Chapter 18 Taking on a disciple: Your little tiger is being eyed by so many young girls...
Two figures, one in red and one in white, arrived in an instant, like immortals descending to earth.
Zhong Jiuli stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in white, exuding an otherworldly aura. An inexplicable pressure surrounded him, making people dare not look directly at him.
She landed in front of Bai Ye with an absolutely protective stance.
"Who are you!" The man surnamed Qian staggered back, clutching his bleeding severed arm with one hand, his face ashen.
He was horrified to discover that with his Golden Core stage divine sense, he couldn't see through the strength of the two people in front of him at all, which could only mean that their cultivation level far surpassed his.
Liu Xianyue's usually smiling peach blossom eyes were now flashing with cold light, her red lips pressed into a sharp line, and she spoke in a cold voice: "The one who will take your life!"
"Do you two seniors want to interfere in the affairs of my Qingxuan Sect?" The man surnamed Qian's legs trembled like leaves, and his voice trembled uncontrollably. When he saw the fire jade abacus hanging from Liu Xianyue's waist, he knew he was doomed.
The man with the mustache knew he was doomed. The moment he saw Zhong Jiuli appear, he knew he was going to die.
If they let him go once, they would never let him go a second time. He stumbled and ran into the cabin like a stray dog, yelling at his junior brother who was controlling the spirit boat: "Run! Uncle Qian can't leave. We need to go back to the sect to report now!"
Without saying a word, the junior brother who was controlling the spirit boat took out several high-grade spirit stones from his storage bag and filled them into the magic array. The huge spirit boat instantly shone with dazzling light, and the spirit patterns on the boat swirled, clearly indicating that it was about to activate the space teleportation array.
Upon witnessing this scene, the man surnamed Qian's eyes widened in fury, and he roared with heart-wrenching rage, "You scoundrel, you've bullied me!!!"
If it weren't for the mustachioed man deceiving him, saying that the little beast was incredibly intelligent and had grown up in the mountains without anyone to protect it, he would never have ended up in this predicament. In the end, the other party even wanted to abandon him and run away.
"Want to leave? Did I say you could leave?" Liu Xianyue's red lips curled slightly. Without even turning her head, she casually snapped her fingers.
In an instant, crimson flames burst forth from nowhere, enveloping the spirit boat as if it were alive.
A series of heart-wrenching screams erupted from the ship as they frantically patted the flames off their bodies, but the flames seemed to be burning from within their own bodies.
There was not a trace of flame on its body surface, only light emanating from its seven orifices, which was extremely eerie.
"Splash! Splash!" The sounds of people falling into the water rang out one after another as several people jumped off the spirit boat.
They tried to extinguish the strange fire in their bodies with water, but the fire did not go out when it came into contact with water. Instead, it burned even more fiercely, as if hot oil had been poured on it, and wisps of steam began to rise from the river surface.
Upon witnessing this scene, the man surnamed Qian collapsed to the ground, his pants and crotch already soaked. He watched helplessly as his disciples struggled in agony in the sea of fire, and he could almost smell the stench of charred flesh and blood in his nostrils.
"Senior, spare my life! I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness. Please, for the sake of the Qingxuan Sect, spare my dog's life!" The man surnamed Qian knelt on the ground, banging his head on the ground and weeping bitterly.
The onlookers gasped in surprise. These two immortals who had descended from the sky were even more skilled than the immortals of the Qingxuan Sect. The once arrogant immortals were now kneeling and begging for mercy.
"We can't let him get away with this! That old thief just tried to kill us all!" someone in the crowd shouted.
Someone chimed in, "Yes, we can't let him go. If we let him go, none of us will survive."
Everyone understands this principle: if this man surnamed Qian has a chance to live today, then those who have seen his wretched appearance will surely die in the future.
Liu Xianyue chuckled: "The reason why my Wanxiang Pavilion has been able to stand firm on this Kunxu Continent for tens of thousands of years is because we understand best how to follow the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people."
She stretched out her slender finger, stained with crimson nail polish, and pointed it towards the crowd, "Listen... everyone wants you dead!"
Upon hearing this, the man surnamed Qian trembled even more violently.
"Princess Liu, you are of noble birth, why should you dirty your hands with such filthy things?" A majestic female voice descended from the sky.
Hearing the sound, everyone looked up and saw that another spirit boat had appeared on the river, with a dragon-patterned flag bearing the character "Li" fluttering in the wind.
A tall woman wearing a black robe with dragon patterns stood at the bow of the boat.
The woman's long, black hair was tied up with a purple-gold crown, her sword-like eyebrows slanted sharply towards her temples, and her phoenix eyes swept over the crowd below with a fierce gaze. She exuded the imposing aura of someone who had long held a high position, but the cinnabar mole at the corner of her eye was even more striking than her overall demeanor.
"It's the Great Princess!!"
"She is the princess of our Great Li, paying respects to the Great Princess."
A gasp erupted from the crowd, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, and the crowd began to kneel and kowtow without realizing it.
Immediately, everyone on the riverbank knelt down. The people of the White Tiger tribe looked around and then knelt down as well.
Only Zhong Jiuli and Liu Xianyue stood tall like pine trees, with a little tiger protected behind them.
"Get up, all of you!" the princess said calmly, her voice not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.
"What, as the princess of the Li Kingdom, are you going to protect this thing that indiscriminately kills innocent people?" Liu Xianyue looked at the woman above with a smile in her eyes, and her words were not polite at all.
“When did I say that?” Li Shoumo retorted.
"Since Qingxuan Sect is a sect within my Li Kingdom, it should be handled by me. Why should Pavilion Master Liu do it for me?"
Zhong Jiuli, who had not uttered a word from beginning to end, spoke her first words since she appeared: "The Red Lotus Karmic Fire has been burning for so long, the Qingxuan Sect must have committed countless evil deeds."
Li Shoumo looked at Zhong Jiuli with burning eyes, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Junior Li Shoumo pays respects to Sect Master Zhong."
Zhong Jiuli nodded in response, "No need for formalities."
Li Shoumo straightened up and said casually, "The Qingxuan Sect really has no reason to exist anymore."
As the princess of the Great Li Dynasty, her words were law. The moment her words fell, she had already sealed the fate of the Qingxuan Sect.
At this very moment, the Dali Xuanjia Army is probably already on its way to Qingxuan Sect.
The male disciples of Qingxuan Sect who were escorted onto the spirit boat all looked ashen-faced. With the Great Princess speaking, their Qingxuan Sect was truly doomed.
Bai also tilted her head back, staring intently at Li Shoumo in the sky. This guy's entrance was just too cool.
She secretly made a mental note that when she could fly in the future, she would make a grand entrance like this, and even more spectacularly. Ideally, there would be golden lotuses blooming under her feet, with petals falling with every step she took. She would also have Little Green acting as her cheerleaders, which would be befit her status as the main character.
Just as they were pondering this, a clear sword cry rang out from the sky, and another radiant spirit boat broke through the clouds and appeared before them.
"Li Chengfeng of the Heavenly Sword Sect pays respects to Senior Zhong!" A clear voice, carrying with it a chilling sword aura, pierced through the air.
The young swordsman landed gracefully amidst the flowing clouds, her red hair ribbon fluttering in the wind. Sunlight fell on her shoulders, outlining the unique, upright features of a young man.
Even when he clasps his hands in a salute, his whole being is like a sword drawn from its sheath, carrying an air of arrogance that defies heaven and earth.
“I am not a sword cultivator,” Zhong Jiuli said.
Li Chengfeng raised his head and laughed unrestrainedly: "Senior, you are overthinking it. I just heard that you are here and came to pay my respects."
Bai then got a clear look at the newcomer's appearance. To be honest, as expected of the cultivation world, this Li Chengfeng was indeed handsome.
The divine instrument is bright and beautiful, and the eyes are as bright as stars.
Even though they are all very beautiful, Bai still thinks Zhong Jiuli is the most beautiful.
Li Shoumo said, "Since the chief disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect has arrived, why not take over the task from the Azure Profound Sect and complete the spiritual root testing for these children?"
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone present gasped, feeling as if a pie had fallen from the sky and, moreover, had been dumped straight into their mouths.
Tianjian Sect!
That's the Heavenly Sword Sect, the top of the four major sects in the Wilderness State. Every disciple under its tutelage is a genius in swordsmanship, and their combat strength is astonishing. Fighting against opponents of higher levels is commonplace for them.
Li Chengfeng's expression froze, and she looked at Li Shoumo, who had set a trap for her, with resentment. So these royal children are really annoying, each one of them has more tricks up their sleeve than a hornet's nest.
Even if she was unwilling, she couldn't refuse in front of Zhong Jiuli.
She gritted her teeth and shouted to her junior sisters who were watching the commotion on the spirit boat, "A few of you, come down and test the children's spiritual roots!"
"They've arrived, Senior Sister!" Several disciples flew down from the spirit boat of the Heavenly Sword Sect. They were all quite young, looking no more than fourteen or fifteen years old.
When everyone saw that they were actually going to continue taking on apprentices, the crowd erupted in excitement, with everyone pushing their children forward to line up.
Having just survived a life-or-death crisis, the children, under the instructions of their elders at home, lined up again.
Bai also stood on tiptoe to watch the excitement, wanting to see if the Heavenly Sword Sect's standards for accepting disciples were any different, when suddenly the back of his neck tightened.
Zhong Jiuli pinched the back of her neck like she was lifting a kitten.
"Hey? Zhong Jiuli, what are you doing?" Bai Ye's four claws were suspended in the air, and the back of his neck was being pinched. He had no face left at all.
"I'll take you back," Zhong Jiuli said succinctly.
Bai shouted, "Put me down, I can walk by myself."
Zhong Jiuli ignored her protest and strode towards the location of the White Tiger Tribe members.
Liu Xianyue and the others followed behind Zhong Jiuli, their gazes toward Bai Ye carrying a rather meaningful meaning.
Zhong Jiuli, who has always disliked getting close to people, is really quite different when it comes to this little tiger.
As the tall figures drew closer, the usually boisterous women became somewhat nervous. These were no ordinary girls; they were immortals!
Even from a distance, Bai saw Jiao Jiao, whose size had shrunk considerably. She was now only the size of a calf, lying on the ground, barely breathing.
"Zhong Jiuli, let me go." Bai also wriggled like a caterpillar.
Zhong Jiuli released her grip, and the moment he gained his freedom, Bai also took off running towards Jiaojiao.
"Jiaojiao, how are you? Why have you shrunk? Are you going to die?" Bai placed his paw on Jiaojiao's head, his voice full of anxiety.
Long Jiao barely lifted her eyelids, her deep eyes reflecting the anxious look on the little white tiger's face. She gently rubbed Bai Ye's paw, "Silly boy, the lifespan of dragon turtles is beyond your imagination. We live as long as heaven and earth."
"You're the idiot, you stupid turtle. Just because you have a long lifespan doesn't mean you won't get beaten to death."
Liu Xianyue strolled over to them at some point, holding a fragrant pill between her fingers and handing it to Bai Ye: "Here, little one, don't be sad, your friend won't die. Feed her this pill."
Bai didn't have time to think about why Liu Xianyue, that wicked woman, was suddenly being so kind. She took the pill and stuffed it into Jiaojiao's mouth.
As soon as the pill entered her mouth, a burst of spiritual light emanated from Long Jiao's body, and the cracks on her tortoise shell began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. Her breathing also became steady, no longer as short as before.
Jiaojiao mumbled wearily, "Yezai, I'm going to sleep for a while."
After saying that, she closed her eyes and began to refine the medicinal power to heal her injuries.
"Alright, Jiaojiao, go to sleep!" Bai Ye touched Jiaojiao's golden tortoise shell; the cracks were indeed being repaired. Only then did she stand up with relief and solemnly bow to Liu Xianyue in thanks.
"Thank you! Liu Xianyue!"
Liu Xianyue bent down, her slender fingers resting on Bai Ye's fluffy head. Along with the fragrant breeze came that heartless voice.
"No need to thank me~ I need to pay! 100,000 mid-grade spirit stones. May I ask how you would like to settle the bill, young hero?"
Bai's eyes widened, her little face filled with disbelief, and she stammered, "How...how much?"
Liu Xianyue laughed so hard her body trembled, her head full of jewels jingling. She pinched Bai Ye's round ears as if afraid she would run away. "It's okay if you can't pay. Just come back to Wanxiang Pavilion with me and use yourself to pay off the debt!"
Bai Ye let out a "roar" and broke free from her grasp, flashing behind Bai Shu, revealing only his round tiger head as he peered out.
“Little Tiger, if you can’t afford it, I’ll pay for it for you. How about coming back to the capital with me?” Li Shoumo asked.
Li Chengfeng chimed in, "A mere 100,000 spirit stones? Do you think anyone doesn't have that much? Little Tiger, come back to the Heavenly Sword Sect with me, I'll pay for it."
Liu Xianyue sneered: "Hey, you two, if you want to take my tiger cub away, you should at least ask me, your creditor, for my opinion, right?"
As she said this, she glanced at Zhong Jiuli unintentionally.
Zhong Jiuli remained calm, seemingly unconcerned about their competition, though her gaze turned slightly colder.
Bai Ye hugged Bai Shu's long legs and whispered, "Mother, let's hurry up, they're going to come and take your child away."
Bai Shu picked her up and comforted her, "Your sisters were just teasing you. What would they want a little tiger like you for? You can't exchange it for spirit stones! Let's go back to the tribe together after your friends have finished testing their spiritual roots, okay? It'll be their turn soon."
Bai craned his neck to look ahead and saw that Ayu, Dayue and the others had indeed lined up at the front of the queue.
As the leader of the children in the tribe, Dayue was first in line. She waved to her younger sisters with great pride, saying, "Watch me, you'll learn from me in a bit."
With a bold and unrestrained air, she rolled up her sleeves and slapped her chubby little hand onto the spirit-testing stone with a "smack".
In an instant, the spirit-testing stone burst forth with dazzling red light, like the rising sun, illuminating the entire riverbank in a crimson glow.
The crowd erupted in excitement!
"It's a single spiritual root, a fire-type single spiritual root! The White Tiger Tribe has produced a single spiritual root!" A grandmother with a full head of silver hair trembled as she pointed to the red light in front of her and said in a trembling voice.
The women of the White Tiger tribe were stunned for a moment, and then they all looked at Dayue Niang.
A hint of melancholy flashed in Dayueniang's eyes; she knew what being chosen by the immortal sect meant.
"That's a good thing, Aunt Yue, don't be silly!" Aunt Wu said, patting her shoulder.
“Yes, it’s a good thing,” Dayue Niang murmured softly.
Dayue stared blankly at her little hands, then turned to her sisters behind her and said, "I know, you have to clap hard, the harder you clap, the brighter the light will be!"
The disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect looked at the chubby little girl with some amusement. One of the disciples stepped forward, took Dayue's hand, and led her aside. "You stay here and watch over her. In a little while, you'll take us to find your elders."
“Okay!” Dayue nodded emphatically.
The children of the White Tiger tribe listen to Dayue the most. When she says to clap hard, everyone claps hard.
For a moment, the sound of "slapping" filled the air as everyone used all their strength to slap the spirit-testing stone.
However, no other child could make the spirit-testing stone shine as brightly as Dayue.
When Ayu, who was at the very end of the line, placed her small hand on the spirit-testing stone, another dazzling light shone. However, unlike the red light of Dayue, the light emanating from Ayu's hand was a soft blue light.
The disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect exchanged glances, their eyes filled with astonishment. This tribe was incredibly lucky, having produced two individuals with single spiritual roots, one of which was an extremely rare water spiritual root.
Aunt Wu's mouth was agape, her expression hard to describe. Dayue Niang nudged her with her elbow and grinned, "Sister Wu, what did you say just now? Isn't this a good thing?"
The way everyone looked at the White Tiger Tribe changed completely. A small tribe of only a few hundred people had produced two children with single spiritual roots. Their luck was simply heaven-defying.
Even though the two children had not yet grown up, no one in the White Tiger tribe dared to underestimate them anymore.
Li Shoumo narrowed his phoenix eyes, secretly annoyed. He had given two promising talents to the Heavenly Sword Sect for nothing with his joke.
But what annoyed her even more was yet to come. Just then, another exclamation erupted in the distance.
"Oh my god, another child."
"It seems to be that child from the Iron-Eating Beast tribe."
Aunt Xiong, who was standing not far away, was instantly overwhelmed by the crowd that swarmed over to offer her congratulations.
Li Chengfeng held his sword with both hands, a smug smile playing on his lips, and deliberately strolled to Li Shoumo's side.
"Tsk tsk tsk! Three single spiritual roots~" she said, holding up three fingers and waving them in front of Li Shoumo. "I didn't expect to pick up three good seedlings while traveling."
Li Shoumo's lips twitched, and he turned his back to her, not wanting to pay attention to this shameless sword cultivator.
Fortunately, the miracles did not continue, and none of the children who followed had a single spiritual root.
However, two children with three spiritual roots did emerge. If these two children had entered a second-rate sect like Qingxuan Sect, they could have become inner disciples.
But if he were to join the Heavenly Sword Sect, he would probably only be able to become a menial disciple.
A disciple from the Heavenly Sword Sect stepped forward and explained the pros and cons to the parents of the two children, giving them the right to choose. If they wanted to cultivate in a smaller sect, the disciple could help write a letter of recommendation.
In the end, they all chose to go to smaller sects. The disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect immediately wrote two letters of recommendation for them.
As dusk settled, this thrilling event of the immortal sect recruiting disciples finally came to a perfect end.
As the crowd gradually dispersed, conversations about the three children with single spiritual roots continued to circulate along the way.
These three are destined to become another legend for the next century.
At this moment, only the women from the White Tiger Tribe and the Iron-Eating Beast Tribe remained on the riverbank, the two groups staring at each other from a short distance apart.
For the first time in thousands of years, a child from the tribe has been chosen by a celestial sect, and not just any sect, but the Heavenly Sword Sect, which is known as the number one sect in the Wilderness State. They don't know whether to continue waiting here or go home.
Finally, everyone's gaze fell on Bai Shu. The Bai clan chief seemed to be very familiar with those immortals, so it was safe to wait for her to speak.
Bai Shu noticed everyone's gaze, coughed lightly, and looked at Li Chengfeng to ask, "Chief Li, are you taking the children with you?"
"No rush!" Li Chengfeng waved his hand, his expression unusually serious. "Let the little ones say goodbye to their families properly!"
She looked at the three chosen children, who had rushed into their mother's arms. Their little faces showed excitement, trepidation, and a hint of confusion, like fledglings about to take flight.
"This departure will be long and arduous... It will be difficult to meet again in the future. Even if we do meet again, everything will have changed."
The adults fell silent upon hearing her words. It has always been this way; children who enter the immortal realm are gone for decades, or even centuries.
Few people can wait for their children to return home.
"Hey! Today's a good day, don't be so sad!" Aunt Wu waved her hand and beckoned to Aunt Xiong in the distance, "Come to our tribe, let's have some barbecue!"
"Wow, back to the tribe, time for a barbecue!" the children shouted excitedly.
The adults also put on smiles, and a large group of them marched towards the White Tiger Tribe. Even the unconscious Jiao Jiao was carried back by Aunt Pang on her shoulder.
On the way back, Li Chengfeng went out for a while, and when he came back, he was carrying two spirit deer that were as big as small mountains, as well as several golden pheasants.
Back in the village, the aunties rolled up their sleeves and got to work. As for the immortals, they certainly wouldn't let them do any work.
Bai Shu had no choice but to lead them on a tour of the small tribe.
The disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect were very curious about this tribe. They wanted to know how such an ordinary little tribe could raise two children with only one spiritual root.
Bai Zhu chuckled awkwardly a few times, saying he didn't know either.
Bai also really wanted to say that it must be because they are the protagonist's friends. As the protagonist's friends, they must all be exceptionally talented.
The group explored every corner of the White Tiger Tribe before it was time for dinner.
By now it was completely dark, and the open space in the threshing ground was filled with a fragrant aroma, the golden-brown roasted venison emitting an enticing fragrance.
The bonfire blazed brightly, and in its light, everyone's face, adults and children alike, turned as red as ripe fruit.
People sat in twos and threes around the campfire, jars of spirit wine were placed on the table, and everyone ate meat and drank wine heartily, chatting about everything under the sun.
The disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect had never experienced this kind of mountain life before, and the people in the mountains were also very interested in the outside world. Everyone had their own topics to discuss and chatted happily.
The children also received a jar of spirit wine. Dayue held up the jar and poured a small cup for each of her younger sisters.
She raised her wine glass with a flourish and said to her sisters, "I'm about to leave the tribe, but you're not allowed to compete with me for the position of young chieftain. When I grow up, I'll come back and marry the young chieftain."
"I want to marry Yezai too!" Ahua shouted.
Bai's hand holding the wine glass trembled, and some wine spilled from the glass, splashing onto his hand.
She looked at Da Yue with a face full of black lines, thinking that this guy was going to say something like he would come back and take everyone to the Heavenly Sword Sect to play, but it turned out to be this kind of nonsense again. These kids are just trying to steal her away like a shared puppy.
Dayue's voice was quite loud, loud enough that all the adults present could hear it clearly.
Everyone burst into laughter, and no one took such childish talk to heart.
Liu Xianyue rested her elbows on the stone table, propped her chin on the back of her hand, and sat sideways, looking at Zhong Jiuli. She teased, "Sect Leader Zhong, aren't you worried at all? Your little tiger is being eyed by so many young ladies!"
“You should ask Chief Bai that question!” Zhong Jiuli said calmly.
Bai Shu smiled and continued, "It's just childish talk. Once they truly embark on the path of cultivation, their childhood playmates will probably be forgotten in the blink of an eye."
Li Chengfeng nodded upon hearing this, which made sense. She thought of her childhood playmates, who were once inseparable from her, but since joining the Heavenly Sword Sect, she rarely thought of them anymore.
She hesitated for a moment, then looked at Bai Shu and said, "If Chief Bai trusts me, I can take your little tiger with me. Although I cannot take her as my personal disciple, I will teach her carefully so that she can learn a skill to make a living."
These words were spoken earnestly; Li Chengfeng genuinely wanted to help. The friendships of youth are the purest, and it's always good to have more of them.
Initially, they were scrambling to take Bai Ye away, which Bai Shu took as just them being stubborn. But seeing Li Chengfeng's earnest invitation, it seemed genuine, and she was indeed tempted.
Bai Shu knew how vast the world beyond the wilderness was. If A Ye was kept confined in this deep mountain, wouldn't she blame her when she grew up and became sensible?
“Cultivation doesn’t necessarily require going to your Heavenly Sword Sect,” Li Shoumo suddenly said. “Clan Chief Bai, have you ever considered moving your entire clan to the imperial city?”
With a "tap," the wine glass that Zhong Jiuli had been holding fell onto the stone table.
"If she wants to cultivate herself, I will teach her."
As soon as the words were spoken, the stone table suddenly fell silent, and everyone looked at the little white tiger surrounded by the children.
This lucky little tiger certainly doesn't know what it means to receive personal instruction from Zhong Jiuli.
This is the current sect leader of Kunxu Holy Land, the number one sect in the Nine Provinces.
In this era where the path to heaven is severed, countless exceptionally talented and powerful individuals have ultimately turned into nothing more than a handful of dust.
Only she remained stunningly beautiful.
Some say she had already grasped the mysteries of the Heavenly Way, but was trapped by the severed path to heaven; others say she was the last glimmer of opportunity left by the Heavenly Way for humanity.
Zhong Jiuli is a beacon in the eternal night.
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Author's note: [Dog head holding a rose] Here I am! I should be updating at midnight every day for the next few days.
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