"Young fellow Daoist, may I ask your age?" The Fang family patriarch looked at Zhang Tianle with a smile and asked tentatively.

This kid is a bit hard to figure out. He's either an old monster, or he has some special magical artifact protecting him, or he has some special cultivation technique.

No matter what it is, you can't afford to offend someone like that.

If you go up against him, he might lose his life.

I'll be 25 soon.

Faced with Zhang Tianle's answer, the Fang family patriarch remained silent.

At 25 years old, one either possesses a magical artifact protecting them or has a special cultivation technique that can deceive the heavens.

not simple!

We mustn't offend them!

This is the definition held in the hearts of the Fang family's ancestor.

"Young fellow Daoist, you are truly remarkable at such a young age!" The Fang family patriarch continued his awkward conversation with Zhang Tianle.

"Ancestor! Are you possessed?" Before Zhang Tianle could reply, Fang Tianci, who was itching for a beating, looked at his ancestor strangely.

This was the first time the old ancestor had ever had such an awkward conversation, especially with such a handsome young man, and with such praise at that.

As soon as Fang Tianci said this, he was met with another lash from his ancestor.

He was just trying to chat for the sake of it, wasn't he?

He himself knows that the problem is that he is a socially awkward person, and it's already quite impressive that he was able to have a conversation like this!

Unbeknownst to the Fang family patriarch, Zhang Tianle had already secretly used the Yingtian Heart Method to calculate the fate of the Fang family patriarch before him.

This calculation, however, filled Zhang Tianle with awe.

The old man in front of us was a genius a thousand years ago. He was known as a genius that was only seen once in a thousand years in the Fang family genealogy. The entire Fang family’s resources were tilted towards him. He lived up to expectations and became one of the top five in that dynasty in just ten years.

But just as he reached the summit, something terrible happened: the Yin energy of the underworld poured out, and the area he governed, spanning thousands of miles, turned into a ghost realm.

To protect the local people, he used himself as the core of the formation to suppress the rampant evil spirits and protect the local people. However, he died and disappeared, transforming into a ghost immortal who guards the Fang family and becomes the guardian of the Fang family. He protects the Fang family's heirs and teaches them metaphysical knowledge.

However, over the years, because he overdrawn some of the Fang family's ancestral blessings, the talents of their descendants have become somewhat weak.

He could have simply protected the Fang family from any ghostly attacks, and he wouldn't have had to die. But he sacrificed himself to save the people within a thousand miles.

This is also why Zhang Tianle admires him.

He admitted that he couldn't do that.

He only thought about protecting the people around him.

As for the lives of others, he had no way of caring.

After being reprimanded by his own descendants, the Fang family patriarch fell silent.

After a moment of silence, he looked up at Zhang Tianle and said, "Young friend, I'm a rather stubborn person and not good with words, so I'll just tell you directly."

I hope you can teach this good-for-nothing junior of mine. Although he is not as talented as I am, he is at least the most talented one in the Fang family in a thousand years.

As long as you are willing to teach this unfilial junior, our Fang family will agree to any request you make.

Moreover, the celestial secrets are currently in chaos, and the situation in the underworld is also dire. Therefore, at this time, every additional person brings more strength and can better protect the peace of this region. I urge you, young fellow Daoist, not to refuse.

The Fang family patriarch spoke with heartfelt sincerity.

That's what he thought too.

The appearance of another powerful figure brings a little more peace to a region.

Zhang Tianle frowned.

[Special Quest Triggered: Passing on Knowledge and Teaching]

[Task Description: Teach 9 apprentices. Rewards will be stacked for each apprentice.]

[Task 1: Take Fang Tianci as your apprentice.]

[Reward 1: 500 years of lifespan.]

[Reward 2: Cultivation multiplier *1; for every level the disciple breaks through, the host advances by 1 rank.]

[Reward 3: A mystery gift.]

[Reward 4: A generous teaching gift package.]

Zhang Tianle, who had originally intended to decline, was completely stunned by the system's generous rewards.

Not for anyone else, but just the prospect of a radiant 500-year lifespan was enough to tempt him.

Moreover, there are cultivation accumulations, mysterious gifts, and a masterclass gift package.

It wasn't that he went against his original intention; it was just that the system gave him too much.

So many that he simply couldn't bring himself to say no; even uttering a single negative word felt like a betrayal of his conscience.

The "no" that was originally in his mouth turned into "okay" when he came out.

Zhang Tianle agreed, saying it was alright.

Fang Tianci was not happy about this agreement.

"No! My ancestor, I don't think I'm inferior to him in any way, why do I need him... Ah..."

Before Fang Tianci could finish his rebuttal, he was whipped by his ancestor.

"I didn't tell you to speak, so don't speak." The Fang family patriarch was almost driven mad by his descendant.

Heaven knows how overjoyed Zhang Tianle was when he agreed to teach this unfilial descendant.

If this unfilial descendant ruins everything with just one sentence, he would really beat that unfilial descendant to death.

"But……"

"Smack!"

"I don't……

"Smack!"

"Ancestor, can we..."

"Smack!"

For every word Fang Tianci uttered, his ancestor would whip him.

Only after the tenth lash did the Fang family patriarch ask, "Would you agree to become this young fellow Daoist's disciple?"

As the patriarch of the Fang family asked this question, the long whip in his hand cracked loudly in mid-air, while his gaze was fixed on Fang Tianci's...buttocks with a sinister look.

It seemed that as long as Fang Tianci said "no," the whip in his hand would fall on him without hesitation.

Fang Tianci: "..."

So does he have the right and courage to say no?

No!

Fang Tianci looked at Zhang Tianle with a frustrated expression and said, "Can't I just become his apprentice?"

"Then kneel down, perform the three kneelings and nine kowtows, and serve tea? Do I have to teach you?" the Fang family patriarch roared.

What can Fang Tianci do?

We have no choice but to do as instructed.

He then kowtowed nine times to Zhang Tianle.

With each kowtow, his gaze toward Zhang Tianle grew increasingly defiant.

He's so angry!

He really didn't think Zhang Tianle could teach him anything.

But his own ancestor insisted that he become his disciple.

Just as Fang Tianci was bowing to Zhang Tianle, Liu Yiyi happened to walk over with tea.

"Aren't you going to offer tea yet?"

With a "snap," the Fang family patriarch's whip struck Fang Tianci.

Fang Tianci gritted his teeth: He would endure it!

Seeing their boss's frustrated expression, Fang Tianci's two colleagues and lackeys were speechless.

They were truly dumbfounded when they saw this.

Is this still the same boss who always speaks his mind and acts decisively?

They had never seen their boss so frustrated before.