[Congratulations, Host, on completing the disciple recruitment task]
[Rewards obtained: Spear Dao Law, Fire Dao Law, Reincarnation Spear Technique, Nine Reincarnation Essence Return Pill Recipe, 2,000 years of cultivation]
Well, damn.
Originally, Chang'sheng thought it would take a long time to get through to this Empress.
He hadn't even started thinking of a strategy yet.
She just waltzed her way in all on her own…
Meanwhile, back at Hidden Dao Academy, as Ye Qiubai returned—
By now, his reputation at the academy was already pretty huge.
After that big showdown during the academy tournament, everyone pretty much knew who Ye Qiubai was.
From The Cottage.
"Senior Brother Ye!"
"Hey, doesn't Senior Brother Ye feel even more unfathomable lately? Did he have another breakthrough?"
"Ah, figures. That's just how Senior Brother Ye is."
Ye Qiubai replied one by one, nodding and smiling.
But inside, he couldn't help but think—
Sigh, when will Master finally take on another disciple, maybe a little junior brother or sister…
"Hey, Senior Brother Ye, I just saw Senior Lu take some fairy-like girl to the Dean."
Ye Qiubai froze at that and instinctively asked, "Why'd they go see the Dean?"
"I think Senior Lu just took on a new disciple?"
"???"
As soon as he heard that, Ye Qiubai vanished from where he stood.
Back at The Cottage, he saw an ethereal beauty, like she'd stepped out of a painting, delivering plates of dishes to Chang'sheng.
I finally have a junior sister?
As he was just about to greet his Master, Chang'sheng spoke up, sounding pretty casual.
"Back already?"
"…"
Ye Qiubai was dumbfounded. Was he… being dissed?
So should I just leave?
Seeing Ye Qiubai's odd expression, Chang'sheng explained, "I mean, you finished up your business that fast?"
Ye Qiubai stepped forward, bowed, and then explained everything that had happened.
"The Sunset Dynasty, huh… I've actually heard Uncle Qin mention it a few times."
Uncle Qin was, of course, Qin Tiannan.
"That force is apparently way stronger than our Southern Region's Hidden Dao Academy."
Ye Qiubai nodded too, saying, "I know."
Looking at Ye Qiubai's slightly heavy expression, Chang'sheng said softly, "I'm gonna say this again—I'm not going to help you settle this kind of grudge. That's your own business.
Besides, you take care of the small fry, and then your Master steps in for the big bosses? I'm not doing that—that's just embarrassing."
Ye Qiubai didn't mind at all, and instead chuckled, "Of course, Master, I'd never ask you to step in. The Sunset Dynasty is my whetstone on the road to progress."
"Good. That's how you should think."
Suddenly, Hong Ying chimed in as well, nodding, "Yeah, that's the right attitude. If you keep relying on outside help, it's only going to hold you back in the long run."
At this moment, Hong Ying was sizing up Ye Qiubai.
As someone who was an Empress in a past life, she had her own unique way of reading people.
So young, yet he'd already grasped sword intent, reaching the level of a sword master.
His cultivation technique wasn't ordinary either.
But his constitution—even Hong Ying couldn't see through it.
As for aptitude, it wasn't any worse than her own…
Chang'sheng smiled and introduced them, "This is your junior sister, Hong Ying."
Ye Qiubai smiled at Hong Ying, "Junior Sister is absolutely right. If you need anything in the future, just come to your big brother."
Hong Ying's expression turned a bit weird, but she nodded, "Thanks, Senior Brother."
Chang'sheng popped a bite of food in his mouth, then after a pause said, "Your junior sister is actually already at the Water Overflow Realm. Not sure who'll be helping whom."
Ye Qiubai was stunned.
Water Overflow Realm? Isn't that a few whole realms higher than me?
Thinking about that, Ye Qiubai quickly said, "Master, I had some insights on the road back. I'll go into seclusion now."
With that, he hurried off to his room.
Chang'sheng couldn't help but laugh.
Guess he took that a little hard.
After that, Hong Ying was about to go cultivate as well.
Chang'sheng called to her, "Wait up. When you joined, I gave Qiubai a Creation Pill—a stroke of fortune—plus a Green Cloud Sword, letting him soar straight up to Qingyun."
"Now that I've taken you as a disciple, I can't exactly show favoritism."
But Hong Ying waved that off with a smile, "No need, really."
When it came to cultivation resources, she had plenty.
After all, she held the foundation of an empire on her person.
If anything, she was thinking about whether to give her Master something nice.
Since, frankly, from the looks of Chang'sheng, he didn't have much worth showing off.
Just as she was about to take out a pill or something, she saw a medicinal pill get flicked over to her.
She caught it instinctively.
The pill had lines of reincarnation patterns, ancient and mysterious.
"What pill is this?"
Chang'sheng answered coolly, "Hasn't your Nine Cycles Reincarnation Technique reached the ninth life? This pill will let you perfectly merge the talents and cultivation of your previous nine lives."
At that, Hong Ying's face changed dramatically.
Never mind how Chang'sheng even knew about her Nine Cycles Reincarnation Technique.
She really was at her ninth life now, and she did need a Reincarnation Pill to fuse together the talents and cultivation of all nine past lives.
But… a Reincarnation Pill was insanely precious, practically unheard of.
It was a legendary pill. Whether you could find one at all was a huge question mark.
Even then, a standard Reincarnation Pill could only fuse about sixty percent.
But this one that Chang'sheng had given her could perfectly fuse everything—how could she not be shocked?
Right after that, Chang'sheng said, "Yeah, just giving you a pill feels a little stingy. Come here."
Stingy?
Hong Ying stood there a bit dumbly, and subconsciously walked over.
Chang'sheng pointed at the center of her brow.
Suddenly, a torrent of information crashed into Hong Ying's mind like a flood!
Reincarnation Spear Technique.
Using the spear to master the martial, using reincarnation to touch the Dao!
...
As Hong Ying absorbed those streams of knowledge, she grew more and more amazed.
This Reincarnation Spear Technique wasn't just insanely powerful—it could wipe out worlds.
Even more, it fit seamlessly with her Nine Cycles Reincarnation Technique!
She was already on the path of reincarnation. Now, with this Reincarnation Spear Technique, her strength could rocket up several levels!
Chang'sheng withdrew his hand, stroking his chin.
"Hmm… Might be too slow if you're just studying it this way. Here, I'll demonstrate it for you—watch closely."
With that, he flipped his hand, and a spear formed out of spiritual energy appeared in his grasp.
Hong Ying's eyes went wide.
Wait—wasn't Master a sword cultivator?
Why is he suddenly wielding a spear?
Could it be…
Just as she was thinking this, Chang'sheng's spear twitched.
He thrust forward with explosive force!
The spear roared like a dragon, carrying the Will of Reincarnation, piercing straight through a distant mountain!
The mountain in the distance now had a massive hole right in it!
Hong Ying just stood there, dumbfounded, watching Chang'sheng demonstrate the Reincarnation Spear Technique.
And during that, he even showed the peak level of Spear Intent.
There was also a power that went beyond mere Spear Intent—it didn't even seem like a force of this world!
It was the Spear Dao Law!
Hong Ying sucked in a breath.
She'd thought Chang'sheng was a sword cultivator, but it turns out his spear arts were just as terrifying!
Way beyond her, by who knows how much!
No wonder he could hand out supreme martial arts like the Reincarnation Spear Technique…
After a bit, Chang'sheng stowed away the spear, and waved at Hong Ying, "Alright, go cultivate. I'm off for an afternoon nap."
Hong Ying: "..."