Undying Zhao Bo. This was the name Gu Chen's master told him when he met his master in his previous life.
He still remembered when he fell off a cliff seeking death and met his master. His master displayed peerless, formidable strength. Under the extreme shock to his mind, Gu Chen hastily took her as his master, and then foolishly asked her a question. He asked her whether cultivators also existed in Zhou City, and his master's answer was something Gu Chen still remembered to this day.
"Cultivators? This planet is a Dharma-Ending Planet, and cultivators are extremely rare. As for Zhou City, there is not a single cultivator."
"Then what about beneath cultivators?"
"In Zhou City, there are only two people who can barely catch my eye. One is you."
"And the other?"
"The other is named Zhao Bo. He is already past fifty, but that is not what is worth noting. What is worth my attention is the cultivation technique he practices, called the Undying Divine Skill. That technique can be considered entry-level for cultivation, but its loopholes and fallacies are far too numerous. Solely considering the environment of Zhou City, he is already quite good."
"Master, do you know him?"
"I don't know him, but I know the family that inherited this set of cultivation techniques. They are in Shangjing, a place in your region."
Based on the memories of his previous life, Gu Chen had already thought of his plan after dropping out of school.
These past few days, after school, he would occasionally deliberately pass through this street, Yulin Road, to specifically observe Zhao Bo.
However, in the previous life, his master said Zhao Bo's technique could barely catch her eye, but that was mostly relative. With his master's ability, how could she possibly think much of a martial artist in the Bone-Forge Realm?
"A bow of respect?"
Zhao Bo looked at Gu Chen, his eyes narrowing as he said, "A bow for what?"
"Naturally, an apprenticeship bow." Gu Chen smiled faintly and said, "This is your fortuitous opportunity."
"Arrogant!" Zhao Bo's face fell as he said, "Kid, stop playing the god and acting like a ghost, thinking that being a bit formidable can make me submit. Wanting to make me take a wet-behind-the-ears brat like you as my master is simply wishful thinking!"
Gu Chen was not surprised at all that Zhao Bo could see through his age. After all, Zhao Bo was a martial artist who had lived for so long; he could also glimpse a thing or two from the bare half-wrist exposed during their clash just now.
Yet at this moment, because of Gu Chen's contempt, Zhao Bo was already flying into a rage. He quickly climbed up from the ground, and then with a whistling palm strike, he once again lashed out toward Gu Chen.
Gu Chen did not dodge or evade this time. Curling his five fingers into claws, he viciously grabbed toward Zhao Bo's palm!
Under the churning internal force, Gu Chen's claw caused shock to appear on Zhao Bo's face!
Five Void Claw!
How could it be!
Yet he no longer had time to be shocked, because Gu Chen's claws had already firmly grabbed his palm. No matter how hard he exerted his strength, he could not budge at all!
"You also know the Undying Divine Skill?" Zhao Bo's face turned flushed red.
"I don't." Gu Chen shook his head and said, "I learned it just now after watching you execute it once."
What?
Zhao Bo looked at Gu Chen in disbelief. As for his statement, it was simply shocking to the ear!
What did it mean to know it after watching it once?
Regardless of moves, strength, or speed, everything was controlled even better than his own. How could it possibly be something just learned!
"You are humiliating this old man!" Infuriated, Zhao Bo gnashed his teeth and said, "This old man has practiced the Undying Divine Skill for thirty years; it is impossible for you to master it in a single day! Speak, who on earth are you? Were you sent by those above? Playing the god and acting like a ghost!"
"In this world, such geniuses do exist."
Gu Chen shrugged. He had successfully acted cool this time.
To Zhao Bo, learning a move instantly was indeed as fantastical as a bedtime story. But Gu Chen was a Divine Emperor; even though his cultivation was now less than one-hundred-millionth of what it used to be, his vision and capabilities far, far exceeded those of ordinary people.
The techniques and moves that Zhao Bo was nervous about were like children's play in his eyes.
"This technique of yours has too many flaws, and it's even an incomplete manual!" Gu Chen released Zhao Bo with a single motion and said, "I can help you modify and perfect it."
"You!" Zhao Bo retreated in disarray for several meters, raised his head, and looked at Gu Chen with a face full of alarm and suspicion.
"If you want me to take you as my master, just these few tricks of yours are not enough to qualify!" Collecting his composure, Zhao Bo said in a cold voice, "If you refuse to say what background you come from, don't even think about making me obey you."
"I am a god." Gu Chen smiled faintly and said, "Otherwise, you have been in Zhou City for over a decade without ever being discovered by anyone. Why is it that the moment I saw you, I knew your origins? I knew your technique, and I knew your past?"
"A god?"
Zhao Bo was greatly startled, then burst into wild laughter as he said, "This is the first time this old man has heard such a reply. You actually claim to be a god? Should I admit you might not be my match, or are you being brazenly shameless, or treating this old man like a three-year-old child?"
"Previously, perhaps there were no gods." Gu Chen did not grow angry either, instead saying calmly, "I have come, so the gods exist."
Hiss!
Zhao Bo drew in a deep breath, truly never expecting Gu Chen to be so unbridled!
I have come, so the gods exist?!!
He was simply arrogant beyond all bounds!
"I do not want to say this a third time!" Gu Chen said. "If you still refuse to bow, you will miss out on the greatest fortuitous opportunity of your life."
Zhao Bo's expression shifted uncertainly. He had to admit that Gu Chen's act of putting on airs was simply timed to absolute perfection, causing even the heart of an old veteran like him to begin wavering and doubting.
Especially the Five Void Claw that Gu Chen executed-speaking of its profoundness and esoteric nature, it was even deeper than his own understanding!
"Are you specifically here to take me as a disciple?" Zhao Bo did not dare to relax his vigilance.
"Taking you as my disciple is one reason," Gu Chen said. "Having you work for me is the second. As for the third, it's to help you avert the crisis waiting for you in the future."
"A crisis?"
Gu Chen's bluntness surprised Zhao Bo.
"Where did you get your Undying Divine Skill? Surely you know the answer yourself?" Gu Chen said coolly.
Those words were like thunder crashing on a clear day, exploding in Zhao Bo's mind!
He stared at Gu Chen in shock. He even knew about that!
Gu Chen was wrapped head to toe in black robes, making his appearance impossible to discern. But at that moment, Zhao Bo felt as if he truly were a colossal god carved from stone and descended from the heavens, towering and awe-inspiring as he stood there.
At last, after his expression shifted several times, Zhao Bo fell to his knees.
"Your disciple Zhao Bo pays his respects to Master."
From the moment he knelt, tangled in indecision, to the point when he let go and accepted it, by the time Zhao Bo bowed, he had become completely composed.
Gu Chen stood quietly in place. Though Zhao Bo was past fifty, that was only by the standards of ordinary people. Compared with Gu Chen's thousands of years of cultivation, it meant very little. So whether by age or cultivation, Gu Chen was worthy of Zhao Bo's obeisance!
"You needn't feel resentful," Gu Chen said coolly, lifting a hand. "If I hadn't appeared, you would have died in a month. So you should be grateful to me."
As Gu Chen raised his hand, a force seemed to come out of the air, lifting Zhao Bo directly to his feet.
The power came from afar, and the wondrous technique left Zhao Bo deeply shaken.
But before he could think about what art Gu Chen had used, he heard the latter's words, and his whole body shuddered violently!