However, just as the applause gradually died down and Lu Fengmian was about to announce the awards, He Shiâan below the stage suddenly stepped forward, clasped his hands before his chest, and shouted loudly:
âSenior Brother! Wait!â
The entire audienceâs gaze once again focused on him.
With a solemn expression, He Shiâan said, âI, disciple⊠He Shiâan, was defeated by Senior Brother before everyoneâs eyes, and I am utterly convinced of it. I am not worthy of receiving the championship of this small competition! In my opinion, the champion of this competition should belong to Senior Brother!â
The moment his words fell, the entire venue instantly erupted!
âSenior Brother He wants to yield first place to Senior Brother?â
âBut Senior Brother wasnât a participating disciple.â
âBut Senior Brother Heâs words do make sense; he really did lose to Senior Brother.â
Lu Fengmian was also slightly stunned, then he shook his head and let out a soft laugh.
He Shiâan was straightforward by nature. Though he had a sense of shame, he had also shown courage; he was simply somewhat stubborn and prone to overthinking.
âJunior Brother He, you misunderstand.â
In a gentle tone, he said, âAs Senior Brother, hosting the small competition and maintaining order are my duties. Going onto the stage to compete was also in response to everyoneâs request. The purpose of the small competition is to encourage the disciples to improve; if I were to take the championship, would that not go against the rules and dampen all the disciplesâ enthusiasm?â
He Shiâan stubbornly said, âWhat Senior Brother says is reasonable, but the cultivation world reveres strength. Senior Brotherâs cultivation and swordsmanship both far surpass mine. For me to sit on this highest peak would be no different from sitting on a bed of needles. Senior Brother, please agree to my request!â
The discussion below the stage grew increasingly heated. Some thought He Shiâanâs character noble, while others thought Lu Fengmian was right; for a time, the two sides were sharply divided.
Looking at He Shiâanâs stubborn gaze, Lu Fengmian found it both amusing and somewhat moving.
He knew that if he did not explain things clearly today, this younger brother, honest to a fault, would definitely refuse to accept the number one position.
âJunior Brother He, do you know why we cultivate?â
He Shiâan froze for a moment, then subconsciously replied, âTo pursue longevity, to verify the Dao, to strengthen oneself.â
Lu Fengmian nodded. âPursuing longevity, verifying the Dao, and strengthening oneâs own power are the duties of cultivators, and there is nothing wrong with them. But since we are nurtured by the sect and enjoy peace, we should not focus only on ourselves.â
His gaze swept across all the disciples below the stage, and his voice was clear and forceful: âCultivation is also for the sake of protecting others.â
ââThe seat of number oneâ carries a heavy responsibility. The sect hopes that the first-ranked disciple can become an example and leader to companions; step forward when the sect is in danger; and even, like the ancient sages, hold the world in oneâs heartâopen a road for the common people, pass on the lost legacy of the sages before us, and bring peace to generation after generation!â
âThis is the true weight of the word ânumber oneâ!â
Lu Fengmianâs tone was not impassioned, but every sentence struck deeply into the hearts of everyone present.
A thoughtful and enlightened look appeared in the eyes of many disciples.
He looked at He Shiâan. âJunior Brother He is exceptionally gifted and firm of heart. You will become a pillar of the sect in the future. This first-place position is not an empty title, but an expectation and encouragement. I hope you can use it to spur yourself on and become, at an early date, a pillar who protects the disciples and brings honor to the sect!â
He Shiâan listened in a daze, feeling as though a warm current had surged up in his chest.
Senior Brotherâs words seemed to open a door for him that he had never before considered.
So cultivation was not only for making oneself stronger, but could also be for protecting others.
He recalled how, when he was young, his master had brought him back to Wanren Peak, where he had received careful instruction; he recalled the resources provided by the sect, and the mutual support among the disciples⊠Was all of this not something that needed protecting?
He took a deep breath, then gave Lu Fengmian another deep bow:
âSenior Brotherâs teachings are every word of them wise and precious, and they have enlightened me completely! I, He Shiâan, understand now! I accept this number one position! I will absolutely not fail Senior Brotherâs expectations, nor the sectâs cultivation of me!â
A gratified smile appeared on Lu Fengmianâs face as he stepped forward to help him up. âVery good. That you can think this way makes me very gratified.â
Thus, under Lu Fengmianâs sincere persuasion, the sudden âmodesty dispute over the top rankâ was perfectly resolved.
Everyone below the stage watched the scene of the two senior and junior brothers yielding to one another and ultimately reaching a consensus. They clicked their tongues in wonder, and their admiration for Lu Fengmian deepened by another layer.
Not only was his cultivation high and his conduct upright, but he could also move others with virtue and patiently guide misguided disciples to awaken.
Who could fail to be convinced by such a Senior Brother?
âNow,â Lu Fengmian loudly announced, âwe will distribute the rewards for this small competition according to the rankings!â
The lecture hall disciples filed out in order, distributing the prepared spirit stones, pills, magical treasures, and passes to the Scripture Pavilion and Enlightenment Cliff one by one to the victorious disciples.
The setting sun had fully sunk behind the distant mountains, and the afterglow dyed the entire martial arena gold and crimson.
After the rewards had been distributed, the disciples gradually dispersed with excitement, envy, or high spirits, and the martial arena, noisy for an entire day, finally returned to calm.
Lu Fengmian stood at the edge of the empty stage, the evening wind stirring his moon-white robes.
He let out a long breath, and his taut nerves finally relaxed a little.
ăTask âSmall Competition Proceeded Smoothlyâ completedă
ăOverall evaluation: Excellent. Outstanding performance during the competition, and the image of the senior brother was maintained.ă
ăRewards issued: cultivation advanced to Golden Core Second Stage, obtained the âAffinity with All Spiritsâ aura.ă
A pure and vast spiritual energy poured from the void realm into his body, flowing endlessly along his meridians before finally merging into the perfectly round Golden Core in his dantian.
Lu Fengmian felt the growth of power within his body and was extremely satisfied.
From nothing to Golden Core Second Stage in three yearsâsuch a speed would be enough to scare any so-called âgeniusâ to death.
Of course, the cultivation infusions from the system task rewards had also played a huge role.
Next, his attention was drawn to the second reward.
ââAffinity with All Spiritsâ aura? System, what exactly is this for?â he asked in his heart.
ăâAffinity with All Spiritsâ aura: passive effect. Greatly increases the hostâs natural affinity with all living beings, making living beings more likely to feel favor, trust, and closeness toward the host.ă
ăNote: the strength of the effect is related to the targetâs perceptive ability, power, and racial characteristics.ă
Lu Fengmian: ââŠâŠâ
An image instantly flashed through his mind: he walked along the sectâs mountain path, fluffy spirit rabbits trailing behind him, green-feathered sparrows circling overhead and chirping, plump little spirit fox cubs rubbing against his feet⊠no matter where he went, he would be surrounded by spirit beasts, just as a hundred birds flocked to a phoenix.
Why did this scene give such a strong sense of dĂ©jĂ vu, as though it had returned to the story of ăSnow White and the Little Animalsă? And it was even a version modified for immortal cultivation?
A chill ran through Lu Fengmian, and the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
He was supposed to maintain his noble, upright, and dependable Senior Brother image!
If he had a whole crowd of fluffy little creatures following him around all day, what kind of feeling would that be? The atmosphere would instantly shift from immortal aura to adorable style!
âSystem, can this aura be turned off?â he asked with a trace of hope. âI mean, I donât want to be watched or even followed by a group of spirit beasts every time I go out. Maintaining my image is very important.â
ăYes.ă
The systemâs reply was concise and clear.
ăâAffinity with All Spiritsâ is an adjustable passive aura; the host can actively turn it on or off through thought.ă
Lu Fengmian let out a long sigh of relief.
As long as it could be turned off, that was fine.
He would normally keep this function turned off; if he needed to deal with a troublesome spirit beast lord, or entered dangerous demon beast territory, he could temporarily turn it on to gain some goodwill.
Thinking of it that way, this seemed fairly practical.
ăDing. Approval for core member change has been detected.ă
ăApproval obtained from Wanren Peak direct disciple He Shiâan (core member)ă
ăCurrent progress: 17%. Currently approved units: 37.ă
This was good news.
He Shiâanâs nature was not bad; he was simply young and hot-blooded. If he could learn from this experience and settle down, his future would be very bright.
For Lu Fengmian, gaining the acknowledgment of such a potential disciple was far more meaningful than merely defeating him.
In the distance, the outline of Luo Xia Peak appeared peaceful and tranquil in the dusk.
A busy and fulfilling day was finally coming to an end.