183: Chapter 183 Promotion to Elder

Peak Master Su Hanyan stood in front of the window of the Peak Masters Hall, holding Lin Tian's short letter in her hand, reading it over and over again.

The handwriting on the letter was as brief and neat as ever, making him seem like a completely different person from the youth who had clumsily asked her for guidance on the Purple Qi Diagram in the main hall two years ago. Fifth-Grade Transformation Realm. She folded the letter, placed it on the desk, turned to the messenger Disciple, and said, "Have Lin Tian return."

When Lin Tian received the message, he was patrolling on a bamboo raft at No. 7 Fish Pond. He handed the bamboo pole to the deputy captain, changed into clean robes, and rushed toward the Qixia Sect.

By the time he returned to Zixia Peak, it was already near dusk. The bronze lamps in the Peak Masters Hall had just been lit, their flames flickering gently in the dishes. Peak Master Su Hanyan stood behind the long desk. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her gaze scanning him up and down several times.

It had only been a little over half a year since she last visited the fishery to see him. Back then, he was still at the Fourth-Grade Late Stage, bargaining with her just to become a captain. Now that he stood here, his aura was completely different from half a year ago—deep, restrained, and harmonious.

"Show me your cultivation." Peak Master Su Hanyan skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point.

Lin Tian extended his right index finger, and a faint green light lit up at his fingertip. The aura around his body was no longer restrained, and the unique charm of the Transcendent Realm permeated the hall. Peak Master Su Hanyan looked at that speck of green light, looking at the air around his fingertips...

...which was rippling with slight distortions, she fell silent for a good while. On that face that was always as cold as frost, her expression changed from scrutiny to surprise, from surprise to shock, and finally froze in a state she had rarely experienced in her life—dumbfounded. He had really broken through.

In less than three years, from the Third-Grade to the Fifth-Grade Transformation Realm. Such speed—let alone on Zixia Peak—not a second person could be found in the entire Qixia Sect in nearly a century.

"How did you break through so quickly?" She withdrew her gaze, her voice still carrying the remnants of her shock.

This time, Lin Tian could no longer use the same excuse he used to fool Field Master Zhou. Peak Master Su Hanyan knew his background all too well—two years ago, she had personally taught him the Purple Qi Diagram, threw her cup after five days of teaching, and almost kicked him out of the Sect.

Later, as he went step by step from a useless nobody to a Genius, she had been there for every turning point. Pushing her forward as a shield by saying "it's all thanks to the Peak Master's cultivation" would be equivalent to slapping her in the face.

After some thought, he said, "This Disciple has already trained the Purple Qi Diagram to the Mastery Realm. The Purple Qi Diagram is the fundamental Mind-Cultivation Technique for cultivating Internal Energy. The higher the Realm of the Mind-Cultivation Technique, the faster the efficiency of refining the spiritual energy of the Treasure Fish. Coupled with the Treasure Fish distributed by the fishery every month, I was able to make a Breakthrough by chance."

Peak Master Su Hanyan's eyelid twitched. The Purple Qi Diagram, Mastery Realm. That was the Foundation of all Cultivation Techniques on Zixia Peak, and it was also universally acknowledged as one of the most difficult Mind-Cultivation Techniques to train.

For ordinary Disciples, reaching the Entry Realm was considered passing; those with good talent could reach the Proficiency Realm, the top ones could touch the Minor Achievement, and those who could train it to the Mastery Realm on Zixia Peak could be counted on one's fingers. Yet, how long had it been since Lin Tian first entered the gate?

Back then, it took her a whole month just to teach him the basics, and he only barely touched the threshold after she paid Junior Sister Zheng Xiaoyun to help. Now, he had trained this most difficult Mind-Cultivation Technique to Mastery.

A late bloomer.

These words surged in her mind once again. When Lin Tian had uttered them in the main hall back then, she had only taken them as an excuse. Looking at them now, every single word felt like a lesson tailored specifically for her.

She took a deep breath, suppressing her turbulent emotions, and her face once again showed the composure and decisiveness befitting a Peak Master.

She smiled, her expression carrying thirty percent relief, thirty percent emotion, and forty percent smugness that only she herself knew—this Genius was someone she had snatched from the other peak masters. Although she had almost misjudged and discarded him halfway through, he had ultimately remained on Zixia Peak.

"Rest assured, I will fully support you for the position of Fishery Elder. There shouldn't be any problem."

Lin Tian cupped his fists in gratitude. Peak Master Su Hanyan walked behind the long desk and took out a purple jade token from a drawer.

The front of the jade token was engraved with rosy cloud patterns, while the back was as smooth as a mirror. Channeling her Transcendent energy to her fingertips, she carved the characters "Lin Tian" on the back of the jade token. The strokes were slender and powerful, identical to her own handwriting. She handed the jade token to Lin Tian:

"Having broken through to the Transcendent Realm, logically you could already become an Elder. However, you are too young, so I won't give you the status of an Elder for now. Instead, I will first give you the status of a Personal Disciple."

"From now on, you are my Personal Disciple, with a status equal to an Elder."

Lin Tian received the jade token with both hands. It felt warm to the touch, and the two carved characters on the back were slightly recessed under his fingertips. A Personal Disciple, with a status equal to an Elder, and doubled cultivation resources.

He was just wondering how much his monthly resources would increase when a hurried sound of footsteps came from outside the hall.

Deacon Wu, the manager, quickly walked into the hall holding a heavy brocade parcel. He bowed to Peak Master Su Hanyan, then handed the parcel to Lin Tian with both hands, his smiling tone carrying a hint of deliberate closeness:

"Junior Brother Lin, this is the resource allocation for this month according to the quota of a Personal Disciple, which the Peak Master ordered long ago. Please check it and see if anything is missing."

The parcel was heavy, and even through the brocade, one could smell the unique, bitter fragrance of Medicinal Pills. Lin Tian took the parcel, voiced his thanks, put away both the parcel and the jade token, and cupped his fists to bid farewell to Peak Master Su Hanyan.

When he returned to the Yunhai Fishery, it was already the evening of the next day. Just as his feet stepped onto the gravel path in front of the bamboo building, the deacon Disciple beside Field Master Zhou poked his head out of the building and waved at him.

In the main hall of the bamboo building, green smoke curled from a bronze incense burner. Field Master Zhou sat behind the long desk, holding a document that had just been sent back from the Sect, a rare trace of a smile hanging on his aged face.

He patted the document in his hand. "The Sect's Elders Council has approved it. From this day forth, you are an Elder of the Yunhai Fishery. The deacon will clarify the handover of the Elder's salary and authority to you."

He handed the document to Lin Tian, stood up, and patted Lin Tian's shoulder. "Elder Lin, in the future, you'll need to pay more attention to the fishery's affairs."