Green Ox Sends a Disciple!

Dragon Tiger Mountain was shrouded in morning mist.

The current Celestial Master, Zhang Jingqing, sat quietly in the inner hall of the Celestial Master Mansion, his gaze slowly sweeping across the three disciples before him—these were the three most exceptionally gifted disciples he had taken in his lifetime.

Zhang Zhiwei leaned lazily against the doorframe; Zhang Huaiyi stood with his hands at his sides, his eyes drifting; Zhang Qingxuan stood straight, his expression calm.

"Master, why did you summon us?" Zhang Zhiwei scratched his fluffy hair and spoke first.

Zhang Jingqing's gaze first fell upon his eldest disciple.

His talent is unparalleled, a rarity in a century. Yet he is proud and arrogant, looking down on all beneath him. The Celestial Master Inheritance would likely become a cage to him. Set it aside for now.

When his gaze shifted to Zhang Huaiyi, the Old Celestial Master frowned slightly.

His talent is outstanding, and his mind is deep. But he hides everything away, living like a sewer rat, fearful all day long. He is not suitable either.

Finally, when his gaze fell upon Zhang Qingxuan, Zhang Jingqing's eyes filled with gratification.

His talent does not pale beside Zhiwei's, and his heart is pure. More importantly, he is the disciple Green Ox sent here, blessed with a profound affinity for the Dao. The Celestial Master Inheritance can belong to none but him.

Having made up his mind, Zhang Jingqing waved at Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Huaiyi. "You two, leave first. I have something important to teach Qingxuan alone."

Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Huaiyi exchanged a glance, then, unexpectedly, both let out a sigh of relief. The corners of their mouths lifted unconsciously.

They had already guessed something before coming here.

Their master was growing old, and the matter of the Celestial Master Inheritance could no longer be delayed.

Now, their master's words confirmed their suspicions—the burden of the Celestial Master Inheritance would finally not fall upon their own shoulders.

The two turned together to look at their junior brother, Zhang Qingxuan, a complicated glint flashing through their eyes.

Qingxuan, Qingxuan... you're in for it now—

Zhang Jingqing took in their expressions, and veins immediately bulged on his forehead. "What kind of looks are those? Have you guessed something?"

"No, no! How would this disciple dare make reckless guesses?" Zhang Zhiwei hurriedly waved his hands, grabbed Zhang Huaiyi's sleeve, and pulled him back toward the door.

Watching the two "rebellious disciples" flee as though escaping for their lives, Zhang Jingqing shook his head helplessly. "Two useless brats."

When he turned back to Zhang Qingxuan, the Old Celestial Master's expression had already softened into one of kind warmth. "Qingxuan, today I will pass on to you the complete Five Thunders Method."

"This disciple accepts." Zhang Qingxuan bowed, his expression unchanged. He naturally understood what the "complete Five Thunders Method" meant—it was the mark of the Celestial Master's heir.

Yet there were no ripples in his heart. If he inherited the Celestial Master Inheritance, then in the future, his senior brother Zhang Zhiwei would have nothing holding him back.

"Good, good!" Zhang Jingqing stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes full of gratification.

"As expected of my good disciple. You truly understand your master's heart."

It was not until night had fallen that Zhang Qingxuan emerged from the Celestial Master's room.

Rather than returning directly to his own quarters, he turned toward the orange grove in the back mountain. He had planted this grove with his own hands eight years ago, pouring his heart and soul into every tree.

"Brother Ox, come out." Zhang Qingxuan called softly toward the orange grove.

A rustling sounded within the woods, and a large Green Ox with glossy blue-green fur slowly emerged. Its horns curved like crescent moons, and there seemed to be a spiritual light in its eyes.

Zhang Qingxuan picked several golden oranges, carefully peeled them, and fed the segments one by one to Green Ox. Green Ox chewed contentedly, its tail swaying lightly in satisfaction.

"Brother Ox, Brother Ox, why do you love oranges so much?" Zhang Qingxuan gently stroked Green Ox's back, his tone warm.

Then he paused, his voice gradually lowering. "Master passed the complete Five Thunders Method on to me today. Once my cultivation bears fruit, I fear that... I will have to inherit the Celestial Master Inheritance."

"Moo—" Green Ox gave a low cry and rubbed its head against Zhang Qingxuan's hand before continuing to enjoy the oranges.

Zhang Qingxuan shook his head with a soft laugh. The exhaustion from days of cultivation suddenly washed over him, and he simply leaned sideways against Green Ox's back, gradually drifting into sleep.

This Green Ox was his benefactor, and even more so, the guide who had brought him into the Daoist path.

It had been this very Green Ox that carried him, newly transmigrated and still young, to the foot of Dragon Tiger Mountain.

This orange grove was what he had planted to repay that kindness.

Moonlight flowed like water, spilling over the sleeping youth and the quietly standing Green Ox.

Suddenly, Green Ox turned its head. A humanlike clarity appeared in its eyes as it spoke in a low voice, its tone as deep and resonant as an ancient bell.

"The time has come... You have learned enough, and it is time for me to send you away."

"This was the task assigned by The Master. It cannot be disobeyed."

As its words fell, a faint clear radiance spread around Green Ox's body, with an elusive Daoist aura flowing through it.

Threads of clear energy wound around Zhang Qingxuan's body, slowly enveloping him.

Zhang Qingxuan's brows furrowed slightly in his sleep, as though he sensed something, yet he did not awaken.

The clear energy grew denser, making his figure appear hazy.

In but a few moments, Zhang Qingxuan gradually faded within the clear light until he vanished without a trace.

Green Ox looked toward the eastern horizon and murmured, "The rise and fall of fate follows its own ordained course."

Having said that, it glanced toward a certain thicket. Then it lightly stamped its four hooves, and its body too dissolved into wisps of clear energy that scattered with the wind.

Only moonlight carpeting the ground and half an unfinished orange remained in the orange grove.

Not far away, behind the thicket, two pairs of eyes were staring wide.

"Senior... Senior brother... that ox... it spoke?" Zhang Huaiyi's voice trembled as he clutched Zhang Zhiwei's sleeve tightly.

For once, Zhang Zhiwei had shed his lazy air. He stared fixedly at the place where Green Ox had vanished. "It didn't just speak... It, it made Junior Brother Qingxuan disappear!"

The two exchanged a glance, seeing terror in each other's eyes.

"Quick, report this to Master!"

Zhang Zhiwei grabbed Zhang Huaiyi and the two rushed toward the Celestial Master Mansion in a scramble, their Daoist robes torn in several places by branches.

When they burst into Zhang Jingqing's room, gasping for breath, they found that the Old Celestial Master had already risen and was solemnly gazing at the statues of the Three Pure Ones enshrined within.

A faint light flowed over the statues, flickering like breathing.

Zhang Jingqing did not turn around. He merely said slowly,

"There is no need to say it... The patriarch has manifested."

His gaze passed through the window lattice toward the orange grove beneath the moonlight, and he murmured softly,

"Green Ox sent a disciple here; when fate ended, it sent the disciple away... So that was it. So that was it."

Beyond Douluo Planet lay the vast void.

A streak of azure light cut through the cosmos like a meteor, plunging toward Douluo Planet.

The azure light tore through the clouds, trailing an indistinct tail of light. It resembled a falling star from beyond the heavens, yet bore no scorching flames.

It finally descended into a quiet clearing in the forest, stopping precisely before a husband and wife.

"Tian, this... this is—!"

The woman's eyes widened as she stared at the swirling azure radiance before her, too shocked to form a complete sentence.

The light was gentle as jade, radiating a clear, tranquil aura that put one at ease.

The man was equally stunned, but he forced himself to remain calm. Instinctively, he stepped forward and reached out to touch the ball of clear energy.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch it—

The azure radiance transformed into specks of starlight and dissolved into the air. In the place where the clear light had been, a swaddled infant was revealed.

The child neither cried nor fussed. He merely opened his clear eyes and quietly looked at the man and woman before him.

The man hurriedly reached out and steadily caught the child who had fallen from the heavens. The infant was soft and warm to the touch, a real being of flesh and blood.

At that very moment, three words appeared in the depths of his mind without warning, branded there like a mark—

Zhang Qingxuan.

That name carried an indescribable rhythm, as though it had always been meant to belong to this child.