Junior Brother Pays Respect to You: Chapter 8 - Cultivation Test
Chapter 8: Cultivation Test
Qin Zheng looked down helplessly at Qin Su, who was clutching his clothes. He slowly bent down, met the boy’s gaze, and instructed, “Boys shouldn’t be this close to other boys, understand?”
Qin Su looked at him innocently but still nodded his head.
“Then close your eyes, go over there, and pick a stone you like. Let the elder on the platform take a look at it for you.”
Obediently, Qin Su turned around, closed his eyes, and under the watchful eyes of everyone, walked toward the table in the center of the hall.
Even Qin Zheng watched him curiously.
He had never cared about such things before, but now that Qin Su held a special place in his heart, he suddenly wanted to know what had made his junior brother, who would one day become sect leader, different from the others when he first joined the sect.
With that thought, Qin Zheng suddenly felt a superior sense of witnessing history—as if he was the only one in the hall, from the master down to the mocking senior disciples, who knew what the future held.
That sense of superiority made him squint slightly as he generously admired Qin Su.
As expected of the future sect leader—Qin Su could walk confidently to the table even with his eyes closed, and he stopped just before bumping into it.
Qin Su stood in front of the table, reached out to feel the stones on it, hesitated for a moment, then finally dug out a smaller stone from among the pile.
Since Qin Su was still very young, the elder himself stepped down from the platform, reached across the table, and took the stone from his hand.
After examining the stone carefully, the elder announced, “Qin Su has just entered the sect and currently has no cultivation.”
Although the disciples had high hopes for Qin Su, who had been accepted as the sect master’s disciple, the result didn’t surprise them. It was normal for a newcomer to have no cultivation yet.
In contrast, Qin Zheng looked visibly disappointed. He had thought that his junior brother, who would one day become the sect leader, must have something extraordinary about him. But it turned out that his success might just be due to talent and hard work.
At that moment, the sect master, who had been sitting silently all along, suddenly showed interest in the stone Qin Su had chosen.
“Give me that stone.”
As soon as he spoke, the stone flew from the elder’s hand into the sect master’s.
While examining the stone, the sect master said calmly, “Carry on.”
Qin Zheng glanced at the sect master, who had completely forgotten about him and was now focused on the stone. Left with no choice, he returned to his place.
The sect master had just said that as long as someone with a lower cultivation than him appeared, he wouldn’t have to stand.
A sect master should keep his word, right?
However, before Qin Zheng's rear even touched the cushion, the sect master’s cool voice rang out:
“How accomplished do you feel, comparing yourself—my senior disciple of eleven years—to a junior brother who just joined the sect today?”
The words made Qin Zheng feel like he was sitting on pins and needles. In the end, he stood back up and returned to his punishment spot.
Since the master had spoken, even with a thick skin, Qin Zheng couldn’t make things difficult for him. Otherwise, he’d suffer after the lesson.
The following tests of the other less-important newcomers held no interest for Qin Zheng.
When he finally snapped out of his daze, the testing was over. The people in the hall wore various expressions—some excited, some proud, and some disappointed.
The sect master had already stood up, preparing to leave with the elder.
This time, he didn’t forget about Qin Zheng. As he walked down the steps, he gave him a cold glance and ordered: “Go to the ice cave and meditate for two hours.”
With that, he walked off with the elder, completely ignoring the troubled expression on his rebellious disciple’s face.
***
As Qing Yuan walked out of the hall, he suddenly asked seriously, “Senior brother, do you really believe that Qin Su has no cultivation at all?”
Chi Yan looked at his junior brother in confusion. “His steps didn’t seem like someone without cultivation, but the stone he picked had no spiritual energy whatsoever.”
“You really believe that?”
While playing with the stone Qin Su had chosen, Qing Yuan explained, “This stone, which has no spiritual energy, was one I accidentally added to the pile. In theory, someone without any cultivation wouldn’t be able to choose any stone at all—so putting this one there was pointless.”
“But my little disciple picked this very one from all the stones.”
“That means he might be able to perceive all the stones.”
Chi Yan looked at the sect master in surprise. “Then why did he pick this one?”
Qing Yuan casually tossed the stone aside and smiled. “Because among all the stones filled with spiritual energy, this one was the most unique. Qin Su is just a child, so naturally, he picked the most special one.”
Then, looking pleased with himself, he added, “Looks like I may have picked up another treasure.”
Chi Yan glanced at the sect master and asked, “Should we arrange special training for him?”
Qing Yuan shook his head. “Qin Su is still young and just joined the sect. Let him spend more time interacting with his fellow disciples.”
Qing Yuan shook his head. “Qin Su is still young and just joined the sect. Let him spend more time interacting with his fellow disciples.”
***
Qin Zheng obediently stayed in the ice cave for two hours, earnestly reflecting on his attitude. He decided that from now on, he absolutely must not throw tantrums at his senior brother, should always yield to him, and do his best to meet his various needs.
By the time he came out, it was already dark outside. Qin Zheng didn’t want to deal with anything else and headed straight for his room.
His cultivation was too low, and the ice cave was simply too cold for him.
As he reached his door, he instinctively glanced at the door of Qin Su’s room next to his.
Before heading to the ice cave, he had entrusted Qin Su to Qin Shuang’s care. He must be asleep by now, right?
As he opened his own door, Qin Zheng unconsciously moved more quietly, afraid of waking the child next door.
However, just as his door was only halfway open, he suddenly heard a loud door-opening sound from the room next to his.
Startled, Qin Zheng turned and saw that Qin Su’s door was already open, and the boy was standing at the doorway, looking at him.
That speed—if not for today’s test—Qin Zheng would have thought Qin Su had high cultivation, enough to sense his presence.
Embarrassed, Qin Zheng smiled and said, “Did I wake you, little brother? Go back to sleep. I’m going to bed too.” With that, he walked into his room.
As he relaxed and lay on the bed, he turned his head—only to find that Qin Su had followed him in.
While pulling the blanket tightly around himself to get warm, he asked curiously, “What is it?”
Qin Su stared straight at him and said softly, “I want to sleep with you. I can’t sleep alone.”
His words startled Qin Zheng, and he instinctively tightened the blanket around himself—but he didn’t say anything.
After all, he had just spent time in the ice cave reflecting on this very issue.
But in his heart, he was silently grumbling: I just told him not to be too close with other boys, and he nodded so quickly—clearly forgot that in no time! He slept just fine last night. Why suddenly can’t he sleep tonight? Who’s he trying to fool?
Still, if he rejected him, Qin Su might think he was difficult to get along with.
And his goal wasn’t achieved yet.
Qin Zheng looked at his bed, hesitated for a long time, and finally gave in and moved inward to make space.
“Alright, get up here.”
Seeing his senior brother agree, Qin Su’s eyes lit up, and he happily climbed onto the bed. Then he lay down quietly beside him.
Suddenly, a blanket was thrown over him, and Qin Su found himself wrapped up tightly in it by his senior brother.
Qin Zheng looked at the bundled-up little boy on the bed and couldn’t help but admire his own cleverness.
But outwardly, he said righteously, “It’s for your own good.”
“Kids are weaker, so this way, you’re less likely to get sick.”
----------
If you like my translation, please support me by buying me a coffee:
0 comments: