C98 Don't You Think about It?

"Is there any advantage to calling you senior sister?" Chu Yan inquired.

"Ah, benefits?" Su Yuqing was taken aback by his directness. She was momentarily at a loss, unsure of how to respond.

"Indeed! Gaining an exceptional junior brother like me, shouldn't you offer something to show your sisterly affection?" Chu Yan spoke earnestly. "Isn't that the way of the sects? Perhaps a few million Spirit Money or a Profound Ranked Martial Technique?"

Su Yuqing couldn't help but laugh, her mirth shining like the sun. "Mobilizing several million Spirit Money is beyond my authority at the moment. As for a Profound Ranked Martial Technique, that's typically reserved for disciples who've made significant contributions to the sect. But if you're willing, junior brother, there might be a chance. Do you recall what I mentioned earlier?"

"I understand, senior sister," Chu Yan nodded. "You're suggesting that I formally join the Shattered Star Pavilion, correct?"

"That's right," Su Yuqing affirmed sincerely. "Given your connection to Senior Brother Cripple, your innate talent for Inscription, and our recommendation, joining the Shattered Star Pavilion and apprenticing under an elder won't be an issue. You could bypass the struggle for a spot in the Profound Moon Sect and directly become a disciple."

Anyone else would be swayed by Su Yuqing's offer and would readily accept.

However, Chu Yan hesitated to respond.

He recognized Su Yuqing's good intentions and knew that accepting her proposal would lead to significant benefits due to their relationship. But Inscription was not his ultimate goal.

Having ventured beyond the Southern Yuan Kingdom and glimpsed the vast expanse of the cultivator's world, Chu Yan's aspirations had expanded beyond the previous realms of Genuine Force and Pulse Condensation.

He yearned to grow stronger after avenging his past, perhaps even reaching the celestial realm his mother had once inhabited. To date, he had never heard of anyone at the Pulse Condensation Stage who could manipulate the void to store items like the echo loop or construct wondrous edifices akin to the Return to the Ruins Tower.

These signs all indicated that the Pulse Condensation Stage was not the pinnacle for cultivators.

Beyond this stage lay even greater powers and ancient, enduring lives.

These were the very things Chu Yan aspired to attain.

Yet, within the same sect, the Shattered Star Pavilion, with its emphasis on inscription techniques, paled in comparison to the Profound Moon Sect.

On one side was an easily accessible shortcut; on the other, a path fraught with uncertainties but offering the chance to ascend to loftier realms.

Chu Yan weighed his options back and forth, lost in deep contemplation.

"I'll give you some time to think it over," Su Yuqing offered, understanding that such a choice could shape one's destiny. She refrained from rushing him.

The room fell into a hush, punctuated only by their quiet breathing.

Suddenly, a cheer pierced through the wooden boards, causing Chu Yan and Su Yuqing to feel the floor tremble beneath them. They exchanged a glance, each reading the surprise in the other's eyes.

The wooden planks of this secluded room were designed to provide excellent sound insulation, allowing occupants to enjoy an optimal view of the arena below without the intrusion of noise.

But now, the roar of the crowd outside was so powerful it vibrated through the wood and set the floor quivering, a testament to the overwhelming clamor.

Driven by curiosity, Chu Yan and Su Yuqing approached the window to peer down.

In the hall's central stage stood a tall, muscular youth, triumphantly raising his bandage-wrapped arm to the crowd's cheers.

His bandages were spattered with blood, a vivid red that was startling to behold.

On the stage, his opponent lay motionless in a pool of blood, his head gruesomely caved in.

"It's him," Su Yuqing recognized, murmuring to herself, "That's his eighth win in a row, isn't it?"

"Who is he?" Chu Yan inquired, his curiosity piqued.

He took the opportunity to observe the victorious youth on the stage.

The young man appeared to be around Chu Yan's age.

Chu Yan was already quite tall among his peers, but this youth was not only half a head taller but also significantly more muscular. Standing there on the stage, he resembled a towering bear on its hind legs.

What Chu Yan found most intriguing were the young man's eyes.

The arrogance in his gaze was so intense it was as if he wanted it etched across his face, the kind that screamed trouble at first glance.

"Junior Brother, remember how I mentioned you're one of the top ten prodigies in Evergreen Town?" Su Yuqing whispered.

"Is he one too?" Chu Yan quickly surmised Su Yuqing's implication.

"Yes, he'll be among your strongest competitors in a month," Su Yuqing disclosed the youth's identity. "From the Fang family of Evergreen Town, Fang Wuxing."

With Chu Yan's status as "Junior Brother" confirmed, Su Yuqing's concern for him deepened.

"I'll have Uncle Li prepare some information on Fang Wuxing for you," Su Yuqing continued. "And for the upcoming competition in a month, Uncle Li will collect details on your opponents—their traits and advantages—and then compile it all for you."

Chu Yan looked puzzled at Su Yuqing. "Senior Sister, you wanted me to join the Shattered Star Pavilion, right? So why are you helping me prepare for the Profound Moon Sect selection tournament?"

Su Yuqing brushed her long hair gently aside and smiled warmly. "My teacher once said that if you offer advice and it's not immediately accepted, it's a subtle refusal. I understand that your heart is still set on the Profound Moon Sect."

Chu Yan fell silent, then spoke earnestly after a moment's thought. "Senior Sister, I will give your proposal serious consideration."

"I trust you will," Su Yuqing said with a smile that seemed to sparkle with sunlight. "As long as you're not yet a disciple of the Profound Moon Sect, I won't stop trying to convince you."

Her smile held a firm sincerity that took Chu Yan aback.

He felt an odd emotion stir within him and blurted out, "Senior Sister, you know, you remind me of a saying my mother insisted I remember."

"What's that?" Su Yuqing inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"My mother always said, 'What's not forgotten is bound to resonate.'" Chu Yan chuckled, "Senior Sister, if you keep on persuading me, you might just sway my decision."

"The sentiment 'If it's never forgotten, an echo is bound to follow'—" Su Yuqing savored each word, her demeanor more earnest than ever, "I'm committed to seeing this through to the end."

At that moment, Chu Yan abruptly gestured towards the arena below and inquired with a hint of bewilderment, "Senior Sister, what's happening down there?"