That day.

News that Qin Haoran’s son had joined the Eternal Sect spread.

The world expressed surprise.

After all, martial artists from Xingyun Continent familiar with Jun Changxiao’s past had more or less heard that Qin Haoran had given him considerable difficulties early on. How could he take his son as a disciple?

“Sect Master Jun truly is magnanimous!”

“He’s truly our role model!”

Everyone’s admiration for Jun Changxiao was like the surging Yangtze River.

After Qin Haoran returned to his estate, he cried all night.

Actually, he understood better than anyone that Jun Changxiao taking his son as a disciple was actually helping him.

Over these years, though the Eternal Sect hadn’t caused him trouble, he’d always lived in trepidation, as if walking on thin ice. Even living in seclusion in Qingyang City, he didn’t dare show his face, all because of past grudges.

He feared what others would say.

He feared others pointing fingers at him.

Especially, he feared his son would suffer unfair treatment because of him.

Like the two Ai family direct descendants he encountered outside the city earlier—their family’s previous generation was close to Jun Changxiao, so naturally they’d heard about past events. Meeting Qin Lin, they directly beat him up.

Were they bad?

No.

They just couldn’t accept that Qin Haoran had once blasphemed their idol.

Though the matter had passed long ago and Jun Changxiao didn’t pursue it, the Ai family head and others wouldn’t care either, but the hot-blooded young direct descendants found it hard to suppress their anger and vented it on Qin Lin.

Dad made a mistake.

Son is also wrong.

This was their mindset.

Jun Changxiao taking Qin Lin as a disciple not only valued his talent but was also telling the world that grudges between the previous generation shouldn’t implicate the next.

At the same time.

It also saved Qin Haoran.

Allowing him to finally stop walking on thin ice and at least hold his head up in public.

This move wasn’t forcibly whitewashing Jun Changxiao, but rather from beginning to end, he’d always followed the principle that debts have debtors and grudges have originators—never involving the innocent.

Because the writing style was absurd, everyone saw the joy, but in truth the high-martial world was extremely cruel. Jun Changxiao really wanted to work hard to integrate, to be a lawless, do-as-he-pleased person, but he still maintained a baseline.

…

“Junior Brother.”

In a simple and plain room, Li Qingyang said, “This will be your temporary residence. If you perform well in the future, you can change to an independent courtyard.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother.” Qin Lin said.

Joining the Eternal Sect was something he’d dreamed of day and night. Now that his dream had come true, he couldn’t suppress his excitement at all, the exhilaration written all over his face.

“Here are two sets of uniforms for you to change and wash, and also a sect handbook. Look through it when you have time.” Treating new disciples, Li Qingyang showed great patience. If it were Ye Xingchen, he’d definitely have a sour face the whole time.

“Mm!”

Qin Lin nodded vigorously.

However, when he turned to look at the so-called handbook on the table, his eyes widened. “This thick?”

“No choice.”

Li Qingyang said, “Our sect’s first principles are a bit much.”

More than just much.

Simply terrifying!

Qin Lin spent a whole night reading in his room before groggily pushing open the door. An old face suddenly appeared before his eyes, nearly scaring him into falling backward.

“Little Qin.”

Gongsun Hou smiled. “Interested in joining Juxing Peak?”

Jun Changxiao announced taking Qin Lin as a disciple, and he got the news. Yesterday he watched the whole time and secretly marveled—the Sect Master’s eye was truly sharp. This was definitely quality jade!

No way!

No matter what, he had to recruit him!

“Little guy.”

At this moment, Liu Sinan appeared at the door. “Joining Juxing Peak has no future. Only joining Nianqing Peak is a wise choice.”

“My Duanchou Peak has something to say!” Baili Qianchou also came.

Since Yuan Gongzi established the Peak Competition, Eternal Sect elders liked to stare directly at new disciples. Qin Lin was such a good seedling—they definitely wouldn’t miss him.

“Little Qin, come to my Yama Peak!”

“Little Qin, come to my Five Extremes Peak!”

In a short while, Jiang Xie, Elder Ding, and others also came.

They crowded outside the room, arguing back and forth, finally directly scuffling together.

Qin Lin crawled out from the crowd in a sorry state. Looking back at the group of high-level members pulling hair and slapping faces, he exclaimed, “Too terrifying!”

“Hm?”

At this moment, his vision suddenly darkened.

He looked up to see two young people standing before him, blocking the sunlight.

Ye Feng extended his hand. “Come, let’s cultivate.”

“The elders are very enthusiastic toward new disciples. You’ll get used to it slowly.” Lin Yi joked.

“Uh…”

Qin Lin was helped up and brushed the dust off his body, scratching his head with a smile.

“Look here!”

Suddenly, a shout came from a distant tree.

The three instinctively turned their heads.

“Snap!”

Li Shangtian, who had been crouching in the treetop for a long time, seized the opportunity to press the shutter. A photo was born with the sect elders scuffling as the background and three second-generation Eternal Sect disciples supporting each other as the focus.

…

News that Qin Haoran’s son had joined the Eternal Sect continued to spread, and the world all believed Jun Changxiao had extraordinary bearing.

Of course.

Those who also breathed a sigh of relief included forces like Shengquan Sect.

After all, back when the Tiegu Sect was developing, they’d also had conflicts.

“Sect Master Jun didn’t hold past grudges and recruited Qin Haoran’s son. He probably won’t target us either.” In Shengquan Sect’s great hall, an elder said.

“Let’s hope so.”

Shengquan Sect’s Sect Master Jin said bitterly.

The conflict between the two sects back then stemmed from Lingquan Sect being destroyed and Shengquan Sect forcibly stepping up for them. Both sides only set up an arranged duel, so the problem wasn’t very serious.

Of course.

There were also those with serious problems, like Taixuan Sacred Sect.

This sect had not only expelled Lu Qianqian back then but also crippled her cultivation.

However, later the sect master position was temporarily replaced by Xia Shuiyun’s grandfather, and the grudge between both sides had actually long been resolved.

Oh right.

There was also Baihe Sacred Sect.

This sect had a grudge with the Eternal Sect stemming from the matter between Xiao Zuiji and Murong Xin.

However, after the three-year agreement, Jun Changxiao never bothered with them again, because his disciple had already reclaimed his trampled dignity. In fact, their current achievements could only make those women look up from the foot of the mountain like ants.

…

Liyang City.

Xiao Zuiji, dressed in black, walked in.

Though the world had changed, the city’s architecture was still the same as before. So being on the streets, that long-lost sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.

This was where he’d grown up and where he’d once been the center of attention. After winning the sect competition, he never came back.

“Big Brother.”

A child stopped in front of him, looking up. “You’re not a local, are you?”

“Mm.”

Xiao Zuiji acknowledged.

“Are you here to visit relatives?”

“I have no relatives.”

This sentence was very flat yet revealed a trace of bitterness.

Since all the people from Xingyun Continent entered the Eternal Realm, many fellow disciples reunited with relatives and even occasionally went down the mountain to visit. Only he, clearly a local from Qingyang Commandery, had always cultivated in the sect. If not for this sect mission happening to pass through Liyang City, perhaps he wouldn’t come in his entire life.

“Then what are you here for?”

“To look around.”

Xiao Zuiji patted the child’s head and walked alone on the familiar streets.

Because he’d been away for so long, because that youthful inexperience had faded and he’d become more mature, he wasn’t recognized by passersby.

“The Xiao family has declined now, but decades ago, a naturally gifted direct descendant emerged.” Under the great locust tree, a storyteller said.

“Later for some unknown reason, this genius’s realm didn’t advance but retreated, falling from extraordinary to mediocrity. First his fiancée broke off the engagement, then he was expelled from the Xiao family and wandered everywhere.”

“Ah?”

“So miserable?”

Many children showed sympathetic expressions.

“However!” The storyteller’s tone shifted. “Heaven never bars one’s way—this genius was fortunate enough to join the Eternal Sect!”

“Wow!”

“What happened next, what happened next!”

Xiao Zuiji sat in the teahouse, quietly listening to the story about himself, a smile appearing on his face.

Indeed.

Being able to join the Eternal Sect and become the Sect Master’s disciple—heaven truly never bars one’s way.

“Hm?”

Xiao Zuiji put down his teacup, looking at the graceful figure standing outside the locust tree, rather surprised. “How is she in Liyang City?”

—