“What a pity, with talent like yours, I’m not qualified to take you as a disciple, nor is the Great Elder. Only a genius like the Sect Leader is fit to take you as a disciple,” Zhong Moyang sighed helplessly, “The Great Elder has Zhan Lan, the Third Elder has Lu Chuyou, and even the Sect Leader, who never takes disciples, will now have one he fancies, while I, Zhong Moyang, still have no truly remarkable disciple.”
Lin Xiao’s face flushed with embarrassment, unsure how to respond.
Taking a master as a direct disciple was a matter tied to the dignity of figures like the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit Emperor and Ling Miao. If he became another’s disciple, meeting An Miao and Miao Ling later would surely lead to his demise.
As the heir of the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit Emperor, taking a Martial Emperor as a master…
Even if he claimed to be the Spirit Emperor’s heir, those two would likely not believe him.
Thus, before entering the Qianglong Sect, he needed to clarify this matter. Given the magnanimity of the Sect Leader and Elder Zhong, they likely wouldn’t make things difficult for him. Finally, Lin Xiao braced himself and said, “Elder Zhong, well, I greatly desire to become a direct disciple of a Martial Emperor, even of the Sect Leader, but I have already taken a master. For certain reasons, I cannot take another master for now, nor become a direct disciple of Elder Zhong or the Sect Leader.”
“What?” Zhong Moyang was stunned.
Lu Chuyou and Chen Long beside him were equally shocked.
A direct disciple of the Sect Leader was akin to being groomed as an heir. Countless people would fight for such an opportunity, yet Lin Xiao didn’t want to be the Sect Leader’s direct disciple?
He didn’t even want to be a direct disciple of a Martial Emperor Elder, preferring to be an ordinary disciple?
“Thank you for the kindness of Elder Zhong and the Sect Leader, but I’m very sorry, I cannot become a direct disciple,” Lin Xiao repeated awkwardly.
“I…” Zhong Moyang was choked, momentarily speechless.
As a Martial Emperor and the Second Elder of the Qianglong Sect, countless people longed to become his disciple, let alone the Sect Leader, who stood near the pinnacle of the Southeast Region.
Refusing even the Sect Leader’s direct discipleship, what would their proud Sect Leader, who never took a fancy to any disciple, think of this?
However, the Qianglong Sect was always open-minded and never forced its disciples. Since Lin Xiao was unwilling, Zhong Moyang wouldn’t insist.
“A golden scale is not meant to stay in a pond; the Southeast Region may not contain you,” Zhong Moyang sighed, “Very well, since the Sect Leader cannot take you as a direct disciple, it might temper his pride a bit.”
“Moreover, with your talent, even without being a direct disciple, the Sect Leader and we three Martial Emperor Elders will still guide you wholeheartedly.”
Hearing this, Lu Chuyou and Chen Long felt a surge of admiration. Guidance from the Sect Leader and three Martial Emperor Elders was treatment beyond compare.
“Thank you, Elder Zhong. The Qianglong Sect’s open-mindedness will be repaid by Lin Xiao in the future,” Lin Xiao said sincerely.
“We can’t exactly drive you away, can we? A genius like you, we’re reluctant to let go,” Zhong Moyang teased.
Lin Xiao gave an embarrassed smile and changed the subject, “By the way, I don’t know which Elder is Brother Chen Long’s master?”
“He’s mine…” Zhong Moyang’s face darkened.
Chen Long also showed a hint of embarrassment. His master was saying in his presence that he had no remarkable disciples, leaving him at a loss.
“…” Lin Xiao felt another wave of awkwardness. He wished he hadn’t asked.
He hadn’t expected Zhong Moyang to repeatedly say, in front of his own disciple, that he had no remarkable disciples.
That was just too… disheartening.
Fortunately, Chen Long seemed used to it.
…
After several days, the four arrived at the region where the Qianglong Sect was located.
It was a range of undulating mountains with countless peaks. In the distance, a robust ten-thousand-foot peak stood out.
This peak was striking, surrounded by a golden glow, resembling a giant golden spear piercing the earth and pointing to the heavens, grand and awe-inspiring.
According to Zhong Moyang, this peak, named Haoran Mountain, was the main peak and symbol of the Qianglong Sect.
Haoran Mountain was protected by array restrictions, unbreakable even by Martial Emperors.
As they drew closer, Lin Xiao saw that the golden glow around Haoran Mountain wasn’t from the rock itself.
Rather, it was surrounded by dense golden mist, shimmering under the sunlight, giving Haoran Mountain its radiant glow.
“That’s Haoran Righteous Qi, such dense Haoran Righteous Qi!” Lin Xiao exclaimed, no wonder Lu Chuyou and Chen Long could cultivate such powerful Haoran force; the Qianglong Sect was imbued with such rich worldly Haoran Righteous Qi.
With the blessing of this qi, cultivating Haoran force was far easier.
Lin Xiao couldn’t help but feel anticipation. With such dense Haoran Righteous Qi, if he had a technique to cultivate it, could he also develop Haoran force?
Soon, the void ship swept through the air and landed on a moderately high, flat mountaintop.
The mountaintop, as if sliced flat by a single stroke, spanned a thousand meters, perfectly level.
At that moment, hundreds of pairs of eyes stared at them, numbering two to three hundred people.
Most were youths under twenty-five, some between twenty-five and thirty, slightly more mature, with a few middle-aged and elderly individuals.
Their gazes were filled with anticipation, likely due to cultivating Haoran Righteous Qi, giving each a sense of uprightness and ease.
At the front of the crowd stood an old man in a simple robe, slightly thin, with white hair at his temples and a wrinkled face, looking much older than Zhong Moyang, likely over two hundred years old.
If Lin Xiao guessed correctly, this was undoubtedly the Great Elder of the Qianglong Sect, who must have returned earlier.
Landing on the flat mountaintop plaza, Zhong Moyang stowed the void ship, smiling at the crowd, “Great Elder, fellow disciples, we have not let you down. At this Southeast Region Youth Gathering, the Qianglong Sect achieved great results, with Lu Chuyou taking third place and Chen Long taking twelfth.”
“Moreover, today, our Qianglong Sect welcomes a new disciple, the first-place winner of the Southeast Region Youth Gathering, Lin Xiao!”
Zhong Moyang pointed at Lin Xiao with a smile.
The robed elder nodded approvingly, “To achieve such feats before the age of twenty is truly remarkable!”
However, upon hearing that Lin Xiao was the first-place winner, the crowd was filled with disbelief.
“So young, yet stronger than Senior Brother Lu, sweeping other sects’ disciples? That seems unlikely,” a white-robed youth around twenty-five spoke doubtfully.
“Exactly, the Southeast Region Youth Gathering is limited to those under twenty-five, with all sects’ geniuses gathered. How could someone so young take first place?” another youth said skeptically.
Seeing their expressions, Lin Xiao realized they hadn’t received news from days ago, and the Great Elder hadn’t shared it either.
Given the millions of miles between the Qianglong Sect and Shengshi City, it was normal for news not to have reached without someone spreading it.
Moreover, for disciples of the eight major sects, the Southeast Region Youth Gathering was likely just a competition among their under-twenty-five disciples, not a major event, and thus less noticed externally.
At this, Lu Chuyou stepped forward, smiling at the white-robed youth, “Junior Brother He Qi, if you don’t believe it, why not step up and test him?”
Lin Xiao’s face darkened. Lu Chuyou was clearly stirring trouble for him! With those words, who knew how many would want to test his strength?
