Chapter Thirteen: Qin Yu Takes a Master

On the western edge of the Boundless Wilderness, there existed three great dynasties: the Chu, the Ming, and the Han, whose combined populations exceeded ten billion. Leaving behind the Boundless Wilderness, Qian Kun immediately sensed a sharp decrease in the concentration of spiritual energy, and could not help but marvel at the mysterious subtleties of this world’s laws.

Once he entered the three eastern provinces of the Chu Dynasty, Qian Kun made a casual survey of his direction and proceeded straight toward Yan Capital, the city under the control of the Qin family, who held the title of Marquis of the East.

Under the unique laws of the mortal world, with Qian Kun’s current strength and spiritual cultivation, he could effortlessly teleport or even traverse great distances instantaneously. If he wished, he could easily enter the realms of immortals, demons, or spirits. Yet, there were still many intriguing matters on this Purple Profound Star, so he was in no hurry to leave for those higher realms.

Sweeping his divine sense over the land like a storm, Qian Kun easily located Yan Capital. Suddenly, as if sensing something, he arched his brow, a faint smile playing on his lips as he murmured, “What a coincidence.” With a flash, he teleported to the sky above a village at the foot of East Lan Mountain, outside Yan Capital.

Barely had he arrived when his sharp ears caught the urgent sound of galloping hooves. In the distance, dozens of riders charged toward the village at breakneck speed.

“Not good, it’s horse bandits!” In the field at the village’s edge, a sturdy young man named Tie Shan turned pale. He hurriedly scooped up his little sister, Xiao Lu, who was playing on the embankment nearby, and dashed toward the village, shouting as he ran, “The horse bandits are coming! The horse bandits are coming!”

Horse bandits were far more dangerous than ordinary thieves. Mounted and swift, they appeared and vanished like ghosts, and were notorious for their bloodthirsty cruelty. It was not unheard of for them to massacre entire villages.

Tie Shan’s cry threw the village into chaos. Every able-bodied man rushed out with whatever weapons they could find—iron shovels, cleavers—while the children, women, and elderly huddled behind them in fear.

“Hyah! Brothers, kill them all! Slaughter the men and take all the young, pretty women!” The one-eyed leader of the bandits spurred his horse forward, laughing wildly as he shouted. He was about to catch up with Tie Shan, and the villagers, seeing this, grew ever more anxious for the siblings’ fate.

“Stop!” a burly man shouted desperately, throwing caution to the wind as he rushed forward. He was Tie Shan and Xiao Lu’s father.

But how could he outrun a horse? Before he could close the distance, the one-eyed bandit had already caught up to Tie Shan, swinging his curved blade down upon him.

Noticing the danger behind, Tie Shan rolled desperately to the side with Xiao Lu in his arms, but in the chaos, Xiao Lu’s arm was flung directly into the path of the descending blade—about to be severed.

At that critical moment, a hand suddenly reached out from the side, effortlessly catching the blade mid-swing, halting it completely.

“Huh?” The one-eyed bandit on horseback stared in shock at the young man in a green Daoist robe who had appeared out of nowhere. His face paled, and his voice trembled, “Who... who are you?”

Though the one-eyed bandit was a postnatal martial artist with internal energy, he hadn’t even noticed when Qian Kun had arrived. Such speed and strength could only mean that this stranger was a preeminent master—perhaps even of the innate realm. Killing him would be as easy as crushing an ant.

With a crisp snap, Qian Kun broke the curved blade in half and, with a flick of his wrist, sent the broken tip flying into the bandit’s throat.

With a dull thud, the one-eyed bandit’s corpse toppled from his horse. Qian Kun looked coldly at the stunned bandits and barked, “Begone!” Instantly, the dozens of bandits snapped out of their stupor, panic-stricken, and spurred their horses in a desperate retreat.

From the distance, a young man in fine clothes rode at full gallop, witnessing the scene unfold. As he neared, he reined in his horse and stared in amazement at Qian Kun. “Sir... are you an immortal?”

He had seen with his own eyes how Qian Kun had flashed down from the sky, rescuing Xiao Lu with inhuman speed. Such velocity, and the ability to fly—these were feats even innate masters could not achieve, but belonged solely to immortals!

“You could say that. I am Qian Kun, Daoist of the Way. Young man, what is your name?” Qian Kun smiled at the young man, studying this nascent protagonist of the world.

The young man snapped back to himself, hastily dismounting to bow respectfully. “Qin Yu greets Immortal Qian Kun!”

Qian Kun nodded with a gentle smile. “Qin Yu, it seems you practice external martial arts, yes? Not bad at all.”

“Not bad?” Qin Yu was taken aback, glancing at Qian Kun in puzzlement. External martial arts were widely considered a path of little achievement—what did this immortal mean by calling it ‘not bad’?

Qian Kun read his thoughts and chuckled. “There’s no need for confusion, Qin Yu. The world thinks external martial arts are a dead end, but that’s merely ignorance. Though the path is arduous, if one reaches the innate realm, one may surpass even the greatest internal cultivators. The real reason external arts rarely produce such experts is simply the lack of profound techniques among mortals.”

Qin Yu’s eyes brightened, his heart leaping with hope. “Immortal, do you then possess such advanced external techniques?”

“Of course I do. Are you interested in learning?” Qian Kun replied with a serene smile.

“I beg you to accept me as your disciple and teach me the way of external cultivation!” Without hesitation, Qin Yu knelt before Qian Kun, pleading sincerely.

Qian Kun deliberately paused, studying the youth’s nervous, eager face, then burst out laughing. “Well! Rare indeed is the lad willing to endure the hardship of external training. You’re to my liking, boy. Very well, I accept you as my disciple!”

“Thank you, Master! Your disciple pays his respects!” Qin Yu exclaimed in delight, kowtowing three times.

“Enough, enough, get up,” Qian Kun said, chuckling as he helped Qin Yu to his feet.

Tie Shan’s father and the other villagers gathered round, their eyes full of awe as they bowed respectfully to Qian Kun, expressing their deep gratitude for saving the entire village.

Qian Kun and Qin Yu visited Tie Shan’s home for a brief rest. Once Qian Kun was certain that the leaders of the Black Wind Bandits had not dared retaliate after hearing the news, he departed with Qin Yu, accepting the young man’s invitation to visit Misty Villa atop East Lan Mountain.

Upon returning to Misty Villa, Qin Yu had someone send word to his family. The experts of the Marquis’s estate soon acted, ensuring the utter destruction of the Black Wind Bandits.

When Qian Kun arrived at the villa with Qin Yu, he was soon greeted by Old Master Lian Yan, who had remained behind to care for Qin Yu.

“Xiao Yu, you’re back?” Lian Yan beamed, but when he saw Qian Kun at Qin Yu’s side, his expression shifted and his body tensed instinctively. “And who might you be?”

Qin Yu hurried to introduce them. “Grandpa Lian, let me introduce my new master, Daoist Qian Kun. He’s an immortal!”

“Master? An immortal?” Lian Yan’s face shifted again, disbelief in his eyes. When had immortals become so numerous in the world?

“Oh, Grandpa Lian, stop staring at my master! Hurry and arrange a room for him!” urged Qin Yu. Though Lian Yan remained somewhat skeptical of Qian Kun’s identity, he quickly nodded and went off to make arrangements.

Nevertheless, Lian Yan also wrote a hurried letter to Qin Yu’s father, Marquis Qin De, giving a brief account of Qin Yu’s apprenticeship. The third son of the Marquis’s estate becoming the disciple of an immortal—this was no trivial matter.