Ling Tian returned to his dwelling.
His back was still sweating when thinking back about the talk with his Master today.
"Although the process was thrilling, the results were fortunately good. Not only did I restore my cultivation base, but I also got three treasure chests."
Ling Tian focused his attention on the system. Three golden treasure chests appeared in front of him; these chests were the rewards for overfulfilling the task this time.
But—
[Hidden Mission Complete]
[Complete your first mission]
[Degree of completion: Perfect]
[Congratulations to the host for completing the mission perfectly. granting reward…]
[Reward: Newbie Gift Pack]
HOLY COW'S FAT—
Ling Tian nearly jumped three feet into the air.
"Wait, WAIT—another reward?!"
He stared at the glowing system panel as if it had personally insulted his intelligence.
He already got three super treasure chests for accidentally wooing the final boss. And now the system was telling him that just completing his first mission—the same mission—unlocked a Newbie Gift Pack?
What kind of shamelessly generous scam was this?!
The system didn't respond to his mental screaming. Instead, the notification continued scrolling with mechanical indifference.
[Newbie Gift Pack detected]
[Checking compatibility…]
[Compatibility: 100%]
[Warning: This reward is extremely incompatible with righteous sects]
[Do you wish to open it?]
Ling Tian's eyelids twitched.
"Incompatible with righteous sects…?"
That phrase alone was basically a death sentence inside Sacred Heaven Sect.
He glanced around his dwelling reflexively, half-expecting Ye Qingxian to materialize out of thin air with her sword already halfway through his neck.
"…I should be fine. Probably."
He swallowed.
"Open."
BOOM—!
A suffocating pressure exploded inside his sea of consciousness.
It wasn't ordinary Qi.
It wasn't even Immortal Qi or something like that.
It was something older.
Something that made his bones creak and his blood roar.
Ling Tian collapsed onto his bed as his veins bulged violently, black-gold runes flashing beneath his skin like living tattoos. His heart thundered as if an ancient monarch was pounding on the gates of his body, demanding entry.
"Ghh—!"
His vision flooded crimson.
Countless fragmented images surged into his mind:
—A throne forged from skulls
—An abyss without light
—Ten thousand demons kneeling
—A single figure seated above them all, one hand propping his chin, eyes burning with contempt for Heaven itself.
The figure was... me?!
Ling Tian's soul trembled.
Before he could respond, the system forcefully intervened.
Opening the three golden treasure chests, too.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the "Great Dao Devouring Cultivation Method"!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the "Neitherlight Edge"! ]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the "Myriad Annihilation Sword Art"!]
The "Great Dao Devouring Cultivation Method" was an ancient book. Inside the book were different symbols and words that were incomprehensible. Ling Tian couldn't recognize any of them.
He tried to sink his mind into the book; immediately, a bright light flashed in front of his eyes.
These mysterious symbols exuded golden light and poured into his mind like a tide.
— Plunder the heavens, become the indestructible supreme true god!
—Devour the Dao of Heaven, trample destiny beneath your feet.
— Take luck as food.
— Take talent as flesh.
— Take lifespan as fuel.
— Take everything… and leave nothing behind.
As if there were many Dao's melodies ceaselessly ringing in his ears, it shocked Ling Tian's mind into a kind of unstable state, and soon his consciousness plunged into darkness.
He didn't know how long it had passed, and a golden light lit up in the darkness. Then, it instantly lit up his whole sea of consciousness just like how a spark ignited the whole forest.
The next moment, a small figure that was translucent like an amethyst appeared cross-legged in his sea of consciousness. Its figure was engraved with myriad golden symbols.
The text on the ancient book shone brightly as a golden tattoo.
"Amazing!" Ling Tian opened his eyes, and golden light shone out.
This ancient book was not only a great cultivation method but also could change his physique.
That tiny figure stayed in his sea of consciousness and continuously absorbed Qi. His body, dantain, meridians, and even spirit were constantly tempered by the tiny figure.
In short, Ling Tian could cultivate without meditating now.
"What great luck, this is simply a cheating treasure for lazy people to cultivate! It's too suitable for me!" Ling Tian's mouth couldn't stop his mouth from grinning.
The second reward was the Neitherlight Edge. This was a high-level artifact, which could be stored inside the owner's body, and its power improved alongside the owner's strength.
Theoretically, as long as the user was sufficiently strong, there was no limit to the grade of this weapon. Besides, the third reward complemented the katana perfectly.
[Myriad Annihilation Sword Art]
Ling Tian's breathing hitched.
Just from the name alone, it screamed "banned technique that gets sects erased."
Before he could even complain, the sword art forcefully implanted itself into his mind.
A flood of images followed—
The sword intent that cut through heaven and earth.
A single slash that erased mountains.
A thousand overlapping sword shadows collapsing into one inevitable line.
This was not a righteous sword art.
This was not demonic either.
It was absolute destruction.
A sword art created with one purpose:
To end everything standing in front of the blade.
Ling Tian instinctively clenched his fist.
"This… this is completely illegal."
Yet the moment he grasped the Neitherlight Edge, the sword hummed softly—as if recognizing its rightful master.
The katana-shaped blade appeared in his hand, pitch black yet faintly translucent, as though it existed half in reality and half outside it. No murderous aura leaked. No sword intent radiated.
Silent.
Cold.
Perfect for murder.
Ling Tian swallowed.
"Alright… so I'm officially a walking taboo now."
Before he could further digest the rewards, another notification popped up.
[New Cultivation Method detected]
[Great Dao Devouring Cultivation Method initialising…]
[Warning: Devouring authority unlocked]
[Passive effect activated: Luck Devouring]
Ling Tian stiffened.
"…Passive?"
The system explained mercilessly.
[When the host remains within proximity of living beings, their luck, talent, Dao comprehension, and lifespan will be slowly siphoned.]
[Rate: Minimal]
[Note: The effect increases drastically when hostility is detected.]
Ling Tian's scalp exploded.
"WAIT—WAIT WAIT WAIT—"
"YOU MEAN I'M STEALING PEOPLE'S LUCK JUST BY EXISTING?!"
He instantly looked around his room like a guilty criminal.
"…Am I draining my neighbours?"
The system replied calmly.
[Confirmed]
Ling Tian: "..."
[The host seems to forget about the newbie gift pack reward.]
[Abyssal Monarch Bloodline]
The words floated calmly on the system panel.
Ling Tian stared at them.
Then—
"…Ah?"
That was all his brain could manage.
"Abyssal… Monarch… Bloodline?"
He swallowed.
The system, as always, showed zero concern for his mental health.
[Abyssal Monarch Bloodline — Activation in progress]
[Bloodline purity: Dormant]
[Authority level: Low]
[Status: Sealed — gradual awakening recommended]
Ling Tian's heart skipped violently.
"Wait, wait, WAIT—sealed? Authority? Awakening?!"
Before he could finish panicking, a burning sensation surged from deep within his bones.
It wasn't pain.
It was pressure.
As if his blood itself suddenly remembered what it once was.
BOOM.
A deep, ancient heartbeat echoed—not from his chest, but from somewhere infinitely distant, as if an abyssal throne had acknowledged him.
Ling Tian doubled over, gripping the bed.
Then—silence.
The system chimed again.
[Abyssal Monarch Bloodline: Initial Effects Unlocked]
[— Demonic Dao Affinity: MAX]
[— Resistance to Heavenly Suppression: HIGH]
[— Fear Immunity (Lower beings)]
[— Bloodline Suppression (Passive, sealed)]
Ling Tian's mouth went dry.
"…Lower beings?"
He stared at his hands.
They looked the same.
Still human.
Still familiar.
But he could feel it now—an indescribable sense of superiority buried beneath his heartbeat, as if everything around him instinctively ranked lower.
Not arrogance.
Instinct.
Predation.
"System," Ling Tian asked slowly, "define 'lower beings.'"
[Entities whose bloodline, cultivation, or fate ranking is inferior to the Abyssal Monarch.]
Ling Tian: "..."
"…That's basically everyone, isn't it?"
[Confirmed]
Ling Tian's soul trembled.
"Then if someone like… say… an elder… or my MASTER—"
[Insufficient authority]
[Bloodline suppression against top-tier existences remains sealed]
Ling Tian exhaled sharply.
"Good. Good. Very good."
Because if Ye Qingxian suddenly felt her cultivation being suppressed just by standing near him, he wouldn't even get a chance to explain before becoming sword mist.
He slumped onto the bed.
"Let me get this straight."
"I'm the Holy Son of the most righteous sect."
"Secretly possessing a demonic monarch bloodline."
"Cultivating a Dao that eats luck, talent, lifespan, and destiny."
"Passively draining people just by breathing."
"And wielding a sword art that deletes mountains."
"…System."
[Yes, Host?]
"Am I the main villain now?"
The system paused for exactly half a second.
[Answer: No]
[Correction: The host is an anomaly]
Ling Tian laughed weakly.
"Yeah. That's somehow worse."
Currently, Ling Tian doesn't want to test out the skill here yet. If he had alerted the experts in the sect, he would have had no explanation for the skill's origin, or would they even be willing to hear the explanation before smiting him?
"I'll go to sleep first, I hope that after tonight, Master will forget everything that happened today…" With that, Ling Tian stored the Neitherlight Edge inside his body and went to bed.
In the meantime, the amethyst-like figure in his sea of consciousness was still cultivating tirelessly, and a large amount of Qi was guided towards Ling Tian's body.
—
Sect Master Palace, Holy Peak.
Ye Qingxian sat on the bed in a daze, her eyes empty as if she had lost her soul.
I can finally bid farewell to being single.
But… the object of love is actually my disciple…
Her fair and delicate cheeks flushed.
I was too impulsive. How could I accept Tian'er's confession?
Even though he is indeed good-looking and talented and his feelings for me are sincere…
…He's my disciple!
Ye Qingxian could already imagine the uproar inside the sect if this matter were to be exposed.
Once the rumours broke out, her reputation inside the sect would change from "an old woman who no one wants" to "a pervert who sexually harassed her disciple"!
Though she had nerves of steel, she absolutely couldn't accept this title.
Besides, the most important thing was how she would face Ling Tian in the future if that happened.
For hundreds of years, Ye Qingxian concentrated on cultivation and didn't know anything about men and women's relationships.
Her relationship with Ling Tian was completely beyond her cognitive range.
"Oh~" Ye Qingxian rubbed her eyebrows, looking melancholy, "Why did I agree with him at that time…"
But it's too late to say anything now. According to Ling Tian's earlier actions, if she broke up with him, he would directly choose to commit suicide, right?
Thinking back on Ling Tian's firm eyes and tone at that moment, Ye Qingxian's heart fluttered, and she rolled around on the bed shyly, showing nothing of a sect master in her.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A knock on the door alarmed her.
At an instant, Ye Qingxian sat in an upright manner.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open, and a deaconess walked in and said respectfully, "Master, excuse me. I am here to get the results of the pill assessment."
"Assessment?" Ye Qingxian couldn't help but think of Ling Tian's confession, and started to be shy again. "I haven't finished checking the pills yet. I'll hand the results to you tomorrow."
Her heart was so messy today. How could she have the time to check those pills?
"All right." The deaconess did not question her; she only said, "I will take my leave, Master."
"Wait!" Ye Qingxian stopped her in an unconscious manner.
The deaconess stopped. "Is there anything else, Master?"
Shyness flashed through Ye Qingxian's eyes, but she pretended to ask, "Have you ever been in love?"
"Huh?" The deaconess was taken aback, then she broke down in a cold sweat and knelt on the ground with a plop.
"Master, I have always abided by the sect's rules and am not interested in men. If I have ever done anything beyond those scopes, please teach me a lesson!"
"..." Ye Qingxian rubbed her eyebrows helplessly, "Get up now, when did I say you did something wrong?"
The deaconess was still not at ease. "Then why are you asking that?"
Ye Qingxian said with a poker face, "Know yourself and the enemy, and you can always win. Although I have cut myself off from worldly affairs, I can't be ignorant of them. This is not conducive to cultivation."
"Er…yes," the deaconess nodded.
"Ahem," Ye Qingxian said solemnly, "I'll ask you again. If you have a boyfriend, what do you want to do with him most?"
The deaconess hesitated and dawdled to answer.
Ye Qingxian added, "We are discussing cultivation. Just voice out your thoughts, I will not punish you."
"Ok." The deaconess no longer hesitated; she looked forward and said, "There are many things we can do, such as dating, listening to music together, eating desserts together…"
"Dating, listening to music, eating desserts." Ye Qingxian took a small notebook and secretly jotted down the information.
The deaconess continued to fantasize, "If the relationship is one step closer, you can hold hands and kiss. Of course, you have to sleep together in the end…"
Bang…
Ye Qingxian unintentionally squeezed the corner of the bed into powder and stammered, "S-sleep together?!"
The deaconess was shocked and hurriedly said, "I only heard of it from others. Whether that is necessary, I don't know at all!"
"I see, you can leave." Ye Qingxian turned her head and said.
"Yes." The deaconess breathed a sigh of relief. For some reason, she felt that the sect master was strange today.
The sect master is not as cold as her past self. She has a bit more worldly characteristics, just like a girl next door's premature love.
"Is Master in love?"
"No, no, impossible! It must be my imagination, yes, yes, that cannot be it…" The deaconess was shocked at her own thoughts.
At this moment, Ye Qingxian cupped her hot cheeks. "Dating…"
***
Stone me, I can take it!
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