### Chapter 53: Core Disciple
Night had fallen by the time Lin Yi returned to the Dianxuan Sect from the market. Taking Xiao Bei to dinner had been… an experience. She'd ordered enough food for three grown men, her cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk's as she ate, and Lin Yi had found himself smiling more than he had in weeks.
*Cute*, he thought, then shook his head. *Focus. Core disciples first, girls later.*
"Senior Brother," Pan Yu said, bowing as Lin Yi approached. "Steward Qiao came by earlier. He said to find him as soon as you returned."
Lin Yi raised an eyebrow. "Did he say what it was about?"
Pan Yu shook his head, but his eyes shone. "He seemed excited, though. Like it's good news."
Lin Yi nodded, heading toward Qiao's cottage. The outer sect tournament victory still felt surreal—especially skipping the core disciple challenge entirely. But Qiao's urgency piqued his curiosity.
Qiao threw open the door before Lin Yi could knock, grinning like a man who'd just struck gold. "Lin老弟! You're here! Come in, come in!"
*Lin老弟?*
Lin Yi blinked as Qiao pulled him inside, practically shoving him into a chair. The steward's enthusiasm was… overwhelming. It bordered on sycophancy, and Lin Yi couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.
"Qiao Steward, what's this about?" he asked, cutting to the chase.
Qiao waved a hand. "Steward? Pfft. Call me Brother Qiao! We're family now!"
*Family?* Lin Yi fought the urge to back away. He'd dealt with pushy customers in the market, but this was on another level.
"Brother Qiao," he tried, forcing a smile. "You said there's news?"
Qiao's grin widened. "Better than news—*glory*! The elders held a meeting after your match. They've decided to skip the core disciple challenge. You're promoted directly to core disciple!"
Lin Yi froze. "Directly? Just like that?"
"Just like that!" Qiao slapped his knee. "Crushing a Seventh Level with nothing but your fists? Even the inner sect elders were impressed. You're a legend,老弟!"
Lin Yi leaned back, processing this. Core disciple status meant better resources, richer spiritual energy on the mountain peak, and access to higher-tier techniques. It was everything he'd worked for.
But something nagged at him. "Why the rush? They could've made me challenge like everyone else."
Qiao's smile dimmed slightly. "Ah… well. Elder Guan insisted on taking you as his disciple. The sect leader agreed, so… it streamlines things."
Elder Guan? The same elder who'd presided over the outer sect tournament? Lin Yi frowned. "Why him?"
"Probably your *Sky-Shattering Ninth Strike*," Qiao said, shrugging. "Elder Guan practices it too. He's been… overlooked, these past few years. Taking you as a disciple might revive his standing."
Lin Yi nodded slowly. He didn't care who his master was, as long as he got access to core disciple perks. But there was something off about Elder Guan's sudden interest. A筑基 cultivator's motives weren't often as simple as "shared techniques."
"Thanks for telling me, Brother Qiao," he said, standing. "I should head back and pack. When do I move to the peak?"
"First thing tomorrow!" Qiao said, brightening. "Elder Guan wants to formally accept you as a disciple at dawn."
Lin Yi said his goodbyes, his mind racing. *Core disciple. Finally.* But as he walked back to his cottage, he couldn't shake the feeling that Elder Guan's invitation held more than meets the eye.
…
Inside his cottage, Lin Yi pulled out the mysterious bracelet—the one that had started it all, the artifact that had given him the *Five Spirits Body Tempering Technique*. He'd been too busy with the tournament to study it, but now…
He examined it under candlelight: a smooth, gray circle, light as a feather, with no markings or spiritual energy. It looked like a rock, but he knew better.
He infused it with spiritual energy. Nothing. He dripped a drop of blood on it. Still nothing. He even tried channeling the *Five Spirits* technique into it, hoping for a reaction.
The bracelet remained inert.
"Stubborn thing," he muttered, tucking it back into his storage bag. *Maybe a core disciple's library has records of artifacts like this.*
He settled into meditation, but sleep eluded him. Tomorrow, everything would change. New master, new home, new challenges.
…
Dawn broke, painting the peak in golden light. Lin Yi climbed the mountain path, his steps steady. The air grew thinner, but the spiritual energy thickened, making his meridians tingle. This was where the real cultivation began.
Elder Guan's cottage sat at the edge of the peak, overlooking the sect. The elder stood outside, his posture straight, no longer the grumpy man from the tournament.
"Lin Yi," he said, nodding. "You've arrived."
"Elder Guan," Lin Yi replied, bowing.
"From this day, you are my disciple," Elder Guan said, his voice steady. "I will teach you what I know of the *Sky-Shattering Ninth Strike*, and guide your cultivation. But first—" He fixed Lin Yi with a sharp gaze. "Tell me. How did you survive Mu Rongfeng's *Burning Void Pill*? And don't lie. I saw your fight. That wasn't just Fifth Level power."
Lin Yi's heart skipped a beat. *He noticed.*
He met the elder's gaze, weighing his options. Honesty might be the best policy—for now. "I practice a body tempering technique. It's… unorthodox."
Elder Guan's eyes narrowed. "Unorthodox enough to shatter Seventh Level spells?"
"Unorthodox enough to let me survive," Lin Yi said carefully.
Elder Guan studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Very well. Your secrets are yours—for now. But remember, disciple: power without control is a danger. Master the *Sky-Shattering Ninth Strike* first. Then we'll discuss your… other techniques."
Lin Yi bowed. "Yes, Master."
"Follow me," Elder Guan said, turning toward the core disciple quarters. "I'll show you to your new home. Tomorrow, your training begins."
As they walked, Lin Yi glanced at the peaks around them, at the disciples meditating in courtyards, at the aura of power that clung to the air.
*Core disciple*, he thought. *This is just the start.*
The bracelet in his storage bag seemed to pulse, as if echoing his resolve. Whatever secrets it held, whatever challenges lay ahead, he was ready.
For the first time in a long time, Lin Yi felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be.