siblings.
As for the burly, muscular man, that was the Fifth Senior Brother, Adept Cheng Hong, an expert in artifact forging.
"Tiange," Lin Ziyun’s voice broke Xiao Yifeng’s analysis. "Yifeng is still young; it is the critical time for tempering his physique. Arrange for him to stay at the Huixing Small Courtyard on the main peak. Take him there to change his clothes first, then bring him back to eat with everyone."
"Understood," Xiang Tiange replied.
Lin Ziyun gave a few more instructions, telling all the disciples to stay for the banquet to celebrate Xiao Yifeng’s entry.
Xiang Tiange led Xiao Yifeng out of the main hall. Once they stepped through the doors, the Eldest Brother’s demeanor relaxed. He nodded to Xiao Yifeng and strode toward the rear courtyard, his pace brisk but manageable.
"Yifeng, let’s walk back slowly," Xiang Tiange said with a smile. "I’ll help you memorize the paths. You’ll have to navigate on your own in the future. I’ll also explain the sect rules and taboos along the way."
Xiao Yifeng nodded in agreement. Having lived here for decades in his past life, he knew every stone and turn, but he played the part of the attentive novice.
The rear courtyard was the private residence of Su Qianyi and his direct disciples. It covered a vast area, filled with pavilions, towers, and corridors carved with dragons and painted with phoenixes.
It was magnificent enough to put the palaces of mortal emperors to shame, yet it possessed an ethereal, dust-free aura that the mundane world could never replicate. The blend of opulence and spirituality was perfect.
Su Qianyi’s family resided in the central "Dao Comprehension Garden." Xiao Yifeng’s assigned quarters were the same as in his previous life, though he was moving in twenty years early.
It was a small courtyard adjacent to the Master’s residence.
The yard wasn't large, featuring a three-story bamboo building. Artificial mountains and a flowing stream decorated the front, shaded by a sturdy green pine and clusters of Weeping Bamboo.
A special Formation encompassed the area, gathering moonlight and starlight at night to aid in cultivation. Hence, it was named the "Huixing" (Gathering Stars) Small Courtyard. It had originally been Xiang Tiange’s residence, but after he advanced and moved to his own peak, it had sat vacant.
By now, the hour was late. The sun dipped below the western mountains, painting the sky with brilliant violet and gold clouds. The warm glow of the setting sun bathed Wuya Hall as the two figures—one large, one small—walked through the majestic grounds.
Listening to Xiang Tiange’s deep, familiar voice and watching his broad, reliable back, Xiao Yifeng couldn't help but let a gentle, genuine smile curve his lips.
When they arrived at the Huixing Small Courtyard, a servant disciple was already waiting. Xiang Tiange had used a communication talisman en route to have Xiao Yifeng’s disciple robes and identity token delivered ahead of time.
Xiang Tiange was always this meticulous and thorough. It was no wonder he enjoyed the absolute trust of Su Qianyi and Lin Ziyun.
After a brief introduction to the servant, Xiang Tiange sat in the first-floor hall to wait while Xiao Yifeng went upstairs to change.
A short while later, Xiao Yifeng descended.
He wore a jade crown to bind his hair. He was dressed in a pristine white inner robe covered by a light blue long gown. A jade belt cinched his waist, from which hung a green identity token. His attire was now identical to Xiang Tiange’s, simply a few sizes smaller.
The Wentian Sect enforced a strict hierarchy regarding appearance. Generally, status could be determined at a glance by the color of the outer gown.
Gray for Servant Disciples. Yellow for Ordinary Disciples. Purple for Second-Generation Disciples. And Light Blue for True Disciples.
"Junior Brother Yifeng is indeed a fine figure of a man!" Xiang Tiange looked him up and down, laughing heartily. "Wearing our Wentian Sect attire, you look exceptionally handsome. You’re going to be a real lady-killer when you grow up."
Xiao Yifeng rubbed his nose awkwardly. "Senior Brother, please don't make fun of me."
Xiang Tiange stepped forward and patted his shoulder with a familiarity that warmed Xiao Yifeng’s heart. "Come on. Senior Brother will take you to the dining hall. You don't know yet, but the food here is incredible. Master’s Wife piles the table with all sorts of rare heavenly treasures for the sake of Little Junior Sister. It’s highly beneficial for cultivation."
Xiang Tiange licked his lips, his expression turning into one of pure foodie delight. "The key point is, it’s delicious! It makes us Senior Brothers envious to death. Unfortunately, we only get to eat with Master and Master’s Wife once a week."
Seeing Xiang Tiange’s unconventional, easygoing nature, Xiao Yifeng felt his affection for his Senior Brother deepen.