As Lin Chen's body drifted in mid air, he steadied himself, preparing to land.
Whoosh!
A powerful yet steady hand caught him in midfall.
Lin Chen blinked, dazed—only to find himself caught by Chief Elder Hu Feng.
In a single step, the two vanished from mid air and reappeared on the stage. The movement was so fast that even onlookers failed to catch it.
Hu Feng placed Lin Chen gently on the ground, his calm eyes sweeping across the surroundings.
"Stand firm."
"And you four… how many times must this old man remind you? Before the eyes of thousands of disciples, remember your dignity as elders. To quarrel like street hawkers—truly disgraceful."
As his words fell, his Essence Qi quietly surged. The world seemed to grow still; an invisible might pressed down from above.
The three old men and Lan Yaoye stiffened instantly. Their auras, which moments ago had flared in anger, were extinguished like a candle under a storm.
They exchanged brief glances, resentment flickering beneath the forced calm, but not one dared to speak.
The pressure faded, leaving behind only the quiet hum of spiritual energy in the air.
Lin Chen stood there stunned.
Four powerful elders… arguing over him?
Him, a nineteen-year-old nobody barely at the first stage of Essence Forging.
What in the nine heavens was there to fight over?
His pitiful cultivation? His average looks? His lack of background?
The more he thought about it, the more his head ached.
'Aiva, can you tell me about their cultivation?' Lin Chen asked inwardly, feeling like an ant before those towering figures.
[Not sure, but judging by their Qi, they're at least three major realms above you. And the reason they're fighting… most likely because the fourth form of Azure Thunder Arts has power comparable to the sixth stage of the Essence Forging Realm cultivator.]
'So they think I'm a genius who can fight above his realm?' Lin Chen's brows twitched. Until now, he hadn't even realized that the fourth form was that strong—he had only used it for the first time.
[Yes, apparently.]
'But I'm below average.'
[They don't know that. And this misunderstanding is a rare opportunity.]
A faint smile crept onto Lin Chen's face.
'You don't need to say it. I know—it's time for me to find a solid backing.'
Lin Chen glanced at the four elders, his mind racing.
The three old men looked calm and steady—like the type of masters who could guide a disciple toward steady cultivation and a long life.
The woman, however, seemed… unpredictable. Her smile was beautiful, but it gave him a strange sense of danger, as if one wrong word could get him thrown off a cliff for "tempering his will."
He made up his mind at once. Between a reliable old master and an unstable beauty, the choice was obvious.
He would stay as far away from that woman as possible.
Though a small part of his heart whispered that having a beautiful master wouldn't be so bad, reason quickly strangled that thought.
Before he could even open his mouth, Lan Yaoye stepped forward with a bright smile.
"Senior Brother," she said sweetly, pointing at the three elders. "These three old fossils already have plenty of direct disciples. I don't even have one. Isn't it only fair that this little one becomes mine?"
The three old men stiffened, exchanging helpless glances. They wanted to object, but under the Chief Elder's steady gaze, their words died in their throats.
Indeed, by sect rules, when multiple elders sought the same disciple, the one with the fewest personal disciples had priority.
And Lan Yaoye… had none.
The realization hit them like thunder. Their mischievous junior sister—who never remembered a single rule when it mattered—had suddenly turned cunning.
The three sighed inwardly.
This time, they could only watch helplessly as the little monster slipped into the tiger's den.
"Hehe, it seems victory is mine," Lan Yaoye said triumphantly, her smile radiant with satisfaction.
Lin Chen's mouth twitched. Victory? For who? No one even asked for his opinion!
Before he could speak a word of protest, Lan Yaoye grabbed him by the collar like a sack of potatoes.
With a soft hum, crimson light burst from her feet, and she shot into the sky, leaving a trail of fiery clouds in her wake.
The three elders could only stare blankly as she vanished into the horizon.
One of them sighed. "Let's hope that poor boy lasts at least a week before running away from her 'teachings.'"
***
High above the sect, Lin Chen dangled under Lan Yaoye's arm, his body swaying in the wind like laundry hung out to dry.
He blinked, trying to make sense of the situation.
Did this woman… just kidnap him?
He was certain of it now—this Elder was a lunatic who followed no logic but her own.
"Umm… may I ask what exactly is happening here?" he said carefully.
Lan Yaoye looked down at him with a dazzling smile. "You should be overjoyed! From today onward, you are the personal disciple of the kind, beautiful, and intelligent Elder Lan Yaoye. Congratulations!"
Lin Chen's face darkened.
Kind? Beautiful? Intelligent? None of those words fit the lunatic currently hauling him through the clouds like stolen goods.
Happy? Happy my foot.
The only thing she had in abundance were curves—and insanity.
He sighed deeply. At this point, resisting seemed pointless. Judging by her temperament, if he dared to refuse, she'd probably knock him unconscious and drag him anyway.
Still, did she have to fly like this? Her movements were wild and erratic — like a drunk immortal who had lost control of her Qi.
Lin Chen's stomach twisted violently. His vision blurred, his insides churning as the clouds spun around him.
Apparently, he had a new weakness — air sickness.
"Master, I don't feel so good," he said weakly, his face turning pale. "Can you fly a bit… gentler?"
Lan Yaoye snorted. "You're a man, aren't you? Have some guts."
What in the heavens did being a man have to do with not vomiting?
Last he checked, men were human too!
'Aiva, do something about this,' he pleaded inwardly.
[Understood.]
***
After ten minutes, Lan Yaoye finally descended.
The moment Lin Chen's feet touched the ground, he nearly dropped to his knees and kissed it.
He swore to the heavens — he would never, ever fly with that woman again. She was utterly terrible at flying.
When he looked up, a large courtyard came into view. The residence before him gleamed under the sunlight, elegant and luxurious, the kind of place only a high elder could own.
"So, disciple," Lan Yaoye said proudly, gesturing with a graceful wave of her hand. "This is your master's residence. Down the path are several side quarters — you may choose any one you like."
"Any?" Lin Chen blinked. "Aren't there other disciples?"
"Nope," Lan Yaoye replied cheerfully. "You're the only one left. All the previous ones ran away."
For a brief moment, he could almost see his future — dark, uncertain, and full of regret.
Even her past disciples had escaped? That said everything he needed to know about her "teaching style."
Maybe… he should consider sneaking away too.
Before the thought could even settle, Lan Yaoye turned and smiled sweetly — though her eyes carried a dangerous glint.
"But don't you dare try to run," she said, her tone light yet unmistakably threatening. "If you do, I'll hunt you down myself and drag you back."
Lin Chen's expression twitched.
'Woman, what in the heavens is wrong with you? I'm your disciple, not your lover! Why are you acting like a jealous wife?'
(A/N: The tournament arc ends here! Next up — the Secret Realm, Body Refinement, and glimpses of the ancient past, which are also connected to how Lin Chen arrived in this world. From here, the main plot officially begins!)