You Really Aren't Human

"That hairstyle screams powerhouse."

"You can say that again! He's Venerable Lingyu, Zhu Hongyu. He had already reached the Venerable Realm Triple Stage a hundred years ago. He must be even more formidable now."

"Venerable Lingyu, I'm Liu Chang, the Young Clan Leader of the Liu Family. I'd like to become your disciple. Would you be willing to take me?"

"Tsk, tsk! Liu Chang, you cultivate the sword path, while Venerable Lingyu follows the Rigorous Martial Dao. If he takes you as his disciple, your sword cultivation will be in an awkward spot! He'd be better off taking me, Lin Shan, the Young Clan Leader of the Lin Family. I follow the martial path, and I have the cultivation aptitude of a Venerable Tier."

"Pfft! Taking me, the Young Clan Leader of the Yin Family, as his disciple wouldn't be a bad choice either."

"Yin Wen, get lost! Who doesn't know that your Yin Family specializes in the Gentle and Feminine Way? If Venerable Lingyu took you as his disciple, how would his legacy be passed down? If you don't know how to read the room, don't butt in!"

"Exactly. Of all the Young Clan Leaders from the major families here, you're the least qualified to become Venerable Lingyu's disciple."

At that moment, the Young Clan Leaders of the major families were busy introducing themselves and arguing heatedly. Even Yin Wen, who cultivated the Gentle and Feminine Way, had joined in.

The once-peaceful Ascension Avenue had become a battlefield of smoke and flames.

That left the silent Xiao Yao looking completely out of place amid the uproar.

"A powerhouse at the Venerable Realm is certainly a good opportunity. It's just a shame he cultivates the martial path, while my goal is the sword..."

Xiao Yao was sorely disappointed, yet he also felt hesitant and conflicted.

He had no idea whether a more powerful cultivator who specialized in the sword path would come along to take disciples.

If not, he would miss his chance with Venerable Lingyu.

[Beep! Host, there's no need to agonize over it. Venerable Lingyu doesn't deserve to be your master.]

Xiao Yao was speechless. That's some serious humblebragging.

"Even if I wanted to become his disciple, he'd probably ignore me outright when he saw my apparent lack of cultivation aptitude."

[Beep! Host, you now possess the Strongest Emperor Tier Bloodline—the Chaos Body. Anyone who takes you as a disciple will have struck a fortune bigger than the heavens.]

Xiao Yao brightened. "Keep praising me. Make my confidence soar."

Just then, Zhu Hongyu's gaze fell on Xiao Yao, who had remained calm all along.

Xiao Yao gave him an awkward yet polite smile.

Deep down, he was a little surprised. Had the bald guy seen that he possessed the Chaos Body?

No way!

If the other man asked to take him as a disciple, should he accept or not?

Suddenly, Zhu Hongyu turned his gaze toward Lin Shan, the Young Clan Leader of the Lin Family. His expression grew utterly resolute.

Before coming, he had already heard the rumors about the Young Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan.

The kid was twelve and still hadn't even managed to begin cultivating.

Now that he'd seen him, the boy's aptitude was actually unranked—an even bigger waste than the rumors had made him out to be.

Even if Zhu Hongyu went blind, he would never take this good-for-nothing as his disciple in this lifetime.

Tap, tap!

Footsteps rang out, silencing the arguing crowd. Everyone stared at Zhu Hongyu without blinking.

A moment later, Zhu Hongyu stopped in front of Lin Shan, who was just as tall and powerfully built. With a grave expression and a solemn voice, he asked, "Lin Shan, are you willing to become this Venerable's disciple?"

"Master, your disciple is willing!" Lin Shan immediately cupped his hands and shouted.

In the Southern Wilderness Domain, having a master at the Venerable Realm basically meant you could throw your weight around wherever you went!

The other young members of the families looked at Lin Shan with envy and offered their congratulations.

A moment later, a young man in a black cloak, looking impressively dashing and imposing, entered Ascension Avenue. He was none other than Shātu Demon Sage, Zhu Ding.

In an instant, every gaze turned toward Zhu Ding.

"That aura is so powerful. I can barely breathe!"

"Shātu Demon Sage—what's he doing here? Is he here to take disciples too?"

Yes and no!

Zhu Ding's main purpose in entering Ascension Avenue wasn't to take a disciple.

He'd come to use the cultivation-aptitude-detection spell given to him by his Lord to gather information in advance.

If there were any peerless geniuses with hidden cultivation aptitudes, he would take them in first.

Otherwise, he was just here to stroll around.

After scanning the crowd, Zhu Ding's gaze settled on Xiao Ting, standing beside Xiao Yao.

"Holy crap! On the surface, this kid has the cultivation aptitude of a Venerable Tier swordsman, but he's actually hiding the cultivation aptitude of a Saint tier cultivator of the Demonic Path!"

"He may still fall short of Wang Teng, whom my Lord took in, but I can't let that old hag, the Lotus Sword Emperor, get him."

Unlike Venerable Lingyu, who had walked over to his prospective disciple, Zhu Ding remained where he was. A stream of purple-black flames shot straight toward Xiao Ting.

"What's your name?"

His voice was icy, full of pressure.

Xiao Ting trembled all over, his face turning deathly pale as he stammered, "Xiao Ting."

"Xiao Ting, are you willing to become this Saint's disciple?" Zhu Ding asked.

Xiao Ting froze!

Everyone around him froze too, while Xiao Yao looked utterly bewildered.

He'd thought the Shātu Demon Sage had discovered that he possessed the Chaos Body.

[Beep! A mere Saint Realm cultivator thinks he can see through this system's concealment?]

"Aren't you being a little too arrogant?" Xiao Yao thought, speechless.

[Beep! Then let's be even more arrogant. Not even an Emperor Tier cultivator can see through this system's concealment.]

At that moment, Xiao Yao fully understood the power of the God-tier Sign-in System.

"System, why is the Shātu Demon Sage taking Xiao Ting as his disciple?"

[Beep! Xiao Ting has hidden cultivation aptitude for the Demonic Path at Saint tier.]

Xiao Yao fell silent!

"Master, I'm willing!" Xiao Ting said, beaming as he clasped his hands.

A master at the Saint Realm.

Even if the Clan Leader came back now, Xiao Ting would be the one to inherit the position of Young Clan Leader someday.

Zhu Ding beamed. He glanced at Xiao Yao, standing beside Xiao Ting, and saw that not only was his cultivation aptitude unranked, he didn't even have a cultivation base.

How could someone like that stand beside a cultivator like Xiao Ting, whose aptitude was openly known to be Venerable Tier?

"Disciple, who's the one beside you?"

Xiao Ting answered at once, "He's the Young Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Yao."

Zhu Ding gave him a scornful look and spoke without the least bit of tact. "So he's just a rich kid coasting on his family's name!"

"Master, Brother Xiao Yao is good at everything except cultivation. Please don't talk about him like that," Xiao Ting protested.

Not knowing Xiao Ting's true nature, Zhu Ding decided his disciple was simply far too kind.

"Since my disciple says so, this Saint apologizes for what I said earlier," Zhu Ding said quickly, backtracking, though his eyes still brimmed with contempt.

Xiao Yao kept smiling. "There's no need."

But inside, a thousand mud horses were stampeding through his mind.

A master at the Saint Realm, and one who cultivated the Demonic Path at that.

So his next master had to be at least at the Saint Realm—and have an extremely powerful background.

Otherwise, he would not only harm himself, but his master as well.

[Beep! Host, this mere Demon Sage isn't worthy of being your master!]

"You don't think he's worthy?" Xiao Yao shouted inwardly. "If the people here heard you, they'd line up to slap you across the face."

[Beep! Emperor Tier cultivator detected!]

[Beep! Host's target for the apprentice mission has been determined!]

[Beep! Mission changed to becoming the disciple of an Emperor Tier cultivator. The reward upon completion will be even more generous.]

"Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap! You want me to become an Emperor Tier cultivator's disciple? You really aren't human!"

Xiao Yao hadn't even known how he could talk a Saint Realm cultivator into taking him as a disciple.

Now he had to become the disciple of an Emperor Tier cultivator? Those Emperor Tier cultivators were all sharper than foxes.

Unless he revealed his Chaos Body, it was impossible.

But then he'd have no way of knowing whether the other person sincerely wanted him as a disciple.

Forget it!

He had to solve the problem of staying alive first. He couldn't let Xiao Ting, that Green Tea Bitch, get her way.

Just then, an incomparably holy white lotus appeared in the sky.

Shātu Demon Sage Zhu Ding knew that the Lotus Sword Emperor's recruitment had begun.

It was just that not one person present even had Saint tier cultivation aptitude, so there was no chance she'd find a disciple here.