Closed-Door Disciple

After Xing Yao finished speaking, he added, "If you are willing to join my Ten Thousand Stars Sect, I, Xing Yao, am willing to exhaust all my efforts to teach you." He then looked at Zhou Cheng with a sincere and eager expression.

Xing Yao's intentions were not lost on Zhou Cheng.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhou Cheng stood up, bowed respectfully, and said, "Zhou Cheng greets Master."

Seeing Zhou Cheng bow, Xing Yao was overcome with excitement. He stepped forward and personally helped Zhou Cheng up, exclaiming, "Good! Good!" He then laughed heartily, "Forty years! I, Xing Yao, have taken another disciple; the heavens have treated me well!"

Forty years ago, he had taken a personal disciple who was now the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect. Since then, he had not taken another. It was not that he did not want to, but he had never found anyone who satisfied him.

He smiled at Zhou Cheng, "From now on, you are my, Xing Yao's, final disciple."

"I, Xing Yao, will certainly teach you everything I have learned with all my might."

At this, Xing Yao suddenly said, "Wait here."

He then went to a spot in the cave and dug up a jar of fine wine from the ground.

He laughed, "I buried this jar of wine several decades ago. After all these years, today is the perfect time to bring it out so we master and disciple can have a good drink."

He then produced two jade wine cups and filled them for Zhou Cheng and himself.

Zhou Cheng took a tentative sip.

He felt a warm current surge through his body, the fragrance lingering on his palate.

And so, master and disciple, Zhou Cheng and Xing Yao, drank cup after cup, chatting as they went. Before they knew it, the wine was finished, and they had talked until dawn.

In the past, Zhou Cheng could not handle much alcohol, but now, possessing the Dual Divine Body, he felt no hint of intoxication after finishing a jar with Xing Yao.

Seeing that dawn had broken, the two left the cave.

Xing Yao accompanied Zhou Cheng back to the Zhou Mansion in the Capital City.

Since Xing Yao intended to take Zhou Cheng as his final disciple, it was only natural to explain this to Zhou Wei and Luo Shui.

Just as Zhou Cheng and Xing Yao were returning to the mansion, Zhou Wei was standing in Zhou Cheng's courtyard, his expression quite grim.

This brat had actually stayed out all night!

Zhou Wei glared at Jiang Chen, Yang Yu, and the others, "Where did your young master go last night?"

Last night, Zhou Cheng had only taken Qin Meng and Lin Ru with him, so Jiang Chen, Yang Yu, and the others had remained in the courtyard.

Jiang Chen, Yang Yu, and the others were at a loss for how to answer.

Luo Shui was about to speak when she saw the guard Chang Qing walk in, "Sir, the Second Young Master has returned."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wei flicked his sleeves at Jiang Chen, Yang Yu, and the others, "I'll deal with you all later." He then headed toward the main gate.

Luo Shui hurried to follow. Seeing Zhou Wei's expression, she said, "When you see Cheng'er, speak nicely. Our son is grown up now."

Zhou Wei retorted with a stiff face, "Grown up? He thinks that just because he broke through to the fourth level of Body Tempering a few days ago, his wings have hardened? He goes out all day, doesn't practice his martial arts, and now he even dares to stay out all night!"

Zhou Wei was fuming.

When they reached the main hall, Zhou Cheng and Xing Yao happened to walk in.

Zhou Wei had never met Xing Yao. Seeing Zhou Cheng return, he immediately asked in a deep voice, "Where did you go last night?" Then, catching the scent of alcohol on both Zhou Cheng and Xing Yao, his anger flared even higher.

Zhou Cheng knew his father Zhou Wei had a fiery temper. Seeing him on the verge of a volcanic eruption, he couldn't help but look toward Xing Yao.

Xing Yao stepped forward, cupped his hands, and smiled, "This must be Lord Zhou, correct? I am Xing Yao of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect."

The formerly furious Zhou Wei froze, his anger vanishing into thin air.

He stood up abruptly, looking at the old man before him in disbelief.

Ten Thousand Stars Sect, Xing Yao!

One of the five supreme Grandmasters of The World!

"You are Senior Xing Yao!" Zhou Wei recovered, his voice trembling with excitement.

Luo Shui was equally astonished.

The Saint Ancestor Taiming of the Da Feng imperial family, Chen Long of the Sun Moon Sword Sect, the high monk Ming De of Shaolin, Xing Yao of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect, and the Mongol Kingdom's Imperial Preceptor—the five supreme Grandmasters whose names shook The World.

The old man before them was actually the supreme Grandmaster, Senior Xing Yao!

"I am indeed Xing Yao." Seeing Zhou Wei's reaction, Xing Yao smiled, "I met Zhou Cheng last night and we hit it off immediately, so we had a bit to drink. I hope Lord Zhou will not take offense."

Zhou Wei waved his hands repeatedly, smiling, "Drinking is fine, drinking clears the meridians." He then invited Xing Yao to take the seat of honor.

Xing Yao did not stand on ceremony and took the seat.

Once seated, Xing Yao smiled at Zhou Wei and Luo Shui, "Zhou Cheng has astonishing talent for martial arts. I have come today because I wish to take Zhou Cheng as my final disciple. I hope Lord Zhou and Lady Zhou will give their consent."

Upon hearing the purpose of Xing Yao's visit, Zhou Wei and Luo Shui were stunned.

They were naturally overjoyed to hear that Xing Yao wanted to take Zhou Cheng as his final disciple, but—was their son Zhou Cheng's martial arts talent truly astonishing?

"We would be overjoyed if Senior Xing Yao wished to take Cheng'er as his final disciple; how could we possibly disagree?" Zhou Wei smiled, then paused, "However, Cheng'er's martial arts talent is merely average. Is Senior Xing Yao certain he wants to take him as his final disciple?"

Average martial arts talent? Hearing this, Xing Yao burst into laughter.

Seeing Xing Yao laugh, Zhou Wei felt somewhat bewildered.

Xing Yao smiled at Zhou Wei and Luo Shui, saying, "Rest assured, once I take Zhou Cheng as my closing disciple, I will certainly impart everything I have learned in my life to him."

He then added, "If Zhou Cheng is willing, I will have him take charge of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect in the future."

Take charge of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect!

That would mean becoming the next Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect.

Zhou Wei and Luo Shui were stunned once again.

"How fortunate Cheng'er is to be held in such high regard by Senior Xing Yao." Zhou Wei stood up, cupping his hands toward Xing Yao with a solemn expression.

Xing Yao waved his hand, saying, "It is the good fortune of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect that Zhou Cheng is joining us."

Zhou Wei and Luo Shui were at a loss for words for a moment.

Consequently, Xing Yao took up temporary residence at the Zhou Mansion.

News of Xing Yao's arrival at the Zhou Mansion spread quickly.

In the backyard of the Chen Mansion, home to the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, Chen Yuan was diligently practicing the Jade Maiden Sword Technique. She had already reached the peak of the sixth stage of Body Tempering and expected to break through to the seventh stage within the next few days.

Just then, her maid walked in, panting, "Miss, everyone outside is saying that Senior Xing Yao of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect is going to take Zhou Cheng as his closing disciple!"

Chen Yuan stopped the long sword in her hand, unable to believe it. "That's impossible!"

It was understandable that Abbot Huineng of Shaolin wanted to take Zhou Cheng as a personal disciple due to his innate Buddhist nature, but Zhou Cheng's martial arts talent was mediocre—one might even say he was a waste. How could Senior Xing Yao, one of the five supreme Grandmasters, possibly take him as a closing disciple?

Her maid replied, "It's true. Senior Xing Yao is staying at the Zhou Mansion right now. I even asked the people at the Zhou Mansion, and they said Senior Xing Yao also intends for Zhou Cheng to take charge of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect in the future."

Take charge of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect?

Chen Yuan was dazed.

At the Grand Tutor Mansion, Gao Yi, the grandson of Gao Fan, crushed the wine cup in his hand.

"Grandmaster Xing Yao actually wants to let Zhou Cheng take charge of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect!" His expression turned cold.

As the grandson of the Grand Tutor Gao Fan, he had joined the Ten Thousand Stars Sect at a young age. He was the personal disciple of the current Sect Master and the chief disciple of the sect. Being the top talent among the younger generation of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect, all the disciples believed he was the one most likely to inherit the position of the next Sect Master.