36: Chapter 36 Taking on Disciples

The commotion in the white jade plaza was forcibly cut off by two words.

The deacon's hand froze in mid-air, caught in a dilemma. He looked at the girl in hempen clothes sitting on the ground, then looked up at the Peak Revered Master of Tianxuan Peak, the one whom even the Holy Lord had to avoid offending.

Ji Ruxue straightened her body. She did not panic or beg for mercy like the other youths who had failed the selection; she merely raised her head calmly.

As the former Empress Yaoguang who once ruled three thousand Star Domains in the Upper Realm, this scene didn't even count as a minor squabble. The Nine Netherworld Demon Emperor's sneak attack had destroyed her imperial body, and her true spirit was forced to Reincarnation in the Lower Realm. This Mortal body was tightly sealed by the Nine Netherworld Severed Veins, making even the most basic act of drawing Qi into the body impossible.

She had intended to sneak into the Piaomiao Holy Land and borrow ancient books from the outer sect's Scripture Pavilion to find a way to break the Seal. Who would have thought she wouldn't even pass the first trial at the Spiritual Root testing stele.

"What is your name?" Gu Sheng stood at the edge of the high platform, looking down.

"Ji Ruxue."

The voice was not loud, but the enunciation was very clear. There was no unnecessary chatter.

Gu Sheng stared at the glaring "red Luck" on his System panel. This was a great treasure. Compared to her, that old grandfather in the ring of Su Qianxue was like a street performer at the village entrance.

[Ding. Host, wipe away your drool. She is the Reincarnation of an Upper Realm Empress; with your Fourth Level of Qi Refining cultivation, be careful that you don't get slapped to death by her one day.]

The System's mechanical voice contained undisguised mockery.

"Shut up. So what if she's an Empress? Right now, she's still a Mortal without even a Spiritual Root. Investing requires timing; do you understand the value of helping someone in need?" Gu Sheng retorted in his mind.

He turned to look at Mo Cangtian.

"I want this girl."

Mo Cangtian was stunned. Li Changgeng and the others looked at each other in dismay.

"Peak Master Gu," Mo Cangtian coughed dryly, carefully weighing his words, "This girl was just tested, and she has no Spiritual Root at all; she is a completely Mortal body. Should Tianxuan Peak... perhaps choose again when accepting Disciples?"

He wasn't concerned about the Legacy of Tianxuan Peak, but rather he couldn't fathom Gu Sheng's methods. A big shot whose accompanying old servant was in the Creation Realm, yet he ignores a Genius with a single Spiritual Root and chooses a Trash instead. What kind of game is he playing?

"Are you teaching me how to do my job?" Gu Sheng retorted.

Mo Cangtian shut his mouth. The fear of being locked onto by the aura of the Creation Realm still lingered in his Meridians; even if he were given ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to say another word.

"Peak Master Gu has the Wisdom Eye to recognize talent; it is her good fortune to be able to enter Tianxuan Peak." Mo Cangtian took the opportunity to back down and turned to scold the outer sect deacon, "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and invite her up!"

The deacon's legs went soft from fear, and he quickly put on a fawning smile for Ji Ruxue.

Ji Ruxue ignored the deacon. She looked at Gu Sheng on the high platform.

This young man had a handsome appearance, but only possessed the Fourth Level of Qi Refining cultivation. On the contrary, the middle-aged man behind him had an aura as deep as the sea; even in her past life at her Peak, she had never seen such a bizarre cultivation style.

A Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator, accompanied by an unrivaled expert.

Ji Ruxue calculated quickly in her heart. She was too weak right now; any random Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator could crush her to death. Since someone was willing to take her in, lying low for now was an option. Once she broke the Seal of the Nine Netherworld Severed Veins, she would figure out what to do next.

She took a step and walked up the white jade stairs.

Her hempen shoes stepped onto the precious bluestone slabs, leaving behind muddy footprints.

She stopped three steps away from Gu Sheng.

"Follow me." Gu Sheng turned around.

Xuan Kong knocked the ashes out of his pipe on the steps and followed half a step behind Gu Sheng.

Ji Ruxue followed at the end. In this way, the three of them left the main Peak plaza under the gaze of tens of thousands of people.

Tianxuan Peak. Inside the great hall.

Gu Sheng sat on the armchair. Ji Ruxue stood below, her expression calm.

There was no timidity, no curiosity. Those eyes were so deep that they didn't look like those of a fifteen-year-old girl at all.

Gu Sheng pulled up the System panel and carefully checked Ji Ruxue's attributes.

[Name: Ji Ruxue] [Physique: Mortal Body (Actually Nine Netherworld Severed Veins Seal, must be washed with an item of extreme Yang to be lifted)] [Current Status: Extremely Weak] [Investment Advice: Lift the Seal to obtain massive destiny points and a chance to draw a random Emperor-level Cultivation Technique.]

An item of extreme Yang.

Gu Sheng tapped on the rosewood table. The taiyin divine marrow was an item of extreme Yin, while he didn't really have anything of extreme Yang on hand. However, with 30 million exchange points as a foundation, what couldn't he buy in the System store?

"System, search for items of extreme Yang."

[Searching...] [Nine Heavens Pure Yang Grass: Price 500,000 exchange points.] [Great Sun Golden Flame Seed: Price 3,000,000 exchange points.] [True Dragon Heart Blood (Juvenile): Price 1,000,000 exchange points.]

Gu Sheng looked at the strings of zeros, his eyelids twitching. These Sons of Destiny were more expensive than the last. That old grandfather in the ring for Su Qianxue cost 400,000, and this one was even worse, starting at 500,000.

"You have no Spiritual Root." Gu Sheng spoke, breaking the silence of the great hall.

"Yes." Ji Ruxue answered crisply.

"Then why did you come to the Piaomiao Holy Land?"

"To find books."

"What books?"

"Books that will allow me to cultivate."

The conversation was brief. Ji Ruxue's guard was extremely high. She would not reveal anything about the Nine Netherworld Demon Emperor and the Upper Realm to anyone. She understood the principle that an innocent man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime, better than anyone.

Gu Sheng smiled.

"What a coincidence. I don't have anything else here, but I have plenty of money and resources." Gu Sheng stood up and walked over to Ji Ruxue. "I have taken a liking to you. From today on, you are a Disciple of my Tianxuan Peak."

Ji Ruxue raised her eyelids.

"Why me?"

"Because I feel like it." Gu Sheng couldn't be bothered to make up any high-sounding reasons, "The Everlasting Gu Family doesn't need to explain its actions to anyone."

Everlasting Gu Family.

Ji Ruxue searched her memory for this name. Among the three thousand Star Domains of the Upper Realm, no aristocratic family dared to call themselves "Everlasting". Could it be some hidden, ancient Daoist lineage?

She glanced at the silent Xuan Kong beside her. This man smoking a dry pipe gave her a feeling of extreme, dangerous oppression.

"This Disciple pays respects to Revered Master." Ji Ruxue did not hesitate any longer; she knelt on both knees and performed the apprenticeship ceremony.

When one is under another's roof, one has to bow one's head. As long as she could step back onto the path of immortality, trading a "Revered Master" for resources was a deal that wasn't a loss.

[Ding.] [Congratulations to the Host for successfully subduing the Daughter of Destiny, Ji Ruxue (Unawakened State).] [Obtained destiny points: 5000.] [Triggered side quest: The Empress's Revival.] [Quest Requirement: Lift the Nine Netherworld Severed Veins Seal within Ji Ruxue's body within one month.] [Quest Reward: 50,000 destiny points.] [Failure Penalty: Ji Ruxue explodes and dies, the Host suffers backlash from the Nine Netherworld Devilish Qi, and cultivation is reset to zero.]

"System, are you messing with me? The failure penalty is cultivation reset to zero? I'm only at the Fourth Level of Qi Refining; if it resets, I'll be worse than a Mortal!"

[Friendly reminder: High risk comes with high rewards. Didn't the Host seem quite generous just now when showing off? With 30 million exchange points in hand, what's a mere Seal? Keep it up, this System believes in you.]

The System's voice sounded cheeky.

Gu Sheng took a deep breath and swallowed his curses.

Buying a Nine Heavens Pure Yang Grass for 500,000 exchange points to earn 50,000 destiny points—when you do the math, it's actually profitable. destiny points are the hard currency that can be used to exchange for special items.

"Get up." Gu Sheng raised his hand.