Within the Yunmiao Palace, celestial light flowed, and auspicious clouds stretched in thousands of strands.
The carved beams and painted rafters concealed the ethereal silhouettes of dragons and phoenixes, while the warm jade floor was enveloped in a faint, spiritual mist, soothing the soul.
The pearls inlaid on the surrounding jade pillars emitted a soft, clear glow, illuminating the hall as if it were daytime, yet without being glaring at all.
"Does Master mean to prepare a gift for Su Ming?"
True Lord Qingmu was surprised, but didn't think much of it.
He quickly stepped forward and respectfully asked, "Master, regarding Junior Uncle Su Ming..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted again by Immortal Lord Yunmiao's amused voice:
"I am aware of this matter. Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), I will be performing the disciple-acceptance ceremony in the palace. Do not be negligent or lose face. Moreover, none of you fellow disciples can be absent, understand?"
Although his tone was gentle, it carried an undeniable authority.
"Taking on apprentices?"
True Lord Qingmu was momentarily stunned. Several names flashed through his mind, and he subconsciously asked, "Who did Master take in? Could it be that Ji Tianxing has changed his mind...?"
But he immediately dismissed the idea; Ji Tianxing's resolute rejection that day meant their master-disciple relationship had long since ended.
"Is it like our chief master, who sought out talented individuals from outside the sect?"
Upon hearing this, Immortal Lord Yunmiao stroked his beard and laughed heartily, his voice resounding through the palace beams, his joy undisguised:
"No, no! My newly accepted ninth disciple is none other than Han Xuanji from the Myriad Phenomena Garden."
" Han Xuanji?"
True Lord Qingmu stood there, stunned, as news of Han Xuanji flashed through his mind.
He was the one who assessed this young man back then, and the chief personally gave him a piece of advice that startled him.
So much time has passed and there's still no news; he'd almost forgotten about this person.
"So it was that person with Double Pupils. Not bad, not bad... Such talent is indeed more than qualified to be my junior brother."
True Lord Qingmu nodded, not finding it strange at all.
Those with Double Pupils are extremely rare, and would be treasures in any lineage. The reason why Han Xuanji has no one to take him as a personal disciple is simply because the head of the sect is above him, and how could the elders and Peak Master below dare to touch him?
He initially thought he should call Han Xuanji "Junior Uncle".
"This child is exceptionally talented. Master said he is hiding his abilities and concealing his Double Pupils. I believe his double pupils are only a part of what he has revealed."
Immortal Lord Yunmiao spoke with certainty, his eyes gleaming:
" Jiang Hao and his ilk may seem to possess unparalleled talent, but I don't think they're as good as Xuanji."
"Hiss... that's terrible."
True Lord Qingmu couldn't help but gasp, his heart filled with utter shock.
He hadn't realized at all that Han Xuanji was hiding his true abilities so well!
If that's really the case, then Master has truly found a rare treasure.
Immortal Lord Yunmiao then seemed to remember something, and stroked his beard with a hint of uncertainty, whispering:
"But just now... did I seem a little too hasty?"
I've heard that some masters and disciples in the mortal realm believe in a slow and steady approach, which is considered a sign of seriousness.
Will blocking the door like this seem too forward and scare him?
He mustn't think that I, his master, am too tyrannical...
Elder Qingmu looked at his master, who was both delighted and slightly apprehensive, as if he had obtained some rare treasure and was anxious about losing it. This was completely different from his usual dignified and composed self. For a moment, he did not know how to respond.
In a daze, I recalled the scene when I became an apprentice, except that back then I was the one who was anxious, but now the roles have been reversed.
They've reversed the Heavenly Gang.
He could only stammer:
"With Master personally intervening and bestowing the grace of preaching, Junior Brother Han... must be overjoyed."
As the chief disciple and a being close to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, it is quite reasonable for Immortal Lord Yunmiao to be in charge of Purple Firmament Peak, the first peak of the Pill Lineage.
"I hope so, I hope so."
Immortal Lord Yunmiao nodded, a smile spreading across his face once more, clearly indicating that Qingmu's words had been quite effective.
"Go and make the preparations. Make sure everything is thorough. Your junior brother Han is a quiet person who doesn't care for extravagance, so the ceremony doesn't need to be too noisy, but the rules and etiquette must not be omitted. Don't let anyone misunderstand that our Purple Firmament Peak doesn't value him."
You need to find the right balance.
"Yes, Master, I understand."
True Lord Qingmu bowed slightly and then withdrew.
As I passed by the side hall, my gaze inadvertently fell upon the slender figure sitting quietly by the window, silently perusing alchemical texts.
The soft light inside the hall made the young man's figure appear somewhat lonely.
Su Ming was naturally unaware of the conversation inside the palace. As he watched True Lord Qingmu's figure, his fingers tightened slightly as he held the Jade Slip slip, his eyelashes lowered, and a look of anticipation flashed in his eyes.
True Lord Qingmu sighed inwardly, but said nothing, and quietly left.
This nominally "junior uncle," despite bearing the title of being personally taught by the chief, seems to have no intention of being personally instructed by the chief. His future is uncertain, and he still has to face the formidable challenge of Jiang Hao alone. Only he himself can truly understand the bitterness of this situation.
The next day, at Chen Shi (7-9 AM).
The bell of the Yunmiao Palace tolled nine times, its clear and melodious tones cleansing the mind and spirit. Intertwined with the ethereal celestial music, it added to the solemnity and sanctity of the palace.
Inside the main hall, everything had already been arranged.
Although it was not excessively extravagant as instructed by Immortal Lord Yunmiao, every detail showcased the profound heritage and grandeur of the Pill Lineage First Peak.
The glass goblets were filled with fine wines and nectars, and the hundred or so celestial servants standing on either side held their breath and behaved with utmost respect.
These celestial servants are all people with mediocre cultivation aptitude. Most of them are descendants of previous generations of celestial servants. If these people are not talented enough, they will basically continue to serve as celestial servants like their fathers.
They possessed some cultivation, but the strongest among them was only at the Immortal Ascension realm.
Han Xuanji, dressed in a brand-new robe of True Disciple, slowly stepped into the main hall, instantly becoming the focus of everyone's attention.
The senior brothers and sisters who had been waiting all stepped forward with smiles.
A middle-aged Daoist priest with a dignified bearing and a gentle smile spoke first, "Junior Brother Han, I am your second senior brother, Qingyang. If you encounter any difficulties in your cultivation in the future, please feel free to come to me."
Han Xuanji nodded slightly; this was a senior brother at the Mystic Immortal.
Beside her, a beautiful woman in flowing robes smiled and chimed in:
"Junior brother is here. I am your fourth senior sister Qingling."
I had long heard of my junior brother's extraordinary talent, and seeing him today, I can confirm it—he is indeed exceptionally handsome and possesses an extraordinary bearing.
His words carried a hint of friendly banter.
The other protégés also came up to greet him.
Han Xuanji returned each greeting with a perfectly measured, humble smile, responding appropriately.
At that moment, the system also issued a sound.
[A six-star check-in location has been detected. Check in now?]
"System, check-in."
Han Xuanji responded verbally while simultaneously responding to the system in his mind.
[Congratulations, host, you have successfully checked in at the Yunmiao Palace and obtained the entry " Sacred Hand of the Dao of Alchemy ".]
[ Sacred Hand of the Dao of Alchemy: Your talent in alchemy is astonishing; you possess the potential to refine Great Dao Sacred Pill.]
" The Great Dao Sacred Pill?"
Han Xuanji was secretly startled.
This is a pill superior to the Nine-Transformation Immortal Pill; it's something I've only heard of in legends.
Even the head of the Pill Lineage probably wouldn't be confident in refining it.
Suppressing his surprise, Han Xuanji served tea and paid his respects to his master according to etiquette.
Immortal Lord Yunmiao sat upright in the highest position, receiving the full courtesy, his face full of satisfaction, and said:
"From now on, Han Xuanji will be my ninth disciple, with the Dharma name Qingxiao."
"This is the Mystery-Listening Jade Bracelet, a gift from your master."
As soon as he finished speaking, Immortal Lord Yunmiao waved his hand and bestowed a purple jade bracelet upon Han Xuanji.
"Disciple Qingxiao thanks Master for the generous gift!"
Han Xuanji accepted the item with both hands. After a brief probe with his Divine Sense, he knew that it was a top-grade Supreme-Grade Immortal Artifact artifact, containing a vast and boundless inner space, as well as many wondrous protective restrictions. He couldn't help but marvel at the generosity of Immortal Lord Yunmiao.
This gift was far more generous than I had imagined.
Supreme-Grade Immortal Artifact, this is incredible!
"These are only two of Immortal Lord Yunmiao's Supreme-Grade Immortal Artifact, and he bestowed them upon his disciple so readily."
The elders watching the ceremony below exchanged glances, all seeing the astonishment in each other's eyes.
The Immortal Lord Yunmiao actually bestowed such a precious treasure directly upon a newly initiated disciple; this level of importance he placed on the disciple far exceeded what was expected!
Even the senior brothers and sisters, though still smiling, couldn't help but feel a slight ripple in their hearts.
When they first entered the sect, the best their master bestowed upon them was only High-Grade Immortal Artifact. This Junior Brother Han's starting point is far too high.
But precisely because of this, they realized more clearly how special this junior brother's position was in their master's heart, and that he should never be neglected.