"Humph! What kind of dumb luck is this? How can someone with three spiritual roots become the disciple of a True Saint in the Great Ascension stage? This is so unfair!"

Standing far away from Zhang Yiyi, Jiang Lishui gritted her teeth in hatred as she watched Zhang Yiyi, who at this moment seemed to be basking in the spotlight.

Although Jiang Lishui's voice wasn't loud, it was still overheard by Zhang Tongtong beside her.

Zhang Tongtong was also surprised by her cousin's fortune and felt a tinge of envy as even a Great Ascension powerhouse had extended an olive branch to her. But she knew clearly that Zhang Yiyi's luck wasn't without reason.

In terms of combat ability, Zhang Tongtong had to admit that she was no match for Zhang Yiyi at the same level. It wasn't surprising that Zhang Yiyi had caught the attention of a powerful figure.

Moreover, fortune and destiny are also part of one's strength. Fairness? Since when was life fair? For instance, those born with heavenly spiritual roots had an overwhelming advantage from the start, surpassing more than 99% of those with other spiritual roots from birth. Where could those people possibly demand fairness?

However, Zhang Tongtong wasn't going to explain any of this to Jiang Lishui. It would be a waste of time, and she wasn't charitable enough to bother. Instead, she quietly took a few steps back to widen the distance between them, ensuring that someone who had lost their way in jealousy wouldn't influence her.

Whether others were envious or not, Zhang Yiyi had no time to think about it at the moment.

For the first time, she felt what it was like to be the center of attention, but she didn't feel proud or pleased. On the contrary, it felt like she was a piece of meat being roasted over a fire. After all, she was just a lowly Qi Refining cultivator, hardly in a position to be picking and choosing between a Great Ascension Saint and Nascent Soul Patriarchs.

No matter who she chose, it would surely offend the other. What seemed like an absolute blessing to others could easily turn into a situation where she was damned either way.

Sensing her discomfort, Qiao Chu held back the words he was about to say, not wanting to push her and inadvertently help Jiang Heng's cause.

Jiang Heng, seeing his junior brother struggling to promise his only disciple to someone else, was amused. However, for the sake of his junior brother's dignity, he kept his laughter to himself.

"Yiyi, there's no need to worry about anything else. Just follow your heart and make your choice. Whoever you choose as your master, the other will be your shishu (senior uncle). No one will trouble you over this."

Seeing the young girl's hesitation, Jiang Heng kindly reassured her.

Thinking about how cute and endearing this little disciple was compared to his two boring apprentices, Wujie and Wuzhong, Jiang Heng found the idea of having her as a disciple quite appealing.

"Thank you, True Saint."

Zhang Yiyi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her voice was clear and polite, yet confident.

With Jiang Heng's explicit reassurance, she no longer had any concerns. She no longer feared that someone might come after her in the future under false pretenses.

Meanwhile, the other disciples of the Yunxian Sect couldn't help but marvel once again. They couldn't figure out what kind of luck Zhang Yiyi had. Not only did Great Ascension cultivators fight over her, but she was already being openly protected regardless of her choice. Why couldn't they be so fortunate?

When the gap between people grows so vast that no amount of effort can close it, jealousy loses its meaning. The only thing left for ordinary people is admiration and awe.

Even Sect Master Dongfang and the elders were inwardly sighing. No matter who Zhang Yiyi chose, her status from this day forth would be entirely different, and they could no longer treat her lightly.

"Enough with the thanks. Do you think we'd bully a junior like you?"

Qiao Chu wasn't about to let Jiang Heng take all the credit. After all, he was the first to spot Zhang Yiyi's potential.

Hmph, if that brat really chose his senior brother over him, he would...

After hesitating for a moment, he let it go. There really wasn't much he could do to a little girl.

"Yes!" Zhang Yiyi didn't hesitate anymore and spoke sincerely, "To be valued by two grandmasters is the greatest fortune of my life! However, I still wish to become the disciple of Grandmaster Qiao. I hope Grandmaster Jiang will forgive me."

With a calm smile and clear eyes, she made her decision decisively.

The moment those words left her mouth, everyone was taken aback.

Even Qiao Chu hadn't expected Zhang Yiyi to so easily and without hesitation give up the chance to become the disciple of a True Saint in the Great Ascension stage and choose him as her master instead.

After the initial shock, he was filled with pride. He hadn't been wrong about her. Despite her occasional silly moments, the girl was loyal and hadn't wasted his expectations.

"There's no need for any forgiveness. Yiyi, you're being too formal. From now on, don't call him Grandmaster Jiang. Since he's my senior brother, he's your shishu (Martial Uncle). Just call him that."

Qiao Chu laughed heartily, immediately adopting the role of her master.

He hadn't felt this proud in front of his senior brother in hundreds of years, and it was deeply satisfying.

Jiang Heng was also surprised that Zhang Yiyi had so decisively refused him. He hadn't expected that, in front of this little girl, a Great Ascension Saint like him had no allure.

But precisely because of this, Jiang Heng was even more pleased with Zhang Yiyi's character. It was no wonder his junior brother, with his aloof and trouble-averse nature, was so eager to take her as his disciple.

"Yiyi, are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"

Jiang Heng ignored his junior brother's smugness and teasing, still smiling warmly at Zhang Yiyi. "My junior brother's path of cultivation is too unconventional. He's not really suitable to be your master. However, he'd make an excellent sparring partner as your shishu."

"Senior brother, that's too much! How can you slander me like this just to steal my disciple?"

Qiao Chu's face turned green. His master had said he was unreliable back then, but now it was clear to him that the most unreliable one was his senior brother.

How was he unfit to be Zhang Yiyi's master?

If he wasn't suitable, how could Jiang Heng be?

They were the only two senior brothers in the sect, and they both knew each other's strengths and weaknesses.

Don't think he didn't know that Wujie and Wuzhong, Jiang Heng's two disciples, mostly cultivated on their own. Jiang Heng barely paid them any attention!

"Junior brother, you're overthinking this. I'm just stating facts, giving the girl a chance to think carefully. Don't be mad. I'll give you two jars of Spirit Spring Apricot Blossom Wine later."

"Do you think I'm that easy to appease with just two jars of wine?"

"How about four jars then?"

"Are you looking for a fight? Do you think wine can solve everything?"

...

Watching the two grandmasters of the sect bicker so casually, the disciples of the Yunxian Sect were once again left speechless and in awe.

But Zhang Yiyi had the strange feeling that the two of them were using this opportunity to show affection for each other, spreading dog food all around, making her reluctant to interrupt.