Supreme Master: Cultivation Starts After Recruiting SSS-Grade Talent-Chapter 51 - Nascent Soul

Su Jie, unaware of their thoughts, gently brushed Roulan’s hair with his palm, like he used to when she was little.

"Now, now, no more tears," he said gently. "You’re not a child anymore. Don’t cry in front of your master and senior sisters, hm?"

Roulan sniffled again but nodded. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her robe and took a steady breath.

Su Jie gave her a light nudge on the back. "Go on now. Properly thank your master, and greet your senior sisters. They’re your family now, too."

Her heart still carried the ache of longing, but the fog of confusion had cleared. She turned, her eyes clearer than before, and walked over to Xie Ren. She knelt down again, lowering her head with deep respect.

"Thank you, Master,"

"It’s only natural," Xie Ren replied with a calm nod. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Su Roulan turned next to the three women standing behind him. She stepped forward, hands cupped together respectfully, and bowed deeply. "Roulan greets senior sisters."

Her voice was soft, polite with a hint of nervousness, but filled with sincerity.

Lan Yue’s eyes lit up the moment she heard her. That voice, gentle and a little unsure, sparked something warm in her chest. Her expression softened into a smile.

Without thinking, she stepped forward and pulled Roulan into a tight embrace, lifting her clean off the ground as if she weighed nothing at all.

"Eh?" Roulan’s eyes widened. Her feet dangled helplessly in the air. "S-Senior sister...?"

Lan Yue blinked, realizing too late what she’d done. A pink flush crept up her cheeks. She quickly set Roulan back down and cleared her throat, trying to recover her composure. "Ahem... Forgive me. I got carried away. I’ve always wanted to hold a younger sister."

Roulan blinked once, then let out a soft giggle.

"That’s alright," she said, her lips curving into a small, genuine smile.

Lan Yue, glad to see her smile, straightened with grace.

"I’m the first disciple, Lan Yue," she said proudly, though her tone remained kind. "But you don’t need to be so formal. Just call me Big Sister, or Sister Yue. That would make me very happy."

"Big Sister Yue," Roulan repeated quietly, testing the words.

Lan Yue beamed like sunlight through morning mist.

Then she turned her head toward the others and called out with a teasing smile, "Why are you two just standing there like statues? Come meet our new junior sister!"

At her words, Chen Yinyin stepped forward. Her expression held its usual calm, and a gentle smile played at her lips. She stopped beside Roulan, giving a small nod of approval.

"She’s Chen Yinyin, your second senior sister," Lan Yue said, placing a hand lightly on Yinyin’s shoulder.

"You can call me Big Sister, too," Chen Yinyin added. "And if anyone bullies you, I’ll be the first to deal with them."

Roulan gave another respectful bow. "Thank you, Big Sister Yinyin."

Finally, Lan Yue’s gaze shifted to the last woman, who still stood with arms crossed and a distant look in her eyes.

"That one’s your third senior sister, Mo Wushuang," Lan Yue said. "She doesn’t say much, and she might seem cold, but she’s not bad once you get to know her."

Mo Wushuang gave the faintest nod.

"You can address me however you like," she said flatly.

Roulan hesitated for a breath, then smiled and said softly, "Big sister Wushuang..."

Wushuang blinked, the smallest flicker of surprise in her gaze. She said nothing in return, but the sharpness in her eyes dulled just a little.

Lan Yue chuckled, watching the exchange. "Looks like she approves."

She turned back to Roulan and gently looped an arm around her shoulders.

"From today on, we’re sisters," she said, her voice bright and warm. "If you ever need help with training, guidance, or just someone to talk to, come to us. We’ve got your back now."

"Thank you, senior sisters, for accepting Roulan." She bowed once more.

Just as laughter and lively chatter filled the hall, everyone fussing over their newly gained junior sister, the skies outside shifted suddenly.

A heavy shadow spread across the heavens, swallowing the daylight. The air grew thick and tense.

A low rumble rolled through the mountains, shaking the peak beneath their feet. The cheerful mood inside the hall faded instantly.

Boom!

Thunder cracked overhead, sharp and fierce like a dragon’s roar breaking free from the clouds. The sound vibrated through the air, making the very walls tremble.

Su Jie’s brow furrowed deeply. He tightened his grip on the edge of the wooden railing, his spiritual senses reaching far beyond the hall’s walls.

The storm gathering wasn’t ordinary weather. It was powerful and dangerous.

"Has her breakthrough not finished yet?" he muttered, voice low but tense. His eyes sharpened as he scanned the sky. The pressure pressing down on them was heavier than any Golden Core breakthrough he had ever witnessed.

"This... this pressure is far too intense for a normal breakthrough," he said gravely, turning his gaze toward Xie Ren, hoping for an answer. "Little friend, do you know what’s happening?"

Xie Ren remained calm, standing straight with his hands folded behind his back.

"It’s a Nascent Soul tribulation," he said softly.

The words struck Su Jie like a thunderbolt.

"Nascent Soul tribulation?!" Su Jie exclaimed, eyes wide with shock. "Who is advancing to Nascent Soul? Could it be... Roulan?"

He quickly scanned the room with his spiritual sense, searching for the source of the rising power and pressure. His gaze finally settled on the figure of Lan Yue.

His eyes narrowed in surprise. Above her, the skies themselves seemed to react. The energy flowing from her was wild and fierce, surging like a storm being stirred by some unseen force. It was her advancement.

"Little friend, Nascent Soul tribulation is no light matter. Without proper preparation, your disciple’s life could be in grave danger."

Xie Ren simply nodded, his expression still calm and untroubled.

Perched quietly on Xie Ren’s shoulder, the tiny fairy peeked out from his collar. Her delicate wings twitched nervously as she fixed her wide, shining eyes on Lan Yue. Surprise and awe danced in her gaze.

"Strange," Xie Ren murmured, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "She wasn’t supposed to have a breakthrough this soon. I thought it would take at least another month."

After a moment, the fairy fluttered closer, her voice soft but clear. [It’s because of Fourth Disciple Roulan.]

Xie Ren raised an eyebrow, curiosity lighting his features. "What does Roulan have to do with it?"

[After Roulan became your fourth disciple, one of Lan Yue’s deepest desires to have a younger sister figure was fulfilled. That caused a strong resonance between her heart and her body, pushing her forward to the next realm.]

The little fairy’s voice carried a hint of wonder. [It’s a rare connection tied to the mystery of her unique constitution.]

"A breakthrough triggered by fulfilling a heartfelt wish... That’s a rare one," he mused.

Before he could add another word, a soft voice broke through the rising tension.

"Master..." Roulan’s eyes were wide and filled with worry. Her small hands clutched the front of her robe tightly. "Can you help Big Sister Yue?"

She looked up at him with a mixture of fear and hope, her voice trembling. "Will she be alright?"

Xie Ren’s gaze softened. He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It’s nothing serious," he said with a smile. "But this isn’t the place for it. The heavens don’t like too many eyes watching during a moment like this."

Su Jie, already on alert, nodded quickly. "Follow me. There’s a cliff not far from here, isolated, surrounded by strong spiritual veins. It should be suitable."

Without wasting another second, the group left.

Lan Yue’s spiritual energy surged with each passing moment. Her aura became wilder, flickering with raw power.

As they were nearing the place, Xie Ren’s gaze flickered up towards the translucent screen that had been continuously popping in front of him.

[Warning! Warning! Warning!][Heavenly Tribulation Detected!][Please evacuate the area. Seek shelter immediately!]

"Well, that’s new. The system actually wants me to run."

Above them, the clouds had swelled into a swirling sea of dark gray, pulsing with electric light. Bolts of silver lightning cracked across the sky, too sharp and fast for the eye to follow.

Suddenly, the little fairy that had been riding his shoulder darted down and slipped into the safety of his inner robe. Only her tiny head peeked out from his chest, her wings tucked in tight.

"...And what are you doing?" Xie Ren asked.

[Why do you think?] she said. [Look at that sky! What if the tribulation misfires and zaps us instead?!]

Xie Ren chuckled, his tone lazy and amused. "You’re hiding now? You’ve never flinched when asking me to take down ’heaven-blessed’ Child of destiny."

[That’s different!] she huffed, peeking up at the roiling clouds. [This is lightning from the heavens! There’s no talking your way out of that! And I’m not scared, just... wary. There’s a difference.]