Chapter 50: The Formal Apprenticeship! I Am Stepping Back Behind the Scenes

"Right—"

"Taking advantage of today's apprenticeship ceremony, everyone in the sect is gathered here."

"As your master, I have a major announcement to make today."

Yun Qing only knew that today was his apprenticeship ceremony for taking on a disciple, but he had no idea what major announcement his master was planning to make.

"Master, what other major announcement could our Seeking Immortal Sect possibly have?"

Yun Xiu did not answer Yun Qing's question.

He slowly stood up, took the arm of Li Muchen, his direct disciple and grand-disciple, and walked outward while saying, "The apprenticeship ceremony is about to begin. Let's not stay in the inner hall anymore, let's head to the outer hall..."

"I imagine everyone should be gathered in the outer hall by now."

"As for the major announcement, I will announce it publicly after the apprenticeship ceremony between you master and disciple concludes."

Since Yun Xiu had already spoken, Yun Qing found it inappropriate to press further.

He knew his master's temperament very well.

Once a decision was made, his master would never change his mind.

Yun Qing had no choice but to follow behind his master toward the outer hall.

...

When they arrived at the outer hall,

it was already packed with layer upon layer of people.

All of these people were disciples of the Seeking Immortal Sect.

As the Sect Master of the Seeking Immortal Sect, Yun Xiu took the principal seat in the outer hall.

Yun Qing followed closely behind, taking his seat as the Young Master at the lower-left corner.

As the protagonist of Li Mu, and the direct disciple whom Yun Qing was about to formally accept, Li Muchen stood right beside Yun Qing's seat.

With both the Sect Master and the Young Master seated, the elders of the Seeking Immortal Sect also took their respective places in order.

"Today, gathering everyone in the Seeking Immortal Sect together,"

"is because there are two major events that this Sect Master wishes to announce personally before everyone in the sect."

Yun Xiu began, his voice resonant and carrying to the ears of every single person present.

"The first matter, I believe many of you have already heard."

"Yun Qing, the Young Master of the Seeking Immortal Sect, will formally accept a direct disciple today."

"This is a great occasion for our Seeking Immortal Sect."

"The Young Master taking on a direct disciple concerns the future development of the next generation of our Seeking Immortal Sect, and it is a matter of great solemnity."

"Li Muchen—this grand-disciple, this Sect Master is extremely satisfied with him."

"Although his cultivation has only just crossed the threshold of the cultivator world,"

"yet this Sect Master can guarantee that Li Muchen is absolute prime material for cultivation in the cultivator world."

"Given time, his cultivation will certainly be no inferior to any of you."

Yun Xiu said these words deliberately to silence any dissenting voices within the sect.

After all, as the Young Master of the Seeking Immortal Sect, taking on a direct disciple was a monumental affair.

Among the many disciples within the sect, who wouldn't want to become the direct disciple of Yun Qing, the future Sect Master?

Since Li Muchen's cultivation was currently low, if Yun Xiu did not back him up, it would inevitably cause dissatisfaction among the others in the sect.

With the old Sect Master backing him up, no matter how disgruntled others might feel, they dared not voice too much opposition.

No one was permitted to disrupt today's apprenticeship ceremony.

Sure enough,

the disciples who had previously harbored dissatisfaction and the elders who had private reservations,

upon hearing the words of Sect Master Yun Xiu, all tucked away those thoughts.

Everyone in the sect knew Yun Xiu's temper.

Whenever a decision was made by the Sect Master, not a single person could ever change it.

Even the elders were incapable of altering it.

Since Li Muchen had won the approval of the Sect Master, even if other elders felt discontented, it would be unseemly for them to deliberately make things difficult for Young Master Yun Qing or Li Muchen, the disciple about to enter Yun Qing's lineage.

"Now, this Sect Master announces—"

"The apprenticeship ceremony officially begins."

At the command of Sect Master Yun Xiu, a team of disciples dressed in azure robes stepped forward, carrying trays of ritual items.

Yun Xiu exchanged a look with Yun Qing, and Yun Qing understood instantly.

Yun Qing stood up, signaled for Li Muchen to follow behind him, and together they walked to the very center of the grand hall.

For a figure at the elder level or above in the Seeking Immortal Sect to take a direct disciple, they were required to pay homage to all the past Sect Masters of the Seeking Immortal Sect.

Following that, they paid respects to the reigning Sect Master.

Finally came the actual ceremony of the master accepting the disciple.

Yun Qing and Li Muchen naturally followed these exact steps.

The entire apprenticeship ceremony proceeded very smoothly.

In less than half an hour, Li Muchen had completed all the ceremonial rites.

Sitting in the primary seat, Yun Xiu revealed a satisfied smile.

"This Sect Master declares that Li Muchen is now a formal sect disciple of the Seeking Immortal Sect."

As Yun Xiu's voice fell, many people in the grand hall offered their congratulations to Li Muchen.

Witnessing the scene below, Yun Xiu spoke once again: "Next, there is a second major event to announce—"

As Yun Xiu's voice rang out anew, absolute silence fell across the entire grand hall.

Every single gaze was fixed upon Yun Xiu, the Sect Master.

"Young Master Yun Qing, several days ago... broke through his cultivation bottleneck and officially stepped into the realm of the Divine Physician."

Yun Xiu's words were like a thunderbolt, causing an uproar throughout the hall.

Everyone stared in astonishment at Yun Qing, the Young Master, their mouths agape with incredulous gasps.

Even the group of elders of the Seeking Immortal Sect could no longer remain seated.

"Sect Master, is this true?!"

"Weren't you below the Immortal Physician realm before the Young Master left the sect?"

"How could he suddenly bypass the Immortal Physician realm and directly become a Divine Physician?"

"You must know that the last Divine Physician of our Seeking Immortal Sect was none other than our Ancestral Master nearly a thousand years ago."

At this moment, the elders wore expressions of utter disbelief, practically begging Sect Master Yun Xiu for a definitive confirmation.

Yun Xiu appeased the crowd, motioning for everyone to quiet down.

"Cease this clamor—"

"This Sect Master knows that all of you harbor many doubts."

"The Young Master has been stuck at this bottleneck for ten whole years."

"To suddenly break through two levels in succession—you are shocked and find it hard to believe? This Sect Master completely understands your feelings."

"If we must speak of how this came to be, we must thank Li Muchen."

"It was he who presented a rare celestial pill, which granted your Young Master the opportunity for a breakthrough."

"... "

Yun Xiu recounted the whole sequence of events from beginning to end.

"... "

"... "

At this, those who had previously felt resentment toward Li Muchen completely lost all grievance.

Compared to becoming the Young Master's direct disciple, they naturally hoped even more that the Young Master could break through his bottleneck early and step into the higher realms.

Otherwise, once the Sect Master passed on,

given the state of the world today, their Seeking Immortal Sect would effectively lose a powerful pillar of support.

Yet they never imagined...

that the Young Master would actually break through two consecutive levels,

bypassing the Immortal Physician realm to become a Divine Physician directly??

For the Seeking Immortal Sect, this was nothing short of an earth-shattering blessing!

Before the astonishment of the crowd could subside, Yun Xiu's voice rang out once again:

"Now, the Young Master's cultivation has already surpassed mine as Sect Master."

"I have decided to cede the position of Sect Master to Yun Qing."

"From this day forward, all matters of the sect shall be placed under Yun Qing's charge."

"As for myself, I shall retire behind the scenes to focus entirely on cultivation, striving to break through my own bottleneck at the earliest possible date."