A Celestial Emperor’s Self-Cultivation - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: All in the World are Brutes, You’re the Only One worthy of My Looks

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Because only when that day comes would you barely gain the right to become my follower.

He, how dare he gets so pompous?

Furthermore, being so natural at it and showing that much confidence.

…

Chu Xiaolian remained dazed right until the moment he walked out of the Heaven Ascending Building.

He had always been proud.

Even when he lost all of his powers three years ago and was ridiculed by countless people, his pride remained.

Yet on that day, his pride had been completely shattered.

Li Hanguang never doubted his talents and had never thought that he was no longer able to rise after what he went through.

However, it was precisely due to such a level of trust that Chu Xiaolian was feeling so bad.

Although you’ve believed that I’ve regained my talents, yet you still deem that I still haven’t the right to follow you?

Do I still need to prove my prove before I gain the right to follow you?

What did you base all of that on?

How did you manage to be so pompous?

And, why was I unable to even have any intentions of retorting him?

It felt like he wasn’t just talking big, that he was actually elaborating a normal fact.

None without far-reaching ambitions dare to knock on the sect’s doors.

You need to prove yourself to me by rising to prominence.

If I were to become a celestial emperor, all animals in my household would become ascended.

I’ve been invincible for too long, and you know nothing about the loneliness of being invincible.

…

Every single thing that Li Hanguang said seemed to be more than what they seemed, and those words had overwhelmed Chu Xiaolian.

That world had no concept of ‘being cheeky.’

As such, there was no shame in behaving such.

Chu Xiaolian thought that every word that Li Hanguang said sounded magnanimous and invincible.

It made him seem like he was born inferior to Li Hanguang.

Despite the two beings of the same eye level with the blinds standing between them, he felt like he was looking up at Li Hanguang.

“I’d prove to you that I’m worthy of following you!”

Chu Xiaolian mumbled to himself as raging ambition burned in his eyes. “No, not just follow.”

“I shall work hard to surpass you so that you shall never be alone again.”

He held onto that True Disciple Token that Li Hanguang handed him tightly as he stood tall and proud under the setting sun.

He seemed to have found his way forward in cultivation.

…

Swoop.

A beam of sword aura flashed in the sky at that moment.

That beam landed before Chu Xiaolian like a meteor and took the form of a beautiful lady dressed in red.

“I’m Swordmaster Zhu Yan, one of the three elders of Unyielding Sword Celestial Sect. I take it that you’re Chu Xiaolian?”

Chu Xiaolian bowed to her. “Greetings, elder.”

Swordmaster Zhu Yan looked at Chu Xiaolian and nodded, “I heard that you’d regained your talents?”

Chu Xiaolian replied, “indeed I do.”

Swordmaster Zhu Yan was very pleased to hear that. “That would be nice. Would you like to be an honorary disciple?”

Chu Xiaolian was stunned, then replying with a smile, “thank you, elder, but I’ve gotten the True Disciple Token from Brother Hanguang.”

Li Hanguang?

Swordmaster Zhu Yan frowned and said, “nonsense. He himself is but a true disciple. What makes him think that he could give you a True Disciple Token?”

Chu Xiaolian then replied adamantly, “I believe that he has his own thoughts and wouldn’t go so far as to dupe me.”

The corner of Swordmaster Zhu Yan’s mouth twitched. “Some thoughts he has there indeed.”

“A true disciple of the sect could only be a true disciple when they study directly under the five inner elders.”

“Among the five inner elders, only I am a swordmaster of the fire element. If you were to join the sect, you would be studying under me.”

Chu Xiaolian smiled and nodded. “Thank you, elder, but… I believe in the eldest disciple.”

Swordmaster Zhu Yan took a deep breath. “If he were to help you to become a true disciple, there would only be one way to do it, and that persuades his father, the Vast Ocean Swordmaster, to take you in as his disciple.”

“However, there is little point to you becoming the disciple of the Vast Ocean Swordmaster, even disregarding the fact that there was no way the Vast Ocean Swordsmaster would take in a disciple of the fire element.”

“The Vast Ocean Swordsmaster is most versed in the Long River Sword Aura, which is definitely not as suitable for you as the Dancing Flames Sword Aura.”

“Whatever. I could promise you this much. If your talents continue to be stable, I shall take you in as a true disciple three years later.”

Swordmaster Zhu Yan felt herself having made as much compromise as she could.

In truth, if Chu Xiaolian hadn’t lost his powers three years ago, she would have most probably taken the boy to be her true disciple.

However, true disciples are like children of their masters, who were deemed true successors of their masters.

Chu Xiaolian had once lost all of his powers due to mysterious reasons, so Swordmaster Zhu Yan couldn’t afford to take him in as a true disciple so easily.

The slots for taking in true disciples for every elder were limited after all.

If she were to take him in as a true disciple and his powers went haywire in the future, she would be put in an awkward position of whether to discard him or not.

She had to be responsible for him if she were to take him in.

Chu Xiaolian hesitated somewhat as he faced the anticipating look in the swordmaster’s eyes.

He would definitely become an inner disciple if he were to agree to it.

He was confident that so long as his powers stayed stable within the next three years, he would be able to rise to become a true disciple, making himself an equal to Li Hanguang.

If he were to reject Swordmaster Zhu Yan’s offer, there was no telling that Li Hanguang would be able to honor his promise.

That was initially a straightforward choice.

…

He pondered for quite a while, yet he eventually chose to bow to the swordmaster all the same.

He then said adamantly, “thank you for having so much faith in me, but I’ve taken up the token from Brother Hanguang.”

You!!!

Swordmaster Zhu Yan glared at him coldly. A terrifying pressure washed all over him in an instant.

The boundless scorching sword will be made Chu Xiaolian felt like he was caught in a fire, breaking out in a sweat all over him.

Those mere moments felt like years to him.

“You fool! I dare to bet that you would regret this one day!”

The swordmaster snorted coldly, vanishing into the sky in a flash.

It was only then that Chu Xiaolian fell to the ground being limp and panting, yet his eyes glittered instead.

He knew that he had just missed an opportunity of a lifetime, yet he regretted none of it.

That was because when that flashy person showed up, everyone else would have made compromises, yet Chu Xiaolian had no intentions of settling for less.

He didn’t want to follow Swordmaster Zhu Yan and walk the celestial path that was nearly completely predictable.

He kept feeling that there would be boundless possibilities following that eldest disciple.

He longed for the day when he could tell his junior all those magnanimous and overwhelming words.

That feeling would definitely be great!

…

At the same time, back at the Heaven Ascending Building.

Ye Chengying took off her veil and revealed a face that would mesmerize countless dashing, capable young men out there.

She was practicing her sword moves, unflinching and bursting with dazzling sword aura, like falling leaves flying everywhere.

She looked more like she was dancing than practicing sword techniques.

Yet, that elegant, mesmerizing sword dance of hers contained boundless, undeniable sharpness.

That was one of the signature heritages of the Unyielding Sword Celestial Sect: the Green Leaves Sword Aura of the wood element.

Clang!

She was done with the moves and sheathed her sword.

Ye Chengying’s eyes were filled with anticipation as she looked at Li Hanguang.

Li Hanguang smiled and commented, “your Green Leaves Sword Aura has reached fulfillment level.”

Ye Chengying thanked him. “Thank you for being a good teacher. If it hadn’t been for your tutelage, I wouldn’t have made such improvements.”

She was the second eldest sister of the sect, Ye Chengying.

She was born with top-grade Wood Spiritual Root, and her powers were second only to Li Hanguang.

She was cold and aloof, and her personality was just as well known as her sword techniques and her looks, earning her the moniker ‘the Icy Fairy.’

It was unthinkable for many to see Ye Chengying behaving in such a coquettish manner.

It would have crashed everything they knew about her.

…

Li Hanguang smiled as he made tea, something which he was very familiar with doing.

One could take a look and tell that he was definitely a master at the art of tea.

He was boiling water as he smiled. “Why would you bother shrouding such a face all the time? Such a waste indeed.”

Ye Chengying then blushed.

She took a peek at Li Hanguang and said, “all in the world are brutes. You’re the only one….”

“worthy of my looks.”