Chapter Five: Mastery Within Ten Days-Eu só aceitei discípulos por acaso, como eles se tornaram Grandes Imperadores?(Espalhadas como estrelas sobre o rio inteiro.)

The Holy Master stood cloaked in white, his body wreathed in golden light that burned like solidified flames, rendering him impossibly lofty and unreachable.

Hearing the clamor of the peak masters, a flicker of impatience crossed his narrow, elongated eyes. His thin lips parted, and his voice, laden with the weight of a thunderclap, crashed down: "Hmph, a pack of fools who do not know the height of the sky or the depth of the earth, yet you dare contend with me? As for you, Ye Xinghe, you are nothing but a nameless nobody who stumbled upon a disciple with decent aptitude by sheer luck. Do not ruin this boy's future; hand him over at once."

Ye Xinghe, draped in black robes, showed not a trace of panic in his star-bright eyes and arched brows; instead, a nonchalant smile played upon his lips.

He lifted his gaze, meeting the Holy Master’s oppressive stare with composure, and spoke languidly: "The Holy Master certainly carries himself with airs. Do you ignore the concept of first come, first served? Or perhaps you simply do not abide by such principles at all. If you have the ability, spare me the lecture and accept my challenge to a duel."

The Holy Master burst into laughter, as if he had heard the most absurd joke in the world. His laughter made the very air vibrate: "You? You wish to duel me? It is like a mayfly attempting to topple a tree! I could crush you with a flick of my wrist. Do you truly believe that because you hide within this Holy Land, protected by a stroke of fortune, you can act with impunity?"

Ye Xinghe shrugged, his fingertips idly brushing against his sleeves. With a light flick of his robe, he stepped forward, and in an instant, an invisible aura rippled out from beneath his feet: "Holy Master, empty words are meaningless. You are the lord of a domain, famed and mighty; if you dare not even accept my challenge, it will surely be a laughingstock when word gets out. Everyone covets the position of Holy Son, but this disciple is mine. If you want to take him, you must show some real skill."

The surrounding peak masters fell silent, their gazes darting between the two. Though they rarely paid much attention to Ye Xinghe, his audacity to face the Holy Master without a hint of fear left many privately astonished.

Zhao Changsheng stood behind Ye Xinghe, looking at his master with eager eyes. He hoped his master would give these blind fools a thorough beating. Calling his master a waste—what gave them the gall!

The smile vanished from the Holy Master’s face. His eyes turned cold, the golden light around him surging with growing violence, his robes snapping in the wind: "Very well. Since you are so determined to die, I shall grant your wish! But if you lose, not only does this disciple belong to me, but you shall crawl out of this Holy Land and never set foot here again for as long as you live!"

"Wait!"

Just as the Holy Master prepared to strike, Ye Xinghe raised a hand.

"The challenge I proposed is for my disciple. Ten days from now, Zhao Changsheng will be the top expert among the outer sect disciples. To whom this disciple belongs will be clear as day then, and you lot won't have to keep chirping in my ear."

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd erupted. The peak masters who had been watching in silence were stunned for a moment, before breaking into raucous laughter.

"Ha! Did I hear that right? Based on him, Ye Xinghe? A 'waste' peak master who has occupied the most desolate peak for years and can't even scrape together decent resources, yet he dares to spout such trash?"

The Master of the Divine Medicine Peak laughed until tears welled in his eyes, wiping the corners of them with a look of utter disdain. "Even if this Zhao Changsheng is a good seedling, ten days? To groom him into the top expert of the outer sect is nothing but a pipe dream!"

"Exactly, he can't even keep up a bluff for three seconds!" the Master of the Spirit Sword Peak chimed in, crossing his arms and squinting at Ye Xinghe. "The outer sect is full of hidden talents; those veteran top-tier students have all honed their skills for years. Even if Zhao Changsheng has extraordinary talent, what could he possibly achieve in a mere ten days? Ye Xinghe, oh Ye Xinghe, you’ve blown your brag so big it’s a wonder you aren’t ashamed."

Ye Xinghe seemed not to hear the biting ridicule. He simply looked at Zhao Changsheng and patted his shoulder. "Disciple, do not take these idle words to heart."

Zhao Changsheng nodded heavily, his eyes filled with resolve. "Rest assured, Master, I will give it my all!"

He finally understood why his master had told him to keep a low profile—it seemed he intended to slap these people's faces hard when the time came!

Seeing Ye Xinghe’s stubborn, impervious demeanor, the Holy Master’s anger flared. He sneered, "Fine, ten days it is. If Zhao Changsheng becomes the top of the outer sect, Ye Xinghe, you may continue as your peak master. But if you fail, you will crawl out of this Holy Land on your knees! This place has no room for a braggart like you!"

Ye Xinghe’s lips curled into an inscrutable smile: "Holy Master, you ought to worry about yourself. If you end up getting your face slapped, try not to get so angry that you damage your health."

With that, he turned and led Zhao Changsheng toward his own cold, desolate peak.

Once back, Zhao Changsheng said with some trepidation, "Master, ten days is too short. While I do not fear the challenge, there are many in the outer sect who have practiced for years and possess ruthless methods. I fear..."

Ye Xinghe raised a hand to stop him, gazing toward the rolling mountains in the distance, and spoke leisurely: "Changsheng, do you know why I dared to make such a bold claim?"

Zhao Changsheng shook his head.

Ye Xinghe smiled brightly. Because he had a system!

After rotting in this place for so many years, Ye Xinghe felt he could finally raise his head high thanks to his disciple!

After the wager began, everyone expected Ye Xinghe to race against time, pouring every secret technique he had into Zhao Changsheng to achieve a rebirth in those ten short days.

In truth, they were curious: what could such a useless peak master possibly teach?

Yet, unexpectedly, Ye Xinghe did not play by the rules at all. For the first two days, he didn't mention cultivation once, instead ordering Zhao Changsheng to perform chores like sweeping the floors, cooking, and washing clothes—tasks that were trivial and unremarkable.

Though filled with doubt, Zhao Changsheng dared not ask. Every morning, he would silently pick up a broom and sweep the courtyard until it was spotless, gathering the fallen leaves with precision. Then, he would bury himself in the kitchen, lighting fires, washing rice, and cleaning vegetables, doing his best to cook meals that suited his master's tastes amidst the rising smoke.

By the time the laundry was washed and hung to dry, the sun had already begun to set.

After two days, his hands were rubbed raw and red, and he looked quite exhausted.

When word reached the rest of the Holy Land, the mockery grew even more intense.

"Look at that! Ye Xinghe is truly at his wit's end! The ten-day limit is already tight, and he wastes two whole days making his disciple do chores meant for a servant. Has he lost his mind?"

A deacon from the Spirit Sword Peak sneered to those around him, inciting a wave of laughter.

The Master of the Divine Medicine Peak stroked his beard, shaking his head. "I thought he might have some brilliant scheme, but it seems he is merely acting like a fool! Even if Zhao Changsheng has top-tier talent, without proper cultivation techniques and honed skills, he’ll be beaten black and blue by the outer sect elites in ten days and become a laughingstock."

Yet, to the rumors and gossip outside, Ye Xinghe seemed deaf. He sat leisurely on a rocking chair in the courtyard, basking in the sun with his eyes closed to rest.

He had to think carefully about how to leave all their faces swollen when the time came!