Volume 4 Chapter 99

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Volume 4 Chapter 99: Accepting Disciples (Part 2)

When Zhang Ningmei walked into the hall, both Bai Lianye and Bai Yu were surprised, not expecting Zhang Ningmei to appear at that moment.

"Why did you leave your room? The doctor said your body can’t handle the wind. What if you fall ill again?"

Bai Yu couldn’t stay with Xu Qingfan and Chou Xuan any longer and quickly walked over to Zhang Ningmei. His face showed concern; his voice, though slightly reproachful, was soft, as if he feared frightening the delicate girl before him.

Bai Yu’s rugged face and untamed aura made his gentle tone seem quite out of place to onlookers.

Seeing Bai Yu rudely dash away, Bai Lianye felt a bit awkward but relaxed when he saw Xu Qingfan didn’t mind. He gave Bai Yu a stern look but realized Bai Yu was solely focused on Zhang Ningmei, so he just smiled helplessly.

Although Bai Yu’s actions might seem disrespectful to his teacher, Xu Qingfan didn’t mind. Bai Yu, though tall and mature-looking, was still just a teenager, and expecting him to behave like an old scholar was unfair. Xu Qingfan appreciated that such a young boy could show genuine care for others.

"Perhaps taking Bai Yu as a disciple would be a good choice."

On the other side, Zhang Ningmei softly told Bai Yu to mind his manners, then walked over to Xu Qingfan and Chou Xuan. She gracefully bowed and gently said, "Junior Zhang Ningmei greets Senior Xu and Elder Chou."

After speaking, Zhang Ningmei also bowed to Bai Lianye, saying, "Greetings Uncle Bai."

Zhang Ningmei’s words and actions exuded the demeanor of a well-educated young lady, calm and serene in her presence. The frail look on her face drew sympathy, yet she harbored an inner strength. Seeing Zhang Ningmei’s poise, Xu Qingfan nodded discreetly, wondering in his heart about the experiences that shaped Zhang Ningmei’s graceful character.

When Zhang Ningmei entered the hall, Xu Qingfan carefully observed her from a distance. After Zhang Ningmei finished her greetings, Xu Qingfan suddenly beckoned her, saying, "Come here for a moment, stand in front of me."

Surprised by Xu Qingfan’s request, Zhang Ningmei hesitated for a moment, glancing at her grandfather Zhang Long for assurance. Once Zhang Long nodded his approval, she slowly approached Xu Qingfan.

"Let me borrow your right hand for a moment, so I can take your pulse."

Startled once more, Zhang Ningmei obediently raised her hand, allowing Xu Qingfan to check her pulse.

As Xu Qingfan’s fingers gently rested on Zhang Ningmei’s wrist, she instantly felt a pure and gentle energy, filled with vitality and a sacred aura, flowing from Xu Qingfan’s touch and circulating throughout her body.

With the flow of this energy, Zhang Ningmei felt as though the oppressive gloom she had carried for many years suddenly lifted, like a heavy weight being removed from her shoulders, bringing a sense of relief and clarity.

Meanwhile, Zhang Long, Bai Lianye, Bai Yu, and the others were delighted to see that as soon as Xu Qingfan placed his fingers on Zhang Ningmei’s wrist, her once pale and sickly complexion slowly began to gain a healthy flush. Her renewed vigor surprised everyone, making them hopeful that Xu Qingfan might indeed be able to cure Zhang Ningmei’s chronic illness.

After some time, Xu Qingfan gently removed his fingers from Zhang Ningmei’s wrist, his expression a mix of relief and concern. He finally confirmed his earlier suspicions about Zhang Ningmei’s condition when he first met her. He also understood why even someone as skilled as Chou Xuan was unable to help Zhang Ningmei.

When Zhang Ningmei entered the hall, Xu Qingfan instinctively used his Divine Sense to examine her and was astonished to find that, despite being mortal, Zhang Ningmei’s Divine Sense was over ten times more powerful than that of an ordinary person, akin to a cultivator in the late stage of the Inedia Stage.

This was undoubtedly a rare gift but also brought endless trouble for Zhang Ningmei.

It is known that Divine Sense is crucial for cultivators, yet sustaining such a powerful Divine Sense is energy-consuming even for them. Zhang Ningmei, being mortal, couldn’t support it; her Divine Sense constantly drained her body’s energy, weakening her health significantly and causing her to be frail and prone to illness.

Earlier, Xu Qingfan introduced "Flourish Qi" into Zhang Ningmei’s body to investigate, inadvertently revitalizing her nearly exhausted life force, which is why her complexion suddenly became rosy. However, this was merely a temporary relief and couldn’t fundamentally solve the problem.

The Divine Sense couldn’t be sealed, which was why Chou Xuan was at a loss with Zhang Ningmei’s condition. Chou Xuan’s earlier suggestion for Zhang Ningmei to cultivate was a possible solution, as it would increase the energy in her body to sustain the huge energy consumption of her innate Divine Sense.

However, Xu Qingfan believed this was not the best or even an effective method.

First, due to years of energy drain from her Divine Sense, Zhang Ningmei’s body had already started to weaken. Her current Divine Sense strength was already at the level of someone in the late stage of the Inedia Stage. Training to reach that stage would take her several times longer than normal. No one could guarantee her safety during this period.

Secondly, and most importantly, as Zhang Ningmei’s cultivation deepened, her Divine Sense inevitably grew stronger. Currently, Zhang Ningmei’s Divine Sense strength has already reached the level usually seen in the late stage of the Inedia Stage. When Zhang Ningmei herself reaches the late stage of the Inedia Stage, no one knows how powerful her Divine Sense will become, and there are no fundamental solutions to Zhang Ningmei’s situation.

In Xu Qingfan’s view, to ensure Zhang Ningmei’s well-being, it’s more important to turn her Divine Sense inward, making it more contained and possibly qualitative, instead of focusing on common cultivation. This would effectively reduce the energy consumption caused by her Divine Sense.

However, methods for controlling Divine Sense are typically only developed through years of cultivation and personal insight, with dedicated Divine Sense training techniques being extremely rare. The most renowned is the "Heavenly Spirit Refining Technique" from the "Qingxu Gate."

Should Zhang Ningmei be sent to the "Qingxu Gate"?

Thinking about this, Xu Qingfan shook his head slightly. The "Qingxu Gate" is affiliated with Taoist practices and is mostly composed of monks, who do not accept female disciples.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan remembered the green slip he had acquired after defeating "Zhang Wu," which contained the art known as the "Art of Annihilation," and he felt a slight stir in his heart.

With this in mind, Xu Qingfan studied Zhang Ningmei’s fair and serene face closely.

Occasionally, children with a Divine Sense much stronger than normal appear in the world. However, these children often die young because their bodies cannot sustain the energy needed by their Original Soul. Although Zhang Ningmei has managed to live until now, the pain she has endured is unimaginable for ordinary people.

Perhaps Zhang Ningmei possesses such a calm demeanor because she has continually faced life and death from a young age and has seen through life and death.

When Xu Qingfan saw the calm yet expectant look in Zhang Ningmei’s eyes as she looked at him, he couldn’t help but feel a touch of tenderness in his heart.

While Xu Qingfan was pondering this, everyone in the hall was watching him intently. They, including Chou Xuan and Bai Lianye, had watched Zhang Ningmei grow up, and her graceful manners endeared her to them. They all hoped Xu Qingfan could find a way to heal her.

At first, seeing Zhang Ningmei’s face turn rosy after Xu Qingfan checked her pulse, everyone felt relieved, thinking he might have a cure. But when Xu Qingfan pulled back with a mixed expression of joy and worry, their hopes sank. After seeing him frown and think hard for a while, then shake his head slightly, their once hopeful hearts fell even deeper.

Surprisingly, Zhang Ningmei remained calm after seeing Xu Qingfan’s subtle shake of the head. Though her expectations vanished, she showed no regret. Despite her young age, her demeanor was one of acceptance. Having faced disappointment repeatedly, she had come to terms with it.

Though feeling uneasy, Zhang Long cautiously approached Xu Qingfan and asked, "Benefactor, is there any way you can help my granddaughter?"

Instead of answering Zhang Long, Xu Qingfan looked at Zhang Ningmei and suddenly asked, "Ahem… Zhang Ningmei, your grandfather and I are old acquaintances. He wishes for you to become my disciple. Would you be willing?"

Before Zhang Ningmei could respond, Zhang Long’s eyes lit up with joy. Xu Qingfan’s words implied that he agreed to take Zhang Ningmei as his disciple.

The others in the hall were momentarily surprised, not expecting Xu Qingfan to take Zhang Ningmei as his student. Chou Xuan thought it unlike Xu Qingfan to accept disciples easily, while Bai Lianye didn’t expect Xu Qingfan to overlook Bai Yu, who was in the spotlight, and instead propose to mentor Zhang Ningmei. As for Bai Yu, he felt happy for Zhang Ningmei, as Xu Qingfan’s proposal suggested he was confident in curing her persistent illness.

Yet, realizing that Xu Qingfan hadn’t looked directly at him since Zhang Ningmei’s arrival, a sense of disappointment settled in Bai Yu’s heart.

Actually, the reason Xu Qingfan suddenly agreed to take Zhang Ningmei as an apprentice has his own reasons. Firstly, Zhang Long’s request is one reason. Cultivators often remain secluded, and the Shenzhou Continent is vast, so it’s rare to meet someone again, even if you’ve met them once. Especially with mortals. That’s why cultivators value the term "fate" very much. Zhang Long’s request is something Xu Qingfan must consider within his abilities.

Secondly, Xu Qingfan admired Zhang Ningmei’s calm and composed demeanor and her carefree attitude towards life and death, seeing a similarity to himself. He didn’t want to see someone like her die young. Moreover, Zhang Ningmei is exceptionally talented, and Xu Qingfan has in his possession the "Great Method of Extinguishing Gods" for cultivating Divine Sense, which can help cure her illness once she becomes his apprentice.

Finally, Xu Qingfan thought of Ting’er. Although Ting’er made some friends after the grand competition at Jiuhua Mountain, her reserved nature hadn’t changed much. Moreover, her friends at Jiuhua Mountain were all from the same sect. While they could chat together, they still had varying degrees of closeness. Taking Zhang Ningmei as a disciple could provide Ting’er with a companion. With Zhang Ningmei’s personality, she would surely bring Ting’er the warmth Xu Qingfan could not provide.

As for accepting Zhang Ningmei as a disciple first, then taking in Bai Yu as an apprentice would be much more convenient. Xu Qingfan didn’t give it much thought, at least not at the moment. Although Bai Yu possessed the "Qiongqi" bloodline, Xu Qingfan valued Zhang Ningmei far more than Bai Yu.

But just when everyone thought Zhang Ningmei would readily agree, she hesitated and glanced back at Zhang Long before softly saying to Xu Qingfan, "Honored elder, I am naturally willing. However, my parents passed away early, and my grandfather only has me as his close relative. He is nearly eighty years old. Though his health is still relatively good, he falls ill from time to time. If I become your apprentice, I fear I won’t be able to care for my grandfather. I can’t bear to leave him."

Upon hearing Zhang Ningmei’s words, everyone admired her for being such a filial and thoughtful girl!

As for Zhang Long, he was moved and excited, looking at Zhang Ningmei for a long time before saying in a trembling voice, "Mei’er, you are your grandfather’s treasure. I can’t bear to see you leave either, but only by becoming the benefactor’s apprentice can you cure your illness. Rather than let you suffer from illness, I hope you can leave healthily. Moreover, the benefactor holds a high position in the cultivation world, and becoming his apprentice is a rare blessing for us. Even if I pass without descendants to send me off, I will smile from the afterlife. You should go."

With that, Zhang Long was already in tears.

On the other side, Bai Lianye also said, "Mei’er, such an opportunity is rare. You should become Master Xu’s apprentice. I’ll take care of your grandfather."

Zhang Ningmei studied Zhang Long’s aged face for a long while, then suddenly turned and respectfully bowed to Xu Qingfan. After three bows and nine kowtows, she received the "apprentice tea" from Zhang Long and offered it to Xu Qingfan, saying, "Junior Zhang Ningmei requests the elder to accept me as a disciple. I promise to diligently learn and bring honor to the school. I will care for the master without complaint."

Xu Qingfan sat in the chair, calmly accepting Zhang Ningmei’s bows and kowtows, then took a sip of the "apprentice tea" from Zhang Ningmei, signifying that he accepted her as a disciple.

Once Zhang Ningmei stood behind Xu Qingfan of her own accord, Xu Qingfan finally noticed Bai Yu nearby and asked, "And you? Do you still not wish to become my apprentice?"