127: Accepted Chen Ping'an as his apprentice

The entire Lichen Sword Sect was still immersed in the shock brought by yesterday's pressure test, which was nothing short of a miracle.

Whether it was the Outer Sect Disciples sweating on the training ground or the Inner Sect Disciples meditating in their Immortal Caves, the topic of discussion revolved around one core point.

"Hey, have you heard? In yesterday's test, someone persisted until the very end!"

"Nonsense! Who doesn't know about that?! I saw it with my own eyes. That pressure made my legs tremble from a distance, but someone actually endured it!"

"Who was it exactly? We all fainted later, so we don't know the final result."

"Who else could it be? It must be that new Genius, Su Qingxue! I heard she was born with a clear Sword Heart, so this little pressure is nothing to her!"

"That's how it should be. For a Fairy-like figure like Fairy Su, isn't it only natural for her to persist until the end?"

"There was another one, I heard there were two."

"It must be one of the dozens of Geniuses at the very front."

Everyone was discussing animatedly, and in their words, there was an obvious sense of worship and reverence for the never-before-seen Su Qingxue.

Just then, an untimely voice weakly spoke up.

"Um... I seem to have heard that besides Senior Sister Su, there was also someone who couldn't even participate in the official assessment, named... named Chen Ping'an, who also persisted until the end."

As soon as these words came out, the entire place instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Chen Ping'an?

Who?

Why does that name sound so unfamiliar?

Just as everyone was looking at each other, full of questions.

On the high platform.

Sect Master Li Tian looked at the young men and women below who had passed through layers of tests and possessed outstanding talent, and loudly announced the results of yesterday's final test.

"Yesterday, in the pressure test set by Peak Lord Lu of Star Sword Peak, there were two individuals who persisted until the very end."

His voice, amplified by True Qi, clearly spread throughout the entire Lichen Sword Sect.

"First, Su Qingxue."

As this name was uttered, a burst of uncontrollable exclamations and admiration erupted among the group of Genius Disciples below, as if this result was precisely what should have happened.

Sect Master Li Tian paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire hall, and his voice carried a hint of inexplicable meaning.

"Second..."

"Chen Ping'an."

As his words fell.

The entire place once again fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone's faces were filled with the same expression—bewilderment.

Who exactly was this Chen Ping'an? Why had no one ever heard of him?

Just as everyone was filled with doubt and whispering to each other.

On the high platform, a figure on the grand Revered Master's chair, which had been ignored by everyone, slowly sat up straight.

Lu Yuchen yawned, his eyes, as if just woken up, looked at the group of "Geniuses" below, then his gaze accurately landed on the young man in the corner of the square, dressed in ragged clothes, looking flustered and uneasy.

He pointed lightly in the direction of the young man.

"You, come forward."

The voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable majesty.

Chen Ping'an shivered all over. Under the gaze of tens of thousands of astonished, puzzled, and jealous eyes, he felt his head buzzing and walked onto the high platform, which symbolized glory, almost with the same hands and feet.

He looked at the immortal-like young man in green in front of him, too nervous to speak.

Lu Yuchen circled him, his Observation Technique already quietly activated in his mind.

【Name: Chen Ping'an】

【Luck Rank: Gold】

【Status: Tai Xu Sword Body (Unawakened), Late Bloomer.】

Indeed, another treasure.

The corner of Lu Yuchen's mouth curved into an arc.

He went straight to the point.

"Are you willing to become my Disciple?"

Boom!

As soon as these words came out, everyone was puzzled and shocked.

"What?! Peak Lord Lu actually wants to take him as a Disciple?!"

"What is the background of this Chen Ping'an? How could he gain such favor from Peak Lord Lu?"

"This is unfair! He didn't even pass the official Disciple test! Why him?!"

Questions and jealous murmurs rose and fell.

Even the eleven Peak Lords on the high platform showed expressions of confusion.

They truly could not see what was so extraordinary about this young man named Chen Ping'an, besides his astonishing willpower.

However, facing this heaven-shaking Opportunity.

After a brief moment of daze, extreme ecstasy surged onto Chen Ping'an's face!

Without thinking, he immediately knelt down with a "thud" and kowtowed three solid times to Lu Yuchen!

"Disciple Chen Ping'an, greets Revered Master!"

"Good, rise."

Lu Yuchen nodded with satisfaction, then he turned his gaze to the exceptionally beautiful young girl, Su Qingxue, who had always been the focus of everyone's attention.

"And you? Are you willing to join my Star Sword Peak?"

Everyone's hearts once again rose to their throats.

If he could take both of these Prodigies, who persisted until the end of the pressure test, into his fold, then this Star Sword Peak would probably soar to the heavens!

However, to everyone's surprise.

Facing Lu Yuchen's invitation, Su Qingxue merely shook her head calmly.

She bowed gracefully to Lu Yuchen, her voice as clear and melodious as spring water.

"Thank you for Peak Lord Lu's kindness. However, Qingxue came here only to join Rain Sword Peak."

The whole place was in an uproar!

Everyone couldn't understand why she would refuse the recruitment of a suspected supreme expert.

Just as everyone was filled with doubt, You Yurang, the Peak Lord of Rain Sword Peak, showed a surprised smile on her face.

Su Qingxue herself knew that she came from the Northern Region of the Tianwu Continent, a Hidden Family that had been passed down for tens of thousands of years—the Su Family! Within her Family, not only were there world-shaking experts at the Peak of Martial Saint guarding it, but there was also a supreme Legacy that pointed directly to the Martial Emperor Realm! However, that Legacy Cultivation Technique had lost its most crucial part in a catastrophe ten thousand years ago. And that lost part was precisely Rain Sword Peak's ultimate sect-guarding art, the "Rainfall Heavy Cloud Art"! This was because the first Peak Lord of Rain Sword Peak was the first Saintess of the Su Family! She came here to retrieve this lost Legacy and complete her Family's path to Martial Emperor!

Lu Yuchen heard this and did not force the issue, merely nodding faintly: "Everyone has their own aspirations, so be it."

He no longer paid attention to the crowd, pulling the still somewhat dazed Li Huowang and his newly accepted Disciple Chen Ping'an, and directly returned to the high platform.

Sect Master Li Tian saw this and asked with a smile: "Peak Lord Lu, aren't you going to pick a few more?"

"No need."

Lu Yuchen waved his hand, lay back down on the grand Revered Master's chair, closed his eyes, "One is enough."

The Disciple Acceptance Ceremony continued.

The Peak Lords of the other Peaks began to select their favored Disciples.

...

After the ceremony ended.

Lu Yuchen led Li Huowang and Chen Ping'an back to the still somewhat dilapidated Star Sword Peak.

He pointed at Li Huowang and said to Chen Ping'an: "This is your Fifth Senior Brother, Li Huowang."

Then, he pointed at Chen Ping'an and said to Li Huowang: "This is the Disciple I just accepted, your Sixth Junior Brother, Chen Ping'an. From now on, you will be in charge of teaching him."

"Yes, Revered Master!" Li Huowang chuckled, patting his chest in assurance.

"I have also passed on the methods and insights of the Tai Xuan Gathering Qi Technique to you." Lu Yuchen flicked his finger at Li Huowang, and a stream of light entered his glabella, "Teach your Junior Brother well, and do not tarnish my prestige."

With that, he no longer paid attention to the two of them and leisurely lay back in his chair to bask in the sun.

Only Li Huowang and Chen Ping'an were left, staring at each other.

One was full of excitement, as if he had found a new toy.

The other was full of apprehension and... endless anticipation for the future.