Accepting a New Disciple

Han Ming stood in midair, tilting his head slightly as he gazed toward the sky before speaking silently in his mind.

"System. Reduce the cloaking radius to just one kilometer."

[Understood.]

In that instant, the sealed dimensional space began to twist and shift. Within the blink of an eye, it had altered. Sui Zimeng turned her eyes forward and widened them in surprise. She realized that the space in front of her… had vanished from her perception entirely.

"So many secrets," she muttered to herself.

After observing the young man for a while now, Sui Zimeng had gleaned some clues from the attire he wore. It bore the distinct markings of the Holy Land of the Immortal River, with the emblem indicating he was likely the Peak Master of one of its sacred peaks. But she was certain that wasn't his true identity.

There was no way someone from the lower realms could possess enough resources to command tens of thousands of Great Emperor-level puppets. And not just that each of those puppets held a fully armed Great Emperor weapon.

But the truly terrifying thing wasn't the puppets.

It was his cultivation.

His foundation, his organs, his spiritual energy every part of him exceeded the standard of those in the same realm by a margin as vast as the heavens from the abyss. Even if she were to compare him with her own son or even her adopted son she felt that, even at the same level of cultivation, they would have no hope of victory.

Sui Zimeng regretted the loss of her White Tiger Army, but she also understood clearly that if she had used her true power to protect them, her energy would have leaked. The long-laid plans she had forged over many years would be ruined. The contract she held with the Holy Son of the true Spirit World's Holy Land of Water would dissolve with it.

At that moment, within the sealed space, Han Ming stared coldly at Guan Zixuan before speaking.

"Why did you save her?"

Guan Zixuan lifted his gaze toward the man standing before him. His eyes were filled with complex emotions. He had just witnessed with his own eyes how Han Ming had cleaved the manifested form of the Empress of the Golden Crow Dynasty cleanly in two, and then effortlessly obliterated the White Tiger Army. Even if they had suppressed their cultivation to descend into the lower world, that force had still been terrifying in scale.

"I only did what I believed I had to do," Guan Zixuan replied, his voice soft and dry.

Han Ming stared at him for a moment before speaking again.

"What if I told you to leave her?" His voice carried no discernible emotion, yet within it was a weight that pressed directly upon Guan Zixuan's heart.

"I will save your life. I'll give you anything you want. But from this moment on, you must sever all ties with her."

Guan Zixuan fell silent for a long moment before answering, his tone firm and unwavering.

"Thank you, Senior… but I cannot."

His eyes held no hesitation, only resolute clarity.

"I made a promise to myself, and to her parents that I would protect her with my life."

Han Ming gave a faint smile. He possessed the ability to divine fate, sacrificing his own lifespan in exchange, and with the assistance of the system, he could glimpse the threads of destiny for both Children of Fate and Fated Villains. While the visions were never perfectly clear, they were detailed enough to predict what would unfold.

And what he had seen between Guan Zixuan and Ye Liyin was this… that they would become enemies. In the end, Guan Zixuan would have a sword driven through his heart by Ye Liyin's own hand. And the spark that would ignite it all was about to be lit from this very moment.

But Han Ming had no intention of letting that future play out. Because he wanted both of them.

A small smile touched his lips as he spoke.

"Then… would you like to become my disciple?"

Guan Zixuan froze. His eyes were filled with disbelief. He hadn't expected Han Ming to make such an offer. Clenching his fists tightly, he answered in a faint voice.

"Thank you, Senior… but I am nothing more than a cripple." He laughed bitterly at himself, his eyes gradually dimming.

"I once wielded the power of the Heaven's Blood Demon Arts. I've been hunted by countless factions. Even if I were to become your disciple, I could never abandon her. And her existence… is far more sought after than mine. She carries the bloodline of the Primordial Gods one of the few remaining. That very bloodline is despised more than anything by those from the Upper Realm."

Han Ming listened quietly as Guan Zixuan spoke. Meanwhile, the system, which had been observing the exchange, couldn't help but mutter to itself.

[Host, in the future, what will this good-natured young man like me encounter to turn into a villain...]

Han Ming let out a soft chuckle. He didn't answer the system's question. Instead, he spoke to Guan Zixuan.

"You don't need to worry about any of that. I have enough power to protect you. But I won't force you. However… if you wish to defy your fate, to seize destiny with your own hands, or if you desire the strength to protect those you care about… then walk into that."

At that moment, glowing golden patterns bloomed in midair, shining brilliantly like a gate to rebirth.

Guan Zixuan bit his lip, his body stiffening as his heart pounded in his chest. For a single instant, he hesitated. Deep within, his instincts whispered if he took a single step forward, his life would be changed forever.

…

…

…

…

He closed his eyes tightly, taking a long moment to weigh the decision. When he opened them again, his gaze was firm and unwavering.

"Senior… may I entrust her to you for a moment?"

Han Ming gently flicked his sleeve. Ye Liyin's unconscious body rose softly into the air, held securely by an invisible force.

Guan Zixuan looked at the scene with steady eyes, then dropped to one knee.

"Thank you, Senior."

Then, he stepped into the golden formation without hesitation. As Guan Zixuan's figure vanished into the radiant light, Han Ming turned his gaze toward the young woman who was still unconscious.

"You… may awaken now."

Ye Liyin's eyelids trembled slightly before slowly fluttering open. She blinked a few times, looking around, and when her eyes met Han Ming's, she quickly rose and clasped her hands in salute.

"Thank you, Senior, for saving me and Brother Guan."

Han Ming gave a faint smile. "Would you like to become my disciple?"

Ye Liyin fell silent for a moment. In truth, she had awakened earlier, and had heard every word spoken between Han Ming and Guan Zixuan. She had also witnessed Han Ming's overwhelming power with her own eyes something far beyond anything she had ever imagined.

"Would… would it trouble you?" she asked hesitantly.

Han Ming simply shook his head.

Ye Liyin looked at him for a moment longer, then nodded. "Thank you, Senior."

With those words, she stepped into the golden formation without hesitation.

As she entered, her breath caught. The scenery before her had transformed into a place she recognized the Upper Realm. The sky above shimmered with a dense concentration of spiritual energy.

But then, in the very next instant… a demonic aura erupted skyward. Ye Liyin turned toward it, her eyes widening in shock.

A young man stood before her, his body engulfed in blood and demonic flames. But she knew who he was.

"Guan Zixuan…"

What made her breath hitch, however, was the mark over his heart where the wound of a sword pierced through.

And in this place, she was the only one holding a sword.

She stared at the young man, her eyes filled with confusion and disbelief.

Guan Zixuan still wore the same smile he had on the day they first met, gentle and unchanging, even as he stood on the brink of death.

That image etched itself into her heart before the world around her faded to darkness once more.

Outside the formation.

Han Ming sat calmly, sipping tea with a relaxed expression as he watched the trial unfolding for the two of them.

One part of the trial within the golden formation was to witness their own futures—futures in which Han Ming had not taken them in as his disciples. And each of those futures... was bleak.

Even Ye Liyin, the protagonist of fate, did not meet a happy end. Though she did not die a pitiful death like some others, her fate was far from fortunate.

Not long after, Guan Zixuan stepped out from the golden formation. His expression was still solemn, his eyes filled with deep contemplation. Ye Liyin followed soon after, glancing briefly at Guan Zixuan's figure before quietly moving to stand beside him.

Guan Zixuan turned toward the purple-haired girl with confusion in his eyes. But he quickly regained his composure and knelt down on one knee, his voice firm and resolute.

"Greetings, Master!"

A soft, clear voice followed closely after.

"Greetings, Master."

Guan Zixuan paused for a moment. His heartbeat skipped. She… became Master's disciple as well? A strange emotion stirred within his chest, but he said nothing. He only stole a quiet glance at Ye Liyin.

At the same time, a notification rang out in Han Ming's mind.

[Congratulations to the Host for accepting your sixth disciple! You have received 1 Disciple Gift Box.]

[Congratulations to the Host for accepting your seventh disciple! You have received 1 Disciple Gift Box.]

Han Ming gave a small nod before speaking calmly. "Open the gift boxes."

The moment the command was given, the system's voice responded again.

[Congratulations to the Host. You have obtained: Emperor-grade Pill: Heavenly Sound Pill +1, Great Emperor Weapon: Emperor's Flute +1, Emperor's Scripture: Eternal Melody +1]

[Congratulations to the Host. You have obtained: Emperor-grade Pill: Primordial Chaos Pill +1, Great Emperor Weapon: Halberd of Chaos +1, Emperor's Scripture: Grand Codex of All Origins +1]

Han Ming looked over the items he had received, the corners of his lips curling into a faint smirk. The rewards this time weren't bad at all. He glanced toward Guan Zixuan and Ye Liyin, then slowly nodded before retrieving the three treasures and handing them over to the two of them without hesitation.

"From this moment on, the two of you are my sixth and seventh disciples. These treasures may not be of the highest grade right now, but once we reach the upper world, their rank will naturally rise on its own."

The system grumbled inwardly. [...Do I really have to be the one to handle all that?]

The two disciples before him bowed their heads respectfully. Even though these treasures were only at the Great Emperor level, the aura they emitted was far more powerful than any ordinary artifact, and more importantly, they seemed remarkably compatible with their respective physiques.

[Congratulations to the Host for investing in a disciple with no luck. Return on investment: 600x. Reward obtained: Emperor-grade pills +600 types, Emperor-grade weapons +600 pieces, Emperor-grade scriptures +600 volumes.]

[Congratulations to the Host for investing in a disciple whose luck cannot currently be measured. Return on investment: 10,000x. Reward obtained: Immortal-grade pill +1 type, Immortal weapon +1 piece, Immortal scripture +1 volume.]