Taking a Disciple
Dongguo Su laughed and said, "The child's father's surname is Hong. He was born on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, so he was named Hong Qi, hoping that he would be easy to raise."
Yue Qianchou nodded, then reached out and stroked Hong Qi's body a few times, confirming that he indeed possessed the Spirit Root for cultivation. He immediately muttered to himself, "Damn it! Guan Yu is already following me, so why is Hong Qi being given to Fu Xian Island? They might as well all follow me! Tomorrow I'll gather the Eastern Heretic, Western Poison, Southern Emperor, and Northern Beggar, and see who's as powerful as me!"
With this thought in mind, Yue Qianchou touched his nose and laughed at Dongguo Su, "How about this! Why don't you just become my apprentice? Anyway, I've never experienced being a master before. Haha!"
The Dongguo Su couple exchanged bewildered glances. "You're so young?" they hesitated. The other four were also puzzled. They couldn't see anything special about the child. "Why is this guy thinking of taking on a disciple? He's got nothing better to do." Bi Zicong snorted at the couple, "Brother Yue is fortunate to have your grandson as a disciple."
The couple now regretted their actions, feeling like they had let wolves into their home. However, any one of these five individuals was someone they couldn't afford to offend. Dongguo Su chuckled awkwardly, "To be a disciple of Master Yue, one is naturally a disciple of Fu Xian Island, the same as everyone else!"
"Who said that? My disciples are my disciples, and the disciples of Fu Xian Island are the disciples of Fu Xian Island. Don't get them mixed up," Yue Qianchou said disdainfully.
The couple exclaimed "Ah!" at the same time, unable to understand the difference. Dongguo Su asked with a strange expression, "Could it be that Mr. Yue is not a disciple of Fu Xian Island?"
"What does it have to do with my disciples that I am a disciple of Fu Xian Island?" Yue Qianchou said, then casually added, "Fu Xian Island is nothing."
Everyone heard him, even though his voice was soft. The couple was a little bewildered. Bi Zicong and the other three exchanged glances. Could this child be joining the mysterious force behind Yue Qianchou that didn't even care about Fu Xian Island? The four of them immediately began to look at Hong Qi with new eyes.
"Hong Qi, from today onwards I am your master. Kneel and acknowledge me as your disciple!" Yue Qianchou sat down upright with an air of grandeur, making it a very formal occasion for his first time accepting a disciple.
Hong Qi, the little brat, glanced at his stunned grandparents. Seeing that they didn't object, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed three times, calling them "Master." By the time the couple realized what was happening, it was too late; their grandson's apprenticeship ceremony had already taken place.
Yue Qianchou pinched his chin and looked Hong Qi up and down, finding everything about him perfect. The more he looked, the more satisfied he became. Suddenly, he said, "Oh, right, I forgot to give him a gift."
He immediately took out a Storage Bag and placed it on the table, saying, "There are a thousand high-grade Spirit Stones in here, which should be enough for you to cultivate to the Level Ten Qi Refining." After saying that, he took out two handfuls of things and put them on the table, saying, "These are ten Foundation Establishment Pills. They will be perfect for you to use for Foundation Establishment when you reach the Level Ten Qi Refining. If you need more, I will give you more then."
Everyone was dumbfounded. He just threw out a thousand high-grade Spirit Stones and ten Foundation Establishment Pills. Was this guy some kind of god of wealth? Bi Zicong, sitting next to him, reached out and picked up a Foundation Establishment Pill with a hazy purple aura, his face twitching as he said, "Could this be the legendary Pill Aura?"
"What children eat is none of your business!" Yue Qianchou rolled his eyes, snatched the Foundation Establishment Pill from his hand, and put it back on the table.
Dongguo Su exhaled a cold breath and said to Hong Qi, "Why don't you thank your master!"
The couple had gone to great lengths to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill back then, and they knew its importance to True Person. He had his grandson join Fu Xian Island because the number one sect in the world offered three opportunities to achieve Foundation Establishment, making it less likely for them to be bullied after successful cultivation. Yue Qianchou, however, had given him ten opportunities in one go, meaning he would practically have no problem Foundation Establishment hurdle. What could he possibly say?
Little Hong Qi knelt down and kowtowed three more times, saying in his childish voice, "Thank you, Master!" Yue Qianchou was overjoyed and pulled him over, patting his head repeatedly. He glanced at the Storage Bag on the table and said, "I gave you Spirit Stone for cultivation, but I forgot to give you pocket money." He then threw out another Storage Bag and said, "Here are a thousand high-grade Spirit Stones for your pocket money."
The group was utterly speechless. This little guy calling someone "Master" was way too expensive—a thousand high-grade Spirit Stones for that! Wasn't that just bluffing? This kid had definitely found a rich master.
After the initial excitement subsided, Yue Qianchou remembered that the others still had matters to attend to. He stood up and said, "Mr. Dongguo, your grandson will remain here and be guided in his cultivation by you. Once he reaches the Foundation Establishment Realm, I will personally teach him. As for his becoming my disciple, please keep it a secret for now. I don't want anyone else to know. I hope you remember that."
"Understood!" the couple bowed. Yue Qianchou nodded, patted Xiao Hong Qi's head, and said solemnly, "Cultivate diligently and Foundation Establishment as soon as possible. Then you can roam freely in this Cultivation World!" Xiao Hong Qi responded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
"Let's go!" Yue Qianchou said to the four of them.
"Wait a minute!" Bi Zicong laughed, "Since we've run into Brother Yue accepting a disciple, how can we not offer a gift? On behalf of the four of us, I'll also give a token!" As he spoke, he took out a token and turned to Xiao Hong Qi with a smile, "I'm not as rich as your master. I'll give you this token. If you ever have any trouble in the future, you can take this token to the Bi family shop in Hundred Flower Valley. It should be of some help."
Hong Qi took the gifts, unaware of their meaning. His maternal grandparents, however, knew, and of course, the gifts from Yue Qianchou and Bi Zicong would also be kept by them.
As a result, the five of them left without eating a single bite of food or drink, and even lost a lot of valuable items, but they did gain an apprentice. The four of them congratulated him all the way, Yue Qianchou gladly accepted; he was genuinely happy.
Upon arriving at the entrance of the Cultivation Alliance, the two disciples guarding the gate, though recognizing Yue Qianchou, still stopped Bi Zicong and his companions due to established rules. Yue Qianchou had no choice but to accompany them according to the regulations. The four Yue Qianchou, so they had nothing to hide and directly announced their identities, instructing the gatekeeper to report. One disciple immediately asked them to wait a moment and went to report, and shortly after, they were allowed to enter.
The four looked around but found nothing unusual. After arriving at the seat of the Fu Xian Island, Yue Qianchou called out at the door, "Disciple Yue Qianchou requests an audience with Elder Quan."
"Come in!" Quan Deming called from inside. After the five entered, Yue Qianchou immediately told him the identities of the other four. The four of them bowed and greeted him.
Quan Deming remained polite to the heirs of the Four Great Families of the Cultivation World who came together. Although they were not as powerful as Fu Xian Island, their combined strength was still formidable.
Upon learning that the four had come to invite Yue Qianchou to visit the Four Great Families, Quan Deming considered it for a moment and immediately agreed. If Yue Qianchou had wanted to go on his own, he wouldn't have agreed. So many people on Fu Xian Island had already made arrangements; what if something happened to Yue Qianchou? How would he explain it to them? An invitation from the Four Great Families was different. First, it wouldn't be good to offend them; second, with them there, Yue Qianchou should be safe.
After they came out, the five of them agreed to set off early the next morning, first going to the Wu family's auction, a place that Yue Qianchou was interested in.
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