The next morning.
Inside a building in the Star River Sect's outer sect.
"What?!"
"You mean that Fang Hong, who entered the sect holding my token, is already an Inner Disciple?!"
"And Elder Zhao even took him as his Personal Disciple?!"
Xu Wenfei, who had just gotten up and was preparing to handle his daily affairs, stared in shock at the disciple who had come to invite him to Fang Hong's induction ceremony.
Xu Wenfei was genuinely a little dumbfounded at this moment, his face full of disbelief.
He truly had not taken much notice of Fang Hong, the man who had come seeking to join the Star River Sect with his token.
After all, he had only given that token to the Zhou Family because, during a previous operation, the Zhou Family's former patriarch had died helping him.
As an outer sect elder, he had no need to care about some unknown martial artist who wished to join the sect.
What was more, the letter Fang Hong had sent him through someone else had also described some of Fang Hong's circumstances.
Such as his age, natural aptitude, and strength.
After reading the letter, Xu Wenfei had not thought Fang Hong possessed much potential for growth.
So he had not even been interested in meeting Fang Hong.
The only reason he had been willing to give Fang Hong a chance to join the Star River Sect was out of consideration for that token.
Yet who could have expected it?
Such an inconspicuous, utterly unheard-of minor character
had leapt straight into becoming an Inner Disciple of the Star River Sect.
He had even become the Personal Disciple of Elder Zhao Tianchen.
Xu Wenfei did not know much about that Elder Zhao.
But he had been in the Star River Sect for many years, and he was also an outer sect elder.
An outer sect elder was still an elder.
Thus, he had heard roughly some rumors regarding Zhao Tianchen.
Though he did not know the specifics, he did know this much.
This Zhao Tianchen held an extremely high seniority on Myriad Star Peak—no, within the Star River Sect—and his own strength was terrifyingly formidable.
It seemed that if not for some accident back then, he would have long since become the undisputed peak master of Myriad Star Peak.
And Fang Hong had now become his Personal Disciple.
It could be said that Fang Hong might only be slightly inferior to him in terms of strength now.
But in status and authority within the Star River Sect, Fang Hong had already far surpassed him, an outer sect elder.
As for why they had invited an outer sect elder like him
to attend Fang Hong's induction and apprenticeship ceremony,
he was not surprised.
No matter what, Fang Hong had ultimately only been able to join the Star River Sect because he held Xu Wenfei's token.
If that's the case, I'll have to think carefully about what sort of gift to give Fang Hong.
Barely suppressing the shock in his heart, Xu Wenfei asked the messenger disciple when the induction ceremony would be held.
Afterward, he began to frown slightly as he pondered what congratulatory gift he should give Fang Hong.
They were all old hands.
With such a heaven-sent opportunity delivered right before him, how could Xu Wenfei possibly let it slip through his fingers?
Not to mention, he was somewhat worried that Fang Hong might resent his earlier perfunctory treatment.
He had to put real thought into this gift.
At the same time, Pang Zhenghao on the other side also learned of Fang Hong taking a master.
Ever since Fang Hong had been taken away by Elder Huang yesterday, Pang Zhenghao had spent considerable effort asking others to keep watch for news concerning Fang Hong.
Just now, a senior brother he had asked for help had already sent him word.
Or rather, there had been no need for anyone to send word—he had already received scattered bits of news.
Someone becoming an Inner Disciple the very moment he entered the sect, and even directly becoming an elder's Personal Disciple—
such explosive news
had actually spread across Myriad Star Peak yesterday.
It had merely circulated mainly among the Inner Disciples yesterday.
Only by evening had it gradually spread into the circles of the Outer Disciples.
Well, due to their differing ranks, the disciples of the Star River Sect also had many small circles among themselves.
When Pang Zhenghao heard this news, he was so frightened that he drew a sharp breath.
Good heavens.
Becoming an Inner Disciple right away had already been enough to astonish him.
He had never expected that he had still underestimated Fang Hong's value. Fang Hong had directly become the Personal Disciple of an elder from Myriad Star Peak.
Pang Zhenghao was not Xu Wenfei, and his information was not so well-connected.
Thus, he did not know Zhao Tianchen's weight within the Star River Sect.
But even if he did not know that, he understood the weight of an inner sect elder.
Even being the Personal Disciple of an ordinary inner sect elder
held an entirely different significance from being an ordinary Inner Disciple.
It meant entering the circle of direct disciples, drawing much closer to those True Disciples!
He was already nearing the Star River Sect's highest tier.
At that thought, Pang Zhenghao's resolve to cling to this thigh grew even firmer.
After thinking for a moment, he returned directly to his residence.
From a hidden compartment, he took out a somewhat worn Beast Hide.
Upon that worn Beast Hide, one could vaguely make out a gigantic vertical pupil formed from countless runes.
And aside from the shocked Pang Zhenghao and Xu Wenfei,
the entire Star River Sect had also become far livelier than before.
Most disciples were fervently discussing how Fang Hong had entered the sect and directly taken an elder as his master.
Meanwhile, the various elders and True Disciples of higher standing, those who understood Zhao Tianchen's weight,
were growing increasingly curious about Fang Hong even amid their astonishment.
Ordinary disciples did not know it, but they all did.
This man had once directly given up a peak master's position that was already as good as his, and had remained in seclusion ever since.
Yet this time, he had directly accepted a Personal Disciple.
They all wanted to know what was so extraordinary about Fang Hong that he could move such a great figure.
Amid the curious discussions of the many disciples, noon soon arrived.
The great hall of Myriad Star Peak.
Four dragon-carved pillars, each as thick as two people embracing them, stood tall. The surrounding walls were engraved with many mysterious Star Marks, lending the place an ancient grandeur tinged with mystery.
At this moment, many people had already arrived in the hall, standing in separate rows on either side.
All of them looked curiously toward the tall, upright figure standing in the center ahead.
Even though they did not dare directly investigate Fang Hong's strength out of consideration for Zhao Tianchen,
their formidable strength still allowed them to sense the immense vitality and blood energy within Fang Hong's body.
Thus, a flash of understanding passed through the eyes of those who knew certain details of Zhao Tianchen's past.
The others who did not know were also somewhat astonished by Fang Hong's surging blood energy.
After a while longer, the auspicious hour arrived.
Zhao Tianchen, who was seated in the very center, rose to his feet.
His attire today was completely different from the old, coarse clothes he had worn yesterday.
He wore an exceedingly luxurious robe etched with numerous golden patterns, his hair neatly bound into a topknot.
Even his previously stooped body had straightened.
Simply standing there, he possessed the bearing of a grandmaster, still as an abyss and towering as a mountain.
Powerful and noble!
Sweeping his gaze around, Zhao Tianchen spoke in a solemn, deep voice:
"Today, under the witness of our fellow sect members, I, Zhao Tianchen, accept Fang Hong as my Personal Disciple. From this day forth..."
As Zhao Tianchen spoke, the induction and apprenticeship ceremony officially began.
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