### Chapter 207: Zhongyu Becomes a Disciple
The self-detonation of a puppet was so powerful it could practically shake the heavens and earth, making even the solid ground tremble like it had just seen a ghost.
Cracks spread across the ground like a spiderweb, while the previously clear sky was now suffocated under a thick, ominous bl**d mist that blocked the sunlight and wrapped everything in a tense and terrifying atmosphere.
If it weren’t for the three unfathomably powerful Transformation Gods teaming up at the last moment, who knows how far this destructive energy might have spread, turning the entire male disciples’ living area into a garbage dump of chaos and despair!
But alas, this catastrophic force was confined to a tiny zone right where the dust settled.
As the elder of the sect, the safety of the disciples takes priority, you see.
However, it was a real bummer that Yun Zhonghe had been completely swallowed up by that irresistible energy…
Lin Zhongyu and Tao Jiu’er were safe and sound—thanks to Yun Zhonghe pushing them away at a crucial moment. But seeing Yun Zhonghe engulfed by the blast, they had no intention of fleeing.
“Brother Yun… boo hoo…”
Meanwhile, Su Xiaoxiao, a little further back, was on the verge of tears.
Yet again, she was losing someone important…
First her adoptive parents, and now it seemed she finally found people who cared about her, only for fate to be a cruel trickster, snatching them away one by one!
It just didn’t make sense!
Especially recalling her last words with Yun Zhonghe, now those words felt like the sharpest dagger piercing her heart, making her chest ache as if it might split apart.
Tears streamed down her face like raindrops from a broken pearl necklace, and she could almost hear the sound of her heart shattering, yet felt utterly powerless to change anything.
It was all her fault that Yun Zhonghe got hurt; it must be! Her bad luck must have led to that dark puppet attack on him!
Such thoughts swirled in her mind like a dark curse, shaking the very foundation of her being.
Everything was her fault…
The weight of guilt threatened to crush her.
“He won’t d*e; I believe in him!”
Just then, Mu Jixue, having silently appeared behind her, gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
With tear-filled eyes, Su Xiaoxiao turned to Mu Jixue, who looked steadfast, gazing towards the bl**d-misted center of the explosion, as if to tell her that no matter what happened, she must believe in him!
That unyielding faith radiating from Mu Jixue touched Su Xiaoxiao’s heart.
As the bl**d mist dissipated, a bloody figure staggered into view, still breathing!
Master Qin’s massive awareness sensed Yun Zhonghe’s survival immediately, and without hesitation, he raised his hand. A brilliant stream of spiritual energy shot out, rescuing Yun Zhonghe from the midst of the explosion.
The girls rushed over, grabbing Yun Zhonghe and once they felt his tenacious vitality, they all sighed in relief—nervousness gave way to joy and the relief of survival.
“That was close… If I hadn’t been cautious earlier, keeping my spiritual energy intact, I might’ve actually become a crispy pancake right here,” Yun Zhonghe wheezed, remembering how he had nearly kicked the bucket.
In the nick of time, he’d conjured up four golden spiritual swords. Maybe when his life was on the line, the power buried deep within him was triggered! He’d pulled off the Infinity Sword Technique while simultaneously controlling all four swords, layering them to form unbreakable barriers.
But the puppet’s self-detonation was too fierce, smashing through his four layers of defense like they were made of toothpicks, causing his golden swords to shatter. In the end, he had to use his own Xue Yunjian to invoke the Infinity Sword Technique again, activating a defensive ring from his spatial ring to bolster his protection.
With all his tricks, he barely clung to life amid the explosive aftershocks.
At this moment, Yun Zhonghe was nearly burned out, battered and bruised, lacking the strength to stand; he could only collapse weakly into Lin Zhongyu and Tao Jiu’er’s tender embrace.
Su Xiaoxiao stumbled over, her previously neat clothes now stained with dirt and bl**d, her hair a disheveled mess sticking to her forehead, and her eyes were red and puffy, streaks of tears marking her face…
She trembled, her hands shaking, her voice choked with fear: “Brother Yun… don’t scare me. You’re okay, right?”
Exhausted and injured, Yun Zhonghe looked at Su Xiaoxiao. Despite having a heart of stone that wouldn’t easily melt for the main character, facing the teary-eyed girl in front of him had him feeling a bit soft. He managed to muster a faint smile to soothe her trembling heart.
“Little girl, I’m fine.”
Yun Zhonghe quickly gathered his scattered emotions.
Hearing his gentle voice made Su Xiaoxiao burst into tears again: “But the bl**d…”
“Don’t worry; it’s just the bl**d of the dark puppet,” Master Qin interrupted, landing next to them just in time.
He looked at Yun Zhonghe with deep concern in his eyes, almost like a father viewing his own son. Without hesitation, he pulled out a few precious high-grade Dan pills from his sleeve, each gleaming with a soft light.
One could refill Yun Zhonghe’s spiritual energy, another could strengthen his meridians, and another nurtured his spiritual root…
In short, it was a full-body overhaul, even cleaning the bloodstains off his clothes with a flick of his hand!
Now, that’s parental treatment if there ever was one!
“Thank you, Master…” Yun Zhonghe was a bit dazed. He’d known his dad had a special bond with Master Qin, but this was pushing the envelope! Wouldn’t the other disciples get jealous?
But Master Qin didn’t care; he was all about pampering Yun Zhonghe!
And he wasn’t looking for any payback—just a simple “thank you” made him break into a smile, his heart buzzing with sweetness.
“Nothing to it! To have the guts to take on dark puppets head-on at the Foundation Establishment Stage, even holding your own—that’s the spirit of a true disciple of the righteous path!” Master Qin nodded approvingly, looking at Yun Zhonghe like he was the apple of his eye.
Too bad the demonic puppet’s dark will managed to escape; otherwise, he would’ve captured it and had lots of fun tormenting it in front of Yun Zhonghe, letting it know not to mess with his precious nephew!
Master Qin buried that frustration and shifted his gaze warmly to Yun Zhonghe.
“I’ll handle this. You’re safe for now, but you should check in at the medical room just in case.”
“Your living quarters were destroyed, but I’ll make sure you get an impressive new place. No need to worry; I’ll ensure you’re satisfied.”
“Off you go.”
As the sect leader, Master Qin couldn’t treat him like a mother hen. He had to maintain a certain level of coolness in public, after all.
Yun Zhonghe bowed deeply: “Thank you, Master.”
Then Master Qin turned to the Yin-Yang Sword God standing nearby, his expression flickering: “Elder Ye, what brings you out of seclusion?”
Master Qin was very respectful towards the Yin-Yang Sword God.
“Oh, I sensed someone had reached an unusual level of sword intent, so I came to take a look,” the Yin-Yang Sword God replied, stroking his beard.
This guy seemed a bit quirky; maybe it was because of his last name, but he had an air of arrogance about him.
The Yin-Yang Sword God’s gaze skipped over Master Qin and landed on Yun Zhonghe, his eyes narrowing slightly: “Not bad. Perfect sword and man harmony! Even if it’s just a minor insight with a basic sword technique, this is rare! Hmm? I sense some sword intent… very promising! You’ll surely achieve great things in the future!”
Yun Zhonghe was taken aback.
He hadn’t even shown his sword technique before this guy, yet the Sword God saw right through him. It was no wonder he was called the Sword God!
Everyone present was equally stunned.
“Man-sword harmony?!”
Master Qin’s eyes widened in astonishment.
While he didn’t practice sword techniques, he knew a thing or two.
Regardless of if it was a basic or advanced technique, the realm of swordsmanship usually had minor and major accomplishments, and beyond that, there was the rare state of man-sword harmony. But that was no longer just sword skill; it elevated the practitioner’s entire swordsmanship philosophy!
Every sword technique can lead to that state. Even a basic one could, through extreme practice and sudden enlightenment, break the shackles of sword skills, reaching man-sword harmony; that’s the true essence of being a sword practitioner, not just someone swinging a sword around claiming to be one.
Yun Zhonghe’s Ba Huang Sword Technique advancing from a basic to an advanced level was proof of his breakthrough.
But… he was still just at Foundation Establishment!
Achieving such a level already? What sort of genius was this?!
However, the Yin-Yang Sword God shook his head: “Unfortunately, your sword path differs from mine. Besides, you’ve already grasped some sword intent; it’s best for you to keep exploring on your own. I have little to teach you.”
Seeing the subtle change in the Yin-Yang Sword God’s expression and the unguarded look in his eyes sent waves of excitement through Master Qin—Could it be that this legendary sword master, who hadn’t taken a student in centuries, actually wanted to accept Yun Zhonghe as a disciple?!
If he became the disciple of the Yin-Yang Sword God, the future would be smooth sailing, and his achievements would be limitless!
But the fact that the Sword God decided against taking him on as a student, even believing that it would hinder Yun Zhonghe’s growth, left Master Qin feeling dizzy.
What kind of monster was his nephew that even the Yin-Yang Sword God wouldn’t dare to accept him?
And on the other side, the usually silent Master Youyue was equally astonished.
Her bond with Yun Zhonghe could be traced back to the days at the Cangzhou City Lord’s Mansion. Back then, Yun Zhonghe was merely a naive Foundation Establishment cultivator, albeit with exceptional talent in swordsmanship—she had admired him for learning Qi Refinement into Sword at such a young age. However, he hadn’t yet reached a level that could impress even a sword master.
But in such a short time, his growth was so astounding it left even her speechless.
Her usually tranquil blue eyes now rippled with emotions as she looked at Yun Zhonghe, stirred by a power she couldn’t quite articulate.
Yun Zhonghe suddenly felt a chill run down his spine but dared not look, merely sensing with his mind towards Master Youyue.
Her gaze had felt a little off just now.
He felt safe around her.
Although she was the hidden main character, and they hadn’t interacted much, in the original game he, the yellow-haired guy, had never even intended to confront her, so he shouldn’t be worried about her causing any trouble for him.
But why was he feeling so anxious just then?
So, he took a short glance at the other main character, Mu Jixue, who was standing further back.
Isn’t she the main character? Why does it feel like she’s become a sidekick while this yellow-haired cannon fodder is in the spotlight?
Get it together, Aotian!
At this moment, the Yin-Yang Sword God’s gaze shifted to Lin Zhongyu: “Since that kid isn’t the one, it must be you, right?”
“Eh?!”
Being suddenly spotlighted made Lin Zhongyu quite uncomfortable, and she instinctively tightened her grip on her spiritual sword.
The Yin-Yang Sword God narrowed his eyes, studying her until a hint of a smile broke through: “Creating a sliver of opportunity amidst slaughter, blending yin and yang—though you haven’t quite reached the complete man-sword harmony, you do have your insights. Not bad, not bad! Little girl, do you wish to become my disciple?”
This threw Lin Zhongyu into utter confusion.
Yun Zhonghe’s eyes went wide as well.
Becoming a disciple of the Yin-Yang Sword God… Whoa, that’s insane! Wouldn’t that mean she’s ready to soar?!
In the original story, Lin Zhongyu hadn’t been given a plot like this. Even after joining the Xuantian Sect, she had always climbed the ranks based on her own abilities, waiting for Aotian to swoop in and save her from oppression and unfair treatment.
But now she would have a powerhouse backing her up as a master, and a legendary one at that!
“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and pay your respects to your master!” Master Qin nudged, seeing Lin Zhongyu still dazed.
Snapping out of her shock, Lin Zhongyu promptly bowed to the Yin-Yang Sword God.
“Good! A fine student!” The Yin-Yang Sword God clapped his hands in praise, waving his arms generously to present her with a significant welcome gift.
Including a mid-grade magical sword!
Lin Zhongyu was taken aback, remembering her bleak years at the Lin family filled with injustice and oppression. It had felt like being trapped in never-ending darkness. It was Yun Zhonghe, relentlessly extending his hand to her—mentally and materially— who had allowed her to see a glimmer of hope amidst despair, helping her rise in adversity like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, radiating her own light.
Now, fortunate enough to have a respected master, Lin Zhongyu no longer had to worry about training resources. It felt like she was opening a whole new chapter filled with infinite possibilities and hope.
And all of this was thanks to Yun Zhonghe.
In fact, the Yin-Yang Sword God’s interest stemmed from the guidance Yun Zhonghe had given her, helping her make significant strides in her swordsmanship.
“Congratulations, Zhongyu!” Yun Zhonghe’s smile was warm and sincere. He was truly happy for her success.
“Brother Yun… I…”
Lin Zhongyu looked at the one who had changed her fate, her eyes misting with emotion, waves of warmth washing over her heart.
She would never forget that without Yun Zhonghe, she wouldn’t be where she was today. Every achievement, every step of progress deeply bore the imprint of Yun Zhonghe. She owed him too much, far too much—a debt she could never truly repay.
This gratitude felt heavier than mountains!
Lin Zhongyu’s feelings for Yun Zhonghe had been solidified long ago.
She vowed to cultivate diligently so as not to disappoint Yun Zhonghe’s expectations. No matter how the winds and rains might change in the future, she would always be his strongest support, repaying this insurmountable kindness in her own way, ensuring Yun Zhonghe saw that every ounce of his effort was worth it.
“Fantastic, Zhongyu.”
“Thanks, Jixue!” Lin Zhongyu grinned at the heartfelt congratulations from Mu Jixue.
Watching this scene, Yun Zhonghe felt a wave of comforting relief wash over him.
A sudden attack from demonic cultivators had left them shaken, but thankfully no one was harmed! Plus, Lin Zhongyu had gained the favor of the Yin-Yang Sword God and been taken on as his disciple, meaning she would only grow stronger from here.
With the plot in full swing and the main characters facing escalating dangers, this major upgrade felt like divine intervention!
