The Grand Ceremony of Taking a Disciple
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye!
Today, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was bustling with activity. The square halfway up the mountain was filled with a lively crowd. In addition to those already seated, more and more people were arriving.
Whether they were nobles of the empire or leaders of various factions, no one dared to slight the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Today was the grand ceremony for Sect Leader Ning Fengzhi to take on a disciple.
After taking their seats, the guests immediately began chatting with those around them, discussing the implications of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Sect Leader and the eldest prince of the Heaven Dou Empire becoming master and disciple. They also pondered how they should respond to this development.
Before they knew it, it was 10 a.m., and the main event of the day was about to begin.
At the foot of the mountain, a royal carriage arrived and came to a stop. A young man stepped out. He wasn't exceptionally handsome, but he had a refined and gentle appearance. A constant smile played on his lips, giving him an approachable demeanor. His attire wasn't extravagant—just a simple green robe—but it was clean and neat. His black hair was tied neatly at the back, exuding a unique charm.
This young man was the eldest prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe.
After stepping out of the carriage, Xue Qinghe wore a determined expression. He then began walking up the mountain, step by step, all the way to the halfway point.
Upon reaching the square, Xue Qinghe took a deep breath, straightened his slightly disheveled robe, and then clasped his hands in a respectful gesture as he spoke:
"Disciple Xue Qinghe has come to pay his respects to the Sect Leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. I have long admired Sect Leader Ning's vast knowledge, profound wisdom, and mastery of both ancient and modern learning. I wish to become your disciple and serve by your side. I humbly ask that you accept me as your student!"
After saying this, Xue Qinghe bowed deeply and remained in that position, as if he would never rise unless Ning Fengzhi agreed.
At this point, it was time for the other main character to make his appearance. Ning Fengzhi, accompanied by Chen Xin and Gu Luo, finally stepped forward and approached Xue Qinghe.
Ning Fengzhi, elegant and composed, wore a spotless white robe. He seemed somewhat helpless as he reached out to help Xue Qinghe up, saying:
"Foolish child, with your status, anyone would be willing to become your teacher. Why insist on me? I am but an ordinary soul master."
Xue Qinghe, however, did not rise. Instead, he bowed even deeper and spoke earnestly:
"Teacher, please do not refuse me. I admire your knowledge and respect your character. I only wish to serve by your side and learn from you. I ask for nothing else."
Seeing Xue Qinghe's sincerity, Ning Fengzhi finally sighed and said:
"Very well, I accept you as my disciple. I hope that what I have learned in my life will be of some enlightenment to you."
Xue Qinghe finally stood up:
"Disciple Xue Qinghe pays his respects to Teacher!"
With that, the master-disciple relationship between Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe was officially established. Given their statuses—one as the sect leader of a major sect and the other as the prince of an empire—this was more of an alliance, a mutual exchange of benefits.
However, the act of taking on a disciple not only created a heartwarming story but also deepened the bond between the two.
Thus, the master-disciple relationship had been agreed upon long ago, but today's performance was for the benefit of the audience.
The nobles and faction leaders present, moved by the touching scene, quickly stepped forward to offer their congratulations:
"Congratulations, Your Highness, on finding such a renowned teacher!"
"Congratulations, Sect Leader, on gaining such an outstanding disciple!"
Ning Fengzhi then led Xue Qinghe around, greeting each of the guests and calming them down before finally returning to the main seat.
After everyone had taken their seats, Ning Fengzhi said to Xue Qinghe:
"Your Highness—"
Xue Qinghe clasped his hands and responded:
"Teacher, now that I am your disciple, you may simply call me Qinghe."
Ning Fengzhi nodded with a smile and then said:
"Qinghe, since you are now my disciple, let me introduce you to the two guardians of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect: Sword Douluo, Chen Xin, and Bone Douluo, Gu Luo."
Xue Qinghe didn't dare to be negligent. He stood up and bowed:
"Greetings, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo!"
Chen Xin and Gu Luo, aware that this was part of Ning Fengzhi's plan to influence the empire, nodded politely in return.
Ning Fengzhi then continued the introductions:
"This is my daughter, Ning Rongrong. You may call her Rongrong. Rongrong, greet your elder brother Qinghe."
Ning Rongrong, understanding the importance of the occasion, stepped forward obediently and said in a sweet voice:
"Elder Brother Qinghe!"
Xue Qinghe smiled and nodded, clearly pleased. He then said to Ning Fengzhi:
"Teacher, I have a younger sister at home named Xue Ke, who is about the same age as Rongrong. Seeing Rongrong now makes me feel a sense of familiarity."
Ning Fengzhi smiled warmly:
"That's wonderful. And this is the genius of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Chen Yuan. His martial soul is the Seven Kill Sword, and he is Sword Douluo's disciple. At only eight years old, he is already a two-ringed Soul Grandmaster."
Upon hearing this, Xue Qinghe immediately showered Chen Yuan with praise, calling him a young hero with limitless potential. However, he secretly thought to himself that since he was Ning Fengzhi's disciple and Chen Yuan was Chen Xin's disciple, Chen Yuan was technically a generation below him. With a smile, he said:
"Chen Yuan, I am a few years older than you. If you don't mind, you may call me Elder Brother Xue."
Chen Yuan didn't make a scene. He stepped forward and said calmly:
"Elder Brother Xue."
Xue Qinghe nodded, not paying much attention to Chen Yuan. After all, an eight-year-old two-ringed Soul Grandmaster wasn't particularly impressive in his eyes. He himself had been born with innate level-20 soul power and became a two-ringed Soul Grandmaster immediately after awakening his martial soul.
Although his undercover mission in the Heaven Dou Empire prevented him from fully dedicating himself to cultivation, his progress wasn't slow. Before even reaching twenty, he had already become a Soul King.
Meanwhile, Chen Yuan was also observing Xue Qinghe, thinking to himself how impressive the disguise was. Even Ning Fengzhi and the two Titled Douluo, Chen Xin and Gu Luo, couldn't see through his true identity.
---
The grand ceremony concluded successfully. The master-disciple relationship between Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe was officially established, and Xue Qinghe gained Ning Fengzhi's support.
Soon, good news arrived. With Ning Fengzhi's backing, Xue Qinghe's reputation in the imperial court soared. Even Emperor Xue Ye had to take him seriously.
After weighing the pros and cons, Emperor Xue Ye finally appointed this previously overlooked prince as the crown prince, making him the heir to the Heaven Dou Empire.
Xue Qinghe wasn't as wise as the second prince or as talented as the third prince. In many ways, he was relatively average, with his only notable trait being his gentle and benevolent nature. However, with the second and third princes both deceased and the fourth prince, Xue Beng, being a good-for-nothing, Xue Qinghe became Emperor Xue Ye's only choice. This was especially true now that he had become Ning Fengzhi's disciple and gained the support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
With this development, Ning Fengzhi, as Xue Qinghe's teacher, became the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor, earning a place in the Heaven Dou Empire's court.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's prestige and influence grew exponentially.
The Clear Sky Sect, once the number one sect in the world, had sealed its mountain gates. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, now the second-ranked sect, had surged ahead in both reputation and power, firmly aiming for the title of the world's number one sect.
(End of Chapter)
Word Count : 1,378
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