True Martial World - Chapter 1245: Green Spirit Jade Fragment

Zuoyan Xiaoyu placed the fruit in front of Yi Yun. The first dish prepared by Elder Lanqin was made from Green Spirit Fruit. It had a naturally refreshing fragrance, and the rice that was stuffed into the fruit was jade pearl rice. Golden-threaded dates adorned it, allowing every grain of rice to suffuse a light green color. The crystalline grains, when piled together, looked like jade fragments.

Just taking in the fragrance was intoxicating, and was enough to wipe away any physical exhaustion.

"Great food, it really is appetizing!"

Yi Yun had never eaten such food before. He had participated in several banquets held by important figures, allowing him to sample all sorts of precious delicacies, but none of them could match the Green Spirit Fruit rice in front of him.

Indeed, the Sinkhole was unique. As a large sect of the Calm Sea, the Myriad God Ridge's deep heritage was not to be doubted.

Most of the time, strength was displayed in ways other than wars or territorial disputes. Just the quality of basic necessities of life was enough to tell the difference.

Apart from the food, the Myriad God Ridge had lodging like the Sunken Moon Tower. Even the simple outfits worn by personal disciples were superior-grade enchanted clothes. Nothing could be faulted.

At that moment, Zhou Bingfeng said with a smile, "Brother Yi, just being able to eat a bit of Elder Lanqin's food is a great blessing. There's never enough for me. Besides, the food in these nine tripods and eight cauldrons form a natural set. They respectively nourish seventeen laws. This first rice dish is called Green Spirit Jade Fragment. It gathers rich wood-elemental Yuan Qi, and the Green Spirit Fruit's essence has long been absorbed by the rice. Enjoy your meal."

As Zhou Bingfeng spoke, he began wolfing down his food.

Zhou Bingfeng was clearly someone with much life experience, but his table manners were in no way elegant. He chomped down on the Green Spirit Jade Fragment, filling his mouth with rice fragrance.

Yi Yun ate two sets himself and enjoyed it all the more. Not only was the jade pearl rice gratifying, its texture was excellent. It was soft and did not lose its bounce.

In a few mouthfuls, he had finished a quarter of the rice within the fruit. However, Yi Yun noticed that Zuoyan Xiaoyu was sitting beside him with her head lowered. She looked very obedient.

With a thought, he pushed the other serving of Green Spirit Jade Fragment in front of Zuoyan Xiaoyu and said, "There's another serving. Take it."

"Ah?"

Zuoyan Xiaoyu hurriedly shook her head. "I couldn’t! This is food prepared especially for personal disciples. How can a maidservant like me eat it?"

Just being allowed to sit meant that a maidservant was given extremely high preferential treatment, much less eating the food in the mess hall.

"It's fine. There are two servings anyway."

As Yi Yun spoke, he pointed to the middle of the hall. Song Bowen had suffered such grievous injuries that he was still unconscious.

The stewards that presided over the meal began doing their jobs. They sought out people to send Song Bowen for healing and, as such, he naturally would miss his meal.

Thus, Yi Yun made it a point to not stand on ceremony by taking Song Bowen's meal for his own.

There was no reason to refuse such delicious food that was also greatly beneficial to one's cultivation.

"But, Young Master, I really can't eat it." Zuoyan Xiaoyu was adamant. She felt her lowly status did not afford her the pleasure of the expensive food.

"Then, get a small bowl and have some. If you just keep watching me eat, I'll feel uneasy."

Yi Yun was not accustomed to having people serving him while eating. He found it awkward if a maidservant was watching him while he had his meals.

After failing to decline the offer, Zuoyan Xiaoyu got a tiny bowl and used a ladle to scoop a portion of rice into her bowl, and absolutely refused anything else.

As she looked at the tiny bit of rice in her tiny bowl, Zuoyan Xiaoyu felt conflicted. She was acutely aware how inferior the status of outer-sect disciples was in the Myriad God Ridge. She felt blissful enough to be a maidservant of a personal disciple, but was even more happy to be able to serve Yi Yun.

Under the light, the crystalline pearl rice twinkled like perfect pieces of art. She could not bring herself to eat it and could even sense that the maidservants close by, especially the girl that had tripped her, were casting envious stares at her.

Zuoyan Xiaoyu opened her tiny mouth and carefully ate a mouthful of rice. The fragrance filled her mouth as she slowly chewed and held the food in her mouth, before swallowing it unwillingly.

But even so, the rice had already transformed into pure Yuan Qi that infused into her body while in her mouth. It nourished her dantian.

Zuoyan Xiaoyu clearly felt her cultivation level, that had recently been on a plateau, beginning to subtly increase.

The effects of such spirit food were more intense for cultivators at lower cultivation levels. If warriors with low cultivation levels consumed very enriching pills, their bodies might not be able to withstand the energy of the pills. The warrior could very well end up exploding to their deaths. However, food would not result in such a situation.

"Go get the second dish. Take two servings." Yi Yun said after wiping his mouth. He had eaten nearly two servings of Green Spirit Jade Fragment and felt his appetite being whet!

"Yea!"

Zuoyan Xiaoyu nodded and walked to a bronze cauldron and took the second dish.

She felt a little apprehensive as she approached the steward in charge of dispensing the food, afraid of asking for two servings, but she never expected the steward to just hand over two servings without her request. There was tacit consent over the situation.

This imbued Zuoyan Xiaoyu with the realization that the Myriad God Ridge was a sect that valued strength. Here, strength was the absolute greatest rule.

"For one person to eat two servings, and even let his personal maidservant have some? What arrogance! Senior Brother Ji, are you going to watch idly?"

Among the personal disciples, someone said this to Ji Changsheng.

They were all personal disciples, but the differences in status and strength were immense as well. Ji Changsheng had been a personal disciple for more than three centuries. Song Bowen was naturally incomparable to him. This was why he could run the entrance test and help Mo Shanqing preside over the Ascending Dragon Cauldron.

"So what if I do? Junior Brother Song was at fault in today's conflict. Without recognizing his strength, he wantonly provoked Yi Yun and ended up being taught a lesson. Who else is to blame but himself? However, this Yi Yun was ruthless in his retaliation. His personality is downright repugnant! Although the Myriad God Ridge values strength, there are numerous people stronger than Yi Yun. When he does encounter someone stronger, the one suffering will be him," Ji Changsheng said indifferently as he continued eating.

Although Yi Yun could not hear Ji Changsheng's conversation, his gaze had inadvertently swept past Ji Changsheng.

Yi Yun felt that Ji Changsheng gave others a deep and unfathomable impression.

"Xiaoyu, have more."

When Yi Yun saw that Zuoyan Xiaoyu would only eat a tiny mouthful of each dish before refusing to eat further, he gave her a huge scoop that filled most of her bowl.

"Young Master… I…"

Zuoyan Xiaoyu was overwhelmed by the favor but with the food in her bowl, she could not decline it.

"Eat it. It's Song Bowen's anyway. It will be a waste if you do not eat it. Besides, I can sense that the cultivation benefits you will receive from eating this food will be much better than mine. It seems like you are about to make a breakthrough."

…

Yi Yun enjoyed the meal, for it had been years since he had such a feast.

Previously, when he was in the Myriad Divine Territory, Yi Yun had entered seclusion for twenty-five years and practically did not eat or drink. When he went to the Mirage Sea Realm, he stayed there for a few years and led an idyllic life with Huan Chenxue. She was a woman that lived like a saint. She would often eat spirit flowers and drink morning dew. Although the diet was elegant, it was definitely not delicious from Yi Yun's point of view. How could it compare with the delicacies prepared meticulously by a Herbal Board Master?

Yi Yun felt that he could stay in Myriad God Ridge just for the monthly feast alone.

That night, after having his fill, Yi Yun began secluded meditation. After eating the seventeen dishes, Yi Yun felt that the Yuan Qi in his body was gathering together. Although it was not intense, it seemed never-ending and he felt like he was almost about to break through.

In fact, Yi Yun had cultivated in the Mirage Sea Realm for a few years and his cultivation level was extremely close to the fifth-floor Dao Palace. Now he was on the brink of a breakthrough, but it was not solely because of the meal. Even if he had not eaten it, he would have naturally broken through a few months later. What the meal did was save him some time.

And, of course, Sunken Moon Tower was very suitable for seclusion. As such, Yi Yun entered seclusion for three days.

During this time, Zuoyan Xiaoyu stood guard in Sunken Moon Tower's yard.

As she guarded Yi Yun, she cultivated as well. There were large amounts of Yuan Qi gathered by the arrays there, and with the Sunken Moon Wood nourishing her soul, it became a lot easier for Zuoyan Xiaoyu to cultivate.

She took two days to absorb most of the Yuan Qi given by the seventeen dishes. As she had a low cultivation level, her breakthrough came earlier than Yi Yun's. Her cultivation level had reached the perfected Yuan Opening realm. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

This cultivation level was not bad for her age. However, there was still the Heaven Ascension realm and Dao Manifestation realm separating her from Yi Yun's Dao Palace realm.

Even so, Zuoyan Xiaoyu was very delighted.

She speculated that if she had not entered the Myriad God Ridge, it would have taken another three years for her Dao Seed to grow into a Dao Tree, allowing her to officially enter the Heaven Ascension realm.

The time she would take to enter the Heaven Ascension realm had been shortened to a few months.

She was eager for Yi Yun to come out of seclusion so that she could flaunt her cultivation results. Although Zuoyan Xiaoyu knew that her accomplishments meant nothing, she felt that simply gaining an approving nod from Yi Yun would leave her drowning in happiness.

Just as Zuoyan Xiaoyu was anticipating that moment, there was a knock on the door.

Zuoyan Xiaoyu opened the door and saw four people standing on the other side. They were dressed in Myriad God Ridge steward garb and they were expressionless. They executed their job without any personal considerations.

"Are you outer-sect disciple Zuoyan Xiaoyu?" The man leading the group asked Zuoyan Xiaoyu coldly. His voice did not exude any emotions.

"That…is me…" Zuoyan Xiaoyu was taken aback. From the person's attire, he was likely in charge of the Myriad God Ridge's miscellaneous chores department.

"Alright. Your job has been changed. From now on, you do not need to continue being a maidservant for Sunken Moon Tower. Follow me, we will arrange a new job for you."

"Ah?" Zuoyan Xiaoyu's breathing stagnated. She once believed that entering Myriad God Ridge and becoming Yi Yun's maidservant was the luckiest and happiest thing to ever happen to her. But was this bliss only meant to last less than three days before turning into evanescent bubbles?

True Martial World - Chapter 1244: Tolerance Extraordinaire

Yi Yun's cultivation level could be seen at a glance. It was also easy to see that Yi Yun had a robust foundation, but his nomological insights and the strength of his techniques were naturally less conspicuous. As for Myriad God Ridge's personal disciples, they were proud people. The Myriad God Ridge spent large amounts of resources to nurture them, so they found it unbelievable that they would be inferior to a new disciple.

"Junior Brother Song, are you alright!?"

With a flash, the lanky youth appeared beside Song Bowen. When he inspected Song Bowen's injuries, his expression turned ashen. Song Bowen's dantian and meridians had suffered grievous burns. Although Song Bowen's cultivation was unaffected, he would definitely be bedridden for a month.

"You suddenly launched a ruthless sneak attack while he wasn't prepared. You have openly violated the sect rules! What insolence!" The lanky youth said sternly.

According to the Myriad God Ridge's rules, disciples were not allowed to suddenly attack another. If there was any strife between them, both parties could make arrangements to fight it out at Myriad God Platform. The loser would then compensate the other party as per the arrangement.

Once fights reached the Myriad God Platform, it would be a world-shaking battle. Although the sect rules prohibited killing, no one held back as the compensation would usually be quite a substantial amount. If one did accidentally kill the other, it was something that could not be helped. After all, blades did not discriminate!

Therefore, even if there was a conflict between disciples, they would not be too quick to head for Myriad God Platform.

For Yi Yun to suddenly attack, causing severe injuries in the process, was a punishable offense.

"Hehe!" Yi Yun sneered. "It's clear who exactly started this conflict. Don't you try to use the sect rules on me. If you resent anything, we can always go to Myriad God Platform and agree to an amount of compensation. I'll be glad to entertain you!"

"You…"

The lanky youth's voice stagnated and had nothing to return verbally.

Although he said that Yi Yun had garnered victory through a sneak attack, he was acutely aware that, even if Yi Yun had attacked openly, he was much stronger than Song Bowen.

It was even highly probable that he had not used all his strength. He lacked confidence in how he stacked up to Yi Yun, so how could he risk settling the dispute at Myriad God Platform?

"Are you trying to provoke me to the Myriad God Platform? Do you think I'm afraid of you!?"

Although the lanky youth lacked the courage to follow through, his speech remained adamant. He had already been a personal disciple for two decades. His strength was far greater than Song Bowen, who was only recently promoted to personal disciple.

He silently stared at Yi Yun as though he was trying to decipher Yi Yun's true strength.

And at that moment, Yi Yun said to Zuoyan Xiaoyu, "Xiaoyu, since the food has been spilled, go get me some more."

Ah?

Xiaoyu suddenly jolted out of her daze when she heard Yi Yun's words.

Yi Yun had defeated Song Bowen like a sudden clap of thunder, one that left no time to cover one's ears. She had seen all of it and never expected that the young master she served was so powerful.

"Young Master… About the food…"

Zuoyan Xiaoyu was a little taken aback. She had already spilled the food so where was she to get another serving? A person was only allowed one serving of Elder Lanqin's food.

Just as she was about to say something, she saw Yi Yun point at Song Bowen's table. His finger was directed at Song Bowen's food.

Was he… asking her to take away Song Bowen's food?

Seeing the lanky youth sitting at the table, with such a sullen expression, Zuoyan Xiaoyu felt extremely apprehensive.

She hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth to walk towards the table.

Although she was afraid of the lanky youth, she knew that Yi Yun's assault was partly on her behalf.

In that case, how could she undermine Yi Yun? Compared to Yi Yun's brutal assault, all she was doing was taking a serving of food.

When she walked in front of Song Bowen's table, Zuoyan Xiaoyu saw the maidservant that had tripped her. She was standing behind the lanky youth and staring at her angrily.

Personal disciples had their conflicts, while maidservants shared their own strifes. Zuoyan Xiaoyu's strength may have been lacking, but it was impossible for her to lose to the other party's maidservant. She grabbed Song Bowen's food.

And at that moment, Yi Yun spoke again. "Take both shares!"

What!?

The atmosphere in the mess hall completely froze the moment Yi Yun said those words!

The lanky youth's eyes flashed coldly. He had to turn a blind eye to Song Bowen's food being taken, but to even take his away was preposterous.

"Punk! You’re going too far!"

"So what if I am? I'm not one to suffer in silence. You previously instigated your maidservant to trip Xiaoyu, spilling my food. It's only right and proper that I make you compensate me. Even if this reaches the Table of Elders, I will not be faulted."

"If you want to keep that meal of yours, go ahead. If you agree to fight me at Myriad God Platform in three days, you can keep the food."

Yi Yun said this indifferently but his words left everyone present speechless.

What was overbearing? This was it!

Although the lanky youth never took a hit from Yi Yun, his outcome was worse than being hit. Yi Yun was quickly forming a mental demon in him.

If he agreed to face Yi Yun at Myriad God Platform, he would likely be outmatched. If that time came, he would end up being severely injured and also allow Yi Yun to profit from him.

However, if he were to reject the notion and allow a mere maidservant take away his food, how was he to face others in the future?

"How dare you?"

The lanky youth looked at Zuoyan Xiaoyu as though he could kill her with his gaze.

Zuoyan Xiaoyu felt her body tighten as she was stifled by the lanky youth's glare.

But at that moment, Zuoyan Xiaoyu felt a soft aura permeate her body. She immediately felt her body lighten and the pressure dissipated.

Zuoyan Xiaoyu turned to glance at Yi Yun. She knew that he was protecting her with his aura.

This left Zuoyan Xiaoyu with an odd sense of safety. She was of humble birth and had never experienced the feeling of having a powerful backer supporting her. She felt emboldened, even if she faced an enemy that was usually insurmountable.

Gritting her teeth, Zuoyan Xiaoyu extended her arms and took the food in front of the lanky youth!

The lanky youth's eyes flared with killing intent while, at that moment, Yi Yun pressed down on his interspatial ring.

"Are you intending to fight me now instead of waiting for the Myriad God Platform?"

Yi Yun's voice seemed to come from a nether abyss. It sent a chill down everyone’s backs.

In Myriad God Ridge, the so-called rules were used to restrain the weak. The stronger one was, the lesser the punishments were for violating the rules. Besides, it was the lanky youth and Song Bowen that had started the conflict. Yi Yun already stood on the side of reason. There was no doubt in people's minds that Yi Yun would truly take action the moment the lanky youth moved.

In fact, Yi Yun ordered Zuoyan Xiaoyu to take the food because he was certain he could severely injure the lanky youth before he could even lay a hand on her.

At that moment, time seemed to come to a pause. People watched as Zuoyan Xiaoyu's tiny hands lightly grabbed the lanky youth's spirit fruit.

Everyone fell silent. No personal disciple stood forward. The stewards let the matter play out as it did not affect them.

The lanky youth's expression reached an unprecedented ugliness. He wanted to strike the handmaid in front of him to death but it would not restore his reputation. He knew very well that if he truly did so, he was giving Yi Yun a reason to ruthlessly beat him up. In the end, the conflict would reach Myriad God Platform and things would only get worse.

And if he acted first, killing the maidservant in front of him, Yi Yun would not even suffer any punishments from the sect rules.

In the end, all the lanky youth could do was watch helplessly as Zuoyan Xiaoyu took away his food!

"He tolerated it… He actually tolerated it…"

"What do you know? The accomplished are always tolerance extraordinaires."

Some people laughed with derision. Among the many personal disciples present, there were many that did not see eye to eye with the lanky youth. Some could not help but crack wise. And hearing their jeers only made the lanky youth feel like dying.

He had never been so embarrassed in his life!

True Martial World - Chapter 1243: Humans Shouldn't Eat Pigswill

"Young Master… I…"

Zuoyan Xiaoyu looked at Yi Yun with watery eyes filled with grievance. This was the first day she was serving Yi Yun but she had already made a mistake. Furthermore, it was on such an occasion.

"It's fine."

Yi Yun stood up and helped Zuoyan Xiaoyu up. He looked at a girl dressed in maidservant garb nearby. He knew very well that the maidservant had tripped Zuoyan Xiaoyu. It appeared unintentional but the trip managed to make Zuoyan Xiaoyu lose her balance. Following that, someone had changed the spatial dimension laws, causing Zuoyan Xiaoyu to fall to the ground.

Upon noticing Yi Yun's gaze, the maidservant felt a little apprehensive. However, one look at her master emboldened her. She explained, "It wasn't intentional. She was walking over and happened to slam into my foot."

Yi Yun's gaze fluttered to a lanky youth behind the maidservant.

He was holding a cup of wine with eyes narrowed. He appeared listless but Yi Yun knew that he was the one who used laws to prevent Zuoyan Xiaoyu from maintaining her balance.

Yi Yun looked at a few stewards in the room. All of them remained composed, as though they had not noticed everything that had just happened.

Yi Yun sneered inwardly. There were many people that let things happen if they were not personally affected. When it came to these slippery people, personal disciples were not to be offended. The best action to take was to feign ignorance.

Upon sensing Yi Yun's gaze, the lanky youth met it, his slit-like eyes filled with derision.

"Do you have a grudge against me?"

Yi Yun asked as the lanky youth sneered. He did not answer, as though it was beneath him to even speak to Yi Yun.

At that moment, a laughter came from outside. "Hahaha, is that Junior Brother Yi? How is it? Are you accustomed to living in the Myriad God Ridge?"

Yi Yun turned around and saw four personal disciples appear at the entrance one after another. They were the ones who previously oversaw the entrance test.

And the person who spoke was the youth with thick brows, Song Bowen.

"We finally rushed here for the banquet after administering the test until sundown. It sure wasn't easy on us." Song Bowen stretched his arms as though he was exhausted.

Behind him, Ji and Junior Sister Jing did not speak. They only glanced at Yi Yun. They had all seen the conflict that had just happened.

The quartet took their seats as Ji sat with the last disciple out of the four. As for Junior Sister Jing, she sat beside a girl. The remaining Song Bowen sat beside the listless lanky youth.

With Song Bowen taking his seat, the lanky youth's maidservant automatically helped Song Bowen to a plate of food.

Yi Yun realized the situation with the scene unfolding. Song Bowen and the lanky youth clearly had a great relationship. They had probably discussed this beforehand.

"Junior Brother Yi, it seems you have attracted the misfortune of staying in Sunken Moon Tower."

Beside Yi Yun, Zhou Bingfeng chuckled through a voice transmission while hugging a charming beauty.

"Why do you say so?" Yi Yun asked indifferently. He seemed particularly unfazed, as though the food that spilled had nothing to do with him.

"Junior Brother Yi, you might not be aware that even the residences of the personal disciples are stratified. Sunken Moon Tower is one of the better places to be. By being the sect master's disciple that stays in Sunken Moon Tower, it is only natural to be targeted."

Oh?

Yi Yun did not know that Sunken Moon Tower was in such demand. In that case, his treatment was to be expected. In these people's minds, he had stirred the Ascending Dragon Cauldron due to his 'wisdom root.’ He was only lucky to become a personal disciple, he didn’t earn it by his own merit. As such, how could they be convinced of his tenure?

Adding in the conflicts he had with Song Bowen during the test, and it was easy to explain everything that was happening.

And at that moment, Song Bowen feigned surprise as he looked at the food that had splattered on the ground. "Eh? What's going on?"

The lanky youth beside him lifted his eyelids and languidly said, "Nothing much. Some maidservant was clumsy and spilled food all over."

"What sort of maidservant is she? Cutting off her limbs would not be enough to compensate such expensive food! This kind of servant that's as stupid as a pig should be sent away immediately, or at least she would if I had any say. She can't even deliver a meal properly, so why even bother practicing martial arts? What a joke!" Song Bowen said sarcastically.

As a young lady, how could Zuoyan Xiaoyu react to such nasty derision? She froze with a flushed face as tears began streaming down her cheeks. She wasn't able to say a word.

"Xiaoyu, come back," Yi Yun said.

He knew that Song Bowen's words were truly directed at him, a strike at him by reviling others.

"Young Master, I… I…"

As Zuoyan Xiaoyu sobbed, she felt aggrieved but, before she could say a word, Yi Yun had sat her down.

"Just have a seat," Yi Yun said. Although he had only been acquainted with Zuoyan Xiaoyu for less than a day, Yi Yun knew that it was not easy for a girl with a humble background like her to work diligently at climbing up the martial path. Yi Yun could not just sit idly by as she was being bullied, reprimanded, and insulted because of him."

"Oh? So it's Junior Brother Yi's maidservant that spilled the food. Look at me shooting off my mouth. I should have held back. I'm sorry! However, the food in these seventeen vessels was cooked by Martial Aunt Lanqin. The seventeen dishes are a set, and the effects are greatly reduced if any dish is missed out on! Why don't you get that clumsy maidservant of yours to pick the food up off the floor? The ground is swept perfectly clean here so the food isn't dirty. Besides, so what if it's a little dirty, right!?"

The personal disciples sitting near Song Bowen burst out into a rapturous roar of laughter when they heard his words. They had good relationships with him so they naturally backed him.

"Junior Brother Song, how can you say that. If you pick up food that's spilled, wouldn't that make it pigswill? How can Junior Brother Yi eat pigswill?"

"That's right. Junior Brother Song, you need to mind your language."

"All of you are right." Against the crowd's mockery, Yi Yun was not angered at all. Instead, he nodded calmly. "It's true that humans shouldn't eat pigswill."

When Yi Yun said those words without rhyme or reason, it left people somewhat baffled. At that moment, Yi Yun suddenly waved his hand as a dazzling black beam suddenly burst out from his palm!

"Whew!"

The black beam was as fast as lightning and, instantly, it reached Song Bowen!

Song Bowen was alarmed. He never expected Yi Yun to suddenly take action. An attack at such a blazing speed left him no time to react!

He retreated hastily but at that moment, the ice-cold killing intent from the black beam seemed to shatter the surrounding space, causing it to collapse down on him like a massive mountain!

"Ha!"

Song Bowen bellowed angrily as he forcefully pushed out his palms, forming a wall of light.

At the same time, the lanky youth next to Song Bowen took action as well. Song Bowen was his junior brother, so how could he sit idle?

In a split second, he produced a curved blade from his interspatial ring and slashed down!

Boom!

With an explosion, the black beam had slammed into Song Bowen's light barrier. A black flame burst forth as the light barrier was burned through!

The inferno did not abate as its flames coursed along Song Bowen's Yuan Qi and reached his arms!

What sort of fire was this!?

Song Bowen's expression was ashen. He had never encountered such a flame before. After all, it was impossible for him to recognize the Heretical God Fire Seed.

The flames burned and consumed everything. Song Bowen felt the surrounding Yuan Qi twisters howling and pressure coming from the rupturing space. It made his dantian feel like it would explode. His heart could hardly beat. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

"Peng!"

The contorting flames struck Song Bowen heavily in the chest and engulfed his flesh and burning his meridians!

Song Bowen grunted as he spat out a mouthful of blood before hurtling backward!

And at that moment, the lanky youth's curved blade came cleaving down a little too late. Song Bowen had already succumbed to heavy injuries as he flew backward. So when his blade slashed into an empty void, it left an extremely ugly expression on the lanky youth's face.

Were there spatial dimension laws?

The lanky youth was appalled. He believed that he could save Song Bowen in time but when he struck out, the flow of time seemed to dramatically slow. Besides, he never expected that an instant, Song Bowen would be injured in such a manner!

And at that moment, Song Bowen, still flying backwards, came to a sudden halt in midair when Yi Yun tapped his finger.

Following that, Yi Yun casually waved his hand and placed it back on the table. Just this action alone caused Song Bowen to be forcefully pulled back!

As if an invisible rope connected Yi Yun's palm to Song Bowen's head, Song Bowen crashed heavily in the middle of the hall when Yi Yun placed his palm down.

"Peng!"

Song Bowen fell head first and his nose smashed into the ground. Oddly enough, he fell right onto the pile of food that had splattered to the ground. His face and mouth were completely filled with food. His chest and everything under was burnt to a crisp and he looked as pathetic as could be.

At that moment, Yi Yun said slowly, "I was commending you on your logic a moment ago. Humans shouldn't eat pigswill. So why did you gorge on it without any regard? And from the looks of it, you seem to enjoy it?"

When Yi Yun said those words, silence befell the hall! From the start, Yi Yun’s intention was to beat Song Bowen soundly and throw him onto the pile of food.

From beginning to the end, Song Bowen was like a tiny chick that was helpless against him.

This was an unexpected outcome. Although Song Bowen had yet to be promoted to personal disciple, his strength was not to be doubted. Otherwise, he would not have been thought highly of by Elder Taiqing. Yet he was completely incomparable with Yi Yun.

Yi Yun had just entered the Myriad God Ridge and his entry was only because he had stirred the Ascending Dragon Cauldron. How was he so strong despite not being a proper personal disciple?

Sitting beside Yi Yun, Zhou Bingfeng could not help but clap his hands. "Impressive! Impressive! I thought Junior Brother Yi would suffer today, but I never expected you to be this strong. Is your cultivation level really only at the fourth-floor Dao Palace?"

True Martial World - Chapter 1242: Meal

Zuoyan Xiaoyu had only entered the Myriad God Ridge a few days earlier than Yi Yun, but in that few days, she became quite well-versed in the Myriad God Ridge's rules.

She was also very familiar with the layout of the personal disciple region. She led Yi Yun all the way to the mess hall for personal disciples.

The mess hall covered several kilometers and, upon entry, it looked to be a magnificent grand hall. In the middle of the hall were seventeen heavy and robust bronze artifacts. There were ones with three legs and two handles called tripods, and ones with two handles and no feet that were cauldrons.

There were a total of nine tripods and eight cauldrons that made for seventeen bronze enchanted vessels. Such a number was the highest order used in meal etiquette since ancient times.

Yi Yun could tell that the seventeen vessels were not ordinary enchanted artifacts. Due to their placement, the surrounding laws seemed to naturally form a system unto itself. From the looks of it, the seventeen bronze vessels were a complete set.

Surrounding the vessels were thirty-two tables, prepared for the personal disciples.

A table could only seat two and Yi Yun had shown up early. He sat down at a random table and Zuoyan Xiaoyu stood behind him. She studied her surroundings with an inquisitive look, for she found such a scene new and fascinating.

"Xiaoyu, you previously mentioned that this meal is only provided once a month and that it's extraordinary. In what way is it extraordinary?"

"Young Master, I heard that the monthly meal is cooked by Myriad God Ridge's Elder Lanqin. She has a rather rare job in the Calm Sea. She's a cook, but you could also call her a Herbal Board Master."

"In the Calm Sea, although there are few refinement masters, array masters, alchemists, Desolate Heaven Masters, or talisman masters, there are still many people who learn such trades. But cooks have nearly gone extinct. The people that manage to master cooking are few and far between. Elder Lanqin's attainment in cooking is at the crest of perfection. If she used mortal ingredients, such as ordinary rice, vegetables or meat, it would still be superior-grade tonic food. Not only would it taste excellent, it would also be extremely beneficial to one's body after consumption."

"If the meal is cooked using supreme-grade ingredients, the effects are even more obvious. Elder Lanqin will be able to refine away the impurities contained within the ingredients during the cooking process. It results in no harm to the body no matter how much is eaten. This is something pills cannot compare with."

As the saying goes, every medicine has its toxicity. It was inevitable for even superior-grade pills to contain a little pill toxicity. If one ate too many, the toxins would accumulate and time would be needed to purge them.

A well-cooked meal, however, would never result in such a situation. This was also the forte of a cook. However, as the effects from tonic food were less potent than pills, the number of people that studied the cooking of tonic food was even smaller.

"Young Master, take a look. The seventeen vessels placed in the middle of the hall are the enchanted artifacts that Elder Lanqin uses to cook. They are a set, and at this very moment, all the food is in them. In a while, I'll get some for you. There will be a total of seventeen dishes—nine meat and eight vegetarian."

Just as Zuoyan Xiaoyu was explaining the situation, people began streaming into the grand hall one after another. These people were also personal disciples and most of them had servants accompanying them. Some even had more than one servant. Yi Yun even saw a young man who was not dressed in personal disciple garb. Instead, he was wearing an embroidered robe commonly worn by rich scions. He was tended to by four women and all of them were gorgeous. Two of them were tugging onto the man from each side, allowing him to wander his hands over them. Yi Yun was a little surprised by this.

After all, this was in public. Such public displays of affection were rather preposterous.

Coincidentally, this man happened to pick the table where Yi Yun was sitting.

The man took a glance at Yi Yun and said with a laugh, "You must be the Yi Yun that stirred the cauldron!"

The man recognized all the personal disciples of Myriad God Ridge so, with the sudden appearance of an unfamiliar face, he immediately guessed at Yi Yun's identity.

"That is me." Yi Yun nodded.

After the man sat down, the table was filled with the pleasant chatter of women. This rendered Yi Yun somewhat speechless. Those who didn't know might even think he was here to fool around.

The youth obviously noticed Yi Yun's gaze as he said with a laugh. "I'm Zhou Bingfeng, and I have quite a number of maidservants and concubines. I applied for permission from the sect to have four. The other eight were brought from my family clan. The Myriad God Ridge's rules allow personal disciples to bring in eight, and not one more."

Yi Yun was rendered even more speechless by Zhou Bingfeng's explanation. So he had only brought a third of them. Eight of them were left at his residence. He sure had good fortune in love.

"Junior Brother Yi, as a personal disciple in Myriad God Ridge, there's no need to be overly restrained. It's not a problem if you’re a little ostentatious, as long as you have sufficient strength."

Zhou Bingfeng, whose personality screamed casanova, beckoned for two of the beauties to sit down. They sat on each side of him and joined him in drinking.

Yi Yun said to Zuoyan Xiaoyu, "You should sit down too."

Zuoyan Xiaoyu's face blushed as she said hurriedly, "Young Master, there's no need. I'll get you some food now."

At that moment, the lids of the seventeen vessels had been removed. A rich aroma of spirit food surged outwards, whetting one's appetite.

The fragrance that overwhelmed Yi Yun was something he had never experienced before. He could not help but be curious about Elder Lanqin's capabilities.

The people in charge of presiding over the banquet were a few old men. They were not Elders, only stewards.

Zuoyan Xiaoyu walked to the first tripod and anxiously received the food from the old man tending to it. It was a spirit fruit the size of a bowl. The flesh of the fruit had been removed and the fragrant food was placed in its core. Zuoyan Xiaoyu carefully held it in her bosom and felt the heat coming from it. She felt sensations going through her heart for, although she was not permitted to eat any of the food, it still excited her greatly.

She glanced at Yi Yun and brought Yi Yun the spirit food like she was handing over a treasure.

But at that moment, Zuoyan Xiaoyu suddenly felt like she was being tripped as she lost her balance.

Zuoyan Xiaoyu let out a shocked cry. Although her cultivation level wasn't high, she was skilled enough to adjust her balance in midair. But this time, just as she was about to fall, she felt the surrounding laws undergo a change. Maintaining her balance became impossible.

"Peng!"

Zuoyan Xiaoyu fell straight onto the ground. The spirit fruit in her arms dropped to the ground as the food that was once inside it spilled all over.

Zuoyan Xiaoyu sat on the ground in a daze. She looked at the food that was splattered onto the ground as tears began to brim in her eyes. She naturally knew the value of the food she was carrying. Perhaps, all the cultivation resources she had ever used throughout her life was not even as expensive as the spirit fruit. Yet, it was now splattered across the ground by her own hands.

Besides being an outer-sect disciple that worked as a maidservant, she was also one of the least powerful members of her family. As such, she learned to be extremely careful in the residences of personal disciples at all times, always afraid that trouble would befall her randomly. But now, she was in big trouble.

True Martial World - Chapter 1241: Sunken Moon Tower

"Alright, I'll inform the sect master…"

A white beam of divine light flew down from the main peak the moment Cang Wu spoke. The person that came from it was a man that looked somewhat seductive.

He had long brows and a beauty that was akin to a woman's. He was floating high in the air as he looked at Yi Yun and said, "My master, the sect master, is in seclusion. He just instructed me through a voice transmission to settle you in for now. If you encounter any cultivation problems, you can ask me too!"

My master, the sect master?

Such a salutation clearly meant that the seductive man in front of him was a personal disciple of the Myriad God Ridge's sect master.

Most personal disciples did not address the Myriad God Ridge's sect master in such a manner. By referring to him in such an endearing manner, it was enough to prove that his status was probably no less than that of Mo Shanqing.

"Follow me."

With that said, the man led Yi Yun to a quiet residence. It was a three-storied tower that appeared to be absolutely exquisite. Behind the tiny tower was a simple herb garden and connected to the tower was a cultivation chamber.

In Myriad God Ridge, many buildings were made of jade but the tower Yi Yun was allocated was made of wood.

Despite it being made of wood, Yi Yun knew that the construction material was nothing even mortal jade could compare with.

He was well-versed in the divine alchemist's notes. He immediately identified the valuable wood—Sunken Moon Wood. Such wood grew in spirit springs and was nourished by absorbing the lunar essence. It grew a foot every millennium and could not be artificially grown.

A tower built from Sunken Moon Wood could be used to nourish the soul, bringing great benefits to cultivation.

"What extravagance."

Yi Yun sighed. The tiny tower was only the residence of a personal disciple. If it were the sect master or an elder, it would probably be even more lavish.

"Stay here for the next few days. My master will probably take another week to come out of seclusion. He will naturally come to meet you when the time comes."

"Everything in this tower is at your disposal as long as there are no restrictions protecting it. You won't be able to bypass the restrictions anyway. You can go in now."

The charming man gave a brief introduction before leaving. He left behind a few sets of personal disciple clothes, a token, and a jade slip that served as a manual to the Myriad God Ridge.

The clothes worn by Myriad God Ridge personal disciples were all purple in color and on the chest were embroidered the words: Myriad God. The outfit itself was an excellent enchanted artifact.

Yi Yun flipped through the jade slip that contained the rules, and with his powerful perception, he finished reading it in seconds.

The Myriad God Ridge had many rules, but most of them were targeted towards ordinary disciples. At the level of personal disciple, all rules lacked weight. Strength was what really mattered. As long as one was strong, violating a few rules did not mean much. And correspondingly, personal disciples were given all sorts of perks and advantages. Naturally, the ordinary disciples lacked such things.

As for the personal disciple token, just producing it in the Myriad God Ridge's territory could summon and order a king. If the king disobeyed, it would be considered an act of transgression against the Myriad God Ridge. The king could be killed instantly and a new one put in his place.

Upon reading this, Yi Yun felt mixed emotions. He began to appreciate the reason why so many people wanted to enter the Myriad God Ridge. This was the awe that power brought. An ordinary dynasty without the support of a major sect was like a mortal in front of the Myriad God Ridge. It had no means to resist.

Initially, Yi Yun joined the Myriad God Ridge because of Old Snake. However, after seeing the situation with the Myriad God Ridge, he began to feel that it wouldn’t be too bad to stay in the area for a period of time. After all, this was his first foray into the Sinkhole and he had nowhere else to go. And he did have a need of a conducive cultivation environment.

Yi Yun stored the token and jade slip before donning the purple outfit. He headed for the cultivation ground that was connected to the tower.

There, Yi Yun could sense the subtle nourishment effect that the Sunken Moon Wood had on his soul. It made his mind especially calm, and he could feel his pores breathing the surrounding Yuan Qi in and out constantly. Cultivating in such a place would make for double the results with half the effort.

When Yi Yun used his personal disciple token to open the cultivation chamber’s door, what greeted him was a simply adorned room. There were a long bookshelf and a cultivation array formation. More than a hundred Spirit Jade were placed around the cultivation array.

Yi Yun noticed that the Spirit Jade was of a much higher quality than the ones Snake Girl had produced. However, he did not know what grades they had.

As for the bookshelf, it was lined with jade slips.

Yi Yun took out a few to read. Not only did they describe cultivation techniques, but they also introduced the Sinkhole's major factions, natural treasures, and the customs of the land. It was comprehensive!

Yi Yun slowly lost himself in reading.

Until…

Knock! Knock! Knock!

There was knocking at the door.

Yi Yun got up and opened the door. He saw a girl that looked about fifteen standing gracefully erect by the door. She had a round face that exuded a healthy glow, resembling a flower waiting to bloom.

"You are?" Yi Yun asked curiously.

The girl blushed and said slowly, "I'm Zuoyan Xiaoyu. I passed the test a few days ago and entered the Myriad God Ridge. I'm currently an outer-sect disciple…"

"An outer-sect disciple?" Yi Yun was surprised. He knew that the Myriad God Ridge had three kinds of entry tests.

Other than the first test of stirring the cauldron, one could pass the second nomological test and the third cultivation test to enter into the Myriad God Ridge. However, those who did would typically only be outer-sect disciples. To become an inner-sect or core disciple was just too difficult.

But what puzzled Yi Yun most was that his tower was located in an area where personal disciples lived. How did an outer-sect disciple enter the area?

"Why are you here?" asked Yi Yun.

"Uh…" Zuoyan Xiaoyu's voice turned a lot softer. She said in embarrassment, "All outer-sect disciples have to do miscellaneous chores after entering the Myriad God Ridge. I have been designated as a maidservant of Sunken Moon Tower, which is the name of this residence, Young Master."

"Eh?" Yi Yun was left in a daze as he turned to take a look. On the top of the tower he lived in was a plaque that had the words 'Sunken Moon Tower'.

From the looks of it, the towers in the core region of the Myriad God Ridge were made of different materials and were named after the materials used to construct the tower.

Sunken Moon Tower wasn't a bad name. As for a maidservant…

Yi Yun rubbed his nose awkwardly. Perhaps the people of Myriad God Ridge were accustomed to their high standings, a status that often had others serving them; therefore, they did not think much of it. However, Yi Yun truly was never one to be served, especially by such a delicate and sweet young lady. He found it awkward.

"About that… Don't you feel resentment being turned into a servant despite entering the Myriad God Ridge as a disciple?" Yi Yun could not help but ask.

"Resentment?" Zuoyan Xiaoyu shook her head. "How can that be? Young Master, personal disciples like you are a lot higher in stature than outer-sect disciples like me. Besides… being a maidservant of a personal disciple's residence is something people vie for."

"It's much better than tending to the spirit beasts, patrolling the mountain entrance, or supervising the mining grounds. Giving the example of the Sunken Moon Tower that you live in, one can cultivate a lot faster in here. Young Master, it's all thanks to you that I can even come here. If no one lives in Sunken Moon Tower, I would never have even come close to this place."

As Zuoyan Xiaoyu spoke, Yi Yun noticed that the look she gave him was one of idolation.

This made him realize that he had thought too lightly of his status as a personal disciple. As this was his first time in Calm Sea, he had not interacted with the customs of the land before becoming a Myriad God Ridge personal disciple. And since he had become one so easily, he had not fully realized how much honor there was in his status.

Although there were many experts in the Sinkhole, there were even more mortals. The worship of strength here exceeded that of the 12 Empyrean Heavens.

Under such circumstances, no one believed that serving a personal disciple was a loss of status. On the contrary, they did it with pride. Besides, they could also enjoy some of the benefits of a personal disciple, so it was naturally a job one yearned for.

"Then, how did you get this job?" Yi Yun asked curiously. He noticed that other than the disciple attire Zuoyan Xiaoyu was wearing, nothing else on her was valuable. Clearly, she came from a humble background.

"I received this opportunity because my results were slightly better at the entrance test. Back then, numerous peers that entered with me were quite envious of me. Apparently, even the genius daughter of the Duanmu family, Duanmu Qingwen, had mustered all the powers of her family clan but failed to get this job."

"The Duanmu family?" Yi Yun asked casually.

"Oh… It's a big family clan in the country I come from. As their patriarch is at the seventh-floor Dao Palace realm, his status is even higher than that of an emperor."

"I see…" Yi Yun nodded. To the Myriad God Ridge, a family clan with a patriarch at the seventh-floor Dao Palace realm naturally did not amount to much.

However, such family clans probably enjoyed a supernatural existence in the countries they resided in. They would probably have endless riches, and the heiress of the family clan must have led a luxurious life. To have such a rich heiress become a servant would probably be uncomfortable. It was better off having someone like Zuoyan Xiaoyu who came from a humble background. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

Upon deducing the situation, Yi Yun felt mixed emotions. The martial path was truly fraught with difficulties. If one wanted wealth, it was easily attainable. However, to become an unparalleled Godly Monarch, to live for tens to hundreds of millions of years, sharing the same age as the heavens and earth, that was just too difficult.

"By the way, Miss Zuoyan, why did you come to me?"

Zuoyan Xiaoyu hurriedly answered when she heard Yi Yun's question. "Young Master, do not call me that. I can't accept it. Young Master, just call me Xiaoyu. I came here to tell you that it's time to eat."

"Eat?" Yi Yun was taken aback. Why was there a need to inform him about eating? Warriors could abstain from eating even at a very low cultivation level. Apart from satisfying their taste buds, there was no need to eat. Just absorbing the spiritual energy from the heaven and earth would do.

Zuoyan Xiaoyu said, "That's right. The food given to Myriad God Ridge personal disciples is unlike any other. And this food is only provided once a month. You happen to be just in time."

Zuoyan Xiaoyu gave an embarrassed smile after saying that. "That's what I've heard. I've never seen it before."

True Martial World - Chapter 1240: Main Peak

"What!? Sect Master is willing to take him in as a disciple?"

Song Bowen was startled by Mo Shanqing's words. The other three personal disciples were also in a state of disbelief.

The Myriad God Ridge's sect master had not taken in any disciples for the last thousand years.

Despite them all being personal disciples, there were differences in their status.

For instance, Song Bowen's master was Elder Taiqing, and the Myriad God Ridge's sect master was the junior brother of Elder Taiqing's master.

As for Mo Shanqing, Myriad God Ridge's sect master was the senior brother of his master.

The differences between the titles of martial uncle were not generational but based on cultivation level. In Myriad God Ridge, the accomplished reigned supreme. The higher the cultivation level, the higher one's status was. The highest was obviously the Patriarch. However, it was rare to even hear about the Patriarch, much less see him. Therefore, Myriad God Ridge's sect master naturally became the person with the highest authority in Myriad God Ridge.

This punk was actually so lucky as to be designated the personal disciple of the sect master?

Song Bowen found it unbelievable. What quality gave him that right?

In fact, Mo Shanqing did not truly understand the matter. However, since the sect master had given the order, what else could he say?

Instantly, the atmosphere turned rowdy. The title of personal disciple was enough to stir the crowd!

These candidates were mainly from the various regions of the Calm Sea. All of them wanted to enter the Myriad God Ridge to enjoy a meteoric rising.

The entire Calm Sea spanned tens of millions of kilometers that contained innumerable countries of various sizes. And if one became a Myriad God Ridge disciple, even if they were merely an outer disciple, it was enough for them to be made nobles in their own countries. If they became inner disciples, the status would be enough to make their country's emperor treat them with the utmost respect.

As for core disciples or personal disciples, they were completely unimaginable. If they really employed their strength, they could easily wipe out an entire dynasty.

The surroundings examinees started to voice their envy, making Mo Shanqing frown slightly. He glanced at Yi Yun and said, "It's your good luck and fortune that the sect master thinks so highly of you. However, a word of advice. It's useless to simply stir the Ascending Dragon Cauldron! True geniuses depend on strength, not some so-called 'wisdom root!’"

Mo Shanqing spoke coldly. In fact, he never understood the situation. If they were only interested in the treasures sealed in the Ascending Dragon Cauldron, they could just invite the candidate with the treasure into the sect and trade the treasure for some reasonable benefits. Why did they make any candidate that was able to stir the Ascending Dragon Cauldron a core or even personal disciple?

"Got it."

Yi Yun answered Mo Shanqing's advice tersely. He had a rather bad impression of Mo Shanqing and so didn’t bother to act cordially.

Such an attitude naturally displeased Mo Shanqing. He stole a glance at Yi Yun before retreating into the pocket world within the stone gateway.

The test continued!

With about seven to eight thousand participants, it would take about two days to finish. It was still early.

The second batch of tests had already been prepared. As the candidates anxiously participated in the test, they watched enviously as Yi Yun and Snake Girl went to a test booth to retrieve the clothes and tokens issued to new recruits.

"State your names!"

Ji bellowed at Yi Yun and Snake Girl.

Yi Yun’s mouth twitched. As an examinee, they had to engrave their names into the registration token after obtaining it. It could be clearly seen by anyone who scanned the token with their perceptions. He refused to believe that the personal disciples did not know his name. This manner of questioning was only meant to establish an imposing air.

"Snake Girl." Snake Girl obediently reported her name.

As for Yi Yun, he lazily waved the registration token in his hand without saying a word. His intention was clear—take a look for yourself.

As he watched this happen, a few veins protruded from Song Bowen's forehead.

"Junior Sister Jin, bring them up the mountain."

Ji surmised that if Song Bowen was to send the duo, they might come to blows midway. Therefore, he let his Junior Sister Jin, who had a warmer temperament, to lead the way.

Yi Yun did not mind. When he was about to leave, he glanced at Old Snake and while cupping his fists, he said, "Senior, I would like to treat you to some drinks whenever you have the time."

This was the second time Yi Yun said such a thing.

Many people had mocked him for overestimating himself back when he offered to treat Old Snake to drinks after gaining entry to the sect.

Now, as Yi Yun said the same thing a second time, they were left with more mixed emotions.

Why did the entire test appear to be a game to Yi Yun? Yet, despite his nonchalance, he really entered the Myriad God Ridge and became a personal disciple of the highest standing.

"Hehe, I'll wait till you are settled in. I'll be at the Myriad God Restaurant. Remember to bring more money," Old Snake said with a chuckle. He lit up when alcohol was mentioned.

When everyone heard that, their mouths twitched. Myriad God Restaurant!

The name made it obvious that it was run by the Myriad God Ridge. It was the most luxurious restaurant around the Myriad God Ridge. The food it served was usually cooked using natural treasures that were astronomical in price. It wasn't uncommon to pay a few thousand Spirit Jade for a single meal. If one were a little more extravagant, it would not be surprising for their bill to be one or two hundred thousand Spirit Jade.

Old Snake had immediately chosen the Myriad God Restaurant the moment he was being offered a treat. His shamelessness was truly unparalleled.

"Alright. See you at Myriad God Restaurant in five days."

Yi Yun agreed readily as a curve suffused his lips. This old fellow was finally willing to have a proper conversation with him. Yi Yun's mind was riddled with questions. One of them pertained to the Ascending Dragon Cauldron.

Yi Yun followed Junior Sister Jin and headed for the Myriad God Ridge's main peak.

Junior Sister Jin remained silent throughout the journey and led Yi Yun across six peaks and five mountain entrances before arriving at Myriad God Ridge's main peak.

The mountain was tens of thousands of meters tall and its peak was covered in snow. However, amid the snow, there were large swaths of array formations that had exquisite jade trees and agar flowers that vied against each other for the right to be called the most beautiful.

After walking past the restraints, Yi Yun sighed at Myriad God Ridge's wealth. The bricks and tiles were literally lined with jade and gold. The spring water was made of spiritual liquid and there were spirit beasts darting around the valuable vegetation that was everywhere. The mist lingered, making it feel like an immortal's paradise.

"Junior Sister Jin, are these two newly recruited disciples?"

At that moment, a male disciple dressed in purple was standing above a gigantic hawk. He landed in front of Yi Yun and Snake Girl.

"Yes… Senior Brother Cang Wu, one of them is a personal disciple recruited by Sect Master and the other will be a core disciple. I have brought this young man to pay Sect Master a visit."

It was not easy to get a meeting with the sect master of Myriad God Ridge. However, Yi Yun was different. He was a disciple of the sect master and, according to the Myriad God Ridge's rules, newly recruited disciples had to first visit their masters.

"What? Sect Master has taken in a disciple?" Cang Wu looked at Yi Yun in disbelief after hearing the news. "He… got recruited?"

Cang Wu pointed at Yi Yun, who smirked. He could not be bothered to deal with these people. He was only planning on entering the Myriad God Ridge to find Old Snake, but he never expected to become the sect master's personal disciple. But so what if he was one? Why did everyone who saw him make a huge fuss about it as though they were mentally unsound?

"Yes, it's him. Might I trouble Senior Brother Cang Wu to pass the news. I'm bringing him to meet Sect Master," Junior Sister Jin said while looking at Yi Yun unhappily.

True Martial World - Chapter 1239: Entering the Sect

"You were instructed to produce your blood, so why are you still in a daze?"

The thick-browed personal disciple said unhappily when he noticed that Yi Yun did not react to his instruction. Yi Yun glanced at him and knew his surname was Song. He was ranked the lowest among the four personal disciples. According to Senior Brother Ji, Song would only become an official disciple of Elder Taiqing in a couple more days.

Song was infuriated when he saw Yi Yun glance at him indifferently before ignoring him. As a personal disciple, he had always been placed on a pedestal and was accustomed to people looking at him with envy and respect. When had a candidate disciple ever shown him such contempt?

Just as he was about to teach the punk who did not know better a lesson, Senior Brother Ji stopped him. "Junior Brother Song, that's enough."

"With that said," Senior Brother Ji looked at Yi Yun. "Are you not willing to produce more blood?"

Yi Yun said, "You all seem very interested in stirring the Ascending Dragon Cauldron. However, I'm here to participate in a test, not to be an experimental subject."

Yi Yun was acutely aware of Myriad God Ridge's goals. They were only using him as a lab rat so as to pursue their own fortunes.

As for Yi Yun, he was only joining Myriad God Ridge to come into contact with Old Snake. He did not want to attract too much attention. If he did cause a hubbub by repeatedly stirring the cauldron, his days in the Myriad God Ridge would be anything but peaceful.

Yi Yun did not mind offending the Myriad God Ridge because back when his blood stirred the cauldron, he saw from the corner of his eye that Old Snake had cast his gaze on him for a long time. As such, Yi Yun was convinced that what he produced was sufficient enough to attract Old Snake's attention.

However, Yi Yun's words stupefied everyone present, especially those that had been racking their brains and trying every means at their disposal to enter the Myriad God Ridge.

All of those that wanted to join the Myriad God Ridge acted with reverence and awe. They would show great respect to Myriad God Ridge disciples whenever they saw them by offering bows or other forms of salute even if they were ordinary disciples, and even more for the personal disciples. Therefore, they found it ridiculous for Yi Yun to speak to a personal disciple in such a manner.

"This fellow… is quite savage."

A few youths in extravagant clothes were at a loss for words. Those two people that interacted with the old scammer both stirred the cauldron, and their actions only continued to get more impressive.

Not only was Yi Yun's 'wisdom root' impressive, even his attitude was impressive. He didn't show any respect to the Myriad God Ridge's personal disciples or Elder.

"Heh, what guts. However, it's not good for a young man to be overly arrogant. Even if you are extremely talented and the cream of the crop from where you come from, you will realize how puny you are when you walk out into the world and truly see it. There are too many geniuses in this world, many that far exceed your imagination," Mo Shanqing said in a drawn-out manner.

He could tell that Yi Yun's foundations were a lot more robust than typical warriors of the same realm. He was likely a genius, and that gave him his arrogance.

However, there were too many geniuses in Myriad God Ridge. Many arrogant genius disciples would soon realize that they were just ordinary after entering the Myriad God Ridge. Naturally, their pride would be ground off.

Mo Shanqing felt that these people were simply engaging in childish tantrums, and did not mind it at all.

"Produce your blood. I'm not requesting your permission but ordering you."

Mo Shanqing's voice turned colder. As a Myriad God Ridge Elder, how could he permit a newly-recruited disciple to challenge his authority?

How could a junior speak to him in such a tone? In Myriad God Ridge's history, there had been a few disciples that had managed to pull out treasures from the Ascending Dragon Cauldron. Didn't they always end up handing the treasures over to the Myriad God Ridge without a fuss?

Upon hearing Mo Shanqing's demands, Yi Yun's brows knitted even tighter. Just as he was considering how to react, a deep Yuan Qi voice transmission rang in his ears.

"Produce your blood. It's only a few drops of blood. You might not want to stay here but I still want to! Don't you mess this up for me."

Oh?

Yi Yun's heart stirred as he turned to look at Old Snake. The old man had found a wall corner to sit down in. His clothes were a little tattered, to begin with. Now, as he sat there, drinking alcohol from a dirty-looking alcohol gourd while taking in the scene, he looked no different from a beggar.

Yi Yun still chose to obey Old Snake. He trusted Huan Chenxue.

With a sword beam, he cut his finger and a few drops of blood flew out into the sky!

At the instant the blood passed through the clouds, Yi Yun sensed that a formless energy had suddenly penetrated the clouds. This strength had severed the connection he had with the few drops of blood.

"Ding Ding Ding!"

When the blood shot onto the Ascending Dragon Cauldron, the drops let out collision sounds that resembled that of metal balls striking bronze.

However, the Ascending Dragon Cauldron did not move. It was not triggered by Yi Yun's blood.

Yi Yun felt reverberations through his heart and mind. That energy from before…

Yi Yun looked at Old Snake. Was it the old man?

Old Snake continued drinking his alcohol as though it had nothing to do with him. Yi Yun remained puzzled. How did the old fellow instantly wipe out his imprint on the blood? It felt like the blood had changed to another person's.

"He failed?"

When Mo Shanqing saw no reaction from the Ascending Dragon Cauldron, he secretly shook his head.

Was it just a coincidence? It was somewhat odd that the Ascending Dragon Cauldron did not shoot out any treasures. And now, with Yi Yun producing his blood again, it did not cause any changes to the Ascending Dragon Cauldron. It left him extremely depressed.

There went the credit he could have gotten.

Mo Shanqing was disappointed, but Junior Brother Song was extremely delighted. He was truly afraid that Yi Yun would be able to stir the Ascending Dragon Cauldron once again. If that happened, wouldn't Yi Yun soar high above him?

"To think this punk is shameless enough to act so arrogantly. He obediently produced his blood the moment Martial Uncle Mo spoke. Unfortunately, it was useless. He's a good-for-nothing," Junior Brother Song derided. He finally felt vindicated after Yi Yun shamed him with his retort.

"Martial Uncle Mo, it must have been a coincidence that the Ascending Dragon Cauldron was stirred a moment ago. Perhaps it even has nothing to do with him. He, therefore, does not meet the qualifications and cannot be a disciple of our Myriad God Ridge."

Senior Brother Ji, head of the four personal disciples, spoke up.

Momentarily, Mo Shanqing was placed in a dilemma. He had never encountered such a situation before. He was unsure how to evaluate Yi Yun either.

However, the matter regarding the Ascending Dragon Cauldron was of great importance. Despite knowing that the phenomena produced by the Ascending Dragon Cauldron were likely a coincidence, Mo Shanqing did not wish to give up this opportunity. Upon having such a thought, Mo Shanqing lit up a special voice transmission charm to seek the sect master's decision.

Yi Yun watched all of this nonchalantly. These people had made a mistake on one point. They believed that he was begging to join their Myriad God Ridge. In actuality, he had no intention of joining it. Just as he was about to turn and leave, the Yuan Qi voice transmission from before sounded again in his ear.

"Lad, don't be so rash. The Myriad God Ridge is quite an interesting place. Why do you think I'm staying in here?"

Upon hearing the voice, Yi Yun came to a halt. He glanced at Old Snake speechlessly. The old man seemed to be able to read his mind, being able to precisely guess what he was thinking every time. This left Yi Yun very displeased. The old fellow definitely knew that he was sent by Huan Chenxue, but he continued acting indifferently towards him.

At that moment, there was a burst of flames. It was the voice transmission charm of the Myriad God Ridge's reply. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

"Martial Uncle Mo, has this fellow been eliminated?"

Junior Brother Song glanced at Yi Yun contemptibly as he spoke in a schadenfreudian manner. He especially hated disciples that entered the Myriad God Ridge based on the so-called 'wisdom root.’ They were not geniuses but had soared because of some random criterion. What gave them that right?

He, Song Bowen, had to cultivate diligently and arduously in exchange for his present-day achievements. However, his blood had not resulted in any reaction from the Ascending Dragon Cauldron. Was that fair?

Who knew what sort of standards the useless Ascending Dragon Cauldron had!?

Not only was Song Bowen unable to stir the cauldron, the other three personal disciples had failed as well. As such, they were all somewhat biased against Yi Yun and Snake Girl.

However, at that moment, Mo Shanqing, who had heard the voice transmission charm's contents, lowered his head and gave an extended sigh. Finally, he looked up and glanced at Yi Yun oddly. He said reluctantly, "Kid, you are quite lucky. You have been made a personal disciple. My Martial Uncle, the sect master, is willing… to take you in as his disciple."