Jun Changxiao, who had originally been devastated that the formation was broken and was ready to point at the newcomer’s nose and curse loudly, heard Feng Guichen’s exclamation and changed his facial expression at the fastest speed, loudly calling out ‘Master.’

Simply a godlike reaction!

The system admired: “There’s a reason the host can be this shameless!”

However, when he shouted ‘Master,’ it completely baffled Tonggu Zhenren who had just appeared, thinking inwardly: “This guy knew I was coming to take him as a disciple? Called me that in advance?”

He had previously made a wager with a black-clad figure, agreeing that within a specified time, each would teach a disciple, then hold a match to determine the winner.

Tonggu Zhenren was a lonely old bachelor—not only did he have no wife or children, he’d never taken a disciple, so he definitely needed to find one.

After much consideration, he finally settled on Jun Changxiao, mainly because he had personally witnessed the feat of him forcibly withstanding myriad thunder tribulations to bring his sect up to the Upper Realm.

So Tonggu Zhenren came to Eternal Immortal Mountain, easily broke the Purple Firmament Star Array, but just after entering, before stating his intentions, the other party directly called him that—this was really quite unexpected.

This wasn’t strange.

Gou Sheng had been scamming people with his credentials for more than just a day or two.

When this person suddenly ran over today out of the blue, he’d definitely grab onto the big thick thigh in one go.

“Ha ha ha!”

Tonggu Zhenren laughed loudly: “Good disciple, good disciple!”

He had originally planned to take him as a disciple anyway, and since they recognized each other upon meeting, it saved the complicated ceremonial procedures.

Hard to imagine—a shameless fraud urgently scamming credentials and a thick thigh just so simply established a master-disciple relationship. The degree of hastiness was simply outrageous!

“As expected!”

“He really is Tonggu Zhenren’s disciple!”

Feng Guichen, who had been somewhat skeptical, saw one calling ‘Master’ and one calling ‘good disciple,’ and thoroughly believed it.

“Hm?”

Tonggu Zhenren looked over, saying in surprise: “You seem to be one of Dan Hall’s Eight Chief Alchemists, Feng Guichen?”

“Correct!”

Feng Guichen hurriedly bowed, respectfully saying: “That’s precisely this junior!”

He could recognize Tonggu Zhenren at a glance not by the waist token hanging at his waist, but because years ago when following the Dan Hall Master to attend a certain event, he’d had the honor of seeing him from afar.

“Master!”

Jun Changxiao said: “Brother Feng wants to join the sect!”

Feng Guichen’s eyes widened—when did I ever say that!

But with Tonggu Zhenren present, especially feeling that kind of powerful aura that wasn’t deliberately released, he hurriedly said: “This junior fears he’s not qualified enough!”

Tonggu Zhenren glanced at Eternal Sect and said: “Forcibly withstanding the Myriad Tribulation Heavenly Thunder Array to ascend to the Upper Realm—this is indeed a sect with great potential.”

“…”

Feng Guichen thought inwardly: “Is Senior Tonggu hinting that I should join the sect to assist his disciple?”

“If Senior Tonggu doesn’t mind, this junior is willing to join Eternal Sect and assist Sect Master Jun!” He hurriedly declared his position.

The big boss had spoken, how could he not comply?

Moreover, to encounter a peak expert of this level—in the past, such an opportunity would never have presented itself.

“How could this old man mind?” Tonggu Zhenren said. The other meaning of his words was: I have no relationship with Eternal Sect, so whether you join or not has nothing to do with me.

Not only did Feng Guichen fail to hear this underlying meaning, he even began to imagine that Senior Tonggu had agreed to him joining the sect, so he hurriedly cupped his hands: “承蒙 Senior’s regard, this junior will definitely assist with full effort!”

“Master!”

Jun Changxiao worried that if the two continued talking, the boasts he’d blown earlier would be exposed, so he forcibly interrupted: “You rarely visit once—this disciple will immediately order people to prepare food and wine.”

“No need.”

Tonggu Zhenren said: “I came this time to tell you to cultivate well. Ten years from now, fight on behalf of your master.”

“Fight on behalf of master?”

Jun Changxiao looked completely confused.

“It’s like this.” Tonggu Zhenren explained: “I made a wager with that old fellow Guhong. Ten years from now, both sides will send our disciples to compete at Infinite Immortal Mountain to determine victory.”

“…”

Jun Changxiao’s mouth twitched.

He finally understood why this elusive peak expert had come to Eternal Sect—it turned out… he was here to assign himself a mission!

“Master, who’s the opponent? What’s their strength?”

“Ten years from now, when you go to Infinite Immortal Mountain, you’ll find out.”

It wasn’t that Tonggu Zhenren didn’t want to tell him, but rather, he himself didn’t know who this so-called Child of the Plane that Old Guhong had recruited actually was.

“Understood.”

Jun Changxiao said seriously: “This disciple definitely won’t disappoint Master, so…” He paused, then said: “Can you first give your disciple tens of millions of Immortal Stones? To properly cultivate over the next ten years?”

“…”

Feng Guichen’s mouth twitched.

If it were Profound Stones, that would be nothing, but tens of millions of the highest-grade Immortal Stones—that was an enormous sum. Worthy of being an expert’s disciple, daring to open his mouth like a lion!

Tonggu Zhenren was also completely baffled by Gou Sheng’s words.

Having just barely established the master-disciple relationship, he was already directly asking for tens of millions of Immortal Stones from him. This disciple of mine has rather thick skin.

“Of course.”

Jun Changxiao grinned and said: “Immortal-grade martial techniques, equipment and such—if you could give your disciple eight or ten pieces, that would be even better!”

“…”

Tonggu Zhenren’s expression became splendid.

I correct my earlier thought—he’s not just ‘rather’ thick-skinned, his skin is inherently thick!

“Disciple.”

Tonggu Zhenren said seriously: “The master leads you through the door, but cultivation depends on the individual. How strong you can become in ten years still depends on you yourself.”

“That may be true, but…” Jun Changxiao suddenly stopped speaking, because Tonggu Zhenren above the great hall had disappeared, and his voice came from the distance: “Disciple, your master is departing.”

Holy crap!

You acknowledged me as your most handsome disciple in history and didn’t even leave a hundred yuan before leaving—this is way too irresponsible!

After Tonggu Zhenren left, the aura that felt like suppression from the Heavenly Dao laws gradually dissipated from the sect, and Feng Guichen could finally breathe normally again.

Being able to stand steady before a peak expert—I speak for myself, I’m proud of myself!

“He left…”

“Senior Tonggu left…”

The Black and White Shuras on Dragon Spine Peak also exhaled with relief. The thought that they’d had the fortune to witness such an expert was simply… too blissful.

Unfortunately, they hadn’t been able to speak with him, hadn’t been able to let him know that they’d been assisting Jun Changxiao with full effort even back in the Lower Realm!

“Black Blockhead.”

Bai Luocha said seriously: “Did you hear what Senior Tonggu said just now?”

“I heard!” Hei Luocha said.

What words?

‘Forcibly withstanding the Myriad Tribulation Heavenly Thunder Array to ascend to the Upper Realm—this is indeed a sect with great potential!’

This was actually just Tonggu Zhenren’s casual remark, but in their eyes, it contained different levels of meaning.

Bai Luocha said: “We will definitely assist the Sect Master with full effort and absolutely won’t disappoint Senior Tonggu!”

“That old man just now…”

Standing at the window in his room, Ye Xingchen, still unable to calm his inner turmoil, said: “Very strong!”

Tonggu Zhenren’s sudden arrival shocked the entire sect. Whether high-ranking members or disciples, all were deeply shaken, because just one glance gave people an unfathomably deep feeling!

However, the calmest still had to be He Wudi.

After sensing Tonggu Zhenren, he never had any emotional fluctuations, and even had a playful smile at the corner of his mouth.

This old man is a bit weak.

—