Master Really Does Love Me!

One thing was certain: the system's level far surpassed the Black Salvation Ring.

That was why Xiao Ran could handle this matter so calmly.

Before joining the group, he first checked the system's three proposed solutions.

Solution One: The host immediately discarded the Black Ring, allowing it to seek out someone with the aptitude to save the world on its own.

How could that be possible? If I picked it up, it's mine!

Solution Two: The host spent 100 Filial Piety Points to have this system forcibly bind the Black Ring. The host would replace Ye Fan as one of the Eleven Lone Travelers who would save the world.

Xiao Ran thought it over. Though he did not agree with the Black Ring's philosophy of saving the world, sneaking into the group to reap some benefits—or acting as a spy—were both good options.

The only pity was that the cost was too high: 100 Filial Piety Points...

Better wait until he had earned enough Filial Piety Points.

For now, he would wait and see.

Solution Three: Place the Black Ring into the System Space. The host could use the Resonance Soul to enter Mind Concentration and browse the information exchanged within the Black Ring. However, without binding to the Black Ring, the host could neither speak nor exchange Cultivation Methods and magical artifacts with the others.

Fine, Solution Three it is!

He immediately placed the Black Salvation Ring into the System Space.

In an instant, that bone-chilling coldness and the sense of looking down upon all living beings vanished.

Xiao Ran breathed a sigh of relief. Only a few minutes had passed.

Though no one was around, to avoid suspicion, he still quietly took out his Disciple Ring, left it among the ruins, then found it and put it on.

He then swiftly left the Sword Plaza and headed to the Affairs Pavilion.

Before the Elder Council.

The Disciplinary Elder, Huangfu Qun, entrusted True Person Yinyue with holding a simple yet solemn funeral for the two Law Enforcers of the Discipline Hall who had died.

Afterward, Xiao Ran, Chuyan, Chen Gongxing, and Luo Sheng each gave detailed statements at the Discipline Hall.

Then the Elder Council convened.

Lingzhou Yue was absent, while Chen Gongxing and Chuyan were present.

Master Boyun, True Person Moxia, and Huangfu Qun were all repairing and maintaining the grand formation at their respective formation nodes, participating in the meeting through voice transmission.

Xiao Ran sat in the southeastern elder's seat on behalf of the Sword-Wielding Elder. Chuyan stood behind him, practically blocking her view.

Though his body was in Cao's camp, his heart was in Han's, the moment the Elder Council began, he silently entered Mind Concentration and used the Resonance Soul to open the Black Salvation Ring within the System Space.

His mind buzzed, and a hazy chat interface appeared before him.

The background was a chaotic void, where eleven names in seal script floated about. He had to look closely to make out the characters.

The eleven names were spread across three layers of vision.

At the farthest point of his sight floated two cracked gray names in seal script.

One of them was linked to Xiao Ran's consciousness—

Unilateral Eternity

Without a doubt, this was the original owner Ye Fan's Savior nickname.

Xiao Ran guessed that gray signified invisible status, while the cracked font might mean that the original owner had died and a new owner had yet to be found...

In the same area as Unilateral Eternity was another cracked gray name in seal script—

Your Grandpa's Grandpa

This nickname looked fucking absurd written in seal script!

Good thing he was already dead and his name was shattered...

His gaze moved closer.

The middle layer contained ordinary gray names in seal script.

Xiao Ran guessed that these people were busy with things at hand and had not entered Mind Concentration to look at their phones... No, at their Black Rings.

Eight people in this layer were invisible.

Rumor

Mad Hunt

Gentleman

Little Mist

Body Severing

Primate

Stated Dao

No Money Get Lost

As expected of Saviors, their nicknames were all uniquely distinctive. They had no airs whatsoever, completely lacking the icy sense of superiority Xiao Ran had felt earlier.

At the frontmost edge of his vision were names in shining black seal script.

They probably represented the people currently online in the group.

There was only one.

Seen the Vast Sea, No Immortal Compares

This nickname finally had a bit of a Savior's flavor to it.

No one was chatting, so he simply watched the group in silence.

Relying on the system and Resonance Power, Xiao Ran attended the meeting while lurking invisibly in the group.

He waited until the meeting was halfway through before someone finally came online and spoke.

Little Mist: Look what I found. Eternity actually cracked apart!

The chat messages appeared in ancient regular script, drifting forth like mist, much like message bubbles in a QQ group.

The topic of conversation was precisely Ye Fan's death.

Seen the Vast Sea, No Immortal Compares remained silent, not saying a word.

Little Mist apparently did not even regard him as a person.

Little Mist: Something this huge happened. Why is no one talking?

Those two sentences finally drew out the others.

Gentleman: Eternity died? How is that possible! Yesterday, he said he was preparing for an important battle, and everyone sent him quite a few Cultivation Methods. Though he was young and weak, he had an immature Wraithism Art to protect himself. He shouldn't have died just like that!

He had Wraithism Art to protect himself?

Xiao Ran was slightly startled.

So it wasn't the Apostles summoning Wraiths? Living people could turn into Wraiths on the spot? Xiao Ran felt like his entire worldview was coming apart at the seams! Body Severing: Such rare Heavenly Saint Aptitude. What a pity for little brother Eternity. Once the Black Ring begins seeking a new owner, we may have only nine people for a long time.

Gentleman: I remember Eternity was at Zongzhi Mountain, wasn't he? Zongzhi Mountain may have a free-spirited tradition, but when safety is involved, Huangfu Qun keeps a tight grip on things. How could disciples end up fighting to the death? Is Little Mist near Zongzhi Mountain? Do you have any inside information?

Little Mist: I only heard that the Sword-Wielding Elder, Lingzhou Yue, recently took in a Direct Disciple, causing quite a stir within the sect.

Are they talking about me?

He had not expected that the moment he entered the scene, he would already be at the heart of a storm.

Xiao Ran suddenly grew nervous.

Gentleman: Eternity was young and hot-blooded, with heaven-defying aptitude. He pursued cultivation speed too eagerly. If he had not been chosen as a Direct Disciple, he might very well have taken the sword down a crooked path...

Body Severing: So you're saying this new Direct Disciple killed Eternity?

Fuck, they guessed it right away...

Little Mist: Unlikely. I heard this Direct Disciple of Sword-Wielding Mountain possessed heaven-wasted aptitude. After entering the sect for only three days, there was no way he could have killed Eternity.

Xiao Ran: Thank you, Little Mist!

Gentleman: Not necessarily. Perhaps he had hidden his true strength.

At that moment, another name lit up from the middle layer and moved to the front.

No Money Get Lost: I just noticed the group. Something like this actually happened? Speaking of Lingzhou Yue, I have some information here.

Gentleman: Hurry and tell us!

No Money Get Lost: No Money Get Lost.

Gentleman paid No Money Get Lost 10 Spirit Stones.

Little Mist paid No Money Get Lost 10 Spirit Stones.

Body Severing paid No Money Get Lost 10 Spirit Stones.

Xiao Ran stared blankly.

Wasn't this supposed to be a mutual-aid group for saving the world? Why were they charging fees? Good thing I could freeload! What exactly was the information about Master? No Money Get Lost: Just now, someone discovered that Lingzhou Yue was in Chaos City asking about Flood Dragon Pills. It seemed she wanted to venture alone into Withered Sea Pool.

Body Severing: The Flood Dragon Pill from Withered Sea Pool? That is something used by those with terrible talent to refine qi and extend their lives. Could it be that Lingzhou Yue really accepted a piece of trash as her disciple?

Xiao Ran: Curse me again and see what happens!

Master went out because of me? Gentleman: In today's Cultivation World, aside from Nine Radiances and Senior Mad Hunt, who would dare claim they could definitely emerge alive from Withered Sea Pool? No matter how formidable Lingzhou Yue is, going deep into Withered Sea Pool alone to obtain a Flood Dragon Pill is far too dangerous... Just who is this Direct Disciple, to be worth her breaking from her usual ways and taking such a risk?

Xiao Ran was nearly moved to tears...

Master really does love me! I wronged you!

Xiao Ran made up his mind to grow stronger faster. He could no longer let Master take risks alone.

Body Severing: With Eternity dead, the Zongzhi Mountain line has been cut off. Little Mist, please pay closer attention to intelligence from Zongzhi Mountain from now on.

Little Mist: It is my duty.

Gentleman: Something this huge happened. It would be one thing if the others had not seen it, but Brother Vast Sea has been online all this time and still has not said a word? Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen you speak, Vast Sea.

Little Mist: Who says all eleven of us have to be human? Maybe Brother Vast Sea is some divine beast?

Seen the Vast Sea, No Immortal Compares remained silent, never saying a word.

Body Severing: No matter what, there will be a great storm in the group tonight.

After that, no one spoke again.

When Xiao Ran withdrew from Mind Concentration, the Elder Council had just begun discussing him.