Chapter 37: Five Disciples
Wu Qianyu hugged Chen Wentian's arm tightly as she watched the pitiful scene. Multitudes of emotions were sweeping her mind as she watched the abandoned women cry in the snow. She thought back to similarities with her life. She had lost everyone she held dear and now they had also lost their home and their life as they knew it. Yet it was also fundamentally different. She fought against impossible odds and wanted to die but had found a new reason to live and a shining light. Their shining light, their master, cast them aside like useless garbage. Perhaps their pain is even greater, she thought.
"Master," Wu Qianyu whispered, "Why did elder immortal throw them away so quickly?"
"Hmm... immortals like her have lived almost two lifetimes. They have thousands of disciples. She would only care about her most talented disciples, they would be around the peak level of Spirit Initiate. To a person like her who has almost no chance of stepping into the next realm of immortality, the most important thing is to find a disciple who can ascend to the immortal realm and take her place. Sadly, these women are merely average within her sect..."
Chen Wentian wasn't sure what to do in this situation. When he saved Wu Qianyu, it was less awkward since she was alone and had no where else to go. He didn't think twice about making her his disciple. He also wanted ask these women to join him but didn't know if it would work out. Would the old hag try to kill him again for taking them in? Would they even want to join, since apparently he destroyed their lives? If he offered, they would find it difficult to refuse simply due to his status as an immortal. He didn't want them to harbor any lingering resentment.
He finally thought of a good idea and he whispered his entire plan in Wu Qianyu's ear.
He then walked over to the women and bowed to them. "Respected ladies... I, Immortal Blue Dragon Chen Wentian, sincerely apologize for my actions that harmed you. I want to give you a suitable compensation to show my earnest remorse for what has happened to you. However, I don't have that right now and I will take one day to prepare. I will leave my disciple Wu Qianyu here to take care of you in the meantime. Farewell, I shall see you again very soon!"
He then flew off into the sky and disappeared from view.
The plan was for Wu Qianyu to soften these women up to the idea of joining his sect to the point that they would bring it up themselves. If it worked, they would join his sect of their own volition and he would naturally shower them with treasures. If it didn't work, he still had to pay them compensation!
---
Li Yuechan and the others were so shocked at hearing Chen Wentian's apology that they couldn't react before he flew off. An immortal apologizing so sincerely? His voice was so gentle and considerate. There are immortals like him?Wu Qianyu took the opportunity to help them up from the snow and dusted off their dresses. Wu Qianyu's first sect was very friendly and loving and her master was also very caring. It naturally translated into her actions. The five women felt their hearts stir at the actions of this master and disciple pair.
"Elder sister Qianyu, what kind of a person is your master?" Song Wushuang asked.
"Umm... Master, he is very young. I think he said he is twenty five."
"Wow! That's amazing!" The twins Su Xue and Su Yue exclaimed at the same time.
"He's kind, caring, thoughtful" Wu Qianyu smiled as she recalled their one-on-one training, "He also is very diligent in guiding me in training."
At this, Li Yuechan stared incredulously at her, "He guides you in training? Personally?"
"Yes, I forgot to mention, currently Master only has three disciples!" Wu Qianyu said, "He's also very generous. In addition to my sword, he also gave me this treasure."
Wu Qianyu withdrew Tortoise Can Fly and opened the door. "Come in, its a flying carriage, l'll take you out of the mountains."
The women could help but ogle the strange looking contraption before getting inside. They were amazed at the flying speed and the smoothness of acceleration. Wu Qianyu continued along Chen Wentian's plan as she mentioned her two senior sisters had equally valuable treasures as well.
Wu Qianyu flew them to a large nearby city. She accompanied them to dine and go shopping and absolutely insisted on paying for everything. After dinner, in their shared room at the inn, she finally brought up her own circ.u.mstances for meeting her master. Chen Wentian gave her the rundown of the problem with netherworld yin energy and his cure which she also explained to the women.
"... So you're telling us, that he had s.e.x with you, as well?" Xu Lanyi seemed like the hotheaded type, "Is he some kind of a pervert? Did he do this to us on purpose?"
Song Wushuang was more calm, "Lanlan, didn't you hear elder sister Qianyu? The demon aphrodisiac would have destroyed her mind. It wasn't on purpose. It was also our fault for provoking the ice fiend. Sir Chen did what he could to save us."
The twins nodded their head in agreement. They all looked at Li Yuechan for her opinion as she was their senior sister. Li Yuechan finally let out a sigh of melancholy, "Indeed, I cannot blame Sir Chen. Many of our sisters have also fallen or even died seeking the Dao."
"Senior sister is correct," Song Wushuang agreed, "We may have lost our purity, but we are still alive. We may have lost our sect's divine art, but we still have our cultivation!"
Wu Qianyu was happy to see them getting spirited again and felt it was time to stoke their emotions. She laid out her final card. "Sisters, please don't take offence at what I am about to say..."
When she had their attention, she continued, "I think there is a very straightforward solution... Your master abandoned you, and you feel like you no longer have a path. However, fate has brought you Li Yuechan, Xu Lanyi, Song Wushuang, Su Xue, Su Yue, myself, and my master together. So why not walk along a new path. My master is a wonderful person, he will treat you with well. Why don't you all join my sect?"
"..."
"What?" "Impossible!" "He won't accept us!" "What about Master?"
The women each had different reactions and they started to discuss the idea in earnest. Wu Qianyu smiled gently as she injected her own thoughts periodically. The discussions continued until the late into the night...
---
"Master! Welcome back!" Wu Qianyu happily greeted Chen Wentian when he finally returned the next day.
Chen Wentian was nervous but seeing her smile, he felt everything probably went well. He patted her shoulder and gave her a smile before looking at the five beautiful women. He saw they had ditched their sect robes and wore pretty colored dresses that accentuated each woman's natural assets, giving them a vivacious aura. Even their hair seemed a bit different, more playful and adorned with jewels.
As he walked over, they knelt and bowed.
Li Yuechan raised her head and spoke, "Sir Chen, I speak for us five women and we sincerely thank sir immortal for saving our lives. By heaven and earth, we swear we will be forever grateful... Through a cruel twist of fate, we now have no home and no family. Mere flowers blowing aimlessly in the wind. With your grace, we would like to join your sect. We will forever be filled with gratitude and joy. Please, will you let us?"
"Please!" "Please sir immortal!" The other women also pleaded.
Success! Chen Wentian was elated, "Agreed! Li Yuechan, Song Wushuang, Xu Lanyi, Su Xue, Su Yue! I, Immortal Blue Dragon Chen Wentian, will take you all as my disciples. Do you accept?"
"Disciple accepts!" They said in unison.