Zhang Yiyi was, after all, the main cause of this dispute. If the two elders kept bickering like this, she wouldn't be able to escape unscathed.

Thinking of this, she no longer had the leisure to stand aside and watch the show. "Excuse me, Elders, please stop for a moment. I have something to say."

Seeing the two continue to argue, Zhang Yiyi had no choice but to muster up her courage and interrupt.

Since the person involved had spoken up, both Qiao Chu and Jiang Heng stopped and looked over, signaling for her to continue.

"True Saint Jiang, I appreciate your kindness, but I still believe that Master Qiao is more suitable to be my teacher."

Under the overwhelming pressure of Jiang Heng's grand stage presence, Zhang Yiyi decisively rejected him once again.

She was a person who followed principles and never got overly greedy. What felt most appropriate for her was enough; there was no need to choose the most powerful master. Moreover, she found Jiang Heng's sudden offer to accept her as his disciple somewhat unusual. In comparison, Qiao Chu, with whom she'd had more interactions, seemed far more reliable. Being rejected again in public, Jiang Heng was puzzled. "Why?"

Zhang Yiyi answered straightforwardly, "Because Master Qiao was the one I originally wanted to apprentice under. I am simply following my heart, just as you advised. It has nothing to do with anything else."

Refusing to become the disciple of a grandmaster took immense courage for anyone, let alone Zhang Yiyi, who had rejected him twice in a row. This made everyone at Yunxian Sect look at her with newfound respect.

"Hahaha, that's my good disciple, the one I had my eye on! She has determination, strength, and vision!"

Qiao Chu laughed heartily, clapping Zhang Yiyi's shoulder a few times, his satisfaction and pride evident.

Today, his little disciple had truly earned him some face. With such trust and support from her, he vowed never to disappoint her in the future!

"Not so fast, Junior Brother. It's still not certain whose disciple she will be."

Just when everyone, like Qiao Chu, thought the matter was settled—and even felt somewhat regretful about Zhang Yiyi's choice—Jiang Heng calmly stepped in, smiling warmly.

"Senior Brother, what are you up to now?"

Qiao Chu's eyebrow twitched. Jiang Heng was the classic "smiling tiger"—if he was smiling like this, it meant no good would come of it.

Normally, Jiang Heng wasn't so persistent. Why was he so determined to win this disciple today, even after being rejected twice?

Jiang Heng ignored his junior brother and looked directly at Zhang Yiyi.

This time, however, he didn't speak out loud. Instead, he sent a private voice transmission, speaking "quietly" to Zhang Yiyi.

Seeing this, Qiao Chu felt even more uneasy, but he couldn't stop it. He could only watch as Zhang Yiyi's face turned pale with shock after hearing Jiang Heng's transmission. She was so stunned that she couldn't react for a long time.

"What did you say to my disciple? What could you possibly say that we can't hear, requiring a private transmission?"

Qiao Chu was getting more and more suspicious of Jiang Heng.

"Nothing much, I just gave her a little more persuasion in private."

Jiang Heng didn't think there was anything wrong with his actions. His junior brother was still too naive. If he wanted a good disciple, of course, he had to put in more effort.

"You..."

Qiao Chu was furious but ultimately held it in.

Forget it. His little disciple was loyal and principled. She could withstand any pressure or temptation. No matter what tricks Jiang Heng pulled, it would be in vain.

But clearly, this time Qiao Chu had been a bit too confident.

After a moment, Zhang Yiyi finally processed Jiang Heng's words, calmed down, and gradually regained her composure.

The power of a grandmaster was indeed unfathomable. Jiang Heng had managed to discover her two biggest secrets in an instant.

Fortunately, Jiang Heng had no ill intentions toward her.

On the contrary, as Jiang Heng had pointed out, before she grew strong enough to protect herself, only the identity of a personal disciple to a grandmaster could deter the greedy opportunists eyeing her.

He had hit her where she was most vulnerable. While she wasn't one to be swayed by wealth or power, when it came to matters of life and death, it was a different story.

Casting an apologetic glance at Qiao Chu, who was still waiting for her to call him "Master," Zhang Yiyi sighed inwardly.

It seemed that not winning first place in the competition meant she couldn't apprentice under him after all. Master Qiao, you'll have to find another disciple you like.

Qiao Chu was beginning to feel uneasy under her gaze. What was with that look? Could it be that Jiang Heng had really managed to change her mind?

"Yiyi, have you changed your mind?"

Seeing the timing was right, Jiang Heng asked with a smile.

As the saying goes, "The third time's the charm." This time, his new disciple would surely give him a satisfactory answer.

Thus, under everyone's watchful eyes, Zhang Yiyi finally changed her decision.

She took two steps forward, bowed respectfully to Jiang Heng, and said, "Disciple Zhang Yiyi greets Master!"

With that one word, "Master," her decision was clear. From then on, Zhang Yiyi was the personal disciple of Yunxian Sect's grandmaster, Jiang Heng.

Naturally, Qiao Chu became her Martial Uncle.

"Haha, good! My good disciple, there's no need to be so formal!"

Jiang Heng laughed heartily, his joy apparent. Then, using his spiritual power, he announced to the entire Yunxian Sect, "From this moment on, Zhang Yiyi of the Outer Ninth Peak is my third personal disciple and the last disciple I will ever accept!"

"Congratulations, True Saint Jiang! Congratulations!"

...

The matter of taking a disciple, with all its twists and turns, finally came to a conclusion.

No one knew what Jiang Heng had said to Zhang Yiyi in private, but whatever it was, it was enough to make her change her mind and choose him as her master.

For everyone else, though, the reasons didn't matter. What mattered was that Zhang Yiyi was truly a winner in life, destined to become the disciple of a grandmaster.

Luckily, Zhang Yiyi wasn't aware of her fellow disciples' thoughts. Otherwise, she surely wouldn't agree.

After all, her ambition was to ascend to the higher realms and break through the void. Simply being the disciple of a grandmaster was far from her ultimate goal.

As for the now-frustrated Qiao Chu, on the verge of fury, he was dragged back to the Inner First Peak by his senior brother Jiang Heng.

After all, they were brothers. Any grievances or conflicts were best resolved behind closed doors. Zhang Yiyi was also whisked away by her new master. From now on, she would reside on the Inner First Peak. Fortunately, all her belongings were stored in her storage ring, so there was no need for her to return to the Outer Ninth Peak.

In the rush, she only had time to briefly say goodbye to Pan Yuexin. She planned to visit her senior sister again after she settled in.

After Jiang Heng and the others left, Sect Leader Dongfang and the elders soon dispersed as well.

The interrupted sect competition resumed, but the excitement and attention were no longer the same.

... "Tell me, why did you insist on taking my disciple?"

Back at Jiang Heng's residence on the Inner First Peak, Qiao Chu could no longer hold back and bluntly questioned his senior brother.