Chapter 288: Dragon Soars In The Heavens

Chu Tiange received a summons from the Sect Master and went to the main peak for a discussion.

As he stepped onto the main peak, surrounded by ancient green pines and pure white snow, Chu Tiange couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia. He had visited this peak once before when the Sect Master had taken special notice of him and personally imparted some cultivation techniques. Those teachings had remained highly beneficial to him even now.

Qiu Wuji was a grandmaster he looked up to, one of the most admired figures in his heart.

Now, with his extensive knowledge and cultivation at the Divine Transformation stage, he had become a peerless genius who roamed the world. The reverence he once felt for the grandmaster had faded, and he now saw the green pines along the way as just trees, and the white snow as nothing more than snow. The sense of mystery and vastness he used to feel about everything was no longer there.

A wooden house stood at the summit, blending with the natural surroundings. Chu Tiange felt that he, too, had achieved this level now.

Gone was the awe; in its place was a sense of familiarity.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The Cloud Horizon Sect was his warmest home. Everyone in the sect had been extremely kind to him, from the seniors to the fellow disciples who stood up for him and supported him. After wandering outside for so many years, his first instinct upon returning to the Divine Continent was to return to the sect.

His home was here.

No one knew that he was a “soul transmigrator” – don’t misunderstand, it was Chu Ge’s setup that he was this way. The protagonist had transmigrated from Earth to a xianxia world, merely to enhance the reader’s sense of immersion. However, in terms of actual behavior, he was not much different from a native of this world.

There wasn’t much of a modern mindset reflected, but the greatest convenience was that he could casually use some modern terms without having to think about which words he could or couldn’t use like Chu Ge did when writing.

Yes, Xiao Yan was set up the same way.

So was Chu Tiange.

Most of the time, this setup didn’t have much practical significance in this book, but it had a small purpose – Chu Tiange had read countless novels and seen numerous protagonists being bullied in their sects, plots and schemes everywhere, lacking unity, lacking camaraderie, with everyone in the sect treating them as mere passersby.

In sects, people are just passing through, leaving the sect behind is no different from abandoning an old shoe. In contrast, the Cloud Horizon Sect appeared even warmer in comparison.

— These thoughts were clearly and explicitly written in the book.

In other words, according to the definition of the Heavenly Dao, Chu Tiange genuinely loved this sect.

In fact, he loved it very much and had not deviated from the path set by the Heavenly Dao.

He can’t deceive himself or the heavens when it comes to this sense of returning home.

Before entering the wooden house, Chu Tiange knelt on one knee and said loudly, “Disciple Chu Tiange pays respects to the Sect Master.”

“Come in, a cultivator at the Divine Transformation stage doesn’t need to kneel to others.” Qiu Wuji’s voice remained as it had always been.

“Respecting the Master as one does the heavens and the earth, the Sect Master is also my master. What’s the harm in a bow?” Chu Tiange stood up, opened the door, and entered.

Chu Ge was hiding in the inner room, and Chu Tiange could see Qiu Wuji inside, painting. The figures in the paintings had various forms, as if they were in battle…

It seemed like the figure in the painting was… Sect Master herself?

Chu Tiange didn’t look closely and lowered his eyes.

The Sect Master’s cultivation seemed even more unfathomable now. He had thought that upon his return, the most he would be missing compared to the Sect Master was a realm. But now, he felt that the gap was as vast as the ocean… It was strange, why hadn’t the Sect Master ascended yet?

Hmm… it’s not really surprising.

Ascension mostly depends on… the will of heaven.

The Sect Master, despite being powerful, remains confined.

Qiu Wuji stopped her brush and kindly looked at Chu Tiange for a moment. She smiled and said, “You’ve become sturdier, and your appearance has matured a bit.”

This feeling of the master appraising her disciple… Chu Tiange couldn’t help but feel a sense of reverence towards his teacher. He spoke softly, “We will always grow… I hope the Sect Master will remain forever young.”

In truth, Qiu Wuji couldn’t help but feel that Chu Tiange was becoming less like Chu Ge as he grew older. In his youth, he had resembled a younger Chu Ge, but now it was clear that while they shared some physical similarities, there were significant differences between them.

Well, the main difference was that Chu Ge was handsome, and this “ordinary appearance” made a big difference.

This feeling wasn’t bad either; it prevented her from feeling like Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly.

Anyway, it’s not like I gave birth to him. Hmph.

Qiu Wuji internally complained while maintaining a kind demeanor. She asked, “You’ve been missing from the sect for all these years, and you suddenly returned. Earlier, Xuan Ji reported that you went overseas?”

“Yes.” Chu Tiange respectfully reported, “As everyone knows, the journey overseas is long, and our cultivation is insufficient. Flying across the distant seas is not sustainable. Moreover, there are mirages, illusions, turbulent winds, and sea monsters. Because of this, the two shores have been separated for a long time. But when I was in a hurry, I was lucky to stumble upon a hidden island while lost at sea. I encountered a sea tribe and used it as a transit point to reach the other side. The journey took nearly half a year.”

Qiu Wuji thought to herself that I already knew about this… She nodded gently and said, “This is your destiny. For thousands of years, no one has been able to cross the endless sea, but you accidentally broke through. You are truly favored by the heavens.”

Chu Tiange remained silent for a moment. He didn’t answer, but instead, he took out a large tiger’s tooth from his ring. “This is what I found overseas. Upon investigation, I suspect it may be the White Tiger Fang that the Sect Master needs.”

Qiu Wuji took the tiger’s tooth and gently stroked it. In her heart, she thought about how Chu Ge’s writings belonged to the perspective of the modern world and had a different way of thinking from the people of this world.

From Chu Ge’s perspective, the endless sea corresponded to the Pacific Ocean, and heading east across it would lead to the American continent, corresponding to the world outside the East Sea in this world. But America was in the west, and the White Tiger represents the west, so the tiger’s tooth must be found there. According to the perspective of people in this world, it would never occur to them that the fang of the White Tiger could be found by heading east. This was a closed world with a round sky and square earth, and who would have thought that the Creator God’s concept of the world was spherical and self-contradictory?

In the original book, people wouldn’t have known about this, and no matter how long they searched in the Divine Continent, it would have been futile.

But Chu Tiange was able to figure it out. So, he got involved in a series of events, obtained the item, and brought it back, completing the requirement for Qiu Wuji’s ascension.

Chu Ge’s design was still quite interesting and fantastic.

However, now that they didn’t actually need this item, she didn’t know how to feel about it.

In the end, Qiu Wuji spoke softly, “Tiange, you’ve done well. This item is of great importance to me.”

Chu Tiange hurriedly replied, “If the Sect Master needs it, then my journey was not in vain.”

Qiu Wuji smiled faintly and said, “You’ve worked hard; what reward do you want?”

Chu Tiange smiled and said, “What the Sect Master needs is the goal of the sect. There’s no need for a reward.”

He paused for a moment and spoke with a hint of pride in his voice, “As a disciple, I have now advanced to the Divine Transformation stage. After traveling far and wide for many years, both within and outside the continent, I can be considered a prominent figure. Techniques and treasures can be found easily, so there’s no need for a reward.”

Qiu Wuji tilted her head and looked at him for a while before suddenly saying, “Now that we have the White Tiger Fang, I also need to consider the matter of ascension. After ascending, the sect will need someone to take over the helm. If I were to appoint you as the Young Master of Cloud Horizon Sect as a reward… what do you think?”

Chu Tiange was momentarily stunned but quickly shook his head. “No.”

“Oh? Why not? Cloud Horizon Sect is one of the top sects in the world, controlling the four seas, and is revered by all. Once you speak, the laws of the Nine Provinces will follow. Isn’t that the dream of every man?”

Chu Tiange replied, “The Sect Master wishes to follow the path of heaven, and I wish to sing the heavenly song of ascent. It’s not my desire to hold power. My future lies in the heavens.”

Qiu Wuji squinted her eyes and asked, “What do you mean by ‘heavens’?”

“Truth,” Chu Tiange slowly explained, “The true nature of the universe and the Dao.”

Qiu Wuji glanced at the writing on the desk, with ink marks from Chu Ge’s work, which contained the opening lines of the next volume – ‘Dragon Soars in the Heavens’.

Qiu Wuji fell silent for a moment.

Chu Tiange suddenly smiled and said, “I heard that the Sect Master has taken in a prominent disciple… Hmm, what should I call him in terms of seniority… The sect’s inheritance has its own path, and I won’t compete with him.”

“Call him Dad…” Qiu Wuji stopped herself just as she was about to say it.

She struggled to restrain herself, and after a great effort, she swallowed the words back down. She casually asked, “Have you heard the rumors about him?”

“Yes, I heard them as soon as I returned… Some say he is the incarnation of the Heavenly Dao, incredibly mysterious.”

“What do you think?”

“If it’s true… that’s a good thing,” Chu Tiange said lightly. “The future of Cloud Horizon Sect cannot be determined by ordinary people; it lies in the will of heaven.”

Qiu Wuji looked earnestly into his eyes. Chu Tiange’s eyes were clear, but they were no longer as shallow as those of a young boy.

They were calm and deep, like a bottomless pool.