537: The register of names establishes the status.

Immortal Master Taiyi's smile stiffened imperceptibly, but he immediately became even more amiable: "My immortal mountain is a wondrous realm, filled with exotic flowers, rare herbs, precious birds, and Spirit Beast, all available in abundance."

"There are also profound Daoist techniques. Once you learn them, you will be able to use your abilities much better and become even more powerful."

"Even more powerful?" Fifth Zha's eyes lit up.

"Can I fly higher?" Seventh Brother asked expectantly.

"Can I smash harder pillars?" Eighth Brother asked, rubbing his head.

Immortal Master Taiyi nodded with a smile: "All of that is possible."

The children looked at each other, then at Lady Yin and Li Jing.

Although Lady Yin was reluctant to part with them, she knew this was a monumental Opportunity, so she nodded through her tears.

Li Jing was even more eager, signaling his agreement repeatedly.

"Fine! We'll go!" Nezha was the first to speak, putting away his Magic Treasure and landing on the ground.

"We'll go too!" the ten brothers chimed in, chattering away.

Immortal Master Taiyi felt reassured. With a wave of his whisk, his immortal aura was fully displayed: "Since that is the case, please continue to enjoy your time together as a family! In three years, I will return to take them up the mountain."

With Immortal Master Taiyi's final word, the heavy burden in Li Jing's heart was finally lifted, and the trace of lingering awkwardness on his face turned into genuine joy.

"Your kindness is greatly appreciated, Immortal Master; Li Jing is deeply grateful! Children, hurry over and formally pay your respects to your Master!"

Nezha performed a nimble flip in the air and landed lightly. He looked at Immortal Master Taiyi with curiosity, showing no restraint.

The ten on the ground looked at each other. Finally, Third Zha, with the brightest eyes, walked over first. Imitating the gestures from plays, he performed a proper bow: "Greetings, Master!"

Once he started, the others followed.

Fourth Brother tilted his ears, Fifth Zha scratched his head, Sixth Brother touched his arm, Seventh Brother folded his wings, Eighth Brother stopped hitting the pillar, Ninth Brother retracted his long legs, Tenth Brother held his breath, Eleven Zha stepped forward, and the youngest, Twelve Zha, slid out of Lady Yin's arms and wobbled over to join his brothers.

The eleven little ones—tall and short, sturdy and nimble, some with wings, some able to burrow underground—lined up in a somewhat disorderly row. They all kowtowed together and shouted in unison, though not perfectly in sync: "Greetings, Master!"

Their voices were childish but full of vigor, causing dust to shower down from the rafters.

Immortal Master Taiyi stroked his beard, his eyes squinting into slits as he smiled. He said repeatedly: "Good, good, good! You are all good children! Today, we shall establish this Master-Disciple relationship."

"My Daoist name is Taiyi. I reside in the Golden Light Cave on Qianyuan Mountain, under the tutelage of the Primordial Heavenly Venerate at the Jade Void Palace."

"Since you have entered my sect, you must observe the precepts of the profound Dao, respect your Master and the Dao, diligently practice the wondrous techniques, and only then will you be able to achieve success in the future."

His gaze swept over each of the eleven Disciples, pausing particularly on Nezha, who was holding the qiankun circle and universe ring, and then on the ten boys, each with their own unique traits. His mind was made up.

"The ceremony for accepting Disciples must not be taken lightly. Commander Li, please set up an incense table. I must report to my Revered Master and record their names," ordered Immortal Master Taiyi.

Li Jing dared not delay and immediately ordered his men to prepare.

Before long, an incense table was set up in the main hall, honoring the name of the Primordial Heavenly Venerate. Immortal Master Taiyi washed his hands and burned incense while chanting. A beam of clear light rose from the table and vanished into the Void Realm, serving as a report to the Jade Void Palace regarding the acceptance of the Disciples.

Afterward, he produced a Jade Slip. Using his finger as a brush, golden light flickered as eleven names were branded onto it: Nezha, Li Third Zha, Li Fourth Zha... all the way to Li Twelve Zha.

"This is the roster of Disciples for my Golden Light Cave, and it has already been reported to the Jade Void Palace."

Immortal Master Taiyi put away the Jade Slip and said to Li Jing and his wife: "They have unique innate constitutions. Though they were born only a few days ago, they are already like normal three-year-old children. I fear these children... within three years, will face their first bottleneck in cultivation."

"In three years, I will come to Chentang Pass in person to take them up the mountain for formal training."

"For these three years, let them stay at home to enjoy family life with their parents, get familiar with the ways of the mortal world, and solidify the foundation of their Heart-Nature."

Li Jing and Lady Yin were, of course, profusely grateful.

Immortal Master Taiyi left behind a few basic chants for cultivating Qi, instructing the children to practice every day and not be lazy, before mounting a cloud of auspicious mist and drifting away.

Having received the basic chants from Immortal Master Taiyi, the Eleven Zha were like tigers gaining wings.

The chants were originally meant for consolidating the foundation, nourishing the original Qi, and guiding spiritual energy. However, when used by this group of exceptionally gifted little ones, the effects underwent strange changes.

Needless to say, Nezha used the universe ring and qiankun circle with consummate skill. When he was in the mood, he could fly into the sky, shatter stones, and split mountains.

The other ten also displayed their own Divine Ability, with their powers increasing significantly.

Li Jing was in pain and happy at the same time. The pain came from the soaring costs of repairing the mansion, while the happiness came from the fact that although the children were rowdy, they were all filial and extremely attached to him and Lady Yin.

Especially those ten "biological" ones; perhaps due to a special connection in their Bloodline, they always felt an extra sense of closeness to him.

This made his initial awkwardness vanish into thin air, leaving only the gratification of an old father and... a headache.

[Great Heavenly Venerate Work Group]

Venus: @All Members Latest intelligence! Immortal Master Taiyi of Qianyuan Mountain has arrived at Chentang Pass and has set his sights on all eleven "auspicious prodigies" in Commander Li's mansion, intending to take them as Disciples! In three years, he will take them up the mountain! Goddess, your bracelet has been found!

Yaochi: Oh? Taiyi? He certainly has a sharp eye. The miraculous power of my bracelet seems to have manifested entirely in the Li family. Eleven children... The Li family has gathered the Thirteen Taibao!

Human King Di Xin: I have already declared Commander Li's situation an auspicious omen and bestowed rewards. However...

@Haotian Your Majesty, if these eleven children all join the Chan Sect, when the Investiture of the Gods catastrophe begins in the future, what should be done...

Currently, I have not offended Goddess Nüwa, nor have I taken any beauties, the four barbarians are still fighting, yet the dukes are all very obedient.

In this situation, how can the great catastrophe begin?

Haotian: (Relaxed tea-drinking expression) @Human King Di Xin Why are you panicking? The great catastrophe was disrupted from the very beginning; I don't even know how it's supposed to start.

When soldiers come, block them; when water comes, earth covers it. Let's see how they mess around.

After Immortal Master Taiyi left, life in Chentang Pass seemed to have hit the fast-forward button.

The Eleven Zha grew rapidly in the Li mansion.

The ten brothers were not to be outdone, and under the guidance of the basic chants left by Immortal Master Taiyi, their respective Divine Ability improved by leaps and bounds.

They changed with each passing day, each growing up to look heroic and extraordinary, or delicate and cute.

This made Li Jing both proud and worried.

He was proud that his Li family had a prosperous lineage, with each child being extraordinary;

He was worried that the more capable these boys became, the greater their ability to cause trouble would rise accordingly.

One day, in the height of summer, the weather was unbearably hot.

Nezha led his ten brothers in practicing in the courtyard, their clothes soaked with sweat.

"It's so hot, so hot!" Fifth Zha threw aside the eight-thousand-jin boulder he was holding, wiped his sweat, and said, "It would be great if we could soak in water to cool off."

"Water?" Seventh Brother flapped his wings. "The East Sea is not far Outside the Pass, and the seawater there is so blue and cool!"

"The East Sea?" Nezha's eyes lit up. The East Sea was not far from Chentang Pass, but Li Jing had strictly forbidden the children from going to the sea on their own, saying that the Dragon Clan in the sea was a powerful force and not to be provoked easily.

"Father won't let us go," Sixth Brother said in a muffled voice. He was currently scrubbing his arm with an iron brush, making a "cha-cha" metallic scraping sound.

"Father is just afraid we'll cause trouble." Third Zha blinked his unusually bright eyes and looked toward the east. "But I can see the waves sparkling over at the East Sea, and it looks like it would be a lot of fun."