Kacha!

  The talent assessment formation suddenly shattered. The nine lightning beasts dissipated shortly after, and the blood-red aura phenomenon that had been covered earlier dominated the sky once more.

  “This…”


  The crowd could hardly believe their eyes. The talent assessment formation actually shattered!

  Why did it shatter?

  Needless to say, Chu Feng’s talents must have exceeded what was tolerable to the talent assessment formation.

  “Brother Duan, I seem to have gotten myself into trouble,” Chu Feng said nervously.

  The talent assessment formation that was able to translate a cultivator’s talent into a phenomenon was bound to be an invaluable treasure, but he actually destroyed it. That left him feeling conscience-stricken.

  “Trouble? What trouble?” Duan Liufeng stepped forward and asked, feigning ignorance.

  “I don’t think it’s possible to repair the talent assessment formation,” Chu Feng replied.

  He had examined the talent assessment in hopes that he would be able to repair it, but unfortunately, he didn’t have the ability to do so.

  “That’s not a problem at all. If anything, you have made a huge contribution to our sect!”


  Duan Liufeng smacked Chu Feng’s shoulders as he guffawed. It was rare for him to express his joy in such an open manner.

  “Contribution?”


  Putting aside Chu Feng, even the others were surprised too.

  “Before Lord Sectmaster left, she told me that there’s a limit to what the talent assessment platform can measure, and the platform will shatter if the limit is exceeded. Unfortunately, she also said that it’s unlikely that there’s anyone in our sect who can accomplish that.

  “If someone is really able to accomplish that, it’s only a matter of time before our Hidden Dragon Martial Sect is known throughout the entire world of cultivation. Brother Chu, you are the person who will bring our sect to greater heights. If that’s not considered a contribution, what else could be?” Duan Liufeng said.

  The crowd finally understood why he was that overjoyed. Looking at it from that perspective, the shattering of the talent assessment platform was indeed something to rejoice about.

  “Still, it’s a pity for the talent assessment platform to shatter just like that,” Chu Feng said lamentably.

  Others could have used it to gauge their talent if it hadn’t shattered.

  “Aiya, you don’t have to be too worried about that. Tell me, Brother Chu, what powers did you sense inside of you earlier? What was that phenomenon that was about to emerge just now? It must be formidable given how the talent assessment platform was unable to bear it,” Duan Liufeng asked curiously.

  The others in the vicinity also pricked up their ears, curious to know what talents Chu Feng harnessed inside him.

  “I didn’t feel anything while standing on the platform. To be honest, I am also curious to know what the emerging phenomenon was going to be. If I have to fathom a guess, it’s probably related to my talents as a world spiritist,” Chu Feng replied.

  Other than his Heavenly Bloodline, he had also inherited a powerful World Spiritist Bloodline from his mother.

  “That’s probably the case. What a pity that the talent assessment platform is so fragile. Otherwise, we might just be able to see two powerful phenomena fighting for supremacy in the sky. Eyy…” Duan Liufeng sighed.

  Chu Feng smiled in response. He would have been intrigued by the sight too, but he didn’t think that it was a huge pity. While he was extremely dissatisfied with his current strength, he had complete confidence in his own talent. He had never lost in a fight of talent before.

  He chatted with Duan Liufeng for a while and quickly learned that Zi Ling had been in closed-door training ever since she returned.

  It had been a few days since the blood-red aura phenomenon appeared. No one knew exactly what happened, but the sectmaster strictly forbade anyone from disturbing her. The crowd could only patiently wait till Zi Ling came out to know what she had been through.

  It had been a long time since Chu Feng last returned to the Hidden Dragon Martial Sect, so he decided to stay for a few days longer, especially since he didn’t know when he would return from the Totem Galaxy.

  If possible, he wanted to spend some time with Zi Ling before leaving.

  …


  While Chu Feng was waiting for Zi Ling to come out of her closed-door training in the Hidden Dragon Martial Sect, Shengguang Baimei, Shengguang Buyu, Daoist Niantian, Chu Lingxi, and Gu Mingyuan arrived at the Holy Valley.

  “You’ve returned.”


  A person appeared in front of them shortly after they arrived at the Holy Valley. It was a white-haired middle-aged man. He had a powerful disposition that commanded respect from others.

  Shengguang Baimei and the others immediately bowed deeply to him.

  “Paying respects to Lord Holy Monarch.”


  He was the Holy Monarch, the strongest person in the Holy Light Clan. Despite his young appearance, he was advanced in age. Even Shengguang Baimei could only be considered as a junior amongst the juniors to him.

  “Who is she?”


  The Holy Monarch turned his gaze to Chu Lingxi.

  “Lord Holy Monarch, she’s Chu Lingxi, a Chu Heavenly Clansman,” Daoist Niantian replied.

  “Junior Chu Lingxi pays respects to Lord Holy Monarch!”


  Chu Lingxi quickly greeted the Holy Monarch.

  “A Chu Heavenly Clansman… You’re from the same clan as Chu Feng?” the Holy Monarch asked.

  “Lord Holy Monarch, I am from the same Chu Heavenly Clan as Chu Feng,” Chu Lingxi replied.

  “Then you need not address me as Holy Monarch,” the Holy Monarch said.

  Those words bewildered everyone. No one knew what the Holy Monarch was getting at.

  “From now onward, you shall call me master,” the Holy Monarch said.

  “Ah?”


  The further clarification only further baffled the crowd. Was the Holy Monarch trying to take Chu Lingxi in as his disciple?

  But that shouldn’t have been possible. Chu Lingxi’s talent shouldn’t have been enough to catch the Holy Monarch’s attention.

  “Lord Holy Monarch, it’s my honor to receive your acknowledgment, but I already have a master,” Chu Lingxi replied.

  “Oh? Who is your master?” the Holy Monarch asked.

  “It’s Daoist Niantian,” Shengguang Baimei interjected before directing a gloating smile at Daoist Niantian.

  The two of them had previously fought over the right to become Chu Lingxi’s master, but Chu Lingxi ended up choosing Daoist Niantian over him. Who could have possibly known that Chu Lingxi would actually catch the Holy Monarch’s eye?

  With that, it was no longer possible for Daoist Niantian to be her master anymore.

  It was not to say that Chu Lingxi couldn’t have two masters, but the difference in the standing between the Holy Monarch and Daoist Niantian made things incredibly awkward. How could Daoist Niantian dare to compete with the Holy Monarch to become Chu Lingxi’s master?

  From the moment the Holy Monarch offered to take Chu Lingxi in as his disciple, he had already known that it was impossible for him to become Chu Lingxi’s master.

  “Niantian, are you willing to step down?” the Holy Monarch asked.

  “Of course. It’s Lingxi’s fortune to have caught Lord Holy Monarch’s eye.”


  Daoist Niantian wasn’t disappointed in the least. On the contrary, he revealed a rare excited smile. He knew that Chu Lingxi would surely be able to rise to great heights under the Holy Monarch’s guidance.

  While the Holy Valley might not appear to be very strong, it would be wise not to judge the Holy Monarch by the same standards.

  “Lingxi, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and acknowledge Lord Holy Monarch as your master,” Daoist Niantian urged.

  Chu Lingxi was no fool. She knew that it was important to respect her master, but it was also normal for a cultivator to take multiple people as his master. Not to mention, Daoist Niantian had already approved of it and was even urging her to do so.

  So, she quickly got to her knees and bowed deeply to the Holy Monarch.

  “Disciple Chu Lingxi pays respect to master!”


  “Stand up. Since you have chosen to acknowledge me as your master, I’ll make sure that you undergo a metamorphosis.”


  The Holy Monarch stepped forward and helped Chu Lingxi to her feet.

  Chu Lingxi was excited to hear that. She could tell from the Holy Monarch’s eyes that he wasn’t just joking around.

  “Buyu, find suitable accommodation for Chu Lingxi and her mother. Baimei, Niantian, the two of you follow me,” the Holy Monarch said before walking into his palace.

  He picked up a piece of paper and started jotting down a list of items with a brush. He then passed the list to Daoist Niantian and said, “Niantian, prepare these things.”


  “Understood,” Daoist Niantian replied.

  It wouldn’t be easy to acquire the items on the list, but it was not beyond his means to do so.

  He could tell that these items came together to form an exceedingly nourishing tonic. He was curious to know what the Holy Monarch was planning to do with this tonic, but he dared not to probe deeper.

  It was then the Holy Monarch took out a pearl that harnessed Nine-colored Heavenly Lightning within it. Despite its small size, it swiftly filled the palace that was large enough to house hundreds of millions of people with lightning.

  Shengguang Baimei and the others were horrified by the tremendous power contained in the pearl. They could tell that it was a Heavenly Bloodline, but why would such a powerful Heavenly Bloodline be sealed within a pearl?

  “This is an item our ancestors have acquired from the Ancestral Martial Lower Realm. Back then, the Ancestral Martial Lower Realm had no cultivators. It was a primitive, undeveloped plot of land. However, it used to be one of the most prosperous realms back in the Ancient Era, filled with all sorts of treasures. This pearl is one of them.

  “According to our ancestors, anyone who has the ability to awaken the pearl will be able to fuse together with it and undergo a metamorphosis,” the Holy Monarch said.

  “Lord Holy Monarch, could it be that Chu Lingxi has awoken this pearl?” Shengguang Baimei asked.

  “Yes, this pearl woke up shortly after her arrival. You may feel it for yourself.”


  The Holy Monarch passed the pearl over to Shengguang Baimei and Daoist Niantian.

  Holding the pearl in their hands, Shengguang Baimei and Daoist Niantian could sense that the pearl had locked onto a single individual, and that person was none other than Chu Lingxi.

  “But how could someone of Chu Lingxi’s talent wake up such a powerful bloodline?”


  Shengguang Baimei was unable to make sense of the situation.

  He was now able to understand why the Holy Monarch had chosen to take Chu Lingxi as his disciple, but it was still baffling to him how Chu Lingxi would be chosen by such a powerful bloodline.

  “You can think of it as the machinations of fate. Some things cannot be easily explained,” the Holy Monarch replied.

  “Lord Holy Monarch, is this pearl solely reserved for Chu Lingxi? Is it possible to…”


  Before Shengguang Baimei could finish his words, the Holy Monarch had already interjected, “You wish to ask me whether this pearl can be given to Chu Feng instead?”


  “Yes, Lord Holy Monarch. You might have never met Chu Feng before, but I believe that he’s the hope of our Holy Light Galaxy. He’ll be the one who brings our galaxy to the peak of the world of cultivation,” Shengguang Baimei said.

  “I might have been in closed-door cultivation all this while, but I’m aware of the matters that have transpired. The Heavenly Bloodline didn’t awaken to Chu Feng’s presence, but it did react to him,” the Holy Monarch said.

  “It didn’t awaken but it reacted to him? Lord Holy Monarch, how did the Heavenly Bloodline react?” Shengguang Baimei asked.

  “It showed fear,” the Holy Monarch replied.