There were dozens of newly minted Divine Spirit stage disciples waiting inside the Peng Lai palace hall.
They were all notable characters from this generation, and they would become the foundation of Peng Lai in the future. Some might even become heroes known throughout the cultivation world later on. However, they were all still wet behind the ears with spirited faces that only the young could make.
âWhich Golden Core stage senior do you think will lead us this time?â A female disciple with her hair in a snaketail asked softly, â Xiaoâan-shixiong is always the first to know about these things, do you have any ideas?â
Her anticipation was barely hidden, and she wondered aloud, âCould it be Zhou-shixiong? I heard that he recently exited seclusion. Maybe itâs because he broke through a bottleneck and formed hisâŚâ
The youthful cultivator she called Xiaoâan-shixiong turned around to look at her with a face full of grievances. The air around him was different from the others. He sighed deeply, and snapped, âItâs Li Huanhan-shixiong.â
The female disciple was not even finished saying the words âgolden coreâ before she was stunned into silence.
âLi, Li-shixiongâŚâŚâ
Li Huanhanâs reputation in the Peng Lai sect preceded him. That maniac who cared only for furthering his cultivation. Even if he was strong enough to be called the best cultivator below the Nascent Soul stage, he only had eyes for his Shizun, Xuan Wei Xianjun. To everyone else, he was aloof and acted as if he was in the presence of an infectious cultivation wastrel.
While she was recovering from the shocking announcement, the giant palace doors behind them opened to reveal the inner hall. Sect master Zhou, Chang Ning Zhenren and Xuan Wei Xianjun were seated on the elevated stage. Beside his masterâs snowy white outline was the dark profile of Li Huanhan.
âŚItâs really Li-shixiong. The disciples that were originally cheerfully chatting away were now deathly silent like they were being choked by an invisible hand. The female disciple before felt the edges of her vision turn black, and she felt like she might faint any moment now.
The sect master seated on the other side placidly looked to the far away disciples and said to Jiang Yinghe, âIâve gone over all that needs to be said. Letâs let the children leave.â
To Zhou Zhengpingâs generation, these cultivators that were not even a hundred years old were truly just children.
Jiang Yinghe nodded slightly and turned to look at his disciple. Li Huanhan was staring at him with indecipherable emotions in his blood-red eyes.
Based on his understanding of Li Huanhan, he thought that the other was somewhat nervous, which is why he patted his disciple on the shoulder and comforted, âNo need to think too hard about this task. All who are present know of your harmonious relationship with your sect siblings. The outer layer of the Tai Xu secret realm is not dangerous if you are careful. This master believes in you.â
Jiang Yingheâs tone was distant and chilly, but it thawed slightly when speaking to Li Huanhan. There was no sound array present in the inner palace, so the waiting disciples received the phrase âharmonious relationshipâ with complicated expressions.
They didnât know if they should spit blood at the thought of Li-shixiongâs âharmonious relationshipâ with them or be jealous that he could receive this kind of unique treatment from Xuan Wei Xianjun.
Li Huanhan looked down at the fingers resting on his shoulder. They were long and thin with the pure luster of frost. That subtle and cold fragrance seemed to be everywhere.
Itâs the scent of Jiang Yingheâs spiritual breath.
Li Huanhan lifted his hand to cover the one on his shoulder, cradling those fingers in his palm. He stared momentarily at the ground before answering, âThis disciple will do his best.â
Jiang Yinghe nodded until he heard the sentence that followed.
âAfter all, in more than a millenniumâŚâŚIâm the only disciple Shizun has accepted.â
This was the truth, so Jiang Yinghe was about to voice his agreement until he noticed that the âHanâ progress bar suddenly advanced a huge chunk. There was still a bit more to go until the next milestone. The âA Jiang Shizun Systemâ immediately informed him:
[You have encountered a key term: {only}]
Jiang Yinghe paused to take that information in for a second before replying, âYes, you are this masterâs only disciple.â
The progress bar jumped to 70 percent. But this increase raised Jiang Yingheâs suspicions about what exactly this display was measuring for the first time:
âŚMy disciple is only at the Golden Core stage, but this progress bar is shooting up like itâs strapped to a rocket. Isnât this a bit tooâŚfast?
â-
The ghost city of Yun province.
When Jiang Yinghe arrived, this city had already been subsumed by ghostly miasma.
Since ancient times, Yun province has been the playground of ghosts. However, until recently it was still possible for mortals to live apart from those who practiced ghost cultivation. Now it seemed like a dam had been broken and the newly born ghosts were able to cross over and terrorize the living; often in horrifying, violent ways.
Chang Ning Zhenren Yan Caiwei stood by his side, holding a spirit dispelling bell in her hands. When the bell sounded, the surrounding miasma was greatly weakened. She turned to look in Jiang Yingheâs direction and said, âJiang-shidi, could youâŚâ
Before she finished, a snow-coloured sword swept through the air in a graceful arc. It cleaved all the resentful ghosts and miasma it came into contact with, leaving behind a peaceful silence.
Yan Caiwei was stunned. She recalled the bell with a blank expression and shook her sleeves out, âShidi clearly doesnât need help, so Iâll go tend to the injured.â
With that, the purple-clad Yan Caiwei left to meet up with the righteous cultivators dispatched by the other sects.
Standing inside the ghost city, Jiang Yinghe noticed a suspicious place when recalling Wangchen.
The miasma had yet to disperse in the center of the city, and there was a convulsing, shapeless mass of flesh giving off a sinister aura there. Jiang Yinghe approached it with his sword unsheathed, feeling like he was approaching a BOSS in one of those video games he used to play on Earth.
The meatball spasmed for some time. It was almost surprisingly ugly.
Jiang Yinghe threw a purifying talisman over with no effect. He then proceeded to split the pile of viscera with a single strike. Blood and gore sprayed everywhere, and the meatball gave off a few death rattles before becoming still. Inside was a curled up body.
It appeared to be an unconscious youth. At first glance, Jiang Yinghe thought that this was an unfortunate cultivator who was devoured, so he reached out a hand to pull them out.
The remaining flesh clinging to the body peeled away, and a body that still had some residual warmth fell into his embrace. They seemed to wake up, and suddenly embraced him.
It was like a newborn hugging their mother.
Qin Jun had never imagined waking up like this.
The cold darkness had been his sole companion since he was sealed thousands of years ago. But now, he was being held by a fragrant, delicious soul. He reflexively swallowed. A pair of endless eyes slowly opened to a blinding shade of white.
The unspeakable pain of rebuilding his body was slowly ebbing away. The memory of being struck by heavenly lightning still played out on loop in his mind, but those arms offered him quiet comfort.
So fragrant ahâŚâŚ
Was this top-level soulâs embrace part of the standard reincarnation package?
Qin Jun could feel an itch in his gums. He was very weak right now, and his consciousness was barely there. There was an all-consuming desire to bite the person in front of him, to lick his enticing soul and make him a part of himselfâŚ
Thatâs what he thought, so thatâs what he did.
The moment Jiang Yinghe came into contact with the other, the system sent out a notification sound, saying that this unknown man had absolute potential and to accept him as a disciple. He was pleasantly surprised that heâd managed to fish out a target like this. When he took the otherâs wrist to estimate his age, he was bitten by this child.
He felt teeth sink into his collar bone and blood spill out.
This miasma-encrusted person, who couldnât be more than twenty, had quite the jaw.
Jiang Yinghe hissed softly, but he continued to hold the person in his arms and even began patting him on his back, saying, âDonât be afraid, I came to rescue you. Those malicious spirits have already been purified.â
The person stiffened, as if Jiang Yinghe had said something inconceivable to him.
Jiang Yinghe thought that he was frightened. He decided, in light of this being the second sprout approved by the system, to patiently continue to comfort him.
âYou will be safe by my side.â
Qin Jun froze. He was covered head to toe in miasma and rotting wounds, and yet this person was still kind enough to try and pacify him.
This was an unprecedented situation for Qin Jun. He was stunned, and his thoughts became fractured.
He bit this person only to be rewarded with warmth and security, where was the logic in this? Qin Jun continued to lap at the bite mark as he pondered.
After being licked several more times, Jiang Yinghe asked, âAreâŚâŚyou hungry?â
Qin Jun rested his head on his shoulder, his voice delayed for a second. âMm.â
The taste was divine plus the man was a saint. He just made the people around him want to gobble him up until there was nothing left.
Jiang Yinghe believed that anyone who had experienced that kind of situation would be timid and afraid, so his straightforward audacity was astounding. He placed a hand on his injured collarbone and healed the slightly red teeth marks with spiritual energy.
Qin Jun continued to lie in his lap and stare at his long fingers with a hidden, appraising and somewhat covetous gaze. Then the steel gray eyes quickly closed with restraint.