Bai Di City, Ting Yu Tower.
A spring rain descended upon Bai Di City, making the scenery within Ting Yu Tower most picturesque.
Amidst the pattering raindrops, a person stood by a horse outside the gate of the Xiuyi Pavilion. Clad in armor and with a long sword on his back, he was a young sword cultivator, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, quite handsome. He wore a bamboo hat, upon which the characters "Zheng Du" (Contend to Cross) floated. This was none other than Su Xinghe, the leader of the Xinghe Guild. He had stood there silently for an hour. The拜帖 (invitation card) had been sent into Ting Yu Tower long ago, yet the Pavilion Master refused to grant him an audience.
"Young hero, you should leave," a centurion on guard duty said. "Pavilion Master Cao is eccentric and has never taken any disciples over the years. Though she is a twelve-realm sword cultivator, she merely practices her sword alone. She will never take you as a disciple, so give up hope. So many people come from your realm, with many talented heroes, why should this good fortune fall to you?"
Su Xinghe smiled slightly and said gently, "It's alright, I can wait a bit longer. If the Pavilion Master insists on not seeing me, then I will truly give up. What do you think?"
"Hmph!" The centurion chuckled. "Then continue to wait!"
Just then, the mansion gate opened. A Xiuyi Pavilion death warrior from the Xinghe realm frowned as he looked at Su Xinghe and said, "Follow me. The Pavilion Master will see you in Ting Yu Tower."
"Good, thank you!" Su Xinghe nodded with a smile, his face full of joy.
After entering the Xiuyi Pavilion and walking for a long time in the wind and rain corridor, he saw Ting Yu Tower standing in the western part of the estate, overlooking the wind and rain between heaven and earth. Just as Su Xinghe was about to ascend, a death warrior from the Xinghe realm blocked him with his arm. The death warrior looked at him with a mocking sneer and said, "Do you think you are qualified to go up to Ting Yu Tower to speak with the Pavilion Master?"
"Then I?" Su Xinghe frowned.
"You can meet the Pavilion Master in the rain," he said.
"..."
Facing the other's arrogance, Su Xinghe hesitated for a few seconds. He finally decided to put down his pride, took off his bamboo hat and threw it in the wind and rain corridor. He then stepped onto the stone slab ground, covered with a layer of rainwater, and came to the open space in front of Ting Yu Tower. He looked up at Ting Yu Tower and saw a woman in a blood-red dress. She was graceful and beautiful, truly worthy of being the foremost beauty in Bai Di City. Not only was her beauty unmatched, but her swordsmanship was likely the same.
Su Xinghe looked up at her, cupped his fists, and said in a deep voice, "Sword cultivator Su Xinghe wishes to become a disciple of the Pavilion Master. I hope the Pavilion Master will grant my request!"
"Oh?" From within Ting Yu Tower, Cao Ying looked down at Su Xinghe, a smile playing on her lips. She said, "Why should I take you as a disciple, and why should I pass on my peerless swordsmanship to you?"
Su Xinghe frowned and said in a deep voice, "Su Xinghe sincerely wishes to become your disciple and will, for life, regard you as my master and follow you closely. I hope you will grant my request. I will never disappoint you."
"Hmph..." Cao Ying sat on the railing at the edge, saying nothing. She simply took a pot of fine wine from a servant and poured herself a drink.
"..." Su Xinghe remained silent, standing in the rain, already soaked to the bone. However, he frowned, his resolve firm. He slowly lowered himself and knelt on one knee beneath Ting Yu Tower, saying in a deep voice, "I hope the Pavilion Master will grant my request!"
Cao Ying still said nothing, only drinking quietly.
Su Xinghe, without lifting his head, knelt on one knee with his fists clasped. He was gambling on Cao Ying's thoughts. Since she did not refuse, it meant she had not outright rejected him. As long as he could show her enough perseverance and sincerity, he believed that even a stone would eventually be worn down by dripping water.
...
As Cao Ying poured herself wine, a middle-aged man in black stood beside her. He was Qin Cheng, a spirit cultivator at the eleventh realm, the deputy Pavilion Master of Xiuyi Pavilion, and the second most important figure in the entire organization.
"Pavilion Master," Qin Cheng said via telepathy. "Do you see potential in this young man? If not, we can have him driven away. Many people from your realm have come wanting to join Xiuyi Pavilion these days. Bah, they don't even look at themselves to see what they are! Their cultivation is all superficial, good to look at but useless in practice. If Xiuyi Pavilion takes them in, we might as well lose our standing in the imperial court."
Cao Ying glanced at him and smiled faintly, saying nothing.
"Pavilion Master?" Qin Cheng frowned. "Do you think... this child is usable?"
"Mm," Cao Ying said calmly. "This person has excellent sword cultivator roots, is resolute in character, and ambitious. At such a young age, he is already a Void Comprehension sword cultivator. If he receives my guidance in the future, reaching the eleventh realm will be the least he can achieve. Perhaps he might even have a chance to reach the twelfth realm. At that time... won't Xiuyi Pavilion have a successor?"
"Ah?!" Qin Cheng exclaimed. "Do you truly intend to treat this child as your successor, Pavilion Master?"
"Not necessarily," Cao Ying smiled. "If he is useful, I will use him. If not, I will not. If he eventually reaches a point where he is no longer useful, I will simply kill him with a sword. Do you think I would have any master-disciple affection with him? Men in this world cannot be trusted, and men who are glib-tongued and put on airs are even less trustworthy."
Saying this, she sighed and said, "Let him kneel for now. We will discuss it tomorrow. If the person is still here, I will accept him as a direct disciple. If he is gone, it means he truly lacks the fortune."
"Yes!" Qin Cheng nodded. "Your wisdom is unparalleled, Pavilion Master!"
...
Qing Liang Sect, Patriarch Hall.
Li Canghai, Xihe Da Guokui, Jiuyou Huangquan, and dozens of other players from the Cang Knights' Guild stood with solemn expressions in front of the Patriarch Hall. Led by Li Canghai, no one dared to overstep and stand in front of him.
Inside the Patriarch Hall, a figure emerged from the clouds, clad in a gray-white robe. This was Zhao Jingyu, the ancestor of the Qing Liang Sect, a great cultivator at the thirteenth realm.
"Why do you not pay respects to the Ancestor?!" Beside Zhao Jingyu, Sect Master Zhao Suiguang stood with his hands behind his back, his voice filled with authority.
"Ah?!" Xihe Da Guokui and the others looked at each other. How should they pay respects? Should they kneel? They were born with proud spirits. They would only kneel to heaven, earth, and their parents. How could they kneel to an NPC in a game? Who did this Zhao Jingyu think he was?!
But at that moment, Li Canghai was the first to kneel and said in a deep voice, "Li Canghai pays respects to the Ancestor!" He glanced back at his companions and said in the team channel, "All of you, get on your knees! Thirteen realms! Do you fools who just eat and drink not have the qualification to kneel?"
Instantly, everyone knelt down in unison.
"Mm." Zhao Jingyu narrowed his eyes, looked at the group before him, and said with a smile, "Li Canghai, I heard you wish to become my disciple and have prepared a betrothal gift for me. Is that correct?"
"Yes!" Li Canghai presented a jade pendant the size of a fist with both hands. "I learned that the Ancestor's great path is close to water, so I spent a huge sum at the main store of Jubao Fang in Bai Di City to purchase a jade belt buckle. If the Ancestor can refine this jade belt buckle into his Natal item, it will surely consolidate the Ancestor's thirteenth realm cultivation, and perhaps even allow him to touch the threshold of the fourteenth realm!"
This jade belt buckle cost a full 500 Jin Zizhi coins. These Jin Zizhi coins were exchanged with gold coins, costing Li Canghai a staggering 500 million common currency. Logically, this was more than enough. Li Canghai had even convened a board meeting of Cangnan Group to get approval for these funds, as Cangnan Group did not belong to him alone, and 500 million common currency was indeed a significant amount.
"Oh?" Zhao Jingyu raised his hand slightly and took the jade belt buckle. He gently caressed it and immediately perceived its subtle mysteries. It was indeed a good item, worth at least 400 Jin Zizhi coins. It seemed this person who came to seek art might be from a noble lineage of the Great Merchant Dynasty, with a vast force supporting him, otherwise, he would not have such a lavish display.
"Li Canghai..." Zhao Jingyu narrowed his eyes and said with a smile, "Your betrothal gift shows sincerity. However... forgive me for being blunt, but I, Zhao Jingyu, have already entered the Ascension realm and have no intention of taking direct disciples. This single jade belt buckle is likely not enough to change my mind. Do you understand what I mean? Bring a truly substantial gift, and I will accept you as a disciple!"
At that moment, Li Canghai's mind buzzed. A gift worth 500 million was not enough? Was he too greedy? But it was too late to regret it, as he couldn't snatch the jade belt buckle back from this thirteenth realm cultivator. He would be killed with a single palm strike!
His voice trembled slightly. "May I ask the Ancestor, what would be considered a substantial gift?"
"That, well..." Zhao Jingyu ran his hand over the patterns on the jade belt buckle and smiled. "At least three times the value of this item, otherwise there's no need to return. And if you truly bring back a treasure, we, the Qing Liang Sect, will accept all your people. I will take you as a direct disciple, and my son, Sect Master Zhao Suiguang, can also take two people as direct disciples as an exception. As for the rest of the elders, protectors, and offerings, you can let your people choose, as long as the total number is not too large. Of course, the betrothal gifts for these people are also indispensable."
Too greedy! Sweat was already beading on Li Canghai's forehead. He had researched the personalities of various sects and NPCs on the forum, hoping to try his luck and cater to their preferences at Qing Liang Sect. But who would have thought Zhao Jingyu would be so greedy? If he didn't fill his insatiable greed, the jade belt buckle would likely be wasted.
After several seconds of hesitation, he cupped his fists and said in a deep voice, "Please wait a moment, Ancestor. Your disciple will definitely give you a satisfactory betrothal gift!"
It's just money! As long as he successfully becomes a disciple, the Cang Knights' Guild can train a group of top players. By then, they can compete for resources in the game and still have a continuous stream of income every day. Another 1.5 billion is nothing. Cangnan Group has deep reserves; they can afford it!
...
Not long after, Li Canghai convened an online board meeting. After his resolute efforts to overcome opposition, he finally allocated another 1.5 billion from the group's funds as investment for the game.
Going online, in Bai Di City, at Jubao Fang.
Li Canghai, Xihe Da Guokui, and Jiuyou Huangquan stood in front of a precious item. It was a Ruyi scepter, priced at 1500 Jin Zizhi coins, perfectly fulfilling Zhao Jingyu's requirement for items related to water, truly a grand treasure.
Just then, with a "ding," Li Canghai received a message from a stranger. It was from Bai Yi, the leader of the Scarlet Moon Knights: "Guild Leader Li Canghai, I heard you intend to become a disciple of Qing Liang Sect. Do you wish to become Zhao Jingyu's disciple?"