14: Chapter 14 The Empress Pushes Down the Golden Mountain and Collapses the Jade Pillar

The mountain breeze stirred Ye Qingyao's skirt and hair.

She slowly stood up from the stone bench.

Her expression was solemn, with an unprecedented gravity.

First, she took three steps back, creating some distance from Su Changge.

Then, in front of Su Changge, she began to solemnly tidy her clothes and appearance.

A stray lock of hair blown messy by the wind was carefully tucked behind her ear.

She smoothed her pure white skirt until there wasn't a single wrinkle.

She retightened the sash around her waist.

Every movement carried a nearly sacred sense of ritual, as if she were about to perform a life-altering sacrifice.

Su Changge watched her series of actions, his heart full of confusion.

What was she doing now?

After finishing the water, she was performing a live tidying show? This Empress's way of doing things was indeed different from ordinary people.

He grumbled inwardly, but on the surface, he remained as calm as a light breeze, watching quietly to see what she was up to.

Finally, Ye Qingyao finished tidying herself.

She raised her eyes, and a look of determination appeared on her cold and beautiful face.

The next second.

Under Su Changge's slightly startled gaze, the girl who had been arrogant just a moment ago suddenly lowered her body.

Thud!

Her knees slammed heavily onto the hard bluestone ground, letting out a dull, loud bang.

She knelt so resolutely and with such force, as if she were slamming all her dignity and past into this piece of land.

Immediately after, she bent her body and slammed her smooth forehead heavily against the ground!

Dust stained her hair and her forehead.

This was the highest-spec apprenticeship ritual in the cultivation world!

Only when facing a Revered Master who teaches and grants a new life would one perform such a grand prostration!

"Disciple Ye Qingyao boldly implores the Immortal Venerable to take me as a Disciple!"

Her voice was no longer cold; every word was wrapped in endless piety and burning desire.

"Disciple is willing to serve the Immortal Venerable for generations, as a slave or maid, to work like an ox or horse, with no second thoughts! I only beg the Immortal Venerable to give me a chance to follow you!"

After speaking, she remained kneeling, her forehead pressed tightly against the cold ground, waiting for Su Changge's "judgment" in the humblest posture.

Su Changge was completely dumbfounded.

Looking at the girl kneeling before him, his brain instantly crashed, going blank.

Apprenticeship?

Had the plot skipped ahead by a hundred thousand miles?

I just wanted to pretend to be a Master to scare you away so you'd stop bothering me, I never thought about taking a Disciple!

What kind of international joke was this!

I'm just a Weakling at the Third Level of Qi Refining; how can I teach you, a Rebirth Empress?

Teach you how to meditate and then make plain water taste like the Origin of the Great Dao?!

Inside Su Changge—the fake Master and real rookie—alarm bells rang wildly, sounding a red alert.

Taking a Disciple meant responsibility.

It meant he had to maintain this "Immortal Venerable" persona at all times; once he was exposed...

He had no doubt that this seemingly pious girl would immediately turn on him, grind his bones to ash, and even scatter his Divine Soul completely!

No way!

Absolutely cannot accept her!

He couldn't afford this risk!

Su Changge made an instant decision in his heart.

He had to refuse, and refuse in a profound way that fit the style of an Immortal Venerable, so she wouldn't notice his lack of confidence.

He cleared his throat, leaned back slightly, and rested leisurely against the wall of the thatched hut behind him, his posture becoming increasingly lazy and indifferent.

He didn't say "no" directly, but instead spoke slowly in a vicarious tone that seemed to have experienced everything and seen through eternity:

"My lineage does not enter the Mortal World and does not touch Karma."

"What we emphasize is the word 'fate'."

"Between you and me, the fate has not yet arrived."

The level of pretentiousness in these words was maxed out.

It was a subtle refusal that attributed the reason to the ethereal "fate," making it impeccable.

However, Su Changge still underestimated the determination of a "King of Overthinking."

Hearing these words, Ye Qingyao didn't feel the slightest bit discouraged; instead, it was like she had been injected with a booster, and her conviction became even firmer!

A test!

This must be the Immortal Venerable's ultimate test for me!

The Immortal Venerable is testing whether my Dao Heart is pious! Seeing if I'm acting on impulse or if I truly possess an indomitable heart for the Dao!

The so-called "fate has not yet arrived" is just an excuse!

True supreme Opportunity is never something to wait for; it must be fought for with one's life!

Thinking of this, Ye Qingyao didn't stand up; instead, she bowed even lower, her voice carrying a hint of trembling resolve.

"Immortal Venerable! Disciple knows her Aptitude is dull and her root bone is poor, but Disciple has a sincere heart for the Dao!"

"As long as the Immortal Venerable is willing to take me in, Disciple is willing to start as a servant, sweeping the hut, washing clothes, and brewing tea for the Immortal Venerable without a single word of complaint!"

To increase her weight, she gritted her teeth and threw out her biggest secret.

"And... Disciple is an eternally rare 'Innate Dao Embryo'! With enough resources, my cultivation will progress by leaps and bounds. One day, I will surely become the sharpest sword under the Immortal Venerable, never tarnishing your prestige!"

Innate Dao Embryo?

Su Changge didn't understand, but he was greatly shocked.

Looking at the girl who refused to get up, acting as if she wouldn't stop until she reached her goal, his scalp tingled.

Big sister, don't be like this!

I really can't teach you! If you keep kneeling, I won't be able to stop myself from kneeling with you!

Just as Su Changge was so anxious he was about to lose control of his expression, a heavenly voice suddenly rang in his mind.

[Ding! Detected that the Host has triggered a Hidden Quest: Taking the Empress as a Disciple!]

[Quest Description: Take the Rebirth Empress Ye Qingyao as a Disciple and cultivate her into a talent (or let her teach herself).]

[Quest Reward: Divine Level Breath Concealment Technique (Passive)!]

[Skill Description: [Divine Level Breath Concealment Technique] can perfectly hide all of the Host's aura, cultivation, and spiritual energy fluctuations, including the existence of the System itself. Unless the Host actively exposes it, even an Immortal Emperor would be unable to see through the Host's true depth!]

The moment Su Changge saw the quest reward, his breathing stopped for a second.

Divine Level Breath Concealment Technique!

Even an Immortal Emperor can't see through it?!

This... isn't this the ultimate survival and pretension skill tailor-made for him?!

With this, would he still need to be on edge every day?

He could completely play the role of "Immortal Venerable" to the end and walk tall!

In an instant, the scales in Su Changge's heart tipped drastically.

On one side was the risk of death from exposure after taking a Disciple.

On the other side was the supreme divine skill that could let him escape the fear of being seen through once and for all.

Risk and reward clashed wildly in his mind.

Only three seconds passed.

A flash of determination crossed Su Changge's eyes.

Let's do it!

Wealth is found in risk!

For this divine skill, I'm taking this Disciple!

Isn't it just teaching a Disciple? We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. At worst, I'll just let her—comprehend it herself!