Luo Qianqian's heart was clear as a mirror. The lineage head and so many elders arriving together almost certainly had something to do with Sister Yu.
"Lineage head, esteemed elders, Qianqian is truly overwhelmed by your honored visit!"
"If you have any instructions, you need only notify me through divine sense!"
"How could I dare trouble you all to come here in person?"
Luo Qianqian calmly welcomed everyone into the courtyard, her expression composed, neither servile nor overbearing.
Ordinarily, if so many important figures had visited at once, Luo Qianqian would probably have been so nervous that she would not have known what to do with her hands and feet.
But after becoming Sister Yu's follower in the Sword Ruins of Creation, Luo Qianqian's horizons were already entirely different from before.
Even with so many important figures visiting at once, her heart barely rippled.
Luo Wudi waved a hand and said with a smile, "In this age of great contention, the future of our Luo Lineage rests on you young people."
"If a divine sense transmission interrupted your enlightenment, it would be a loss for our entire Luo Lineage."
"By the way, I heard you met an exceptional young woman in the Sword Ruins of Creation. Which orthodoxy's Dao Child is she?"
They really did come for Sister Yu!
"I happened to meet that fairy in the Sword Ruins of Creation. Seeing her unravel numerous sword intent constructs with a wave of her hand, I realized that her talent in the sword Dao surpassed anything I had ever seen, and took the initiative to beg to become her follower."
"As for that fairy's origins, I truly don't know."
"I'm afraid I must disappoint you, lineage head and esteemed elders."
Luo Qianqian's expression remained unchanged, her gaze clear and free of the slightest impurity as she answered softly.
"If you don't know, never mind. Whatever her origins, being able to follow such a prodigy is an immense opportunity. You must make the most of it!"
Luo Wudi seemed to have expected this and did not question her further.
Luo Wudi pondered briefly, then spoke again as though something had suddenly occurred to him. "Oh, yes. We came today for another matter as well."
"The elders and I have discussed it and intend to name you this generation's Dao Child. We came specifically to inform you."
As the head of the Luo Lineage, a Sword God lineage, Luo Wudi himself had extremely high attainments in the sword Dao. He often comprehended the sword in the Sword Ruins of Creation and knew the place very well.
To his knowledge, throughout all history, only a handful of sword Dao prodigies had ever managed to unravel sword intent constructs possessing immortal sword intent!
And every one of those sword Dao prodigies had been an unrivaled prodigy of the ages who towered over their era!
Upon learning that a descendant of the Luo Lineage had actually become the follower of such a prodigy, Luo Wudi had immediately summoned the many elders of the Luo Lineage for a discussion. Overriding all objections, he had insisted on making Luo Qianqian the Luo Lineage's Dao Child, entrusting her with the rise and fall of the lineage's future fortune.
That was why he had personally brought so many elders to visit Luo Qianqian.
"Dao Child?"
Luo Qianqian froze briefly, then shook her head lightly. "Among the younger generation of our Luo Lineage, my aptitude and cultivation aren't even enough to place me in the top five."
"If I become the Luo Lineage's Dao Child of this generation, many clansmen will surely refuse to accept it. Please don't joke, lineage head."
Hearing Luo Qianqian's words, Luo Wudi stood with his hands behind his back. A chilling killing intent swept across the wilderness in every direction as he declared proudly, "This is the decision the elders and I reached. Who dares object?"
"Heh, what an imposing lineage head!"
Just then, an aged yet powerful and overbearing voice suddenly rang out from deep within the Luo Lineage.
Immediately afterward, a thin old man dressed in coarse hemp robes appeared in the sky.
The hemp-robed old man resembled an unsheathed divine sword as he looked down upon Luo Wudi and the others in the courtyard.
"The Dao Child bears the rise and fall of the Luo Lineage's fortune. Naturally, the position should go to the strongest of the current generation! How can you appoint someone on a whim?" The hemp-robed old man's expression was unfriendly.
Luo Wudi raised his brows slightly and casually cupped his hands in salute toward the sky. "Granduncle, it seems someone has been telling tales to you," he said coolly.
"I know Luo Bufan is your final disciple, and you want him to become our Luo Lineage's Dao Child."
"But I am the head of the Luo Lineage now."
"The matter of the Dao Child was decided through discussion between me and the elders."
"Are you planning to take the position of lineage head back from me, Granduncle?"
This hemp-robed old man was none other than the previous head of the Luo Lineage. He had long since become the lineage's supreme elder, and his cultivation was unfathomable.
The hemp-robed old man said coldly, "Don't pin such a grave charge on me. I have no objection whatsoever to you governing the Luo Lineage!"
"But forcing through your appointment of a Dao Child violates the rules our ancestors left behind!"
"It is far too unfair to the other prodigies of the younger generation!"
"As the Luo Lineage's supreme elder, how could I let you act recklessly?"
Anger showed on Luo Wudi's face as he shouted in a low voice, "This is an age of great contention. Opportunities and fortune are precisely what we contend for!"
"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures!"
"The prodigy Qianqian follows in the Sword Ruins of Creation unraveled the Void Sword River with a wave of her hand. She must be one of the rare individuals between heaven and earth blessed with great fortune!"
"If Qianqian becomes the Luo Lineage's Dao Child, our entire lineage will benefit!"
"We might even produce another Sword God like our ancestor!"
"Or even a Sword Saint!"
The hemp-robed old man fell silent briefly before saying earnestly, "Throughout history, no small number of those blessed with great fortune have died unexpectedly, let alone in an age of great contention. Rather than cling to someone blessed with great fortune, we would be better off believing in ourselves!"
At this point, the hemp-robed old man paused briefly before continuing, "One month from now happens to be our Luo Lineage's annual Sword Trial."
"Since you have confidence in her, let her compete on the same stage as the other prodigies of the Luo Lineage's younger generation!"
"As long as she can overpower the prodigies of her generation, I have no objection to her becoming Dao Child!"
"As the follower of someone blessed with great fortune, if she cannot even subdue the prodigies of her own generation, what qualifies her to become our Luo Lineage's Dao Child?"
A fierce killing intent shot skyward from Luo Wudi. He was just about to argue his case when he heard Luo Qianqian nod and say, "Then let us do as the supreme elder says!"
Sister Yu's guidance in the Sword Ruins of Creation had already allowed Luo Qianqian to find the direction in which she should strive.
Even if Sister Yu never gave her any further guidance, she was confident that she could overpower everyone in the Luo Lineage's younger generation through her own efforts!
Luo Qianqian had not originally intended to contend for the Dao Child's seat, but this supreme elder actually dared look down on Sister Yu, stirring her anger.
I'm taking the Luo Lineage's Dao Child's seat, no matter what!
Hearing Luo Qianqian agree, Luo Wudi's face filled with astonishment.
He knew something of everyone in the Luo Lineage's younger generation. At least six of them surpassed Luo Qianqian in both aptitude and cultivation.
In particular, the supreme elder's final disciple already had one foot in the Marquis Realm!
Luo Qianqian's cultivation was only at the middle stage of the True Spirit Realm. How much could she improve in a month?
"Good! That is the confidence a future Dao Child should possess! Then we shall discuss it again in a month!"
The hemp-robed old man laughed heartily, his figure vanishing from the void.
Luo Wudi flicked a finger, and a sword-shaped jade talisman floated toward Luo Qianqian.
"This sword talisman was condensed from the full sword intent of a sword cultivator at the peak of the Marquis Realm. I have already removed all its impurities, so you can absorb and refine it directly. Today, I give it to you!"
"I hope you can soar into the heavens in a single flight at the Sword Trial a month from now!"
Luo Wudi spoke gravely.
With a light flick of Luo Qianqian's wrist, the sword-shaped jade talisman flew back toward Luo Wudi.
"I appreciate your kindness, lineage head, but there is no need for the sword talisman. If word got out, it would inevitably give people grounds for gossip! I will claim the Dao Child's seat through my own strength!"
Luo Qianqian answered confidently.
In the past, a treasure like this would have been something Luo Qianqian dreamed of obtaining.
But now, Luo Qianqian decisively refused it.
Even without a sword talisman like this, Luo Qianqian was confident she could claim the Dao Child's seat!