Chapter Forty: The Youngest Disciple Pays a Visit

Falling Cloud City.

After leaving the auction house, Wang Ran did not rush back to his sect. Beiming Lie also took his leave, eager to enter seclusion and cultivate the "Vast Righteousness Technique." In Beiming Lie's eyes, this was a formidable method, and he was already fantasizing about kicking Ye Cang and punching Wang Ran, ruling over the sect once he mastered it.

Wang Ran, however, wore a half-amused, half-mocking smile, rather looking forward to the moment when Beiming Lie, full of exuberance, would come looking for revenge after his secluded cultivation.

For now, though, he was in no hurry to return. He paused in Falling Cloud City to take in the sights, deciding to enjoy himself for a while. After all, it was rare for him to leave the sect, and Falling Cloud City was one of the famed cities of Yunzhou, celebrated for its prosperity.

Vendors lined the streets, most of them cultivators selling their treasures—spiritual artifacts and techniques alike. Wang Ran glanced over them indifferently; none of the wares caught his eye. Instead, he wandered the streets, intrigued by the bustling atmosphere of this ancient city, remarking with a laugh, “Not bad, it’s got a touch of the Sanlitun vibe.”

Falling Cloud City was vast, and the most crowded spot was the street where the Falling Cloud Pavilion stood—what Wang Ran considered the commercial avenue of the city. He strolled into a teahouse, found himself a seat by the wall, and ordered a cup of clear tea with a leisurely air.

Though this teahouse was run by cultivators, the attendants were of low cultivation, not even having reached the Qi Condensation stage; they were merely just learning to sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. To Wang Ran, they were little different from ordinary mortals. After all, true cultivators would never work as mere waiters; to be a cultivator was to possess a certain pride, and no one would willingly discard their dignity for such a role.

Wang Ran sipped his tea and listened idly to the conversations around him, his interest piqued.

Nearby, a group of burly men were engrossed in animated conversation.

“Did you hear? A great figure has arrived in Falling Cloud City today!”

“Who hasn’t heard? The news is all over the city!”

“You’re talking about that man who spent tens of thousands of gold at the auction just to quench his thirst with a Golden Essence Fruit—Chen Wangran, right?”

“That’s right! What a magnanimous person, so extravagant. He’s already become an honored guest of Falling Cloud City, and I hear he’s at the Nascent Soul stage!”

“Nascent Soul? My heavens, that’s the pinnacle of cultivation in all Yunzhou!”

“Indeed, and apparently he’s accepted the invitation from Purple Heaven Palace, and now serves as an elder there!”

“Purple Heaven Palace is already a top-tier powerhouse, and now with a Nascent Soul elder presiding, who in Yunzhou would dare cross them?”

“Chen Wangran’s most dazzling feat was what he showed at the auction—one move, just one move, and he shattered the sixth-grade spirit artifact, the Falling Cloud Armor!”

“To break the Falling Cloud Armor in a single blow—his cultivation must be terrifying!”

“It’s a pity I wasn’t there in person. If only I could have witnessed such a hero with my own eyes, I’d have no regrets in this life!”

...

Their excited discussions spread, each man’s face aglow, as if simply being able to talk about such a hero gave them bragging rights.

Wang Ran, at the neighboring table, was stunned by how fast news traveled in the cultivation world. In just a few hours, the whole city knew! It seemed that he already had a legend of his own in the jianghu.

He mused on this, his heart full of emotion, a lonely and wistful expression on his face—as if he were weary of such fleeting fame—but a closer look revealed his eyes shining with delight.

No longer in the mood for tea, Wang Ran left the teahouse, his figure gradually swallowed up by the crowd.

It was easy to imagine that, before long, stories of Chen Wangran would spread throughout Yunzhou, radiating out from Falling Cloud City. But these matters were of no concern to Wang Ran. Like the wind, he never looked back—let the tales of his deeds drift freely.

Leaving Falling Cloud City, Wang Ran pressed on toward the sect, cultivating as he traveled at great speed. After a day and night on the road, the mountains of his sect loomed ahead, signifying that he had returned to the territory of the Sole Sovereign Sect.

Once on his home ground, there was no need for disguise. With a flick, Wang Ran shed the effects of his concealing cloak, returning to his own appearance, and strolled leisurely through the mountain gate.

Along the way, he began to see more and more disciples of the Sole Sovereign Sect. Some greeted him respectfully, recognizing his purple and white robe—the symbol of an inner disciple. Others ignored him, keeping their distance; these were mostly those with their own pride, unwilling to bow to others.

Wang Ran took no offense. Whistling as he went, he made his way toward his own Third Mountain.

The sect was as lively as ever, with disciples chatting and laughing everywhere.

“Senior Brother Ye from the inner sect returned yesterday—he looked absolutely grim!”

“Heh, I heard it’s because he lost out at the auction this time!”

“That’s right! The Golden Essence Fruit he wanted was snatched by a Nascent Soul cultivator!”

“Goodness, did that really happen?”

“And get this—the Nascent Soul expert bought the fruit just to satisfy a craving!”

“Pfft, Senior Brother Ye really is down on his luck!”

“But Senior Brother Bei, Beiming Lie, is in high spirits—he went straight into seclusion to cultivate.”

“I heard he found some great fortune in Falling Cloud City after leaving the sect this time. Now he’s in seclusion training in some new technique. Every time I pass his cave, I can feel the astonishing pressure from within!”

“Looks like Wang Ran is in trouble—Beiming Lie has already sworn that Wang Ran will be the first he settles with when he emerges!”

“Tsk tsk, these prodigies never rest. Looks like there’s a good show coming.”

As Wang Ran passed by and caught these snippets—especially that Beiming Lie was coming for him—he was even more eager than they were.

After all, during his journey back, he had been diligently cultivating the superior version of the “Vast Righteousness Technique.” Perhaps due to his own innate domineering presence, his progress was swift.

Now, Wang Ran felt certain that if Beiming Lie dared to come, he could utterly suppress him. The superior technique naturally restrained the inferior one; their relationship was that of ruler and subject.

Suppressing his anticipation, Wang Ran returned to the Third Mountain. After searching inside and out of the courtyard, he saw no sign of Yao Jianjia—she was clearly still in seclusion.

Not finding the figure he had imagined, Wang Ran sat beneath a tree, a little forlorn.

Just then, the clear sound of bells rang outside the courtyard, and a female disciple dressed in purple and white robes, her face lit with an innocent smile, bounced in, her ample bosom swaying with each step, drawing the eye.

Wang Ran grinned, knowing at once who it was. Sure enough, before she even reached him, her sweet voice drifted over.

“Senior Brother, Senior Brother, you’re finally back! I haven’t seen you in months—I’ve missed you so much I could die!”