"Even if the heavens collapse and the stars bleed, I will carve your name onto the moon itself, so every fox spirit and sword-wielding ghost knows that you are mine!"
SNAP.
Slamming the book shut, Tang Rulin's hand trembled against the cover.
"Shameless!" he hissed, taking a ragged breath. "Shameless disciple! Not only do his flashbacks last for years, but his confessions to his shizun are A-tier terrible! No... A-plus. A superb work of ASS!"
Knock, knock, knock!
The complaints died in his throat as a wave of burning shame crashed over him. Had someone heard his critique? That certainly wouldn't do! Quickly taking a breath Tang Rulin composed himself as he had done many times before, it was practically an art at this point!
"Who is it?" he called out with as much calm as possible
"Gu Shiyan! Shige, Shizun is calling for you. What are you doing in there? You're late to the reception!"
Reception? What an odd word. That word was never thrown around this peak unless it involved a wedding (unlikely) or... Tang Rulin froze. Could it be? Panicking, he tossed the book out the window without a second thought. It landed on the grass outside with a dull thump. The birds and worms can have this book... He smoothed his robes and threw open the door.
"Reception? Is Shizun taking in a new disciple?"
Gu Shiyan, the second disciple, gave a knowing nod. "Shige is so smart. That's exactly it. And you were supposed to be there five minutes ago."
The smile morphed into a smirk as Gu Shiyan watched Rulin's face pale with realization. Seriously?! No one sent him a word! How was he supposed to know?! Seriously, what was with today? This is an ominous start…
"Seeing as I'm already late, we'd better start running before it becomes ten!" Rulin declared hastily, pulling himself out of his thoughts.
The two began dashing toward the peak's entrance, where three large characters were carved into the stone: Wuji Feng (无极峰).
Of the many sects that raised fine cultivators, most chose elegant, unique, poetic titles for their peaks. Sect Fu Qian followed this tradition—sort of. Every peak within the sect was named "Fu Qian [character]," which was quite lousy naming in Rulin's opinion... except for one. Wuji Feng was the outlier within the outlier sect. How poetic, Rulin thought bitterly. Normally he would ponder it, but now it only annoyed him.
As the gates loomed closer, Rulin skidded to a halt. He brushed down his robes, and with a quick glance, Gu Shiyan followed suit. They walked the remaining distance with forced composure, feigning a calm as if they held all the time in the world in their palms.
As they approached, Rulin felt an inexplicable shiver—the prickling sensation of being watched. Has the world finally tuned in to him?! WHY NOW! Before he could scan the area, he saw Gu Shiyan waving toward a figure standing near Shizun. Shizun had noticed their arrival, his gaze shifting toward them.
"Tang Rulin, you've missed the main portion of the ceremony," Shizun said. Though his voice was calm and measured, Rulin recognized the glint in his eyes. It was the look of a man promising retribution.
"To make up for it, you will be in charge of looking after your new shidi, Wei Hanmo"
Rulin quickly bowed his head and hurriedly rushed out his apologies.
"Shizun, this disciple is terribly apologetic for the inconvenience this humble one has caused."
The world knew his shizun as Shen Cangxuan, the—
"Shizun! It is an honor to study under the prodigal cultivator, the beacon of hope in crisis, the Xuanxiao Immortal, Writ of the Golden Thread, and the one and only Master of the Radiant Core!"
Rulin snapped his head toward the voice. Who was this kid, and what was with this shameless flattery? Doesn't he know Shizun doesn't appreciate flattery?! He opened his mouth to mentally scold the newcomer, but the words died in his throat.
Heavens above... This kid is gorgeous.
Rulin found himself staring at a young man with a once-in-a-century face. The boy's eyes were a stunning orange—no, a burning amber when the sunlight hit them just right. His hair was a silvery, borderline white, styled with small, intricate braids that suggested he hailed from the Central Plains. From his sharp yet elegant features to his respectful stance, he looked like a rising star destined to shake the cultivation world.
But one detail stood out. This "golden boy" kept his eyes fixed exclusively on Shizun. While Shen Cangxuan turned to address his older disciples, the newcomer, Wei Hanmo, stared at the master with an intensity that made Rulin's skin crawl.
A rational man would think nothing of a disciple admiring his new master. But rationale was not something Tang Rulin was known for.
"Wei Hanmo is fortunate to possess the talent of a century," Shizun continued, his melodic voice carrying a rare hint of blooming pride. "His core is strong and he is a diligent worker. Growing up in a village, his experience is different from ours. I hope you both are courteous to him."
"Awesome! New shidi!" Gu Shiyan (whose courtesy name was Qingyi) chirped, stepping forward. "I am Gu Qingyi, and this grumpy one beside me is our Shizun's first disciple, Tang Yuanlin! Don't mind him if he's bossy; his temper is even worse. He's also the acting master when Shizun is in seclusion, which means he'll meddle in your training, so be care—ACK!"
Rulin stepped on Qingyi's foot and offered a polite, strained smile to Wei Hanmo. JUST WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING?!! Rulin wanted to scream, but he kept his professional act up.
"Ignore Qingyi. It is good to have another member on the peak. If Shizun says you have talent, then surely you do. As for my temper, I assure you my shidi is being dramatic."
As Rulin spoke, Shen Cangxuan noticed the tension in his head disciple's posture. The corners of the master's mouth twitched. Is Xiao-Rulin tense? How interesting...
Rulin stepped back, letting the introductions continue as he spiraled into a mental crisis.
Bright? Check. Good-looking? Check. Impeccable talent? Check.
Wei Hanmo rubbed him the wrong way. He reminded Rulin of a very specific archetype from those forbidden books he'd been reading. It struck him like a bucket of ice water: the "Pure Lotus" disciple. The talented, handsome youth and his cold, aloof master.
And who was more aloof than Shen Cangxuan of Wuji Feng mountain, Rulin's own shizun?
No! Not a chance! Rulin screamed internally. Not on my watch! I will not let this peak turn into a trashy novel!