The Secret Disciple

Deep within the void of the Three Realms, a world had been carved out from the primordial chaos. It contained within it an endless, surging expanse of seawater.

Countless islands dotted this vast ocean. Immortal cultivators and even Celestial Immortals were a common sight.

At the center of this world, upon an island surrounded by the sea, there was a magnificent cluster of palaces, adorned with Immortal Maidens, Divine Soldiers, and Divine Generals everywhere. Suspended high above the grandest palace was an enormous Taiji Diagram, endlessly radiating black and white light...

An old black-haired man sat cross-legged upon a cloud-bed, the massive Taiji Diagram floating directly above him.

“Hmm.” The old man opened his eyes.

“Child.” The old man spoke calmly.

A pair of young boy and girl attendants had been waiting obediently below. Upon hearing this, the golden-robed boy immediately responded respectfully, “Patriarch.”

“Go, summon your ‘Floodcover’ Martial Uncle,” the old man instructed.

“Yes.” The golden-robed boy acknowledged respectfully. With a single step, ripples appeared in space before him, and he directly vanished, having teleported away.

At the bottom of the ocean within this world, there was a watery palace.

The golden-robed boy teleported directly into the deep sea. The waters parted wherever he passed, until he arrived before a palace that shimmered with an emerald-green light. A large number of soldiers and generals were guarding the palace. Seeing the approaching figure, they moved to block him.

“Floodcover Martial Uncle,” the golden-robed boy called out.

The voice rang out.

Within the watery palace, a tall, gaunt man dressed in dark green armor sat with his eyes gleaming with a faint green light—a gaze that would make anyone’s heart tremble. Across from him sat a white-robed scholar. The two were enjoying wine and conversation.

“It’s not that I, your elder brother, am unwilling to help, but you know that I am currently under confinement by my master. I truly cannot do anything for you, brother. Come, come, let’s not discuss such gloomy matters. Let’s just drink.” The tall, gaunt man in dark green armor held a large bowl as he drank heartily, downing a half-kilogram of wine in a single gulp.

“Mm?” This tall, gaunt, armored man’s expression suddenly changed. He immediately sent a thought forth.

Swoosh.

The golden-robed boy, who had been outside the palace, was directly teleported inside, appearing before them.

“Floodcover Martial Uncle,” the golden-robed boy said, offering a respectful bow.

“What brings my martial nephew to my place?” the tall, gaunt man asked hurriedly. Although this golden-robed boy was merely a Celestial Immortal, he was a permanent attendant serving ‘Grand Emperor Black Tortoise’. Thus, he treated the boy with the utmost courtesy.

The white-robed scholar beside him also stood up quickly. “Greetings, Immortal Youth.”

The golden-robed boy glanced at the white-robed scholar, nodded slightly, and then said, “Floodcover Martial Uncle, I have come on the orders of the Patriarch to summon you.”

“Oh.” Floodcover immediately responded, “Then let us go without delay.”

Floodcover then said to the white-robed scholar, “My master has summoned me. I must…”

“Brother, tend to your own affairs. I will not linger here. I will make another trip to the Heavenly Realm and see if I can find someone to help my poor child.” The white-robed scholar spoke quickly, then drifted away with a flourish.

“Master!”

The tall, gaunt, armored man said respectfully.

The old black-haired man sitting on the cloud-bed nodded gently, a faint smile on his face. “Floodcover, there is a matter I need you to handle.”

“Master, please command me,” Floodcover said respectfully.

“A hundred years ago, I accepted a disciple in the ‘Grand Xia World’ of the Three Thousand Major Worlds,” the old black-haired man said calmly. “He is also your youngest junior apprentice-brother.”

“Youngest junior apprentice-brother?” Floodcover was stunned.

A hundred years ago?

For his master to accept a disciple was a monumental event, yet he had been completely unaware of it.

“His original name is Zhang Qi. He was studying the Dao in a small sect called the ‘Black-White College’ in the Grand Xia World. He is currently only a Wanxiang Adept, and is known by others as the ‘Slovenly True Immortal’,” the old black-haired man said with a laugh. “This time, the Grand Xia World hosted the ‘Immortal Fortunes Assembly’. Your youngest junior apprentice-brother participated in it. The assembly has now ended. Go to the Grand Xia World’s imperial capital and bring your youngest junior apprentice-brother back here… On this trip, you must absolutely not cause any trouble. Merely bring your youngest junior apprentice-brother back.”

“Yes,” Floodcover replied respectfully.

“Go.” The old black-haired man nodded.

Floodcover respectfully withdrew, then immediately left this world, heading towards the Grand Xia World.

Within the Grand Xia Dynasty’s World, Imperial Capital. Main Hall of the Skycrown Palace.

Ji Ning, Mu Northson, and Blackstone Realperson all stood respectfully, awaiting the Grand Xia Emperor’s command.

“This Ji Ning is truly formidable.”

“He trained for just over thirty years and won first place in this Immortal Fortunes Assembly. It seems extremely likely that the Daofather will choose him as a disciple.”

“Soon. Soon His Imperial Majesty will send the water-mirror projections of the battle scenes to the Daofather.”

The nearly thousand Celestial Immortals below were also buzzing with discussion.

The Immortal Fortunes Assembly had ended. Ji Ning was first, Mu Northson was second, and Blackstone Realperson was third. But now, everyone was even more focused on… who would Daofather Crimsonbright choose as his disciple?! The title of ‘First Place of the Immortal Fortunes Assembly’ was merely an empty name. Being accepted as a disciple by Daofather Crimsonbright—that was the true, tangible benefit.

“The three of you.” The Grand Xia Emperor’s voice suddenly rang out.

Ji Ning and the other two pricked up their ears, listening carefully.

“I have used the Water-Mirror Art to record the scenes of your three previous battles. I will now travel to my master and present this Water-Mirror projection to him, allowing him to make his decision.” As the Xia Emperor’s voice echoed, a white-robed Xia Emperor appeared off to the side. This white-robed figure had the exact same appearance as the main body of the Xia Emperor, but his attire was different.

Swoosh!

The white-robed Xia Emperor took a single step, arriving at the void above the hall. There, he tore through the fabric of space, leaving this major world.

Ji Ning and the other two were deeply nervous.

The white-robed Xia Emperor was clearly a Primaltwin or a clone. He had gone to meet Daofather Crimsonbright. Now, they awaited Daofather Crimsonbright’s choice.

Who would he choose?

“My formations are even stronger than my close-combat skills. A Daofather’s vision is naturally extremely keen; he will certainly be able to perceive my mastery of formations,” Blackstone Realperson thought, his mind a tangle of complex emotions. “With my formation mastery, the Daofather should choose me.”

“I won first place. I have done everything I could. Now, I can only wait for Daofather Crimsonbright’s decision,” Ji Ning thought silently.

“It all depends on whether I have that fate or not,” Mu Northson mused to himself.

The Grand Xia Emperor’s voice sounded from above once more.

“My Primaltwin has already left to visit Master. However, when Master will see me, and when he will decide on a disciple, is difficult to say.” The Grand Xia Emperor looked at the three nervous figures below, clearly aware that every second was agonizingly difficult for Ji Ning and the others. “The three of you are the top three of this Immortal Fortunes Assembly. You may go to the Grand Xia treasury and each choose a Divine Ability.”

“Prince of Qi.” The Grand Xia Emperor spoke.

“Your Imperial Majesty.” The Prince of Qi immediately rose to his feet in acknowledgment.

“Lead the three of them to the Grand Xia treasury and allow them to each select a Divine Ability,” the Grand Xia Emperor commanded.

Ji Ning and the other two had no interest in selecting a Divine Ability at a time like this. Under normal circumstances, being able to freely choose a Divine Ability from the Grand Xia Dynasty’s treasury would have driven them wild with excitement and ecstasy. But now, waiting for ‘Daofather Crimsonbright’s’ choice kept all of their hearts suspended. They only had one thought in their minds.

Who would be chosen… Who would Daofather Crimsonbright choose…

Choose me, choose me, choose me…

“Go. Once my Primaltwin returns, I will naturally inform you of Master’s final decision,” the Grand Xia Emperor said.

“Yes.” Ji Ning, Mu Northson, and Blackstone Realperson all replied respectfully.

They then followed the Prince of Qi, leaving through a side passage.

The nearly thousand Celestial Immortals and the other eliminated Wanxiang Adept geniuses in the hall watched Ji Ning’s trio leave with envy…

The Grand Xia Emperor had already said that one of these three would definitely be chosen as a disciple by the Daofather. The other two would be accepted as disciples by Pure Yang True Immortals! In other words, regardless of the outcome, the status and position of all three had already taken a leap. How could the eliminated cultivators not envy them?

“Yu Wei, Slovenly, do you think Ji Ning will be chosen as a disciple by the Daofather?” Yuchi Xiyue asked, both excited and nervous. He was her most important relative; of course, she wished for him to reach the heavens in a single bound. If he did, it would probably be much easier for Ji Ning to deal with the Shaoyin clan in the future.

“He will. The Daofather will choose him.” Yu Wei gripped Yuchi Xiyue’s hand tightly.

“Slovenly?” Yuchi Xiyue looked at Slovenly True Immortal.

The Slovenly True Immortal shook his head. “I don’t know Daofather Crimsonbright’s temperament, so it’s hard to say. However, Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning was first place in this Immortal Fortunes Assembly, and his training time has been so short. He is indeed the most dazzling. The likelihood of Daofather Crimsonbright choosing Junior Apprentice-Brother Ji Ning as a disciple is very high. But these kinds of things… no one can be absolutely certain.”

Those who cared were lost.

Yu Wei and Yuchi Xiyue cared too much about Ji Ning.

“Even if he cannot become Daofather Crimsonbright’s disciple, he can still become the disciple of a Pure Yang True Immortal. There’s no need to be so nervous.” The Slovenly True Immortal let out a sigh. “I wonder if I’ll be lucky enough to become a disciple of a Pure Yang True Immortal.”

“Elder Apprentice-Brother, you were quite dazzling at this Immortal Fortunes Assembly as well. A Pure Yang True Immortal should take you as a disciple too,” Yu Wei said.

“It’s not that simple. Pure Yang True Immortals do not casually accept disciples.” The Slovenly True Immortal harbored a glimmer of hope but maintained a calm, ordinary heart.

Suddenly, a vast, terrifying aura surged in from outside the main hall, and a voice rang out, “Xiamang, it’s been a long time.”

Whoosh!

The nearly thousand Celestial Immortals, along with the group of eliminated Wanxiang Adepts, all looked outside, their minds shocked and puzzled. Such a powerful aura, and such a bold manner of speaking… this was surely a figure of immense importance.

“Hahaha…” The Xia Emperor rose to his feet on his own initiative.

The other eight Pure Yang True Immortals also stood up.

A tall, gaunt man in dark green armor strode in through the entrance, his aura so vast and potent that it made even the surrounding Celestial Immortals’ hearts tremble.

“It’s the Floodcover Sage.”

“Floodcover Divine God!”

“Floodcover Demon King!”

The nearly thousand Celestial Immortals all thought to themselves.

The Xia Emperor stood up, smiling as he said, “Floodcover, indeed, it has been a long time. The Three Realms are still spreading tales of your great feats.”

“Floodcover, have you come to pick up your junior apprentice-brother?” Lu Dongbin said leisurely and with a casual laugh.

“That’s right.” This Floodcover was overbearingly domineering. His green-glowing eyes swept across his surroundings as he directly called out, “Which one of you is Zhang Qi? Which one is the Slovenly True Immortal?”

Behind King Yan, the slovenly, fat youth trembled in fright. What was going on?