Taking Gui Ling as Disciple

Qing Huan studied the trembling spiritual turtle before him, his gaze profound.

This turtle brimmed with spiritual nature, its Primordial Spirit already condensed, its foundation solid—it was merely a few Kalpas away from Transformation.

The killing intent within him to refine a treasure momentarily stalled, then he thought deeper: "This is an Innate Spiritual Turtle, and it dwells in the southern lands... Could it be?"

A fragment of karma from a past life flashed through his mind—in the future, when the human race would flourish, Fuxi would deduce the Eight Trigrams, and Cangjie would create written script. The key vessel for these events was none other than the shell of an enlightened southern spiritual turtle.

This turtle, by aiding the human race, would accumulate boundless Heavenly Dao Merit, thereby achieving perfect Transformation and entering the Immortal Path.

Yet this seemingly supreme status as a meritorious minister became a shackle it could never escape.

Primordial Heavenly Venerate's lofty, icy, and cutting words echoed: "Beasts with Fur and Horns, Creatures Born of Wetness and Eggs—how dare they claim the true fruit of Our Immortal Sect?"

Each word was a blade, laying bare the deep-rooted prejudice of 'not our kind' entrenched in the Primordial Wilderness!

Later, this turtle would bow to Sect Master Tongtian of the Jie Sect and be granted the Dao name "Saint Mother Gui Ling."

It believed the Jie Sect's doctrine of "Universal Education" was its only path to escape fate, but then the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation arose, and the Jie Sect became the vortex of a game among the Sages.

Saint Mother Gui Ling, fierce and forthright, stepped forward time and again during the Investiture of the Gods War, yet always seemed to dance on a blade's edge.

Guangchengzi visited Biyou Palace three times, bearing the relics of Saint Mother Huoling with aggressive intent. The immortals of the Jie Sect dared not speak their anger, but she alone, knowing she could not win, struck out boldly—only to be beaten back to her original form by the Supreme Acquired Spiritual Treasure, the Sky-Flipping Seal!

What chilled her further was that Shangqing Tongtian offered no comfort, instead rebuking her for "losing propriety" and expelling her from Biyou Palace, stripping her of the sect's protection.

Even so, Saint Mother Gui Ling, loyal and steadfast, knowing it was a death trap, still followed Sect Master Tongtian into the final Myriad Immortals Formation.

Within the formation, she used the Sun Moon Pearls to drive Juliusun into a panicked retreat, her killing spree so fierce it dimmed heaven and earth.

Yet, in her relentless pursuit, she reached the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, offending the Sage Jieyin.

A single disrespectful word earned her a palm strike from the Sage, once again reverting her to her original form, her Magic Power completely sealed.

Jieyin ordered the White Lotus Boy to subdue and convert her, but the boy's mistake released the ferocious Bloodthirsty Black Mosquito—Daoist Mosquito...

In the end, Saint Mother Gui Ling's entire essence, blood, and Cultivation Level were drained dry, leaving only an empty turtle shell, a lament echoing through the ages.

What was even more lamentable was that, due to her "origin," she was unworthy of a place on the Investiture of the Gods List after death. Her remnant soul could only drift between heaven and earth, its end unknown...

At this moment, the Innate Spiritual Turtle before him had only utter despair and resignation in its eyes.

Facing such an unfathomable senior, resistance was meaningless. It had given up struggling, waiting only for the thunderous blow to end this Dao-seeking life that had never truly begun.

Qing Huan looked at this turtle, whose future fate was so fraught with misfortune, his thoughts racing like lightning.

This turtle bore the great merit of aiding Fuxi in creating the Eight Trigrams and Cangjie in originating written script—a key participant in the future prosperity of human Luck!

Such a "potential stock"—as long as it benefited him, no matter what karma it dragged in the future, he would take it!

Moreover, Saint Mother Gui Ling's loyalty, etched into her very bones, was a rare treasure in the deceitful environment of the Primordial Wilderness.

"Haha!"

Qing Huan suddenly laughed aloud, and the suffocating pressure instantly dissipated by half.

"Since you have already birthed a Primordial Spirit and awakened spiritual wisdom, how could I be one to indiscriminately kill the innocent and cut off the Path of Sentient Beings?

Heaven has the virtue of loving life. Today, you meeting me is also a kind of fate."

Qing Huan's smile was warm as he looked at the turtle's stunned, bewildered expression—as if it had misheard—and continued: "This Seat is Qing Huan. You—are you willing to take me as your master?"

His voice was clear, yet brooked no doubt.

"S-senior? Qing... Qing Huan Senior! You... you mean it?!"

The turtle's massive body trembled slightly, a great joy crashing over it. Its enormous turtle eyes were filled with disbelief, the stark contrast leaving its mind blank.

"Mm!"

Qing Huan raised an eyebrow, deliberately letting a trace of displeasure show.

"What status does This Seat hold? How could I deceive you? What, are you unwilling to take me as your master?"

Qing Huan's gaze was like lightning, fixed intently on the spiritual turtle.

If it didn't follow him, its future would only lead to death. Relying on Tongtian to plan for it was nothing short of a fool's dream. The Jie Sect, claiming ten thousand immortals in attendance, could not possibly look after every disciple.

"No, no, no! Absolutely not! Absolutely not!"

The turtle was scared out of its wits, its massive head nodding like a pestle, hastily explaining.

"Little turtle... little turtle is just too overjoyed, momentarily forgetting itself, at a loss! I beg Senior's forgiveness!

I... I am willing today to take Senior Qing Huan as my master! Heaven and earth bear witness, this heart is utterly sincere!"

Its huge voice, trembling with extreme excitement, echoed across the reef.

It had never dreamed that, saved from the brink of death, it could directly become a disciple of such a mighty being!

This was millions of times better than struggling and groping alone in this bitter sea!

Qing Huan nodded in satisfaction, a smile returning to his face.

"Good! Since you sincerely seek to become my disciple, I shall accept you. From this day forth, I bestow upon you the name—Gui Ling."

As his words fell, his sleeve brushed lightly. A mace-shaped treasure, wreathed in violet lightning and dense with thunder patterns, materialized out of thin air, hovering before the trembling yet ecstatic giant turtle. It radiated a powerful innate spiritual aura and the destructive presence of thunder.

"This Innate Mid-grade Spiritual Treasure—the Nine Heavens Thunder Pattern Mace—holds the power of the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, unmatched in slaughter. I grant it to you to protect your body and uphold the Dao. I hope you will diligently refine it and not disappoint your master's expectations!"

Qing Huan pointed a finger, and a mark shimmering with profound Dao resonance and faint light struck into Gui Ling's thick tortoise shell before vanishing from sight.

With this mark in place, should any mishap occur during Gui Ling's Transformation, he would sense it in an instant.

As for bringing Gui Ling back to the Zhongnan Mountain Dao Field for quiet cultivation...

Qing Huan's thought stirred, then settled.

The Heavenly Dao moved, its currents vast as a flood. Though he was a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, he dared not lightly disturb its course.

Some things were best left to follow their nature...

Gui Ling was destined to bear a portion of humanity's Luck in the future. That was her fate and her opportunity, as well as an intangible safeguard for both of them. To forcibly alter it would invite unpredictable fortune or calamity.

As for that elusive "doom of slaughter"? Qing Huan sneered inwardly.

The Primordial Wilderness was vast and boundless, a realm where the weak were prey to the strong. What day passed without living beings meeting their tribulation?

If trouble truly came knocking, he would break it with raw power! How could his disciple, Qing Huan's own, be so easily bullied?

"Gui Ling."

Qing Huan's voice was calm, carrying a trace of expectation.

"From now on, you are the third personal disciple under my seat.

However, you have your own path of the Dao to walk. It is not convenient for me to bring you back to the Dao Field at this moment. When the day of your successful Transformation arrives, that will be the time of your return."

With that, Qing Huan brushed his sleeve. A rope-shaped Magic Treasure, flowing with radiant light and containing suppressed spiritual pressure, hovered before Gui Ling.

"This Magic Treasure, the 'Dragon Binding Rope,' is a Top-grade Acquired Spiritual Treasure. It counts as a fine defensive treasure with endless wondrous uses. I grant it to you for protection and contemplation."