Founding Disciple Level

A silent pressure spread through the entire marketplace. Everyone was like ducks with their throats gripped, unable to make a single sound.

Drip!

A bead of sweat silently slid down his forehead, traveled along his rugged cheek to his chin, and finally fell onto the clothes over his chest.

Manshang swallowed hard, feeling as though a massive mountain was pressing down on him, leaving him unable to breathe. The owner of that mountain was none other than Li Yilin before him.

He glanced at Si Yao, who was kneeling on the ground and staring fervently at the man, his eyes filled with admiration.

A fugitive who had only just escaped a den of demons and did not even possess a Universal citizen identity dared to ask a powerhouse far beyond the Universe Level to take her as a disciple!

Too bold. Far too bold!

Yet it had to be said that such boldness was something ordinary people rarely possessed.

If she succeeded, she would soar to the heavens in a single leap!

Of course, if she failed, she would be reduced to ashes.

Manshang swallowed again, his heart pounding wildly.

At any rate, he would never have such courage.

He no longer cared whether he would make money or not. He only hoped that the man would not become angry.

The weak could not even endure the slightest trace of aura carelessly leaked from a strong person's anger.

That was reality!

Li Yilin lowered his gaze, his eyes falling upon the delicate little face of the girl before him. Her blue eyes shone brilliantly, as clear as they had been when he first met her, though there was now a trace of unease, anticipation, and longing in their depths—

He smiled. The invisible mountain pressing upon everyone's heads receded like the tide. Everyone unconsciously let out a breath, and for a moment, exhalations rose and fell throughout the spacious marketplace, filling it with an indescribable atmosphere.

Li Yilin said, "Although I like you very much, I have never taken a disciple—not because no one wants to become my disciple, but because my standards are too high." He lowered his head, his gaze meeting those azure eyes once more.

"Give me a reason to take you as my disciple."

A reason!

Si Yao suddenly clenched her hands. Her little face turned pale, filled with tension. She looked at Li Yilin, her small mouth slightly open as if she wanted to say something. But she quickly remembered something, and the words about to leave her lips circled in her throat before she swallowed them back down.

She nearly choked on her own saliva, her little face flushing red from holding it in.

No, no!

She could not say it.

Mother had said she could not tell anyone. Absolutely not.

But—

Thinking of something, conflict flashed through her eyes. Her long, curled lashes cast shadows beneath her eyes, and her blue gaze deepened slightly.

She raised her eyes and glanced at Li Yilin. Li Yilin merely smiled without speaking, watching her calmly. There was scrutiny and assessment in his smiling eyes—the warmth and reassurance from moments ago were gone.

After a long while.

As if unwilling, yet also as if she had given up, she sat back on her knees, lowered her head, and said nothing.

The entire room fell silent.

"Heh!" Li Yilin laughed.

He raised his hand and, amid everyone's astonished gazes, slowly placed it atop her head. Si Yao only felt a weight on her head, and her heart suddenly trembled.

Just as unease rose within her, the hand atop her head gently rubbed her hair, then lightly patted her twice. The force was neither heavy nor light. It clearly did not hurt, yet her eyes instantly turned red.

Whenever she got into trouble outside, Mother would become very angry and punish her. But no matter how angry Mother was, whenever she knelt there with reddened eyes, tears shimmering in them, and looked at her stubbornly, Mother would forgive her.

And whenever she heard Mother forgive her and say she was no longer angry, she would burst into laughter through her tears, feeling as though she had escaped another disaster. Whenever Mother saw that, she would helplessly rub her little head, then give it a light pat as punishment—

She sniffled. At some point, crystalline tears had filled her eyes, trembling on the verge of falling, yet she stubbornly refused to let them drop.

"Little one." A gentle voice came from above her head, carrying helplessness and a faint, almost imperceptible sense of compromise.

Plop!

A tear finally could not hold on any longer. It fell to the ground, splashing into a tiny plum blossom.

Li Yilin lowered his eyes, his gaze landing on that tiny plum blossom on the floor. His thin lips parted. "I can give you an opportunity."

Si Yao abruptly raised her head and struggled to keep her eyes open, wanting to see clearly. But there were too many tears in her eyes, blurring her gaze and her vision. Still, the words of the person before her entered her ears with perfect clarity.

"I'll give you a chance to become my disciple. How about it?" he asked gently, like an exceptionally good-tempered elder seeing a promising junior.

Hiss!

Sharp intakes of breath rose one after another. Everyone looked at Si Yao in unison, their eyes filled with envy, jealousy,

and longing.

She had actually succeeded?

Even if it was only an opportunity, rather than truly becoming his disciple.

But this man had said that he had no disciples yet. As long as this little girl proved herself before he found a disciple he truly favored, she could strive to become his disciple.

Then she would be the founding disciple!

At the level of senior sister!

Even if those who came later had greater talent and stronger strength, they would still have to obediently call her Senior Sister.

If that was not soaring to the heavens in one leap, then what was?

Under everyone's envious and jealous gazes, Si Yao nodded heavily. Though her voice was still choked with sobs, she answered loudly and firmly.

"Alright."

After shouting that, she tightly shut her eyes and knocked her head heavily against the floor three times. It was both gratitude for the grace of changing her fate and thanks for giving her this opportunity.

Seeing that she possessed a grateful heart, Li Yilin's mood improved further. The power of his domain lifted her and placed her on a sofa to the side.

Si Yao nervously bit her lip and obediently sat down on the sofa under the force of his power.

The broad, soft, comfortable sofa made her appear even smaller and more delicate. The wings behind her fluttered slightly, their soft, snow-white feathers trembling with silvery light.

Those wings were practically like a weather vane for her emotions.

Li Yilin smiled again. He raised a hand and gave her two spirit fruits the size of infant fists, letting her hold them as he said with a smile, "I possess the strength of a Domain Lord Level Giant Axe Warrior recognized by the Giant Axe Arena. Following me will not be an injustice to you.

"At the very least, you will not lack cultivation resources."

Hiss!

Another wave of sharp inhalations echoed through the marketplace.

A Domain Lord Level Giant Axe Warrior.

Good heavens!

The lord of Qiu Dragon Planet was only at the Domain Lord Level, was he not?

Yet he was not a Giant Axe Warrior. What did that mean?

It meant that this handsome man before them was even stronger than the lord of Qiu Dragon Planet.

At that thought, everyone looked at Si Yao with even more fervor. Her hand gripping the sofa armrest unconsciously tightened.

A Domain Lord Level powerhouse?

How fortunate was she!

Half an hour later.

Li Yilin led Si Yao out of the slave market, followed by a long line of slaves.

Some belonged to Li Yilin, while some belonged to Si Yao.

"Take care, sir. If you wish to buy slaves again next time, come find me. I'll give you the greatest discount. I definitely won't let you suffer a loss."

Manshang and Fang Zhen watched them leave. Even as they departed, Manshang did not forget to make a sales pitch. Yet his gaze kept drifting uncontrollably toward Si Yao, whose hand Li Yilin held, his eyes filled with emotion and faint envy.

Everything that had happened here today would surely spread throughout the Black Dragon Mountain Star Domain before long.

No one who could come to a slave market was ordinary. Anyone carrying an auxiliary light brain who scanned the man would know how powerful he was.

Not to mention that the man had directly admitted afterward that he possessed Domain Lord Level strength and was a Domain Lord who had earned the title of Giant Axe Warrior.

A little slave controlled by a Bio-Chip, whose life and death were not even her own to decide, had transformed into the prospective disciple of a Domain Lord Level powerhouse!

A reality that not even a game would dare write as its main storyline had appeared just like that.

Sure enough, the boss had been right.

The universe was so vast; anything was possible!

Fang Zhen's expression beside him was not nearly as pleasant. The forced smile she had maintained ever since Li Yilin said he would give Si Yao an opportunity made Manshang want to shake his head every time he saw it.

Poor thing.

Fortunately, that girl had not been in the area he was responsible for. He had never interacted with her, so naturally there was no chance he had offended her. He might even have earned a little favor from her.

Thinking of something, his eyes unconsciously narrowed slightly. The aura of good cheer around him made Fang Zhen grit her teeth in resentment.