Zhu Tiangang's brows knitted together at once. His gaze lingered on Jiang Tian for a moment, then shifted to Ji Fuyao, who gave him an inquiring look.
Since Ji Fuyao had brought Jiang Tian along, it probably wasn't anything serious. Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought a Qi Gathering Realm kid here.
But nine tolls of the bell meant that if this wasn't a major event, it could only mean one thing.
A True Disciple.
His lips moved, and he was just about to speak when impatient Lu Qingyao beat him to it.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a fiery edge she could barely suppress.
"Senior Brother, why did you bring him here? Don't tell me you intend to make him a True Disciple?"
Ji Fuyao held one hand behind his back, his posture relaxed. He gave a slight nod and replied with calm indifference, "That's right."
At his words, Zhu Tiangang and Lu Qingyao froze.
They exchanged a glance, both of them aghast.
Zhu Tiangang was the first to speak. There was a note of displeasure in his voice. "There can only be ten True Disciples. Unless someone dies or advances to Purple Mansion, there can't be another. That's the rule of the Heavenly Fire Sect."
He was displeased with Ji Fuyao's actions.
No warning, no discussion—he was simply going to break the rules and appoint an eleventh True Disciple?
Did Ji Fuyao think the Heavenly Fire Sect belonged to him alone? This was a rule that had stood for thousands of years. How could it be broken?
"Are you the Sect Master, or am I?"
Ji Fuyao shot Zhu Tiangang a sidelong glance.
Zhu Tiangang froze, anger rising as he prepared to retort.
But for some reason, Ji Fuyao's display of power the previous night suddenly flashed through his mind: a single empty cup, set down lightly, had instantly wiped out the divine arts he and Lu Qingyao had unleashed with seven or eight tenths of their strength.
The previous night, he and Lu Qingyao had fought a magic duel. Neither had used their full strength. Though they stood on opposite sides, they were both members of the Heavenly Fire Sect. How could they possibly have fought with everything they had?
Still, they had each used at least seven or eight tenths of their strength.
And even so, Ji Fuyao had dispelled the divine arts of two Early-Stage Golden Core cultivators with such ease.
Ji Fuyao's cultivation was probably already nearing Late Golden Core Stage.
At that thought, Zhu Tiangang snorted and said no more.
Lu Qingyao was concerned about something else.
She took half a step forward. "Senior Brother, didn't you say this kid carried too much karmic entanglement, and that he was connected to the Hundred Thousand Year Calamity? If you make him a True Disciple, won't his ties to our Heavenly Fire Sect grow even stronger?"
Ji Fuyao gave a soft laugh and replied with calm indifference, "The Tortoise Shell says: great fortune."
Lu Qingyao's eyes lit up at once. But when her gaze fell on Ji Fuyao's hair and she saw the few strands of white,
the light in her eyes dimmed in an instant, replaced by deep concern.
"How many years of your life did this divination cost you?"
"Just sixty years." Ji Fuyao said it as if it were nothing.
Lu Qingyao froze slightly.
She hadn't expected that merely glimpsing a fragment of Jiang Tian's fate would cost him so many years of life.
Sixty years might not seem like much against a Golden Core True Lord's two thousand years, but it was still sixty years of his life.
Jiang Tian furrowed his brows.
What was all this? The Hundred Thousand Year Calamity? Why couldn't he make heads or tails of it?
Sixty years? Ji Fuyao had spent sixty years of his life on him?
Ji Fuyao clapped his hands and laughed softly. His laughter echoed through the empty hall.
"All right. Let the True Disciple Ceremony begin!"
During the last Hundred Thousand Year Calamity, the Founder of that generation had poured everything into keeping the Heavenly Fire Sect alive.
And Ji Fuyao would surely lead the sect through this Hundred Thousand Year Calamity as well.
Ji Fuyao looked at Jiang Tian and gestured for him to step forward. "Come on. You're the center of attention now."
Sunlight streamed through the entrance to the hall, slanting across the threshold and turning it golden.
With the sunlight on his face, Jiang Tian walked forward step by step. His shadow stretched long behind him.
Ji Fuyao followed, half a pace behind, unhurried.
Below the steps, thousands of pairs of eyes turned as one toward the hall.
When the figure of a Qi Gathering Realm disciple appeared at the entrance to the Heavenly Fire Hall, everyone froze.
Some stood with their mouths hanging open; others stared with eyes as round as saucers.
A few Qi Gathering disciples wanted to speak, but even with a thousand questions in their hearts, they couldn't open their mouths now. When all nine bells rang, ordinary disciples weren't allowed to speak.
Among the crowd of Qi Gathering disciples, the ones who had attended the gathering with Jiang Tian yesterday were all stunned.
Xu Buyu most of all.
After witnessing Jiang Tian's talent and comprehension yesterday, he had immediately reported him to his master.
He had thought a Purple Mansion Immortal might personally come to accept Jiang Tian as a disciple, sparing them Qi Gathering disciples from having to go to the master's door and ask.
Or perhaps the True Lord of the Master-Disciple Lineage, the Heavenly Fire Radiant Phoenix, would accept him personally. After all, such comprehension was truly terrifying.
After yesterday's True Lords' duel, he'd known that True Lord Profound Water Heavy Cloud had gotten wind of Jiang Tian and wanted to snatch him away.
But seeing him here today...
When Song Yongheng saw Jiang Tian, he paused. The figure looked familiar, as if he'd seen him somewhere before.
Then his face darkened completely.
He'd spent the past two days draining the vitality of those two sisters, paying no attention to the world outside. He hadn't taken his duel with Jiang Tian seriously—or, to be precise, he hadn't taken Jiang Tian seriously at all.
A kid at the early stage of Qi Gathering? Why would he bother thinking about him?
But how had the kid appeared in the Heavenly Fire Hall after only two days away?
Was the sect going to make him a True Disciple? A True Disciple at the Qi Gathering Realm? Was the Sect Master serious?
"Mm! Mm! Mm!"
Zhang Xuechen made a few muffled noises through his tightly pursed lips, nearly hopping on the spot. Annoyed looks turned toward him from all around.
Wasn't this the kid who'd come to the Artifact Pavilion yesterday to buy a Sword Pellet? Was he really going to become a True Disciple?
He simply couldn't hold it in.
Keeping quiet about this was just too painful!
"Hey, hey, hey!" Zhang Xuechen pointed at Jiang Tian at the hall entrance, his voice rising despite himself. "I know this guy. I—"
Before he could finish, everything went black, as if someone had rapped him on the head.
Then several thoughts exploded in his mind like thunderclaps.
"Out of line!"
"Have you lost your senses?!"
"Learn to read the room! Do you even know what kind of occasion this is?!"
Zhang Xuechen shrank his neck and obediently shut his mouth. But the excitement in his little eyes refused to fade.
The Foundation Establishment cultivators didn't speak. They exchanged thoughts instead, silent ripples passing between them.
Some nodded, some shook their heads, some pondered, and some remained expressionless.
The ten True Disciples at the front all wore different expressions.
Some furrowed their brows and scrutinized Jiang Tian. Others fell into thought, tapping the jade pendants at their waists with their fingers.
Some were expressionless as still pools, not a ripple to be seen.
The ceremony itself was simple. Sect Master Ji Fuyao made an announcement, then lit several long incense sticks. The illusory forms of the Heavenly Fire Sect's past Sect Masters appeared in the sky.
Those apparitions hung high above the sea of clouds. Some sat, some stood; some held swords, others played the qin; some kept their eyes closed, others had them open. Each phantom radiated an oppressive aura, as though they had crossed thousands of years to turn their gazes upon this young Qi Gathering Realm disciple.
Jiang Tian began by bowing, and then everyone else followed.
After the ceremony, Jiang Tian followed the three True Lords back into the Heavenly Fire Hall.
The doors slowly closed behind them, shutting out the noise outside. Only four people remained in the hall: three True Lords and one True Disciple at the Qi Gathering Realm.
Jiang Tian felt that the atmosphere was a little strange.
Why did that old man and that woman seem ready to come to blows at the slightest disagreement?
"Senior Brother," Lu Qingyao began, her voice firm. "Now that this kid has become a True Disciple, shouldn't he be taught by my Master-Disciple Lineage?"
Thanks to [User 36148031, Feng~Eiffel, Xinghua Luoyu, Currently Becoming an Immortal, Xiaoxian Tongzai, Huatuan Jincu de Nuliang Lusheng, Feiyu Egg Fried Rice, Liyang TEL, User 34023154, and But Just a Minor Daoist] for the gifts! Thank you, thank you!!!
Thanks to [Tie Tui Shui Shang Piao卍] for the reminder talisman!!! Thank you, thank you!
Thanks to [Feiyu Egg Fried Rice] for the flowers! Thank you, thank you!!!
Thanks to [Liyang TEL] for the love letter!!! Thank you, thank you!
Thank you all for your gifts! I'm getting down on my knees and sliding over to you!
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