The three adopted sons flew up onto the terrace?
Seeing this, Master Zhong's heart gave a sudden thump, and a bad premonition spread through him.
They won't. They're only on the terrace to ask their masters for Restriction Breaking Pills again. They'll definitely get them. Master Zhong repeatedly comforted himself.
However, after the three adopted sons went up onto the terrace, they merely stood behind their respective masters without saying anything to them. Their masters, meanwhile, coldly looked down below and waited for their fellow disciples to fly up as well.
Sure enough, once everyone had arrived on the terrace, Zhong Shijiu's masters brought along the disciples they had accepted and flew away on their Flying Swords just like that.
Watching Zhong Shijiu leave, the last sliver of hope in Master Zhong's heart finally shattered.
How outrageous. How utterly outrageous! Wretches, you wretches! Master Zhong roared inwardly. Yet after years of cultivating a deep and steady disposition, he still managed to suppress it. He gently closed his eyes, his heart filled with sorrow.
Zhong Di and Zhong Xuan were the same. They stood behind their masters, waiting for their martial uncles' and senior martial uncles' disciples to finish being recruited before setting off together. During that time, they did not even glance in Master Zhong's direction.
The eldest adopted son also saw the sudden change and was filled with shock. How could this happen? How?
Seeing his adoptive father close his eyes, Zhong Tian finally could not bear it any longer.
"Zhong Di, Zhong Xuan, what are you two doing?" Zhong Tian roared.
At his roar, nearly everyone looked toward him. The Immortal Sect disciples merely frowned and ignored him, while the others did not pay much attention.
Zhong Di and Zhong Xuan glanced toward Zhong Tian, disdain flashing in their eyes.
"Back when you were little beggars, who took you in? Who gave you fine clothes and wealth? It was your adoptive father! Is this how you repay him?" Zhong Tian roared.
Seeing the eldest adopted son act this way, Master Zhong felt much better.
"You worthless bastards! Have dogs eaten your hearts? Even if you manage to cultivate immortality, you'll still become fiends!" Zhong Tian shouted furiously.
At that moment, Zhong Di seemed to whisper something into his master's ear.
His master widened his eyes and struck out a Magic Seal.
"BOOM~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
A huge pit suddenly appeared in front of Zhong Tian, plunging three meters into the ground. Clearly, Zhong Di's master only wanted him to stop making noise and had not intended to kill him. Otherwise, Zhong Tian would have been dead already.
Seeing this, everyone could easily guess that Zhong Di had said something obedient and ingratiating.
Zhong Tian was burning with rage. He had been raised by his adoptive father since childhood, and his very life belonged to him. That was why Zhong Tian had sworn to serve his adoptive father well. Yet now, his several younger sworn brothers had actually committed such beastly acts. Zhong Tian could not take it anymore. They had even incited their master to warn him?
His adoptive father only wanted a single Restriction Breaking Pill. Was it really that difficult? Or had he and his adoptive father already become ants in their eyes, without any value?
Seeing the sighing look on his adoptive father's face, Zhong Tian unconsciously picked up a huge rock from the ground and hurled it viciously toward Zhong Di.
"WHOOSH~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
The huge rock flew into the air and shot toward Zhong Di's open-air terrace. Zhong Tian's cultivation was not high, but he had been born with divine strength in both arms and possessed boundless power. With sheer physical strength alone, he had already reached the strength of some people in the Innate Realm.
The huge rock rapidly smashed toward the terrace.
At that moment, nearly everyone was stunned. Was this man courting death? He actually dared to attack an Immortal Sect disciple?
"Courting death!" Zhong Di's master roared.
Zhong Di's master flipped his hand, and a gleaming silver Flying Sword shot toward the huge rock.
"BOOM~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
The huge rock exploded with a thunderous crash. The Flying Sword, however, continued on, shooting toward Zhong Tian at a terrifying speed.
Seeing this, Master Zhong's heart jolted. He swung the Dragon Head Cane, wanting to block the Flying Sword, but it was far too fast. In the blink of an eye, it had reached the fearless Zhong Tian.
"BZZZZ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
A huge golden sphere suddenly appeared before Zhong Tian. With a flash of golden light, it knocked the Flying Sword back.
At the same time, a bald monk suddenly flew down from the upper terrace and arrived before Zhong Tian. With a wave of his hand, the golden sphere transformed into a Buddhist prayer bead and fell into his palm.
The bald monk looked at Zhong Tian, delight appearing on his face.
"Born with divine strength?" The bald monk examined Zhong Tian in astonishment.
At the monk's words, Zhong Tian froze. Nearby, Master Zhong, who had raised his Dragon Head Cane, gently lowered it again, his brows knitting slightly.
"Are you willing to acknowledge me as your master?" the bald monk suddenly asked with a smile.
Hearing this, everyone below was astonished. Had this rough fellow actually turned misfortune into fortune?
The person who had released the Flying Sword saw the bald monk descend and frowned. He did not release another sword. After all, the bald monk came from an upper Immortal Sect.
Zhong Tian stared blankly at the bald monk. Master Zhong, whose composure was steadier, gave Zhong Tian a push and quickly brought him back to his senses.
"This disciple, Zhong Tian, pays respects to Master." Zhong Tian immediately dropped to his knees and kowtowed three times with resounding thuds.
"Mm. Rise. Come back to the mountain with me," the bald monk said with a smile.
Zhong Tian did not rise. Instead, kneeling on the ground, he said to the bald monk, "Master, this disciple has a request."
"Oh?" The bald monk was somewhat surprised, but he still looked at Zhong Tian patiently.
"This disciple humbly begs Master to bestow upon me a Restriction Breaking Pill." Zhong Tian remained kneeling as he spoke.
At his words, astonishment flashed through the bald monk's eyes. Master Zhong, meanwhile, let out a long breath, as if the pent-up oppression in his heart had suddenly dispersed. At the same time, he gazed at the bald monk with eager expectation.
The bald monk looked at Zhong Tian in surprise, then meaningfully glanced at Master Zhong. He quickly understood the situation, narrowed his eyes with a smile, and nodded.
"A Restriction Breaking Pill is too low-grade. I don't have one either. However, my disciple has spoken, and of course I must help you find one for your master." The bald monk smiled.
"Thank you, Master." Zhong Tian repeatedly kowtowed in excitement.
"Mm, rise. Don't knock your head silly," the bald monk said.
"Yes." Zhong Tian immediately stood up. He looked at his adoptive father, then at the bald monk, excitement flashing in his eyes.
At that moment, the bald monk suddenly flipped his hand and took out a golden, Dragon Eye-sized medicinal pill.
As soon as the pill appeared, Master Zhong smelled an extraordinarily wondrous fragrance. Just one breath of it made him feel as though every pore in his body had opened and relaxed.
"Fellow cultivators, does anyone have a Restriction Breaking Pill? I will exchange this Nascent Soul Pill for it," the bald monk announced loudly.
At his words, almost everyone stared at the pill in his hand. That is a Nascent Soul Pill? Restriction Breaking Pills are practically useless pills. One Restriction Breaking Pill can be exchanged for a Nascent Soul Pill?
Nearly all the Immortal Sect disciples rummaged through their belongings, but none had a Restriction Breaking Pill. Only one disciple from a lower Immortal Sect found one in his storage bag—a purple Restriction Breaking Pill. Yes, that was exactly the thing.
The man excitedly rode his Flying Sword toward the valley.
"Grandmaster, I have one here. I wonder if..." the man called out excitedly.
"Here." The bald monk tossed over the Nascent Soul Pill, and with a flip of his hand, the Restriction Breaking Pill landed in his own palm.
"Thank you, Grandmaster." The man excitedly put away the Nascent Soul Pill and flew back amid the envious gazes of almost everyone present.
"Here." The bald monk handed the pill to Zhong Tian.
"Thank you, Master." Zhong Tian was visibly excited. He then turned and handed the Restriction Breaking Pill to Master Zhong.
At that moment, nearly all the mortals below stared red-eyed at the Restriction Breaking Pill. A Restriction Breaking Pill! If only I had one—wouldn't I immediately reach the Innate Stage?
One after another, they stared with envy and jealousy at the pill as it changed hands.
Seeing Zhong Tian hand over the Restriction Breaking Pill, Master Zhong's heart filled with excitement. How many years had he waited? How many years had he longed for this?
He carefully took out the Restriction Breaking Pill and glanced around at the countless covetous gazes. Without the slightest hesitation, Master Zhong planted the Dragon Head Cane into the ground, opened his mouth, swallowed the pill, and then sat down cross-legged with his eyes closed to regulate his breathing.
Master Zhong had also immediately understood the danger involved. If he did not swallow it now, then once all the Immortal Sect disciples left, he definitely would not be able to walk out of the valley. The Restriction Breaking Pill would be snatched away.
The Innate Realm—the Innate Realm! Who would not be envious? Seeing Master Zhong sit down and begin his breakthrough, nearly everyone sighed, their eyes filled with jealousy.
Seeing his adoptive father regulate his breathing, Zhong Tian waited patiently. The bald monk did not urge him to leave either, instead waiting alongside him. Seeing that Zhong Tian was loyal and affectionate, the bald monk revealed a faint smile. A disciple like this would not scheme against even his master in the future.
When Master Zhong swallowed the Restriction Breaking Pill, he felt it instantly transform into a strange energy that flowed into his body. It rapidly entered his dantian, where a small vortex spun—a vortex of true qi used to store and accumulate energy.
Because of the cultivation technique he practiced, Master Zhong's true qi shimmered with gold. As soon as the Restriction Breaking Pill entered him, it charged straight into the vortex, seemingly squeezing it with madness.
Master Zhong controlled the vortex of true qi and sent it spinning wildly. With each rotation, it seemed to shrink a little. His true qi circulated through the Greater Celestial Circuit again and again, one cycle after another, until it reached the seventy-second cycle.
"MOO~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
The golden vortex shrank one final time. It had changed—completely changed. The entire vortex had become only one-tenth of its original size, yet it was now a small violet-gold vortex. Once the golden true qi passed through the vortex, it quickly transformed into violet-gold true qi that circulated through his countless meridians.
At the same time, outside Master Zhong's body, wisps of violet qi seemed to rise and surge, making him appear far more ethereal as he sat there.
Master Zhong's formerly white hair, white brows, and white beard slowly began turning black. His face also grew younger during the breakthrough. Forty or fifty years old—he now looked like a man in his forties or fifties, much younger than before. It was utterly miraculous.
The Innate Realm—so this was the Innate Realm. The surrounding mortals revealed looks of extreme envy, their jealous eyes fixed on Master Zhong as he broke through.
As for the Immortal Sect disciples, one after another, they wore disdainful expressions.
In the sky, the Immortal Sect disciples all departed, each taking their disciples toward their respective mountain gates. Although Master Zhong's breakthrough was somewhat unexpected, they did not pay much attention. The Innate Realm? He had reached it using a Restriction Breaking Pill. Perhaps he would remain stuck at this level for the rest of his life. There was nothing worth watching.
On the upper terrace, most of the upper Immortal Sects had also left. Only two remained. One was the Immortal Sect where Zhong Tian's master belonged, waiting for Zhong Tian. The other was that woman—the extremely beautiful woman in purple robes. Her cold eyes swept around. Nothing at this Dragon Gate Meet had caught her eye, so she had not accepted a single disciple. The farce had merely surprised her somewhat. She glanced at Master Zhong, who sat cross-legged, then leaped into the air and vanished from the spot.
After his true qi circulated another thirty-six cycles, it completely transformed into violet-gold qi. Only then did Master Zhong stop cultivating. The Innate Stage—he had truly reached the Innate Stage. At that moment, his entire body seemed to possess inexhaustible strength, surging without end and flowing on forever.
He opened his eyes, and a sharp gleam shot from them.
Seeing Zhong Tian constantly worrying nearby, Master Zhong gently exhaled and revealed a faint smile.
"Adoptive Father, did you succeed?" Zhong Tian asked urgently.
"Thanks to you." Master Zhong gently rose to his feet.
"Your son owes his life to you, Adoptive Father. This is only right. However, I will be heading to the Immortal Sect in the future, so I won't be able to serve you anymore." Zhong Tian sighed somewhat.
Looking at this adopted son, Master Zhong was filled with emotion. He nodded and said, "Cultivate in peace from now on. Go."
Seeing that Master Zhong had not pressed for further benefits, the bald monk nodded as well.
"Disciple, let us go," the bald monk said.
"Yes, Master," Zhong Tian replied.
"Adoptive Father, I'm leaving." Zhong Tian turned to Master Zhong.
When Master Zhong nodded, the bald monk flipped his hand and summoned a white cloud. It carried Zhong Tian toward the upper terrace, where he joined the other monks before flying out of Dragon Gate Valley.
As for Master Zhong, his pupils suddenly contracted as he stared in astonishment at the white cloud carrying Zhong Tian.
"Tian Er, you've found yourself a good master." Master Zhong nodded.
PS: For special reasons, today's first chapter was uploaded early. I humbly ask for recommendation votes. If you think it was decent, please add it to your collection.