Lin Ya put on a pitiful expression, "You all know my disciple Yun Jin, right? She's usually far too high-profile. And now, she's gone and startled all these great figures into showing up."
As he spoke, his face looked extremely troubled.
Everyone's expressions shifted slightly. Zhao Wuji couldn't help the flash of joy in his eyes.
They all knew Yun Jin's reputation, arrogant and ostentatious.
Would those great figures ever like such a personality?
Of course not!
Could it be that Yun Jin had offended them at some point, and now they'd come to hold her accountable?
But no, that couldn't be right.
If it were like that, then why would they have just saved Lin Ya?
Zhao Wuji was torn, half expecting, half dreading, tangled in confusion.
Lin Ya leisurely enjoyed Zhao Wuji's shifting expressions before saying innocently, "Actually, the reason they saved me earlier was because they felt a bit guilty toward me."
"Oh?"
Zhao Wuji's anticipation grew even more.
Could it be that they wanted to settle accounts with Yun Jin, but felt bad about dragging others into it, so they offered Lin Ya some compensation?
That explanation made a bit more sense.
Lin Ya kept everyone hanging, and the crowd couldn't help growing nervous.
Just as Zhao Wuji was about to grab him by the throat to make him spit it out, Lin Ya finally said, "There's no helping it. After all, they all want to snatch away my precious disciple."
Everyone: "???"
Zhao Wuji: "!!!"
Snatch away my precious disciple…
What did that even mean?!
Was he saying what they think he's saying?
All eyes focused on Lin Ya.
One Grand Elder clutched his chest, "Lin Ya! Speak properly and explain in detail."
Lin Ya blinked innocently, "It's just that one thinks Yun Jin is a once-in-a-generation sword genius, one believes her beast taming talent is unmatched, and one insists she's a rare alchemy prodigy. So they're fighting over her. Tell me, what a mess, right? And I only have this one disciple, Yun Jin. No matter which one she follows, it feels wrong."
He even sighed as he said this.
Everyone: "..."
So infuriating! Is Lin Ya begging for a beating?
The same elder pressed a hand harder to his chest, "I have heard of Yun Jin's sword talent. But…"
But that man over there who was bickering so fiercely might actually be the Sect Master of Kunlun Sword Sect!
The number one cultivator in the world!
Yun Jin's sword talent was really that extraordinary? Extraordinary enough that even the Sect Master of the foremost sword sect came in person to take her as a disciple?
Everyone suddenly thought of something and turned in unison to look at Sword Elder.
Sword Elder felt heavy pressure but spoke steadily, "That is indeed the Sect Master of Kunlun Sword Sect. And this one here is his chief disciple, Cang Li."
With just that brief introduction, everyone shifted their gaze to Cang Li.
Normally a man of few words, this time Cang Li had decided he must boost Yun Jin's reputation. He said calmly, "Yun Jin's sword talent is unique. Since my Master came in person, it is naturally with the intention of accepting her as a personal disciple. From now on, I should be calling her Little Junior Sister."
The Sect Master's personal disciple!
The crowd fell into absolute silence.
Yun Jin herself felt like she hadn't done anything, yet suddenly the Emotion Points around her were spiking wildly, so fast it even shocked her.
She had thought the people of Tianxing Sect were nearly drained dry of Emotion Points, but clearly there was much more to harvest!
Just as Cang Li finished, Shen Yanye grew dissatisfied!
"Cang Li, who said Yun Jin will definitely be your Little Junior Sister? Choosing a master isn't about whose fists are bigger. My Beast Taming Sect has deep heritage, no less than Kunlun Sword Sect. With Yun Jin's astonishing talent, if she joins us, she might even one day contract the Divine Beast sleeping in our sect! Compared to following you sword cultivators into endless killing, wouldn't that be far better? Yun Jin ought to be my Little Junior Sister!"
The crowd was struck dumb.
???
The Sect Master himself had come, that was already shocking enough!
But now Beast Taming Sect had also sent someone, who could bicker with the Sect Master without hesitation. Clearly this one also held an exalted position.
And what was that about?
Divine Beast?
Yun Jin might even contract a Divine Beast?
Wait…
Was this kind of disciple someone Tianxing Sect deserved to have?
"Hmph, pills and spirit beasts are just external aid!" Cang Li said coldly. "Only the sword is truly one's own."
"And the sword isn't an external aid? Without a sword, what are you sword cultivators?" Shen Yanye retorted instantly.
The two of them started quarreling, just like the other three had.
Everyone: "..."
Zhao Wuji barely managed to remain standing, his face ashen.
When had Yun Jin ever attracted such towering figures?
Whichever one she chose as her master, her status would instantly eclipse even his strongest backer, his father, Zhao Ling, who was in seclusion at Qingxiao Pavilion!
At that time, with just one word from Yun Jin, not only his position as Sect Leader, but even his life might not be safe!
Thinking of how Li Heng had just perished, body and soul annihilated, Zhao Wuji even felt the urge to flee immediately.
But.
Cang Li and Shen Yanye were both watching him closely.
He dared not run. He could not run!
"Wait!" One Grand Elder suddenly came to his senses. "Yun Jin's sword talent, that we can see signs of. And her beast taming talent, she did contract Gun Gun, so there's at least some foundation. But… since when did she have alchemy talent?"
After a pause, he remembered.
"Could it be that Senior Qing Yun wants to take her as a disciple because of her talent as a botanist?"
After all, a skilled botanist was immensely important for an alchemist.
Perhaps that was it?
"That's not it." Lin Ya said honestly.
"Hm?" All eyes turned to him.
Lin Ya sighed, "My disciple… I don't know how it happened, but she just decided to try alchemy. And I don't know how, but she actually succeeded. Later she thought, why not take the certification exam? In just a few days, she directly achieved second-rank. So word spread, even to Senior Qing Yun who was far away, who insisted she had talent and wanted to take her as a disciple. But honestly, she's only a second-rank alchemist. Is that really worth all this fuss?"
He sighed again.
The Grand Elders were nearly ready to beat him up. Was this man asking for a thrashing?
But they had no time to vent on him. Instead they were deeply shaken.
From Lin Ya's description, they immediately realized.
The prodigy alchemist who had caused such a stir recently was actually Yun Jin!
No wonder the style was so similar.
The same high-profile manner.
The same flamboyance.
The same incomprehensible genius!
"So then, does Yun Jin herself have a preference? Who will she choose?" one Grand Elder asked, eyes full of gossip.
Lin Ya instinctively prepared to sigh first.
But that peerlessly beautiful Grand Elder directly rapped him on the head, "Speak properly."
Lin Ya looked aggrieved, but replied obediently, "Yes, Grand Elder. It's just that I truly don't know Yun Jin's choice. After all, her thoughts are always different from ordinary people."
"How about this, let's make a wager. Let's see who Yun Jin ends up choosing!" Yue Zhao had sidled over at some point, his face filled with mischief.