87: Chapter 87 The Tragic Young Master's Nobleman 9
In a quiet and secluded valley of the Yunxiao Sect, tall trees grew lush and thick, casting dense patches of shade, while clear stream water gurgled between the scattered rocks.
On an open space not far away, there were several extremely deep sword marks. It was evident that the person who cast the technique had barely expended any Qi, yet the lingering spiritual fluctuations were still enough to leave one trembling in shock!
Lu Zhan was standing quietly beside the sword marks, his lips moving slightly as he patiently explained.
Yun Lu, Wang Ruoxin, and Xiao Chen gathered around Lu Zhan respectfully and devoutly, their faces flashing with confusion or sudden realization as they became enlightened.
Mo Yun tugged on the wide sleeve of Lu Zhan, his eager face full of anticipation and reliance, his clear eyes sparkling like stars in the night sky.
"Senior Brother, I know, but this Profound Fire Sword Technique is really hard to practice. Could you explain it to me again?"
As he spoke, he gently shook the sleeve he was holding, looking extremely adorable.
Lu Zhan smiled helplessly, his eyes filled with gentleness and a faint trace of doting. He reached out and gently patted Yun Lu on the head.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves and fell onto his face, making him look even more gentle.
Seeing this, Xiao Chen and Wang Ruoxin were filled with envy. Xiao Chen, in particular, felt bitter as he was the slowest of the three.
But they also knew that the Senior Brother was only this special towards Yun Lu, so they stepped away slightly to the side to contemplate the Senior Brother's teachings.
Lu Zhan knew in his heart that the youth was not ignorant, but simply wanted to pester him on purpose, yet he indulged him nonetheless.
"Hmm, then I will help you review the key points of the sword technique once more. Listen carefully this time."
As he spoke, he bent down slightly, reached out, and gently tapped Yun Lu on the forehead.
Mo Yun's eyes were filled with pure joy, and he leaned in closer, listening intently.
Yet, he couldn't help but think in his heart, 'Senior Brother's lips look so kissable. I wonder what it would feel like to kiss them.'
At this thought, Mo Yun's face heated up involuntarily, his ears turned bright red, and his gaze towards Lu Zhan became filled with a hint of infatuation.
Lu Zhan sensed the youth's unusual gaze, stopped his explanation, and tapped the other's forehead with a bit of force using his index finger.
"You were the one who asked me to explain it again, and now you are the one who is not paying attention. What are you thinking about? You are so entranced!"
Mo Yun couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain in his forehead; his eyes instantly welled up with a hint of grievance, and his lips pouted slightly.
"Senior Brother, you look so good, Yun Lu was just mesmerized for a moment. Senior Brother, that tap hurt so much!"
As these words fell upon his ears, a ripple of emotion stirred in his heart. Lu Zhan smiled, lowered his eyes, and gently glanced at the youth's forehead, finding, as expected, that it had already turned slightly red.
"Who told you not to pay attention? You deserve it."
Although he said this, his movements became gentle, and he softly stroked the youth's forehead.
At this moment, Xiao Chen walked over. Being the one lagging behind among the three, he inevitably felt pressure and anxiety. With a hint of hesitation in his eyes, he still spoke slowly.
"Senior Brother, I feel that my progress in cultivation has been a bit slow lately. Is there something I am not doing well enough?"
Lu Zhan's expression became serious. He furrowed his brows and looked at Xiao Chen.
"Cultivation is like sailing against the current; if you do not advance, you retreat. Every step must be taken solidly, and one must avoid being overly eager for quick success. Your nature is too impatient. Usually, you should review your own cultivation process more often, pay attention to details, grasp the essence, and strive for perfection. Eventually, you will achieve something."
Xiao Chen nodded solemnly, his eyes thoughtful. He secretly made up his mind to Cultivate even harder and not live up to the Senior Brother's teachings.
Wang Ruoxin also took the opportunity to come over and ask.
"Senior Brother, I have also encountered some difficulties in my cultivation and am always unable to have a Breakthrough."
After Lu Zhan patiently answered their questions and cleared their doubts, he spoke earnestly.
"Cultivation cannot rely solely on what I teach you. You must think and comprehend more for yourselves, and find your own Dao as soon as possible. Only when the path ahead is clear can you continuously progress."
Wang Ruoxin and Xiao Chen listened intently, their hearts filled with gratitude and respect.
They knew deeply that every piece of advice from the Senior Brother was intended to help them continue to grow on the path of cultivation.
A flash of irritation crossed Mo Yun's eyes, and he felt displeased. He did not like others taking away the Senior Brother's attention; he hoped that the Senior Brother's eyes would always only see him alone.
Lu Zhan seemed to sense the anomaly in the person beside him and raised his hand to gently stroke the youth's hair as a gesture of comfort.
Feeling the warmth on the top of his head, the displeasure in Mo Yun's heart instantly vanished.
They were just two ordinary Disciples, merely passersby in the Senior Brother's life; he was the most special existence in the Senior Brother's heart!
In the following period, under Lu Zhan's careful guidance, Wang Ruoxin and Xiao Chen's cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds. They achieved a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage, their sword techniques also improved significantly, and they finally found a path of cultivation suitable for themselves.
As for Mo Yun, he was inherently intelligent and possessed excellent talent, not inferior to Lu Zhan at all.
He had long since thoroughly understood the techniques and sword forms. The reason he pretended not to understand was simply to have a legitimate excuse to cling to his Senior Brother.
In terms of cultivation, he just slightly released the Seal within his body and immediately achieved a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage.
And the three whose cultivation had improved were also arranged to join the team exploring the new Secret Realm; this could also be considered an assessment trial for them.
...
Lin Yan had made significant progress in his cultivation during this period of secluded meditation.
He had already stepped into the Soul Transformation Early Stage for many years. After a conversation with Senior Brother Lu, he had gained even more insights, and now, breaking into the Soul Transformation Middle Stage was merely a natural progression.
With the improvement in his cultivation, he seemed to be a little closer to Senior Brother Lu. One day, he would reach the Senior Brother Lu's Realm, allowing himself to be qualified to stand side by side with him.
The secluded cultivation ended, and Lin Yan couldn't wait to share his gains with Lu Zhan.
His figure turned into a streak of light and escaped. After only a moment, he landed in front of Linhua Hall and walked into the hall with steady steps.
"Senior Brother Lu, I have come out of seclusion!"
As soon as Lin Yan saw Lu Zhan, he greeted him excitedly, his face beaming with a bright smile.
"Junior Brother Lin Yan, you must have gained quite a lot of insights during this seclusion. Your cultivation seems to have improved quite a bit again."
Lu Zhan said with a smile, his eyes carrying a hint of gentleness.
"Thanks to Senior Brother Lu's guidance, I was able to make such great progress during my seclusion."
Lin Yan said gratefully, his tone filled with sincerity and respect.
And deep in his heart, there remained a hint of unspoken love. Lin Yan felt that even just thinking about it was disrespectful and blasphemous towards his Senior Brother. Being treated this way by his Senior Brother was already enough to satisfy him.