Chapter 47: Steward Jiang!

“Wen Miss? You’re back!”

Hearing the voice outside the door, Jiang Ye perked up, immediately tucked the Poison Mastery Scripture into his robe, and went to open the door.

There stood Wen Yueyao, slender and poised at the threshold; her sweet oval face carried not only vigor but also a trace of travel-worn fatigue, her shoulder wound already tended and no longer serious.

“Yes, the matter’s settled, so I came back. I thought the old master might be waiting impatiently, so as soon as I returned to the sect, I came straight to you.”

Wen Yueyao smiled brightly.

“Thank you for your concern, Miss Wen.”

Jiang Ye smiled and bowed slightly.

“Come on, old master, I’ll take you first to Juding Peak to complete your sect enrollment.”

Wen Yueyao acted as efficiently as ever, directly leading Jiang Ye out of the guest quarters toward the inner sect.

Jiang Ye followed Wen Yueyao through a bamboo grove, and the scene before him shifted again.

No longer were there pavilions and halls—instead, six towering peaks rose from the earth, piercing the clouds.

Six peaks, six distinct atmospheres.

The one on the far left had a pale golden body that shimmered in the sunlight, as if forged entirely from metal and iron.

At its summit stood a grand hall with golden tiles and red pillars, majestic and imposing, with a faint sharpness radiating toward those who approached—it was Jincheng Peak.

The second peak, adjacent, was entirely covered in lush pines and cypresses, vibrant and teeming with life, occasionally pierced by the cry of cranes—it was Qingmu Peak.

The third was the most peculiar: half of it vanished into mist, as if veiled by some invisible force, indistinct and unclear. The stone tablet inscribed “Xuanshui Peak” at its base flickered in and out of the fog, exuding mystery and depth.

The fourth was Tianyang Peak, Wen Yueyao’s own origin—steep and jagged, with jagged rocks; fire glimmered along its mid-slope, faintly revealing several furnaces burning fiercely, and even from afar, one could feel the scorching heat radiating toward them.

The fifth had gentle terrain, carpeted with rare flowers and exotic herbs, vivid in hues and fragrant to the nose—it was Houtu Peak.

The sixth, at the center, was the most majestic and solemn.

It lacked the vivid atmosphere of the first five peaks, yet carried an inherent authority that commanded all the others.

At its summit stood an ancient, simple hall, its eaves and brackets carved and painted, half-hidden in the clouds, as if the dwelling of a celestial being.

That was Juding Peak, the Sect Master’s abode and the core of Tianqing Sect.

The six peaks stood like six silent giants, overlooking the myriad beings below.

Between them stretched iron suspension bridges, with faint mists swirling around, transforming the entire mountain range into a fairyland.

Jiang Ye stood at the edge of the bamboo grove, silent for a long while.

He had seen the bustling streets of Anxi County, the towering walls of Yunling Prefecture, but now, gazing at these six peaks piercing the clouds, the mist-wreathed scenery and dancing celestial cranes, he finally understood what true sect heritage meant.

“Old master, this way, please.”

Wen Yueyao turned and saw him stunned; she smiled faintly.

She had seen too many newcomers react this way upon first seeing the inner sect—she was no longer surprised.

The aura of those six towering peaks was enough to shake anyone’s spirit upon first sight.

Jiang Ye shook his head slightly, suppressing his awe, and stepped forward to follow.

Not long after, Wen Yueyao brought Jiang Ye to the foot of Juding Peak; along the way, they encountered many disciples.

Regardless of age, all greeted Wen Yueyao respectfully, calling her “Sister Wen.”

Wen Yueyao nodded to each in turn—neither haughty nor overly familiar, her demeanor carried the effortless poise of a true-line disciple.

This made Jiang Ye respect her even more.

Their pace was swift; in less than half a stick of incense, they reached the mid-slope.

Ahead, the terrain opened up, revealing a simple yet solemn hall standing on a broad stone terrace.

“Here we are.”

Wen Yueyao pointed.

Jiang Ye followed her gaze and saw above the hall’s entrance a dark wood plaque bearing three bold, swirling characters: “Siwu Hall.”

The characters were powerful and vigorous, flowing like dragons in motion, radiating a hard, iron-like strength.

The two entered the hall.

The interior was plain yet dignified.

Directly opposite the door stood a large dark wood desk, behind which sat a middle-aged man in a pale green robe.

He was around fifty, with a lean face and three long white whiskers; his eyes were closed, as if meditating.

“Embracing the Golden Core?!”

Jiang Ye’s pupils contracted sharply.

The aura this man unconsciously emitted far surpassed Liu Qingshi’s, with an added edge of sharpness.

Without doubt, this was a true Embracing the Golden Core cultivator.

This was the first time since joining Tianqing Sect that he had seen someone of this level in person.

Clearly, within the vast Tianqing Sect, such cultivators were pillars of strength.

The middle-aged man opened his eyes as if sensing something; upon seeing Wen Yueyao, he smiled politely and rose to his feet.

“Wen True-Line, what brings you to my Siwu Hall today? I heard you cleared out the wicked Black Fifth in Anxi County—truly, the younger generation is formidable.”

Wen Yueyao smiled faintly, stepped aside slightly to reveal Jiang Ye behind her, and said clearly:

“Senior Gongsun, you flatter me. Taking down Black Fifth wasn’t my doing alone—I owe it to this Elder Jiang’s assistance.”

“Oh?”

Gongsun Hong’s gaze fell on Jiang Ye, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

He studied the white-haired, tall, slender old man; internally, he mused that this elder’s aura was perfectly concealed—he couldn’t gauge his depth at all.

“Probably Peak Transformational Force, with some concealment technique….”

Gongsun Hong swiftly assessed, then smiled warmly and said politely:

“Elder Jiang, truly a man of great righteousness! To join hands with a Tianqing True-Line disciple to eradicate evil—what a rare fortune!”

Wen Yueyao, impatient, stepped forward and whispered a few words into his ear.

Her voice was so low Jiang Ye caught only fragments: “life-saving grace,” “assign as steward,” “guard the herb garden.”

Gongsun Hong nodded repeatedly, his smile growing warmer.

He turned to Jiang Ye and announced loudly:

“With Wen True-Line personally vouching for you, we’ll skip all the formalities—I’ll process your enrollment immediately. Age is no issue; for a man of righteousness like Elder Jiang who defends the people, Tianqing Sect welcomes you with open arms!”

Seeing this, Jiang Ye paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his aged eyes.

He had expected the disciples to respect Wen Yueyao—but he hadn’t imagined even an Embracing the Golden Core Elder would treat her so deferentially.

The status of a True-Line disciple was truly immense.

Gongsun Hong moved swiftly, unrolling a silk scroll, dipping his brush in ink, and writing rapidly.

Moments later, he stamped the document, handed it to Wen Yueyao for review, then called out to the door:

“Someone!”

A disciple stationed outside hurried in.

Gongsun Hong ordered: “Go to the storage and bring a new steward’s robe.”

The disciple bowed and left, returning shortly with a tray.

On the tray lay neatly folded a set of sky-blue robes, the fabric supple, the stitching fine, with a simple “Steward” character embroidered on the chest.

Gongsun Hong then took from a drawer a black iron token and offered it to Jiang Ye with both hands, smiling broadly: “Elder Jiang, congratulations! From this moment, you are an official Steward of Tianqing Sect! You will receive one thousand contribution points monthly.”

“Thank you, Senior Gongsun.”

Jiang Ye took the token and examined it closely.

The token was about the size of a palm, heavy in hand—slightly lighter than Wen Yueyao’s True-Line token.

The front bore the characters “Steward,” carved with strong, forceful strokes; the back bore the emblem of Tianqing Sect.

He clenched the token, and for the first time, a faint smile appeared on his aged face.

He was now an officially recognized member.