It's Not Easy to Be a Man After Travelling to the Future - Chapter 184

Chapter 184: Divine Command Sect!

Han Xuya still wanted to say something to that, when Luo Chao beside her frantically used her hand to block Han Xuya’s mouth. Han Xuya was so shocked by this that she did not even struggle, completely forgetting what she wanted to say.

Luo Chao’s action stunned all the other companions — was this still their shy little sister Luo Chao? They reflexively glanced at Ling Lan, sighing in their hearts — Ah, as expected, love can truly make one go wild …

Seeing everyone looking at her, Luo Chao realised that she had overreacted. Embarrassed, she pulled her hand away and hid behind Luo Lang. In an instant, the bashful little sister Luo Chao had returned.

Ling Lan pretended not to see everyone’s somewhat knowing gazes. Instead, still maintaining an ice-block face, she asked coldly, “How about the rest of you? Do you all think it’s impossible?”

At this moment, the few people who had been through the fires of battle on planet Demonbeast abruptly recalled that, back then, it was the 10 year old Ling Lan who had expertly handled a mecha. Ling Lan had even managed to kill off an X-series ace mecha squad of the Twilight Empire. It was without question that Boss’s mecha control skills were already at a terrifyingly advanced level. If they did not take advantage of these three years to work hard and give chase, the moment Boss’s body recovered, they would most certainly be left even further behind by Boss …

Qi Long’s initially steady heart became even more determined. Han Jijyun, Luo Lang, and Lin Zhong-qing were also on board. They silently clenched their fists, each setting their own goals within their minds — not to become an intermediate mecha warrior which Ling Lan had asked of them, but to become an advanced mecha warrior like with Qi Long. They too did not want Ling Lan and Qi Long to leave them behind.

Seeing the elder brothers all promise to complete this mission in 3 years with faces filled with determination, Luo Chao gazed at Ling Lan admiringly. This was Boss Lan. Only Boss Lan could convince all the elder brothers to promise to accomplish such a nigh impossible mission …

Without question, in Luo Chao’s budding heart, Ling Lan was definitely a perfect boy. Strong, authoritative, charismatic, and reliable. Although Ling Lan could sense the leanings of Luo Chao’s young heart, she did not know what to do about it. Thus, she could only pretend not to know anything, and hope that being apart from her for 3 years would be enough to weaken Luo Chao’s affections, until the point where they could fade away without a trace.

Just like that, Ling Lan left the Central Scout Academy, seen off by her little companions. She returned to the Ling family mansion, and continued to recuperate for a period of time. During that time, the Central Scout Academy sent over countless medicinal agents, along with some precious cultivation resources. In particular, several tubes of special-grade gene agent would be sent periodically. Combined with the gene agent that Ling Lan received from the inheritance, this allowed Ling Lan’s body to recover even faster. Her body had initially been estimated to recover in a year, but after only 8 months it was fully healed with no worry of latent problems.

After Ling Lan’s body had fully recovered, Mu Shui-qing asked her to come to the place where he had secluded himself.

The moment Ling Lan arrived, the already waiting Mu Shui-qing asked, “Do you know why I asked you to come here?”

Ling Lan shook her head, but then quickly nodded instead. With a smile, Mu Shui-qing patiently waited for her explanation.

Ling Lan said, “I shook my head because I am not very sure, but then I nodded because I know that you, teacher, will definitely tell me.”

“A child with great daring[1]!” Mu Shui-qing could not help but laugh heartily. Ever since Ling Xiao had passed away, this was the first time he was laughing so freely. Both father and son[2] were truly worthy of being nature-defying prodigies capable of upturning the heavens and earth … they would always take him off guard with pleasant surprises — being able to take them in as his disciples was truly his great luck.

Mu Shui-qing finally restrained his laughter and continued to say, “Indeed. Asking you to come here, I have some things to tell you. I am one of your father’s initiate instructors … Of course, this is just on the surface. In fact, your father is my true disciple.” True disciples and initiate disciples were two completely different concepts. For initiate disciples, he only needed to give them some pointers, but for true disciples, they were the inheritors of their sect — it could be said that, at that point, the instructor-student relationship was just like that of a father and son.

Ling Lan thought for a moment, then said, “Then how should I address you? Master’s Master?”

Mu Shui-qing did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Just call me ‘master’!” Since he would be teaching her hands-on, then Ling Lan would truly be his true disciple. What else should he call him but ‘master’? Besides, he really did not care about any seniority issues. In their sect, once you joined, only the relationship within the sect mattered.

Ling Lan rubbed her nose, rather speechless. If she called the other ‘master’, then wouldn’t she be on the same seniority level as her father Ling Xiao? Was she then supposed to call her own father ‘senior brother’? Ling Lan was somewhat conflicted.

However, Ling Lan’s spirits quickly drooped. Even if she called Mu Shui-qing ‘master’, she would have no chance to call her father ‘Senior Brother Ling Xiao’ anyway! In that case … why should she be conflicted? After thinking things through, Ling Lan did not continue to tie herself into knots. She called out, “Master!”

“Good! Good! Good! This is how my good disciple should be. Efficient in whatever you do, make sure to never be indecisive. On this point, you are better than your father,” said Mu Shui-qing happily.

Hearing this, Ling Lan thought back on the feeling Ling Xiao had given her in the legacy space. Her father had seemed pretty decisive and efficient, not at all indecisive like how Mu Shui-qing said he was … however, Ling Lan quickly cast these thoughts aside, because Mu Shui-qing had begun to speak again.

“Our sect emphasizes the basics. Everything begins from the basics, so now I will be teaching you the foundational physical skills of our sect …”

“Um … Master, I already know this,” said Ling Lan hurriedly.

Ling Lan’s words flabbergasted Mu Shui-qing. “How do you know it?”

Ling Lan smiled wryly and said, “Master, our sect is the Divine Command Sect, right?”

Mu Shui-qing leapt up in shock. “How do you know this?” The Divine Command Sect had always been passed down one-to-one — ever since Ling Xiao died, he was the only one left … could it be that there were still others of the Divine Command Sect?

An almost imperceptible smile appeared on Ling Lan’s lips. “My father told me.”

As if realising something, Mu Shui-qing said with an expression of astonishment, “Ling Xiao’s legacy space. So you received it.”

A trace of mockery appeared on Ling Lan’s lips. “It should have been mine from the beginning.” Ever since she found out about the inheritance method of the Divine Command Sect, Ling Lan knew very well that Ling Xiao’s legacy space had been specially prepared for her.

“Yes, that thing should indeed belong to you … the military was just a little greedy, that’s all,” said Mu Shui-qing, sighing. He could understand what the military did, but some things were not able to be obtained just because one wanted them … the requirements for the Divine Command Sect were too high — the requirements on spiritual power were especially stringent. If Ling Xiao had not accidentally activated his spiritual power and broken past an obstruction through sheer luck, rising up by three whole levels, even he might have had to give up on the Divine Command Sect. On this front, Ling Lan’s talent was obviously better than Ling Xiao’s, because Ling Lan’s spiritual power was innately strong.

“Since you’ve already received your father’s legacy, I won’t have to teach you the basics again.” Mu Shui-qing was in a great mood. This meant that Ling Lan would finish his studies with him much earlier than he could have imagined. At first, he had been somewhat regretful that he had sought out Ling Lan this late, causing Ling Lan to miss the most opportune timing to learn from the Divine Command Sect. This would make it much harder for Ling Lan to learn and practice the foundational physical skills, perhaps even multiply the time he needed to master them. Unexpectedly, Ling Lan had long received Ling Xiao’s legacy, and thus had not missed the best timing at all.

“Yup. In the end, right before father disappeared, he told me to find you to learn the final Divine Command technique,” Ling Lan passed on Ling Xiao’s final message.

After a startled pause, Mu Shui-qing immediately understood what Ling Xiao was aiming for. Ling Xiao had wanted him to know that an inheritor still existed for the Divine Command Sect. He had wanted to deliver Ling Lan to him personally, to try and make up for the pain and regrets he had left his master with when he had departed.

Mu Shui-qing’s eyes turned red and he jerked his head up to look at the sky. His voice was choked with tears as he said, “Ling Xiao, my son, even in death you were worrying about this old man, eh? So you’ve personally sent me hope, giving me motivation to live on …” How lucky was he to have taken in such a good disciple? It was a shame that he and Ling Xiao’s teacher-disciple relationship had been so brief, lasting only a mere 10 years’ time …

Mu Shui-qing’s words made Ling Lan realise as well why Ling Xiao had not chosen to pass on the ultimate technique of the Divine Command Sect to her. Since Ling Xiao had already completed his discipleship, he must have already mastered all the techniques in the Divine Command Sect. He had chosen not to pass it on to Ling Lan, because he had wanted her to seek out Mu Shui-qing and tell his master through her that the heir of the Divine Command Sect still lived.

Ling Xiao wanted to comfort his master in this way, but of course, there was also the intent for Ling Lan to take on his responsibilities, just like how he had tasked Ling Lan with the care of Lan Luofeng at the beginning.

Of course, Ling Xiao may also have had the thought of training up Ling Lan’s persistence, asking Ling Lan to seek out the elusive Mu Shui-qing patiently to train up her tolerance. However, he had never expected that Mu Shui-qing was just living within the Ling family mansion. Moreover, not too long ago, due to the assassination attempt on Ling Lan, Mu Shui-qing had been coaxed out of seclusion by Chamberlain Ling Qin’s pleading, and had then stayed by Ling Lan’s side to protect her. Subsequently, when Mu Shui-qing had set eyes on Ling Lan, he had been prepared to teach her already.

It had to be said that Ling Lan’s luck was truly amazing — everything had just fallen into place effortlessly.

A long while after, Mu Shui-qing finally calmed down. He looked at Ling Lan, and the affection in his eyes was apparent. Right now, in his eyes, Ling Lan was not only the only heir of the Divine Command Sect, he was also the hope his good disciple Ling Xiao had given to him. At this moment, no matter how he looked at Ling Lan, his heart was filled with joy and appreciation.

“Since you are already at the final step … then let me first assess your spiritual power. Let me see if you meet the requirements to learn the final technique.” Although Mu Shui-qing’s heart was filled with fondness for Ling Lan, he was still very strict in the passing on of the final technique. It should be known that the skills and techniques of the Divine Command Sect all depended on the strength level of an individual’s spiritual power. If Ling Lan did not meet the minimum requirements of the Divine Command technique, for Ling Lan’s sake, he would not teach it to him.

“Okay~!” Ling Lan nodded. That said, her spiritual power began to spread out. Very rapidly, it split into countless invisible spiritual threads, each roughly as thick as a finger. These threads flew towards Mu Shui-qing, but this time, Ling Lan encountered resistance. About a metre away from Mu Shui-qing, she sensed a strong shield made of spiritual power defending Mu Shui-qing on all sides.

[1] literal translation of original phrase here is ‘person small ghost big’, a.k.a. ‘big spirit in a little body’, which basically refers to a small child with great courage/mischievousness/daring.

[2] Mu still thinks Ling Lan is a boy.