Chapter 406: Zhang Yibaiâs Ambition [Starfall Snow]
âBrother Chen, didnât you say your disciple hit a bottleneck and wanted me to help her train?â
Zhang Yibai, who had just been released, stared blankly at Li Qingran who was in the middle of breaking through, pointing at her in confusion. âWhatâs going on here? She had an epiphany?â
âYeah.â Chen Huaian gave a wry smile.
âIncredible, your disciple is truly incredible!â
Zhang Yibai clicked his tongue in amazement, then looked Chen Huaian over. âYou, as her Master, are also quite something. An epiphany is her own fortune, but being able to casually trigger itânow
the mark of a great Master.â
âWould you mind telling this old brother how you got her to reach epiphany?â
Zhang Yibai asked with a mind to learn.
After all, he wasnât entirely dead yetâthere was still hope for him.
But Chen Huaian just kept his lips tightly sealed, his gaze lowered.
âOh, keeping secrets now? What kind of attitude is that?â
Zhang Yibai sneered, then began to calculate with his fingers.
After a few minutes, his face suddenly changed. He hissed sharply.
He looked up at Chen Huaian, his expression odd, like he didnât believe what heâd just divined. Shaking his head in disbelief, he recalculated. But the more he calculated, the more things didnât add up. The way he looked at Chen Huaian grew increasingly disturbed.
Eventually, he gave up on calculating, his face darkening.
Pointing at Chen Huaian, his finger visibly trembling: âYou... youâre chasing your Master?! Shame on you! Youâve got such a good disciple and you just
to sleep with her! Isnât watching her grow up healthy and happy enough for you?!â
âNever thought you were this kind of person!â
âBrother Chen, I really... need to learn from you!â
Chen Huaian: ಠ_ಠ????
Come on, man.
Learn from
?
He was all ready to be condemned by Zhang Yibai.
Chen Huaian glared at Zhang Yibai and bared his teeth. âYouâre no saint either!â
âFlattered.â Zhang Yibai stroked his beard with a chuckle. âIf youâre not shameless, the heavens will smite you. Itâs just a pity that all my disciples are men, and I donât swing that way. Thatâs why Iâve spent all these long years alone!â
âThat canât be. There are tons of geniuses in the Cangyun Realm. Not even one female disciple caught your eye?â Chen Huaian asked in confusion. âWhatâs your standard for taking disciples?â
âStandard? Itâs simple!â
Zhang Yibai counted off on his fingers: âFirst, must have a single spiritual rootâpreferably Sword Spiritual Root. Second, must comprehend either Pure Yang or Pure Yin Sword Intent. Third, must be under a hundred years old. Fourth, must be able to withstand three of my palm strikes after I suppress my cultivation. Thatâs it, just these minor conditions.â
Chen Huaian: ââ¦â¦â
The hell is that supposed to be simple?
Any one of those would be a high bar.
Especially the fourth.
Even a Mahayana-stage cultivator suppressing their cultivation to the same realmâthree strikes would still crush most juniors. This is like a myth-level player smurfing in bronze rank.
âSo, not a single female disciple passed the test?â
âNone.â Zhang Yibai shook his head and sighed.
âHave you considered... lowering the bar a bit?â Chen Huaian hesitated.
âHow could I lower the bar?â Zhang Yibai looked appalled. âThis is for a personal disciple! Selection must be strict, stricter, and then even stricter!â
âBut didnât you say you wanted a Dao Companion?â
âSo what.â Zhang Yibai was unmoved. âEven a Dao Companion has to take three of my palm strikes!â
Chen Huaian: ââ¦â¦â
No wonder this old man has no Dao Companion or cute female disciples.
âSo, did you summon me just to show off your discipleâs epiphany?â Zhang Yibai seemed to think the previous topic wasnât so appropriate and returned to normal conversation.
âWell, Iâve seen it now. Iâll go back to resting inside the sword.â
âNot so fast.â Chen Huaian narrowed his eyes at Zhang Yibaiâs spirit form, giving him a thorough once-overâsure enough, he had traces of gray aura on him too.
He hadnât been able to see it before because his strength and divine sense werenât strong enough.
But now, with Dang Kangâs support, Zhang Yibai was crystal clear to him.
However, the gray aura on Zhang Yibai was extremely faintâbarely visible.
âOld brother, do you know about reincarnation in this world?â
âReincarnation?â
âSeems you havenât encountered it yet.â Seeing Zhang Yibaiâs confused expression, Chen Huaian told him everything he currently knew.
âThereâs something like that?!â
Zhang Yibaiâs expression turned grim.
He didnât doubt Chen Huaianâs words.
âIn fact, Brother Chen, after we returned to Earth, I already felt something off. A strange and eerie energy blanketed the entire worldâit felt just like facing a Heavenly Tribulation.â
âBut I didnât want to scare you, so I kept it to myself.â
Chen Huaian immediately understoodâZhang Yibai might not see the gray aura, but his terrifying Mahayana-stage divine sense still picked up on the anomaly.
âDo you have any ideas to deal with this?â
Zhang Yibai thought for a moment, then suddenly looked up. âBrother Chen, this is urgent. Based on what you told me, I fear that if we delay any longer, the entire world will become Ascenders. If you want to change the game, youâll have to go against the whole world!â
âExactly.â Chen Huaian nodded, smiling bitterly. âI may be strong, but I donât think I can take on the world. I do want to reduce the number of Ascenders, but due to my sensitive identity, I canât act openlyâ¦â
âI see.â Zhang Yibai stroked his beard. âHow about this: once the Black Scales Sword becomes a Spiritual Treasure, you help restore my soul and find a vessel. Iâll establish a sect here on Earth to openly suppress the Ascenders. Meanwhile, you operate from the shadows using the Cangyun Realmâs resources to grow my sect. As long as most cultivators arenât Ascendersâor even if itâs fifty-fiftyâweâve got a shot at flipping the board. What do you think?â
âYouâre planning to build another Zhenwu Holy Land on Earth?â Chen Huaianâs eyes widened.
Zhang Yibai stroked his beard and laughed boldly. âWhy not?â
âBack then, I built Zhenwu Holy Land from scratch. Now I just lack a body. Besides, with your backing, why couldnât the glory of Zhenwu rise again in this world?â
At this moment, the Patriarch of Zhenwu Holy Land radiated with confidence.
Chen Huaian understoodâZhang Yibai was doing this to be his shield.
With Zhenwu Holy Land as cover, he could safely grow in the shadows.
Say no more.
Tears welled up.
If he were a woman, heâd probably bear Zhang Yibai a few monkeys.
âDonât fall for me, Iâm just a legend.â Zhang Yibai saw the emotion in Chen Huaianâs eyes and grinned. âIf this world really is doomed to fall into a cycle of destruction, then theyâll have to walk over this old manâs bones first!â
âMaster, Uncle Zhang, what are you talking about?â
A clear voice rang out from behind.
Chen Huaian and Zhang Yibai instantly dropped the subject and turned around in unison.
Li Qingran had unknowingly finished her meditation.
Her face was glowing, her aura stronger than ever.
Clearly, she had broken through to the Late Golden Core Stage!
Chen Huaian and Zhang Yibai exchanged a glanceâboth of them were impressed.
Zhang Yibai marveled at Li Qingranâs monstrous talent.
And Chen Huaian was thinkingâhe was finally getting his Spiritual Treasure!