Han Feng's consciousness blurred for a moment.
"What the hell? What did that woman just do to me?"
Han Feng felt somewhat terrified.
He did not even know what had happened in that instant.
It shouldn't have been Soul Searching. That was a technique only Nascent Soul cultivators could wield freely.
The woman in palace attire stood quietly before him, her expression unchanged from before.
As if nothing had happened.
"Are you willing to take me as your master?"
Zhou Qingning suddenly spoke, her voice cool and pleasant.
At that moment, she looked dignified, with a faint, almost imperceptible smile on her face.
In that brief instant just now, she had used a secret technique to examine Han Feng and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with him. He was indeed from a rogue cultivator background.
"Huh?"
"She isn't after my body. She wants to take me as her disciple?"
Han Feng's mind raced.
This woman was definitely a Core Formation Stage cultivator!
For an ordinary person who had just established his Foundation, being able to take a Core Formation Ancestor as his master would absolutely be a heaven-defying opportunity. But Han Feng had never thought of such a thing.
However, before Han Feng could speak, an aged yet booming voice suddenly exploded out of thin air, making his eardrums buzz.
"Well, well, Zhou Qingning!"
"You said you were coming to help me test him. I never expected you to try to steal my disciple!"
A blue-robed figure appeared between Han Feng and Zhou Qingning without warning, as if he had been standing there all along.
Before this, Han Feng had not sensed him in the slightest!
This Movement Technique was far too strange!
If this strange old man wanted to kill him, Han Feng probably would not even be able to see what he looked like!
"Senior Brother Qiong, why did you come along too?"
Zhou Qingning looked at him, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, seemingly quite surprised.
"Hmph! If I hadn't come, wouldn't this disciple I've finally managed to look forward to have been lured away by you, woman!"
The Blue-robed Elder ignored her completely and grabbed Han Feng by the wrist. His thin hand was like an iron clamp.
"P-Predecessor!"
As the old man held him, an irresistible force surged over, leaving Han Feng unable to move.
"Why are you calling me Predecessor? Call me Master!"
The Blue-robed Elder glared at him, his beard bristling.
From Zhou Qingning's words, "Senior Brother Qiong," Han Feng instantly guessed this man's identity.
Old Monster Qiong!
Old Monster Qiong in the original novel was a ruthless figure!
His Invisible Escape Technique was elusive and unpredictable.
His magic treasure, the Invisible Needle, was an assassination weapon that killed without a trace. It was said that, with Core Formation Stage cultivation, he had dared to contend with an early-Nascent Soul cultivator for a while!
As for the woman before him, judging by the name Zhou Qingning, if his guess was correct, she should be Nangong Wan's senior sister from the original novel, Zhou Qingning!
She might only be in the Late Core Formation Stage for now.
But Han Feng remembered that two hundred years later in the original novel, she had broken through to the middle stage of the Nascent Soul realm and become the Moongazing Sect's trusted Grand Elder.
Both of them counted as supreme backers!
Han Feng was merely a little bewildered. When had he become Old Monster Qiong's disciple?
Zhou Qingning stepped forward without yielding an inch. "Senior Brother, whether he wishes to take you as his master or me as his master, shouldn't we let him decide for himself?"
"What? You really intend to fight me for my disciple?"
Old Monster Qiong's eyes narrowed, and a sharp aura burst forth. The air around them seemed to solidify.
"How about this? We fight it out. Whoever wins takes him away!"
"Senior Brother, you still have such a violent temper..." Zhou Qingning clearly did not want to fight, lest it hurt the harmony between fellow disciples.
Han Feng was caught between two Core Formation Stage bigshots, and the pressure was immense.
He had the system backing him.
He had never wanted to take a master and be bound by others.
But in this situation, if these two forcibly took him as their disciple, he would have no way to resist!
"Both of you Predecessors have shown me such great favor. This junior is deeply grateful."
Han Feng suddenly spoke, breaking the stalemate.
"How about this? This junior is dull-witted and dares not make a rash decision for now. If neither of you Predecessors objects, could you both give me some guidance? If I am fortunate enough to reach Core Formation in the future, I will formally consider which of you to take as my master. How does that sound?"
At these words, both Core Formation bigshots froze.
This brat wanted to have the best of both worlds?
Old Monster Qiong looked Han Feng up and down, then suddenly laughed, the wrinkles on his face spreading out.
"Hey! You little brat, you're quite the sly one! You actually want to fleece both of us old fellows at the same time... But I like that temperament!"
"Senior Brother, you're old, but I'm still young!" Zhou Qingning retorted.
She truly had mastered the art of preserving her youth!
Despite being over two hundred years old, she looked much like those seventeen- or eighteen-year-old female cultivators, yet had even more charm!
Many disciples in the sect secretly regarded her as the object of their affection.
Zhou Qingning also understood what Han Feng meant, but she did not think this represented poor character.
Coming from a rogue cultivator background, he was naturally short on resources. Knowing how to fight for the greatest benefits for himself was precisely the foundation for surviving in the Immortal Cultivation World!
After pondering for a moment, she decided that this proposal benefited her more.
Old Monster Qiong did not have much lifespan left. At most, he could hold on for another few decades before passing away.
By then, wouldn't this disciple with a Heavenly Spiritual Root belong to her?
"Senior Brother, in my opinion, let's do as he says. You and I can both guide him and provide him with some help. After some years, he can choose whichever of us he wishes to take as his master!" Zhou Qingning proposed.
"Fine! Do you think this old man is afraid of you, woman?" Old Monster Qiong readily agreed.
Then he looked at Han Feng again. "Brat, you just established your Foundation, and the True Essence in your dantian has yet to stabilize. What you need most right now is to go to the Scripture Pavilion and choose a suitable cultivation technique, isn't that right?"
Before you continue