Chapter 110: Recruiting Disciples

  The grand comparison has come to a complete end, and the 20,000 people have retreated from the Heaven Sword Peak. In the sect, except for those who are in seclusion, more than ten Dan Xian elders have all arrived on the scene. Hundreds of strong men in green robes maintain order, and a lively celebration review ceremony is held at the foot of the Heaven Sword Peak mountain.

  Commented on the gains and losses of this group of disciples in the grand comparison, pointed out many found shortcomings and deficiencies, and commended the top ten, top thirty, and top eighty outstanding disciples. Li Rengdao was in the spotlight throughout the event, and the name Li Rengdao became known to everyone in the entire sect at once.

  The female disciple Xie Wanmei sat below, looking at Li Ranno on the stage with an air of confidence and grandeur, admiring and worshiping him infinitely. When she first met Li Ranno, he was holding a borrowed 100 points to exchange for spiritual medicine here, looking still quite young and inexperienced, who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, this gray-clothed man would stand at the peak of universal attention, achieving dazzling achievements that ordinary people could hardly reach.

  In the Two Million Grey Robe Competition, he actually charged all the way to the peak of the strength of two million people.

  Li Ranno smiled as he walked down from the celebration stage, this time he gained a lot, not only honor, but more importantly, he finally met the requirements of Xiao Changlao and completed the conditions for entering the Upper Immortal Gate.

  What delighted Li Ruo even more was that he had only just found out that after the Grand Competition, there were also rewards in terms of points.

  The top three winners will each receive 3,000 door points, the fourth to sixth place will each receive 2,000, and the seventh to tenth place will each receive 1,000.

  Another 3,000 points were credited, and Li Ran's heart was overjoyed. To him, all of these were tangible strengths that could be seen with the naked eye.

  Several Taoist immortals took the opportunity to expound on the Great Way, sharing their insights and experiences in cultivation, explaining the mysteries of heaven and earth. More than 20,000 people listened with rapt attention, as if entranced. Li Ruo also felt that his horizons had broadened even further.

  The celebration lasted for three days before it came to an end. The various disciples were reluctant to part, enthusiastically discussing and analyzing the events as they departed in batches back to their respective main peaks.

  Li Ruo returned to the Thirteen Peaks Xuanhuo Cave, at this time everyone's gaze towards him was completely different, even Tu Shun in front of him was somewhat respectful and didn't dare to make jokes casually.

  Li Rando responded to the congratulations of his fellow disciples one after another, including those from Lingyao Valley's Nadan and Aqiao, Yanshentang's Qin Fengchuan, Cangzhengu's Xie Yuemei, and even the Guardian Mountain Garrison's Gule Yang.

  At that time, the Xuanhuo Cave was crowded with people, and the gate was like a market. Ma Kong and Tu Shun were delighted all day long, their mouths couldn't be closed.

  Several days later, he finally calmed down and sat in the stone cave, but his heart was still racing with anxiety.

  The Da Bi has ended for several days, but there is still no news from Xiao Chang Lao's side. Didn't he say that if I entered the top ten, he would accept me as his apprentice? Why hasn't there been any movement on Xiao Chang Lao's side yet? It can't be that simple for a Dan Sheng Upper Immortal to take in an apprentice, could it be that there is still some kind of test?

  At this time, should I show more enthusiasm and take the initiative to ask Fangzi Yan Shixiong about the situation, showing that I am very proactive in the matter of worshiping a master, or should I remain calm and composed, showing that I have deep determination and will not be moved by external things?

  It's been several days already, could it be that Elder Xiao is intentionally testing my temperament?

  Li Ran's knife was restless and uneasy, even his practice couldn't calm his mind completely.

  After waiting for another two days, there was still no news. Li Ran suddenly stood up from the stone bed, unable to wait any longer. No matter what, he had to go and ask about the situation first. He went to Fang Ziyuan's place to find out about Xiao Changlao's intentions and make arrangements for the next step.

  With a creak, Li Ran pushed open the stone gate, adjusted his clothes, and stepped out of the cave. As he walked forward, he almost collided with Tu Shun, who was running in from around the bend in front of him.

  Tú Shùn saw Li Rán's knife and was overjoyed, his face revealing a look of anxious urgency as he urged:

  "Brother Fang's flames are burning fiercely, hurry up, Brother Fang has arrived at the outer cave and is waiting for you."

  "Brother Fang?"

  Li Ranno's heart skipped a beat as he heard this, finally there was news, how could he not be anxious. He hastily followed Tu Shun to the outside cave, and from afar saw Ma Kong respectfully accompanying Fang Ziyuan, chatting with him casually.

  Li Ran Dao hastily ran over: "Fang Shixiong, you're here."

  After greeting, Li Ruo tightly stared at Fang Ziyi's face, wanting to see through his expression. Fang Ziyi's eyebrows were slightly furrowed, with a helpless look on his face. Li Ruo's heart skipped another beat, and he felt a chill in his heart.

  Fang Ziyuan nodded: "Ran Jian, Master wants to see you, come with me quickly."

  Behind them, Ma Kong and Tu Shun also sensed that something was off and turned to look at each other in shock, unable to guess whether Li Ran's move was a good or bad thing. Was there another unexpected turn of events on the road to becoming a master?

  Li Ruo's heart was racing with seven ups and downs, as he followed Fang Ziyuan out of the Xuanhuo Cave. Walking on the deserted mountain road, Li Ruo couldn't help but ask cautiously from behind: "Fang Shixiong, this time the elder called me over, is..."

  Fang Ziyuan smiled wryly and shook his head, sighing: "Feng Jian, don't ask anymore, you'll know when the time comes."

  Li Ran Jian saw this, his heart cooled even more, and followed the senior brother to hurry along, walking for a long time. The two of them turned over layers of peaks and ridges before finally arriving in front of a secluded mountain wall. Through the thick wisteria vines, they saw that the gate of the cave mansion was quietly open.

  Two people squeezed through the gate and went straight in.

  Listening to the footsteps echoing in the cave, Li Ranno's heart beat with a thud, and fine beads of sweat seeped out on his tense forehead.

  The mountain wall turned, and finally arrived at Xiao Baiyi's cave mansion. The stalactites hung upside down, the strange rocks stood upright, and the arc lines between the strange rocks had a mysterious degree, like the arrangement of Gong Shang Jue Zhi.

  Xiao Bai Yi stood behind the counter with his hands clasped together, listening to the footsteps and slowly turning his head to look at the two people below, a helpless expression on his face.

  Li Ruo's heart sank into an abyss, vaguely aware that something was amiss, and he hastily paid his respects to Fang Ziyan:

  "I have seen Master!"

  "Have seen the elder."

  Xiao Bai Yi nodded slowly and opened his mouth lightly: "Ran Jian, I summoned you today for two reasons. Firstly, to congratulate you on your outstanding performance in the Grand Competition, which has greatly enhanced our reputation as the Thirteen Peaks and fulfilled my ancestor's wish. I also want to thank you."

  "Senior, Li Ruo's sudden breakthrough on the battlefield was also unexpected. I feel extremely fortunate to have achieved such a result."

  Xiao Baiyi nodded again and continued:

  "Rěn Dāo, you have fulfilled your promise in this great competition and successfully met my conditions. However, it seems that I will be the one to go back on my word... I'm afraid I won't be able to take you as my disciple..."

  Li Ruo's heart sank with a loud crash, and his heart was completely desperate. He didn't know what he had done wrong, and all the efforts he had made for so long were in vain?

  His arms were slightly trembling, suppressing the excitement in his heart, he took a deep breath and looked up at the elder, asking softly: "I don't know what mistake Jianjian made, please enlighten me, Elder."

  Xiao Bai Yi smiled bitterly and quickly shook his head: "Feng Jian, it's not that you did anything wrong, you've done very well, but..."

  Before he could finish speaking, a figure suddenly emerged from the depths of the strange rocks standing behind the cave, laughing loudly and saying: "I'm telling you, Bai Yi, why are you being so evasive when talking to your disciple? Why not just speak plainly and be done with it? Let Huo Jian stop worrying unnecessarily, what's the point?"

  Li Ruo was shocked, who dared to make such a big noise in Dan Sheng's immortal cave?

  He hastily looked up and saw a tall middle-aged man with a square face, not angry but majestic, his feet lightly floating as if he was about to ride the clouds, shrinking the distance to just a few inches, without seeing any movement, in just a few steps he arrived at Xiao Baiyi's side from over ten yards away.

  Fang Ziyuan hastily bowed deeply: "Ziyuan has seen Master Zhou."

  The man with a national character face waved his hand casually: "No need to be polite", and sat down naturally in Xiao Baiyi's seat, his eyes gleaming brightly, looking at Li Ruo Dao with great interest.

  Fang Ziyin hastily pulled Li Rengdao, saying in a low voice: "Rengdao, what are you still dazing about? This is our Xuanji Mountain Zhou Tianxu Zhangmen, the great master brother of our master. Don't you greet him?"

  Li Ruo was shocked and only then realized that he had failed to recognize a superior person. He hastily bowed deeply: "Ruo has seen the Sect Master."

  Zhou Tianyu burst out laughing and waved his hand: "No need to be polite. Li Ran, on the day of the big comparison, I didn't go, but later I heard about your results and repeatedly watched the spiritual record in the Heart-to-Heart Reflection Stone. To be honest, your growth rate is really surprising! Do you know why our elder said that he couldn't take you as a disciple? Because I'm here now, and I told him, 'This disciple, I want to take him in.' How about it, are you interested in having me as your master?"

  Li Ran Dao heard this and felt a loud shock in his heart, he was so surprised that he was stunned, standing there with a face full of disbelief, not knowing what to say.

  It turns out that Elder Xiao didn't accept me as a disciple, not because I wasn't good enough, but because I was too good, and even attracted the attention of more powerful immortals. How laughable that I was still worried about it just now.

  Li Ran's heart was filled with infinite brightness, feeling that the sky was high and the earth was wide, everything was exciting.

  Xuanji Mountain's sect leader wants to personally take me as a disciple? Zhou Tianxu, the sect leader, wants to take a grey-clothed disciple as his direct disciple? If this matter is spread out, I wonder how many people will be shocked.