C19 Teacher Who Was Not Feeling Well

"This is what I need to discuss with you next—I want you to accept me as your disciple."

Ye Tian spoke with a lowered voice, revealing his intentions and astonishing the elder, Zuo Qiu.

Considering Ye Tian's alchemy skills were on par with, if not superior to, his own, it wasn't unusual for Zuo Qiu to consider taking him on as a disciple.

Yet, with Zuo Qiu in the role of master, it seemed almost as if the roles were reversed.

"This... This is not acceptable. Every alchemist must honor their master. I cannot commit such a breach of respect!"

Zuo Qiu's body shook as he spoke, for he had already come to regard Ye Tian as somewhat of a mentor.

"There's a rationale behind my request, and it will help conceal my identity. If you refuse, I'll have to seek someone else..."

Ye Tian's cool gaze silenced Zuo Qiu, who realized that if Ye Tian joined forces with another alchemist, it would be a missed opportunity for him.

Ultimately, Zuo Qiu had no choice but to acquiesce to Ye Tian's demand—for the sake of his own advancement, he felt compelled to agree.

Upon returning to the podium, Zuo Qiu found Ye Zonglei standing there with utmost respect. Seeing Zuo Qiu, Ye Zonglei bowed even lower.

"Being here at Spirit Feather Academy today has brought me great joy. Witnessing the talent before me, I've made my decision..."

"To accept Ye Tian as my sole personal disciple. In my lifetime, I will take on no other."

Zuo Qiu's declaration, both an alchemist and a cultivator, resonated like a great bell, each word landing clearly in the ears of every student.

This announcement sent shockwaves through the crowd. They had assumed Ye Zonglei was the shoo-in, yet the prize had unexpectedly gone to Ye Tian!

Furthermore, Ye Tian was to be Zuo Qiu's only disciple, a fact that carried significant weight.

After settling Ye Tian's affairs, Zuo Qiu departed from the sacred grounds, for he had to report the day's events to Daoist Qianhe.

Ye Tian's status had shifted dramatically. Now, the students regarded him with a newfound deference, their demeanor far more courteous than before.

The students wouldn't stop bombarding Zuo Qiu with questions about his high regard for Ye Tian. Seeing this, Ye Tian had no choice but to attribute Zuo Qiu's respect to his extensive knowledge of alchemy.

Once the crowd had thinned out, Ye Tian was escorted away by a throng of people. Meanwhile, Ye Zonglei stood frozen in place, fists clenched so tightly that his eyes seemed ready to spill blood.

Ye Zonglei had spent ages preparing for this day, orchestrating countless plans, only for Ye Tian to come along and throw it all into disarray.

"Ye Tian, I swear I'll kill you, you damn rabbit!" Ye Zonglei hissed through gritted teeth, his Adam's apple bobbing furiously, his face flushed with a rage that bordered on madness.

Ye Zongsheng, who had lingered nearby, approached Ye Zonglei tentatively, as if treading on eggshells. Despite being Ye Zonglei's top lackey, he knew better than to stir his fury.

"Brother Lei, there's still a way to turn this around. Getting angry and hurting ourselves over it just isn't worth it," Ye Zongsheng murmured, trying to soothe him. But at Ye Zonglei's menacing glare, he clutched at his garment, his body quaking with fear.

The deal was done; Ye Tian was Zuo Qiu's disciple. What chance was left?

"Brother Lei, the training days are just around the corner. Once we make our move, do you think Zuo Qiu will keep a cripple as his disciple?"

Ye Zongsheng's mind was always scheming, never clean. With a sly gesture at his throat, he sparked a glimmer of hope in the brooding Ye Zonglei.

Taking Ye Zongsheng's words to heart, the possibility of turning the tables seemed within reach, and a smirk crept onto Ye Zongsheng's face.

The brothers then walked off, arm in arm, laughing and joking as they left the sacred grounds behind, along with all their prior woes...

By afternoon, all the disciples, Ye Tian included, had returned to their respective classrooms for lessons.

Though now a disciple of Zuo Qiu, Ye Tian was still bound by the rules of Spirit Feather Academy. Yet, the way his classmates in Class 3 looked at him had unmistakably changed.

At that moment, Zi Hanyue was at the podium, discussing common minor issues encountered in cultivation—a topic Ye Tian found to be more about participation than substance.

Being the Heaven Soaring Great Monarch, he could easily sidestep such issues. With ample resources at his disposal, Ye Tian was poised to be the quickest to advance.

"Hmm?" Suddenly, Ye Tian detected a faint ripple in the air.

None of his classmates seemed to notice, but Ye Tian, with his keen senses, instantly recognized the anomaly.

He looked toward Zi Hanyue and saw her complexion fluctuate between ghostly pale and blood-red—a troubling sign.

Ye Tian's brow furrowed, sensing that trouble was brewing.

"Class... Class, we'll stop here for today. Dismissed!"

Zi Hanyue was acutely aware of her discomfort, having reached her limit and unable to continue.

Her voice wavered, her legs nearly gave out, and she nearly collapsed, but she managed to prop herself up on the podium.

The students, oblivious to the underlying issue and happy for an early dismissal, didn't think twice.

"Ye... Ye Tian, could you come with me?"

With great effort, Zi Hanyue steadied herself and beckoned Ye Tian to follow her to the academy's seclusion room.

The seclusion room, a costly feature of the academy, was designed to provide students and teachers with an optimal environment for self-improvement.

The cost of using the room was ten Vast Essence Coins per hour—a significant sum, considering an ordinary family's annual expenses didn't exceed a thousand Vast Essence Coins.

"Ye Tian, how did you know something was off with me?"

Once in the seclusion room, Zi Hanyue collapsed to the floor, her body quivering.

"Before? What did I say?"

Ye Tian gazed at Zi Hanyue with a half-smile, her current state validating his earlier intuition. It was all too expected.

"Bad boy, remember when you mentioned something was off with my... menstrual cycle?"

As Zi Hanyue spoke, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but the discomfort only intensified.

"Exactly. I'm aware that you've had irregular periods for a while, and I also know you're on the verge of a critical breakthrough!"

Ye Tian's voice was resolute, yet inwardly he was concerned. If Zi Hanyue were to go home alone today, this breakthrough could turn catastrophic and cost her life.

Zi Hanyue's breath grew heavier as she absorbed Ye Tian's increasingly mysterious words, her chest heaving with a slight tremble.

"You mean... you're saying..."

Before Zi Hanyue could voice the question weighing on her mind, her complexion abruptly darkened, and she coughed up a mouthful of black blood.

"This girl!"

Ye Tian's face tensed with urgency. He quickly bent down and cradled Zi Hanyue in his arms.