One Skewer to Rule Them All

Although everyone was shocked that Ye Junlin could just casually wander around and pick up a Nascent Soul cultivator as a disciple, Hong Qianye was now one of their own. So naturally, they welcomed him with open arms.

After all, his arrival meant that the strength of the Xuantian Sect had grown once again.

Once the crowd dispersed, Ye Junlin brought Hong Qianye to Misty Peak.

"You're the chief disciple now, so pick any cave you like—don't be shy," Ye Junlin said with a rare note of sincerity.

Hong Qianye glanced around at the cave dwellings scattered across the peak. The one nearest him was half-collapsed, its entrance draped in thick cobwebs, and the spiritual energy was so thin it might as well have been air.

The corner of his eye twitched.

After a long pause, he forced out a strained, "...Thank you, Master."

No exaggeration—the living quarters of the Flame Demon Cult's lowest-ranking outer disciples were better than this.

Before he could say more, Ye Junlin had already vanished with a whoosh.

Hong Qianye clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. His jaw tightened as he struggled to suppress the boiling frustration inside.

"It's fine. I can endure this…"

Those who achieve greatness must first swallow their pride, suffer indignities, and learn to wear false skins. Since he had chosen to become a disciple, he had no choice but to play the part.

For now.

…

The news of Xuantian Sect's destruction of the Wind-Thunder Sect spread across the Wasteland Province like a storm.

"What?! The Wind-Thunder Sect was wiped out?!"

"Impossible! Where did Xuantian Sect suddenly get that kind of strength? Weren't they ranked dead last among the top six sects?!"

"Haven't you heard? The Master of Misty Peak didn't lose his cultivation at all! Just today, the Azure Roc Demon King personally led his clan to attack Xuantian Sect—and he was killed on the spot!"

"So he'd already broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm long ago... No wonder Xuantian Sect suddenly rose in power! That man's ability to hide his strength is terrifying!"

"If you ask me, the Wind-Thunder Sect was just unlucky. They picked the worst time to provoke someone. Tsk tsk… now they're all dead."

That kind of cultivation… it was enough to shelter a sect for a thousand years!

"Hmph. If it weren't for the Azure Roc Demon King's invasion, how long would that Misty Peak Master have kept hiding his strength?"

"Nascent Soul may be powerful, but in the eyes of my Mountainshade Sect, it's no reason to get arrogant."

Atop a mountain shrouded in clouds, the Sect Master of the Mountainshade Sect sneered, his hands clasped behind his back.

Their sect had long been hailed as the number one power in the Wasteland Province, all because of one person—an ancestor who had reached the perfected Nascent Soul Realm in his youth, and who had been in seclusion for years in pursuit of the Soul Formation breakthrough.

Once that breakthrough was achieved, the Mountainshade Sect would no longer be the strongest in just the Wasteland Province.

They would reign unchallenged.

…

At the same moment—

Qing Province reigned supreme in the Eastern Region, known far and wide as the sacred land of immortal cultivation.

Within its vast domain lay countless ancient clans, immortal dynasties, and legendary sects.

Among them, the Feathered Immortal Sect stood at the pinnacle—a true holy land of cultivation. Revered by hundreds of millions, it had basked in eternal glory for millions of years.

Within one of its ancestral temples, countless spiritual tablets stood enshrined. But now, one of them had cracked into pieces, startling a disciple awake from his slumber. His face went pale with fear.

"Oh no… that's Elder Mu's tablet!"

This was no ordinary elder. Elder Mu, an outer sect elder of the Feathered Immortal Sect, was renowned for his strength and prestige. He had mastered an Earth-grade technique and was considered the strongest among the outer sect elders.

Who would've thought he would suddenly die—just like that?

The news of Elder Mu's death quickly made its way up the sect ranks.

The upper echelons of the Feathered Immortal Sect were enraged. Who dared to lay a hand on one of their elders?

Everyone was furious. After all, anyone who bore the Feathered Immortal Sect's insignia was treated like royalty no matter where they went. No force in the Eastern Region would dare provoke them lightly.

And now, an elder dispatched on routine business had been killed?

On a towering peak deep within the sect's core—

A middle-aged man clad in a golden robe sat cross-legged. When his eyes opened and closed, golden light shot into the sky like piercing blades. His thick golden hair was braided into hundreds of narrow cords, hanging down over his chest and back.

His very presence exuded an unfathomable sense of dread and awe.

This was Venerable Ju Yang.

"Master… it's my fault. I was the one who asked Elder Mu to deliver the pill to my father…"

A handsome man in a sun-emblazoned robe knelt before him, head bowed in shame.

This was Chen Xiao, son of Chen Yunhai.

"Rise. This isn't your fault," Venerable Ju Yang said calmly. With a gentle motion of his hand, an invisible force lifted Chen Xiao to his feet.

"Thank you, Master, for your forgiveness!"

Chen Xiao's eyes flickered with hesitation, as if something weighed on his heart.

"If you have something to say, then say it," Venerable Ju Yang said plainly.

After a deep breath, Chen Xiao spoke: "Elder Mu's death has me deeply unsettled. I fear that my father's sect may be involved somehow. I want to go to the Wasteland Province and investigate personally."

But Venerable Ju Yang shook his head. "Xiao'er, do you know why I took you as my disciple?"

"Because I possess the Sun Immortal Physique… because I have the potential to ascend to immortality?" Chen Xiao asked.

In the cultivation world, aside from spiritual roots, a cultivator's physique played a critical role. A powerful physique could grant terrifying strength or explosive cultivation speed.

Physiques were divided into five tiers: Spirit, Profound, Heaven, Immortal, and Saint.

And Chen Xiao's Sun Immortal Physique stood among the most revered—one of the reasons the Feathered Immortal Sect had placed such value on him.

Venerable Ju Yang's tone remained cold and even: "That's one reason. But the other…"

"…is that I saw overwhelming ambition in you."

"You, who hunger for strength—how could you be shackled by trivial things like family sentiment?"

"The True Disciple Competition is approaching. Prepare yourself. As long as you defeat the other true disciples and seize the top rank, the sect will shower you with resources. Power, status, cultivation—that is the true reward!"

"But—"

"No buts! As for the Wind-Thunder Sect, we'll send someone to the Wasteland Province to investigate."

Hearing this, Chen Xiao could only suppress his doubts. He clasped his hands respectfully and said, "This disciple will not fail Master's expectations."

Then he turned and left.

After a moment of silence, Venerable Ju Yang said coldly, "Send someone to the Wasteland Province. Find out everything."

A deep, echoing voice replied from the void, "Understood."

…

…

Xuantian Sect, Misty Peak

Wisps of smoke curled lazily into the air, carrying the mouthwatering aroma of grilled meat.

Hong Qianye sat calmly by the fire, expertly rotating skewers of mutton. His technique was flawless—controlling the heat with precision, sprinkling special spices at just the right moments. The skewers sizzled, tender and juicy, the fat crackling as the scent spread across the peak.

Glancing behind him at the silver-haired young man lounging on a reclining chair, basking in the sunlight like a retired immortal, Hong Qianye's expression twisted slightly.

He—Hong Qianye—had once been a demonic giant who stirred bloody storms across the Central Region. His name alone was enough to silence crying babies. He had commanded the worship of hundreds of millions.

Now?

Now he was grilling meat in a backwater sect like some errand boy.

If my old enemies could see me now, they'd die of laughter on the spot…

"Eat, eat, eat. What's so good about it anyway?" he muttered under his breath. "How can a Soul Formation cultivator eat like this?"

So shallow!

He cursed inwardly.

"Little Hong! Is it ready yet? Your master can't wait any longer!" Ye Junlin called out from behind.

"Yes, Master. I'm bringing it now," Hong Qianye replied through gritted teeth.

He carefully plated dozens of perfectly grilled skewers and presented them to Ye Junlin.

Reclining like a young emperor, Ye Junlin picked one up and took a bite, chewing happily with narrowed eyes.

He didn't need to cultivate these days. Just basking in the sun and signing in once a day was enough to improve his techniques and realms automatically. Ridiculous, really.

And since most of the rewards from the system were either duplicates or things he didn't care about, he casually tossed them to Xu Younian and the others. The elders, of course, treated these scraps like divine gifts and bowed like he was some ancient ancestor.

[Ding! Dear host, are you satisfied with the secret kebab condiments rewarded by this system?]

The system's sultry, seductive MILF voice echoed in his mind.

"Mmm… this seasoning's insane. Tastes like that city back home—the one famous for barbecue."

[Ding! As long as the host is satisfied~!]

Ye Junlin turned toward Hong Qianye and patted the chair next to him.

"Hey, you have one too. Don't be shy."

Hong Qianye shook his head. "Master, this disciple has long achieved complete fasting. I no longer crave worldly food."

Ye Junlin frowned. "Tch. What's the point of cultivating if you can't enjoy anything? Listen to your master—eat more, live longer!"

"I really have no interest, Master."

Hong Qianye thought Ye Junlin was a complete oddity in the cultivation world.

"Damn it, are you trying to embarrass me? Just eat what your master gives you! What's with all the nonsense?!"

Ye Junlin glared.

Hong Qianye: "…"

Reluctantly, he picked up a skewer like he was holding a poisonous snake. He sniffed it with suspicion… then took a small bite, looking deeply unimpressed.

Boom!

Instantly, the explosive flavor crashed into his taste buds like a tidal wave.

As he chewed, a strange and overwhelming sensation surged through him. His entire body trembled. It felt like his soul had ascended on the spot—pure bliss.

Memories long buried in the depths of his heart stirred. He didn't know why, but something deep inside cracked open.

The former leader of a fearsome Demon Cult… began to tear up.

Two silent lines of tears slid down his face.

"You were right," he whispered hoarsely. "It's… delicious."