"I, an old man, have never heard of these names. They must be inferior."
"Is that so?"
Tang Wu became more disappointed, but he wasn't ready to give up. He flipped open the _Grass Character Sword Manual_ and muttered, "This name is quite domineering. Perhaps there's a pleasant surprise?"
On the first page, it was written: Grass Character Sword Manual, created by a grass spirit. This grass spirit was exceptional and extremely heaven-defying!
Tang Wu was overjoyed.
He flipped to the second page...
It transcends the self and creates its own 'Invincible Technique'. At the Peak Realm, it can slay a Second Realm cultivator. After being discovered by our sect's elder, he comprehended its sword technique and passed it down to this day.
His smile instantly vanished.
Slap! He threw the _Grass Character Sword Manual_ to the ground. "What the hell is this?"
This is called an Invincible Technique?
This is called exceptional and transcending the self? Your sister!
At the Peak Realm, it can only slay a Second Realm cultivator. How dare you call this Invincible?
I fk your mother!
Just then, the old man in the ring spoke, "You're right. This is indeed an Invincible Technique."
Tang Wu: "???"
"You see, it's an Invincible Technique belonging to that grass spirit. A wild grass spirit gaining spiritual consciousness is already a heavenly blessing. What more can you ask of it?"
"For it, being able to slay a Second Realm cultivator is indeed an Invincible Technique."
Tang Wu: "..."
If you put it that way, it's not wrong.
But is this what I need?
"How many Essence Stones can this exchange for?"
"Around a dozen or so."
"For those second-realm wandering cultivators without connections, it's not bad."
"..."
Forget it.
I'll take it! Tang Wu picked it up and stuffed all five volumes into his storage ring without further ado.
"Teacher, let's go."
"Good!"
"I want to be the Big Senior Brother in Cloud Heaven Valley. Teacher, help me!"
"Rest assured, I'll do my best..."
"Mmhmm, Teacher, also rest assured. Once my strength is strong enough, I'll definitely help you rebuild your physical body."
"Right, Master, you mentioned a very special cultivation technique. When cultivated to the highest realm, it can make one a God or Ancestor. What is that technique...?"
"After you enter Cloud Heaven Valley, I'll teach it to you."
"That's a special secret technique, passed down from an unknown God Realm. Back then, I was besieged by many powerful cultivators because of this technique, which led to my death and the dissipation of my spirit."
"Although I'm just a remnant soul now and can't see clearly, I still remember that the God Realm is rumored to be even higher than the Immortal Realm."
"Wow!"
Tang Wu was thrilled. "Could it be that above our Immortal Martial Continent is the Immortal Realm, and above the Immortal Realm is the God Realm?"
"It should be so! So, you understand the importance and power of that technique, right?"
"Teacher, you're invincible!"
"Teacher, can you reveal some details?"
"Martial Soul~"
The old man in the ring pretended to be profound and uttered two words.
"Martial Soul?" Tang Wu raised his eyebrows, "It sounds like some kind of method used by certain martial artists?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Since it's a Martial Soul from the Divine Realm, it's naturally not the same as those used by ordinary martial artists. It's just a coincidence in name!"
"The cultivators on our Immortal Martial Continent can cross the universe with their physical bodies, carrying millions, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of pounds. What's the big deal? They can also shatter the void with a thought, and the Immortal Realm is terrifying. What about the Divine Realm above it? How brilliant and powerful is it? The techniques of the Divine Realm are not something that can be understood by common sense."
"What you say is true..."
Tang Wu felt that it made sense.
It made perfect sense!
He had hit the jackpot!
He never thought he would have such a day!
As the old and young exchanged words, they quietly slipped out of the Moonseizing Sect and made their way towards the Cloudsoaring Valley.
After they left the mountain, Fan Jianqiang peeked out from behind a nearby tree, "He really came."
"Fortunately, I was prepared. Otherwise, I would have been at a great loss."
Although he had a 99.9% chance of defeating this guy, he was still a protagonist with a protagonist's halo, which could infinitely amplify that 0.1% chance.
Once the opponent escaped, it would be nothing but trouble in the future.
Therefore, it was best to avoid conflict.
Fortunately, he had prepared for this~
What if his technique was stolen by that guy?
Pfft, it was just something he randomly wrote.
However...
It was still a loss, after all, writing required time, energy, and money for paper and pen.
But, it was worth every penny.
After cursing, what were a few paper and pens?
This guy was amused, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips...
Then, he pressed a special mark, and the Scripture Pavilion became blurry, as if shifting positions.
If someone entered the Scripture Pavilion at this moment, they would find that the vast pavilion was almost filled with various scriptures, books, jade slips, and other items, neatly categorized and arranged.
There were even second and third floors...
The higher the floor, the more jade slips and fewer books, indicating that the collections were increasingly precious.
...
The fourth day after the grand opening, at dawn.
The three days finally passed, and when the first ray of morning sun shone, a purple aura filled the sky for three thousand miles.
The Great Elder stepped forward and announced the results.
"Xiao Changchun, Xiao Yanhui, Xiao Haiyu..."
"Ye Bei, Ye Hong, Ye Jiajun, Ye Xiaomei..."
"Shi Jie, Shi Jinping..."
"Lin Yi, Lin Bin, Lin..."
"You are accepted into our sect as outer disciples."
"Chen Shili, Gong Laichong... You will be servant disciples."
"The rest of you, not having been selected, can leave the mountain."
"Those who are selected can also choose whether to stay or leave. If you are unwilling, you can also leave the mountain."
Nearly a thousand names were recited, causing a stir among the crowd, but in the end, most people could only leave with a bitter smile.
Some of those selected also felt that being outer disciples or servant disciples was unsuitable and left on their own.
In the end, 811 people remained.
Together with the original nine disciples, there were a total of 820 people.
Additionally, there were the five elders and Lin Fan, the sect master, making a total of 826 people.
However...
At this moment, the five elders looked at each other, all feeling a bit surprised.
Su Xinghai was astonished, "You didn't select any direct disciples?"
Wu Xingyun shook his head, "My old injury hasn't healed. I can barely take care of myself, let alone contribute to the sect. I can't afford to teach disciples."
The Fifth Elder, Duan Qingyao, said, "Among the Fifth Realm cultivators, I'm still considered young. My vision isn't sharp enough yet, and I don't know how to select suitable disciples. I can wait a little longer."
Li Changshou chuckled.
Chen Erzhu also smiled heartily.
Su Xinghai remained silent, but everything was implied in his silence.
Why bother explaining?
They all wanted to observe and learn from the sect master's 'advanced experience' in selecting disciples, right?
What's so great about that?
I can do the same!
Their minds became more active.
Before, they didn't know.
But now, although they still couldn't fully understand, they were at least certain that the seemingly bizarre rule about selecting disciples had potential, but why?
They didn't know.
Therefore, they had to find a way to learn a 'trick or two' from the sect master.
Even if they couldn't find a disciple like Xiao Ling'er, what if they could find one with even a tenth of her talent? That would still be enough for them to inherit the sect's legacy, and it would be a perfect inheritance at that!
Taking a step back, even if they couldn't learn a single trick or technique, given the current situation, the Moonseizing Sect still had a high probability of improving, and in the future, there would definitely be more talented individuals who would come to join the sect. Wouldn't it be better to wait and select them then?
So, they could definitely wait.
They didn't realize that they had unknowingly understood a 'truth.'
—
Those who wait never lose~!
...
Subsequently, the five elders arranged the corresponding matters for the disciples.
The living arrangements had already been made.
However, the food situation was a bit of a concern. Fortunately, the current land was spacious enough, and there were many low-level spirit beasts, spirit fields, and other resources, so they wouldn't go hungry.
At the same time, after the outer disciples and servant disciples formally joined the sect, they could receive their own cultivation techniques.
The servant disciples cultivated the 'Basic Foundation Technique.'
The outer disciples' techniques were a level higher, the 'Swallowing Moon Spirit Technique.'
This was one of the few cultivation techniques the Moonseizing Sect possessed, but they could only learn the initial part. The latter part would be granted based on their performance.
At the same time, servant disciples were responsible for handling various chores, and outer disciples also had their tasks, but they would have more time for cultivation.
After arranging everything, the elders watched as the outer sect finally started to operate. Although there were still some bumps along the way, the five elders couldn't help but smile, a rare sight.
"It wasn't easy.
"Just wait and see!"
"But... That Sword Son from the Spirit Sword Sect comes every year."
"Believe in Ling'er. She can win twice, she can win three times, she can win four times!"
"Just hope that the Spirit Sword Sect doesn't take action out of impatience."
They looked at each other, excited but also worried.
"In the next few days, we need to pay close attention to the outer sect to prevent any unexpected situations."
"Of course.
In the blink of an eye, three days quietly passed. The new servant and outer disciples gradually became accustomed to life at the Moonseizing Sect.
Although they were called servant disciples, they didn't have many chores to do, and they weren't treated like slaves. So, it was easier for them to accept than they had imagined.
After all, it was just a matter of tending to spirit fields and processing spirit herbs, and there were many people to share the work. Most of their time during the day could be used for cultivation, which wasn't bad.
However, the reward and task system within the sect had yet to be implemented.
The new disciples had just entered and their strength was still low, so they couldn't do much.
They needed to wait a little longer.
One day, at noon, a figure appeared at the entrance of the Moonseizing Sect.
Today was Ye Changyi and Fang Kun's turn to 'open the door,' and when they saw the visitor, they were curious, "Senior Brother Wang? Why have you suddenly come to visit?"
"Moreover, why didn't you come through the teleportation array?"
The two were puzzled.
There was a teleportation array, why didn't he just use it to come here? Was he bored?
It was none other than Wang Teng!
Usually, he had his eyes above the top, confident and arrogant, but at this moment, he lowered his attitude, even when facing the two 'opening disciples.'
He smiled gently, "You don't understand."
"Come over here."
Then, he took a deep breath and clasped his fists, "Senior Brother Wang has come to pay respects to the sect and wishes to bring his disciple, Yi, into the sect. Please inform the two of you on my behalf."
"???"
Ye Changyi and Fang Kun were taken aback, feeling their brains go numb.
What was going on?
The young master of the Jade Lynx Palace was paying respects to their Moonseizing Sect?
Wasn't the young master of the Jade Lynx Palace good enough?
For a moment, they even suspected they were hallucinating or hearing things, and they hesitated before asking, "Senior Brother Wang, I think I'm hallucinating."
"Could you please repeat what you just said?"
Wang Teng felt like cursing.
But considering he had a request of them, and he was asking to pay respects, he could only suppress his anger and speak politely, "Senior Brother Wang has come to pay respects and wishes to bring his disciple, Yi, into the sect. Please inform the two of you."
"..."
So, it was indeed the case.
Did they hear correctly?
Ye Changyi and Fang Kun immediately responded, "Senior Brother Wang, please wait. We will inform the sect master on your behalf, but whether they will accept you today is up to Lin... Lin will have the final say. Thank you."
With Lin's intervention, Wang Teng felt extremely awkward.
But considering he had a request of them, and he wanted to become Lin's disciple, he could only endure and think, "I'll bear with it. I'll just act as if I was always inferior to him. I can endure!"
As long as he could learn that Great Sun Heaven Devastation technique, it would be worth it!
Ye Changyi took out a communication jade talisman and informed the Great Elder about this matter.
They managed to understand the situation.
Although this was a special case, Wang Teng's identity was not ordinary, and his strength was not weak. If he were to enter the sect, wouldn't it further enhance their sect's strength?
So, they were happy to help.
Inner Sect.
Finally, with some free time, Su Xinghai, who was about to cultivate, frowned and took out a communication jade talisman.
After a while, he received a message.
"The young master of the Jade Lynx Palace, Wang Teng, wishes to bring his disciple, Yi, into the sect?"
"What??"
"This??"
He thought it over, but for a moment, he couldn't come up with a decision.
It wasn't that he was indecisive, but this matter involved a lot.
There were naturally benefits. Wang Teng's talent and potential were evident, and even in the Sixth Realm, he could withstand several strikes from the Great Sun Heaven Devastation technique without dying. This was enough to prove his talent and potential.
If he were to enter the sect and swear a Dao Heart Vow, there wouldn't be too much worry about him causing trouble.
On the contrary, it would add another powerful member to the Moonseizing Sect, one who might not be inferior to Xiao Ling'er.
But he didn't seem to meet any of the requirements for taking disciples.
His surname didn't match, and his parents were still alive. There was no mention of a fiancee breaking off an engagement, and instead, he had a rather 'normal' background.
Born with a holy body, carrying the Heavenly Pride's mark on his back...
Moreover, if the young master of the Jade Lynx Palace became a disciple of the Moonseizing Sect, to a certain extent, it would mean transferring enmity. There would be some trouble, more or less.
Whether to accept him or not, the main consideration was still that he didn't meet any of the requirements for taking disciples.
Of course, the most important factor was that he didn't meet any of the requirements for taking disciples, so Su Xinghai wouldn't have any hesitation.
"I'll go ask the sect master."
Su Xinghai immediately went to the Moonseizing Palace to seek an audience with Lin Fan.
"Great Elder?"
Lin Fan was immersed in cultivation, and when the Great Elder came to seek an audience, he naturally wouldn't hide and avoid him.
He was in closed-door cultivation...
Hey, it was just that he wanted to avoid that Tang guy and not have any dealings with him. Now that the other party had descended from the mountain, there was no need to be so tense and hide all the time.
"Great Elder, there's a matter that requires the sect master's decision, and I can't make the call on my own."
Su Xinghai immediately informed Lin Fan about this matter.
After listening, Lin Fan was also quite surprised.
"You want to join the Moonseizing Sect as an Emperor-in-the-Making?"
This doesn't make sense!
Logically speaking, the Emperor-in-the-Making should have his own growth path!
Lin Fan couldn't help but think of the most familiar "Emperor-in-the-Making" template, even down to the name, and his talent was indeed exceptional, a true Heaven's Pride.
What a pity...
He had picked the wrong opponent, and in the end, he was killed by the protagonist, his body and cultivation destroyed.
He belonged to the "antagonist" category!
How did he end up at their door, seeking to become a disciple?
Could it be that both "I" and the Moonseizing Sect were considered antagonists?
"Huh?"
Lin Fan was taken aback.
What was this all about? After sending away a person with the surname Tang, another Emperor-in-the-Making had arrived. What was going on?
But after a moment's thought, Lin Fan didn't feel as flustered anymore. "He's still better than that Tang guy."
"Although he's an 'antagonist' and always causing trouble, at least he's bold and direct. He won't play both sides or turn on his own people."
"Why not take him in?"
After careful consideration, Lin Fan felt that the Emperor-in-the-Making didn't seem to have any issues.
Accepting him as an inner disciple should be more than enough.
If he was properly managed and guided, he might not necessarily become an antagonist or a template for some protagonist. At worst, he could be restrained.
Perhaps, his fate wasn't set in stone!
"Emperor-in-the-Making?"
The Great Elder, Su Xinghai, was perplexed. "Sect Master, are you talking about Wang Teng?
"Cough, what I mean is, isn't he born with the Qilin Celestial Diagram? This is an unusual phenomenon and his Life-bound Divinity. With such talent, he indeed has a slim chance of achieving immortality, becoming an emperor, or even a celestial emperor."
Lin Fan casually explained.
"That's true."
Su Xinghai agreed.
This statement indeed made sense.
"Like this."
Lin Fan decided to figure out what was going on. "Bring him up, I want to ask him why he's giving up on being a young palace master and wants to join our Moonseizing Sect."
"Yes, Sect Master."
...
A moment later, Su Xinghai brought the person up.
As soon as Wang Teng saw Lin Fan, he immediately clasped his fists. "Master."
"Don't call me that."
Lin Fan waved his hand. "I haven't agreed to take you as my disciple. I called you here because I have questions for you."
Wang Teng wasn't annoyed but patiently replied, "Please ask, Master. I'll answer truthfully and hold nothing back."
"Why?"
Lin Fan went straight to the point, staring intently at him.
Wang Teng lifted his head, meeting his gaze without flinching. "Disciple wants to become stronger. I want to learn the Invincible Technique."
"The Great Sun Heaven Burning?"
"I beg Master to accept me as a disciple and teach me the Invincible Technique."
"From now on, disciple will serve Master faithfully, without a second thought. If Master has any concerns, disciple can swear a Dao Heart Oath!"
Wang Teng spoke, his gaze sincere and profound.
Dao Heart Oaths were almost impossible to break, and as long as the restrictions of the Dao Heart Oath were sufficient, there was no need to worry about betrayal. It was very useful.
However, in normal circumstances, any self-proclaimed orthodox sect would not require disciples to swear such a severe Dao Heart Oath before accepting them.
It felt too much like a small family affair!
Moreover, it seemed to lack human warmth.
There was no basic trust at all.
Demon cultivators and selfish cultivators might do this, but the consequence was a lack of human warmth and emotion, relying solely on the Dao Heart Oath.
That feeling was not pleasant.
Now that Wang Teng had taken the initiative, it made Lin Fan and Su Xinghai's doubts dissipate.
However, Lin Fan felt a bit awkward.
Why did he want to learn the Great Sun Heaven Burning specifically?
It's not like it was a good!
Logically speaking, the Great Sun Heaven Burning was something 'I' couldn't teach!
Could it be that I have to go and ask Xiao Ling'er to teach you? Even if she's willing, her grandpa in her ring might not agree!
"If you're only here for the Great Sun Heaven Burning, you might be disappointed." Lin Fan said.
"Master."
Wang Teng was anxious. "Disciple is willing to serve you day and night..."
"It's not like that. The Great Sun Heaven Burning is a very special technique. You can't learn it!"
"Moreover, it requires a special technique to support it." Lin Fan explained softly.
"Can we learn it together?"
A special technique? I can learn it!
"It's not suitable."
Lin Fan pondered how to accept Wang Teng as a disciple without teaching him the Great Sun Heaven Burning.
Although his primary focus was on the protagonist template, Wang Teng, with his Emperor-in-the-Making potential, should be at least an A-rank disciple. Accepting him would be more than enough.
Moreover, the protagonist template, while powerful, was a double-edged sword, easily attracting hatred.
But Wang Teng was different.
He wasn't a protagonist template; instead, he was more likely to be a template for a protagonist's antagonist.
And he was the most suitable person to handle these trivial matters, preventing any trouble from reaching the protagonist.
"Why not?"
Wang Teng was anxious.
He had come specifically for the Great Sun Heaven Burning!
"Your cultivation is already not weak. Do you want to disperse your cultivation and start over?"
Lin Fan spoke softly. "Even if you disperse your cultivation, this special technique is extremely dangerous. It's a life-and-death situation, and you need a combination of fate, body, and luck."
"Furthermore, even if you successfully enter the sect, this is only a basic-level human-grade technique."
"Unless, after entering the sect, you can consecutively obtain top-ranked unusual flames and subdue them. Only then can you display the Great Sun Heaven Burning."
"Huh? Huh?"
Wang Teng was shocked.
What kind of technique was this? It was not only dangerous but also just a basic human-grade technique.
After obtaining it, he still needed to collect top-ranked unusual flames, and not just one but multiple, to display the Great Sun Heaven Burning?
The difficulty was too high!
Moreover, it required fate.
It even required luck.
Perhaps, the cultivation technique itself could kill him?
He couldn't help but hesitate...
Could he do it?
No, that's not right!
Why couldn't he do it?
He was born with the Qilin Celestial Diagram, had the potential of an Emperor-in-the-Making, and was destined to become an immortal, an emperor, or even a celestial emperor. How could he not do it?
"It's just the Dispersal Skill, but it's a Nine Deaths, One Life skill."
"Disciple..."
"I'm willing to give it a try!"
His teeth clenched, and the Great Elder beside him was secretly astonished.
Such a perilous and challenging skill, and he had only hesitated for a moment before agreeing? This was the heart of a Heaven's Pride! It was truly terrifying!
At this moment, Lin Fan felt a little dazed.
I've already said it's this difficult, and you still won't back down? You're making it hard for me!
"Don't be hasty, don't be hasty."
His heart felt a little sore, but Lin Fan's expression remained calm, "I'll ask you, are you here to learn the Invincible Skill or the Great Sun Heaven-Burning Skill?"
"?"
Wang Teng was perplexed and didn't understand for a moment.
What's the difference?
The Great Sun Heaven-Burning Skill is the Invincible Skill, right? Its might is so powerful that even the residual waves are difficult for Fifth Realm Cultivators to withstand, and those with insufficient cultivation might not be able to resist it.