“How lively.”
At the Bloodblade Divine Court, the main gate of Dongbo Xueying’s residence was wide open. The deities of the Xia Clan were all looking outside, where a clamor of activity filled the air.
“Brother Dongbo, I must follow my master and leave soon, so I cannot stay long. This is farewell for now,” said the Seventh Plum Rain, now in her female form, smiling gently. “If anything arises, you can contact me via message.”
“Understood. I’ll be staying at the Bloodblade Divine Court for quite some time. I believe the next time we meet, both of us may already be World Deities,” Dongbo Xueying replied.
“Naturally.”
The Seventh Plum Rain nodded lightly before turning to leave, her attendants trailing behind her.
Dongbo Xueying watched from afar. With the Ten Thousand Flowers Banquet concluded, the mighty ones were preparing to depart, and their disciples naturally had to follow. Those lower-ranked divine experts would typically be taken under the wings of Fourth or Third Heaven World Deities. Even if none chose to accept them as disciples, these divine experts would still opt to join either the Bloodblade Tavern or the military.
Thus, in the coming days, the residences of the divine experts nearby would be bustling with activity.
…
Having become a disciple of the Divine Emperor, Dongbo Xueying had no need to leave the Bloodblade Divine Court.
“Junior Brother Dongbo.”
On the very day the Ten Thousand Flowers Banquet ended, shortly after bidding farewell to the Seventh Plum Rain, the bald, white-robed youth—Senior Brother Huiming—arrived.
“Senior Brother Huiming,” Dongbo Xueying greeted warmly, with Yu Jingqiu by his side. The three of them took their seats.
“Junior Brother, take this.” Senior Brother Huiming waved his hand, and a crimson fruit emitting a refreshing fragrance appeared on the stone table.
“The Ten Thousand Flowers True Fruit?” Dongbo Xueying was astonished. “This won’t do. This is quite important to you as well.”
“I’ve participated in the Ten Thousand Flowers Banquet too many times and have eaten plenty of these. I’ve tasted all sorts of rare treasures,” Senior Brother Huiming said with a faint shake of his head. “Right now, I’m stuck at the final step, unable to truly transcend. This fruit holds no benefit for me. It’s not just me—many of the mighty ones and Fourth Heaven World Deities who attend the banquet usually bring these fruits back for their juniors. For you, in the early stages of cultivation, the benefits of the Ten Thousand Flowers True Fruit are far more pronounced.”
“Senior Brother, you should give this fruit to your disciples. I’ve already eaten one,” Dongbo Xueying quickly replied.
“Them? Their talents are limited,” Senior Brother Huiming shook his head. “You’ve eaten one? Wait ten thousand years and eat another. Or you could have your true body in the material world consume it. Once I give something, I never take it back. Today, I came for another, far more important matter.”
Unable to refuse, Dongbo Xueying accepted the fruit, silently marking the favor in his heart.
“A more important matter?” Dongbo Xueying asked, puzzled.
“Now that you’ve become His Majesty’s disciple, this is a great opportunity for you,” Senior Brother Huiming said earnestly. “His Majesty is very strict when it comes to teaching disciples—this you should know.”
“Yes,” Dongbo Xueying nodded. “I’m aware. Master is strict, and the competition among his disciples is quite fierce. The capable and promising receive more and better rewards, while those who perform poorly receive lesser ones.”
The Bloodblade Divine Emperor was not one to treat all disciples equally.
Even among inner disciples, those he favored and deemed worthy of nurturing might receive rewards that would make Third or Fourth Heaven World Deities green with envy. Those he found unimpressive or lacking potential might be ignored entirely, receiving not a single treasure.
Senior Brother Huiming nodded. “Do you know how His Majesty judges whether a disciple is worth nurturing?”
“Uh…” Dongbo Xueying shook his head slightly.
How did he judge?
Personal preference? Speed of cultivation progress?
“This is what I came to tell you,” Senior Brother Huiming said with a smile. “This is somewhat classified information. His Majesty, whether dealing with subordinates or disciples, secretly evaluates them. Whatever task he assigns you, you must complete it as quickly and perfectly as possible. If you fail, your standing in his eyes will diminish.”
“For example… if he instructs you to learn a certain secret art and you progress too slowly, he will naturally be disappointed. After two or three such disappointments, he usually stops paying attention to that disciple altogether,” Senior Brother Huiming explained.
“Understood,” Dongbo Xueying nodded. “Whatever Master commands, I will give my all.”
“Also, when it comes to the most formidable techniques, His Majesty possesses the greatest collection,” Senior Brother Huiming said in a low voice. “Far more than even the Bamboo Mountain Mansion Master!”
Dongbo Xueying’s eyes gleamed.
“If His Majesty instructs you to learn a secret art from a certain level of the ‘Lockworld Tower,’ make sure you study it well,” Senior Brother Huiming said, his eyes filled with anticipation. “The better you perform, the more techniques His Majesty will allow you to learn from the tower. Eventually, you’ll discover that these techniques combine to form an immensely powerful art. Even for personal disciples, the Divine Emperor’s teachings are only bestowed after a series of trials. Inner disciples… usually only learn fragments of these arts. Obtaining a complete set is exceedingly rare. But you must not give up. Strive with all your might. The more you satisfy His Majesty, the more he will allow you to learn. If you can master an entire set—then you’ll truly be formidable.”
“Formidable?” Dongbo Xueying asked.
“Extremely formidable!” Senior Brother Huiming grinned. “Limitless power! I would trade all my treasures, even my pocket dimension, for a single complete art. And it’s not just me—even mighty ones… yearn to learn such techniques.”
Dongbo Xueying was stunned.
Even mighty ones desired them?
“Do you know why the Bamboo Mountain Mansion Master is so powerful? How a Fourth Heaven World Deity could live so long and even be revered as one of the Three Ancestors?” Senior Brother Huiming whispered. “I’ve heard it’s because he mastered an incredibly formidable art to an extremely profound level. Back then, he even spread his faith far and wide just for the sake of this art, entangling himself in karma and preventing his true transcendence. Yet he has outlived many mighty ones. While they fell in battle, he remains alive to this day, his strength unmatched. Even ordinary mighty ones must treat him with respect.”
Dongbo Xueying was astonished.
“So no matter the cost, no matter how arduous the journey, as long as you can learn a complete set of an art—you will become truly formidable,” Senior Brother Huiming urged. “Many of His Majesty’s disciples, like the White Sand City Lord and others, have only grasped fragments.”
“Oh, one more thing!”
“Aside from the ‘Lockworld Tower,’ His Majesty’s ‘Library’ is also renowned,” Senior Brother Huiming continued. “The Library contains countless texts, said to have been collected by His Majesty over countless eons. Amidst the vast and seemingly chaotic sea of books lies a hidden art. Among His Majesty’s two mighty disciples, the other—Qing Jun—you know of him, right?”
Dongbo Xueying nodded.
The Bloodblade Divine Emperor had two mighty disciples. The Ancient Vault Emperor spent most of his time secluded in his lair, rarely emerging. The other, Qing Jun, was even more domineering. Due to certain grievances, he outright defected from the Bloodblade Divine Court. His strength was unfathomable—even in ancient times, he was on par with the Three Ancestors. Now, among mighty ones, many believed Qing Jun had the potential to stand alongside the Bloodblade Divine Emperor, the Spacetime Island Master, and the Myriad Gods Palace Master.
“Qing Jun discovered an art—’Mountain World’—while perusing the countless texts in the Library. With this art, in ancient times, he once struck Pang Yi so severely with a single punch that the latter was heavily injured. Back then, Pang Yi was already one of the Three Ancestors. Of course, this humiliation drove Pang Yi to create his own cultivation method and take on many disciples,” Senior Brother Huiming explained. As he spoke, he shielded their conversation from external detection—a simple feat for someone of his near-mighty strength.
“His Majesty once said… the Library indeed contains the ‘Mountain World’ art. Any of his disciples, including nominal ones, may enter and study there. Yet, over the eons, none of his disciples have managed to grasp more than fragments. No one has replicated Qing Jun’s feat of comprehending the complete ‘Mountain World’ art,” Senior Brother Huiming said. “For now, don’t concern yourself with ‘Mountain World.’ Since you’ve just become a disciple, focus on following His Majesty’s instructions and cultivating diligently. Only when your progress truly stalls should you visit the Library and study its texts in earnest.”
“Understood,” Dongbo Xueying nodded.
“So, becoming His Majesty’s disciple is an opportunity. It’s up to you to seize it,” Senior Brother Huiming said with anticipation.
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