Volume One, Chapter Six: The Scarlet Sun Immortal Sword

Lin Yang pulled Lin Hongye out. Thanks to the immortal herbs and the Emperor-grade Crystallized Pills, her attitude toward him had softened considerably.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Master is going to give you a deeper understanding of the Great Path of Immortal Fire," Lin Yang said with a grin.

"The Great Path of Immortal Fire? How do you know about it?" Lin Hongye was instantly on guard. The Great Paths were countless; even if Lin Yang knew she possessed one, how could he know it was specifically the Great Path of Immortal Fire?

Lin Yang didn't offer a lengthy explanation; instead, he began to lecture on his insights into the Great Path of Immortal Fire.

At first, Lin Hongye dismissed his words as nonsense, but after a while, she began to ponder the meaning behind them and realized that her own comprehension of the path was actually deepening.

"This is...?" Lin Hongye was inevitably shocked. Just by listening to Lin Yang, her progress in the Great Path of Immortal Fire surpassed what she had gained from years of bitter cultivation.

*Thwack!* Lin Yang tapped her forehead lightly with his finger.

"Listen carefully when your master is teaching. No daydreaming."

Lin Hongye felt a surge of dissatisfaction, but then she reconsidered. Since Lin Yang had truly helped her progress, she decided to indulge him for once. She gave a dazed nod, then lowered her head with a look of genuine sincerity.

"Master, please, tell me more."

Lin Yang nodded in satisfaction and continued his lecture on the Great Path of Immortal Fire.

...

Just like that, Lin Yang spoke at will, and Lin Hongye listened intently until evening fell. Seeing the sun set, Lin Yang stood up and clapped his hands.

"Time is up. That’s all for today."

Lin Hongye remained kneeling on the ground, lost in thought. Just then, a notification sound from the system rang in Lin Yang’s ears.

[Ding! Lin Hongye has gained enlightenment regarding the Great Path of Immortal Fire. The Great Path of Immortal Fire has reached the Great Completion stage!]

[Reward: Red Sun Immortal Sword!]

Hearing this heavenly sound, Lin Yang felt a wave of relief. He then asked with slight confusion in his heart: "System, I already have a Red Sun Immortal Sword here on the peak. Which one is the real one?"

[Ding! The Red Sun Immortal Sword is a divine weapon from the Upper Realm, possessing unparalleled lethality. The one in the host's possession is a mere imitation; it does not even have one-tenth the power of the genuine article.]

Hearing the system's explanation, Lin Yang nodded. So, it had sent him the real deal.

Just then, a stream of light descended, causing the entire Red Sun Peak to tremble. Lin Yang looked up and saw that it was the Sect Master, Zhang Xianfeng.

"Yo, Sect Master. Just taking a stroll?"

Lin Yang greeted him. Zhang Xianfeng shot him a helpless glance and said in an unfriendly tone, "What are you doing here?"

Lin Yang shrugged. "My disciple just broke through to the Golden Core stage. As her master, how could I not come to check on her? Besides, I'm just here for a chat."

Zhang Xianfeng was speechless. "Lin Hongye's priority right now is to focus on her cultivation. What makes you think she has time to chat with you?"

As he spoke, he looked down and was stunned to see Lin Hongye kneeling on the ground, deep in thought.

"This, this... Hongye, why are you kneeling?! Get up!"

He turned to glare at Lin Yang. "What is wrong with you? Why did you make her kneel?"

Lin Yang felt wronged. "I don't know either! We were just talking, and she just knelt down."

Seeing no reaction from Lin Hongye, Zhang Xianfeng called out tentatively. Lin Hongye frowned and snapped, "Don't disturb me."

She was still ruminating on the meaning of Lin Yang's words; every sentence he uttered was a profound insight that, once grasped, would be of immense value.

Finding himself rebuked by a mere Golden Core cultivator, Zhang Xianfeng felt incredibly awkward. But there was nothing he could do; she was a genius and the sect's treasure, so he had to treat her like a deity. Still, he remained annoyed and turned his focus to Lin Yang.

"Come with me."

With that, Zhang Xianfeng flew toward the main peak of the Red Sun Peak. Lin Yang couldn't help but shake his head helplessly.

"What is this? Taking your frustration out on me just because you're in a bad mood?"

Despite his grumbling, Lin Yang obediently followed Zhang Xianfeng back to the main peak. They sat down in the tea room, and Lin Yang poured a cup of tea. After taking a sip, Zhang Xianfeng frowned.

"What kind of tea is this? Where is the Spirit-Nourishing Tea your master left behind? Bring it out and pour some for me."

Lin Yang rolled his eyes. "What Spirit-Nourishing Tea? Do you have any idea how much tea you've pilfered from me over the years? Don't you have any shame?"

Over the years, Zhang Xianfeng had frequently come to have "heart-to-hearts" with Lin Yang. Calling it a heart-to-heart was just an excuse to mooch tea; the Spirit-Nourishing Tea left by Lin Yang's master was extremely rare, even within the entire Great Wilderness Immortal Sect.

Hearing this blunt exposure, Zhang Xianfeng's old face flushed red, and he coughed twice.

"So what? I'm the Sect Master coming to visit you, a Peak Master. Is it so much to ask for some good tea to be served?"

Lin Yang twitched his mouth. It was no wonder he was the Sect Master; his skin was thicker than anyone else's. However, he only dared to think this; he wouldn't dream of saying it to Zhang Xianfeng's face. After all, Zhang Xianfeng was a powerhouse at the peak of the Feathered Realm, and as a cultivator in the Enlightenment Stage, he still had to tread carefully.

"Sect Master, just tell me what you really want. It's getting late, and I want to sleep."

Zhang Xianfeng shot him a speechless look. You want to sleep just because the sun went down? Could your excuse be any lamer? He didn't waste time, however, and sighed.

"Xiao Yang, how many years have you been in our Great Wilderness Immortal Sect?"

Lin Yang thought for a moment. "About a dozen years, I suppose. It’s been too long to remember exactly."

Zhang Xianfeng nodded. "True, over a decade. I believe you understand our sect well. We have no shortage of resources or reputation. The only thing we lack is genius."

"A disciple like Lin Hongye is a talent that appears only once in ten thousand years for our Great Wilderness Immortal Sect."

"Now that she has finally emerged, she is the one most likely to lead our sect to greater heights. Every step she takes is crucial."

Lin Yang grasped his meaning and frowned. "Sect Master, didn't we agree on a one-month trial? Not even a day has passed, and you're already here trying to manage my mindset?"

Sensing Lin Yang's dissatisfaction, Zhang Xianfeng chuckled.

"Rest assured, the one-month agreement still stands. After all, Lin Hongye needs to see for herself how important it is to choose the right path and the right person."

"I came here mainly to make sure you don't feel too much psychological pressure."