Xue Yang, the good child and even better cultivator

When Xue Yang turns fifteen, his golden core is fully formed and just below the level of Xiao Xingchen, who has been cultivating for more years than he remembers, which is rare because only young master and second master Lan are that developed, and they have constant and disciplined lessons. "Daozhang, what do I do now? I've got a strong golden core, but I want to be even better than this.", his disciple says. Xiao Xingchen takes a deep breath and pats the floor cushion next to him, "Did you ever hear about a legendary immortal living in the mountains, a place that even her students don't completely know the location of? They call her Baoshan Sanren, and I am a disciple of hers, that left the mountain to help the people exorcise evil and live peacefully.", he explains softly.

Xue Yang's eyes widen in amazement, he had heard tales of the mysterious cultivation sect in the mountains but never thought that his Daozhang was one of the cultivators, Daozhang looked so ordinary in white and black daoist robes, and his sword Shanghua was simply beautiful. No wonder he was a student of the heavenly master Baoshan Sanren! He sees Daozhang Xingchen's face fall, and Xue Yang is worried that he has offended him by not replying soon enough, but Xiao Xingchen smiles sadly, and takes the child's left hand gently, as if it was made of glass.

"A-Yang, my master might be able to give back your little finger and restore the complete sensation in your left hand, with immortal techniques, that have no negative effect on your current level of cultivation. I will continue to order the gloves and you can have as many pairs as you need, but I would feel bad if I didn't give you the chance to get a new pinky finger.", he explains slowly. He wants to let Xue Yang make his own decision on what happens about his absent pinky, because he knows he chose to let himself remain blind and vunerable, when he could have got more eyes, but he chose to become great without having eyes. For all he knows the young Xue Yang might decide to keep the gloves for now, and work his confidence up to leaving them off when he becomes great enough that no one notices, also, a lack of choices about his future is what screwed him up as an adult.

Xue Yang goes to think about what his Daozhang offers, and going to any other sect sounds scary, as silly as that sounds when he is a strong young masters, because he vaguely remembers why he is an orphan who was on the streets, it was because of another sect killing his parents. He doesn't remember what sect it was, but he sees the men in black murdering his parents and their friends some nights now, and doesn't want to risk going there because he does not think he could resist taking revenge now he has power. Xiao Xingchen listens with a neutral expression and pours the boy another cup of tea, "Xue Yang, my master hasn't got involved in mortal politics since the sect was established before you were born, so that's not going to be a problem. However it seems you have other reasons you don't tell me for not being happy to go away. Do you worry about people moving on from you in their life?", he asks gently. Xue Yang nods shyly, and that's what Xingchen wants him to stop doing, bottling up his harmful feelings till they bubble into revenge he took out on the innocent as well as the guilty.

"I'm afraid Daozhang will stop seeing me as I am now, the orphan with no pinky finger, with good cultivation yet he still wants affection. I would like a new pinky but with Daozhang, please?", he pleads, palms together and beautiful eyes widened adorably. Xiao Xingchen agrees instantly, and ruffles his hair, which makes Xue Yang whine a little, but with a smile on his face at last.