Dongfang Xuetong's words fell like a boulder, stirring up a raging storm in everyone's hearts.
Was the Lotus Sword Emperor really going to take a piece of trash like him as her disciple?
For a moment, no one could understand it.
With the Lotus Sword Emperor's profound Emperor Tier cultivation, even if she went back on her word, no one would say anything.
Besides, when taking on a disciple, one naturally chose someone with good cultivation aptitude and exceptional talent—not trash like Xiao Yao.
So unless they were being deliberately difficult, no one would think the Lotus Sword Emperor was wrong to go back on her word.
Shātu Demon Sage Zhu Ding watched the scene, his expression unusually grave.
In his view, if the Lotus Sword Emperor went back on her word, it would become a stain on her reputation.
No matter how small that stain was, it would become a talking point for others to attack her.
Since that was the case, she might as well take this trash as her disciple. After all, she had never said which disciple would compete against Wang Teng.
Brilliant!
Unfortunately, Dongfang Xuetong hadn't thought that far yet.
It was all just Zhu Ding's wild imagination.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yao casually set down the sword and quickly cupped his hands.
"Your disciple Xiao Yao pays his respects to Master!"
He wasn't overjoyed, nor was he servile. Such composure was far beyond his years!
Just for that, Dongfang Xuetong felt she'd struck gold.
After all, no matter how good one's cultivation aptitude or how exceptional one's talent, if one's Dao heart was unstable, one would either suffer cultivation deviation or die from a rush of blood to the heart.
Ever since she'd embarked on the path of cultivation, she'd seen far too many cases like that!
[ DING! Congratulations, Host, on completing the task: Take a Master! ] [ Congratulations! You have obtained the Saint Artifact: Taiyan Sword ] [ Congratulations! You have obtained Sword Dao Comprehension (Human Realm Max Level) ]
"Human Realm Max Level? What does that mean?" Xiao Yao asked curiously in his mind.
[ DING! The Human Realm is the collective term for all cultivation realms currently known to the Host. ] [ Thus, Sword Dao Comprehension (Human Realm Max Level) means that within the scope of the Human Realm, you have max-level comprehension of anything related to the Sword Dao. ]
"I still can't fully understand it, but it sounds pretty amazing."
Just then, a deep, resonant male voice rang out.
"Lotus Sword Emperor, you may not know this, but this young man is a good-for-nothing whose infamy has spread across Xuanzhou City and tens of thousands of li around it. Taking someone like him as your disciple will surely make you the laughingstock of countless people."
"Besides, even I, with my Primordial Sacred Body and Saint tier cultivation aptitude, couldn't draw this sword. How could a piece of trash like him pull it out? He must have used some underhanded trick we don't know about."
Xiao Yao didn't turn around. He already knew the speaker was Ye Feng.
The first part of what he said was somewhat reasonable.
But the latter part was pure venting, born of envy and jealousy.
"That's right! The Ye Family Young Clan Leader is right. Please don't take this person as your disciple, Sword Emperor!"
"Please don't take this person as your disciple, Sword Emperor!"
The voices rose one after another, surging higher and higher, their combined sound grand and thunderous.
Zhu Ding's expression turned grave again. With everyone pleading, the Lotus Sword Emperor could easily use the opportunity to refuse to take this trash as her disciple.
Then the blame wouldn't fall on the Lotus Sword Emperor, but on the people who had pleaded with her.
It might even become a story people praised for generations.
Dongfang Xuetong didn't answer at once. Instead, she glanced at Xiao Yao and saw that he looked completely unconcerned.
Was he not afraid she might change her mind?
Indeed, he wasn't. Xiao Yao had already received the task rewards.
Besides, he could grow stronger just by signing in every day, so gaining another master was merely the icing on the cake.
Interesting!
This Emperor wanted to know why you weren't afraid.
A faint smile curved Dongfang Xuetong's lips, the smile of someone who'd grown interested.
"Everyone, this Emperor understands how you feel."
"But this is a rule I set. If I don't abide by it, won't I become someone who breaks her word?"
"Even if you think I'd have a good reason, I still wouldn't be able to forgive myself."
In an instant, the increasingly loud pleas fell silent.
Ye Feng's face turned livid. He'd never expected the Lotus Sword Emperor to be so determined.
Zhu Ding, on the other hand, was delighted. He had just used Spiritual Sense transmission to inform his Lord.
His Lord had said that as long as the Lotus Sword Emperor didn't change her mind, then Xiao Yao, this good-for-nothing, would definitely be the one to face Wang Teng.
He'd been wondering how he could make the Lotus Sword Emperor stick to her decision.
Now it seemed he didn't need to persuade her or resort to any covert tricks.
"But he's a good-for-nothing who can't cultivate!"
"If he becomes your disciple, he'll be an insult to you!"
Ye Feng clenched his pearly white teeth, his swordlike brows drawing together as his eyes widened in fury.
[ DING! The Host has been insulted and envied by those nearby. Task issued: Reveal the Chaos Body. ] [ Task Reward: Venerable Tier Grand Formation: Heavenly Net ]
Hearing the task, Xiao Yao felt a little speechless and silently asked in his mind, "System, I haven't even confirmed whether the Lotus Sword Emperor sincerely wants me as her disciple. If I reveal my Chaos Body now, won't I have to stay on guard at every turn from here on?"
[ DING! Otherwise, how will these people know how formidable the Host is? Besides, with this System here, a mere Emperor Tier cultivator won't find it easy to hurt you. ]
At that moment, Dongfang Xuetong flicked her delicate hand, and a fruit appeared, its surface marked by a pale-green vortex.
Its fragrance spread everywhere, soon drifting across the entire Ascension Avenue.
"This is a Saint tier Profound Dry Fruit. They say that after eating it, even an ordinary person with no cultivation aptitude or talent can gain Saint tier cultivation aptitude."
Ye Feng's eyes widened. He hadn't expected the Saint tier cultivation aptitude he was so proud of to be, in the Lotus Sword Emperor's eyes, no more than the effect of a single fruit.
Was this the foundation of an Ancient Great Emperor?
It was truly immense!
Xiao Yao's eyes were full of disbelief. On the surface, he was just a good-for-nothing; there was no need for her to treat him this well.
Looking at it another way, the Lotus Sword Emperor was clearly determined to take him as her disciple.
If that was the case, why keep hiding the fact that he possessed a Chaos Body?
"Master, I don't need to eat this fruit."
As soon as he said that, Ye Feng burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Young Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan, I know you want to prove you're not a good-for-nothing, but you don't need to do it like this!"
"That's right, Brother Xiao Yao. You've endured humiliation all these years, and now you're finally about to make it through. Why act so high-minded at a time like this?" Xiao Ting said.
After Xiao Yao drew the sword, he'd been dumbfounded!
Although he now had a master in the Saint Realm, he still felt utterly outmatched before the Lotus Sword Emperor.
And now, he finally had a chance to speak.
Based on what he knew of Xiao Yao, his words would make Xiao Yao act even more high-minded, leaving himself no way back and refusing to take the Profound Dry Fruit.
This would surely infuriate the well-intentioned Lotus Sword Emperor. In a fit of anger, she might even cast Xiao Yao out as her disciple.
Brilliant!
Just as he thought this, Xiao Ting felt an extraordinarily terrifying gaze fall upon him.
He looked toward it and saw that it belonged to his newly acknowledged master, Zhu Ding.
Master... what did that mean?
Before you continue