Chương 211: Chapter 100: Becoming Disciple to the Manifest Saint, Famous Across the World (2)

Deep within a secluded, secret chamber belonging to the Three Thousand Dao Sect in Huizhou, an elder clad in a yellow Daoist robe sat cross-legged upon a woven prayer mat. He held a message transmission jade slip in his grip, his countenance flickering unpredictably between light and shadow. After a long, tense silence, his fingers suddenly flared with spiritual force, instantly crushing the jade slip into fine powder.

"He injured my disciples, destroyed two of my sect's supreme magic treasures, and dragged the reputation of my Three Thousand Dao Sect through the mud! That damned little bastard!" he spat coldly, his eyes burning with venomous fury.

"Originally, this old master intended to personally step forth and tear your flesh into ten thousand pieces. But now that things have taken this turn... hehehe. In that case, I might as well help you shine even more brilliantly! Everything you do will ultimately serve as nothing more than a wedding dress for another. I'd like to see just how long you can remain so free and easy!"

"Pass down my decree! Order the Ninth Elder to assemble a lavish gift and journey directly to the Xuanxiao Sect in North Yue State. Offer our formal congratulations on Reyn becoming a disciple under the Mu Family Ancestor!"... Inside a pitch-black, gloomy cave dwelling, a gaunt elder whose eyes gleamed with eerie, green ghost-fires sat cross-legged. His dried-up, skeletal hand, which looked like nothing more than dead skin stretched over bare bone, clutched a message transmission jade slip.

"Bwahahaha! The old monster couldn't resist making a move again after all. Though by my calculations, there are still over twenty years left before the previous deadline... It seems his essence depletion is far more severe than expected. Still, I am truly curious—what is so remarkably extraordinary about this brat that he is valued so highly by that old monster?"

"Since you want to play this game to perfection, then I shall lend you a helping hand. Pass down the order! Have the Seventh Elder lead a contingent to North Yue State to congratulate that little fellow on taking the old monster as his master. Though... bwahaha, I fear the ultimate outcome won't be something that little fellow will be very pleased to see..." His raspy voice gradually faded into a whisper, and silence once again claimed the dark cavern.

The emaciated figure sat motionless upon the mat, resembling an ancient skeleton from afar....

"Reyn of the Xuanxiao Sect, taking the Manifest Saint as his master!" Ge Hongzi, the Sect Master of the Beast Taming Sect, wore a deeply bitter and solemn expression as he muttered under his breath.

"Though I do not approve of this—or rather, though I utterly loathe this turn of events—I cannot deny that I am one of the beneficiaries of this scheme."

"Thus, even though my heart rebels, I am powerless to resist. Who asked the heavens to let me be born into such a demonic family?" A moment later, his expression regained its composure. He produced a sound-transmitting talisman and softly commanded, "Prepare a grand gift and head to North Yue State. Congratulate Reyn on becoming a disciple of the Manifest Saint."...

"Reyn, a disciple of the Xuanxiao Sect in North Yue State, has been taken as a disciple by the Nascent Soul Ancestor, the Manifest Saint! His future prospects are truly limitless! All of you, quickly prepare grand gifts—this master shall personally journey to the Xuanxiao Sect to convey our congratulations!"...

"We must set out immediately! We are far too distant from North Yue State. We cannot afford to miss the appointed time, lest we incur displeasure!" In an instant, as the message transmission jade slips sent by the Mu Family Ancestor spread throughout the lands, the entire cultivation world of the Zhao Kingdom erupted into a violent storm of commotion. North Yue State, Xuanxiao Sect! Xiao Jiu was a True Inheritance Disciple of the Xuanxiao Sect.

Today, according to routine, it was his turn to patrol the sect perimeter alongside several senior martial brothers.

"Junior Brother Yu from Ancestor Xu's lineage has been making astonishing progress in his cultivation. It has only been two months since he joined the sect, yet his cultivation has already reached the Peak Second Level of Qi Condensation! Such speed truly makes the rest of us feel thoroughly ashamed."

"Senior Brother speaks the truth! And then there's Senior Brother Fang from Ancestor Li's lineage—his progress is equally terrifying! It is said he has already reached the Sixth Level of Qi Condensation! Tsk tsk, if it were up to me to cultivate to such a realm, it would take at least another full year."

"Indeed, indeed. Compared to geniuses like them, comparing oneself to others really drives a man mad with envy." Patrolling the mountain gates was an extremely relaxed task. After all, unless two sects were engaged in total war, very few cultivators possessed the audacity to challenge the formidable prestige of an established sect. Thus, Xiao Jiu and the others were quite relaxed, chatting continuously as they flew in their streaks of escape light.

"Heh, don't go around boosting other people's spirits while trampling on your own confidence! Isn't our Xiao Jiu equally gifted with exceptional talent? It has only been half a year since he officially became a True Inheritance Disciple, yet he already possesses a cultivation at the Fourth Level of Qi Condensation. His future is boundlessly bright as well!" At this moment, a fellow disciple clapped Xiao Jiu on the shoulder with a light laugh.

Hearing this, a sheepish, embarrassed expression washed over Xiao Jiu's face as he hastily waved his hands.

"Senior Brother, please don't tease me. Xiao Jiu is merely a bit more diligent than others; it's nothing worth bragging about." Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. At this point, a fervent, glowing admiration burned in his eyes as he murmured in a hushed tone, "Although our Xuanxiao Sect boasts many disciples with superior talent, when it comes to the number one genius, except for one person, no one else is qualified to claim that title. And that person...

is Martial Uncle Reyn!" Hearing that name, the expressions of the several Xuanxiao Sect disciples instantly turned grave and solemn. Reverence and awe filled their eyes as they nodded in unison.

"Junior Brother speaks the absolute truth. If we use Martial Uncle Reyn as the benchmark, those so-called prodigies truly can only be considered average and mediocre." The group nodded in agreement once more. But right at that moment, two vibrant streaks of escape light suddenly flashed across the distant horizon, piercing through the sky at blinding speed as they shot straight toward their location!

"Who goes there?! This is the domain of the Xuanxiao Sect! Fellow Daoists, state your names!" Xiao Jiu's face instantly shifted as he stepped forward into the air, shouting out in a loud, commanding voice that echoed across the heavens. At the exact same time, the surrounding Xuanxiao Sect disciples all placed their hands onto their spatial storage bags, prepared to draw their weapons and strike the instant anything went awry.

However, what brought them a sense of relief was that upon spotting them, the owners of the escape lights noticeably slowed their trajectory, reducing the likelihood of a hostile raid to absolute zero. Within a few short breaths, the blinding ray of escape light descended several zhang away in front of the group. The radiant glow receded, revealing two distinct figures standing side by side. The man leading them wore a complex, unreadable expression.

He was none other than Ancestor Bai Sha, the Sect Leader of the Earth Fiend Sect. Standing beside him was Master Huozhi, a high-ranking elder from the Donglin Sect. As Xiao Jiu's gaze fell upon Ancestor Bai Sha, his pupils contracted violently. Panic surged through him, and he instantly bowed low in salute.

"Disciple Xiao Jiu of the Xuanxiao Sect pays respects to Sect Leader Bai Sha and Senior!" To be able to walk alongside Ancestor Bai Sha with such an obscure, unfathomable fluctuation of spiritual energy, this newcomer was beyond doubt another Golden Core expert! In the backwater expanse of the North Yue State, two Golden Core Sovereigns represented a terrifying force capable of upending whole sects.

For two such behemoths to arrive together unannounced, without sending prior notice, sent a chill down Xiao Jiu's spine. His heart began to pound like a war drum. Ancestor Bai Sha frowned slightly upon hearing the young disciple's tense formal greeting, but his expression soon stiffened. Softening his tone, he said, "Trouble yourself to inform Fellow Daoists Qing Xiaozi and Dan Chenzi that I, along with Venerable Huozhi of the Donglin Sect, have come to pay a formal visit."

"Understood! Please wait here, Seniors!" Astonishment flashed in Xiao Jiu's eyes, but he dared not be careless in the slightest. Exchanging a sharp look with his senior brothers behind him, his body turned into a beam of escape light, streaking toward the inner mountain gate at top speed. Moments later, Xiao Jiu rushed back, breathing heavily. He bowed respectfully and said, "The Sect Master invites both Seniors to the Grand Main Hall." Ancestor Bai Sha nodded faintly and exchanged a glance with Master Huozhi.

In a flash, two brilliant streaks of light ignited around them, whistling through the air as they soared into the depth of the Xuanxiao Sect. Outside the Grand Main Hall, Qing Xiaozi and Dan Chenzi stood shoulder to shoulder. Both wore tightly knit brows, their eyes clouded with suspicion. They were utterly perplexed by this unexpected, unannounced visit from two Golden Core powerhouses.

"They are here," Qing Xiaozi said softly. Lifting his gaze, he watched as two radiant beams of escape light shot across the sky, landing gracefully several zhang before them. Qing Xiaozi and Dan Chenzi stepped forward with welcoming smiles. After exchanging polite pleasantries, they cut straight to the chase.

"May I ask what brings two Fellow Daoists to our Xuanxiao Sect today?" Qing Xiaozi's eyes flickered slightly as he asked in a seemingly casual tone. Ancestor Bai Sha and Master Huozhi looked at each other, surprise showing on their faces.

"Could it be that you two have not yet received the message jade slip sent by the Mu Family?" Master Huozhi asked in confusion. The Mu Family of Huizhou! Upon hearing those words, both Qing Xiaozi and Dan Chenzi's expressions transformed completely. Dan Chenzi's face filled with anxiety, and he blurted out hurriedly, "Fellow Daoists, please explain! Why would the Mu Family of Huizhou send a transmission jade slip to our Xuanxiao Sect? Does this have something to do with my disciple, Reyn?"

Qing Xiaozi's complexion turned grim. Reyn was the most extraordinarily gifted disciple the Xuanxiao Sect had produced in its thousand-year history. Had it not been for his Hidden Spirit Root preventing a standard Foundation Establishment, Qing Xiaozi would never have allowed him to risk his life in the Mu Family's domain. After all, every time the Holy Land's Trial Realm opened, nearly half of the entering cultivators lost their lives! Could the Mu Family's transmission be bringing news of his death?

The terrifying thought took root in his mind, causing his expression to darken even further. Seeing their authentic shock and distress, Ancestor Bai Sha and Master Huozhi finally believed that the pair genuinely had not received the message yet. But right at that moment, a streak of luminous light tore across the horizon. An ancient cyan jade slip shaped like a tree leaf whistled through the air, coming to a halt and floating right above the heads of the four cultivators outside the hall!

Seeing this, Ancestor Bai Sha let out a bitter, wry smile. He cupped his hands toward them and said, "Fellow Daoists, there is no need to worry. Not only has your disciple come to no harm, but he has actually encountered a monumental stroke of fortune. As for the specifics, I believe you will know momentarily." As his words fell, the leaf-shaped jade slip suddenly cracked open, unleashing a burst of vibrant cyan light. In an instant, a ghostly, translucent silhouette coalesced in the air.

A faint, nearly imperceptible aura emanated from the figure, causing all four Golden Core experts present on the square to change color dramatically. Though it was merely a minuscule fraction of energy, the aura was as vast, profound, and deep as the boundless ocean. None of the four had any doubt that if this aura were unleashed as an attack, it possessed enough terrifying force to severely injure them in an instant! The phantom figure swept its gaze across the four men before letting out a soft, warm smile.

"It seems my message was a bit slow. Someone has already heard the news and rushed over ahead of me." As soon as the illusion spoke, the four Golden Core cultivators gasped in shock. They immediately realized this was no ordinary transmission avatar—it was infused with a sliver of the Mu Family's Nascent Soul Ancestor's very own Primordial Soul!

"Qing Xiaozi and Dan Chenzi of the Xuanxiao Sect pay respects to the This Seat!"

"Bai Sha of the Earth Fiend Sect and Huozhi of the Donglin Sect pay respects to the This Seat!" The faces of the four turned pale with reverence. Bowing deeply from the waist, they offered their utmost submission to the towering figure.

"There is no need for such rigid ceremony. I have dispatched a strand of my Divine Sense today specifically regarding the matter of my disciple, Reyn." Manifest Saint This Seat waved his ghostly hand casually. Without any visible exertion, an immense, overwhelming pressure surged beneath the four, forcing their bent backs straight in an instant! With merely a single strand of a Divine Sense clone, he rendered four Golden Core Sovereigns utterly helpless to resist. Such terrifying power!

Horror and awe flooded their minds, making their expressions grow even more reverent and fearful.