Mingyue Becomes a Disciple

After Situ Mingyue decided to join the Azure Cloud Sect, the two sides introduced themselves properly once again.

At this point, everyone also learned the identity of the middle-aged man in blue. He was a guest retainer of the Situ Family named Qin Yushu. The Situ Family had once saved his life, so he had remained in their service.

This time, Qin Yushu had been responsible for protecting Situ Mingyue during her escape.

As for Situ Mingyue's maid, her name was Chunxiao.

However, another dispute arose when Situ Mingyue handed over the Spirit Stones.

"One million Spirit Stones, and you're only giving me this much? This is probably just ten thousand Spirit Stones!" Zhang Yang glared at Situ Mingyue.

Although the Spirit Stones Situ Mingyue had given him contained denser spiritual energy, the difference was simply too great.

Situ Mingyue rolled her eyes. "These are Mid-grade Spirit Stones... You didn't think I promised you one million Mid-grade Spirit Stones, did you? Dream on. That would be one hundred million ordinary Spirit Stones. Even if I sold the Cloud Soaring Merchant Association, I still couldn't give you that many."

Zhang Yang had never seen Mid-grade Spirit Stones before. The Azure Cloud Sect was simply too poor!

Knowing he had made a blunder born of common sense, he chuckled. "It's still better to ask clearly. What if you meant Mid-grade Spirit Stones, Junior Sister?"

Situ Mingyue was speechless. She discovered that this Senior Brother was far too greedy for money.

The group paused briefly at Azure Cloud Market before heading to the Azure Cloud Sect.

Since Qin Yushu had no connection to Azure Cloud Sect whatsoever, he remained behind at Qingyun Market. Chunxiao was also an outsider, but in light of Situ Mingyue's one million Spirit Stones, she was permitted to go up the mountain and care for Situ Mingyue.

When Zhang Yang appeared, Danchენzi and the others emerged one after another.

The last time Zhang Yang had gone out, he had brought back quite a few Spirit Stones and materials, and everyone had benefited greatly.

Now that Zhang Yang had returned, he had probably brought back plenty of things again.

However, upon seeing outsiders present, they all maintained the bearing of lofty experts and did not step forward to ask him for anything.

"This is my master, Azure Cloud Master, the current sect master of the Azure Cloud Sect. You have already met Second Martial Uncle Ling Yunzi. Third Martial Uncle..." Zhang Yang introduced the Azure Cloud Seven Sons to Situ Mingyue.

The moment Situ Mingyue saw Azure Cloud Master, her eyes lit up. Disregarding all restraint, she stepped forward and bowed deeply. "This disciple, Situ Mingyue, pays respects to Master!"

In Situ Mingyue's eyes, Tan Qiushui was already a legendary expert. Azure Cloud Master, who had effortlessly defeated Tan Qiushui, was like a god in her heart. Given the chance to take such a master as her teacher, how could she still care about restraint?

Azure Cloud Master looked utterly bewildered. What was with this little girl coming up and asking to become his disciple?

Zhang Yang coughed and said with a smile to Azure Cloud Master, "Master, Junior Sister is also a genius. She certainly will not disappoint your guidance."

Azure Cloud Master understood.

Last time, this brat had brought him back a disciple. Now he had brought back another one. Was he specifically out there picking up disciples for him?

Though he had only taken one disciple, it was practically the same as taking several...

Seeing Zhang Yang constantly signaling with his eyes, Azure Cloud Master snorted inwardly, then said with a smile, "Rise. From now on, you are my disciple."

He still gave Zhang Yang this favor, mainly because Zhang Yang's reforms had produced results and allowed him to see hope.

Seeing that she had truly entered under Azure Cloud Master's tutelage, Situ Mingyue was extremely excited and solemnly performed the disciple-taking ceremony.

From now on, she too was a disciple of Azure Cloud Sect.

Azure Cloud Master smiled. "In a while, have your Senior Brother take you to find a good cultivation technique and cultivate properly. He has already received my true teachings. Ask him if there is anything you do not understand. If he cannot resolve it, then come find me."

Ling Yunzi and the others beside them found this scene strangely familiar!

They quickly recalled that this was exactly how it had been when they had become disciples.

Situ Mingyue froze for a moment, but soon understood.

With her current meager cultivation, she truly was not qualified to seek Azure Cloud Master's guidance.

However, she had already made up her mind. She would cultivate diligently, raise her realm as quickly as possible, and strive to surpass Zhang Yang. By then, Zhang Yang would no longer be qualified to instruct her and could only take her to find their master.

After Situ Mingyue finished becoming a disciple, she took her maid away to arrange their residence.

Since they would both remain at the Azure Cloud Sect to cultivate, they naturally needed somewhere to live within the sect.

Only after Situ Mingyue had left did Azure Cloud Master glare at Zhang Yang and shout, "Who told you to take disciples for me? Taking you alone has already given me enough headaches. I do not want to take any more disciples!"

"One million Spirit Stones!" Zhang Yang said with a grin. "Master, is one disciple worth one million Spirit Stones?"

"What one million Spirit Stones?" Everyone was shocked.

Even Azure Cloud Master was moved. "What happened?"

Ling Yunzi glanced at Zhang Yang and said to Azure Cloud Master, "Senior Brother, he had you take Situ Mingyue as a disciple, and Situ Mingyue gave him one million Spirit Stones, along with some materials!"

"What?" Hualingzi was overjoyed. "Are there any high-quality talisman papers? Is there any Spirit Blood?"

Biling Zi perked up and held out her hand toward Zhang Yang. "Now that you have money, give me Beauty-Nourishing Pills!"

Smiles appeared on everyone's faces. The Azure Cloud Sect had not been this wealthy in a very long time.

Azure Cloud Master could not help smiling as well. Then he straightened his face and scolded, "You sold your master for one million? How unpromising! As the sect master, I should take the larger share of this one million. You must give me at least three hundred thousand Spirit Stones."

Zhang Yang said irritably, "Master, this is all development capital for the Azure Cloud Sect. Taking three hundred thousand is too much. I have an important use for this batch of Spirit Stones, so I cannot give you that much."

"No, you must give me three hundred thousand!" Azure Cloud Master said sternly. "You brat, when I bought you that Spatial Ring back then, I used my own money! Think carefully, how have I treated you all these years? Now that you clearly have money, you will not even give me a few Spirit Stones. Can you face the kindness I have shown you?"

Ling Yunzi nodded. "These Spirit Stones should be given!"

Danchენzi seemed to recall something as well and nodded repeatedly. "Zhang Yang, you know how Senior Brother has treated you, so you must give him these Spirit Stones!"

"Yes, I agree that he should be given them."

Zhang Yang looked at the Azure Cloud Seven Sons in surprise. They actually all agreed?

After considering it, he said, "Master, if you need Spirit Stones somewhere important, just say so. Do not play this moral blackmail game. Although the Azure Cloud Sect urgently needs Spirit Stones, we can always find ways to earn them back. Three hundred thousand probably will not be enough. I will give you four hundred thousand. Handle the rest as you see fit."

Whatever could make the Azure Cloud Seven Sons unanimously agree must not be simple, so he gave an extra hundred thousand.

Azure Cloud Master chuckled. "With this batch of Spirit Stones, I can live carefree for a while. Do not come looking for me next. I need to go out for some time."

"Wait!" Ling Yunzi hurriedly said. "Senior Brother, the Cloud Mountain Empire's attitude seems rather off this time! We even fought on the way back."

He then recounted Zhang Yang's clash with the Flying Dragon Guard.

Yet what everyone cared about was not the Cloud Mountain Empire at all. They stared at Zhang Yang in shock instead.

"You brat can use Spirit Artifacts at the Core Formation Realm? Two of them, even?" Hualingzi looked at Zhang Yang strangely. "Have you been hiding something from us? Did you keep some good treasures for yourself?"

Azure Cloud Master also looked at Zhang Yang oddly, then suddenly asked, "When you looked inward at your Golden Core, what did you see?"

"There was nothing inside!" Zhang Yang looked at Azure Cloud Master in surprise. "Is there a problem? Aren't your Golden Cores like that too?"

The others' expressions changed involuntarily, only to return to normal at once.

Zhang Yang had been watching Azure Cloud Master the entire time and did not notice the expressions on the others' faces.

Azure Cloud Master's expression stiffened as well. Soon, he shook his head helplessly. "Your Golden Core... is too ordinary!

"Our Golden Cores all contain the Great Dao we cultivate! Take your Martial Uncle Ling Yun, for instance. A sword has taken shape within his Golden Core, which is why he walks the Sword Dao.

"I finally understand why you reformed the Azure Cloud Sect. With a Golden Core like yours, you truly need more cultivation resources to cultivate. But there is indeed an advantage: your spiritual power is far more abundant than that of other Golden Core cultivators... After all, you consumed more resources and cultivated longer than others. It is only natural that your spiritual power is somewhat more abundant."

Zhang Yang nodded repeatedly. He also felt that this reasoning made sense.

However, though his intention behind reforming the Azure Cloud Sect had been discovered, he refused to admit it. "Master, I did not reform Azure Cloud Sect for my own sake."

"Do whatever you want!" Azure Cloud Master waved a hand. "If there is nothing else, hurry and cultivate... I, Azure Cloud Master, am a sect master of my generation, yet I took in a disciple like this. Sigh... sigh..."

He appeared deeply dissatisfied.

Zhang Yang left somewhat dejectedly. Was his Golden Core really that poor?

What he did not know was that the moment he left, Azure Cloud Master waved his hand and laid down layer upon layer of restrictions. Then he threw back his head and laughed wildly without end. "Heaven blesses Azure Cloud! Someone has actually formed a Chaos Golden Core again! The patriarchs of every generation have blessed us. In this generation, my Azure Cloud will finally break free completely."