Chapter 23: Compromising with Each Other

None of the disciples at the Morning Immortal Sect had expected that Chu Tiange would step onto the high platform.

“This seat is rightfully yours, Junior Brother Chu. I was merely sweeping away the trash for you earlier,” An Lan laughed heartily.

“Thank you, Senior Brother An Lan. Then I shall take my seat,” Chu Tiange nodded, seating himself upon the position of the Master of Maiden Peak.

In that instant, the entire grand hall fell utterly silent, only to erupt moments later in a cacophony of astonished outcry, as if a tidal wave had swallowed the very Hall of the Rising Sun.

That good-for-nothing Chu Tiange—had he truly taken the seat of Peak Master?

Could it be that Sect Leader Xiao was actually a woman, seduced by Chu Tiange?

No wonder both Master Liu and Master Xie had set their sights on him.

The many young female disciples were stunned, gazing at Chu Tiange with a growing fervor in their eyes.

The male disciples were stupefied, especially the one who had earlier poured tea over Chu Tiange’s head; he now twitched on the floor, foaming at the mouth in terror.

Zhang Iron-Egg cursed under his breath, questioning the very meaning of life.

Chu Tiange himself was quite surprised. Earlier, Xiao Shijing had used the “Azure Mirror” to send him a message, telling him that the Sect Leader greatly admired him and had prepared a grand gift.

That gift was none other than the position of Maiden Peak Master.

From now on, he could stand as an equal with the Sect Leader himself.

“I, Chu, though unworthy, have now been seated as Master of the Main Peak. Naturally, I shall not betray the expectations of the Sect Leader and will strive to revitalize Maiden Peak.” Chu Tiange swept his gaze over the assembled disciples and declared, “Therefore, today I shall take on two disciples.”

“The first shall be that gentleman lying upon the ground.”

“As for the second…” Chu Tiange extended his hand, pointing into the crowd.

For a moment, everyone in the hall held their breath.

Those eleven young female disciples who had moments before been basking in joy found hope stirring once again in their hearts.

The male disciples, on the other hand, were filled with dread. From the moment Chu Tiange had chosen the frothing, fainted disciple, they sensed ill fortune.

Had any other elder chosen disciples, they would have been thrilled, but it was clear Chu Tiange meant mischief. Remembering their previous disrespect toward him, they were now deeply anxious.

“Thank goodness I only called him useless. There’s no way I’ll get picked for that last spot.”

“I’m doomed! I told him he might as well die,” one disciple trembled, cold sweat pouring down his face.

“Ha, what a bunch of cowards,” Zhang Iron-Egg scoffed, looking down on the other disciples.

“You’re the great-grandson of Elder Zhang Fu and a disciple of Profound Heaven Peak. Of course you’re not afraid—easy for you to mock us,” one disciple gritted his teeth at Zhang Iron-Egg.

Chu Tiange pointed at the chubby eight-year-old boy, smirking. “You. Zhang Iron-Egg.”

“Heh, you dare ask me to be your disciple? Have you asked my Third Grandfather?” Zhang Iron-Egg put his hands on his hips, full of bravado.

But in the next instant, Zhang Iron-Egg howled in pain, stars dancing before his eyes.

“Who dares hit me?!” he cried out in anger, but when he turned to look, all his bluster vanished.

“Third Grandfather…”

“Being chosen by Master Chu is your good fortune,” Zhang Fu said, patting his head.

Zhang Iron-Egg was sullen, but dared not protest, knowing full well his grandfather’s violent temper—quick to strike even the clan patriarch if the mood suited him.

So Zhang Iron-Egg dared not show any temper at all.

“Fine, I accept my fate. I’ll be your disciple,” Zhang Iron-Egg sighed, shoulders slumped in resignation.

With the dust settled, none could object to the Sect Leader’s decision. Perhaps Chu Tiange truly did possess some hidden talent.

Several female disciples’ gazes drifted toward Chu Tiange’s lower half, speculating about what that hidden talent might be.

A disciple brought wine to Chu Tiange, who raised his cup and looked around with a smile. “Thank you all for coming. Please, eat well and drink your fill.”

The banquet was lavish, with spiritual fruits and rare brews that greatly benefited cultivation. The male disciples, having escaped disaster, lifted their cups in relief, drinking heartily.

Only Zhang Iron-Egg remained glum. He felt utterly doomed.

The feast lasted an hour. Noticing Zhang Iron-Egg’s dejection, Chu Tiange’s lips curled with amusement. “My good disciple, gather your fellow disciples and follow me back to Maiden Peak.”

“Third Grandfather…” Zhang Iron-Egg tried to call for help, but a glare silenced him at once.

“Senior brothers and sisters, I shall take my leave,” Chu Tiange bowed to the other Peak Masters.

“Take care! Oh, and Junior Brother Chu—on the twenty-eighth of each month, the Peak Masters receive their stipends,” An Lan reminded him.

“Very well, I understand,” Chu Tiange replied, then departed with Zhang Iron-Egg and the other disciple. As he left, he caught Xie Miao-Miao casting him a flirtatious glance.

Along the way, Chu Tiange watched Zhang Iron-Egg’s crestfallen expression, his lips quirking with mischief. He could well imagine what the boy feared he might suffer from his new master.

But as someone who had lived two lives, Chu Tiange was not so petty as to bear a grudge over trivial past slights; he had chosen them as disciples purely out of appreciation for talent.

As for the unconscious male disciple, Chu Tiange remembered him well—his name was Li Erwa. After the decline of the Morning Immortal Sect, in that chaotic world, he had managed to survive by shifting allegiances, eventually becoming a lackey for the ghost realm. Yet, when war broke out, he had provided crucial intelligence to the human cultivators, allowing them to escape disaster. Such talent deserved careful cultivation.

Chu Tiange and his disciples used the teleportation array, traveling swiftly to the foot of Maiden Peak. Looking up, they saw the summit shrouded in cloud and mist, like a peerless maiden seated amidst the heavens, gazing down upon the mortal world.

This was one of the most revered cultivation sites in the Morning Immortal Sect. With a single breath, Zhang Iron-Egg felt his spirits lift.

“Amazing! The spiritual energy here is several times richer than at Profound Heaven Peak,” he exclaimed.

“Of course—it’s the Main Peak,” Chu Tiange replied with a glance. “And I am the Main Peak Master. Even your Third Grandfather must pay his respects to me.”

Zhang Iron-Egg was momentarily dumbfounded.

“Come, let’s go,” Chu Tiange said, stepping into the teleportation array and soaring to the mountaintop.

Upon arriving at Maiden Peak, Chu Tiange at once understood its name. The mountainside was adorned with lifelike statues of maidens—some charming, some pure, some alluring—each one radiating enchanting beauty and a dreamlike aura, filling the entire mountain with spiritual resonance.

“Like uncle, like nephew,” Chu Tiange mused, suspecting Xiao Shijing to be an illegitimate child.

Entering the grand hall, he saw the walls covered in erotic paintings, startling Zhang Iron-Egg so much he clamped his hands over his eyes.

With a loud thud, Li Erwa, who had been carried along, fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

“Stop feigning death. I won’t do anything to you. So long as you are loyal, you will always be my good disciples,” Chu Tiange said, having long known Li Erwa had awakened but was pretending otherwise.

“Disciple Li Erwa greets Master!” Li Erwa’s eyes snapped open as he hurriedly knelt and kowtowed.

“Good. To bend and to yield—that is talent. Yet your vision needs sharpening; you must practice diligently,” Chu Tiange nodded approvingly. Recalling Lu Shiqi’s heartfelt words, he added, “This is my first time as a master, and yours as disciples. Let us make do together in the days to come. This spirit sword is my gift to you.”

Under Li Erwa’s eager gaze, Chu Tiange produced a battered longsword.