บท 172: Chapter 308: Invitation to the Immortal Sect
"Taking on another disciple..."
Emperor Yu frowned slightly. A thousand years ago, when the Immortal Sect accepted disciples, countless proud talents vied for the opportunity, which eventually led to the gradual decline of the Great Yu God Dynasty.
He had agreed to it because it was a rare opportunity, and he predicted that when the incense of the ancestors was almost complete, it might attract unwanted attention and conflict. Sending Jiang Ziyan and the other royals was his hope that they would cultivate and return enlightened, thus helping him preside over the Great Yu.
But now, they had indeed achieved the Dao Enlightenment Realm, and it was the Dao Law Realm. Upon their return, they could no longer remain in the mortal realm but had to undergo another Immortal Sect initiation.
This time, the Great Yu's luck would probably decline even further.
Although the disaster had subsided and there was no war, Qin Zhenren had been badly injured, and his lifespan could not last another thousand years.
Now, among the proud disciples of the Great Yu, there must be someone who could take over Qin Zhenren's mantle and preside over the Great Yu. Perhaps one of the present Jiang Ziyan and the others would be willing to stay and take care of the Great Yu in Qin Zhenren's stead.
As for Li Hao... Emperor Yu knew that a true dragon like him could not be contained by the Great Yu. Even if Li Hao wanted to stay and protect this place, he hoped that Li Hao would venture into the Immortal Sect and forge his own path.
"If we're taking on disciples, are any of you willing to stay in the mortal realm and succeed Qin Lao?" Emperor Yu asked.
Hearing this, Jiang Ziyan and the other five showed slight changes in their expressions. Jiang Baishan and the others looked at Jiang Ziyan, who lowered her voice and said, "Father, now that the Great Yu's catastrophe is resolved, we won't stay, but we will never let the Great Yu fall into peril again. On this trip, I obtained some supreme treasures from my master, which can be given to Grandpa Qin to guard the Great Yu."
As she spoke, she reached into the heavenly space and took out numerous items.
"Although these seem to be Sacred Heart treasures, they have been tempered by incense, making them extremely powerful. With these weapons, Grandpa Qin, being in the Dao Law Realm, won't be at too much of a disadvantage when facing others of the same realm."
"I also obtained a medium-level divine art, extremely precious. I performed three tasks for my master to acquire this art. Grandpa Qin can secretly cultivate it. As long as he doesn't go to the lands of the saints and use this art to draw attention, he won't be pursued."
"Additionally, these are ten Dao talismans, each possessing terrifying power and unique effects. When used together, each talisman can match the might of a Dao Law Realm expert."
She handed all of these items to Emperor Yu and said, "With these items, the Great Yu should be safe from harm for a while."
Looking at these treasures, there was no joy on Emperor Yu's face. Instead, he looked at his daughter, Jiang Ziyan, and then at Jiang Baishan and the others, seeing their determination and intentions in their eyes.
Obviously, they had discussed this beforehand, and none of them were willing to stay in the mortal realm.
At this moment, he also realized that in addition to the prestige of the Immortal Sect, the cultivation resources and environment within were probably also extremely attractive to them, and they had never considered giving them up.
Emperor Yu fell silent for a moment before nodding slightly, having understood their decision.
He didn't try to persuade them or ask further questions, and he even thought to himself, "If it weren't for the resurrection of the ancestors, would they still be willing to come back?" The answer to that question eluded him.
But Emperor Yu knew that one should not dwell too deeply on the matters of the heart. However, his thoughts kept drifting to that carefree boy in front of the chessboard.
That carefree and unfettered figure, the weight of his words, "I haven't seen all that the mortal realm has to offer," seemed to resonate even more deeply at this moment.
Because of this, he was even more reluctant to keep the boy tied down.
"Very well, if it's taking on disciples, then let's do so. With these treasures, as long as we don't encounter a situation like before, we should be fine."
Emperor Yu's expression was somewhat somber. He summoned Chu Jiuyue and informed him about the Immortal Sect's initiation, saying, "Go and notify that fellow personally. Tell him that he must come; this opportunity is rare, and tell him that I'll be displeased if he doesn't show up."
Chu Jiuyue hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Hearing Emperor Yu's solemn tone, Jiang Ziyan and the others seemed surprised, as if they found it hard to believe that someone would pass up such an opportunity. Jiang Ziyan frowned and said, "This kind of opportunity is a temptation that proud talents cannot resist. Who wouldn't come?"
Emperor Yu glanced at her but remained silent.
That child was different; he was unusually indifferent...
News of the Immortal Sect taking on disciples spread, carried by the powerful cultivators who had returned from the Immortal Sect. Although Emperor Yu didn't publicly announce it, the news circulated among the top powers.
And since most of the proud disciples belonged to these factions, when they learned of this news, they rushed to the Holy Imperial City.
In Tianmen Pass of Liangzhou...
Li Hao was cultivating, transforming his vitality into Dao power and refining it into his body, strengthening his physical foundation.
His body was constantly improving and becoming more robust.
When Chu Jiuyue arrived at this pass, Li Hao was in the courtyard, painting while infusing Dao power into his blood and flesh, cultivating simultaneously.
Returning to this city and courtyard, Chu Jiuyue felt a sense of familiarity and strangeness—a place that was once reduced to rubble now bustled with life.
The small courtyard hadn't changed much, except there were fewer people occupying it.
Seeing Jiang Licheng, Chu Jiuyue was surprised. He respectfully bowed to him, but Jiang Licheng merely glanced at him without saying a word.
"His Majesty has sent me to inform you that you must go," Chu Jiuyue said.
His gaze shifted to the firewood in the courtyard, indicating that it was almost mealtime.
"The Immortal Sect? Taking on disciples?"
Li Hao raised an eyebrow, appearing unfazed by the news. Gaining entrance to the Immortal Sect was within his grasp; all he needed to do was activate the Saint's imprint within his consciousness and call upon the Saint who was willing to take him as a disciple.
His mentor would surely welcome him and make special arrangements for his admittance. The only reason he hadn't considered entering earlier was his unfinished business in the mortal realm.
However, it seemed his departure was drawing near. A visit to the Immortal Sect to tie up loose ends would be prudent, and then he could return.
After all, he didn't want to give that fugitive who had escaped to the Immortal Sect any chance to cause more trouble. If that person sought revenge, it would be a nuisance to ask a Half-Saint to intervene again.
"Speaking of which," Li Hao inquired, "how many of the famous paintings and other items I previously asked Your Majesty to collect have been found?"
Chu Jiuyue was taken aback, surprised that Li Hao's main concern wasn't the Immortal Sect but those miscellaneous items. He glanced at the brush and ink in the young man's hands and smiled bitterly. "We've gathered quite a lot. Feel free to stop by the Imperial Palace to take a look, General."
"Alright," Li Hao nodded. "Thank you for your trouble, but you may return first. I'll be there shortly."
Chu Jiuyue nodded, then hesitated before looking up at the sun and asking, "May I stay here a little longer?"
Li Hao furrowed his brows, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Suit yourself."
When mealtime came, Li Hao showcased his culinary skills, now at the ninth level. He took some of the demon king's meat and blood that he had slaughtered and refined, cooking it to perfection. The small courtyard filled with an aromatic fragrance.
After purifying the meat, a simple dish had been transformed into a precious tonic.
Li Hao invited Ren Qianqian to join him for the meal. Chu Jiuyue, who had been waiting patiently, eagerly joined them with a big smile.
Only then did Li Hao understand why he had lingered, and he offered him a portion as well.
After they finished eating, Chu Jiuyue left with a satisfied smile. Li Hao proceeded to clean up the brushes and ink, bringing Ren Qianqian along, as her talent would likely be considered top-notch and worthy of the Immortal Sect.
Xiyuan swished her skirt and transformed into a red ring that coiled around Li Hao's wrist. "Let's go," he said, and without further ado, they set off on their journey.
Candlelight God was still merging with his wife, so he traveled alone.
Jiang Licheng followed eagerly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I missed the chance to join the Immortal Sect before, but this time, I won't let it slip away."
Li Hao neither agreed nor disagreed; he wasn't surprised by Jiang Licheng's desire.
As Li Hao and his companions made their way, in a certain area within the Great Yu God Dynasty, several figures strolled casually through a city. They overheard the news and exchanged glances, their faces reflecting their surprise. They never expected the Immortal Sect to be taking on disciples within the territory of the Jin family.
"Xuan Shen, this is a rare opportunity," a young woman spoke up, excited. "In my Ji family, it takes the intervention of the three ancestors to establish a connection with the Immortal Sect. Only once every three hundred years can we send a Dao descendant for training. Now, all we need is for someone from within to choose us."
The central figure among them was exceptionally handsome, his arrogance prominent even though he tried to conceal it.
They had been following that young man, wandering through various places within the Great Yu, searching for his traces and hearing countless legends that left them speechless. Now, they planned to leave and bid him farewell before returning to the Ji family to cultivate in seclusion. But they never expected to stumble upon such news.
"This Great Yu possesses both the Merit Treasure Vault and the Immortal Sect," someone said. "The Jin family must have laid the groundwork before leaving the Great Wilderness."
"This is indeed a rare opportunity," another added. "We should prepare quickly. I wonder what the requirements are for accepting disciples. But I'm sure we'll easily meet them. If even we can't, then others definitely won't be able to."
The group quickly decided to bring the news back to the Ji family, encouraging the young elites to seize this chance. In the past, only Dao descendants could enter the Immortal Sect, but now, things were different.
Moreover, they could seek out the Ji family's connections and support within the Immortal Sect, making it easier to cultivate, develop, and shine, catching up to that young man.
"Let's go," they said, hurrying back, aware of the urgency.
Meanwhile, Li Hao had arrived at the Imperial City. As he reached the Imperial Palace, he sensed several subtle yet powerful auras lurking within. He already knew about them from Chu Jiuyue—they were likely the royal family members who had entered the Immortal Sect a millennium ago.
Li Hao, accompanied by Ren Qianqian, entered the palace directly, disregarding the usual order.
"You've arrived," Emperor Yu said, having detected Li Hao's aura. He also noticed that it had advanced from the Great Peace Realm to the Hearing the Dao Realm. He was taken aback, wondering how much time had passed since they last met.
According to a secret report during the Great Battle of Liangzhou, Li Hao had only reached the Three Immortals Realm. Now, just over a year later, he had attained the Hearing the Dao Realm...
Recalling Qin Zhenren's words about supporting Li Hao for another decade, Emperor Yu smiled bitterly. Ten years had seemed sufficient, but he had greatly underestimated this young man.
"There are still three days until the Immortal Sect starts taking disciples. You can stay here for a while," Emperor Yu offered.
At the same time, several divine senses probed over, belonging to Jiang Ziyan and the others.
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