Dharma Image Saint Venerable, Poaching Talent

However, several breaths passed, and there was no movement in his mind.

Lin Changqing frowned slightly. Why had the mission not been completed?

He asked inwardly, "System, are you lagging? Why haven't you issued the reward yet?"

["Ding! A verbal agreement has no binding force. The host must establish a formal connection with the faction—such as receiving an official title, signing a contract, or swearing a blood oath—before the mission can be judged complete and the reward issued."]

"..."

Lin Changqing was speechless for a moment.

So merely moving his lips was not enough; he had to go through the formal procedures.

This system was rather rigorous.

Fine, then he would wait until they reached the Capital City and he was formally invested.

It was only a matter of one or two days anyway.

The two chatted for a few more moments. With a thought, Lin Changqing stored all the gifts the other party had brought into his Infinite Storage Space, then glanced at the sky.

"Boundless Saint Emperor, it is getting late today. Why not rest here for the night? Tomorrow morning, you and I can depart for the Capital City together. What do you think?"

Sixth Ancestor naturally had no objection. Since Lin Changqing had already agreed to join their Great Yu Dynasty, he nodded with a smile. "That suits me perfectly."

He summoned Ma Yuanzhong, who had been waiting in the distance.

Ma Yuanzhong practically rushed over as though he had teleported.

"What are the orders of the two Saint Venerables?"

Lin Changqing said, "Boundless Saint Emperor will also be staying here tonight. Prefect Ma, arrange another guest room."

Ma Yuanzhong froze completely.

Boundless Saint Ancestor was staying overnight at his residence too?

That meant two Martial Saints would be spending the night in his Prefectural Governor's Mansion!

Who would believe that if he told them?

Across the entire Great Yu Dynasty, there were probably few residences besides the imperial palace that could receive such treatment.

Ma Yuanzhong's eyes brimmed with wild joy and honor.

"No trouble at all, no trouble at all! This subordinate will arrange it at once! To receive two Saint Venerables at the same time is a blessing cultivated over eight lifetimes! The entire Prefectural Governor's Mansion is illuminated by your presence!"

He hurried off to make the arrangements.

Before long, Sixth Ancestor was settled into a superior guest room next to Lin Changqing's.

The two Martial Saints returned to their respective rooms.

Lin Changqing sat cross-legged on the bed and continued circulating the Heavenly Saint Profound Art.

Purple-gold radiance flowed across his body as the spiritual energy of heaven and earth slowly gathered.

He made no deliberate effort to conceal the commotion of his cultivation.

In the neighboring room.

Sixth Ancestor likewise sat cross-legged on his bed, but he was not cultivating.

His divine sense detected the Spiritual Power fluctuations coming from the adjacent room, and waves stirred in his heart once more.

That aura was tyrannical yet pure. Purple-gold Spiritual Power formed a slowly rotating vortex in the night sky.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth seemed to have received some summons, pouring endlessly into that room.

The more Sixth Ancestor sensed it, the more alarmed he became.

He had lived for more than thirteen hundred years and had seen countless cultivation arts.

Yet judging solely from the aura leaking from the cultivation art being practiced next door, its grade was absolutely no lower than the Su Clan's greatest secret inheritance!

It might even be higher!

"With such strength... I wonder whether he is stronger or weaker than Supreme Ancestor."

Sixth Ancestor murmured to himself, raising his assessment of Lin Changqing's strength by another level.

He had originally thought that Evergreen Saint Venerable was merely a newly advanced Martial Saint Peak.

But now, it seemed the other man's foundation was far deeper than he had imagined.

Fortunately, such a powerhouse had already been won over by their Great Yu Dynasty.

Sixth Ancestor took out a Message Talisman from his sleeve.

He had deliberately brought this Message Talisman when departing from the Capital City. It could connect to the communication array in the imperial palace from tens of thousands of miles away.

He injected Spiritual Power into the talisman, and a faint glow emerged across its paper surface.

"Evergreen Saint Venerable has agreed to join the Great Yu Dynasty after I moved him with feeling and enlightened him with reason. We will depart tomorrow and return to the Capital City. Be sure to make the necessary preparations for his reception."

"Additionally, Evergreen Saint Venerable's true cultivation is at the Ninth-Rank Martial Saint Peak. His reception must be handled according to the standards of Grand Profound Saint Ancestor's rank. There must not be the slightest negligence..."

After the message was sent, the glow on the talisman gradually faded.

Sixth Ancestor put away the Message Talisman and let out a long breath.

Looking at the moonlight outside the window, a smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

Although he had brought too few gifts on this journey to Green Province, the outcome was even better than expected.

A Martial Saint Peak joining Great Yu was tremendous joyous news for the entire dynasty.

Once his grandson received the news, he would probably be so happy he could not sleep.

The night deepened, and all was silent.

Time trickled away bit by bit.

The eastern horizon turned the pale white of a fish's belly.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window lattice into the room.

Lin Changqing ended his cultivation and opened his eyes.

The four maidservants had long been waiting outside the door, carrying washing supplies and a lavish breakfast.

At his command, the four maidservants brought the breakfast into the room.

The meal was just as lavish: spirit rice porridge, buns stuffed with spirit beast meat, several delicate plates of spirit vegetable side dishes, and a pot of steaming Spirit Tea.

After finishing breakfast, Lin Changqing stepped out of his room.

Sixth Ancestor was already waiting in the courtyard.

The two exchanged smiles.

Ma Yuanzhong stood respectfully outside the courtyard gate with his wife and son, Ma Chengye, his voice sincere and deeply moved.

"Saint Venerable, this subordinate cannot accompany you to serve you on your journey to the Capital City. I pray that Saint Venerable will take care along the way."

Ma Chengye stepped forward, knelt properly, and kowtowed three times.

"Chengye respectfully sees off Evergreen Saint Venerable."

Lin Changqing waved his hand.

"Enough. Get up. Prefect Ma, I have troubled you these past few days."

Ma Yuanzhong hurriedly said, "Not at all, not at all! For Saint Venerable to grace this humble residence is a blessing earned through the virtue of this subordinate's ancestors!"

Lin Changqing said no more. He turned and exchanged a look with Sixth Ancestor.

The two raised their hands at the same time and slashed through the void before them.

Riiip!

Two Spatial Rifts tore open simultaneously.

Lin Changqing's rift swirled with purple gold, while Sixth Ancestor's was silver-white like frost.

The two stepped into the rifts, and their figures vanished into the void.

Standing in the courtyard, Ma Yuanzhong stared at the spot where the Spatial Rifts had closed, his eyes filled with envy.

Tearing through space and traveling thousands of miles in an instant.

This was a method unique to Ninth-Rank Martial Saints.

He likely had no hope of achieving it in this lifetime. He only hoped Chengye would one day go farther than he had.

Above the border of Green Province.

Two Spatial Rifts tore open at once, and Lin Changqing and Sixth Ancestor stepped out of the void.

Sixth Ancestor pointed ahead and smiled. "Once we pass that mountain range ahead, we will be out of Green Province."

Lin Changqing was about to speak when his brow suddenly twitched.

He stopped and looked toward the distant horizon.

"Someone is coming."

Sixth Ancestor was slightly startled, then sensed it as well. An aura at the Martial Saint level was rapidly approaching.

Its speed was extremely fast, and it made no effort to hide itself.

The visitor might not necessarily mean harm, but they were certainly coming for them!

Sixth Ancestor's expression darkened slightly.

He had already guessed who it was.

Soon, a rift split open in the distant void.

A middle-aged man in a moon-white robe stepped out from the void.

The man appeared to be around forty, with refined features and three wisps of long beard.

He radiated the aura of a Mid-stage Ninth-Rank Martial Saint.

His gaze landed on Lin Changqing and Sixth Ancestor. Seeing that the pair was heading toward the Capital City, he sighed inwardly.

The Su Clan had moved quickly indeed.

They had made contact with Evergreen Saint Venerable so soon, and judging from the situation, they seemed to have already reached an agreement.

Still, since he had come, he had to give it a try.

The middle-aged man piled on a smile and cupped his hands toward them in greeting.

"Boundless Saint Emperor, it has been many years. I trust you have been well?"

Sixth Ancestor snorted, his tone far from courteous.

"I was wondering who it was. So it is Dharma Image Saint Venerable, one of the Three Saints of the Myriad Laws Sect. Why are you not staying properly in the Myriad Laws Sect? What are you suddenly doing in Green Province?"

Dharma Image Saint Venerable was not angered. Smiling warmly, he said, "What a thing to say, Boundless Saint Emperor. Green Province is not the private property of your Great Yu imperial family. Must I report to you before coming here?"

He turned his gaze toward Lin Changqing, and his smile grew even brighter.

"This must be Evergreen Saint Venerable, whose name has recently shaken Green Province. I am Dharma Image Saint Venerable of the Myriad Laws Sect. I have long admired your great name, Saint Venerable. Now that I see you in person, your bearing is indeed extraordinary."

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of recruitment.

"Evergreen Saint Venerable emerged from seclusion to slay demons, carrying the common people in your heart. I admire you immensely. Might Saint Venerable be interested in joining my Myriad Laws Sect?"

Without waiting for Lin Changqing's answer, Dharma Image Saint Venerable continued.

"If Saint Venerable is willing to join the Myriad Laws Sect, I can make the decision to immediately honor you as a Sect Offering Ancestor, with status equal to the Three Saints."

"An annual offering of five hundred thousand Top-grade Spirit Crystals, with every cultivation art and martial skill in the Scripture Library open to you. Furthermore, Saint Venerable may freely command any branch of the Myriad Laws Sect throughout the Fourteen Provinces."

"Although my Myriad Laws Sect cannot compare to the Great Yu imperial family in wealth and scale, we are still one of Great Yu's three great sects, with profound foundations. Should Saint Venerable join us, we certainly would not dishonor your status."

His words were sincere, and he had lowered his posture considerably.

But Sixth Ancestor sneered inwardly upon hearing them. He really had come to poach from under his wall.

Five hundred thousand Top-grade Spirit Crystals every year?

Status equal to the Three Saints?

For an ordinary Early Martial Saint Stage expert, those conditions would indeed be generous.

But compared with the terms he had offered last night, they fell far too short.

Sixth Ancestor rejoiced inwardly.

Fortunately, Dharma Image Saint Venerable did not yet know that Evergreen Saint Venerable's true cultivation was at the Martial Saint Peak.

Otherwise, given the Myriad Laws Sect's strength, they would surely have offered even greater terms and desperately tried to recruit him.

He immediately spoke, with a trace of pride in his tone.

"Dharma Image, you are too late."

"Evergreen Saint Venerable already agreed to join my Great Yu Dynasty last night. This matter has been settled. Your Myriad Laws Sect should stop entertaining such thoughts."

Dharma Image Saint Venerable was not annoyed upon hearing this. Instead, he smiled.

"Boundless Saint Emperor, that is not quite right."

"It was merely a verbal agreement. Without a formal alliance pact, how can it be considered settled?"

He looked at Lin Changqing and continued persuading him. "Evergreen Saint Venerable, you have only just emerged after many years in seclusion, so you may not yet understand the current balance of power across the Heavenly Martial Continent."

"Joining a faction is a matter of great importance. Why not compare several options before making your decision?"

"Although my Myriad Laws Sect is slightly weaker overall than the Great Yu imperial family, among sects, we are among the very best. Most importantly, sects do not have rules as strict as the imperial family. After joining, Saint Venerable may come and go freely, without restraint."

"For cultivators, the most important thing is freedom. The Great Yu imperial family has countless rules and complicated court struggles. Why must Saint Venerable wade into that muddy water?"

The moment Sixth Ancestor heard this, his brows shot up.

"Dharma Image! What did you say?"

Dharma Image Saint Venerable remained smiling.

"I have only spoken the truth. Why must Boundless Saint Emperor be angry?"