Watching the Mountain

Xu Ran had always thought that prodigies should be like Senior Sister Yue or Senior Brother Ye Shan—people you could spot in a crowd at a single glance.

After all, the unique, dazzling aura that belonged only to prodigies was simply too brilliant.

All the prodigies in the world were like that. They possessed their own distinct charisma, an extraordinary quality that couldn’t be hidden even in a vast sea of people.

But he had forgotten that there was another kind of prodigy in the world, one named Chen Chang’an.

Xu Ran found it hard to imagine. This man was counted among the four great prodigies of the Profound Pure Sect, as famous as Senior Sister Yue and Zhang Zhentian. He was a supreme Sword Cultivator whose name shook the Cultivation Realm. And yet, he was so incredibly unremarkable that even when he was standing right next to Xu Ran, Xu Ran hadn’t recognized him.

It was only after the other man approached and greeted him that Xu Ran even remembered such a person existed.

He felt truly helpless inside. ’Blades are the kings of weapons, so how can a Sword Cultivator like Chen Chang’an be so plain and ordinary?’

He was the kind of ordinary that, if you put him in a crowd, not even a dog would give him a second glance.

A battle report about Zhang Zhentian had just arrived from the New Domain today, so he had come over to listen. He never expected someone to suddenly approach him and ask:

"How far do you think his sword is from Ye Shan’s?"

Xu Ran turned at the sound of the voice and was met with a completely featureless face. He froze, thinking, ’Who is this guy? He just walks up and starts talking to me about this stuff. Do I even know him?’

Then, while he was still stunned, the unremarkable young man across from him stated his name: "Chen Chang’an."

He then added, "I was following you for a while, but you just ignored me. Senior Brother Ye Shan told me about the matter I entrusted to you last time, so you don’t have to be like this. I’m not going to blame you."

Xu Ran froze at his words, a wave of terror washing over him. ’Someone followed me this whole time, and I didn’t notice at all? That’s terrifying.’

He then stared at Chen Chang’an with a sense of helplessness. ’What do you mean I ignored you? It’s because you’re so unnervingly inconspicuous!’

As for the matter the other man mentioned, he knew what it was. It was about the Sword Technique Chen Chang’an had left for him, carved on the Wooden Blade.

Back when Ye Shan saw Zhang Zhentian return from the battlefield in better condition, Xu Ran had mentioned the matter to him. He’d said that Chen Chang’an had left a Sword Technique and wished for him to appraise it.

But Ye Shan had simply waved his hand and replied, "I have no interest in other people’s techniques. You can keep that Sword Technique for self-defense, Junior Brother."

Xu Ran didn’t quite understand Ye Shan’s habit of casually giving his things to others. It was just like that time he’d won a Healing Elixir from the Sect competition and tossed it to him without a second thought.

’But this Sword Technique belongs to Chen Chang’an!’

But Ye Shan had retorted, "If it was given to me for appraisal, isn’t it mine? I’ll decide how to handle it."

Ye Shan’s attitude made him feel as though he had failed the trust Chen Chang’an had placed in him. The man had so persistently pursued Ye Shan, wanting him to see the Sword Technique he had created, only for it to end like this.

In the end, Chen Chang’an never got to show Ye Shan his blade. And with Ye Shan’s disappearance, he would never have the chance.

Even Xu Ran, a mere bystander, felt a deep sense of pity and regret. One could only imagine what Chen Chang’an himself must have felt.

Xu Ran shook his head slightly as these thoughts flashed through his mind. He quickly raised his hand, formed a Dao Seal towards Chen Chang’an, and spoke.

"Greetings, Elder Chen."

After Chen Chang’an broke through to the Golden Core Stage, he became an Elder of Guiyuan Peak. It was perfectly natural for Xu Ran to address him this way.

However, after hearing Xu Ran’s address, he shook his head and said, "No, there’s a problem with how you’re addressing me."

Xu Ran was slightly taken aback by this.

Chen Chang’an looked at him, his expression calm, and asked, "Let me ask you, how do you address Senior Brother Ye Shan?"

"Senior Brother."

"And how do you address the Evergreen Sword Saint?"

"Junior Brother."

"Then why do you call me Elder? Is it because I’m too ordinary?"

Xu Ran shuddered slightly. ’Does this guy have some kind of misunderstanding about what "ordinary" means?’

He hurriedly explained, "You’ve misunderstood. It’s the Sect’s rules. Senior Brother Ye Shan has always been a True Disciple."

The Profound Pure Sect had a rule to avoid complicated forms of address based on seniority: anyone holding a formal position was to be addressed by their title. As for the rest, disciples addressed those of a higher rank as "Senior Brother" or "Senior Sister," starting from the Servant Disciples. True Disciples were at the very top, making them the Senior Brothers and Sisters to all disciples in the Inner Sect, Outer Sect, and even the Servant Disciples.

Take Yue Qingyu, for example. As the head Senior Sister, all disciples called her "Senior Sister," regardless of whether they joined the Sect before or after her.

Chen Chang’an glanced at him and said languidly, "You’re an Elder now, too."

Xu Ran’s expression stiffened. His identity exposed, he quickly corrected himself, "Greetings, Senior Brother Chen."

"Mm." Chen Chang’an nodded, his furrowed brow relaxing into a satisfied expression.

’Prodigies really do have their quirks, getting hung up on an issue like this.’

Xu Ran mused inwardly. Recalling the man’s earlier words, he then asked, "Senior Brother, from what you said just now, does that mean you’ve already met with Senior Brother Ye Shan?"

Chen Chang’an glanced at the surrounding disciples, who were still lamenting for the Evergreen Sword Saint, and said, "Let’s talk somewhere else."