Invest in yourself

Shen Jinkuo knelt on the ground, his back trembling uncontrollably.

The Realm of the person before him had surely reached an unfathomable level!

No matter what, in front of him, he was truly an ant!

Although he had the Ancient Shen Family backing him, as the saying goes, distant water cannot quench a nearby thirst.

If this person insisted on killing him, even if the Main Branch could settle accounts for him later, it would be too late!

Thinking of this, Shen Jinkuo, who was kneeling on the ground, slapped the head of the Six-Winged Celestial Horse beside him, which was foaming at the mouth.

With one slap, the Celestial Horse was jolted awake.

Thump!

The moment it woke up, its two front hooves immediately knelt on the ground!

It knelt alongside Shen Jinkuo, respectfully bowing to Zhong Qing!

“Senior! Everything that happened today was a misunderstanding!”

“If I had known of your existence here, I would never have dared to offend you!”

Shen Jinkuo said tremblingly, his eyes darting around non-stop.

Zhong Qing, however, looked at him indifferently.

This fellow was a Venerable Realm cultivator.

As of now, he didn't have any Venerable Realm Disciples.

If he were to get a Venerable Realm Disciple, and then they had a Breakthrough.

The Cultivation they would bring him in return would be worth countless Returning to One Realm cultivators.

So for a moment.

Looking at this Venerable Realm cultivator who came to cause trouble, he suddenly felt that the other party looked a little cute.

Wasn't this just an experience baby?

As Zhong Qing was thinking, Shen Jinkuo, who hadn't heard a response for a long time, trembled and looked up.

He wanted to discern his life or death today from Zhong Qing's expression.

He looked up and met Zhong Qing's complex gaze as he was deep in thought.

Oh no!

This Senior must be considering whether to kill him!

“Senior! I am from the Ancient Shen Family, named Shen Jinkuo! I am a Six Lives Branch Family Head of the Shen Family!”

“I have greatly offended you today, but please believe that I absolutely did not do it on purpose!”

“Perhaps you have also heard of the Ancient Shen Family's name, could you please spare this Junior's life for the sake of the Shen Family's reputation!”

“Although this Junior is not considered a high-ranking person within the Shen Family, as long as you are willing to let me go.”

“From now on, this Junior will certainly owe you a favor!”

In one breath, Shen Jinkuo revealed all his secrets.

He even brought out the Shen Family's name!

Hearing this, Zhong Qing's eyes lit up.

“You mean you come from a large Family, and this large Family has many people like you, or even much more powerful than you?”

Shen Jinkuo looked up, somewhat confused by Zhong Qing's words.

What was this guy saying?

He brought up the Shen Family, on one hand, to beg for mercy and thus reveal his background.

On the other hand, he also wanted to use the Shen Family to make the other party wary and thus not dare to lay a hand on him.

But the other party…

Why did he seem even more excited after hearing about his background?!

There was even a hint of perversion in his excitement?

What kind of tactic was this?

A chilling sensation permeated his entire body.

Zhong Qing's eyes remained bright. If this guy's Family was really that powerful, if he were to take their entire Family as Disciples in the future.

Wouldn't that be incredibly satisfying!?

At that time, as long as the System didn't take a cut from him, wouldn't he just soar to the heavens!

Thinking of this, Zhong Qing became excited. He took a step forward and walked in front of Shen Jinkuo.

“It's very simple to live, it depends on whether you are willing to be my…”

Zhong Qing paused for a moment, the System's panel appearing in his mind.

“Oh… are you willing to be my two million seven hundred eighty-five thousand six hundred eighty-fourth registered Disciple?”

“Huh?”

Shen Jinkuo, the Six Lives Branch Family Head of the Ancient Shen Family, a powerful expert of the Venerable Realm.

In his thousands of years of life, for the first time, he felt a strange sensation.

A feeling that nothing was within his control.

This person in front of him completely defied common sense.

One moment he was begging for mercy, the next he wanted to take him as a Disciple?

He was stunned for a long time before he finally reacted.

He quickly said, “Senior… you must be joking. I am a Branch Family Head of the Shen Family, how could I switch to your Sect!”

For the Shen Family, if he were to switch to another Sect.

He would immediately be hunted down by the entire Shen Family!

He knew the Shen Family's methods very well!

Even if this Senior was very strong and willing to protect him in the future.

But the fact that this Senior was currently lurking in a Sect in a place like the Chaotic Land was already enough to explain some things.

That was, although this Senior was strong, he clearly did not yet have the ability to make a name for himself in the Central Plains!

Compared to the massive Shen Family, he was probably not on the same level.

No matter how powerful he was alone, he would not be the opponent of the entire Shen Family!

At this moment, rashly seeking survival by joining his Sect, wouldn't he just die when the Shen Family found out?!

And he, a dignified Venerable, becoming a Disciple, a registered Disciple at that, and ranked over two million, wasn't that too humiliating!

Shen Jinkuo unconsciously shook his head.

This deal, he couldn't make it!

Seeing Shen Jinkuo shaking his head like a rattle-drum, Zhong Qing reached out and stroked his chin again.

Although this guy was kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy quite smoothly, it seemed he wasn't truly afraid of him yet!

“Then you tell me, how can you become my Disciple?”

Zhong Qing didn't want to think any further and asked directly.

“Senior! It's not that I'm unwilling! It's that I cannot!”

Even the Six-Winged Celestial Horse next to him kept shaking its head, even faster than Shen Jinkuo.

The Celestial Horse Clan had been subdued by the Shen Family tens of thousands of years ago, and they were absolutely incapable of betrayal.

If they didn't agree to this Senior's request to take them as Disciples today, at most, they would die.

But if the Shen Family found out they had betrayed them.

That would be far more than just death!

How terrifying were the Shen Family's methods!

Seeing these two kneeling figures so resolutely refusing at this moment, Zhong Qing narrowed his eyes, then said, “Everyone has their own aspirations. Since you are so unwilling, then alright, I won't force you.”

“Then you all shall die!”

Saying that, Zhong Qing raised his palm and slapped Shen Jinkuo.

???

Shen Jinkuo's eyes widened.

He wasn't going to drag it out any longer?

One moment he wanted to take Disciples, the next he wanted to kill people.

His face changed in an instant.

He didn't give anyone time to react, it was too fast.

But looking at the approaching slap mark, he gritted his teeth, slammed his head heavily on the ground, and shouted loudly, “Greetings, Master.”

His voice was incomparably devout, incomparably smooth.

No other reason.

Betraying the Shen Family was indeed terrifying.

It was indeed impossible to escape death.

But if he didn't betray them, he would die immediately.

In the face of life and death, he had no choice but to immediately make such a cowardly choice.

As expected.

After he shouted “Master,” the incoming slap disappeared without a trace.

Instead, Zhong Qing looked at him with an aunt-like smile.

“Very good, obedient Disciple.”

“Get up, and you don't need to be so trembling anymore, after all, we'll be Family from now on.”

Saying that, Zhong Qing reached into his embrace.

Clatter.

A Saint-Level Cultivation Method was pulled out from his embrace.

Before Shen Jinkuo could react, Zhong Qing had already thrown the Cultivation Method in front of him.

“Saint-Level Cultivation Method?!”

“Heavenly Silkworm Star Cloud Transformation?!”

Shen Jinkuo, kneeling on the ground, reached out and grabbed the Cultivation Method from the ground.

As the Six Lives Branch Family Head of the Shen Family, he, Shen Jinkuo, only had one Venerable-Grade Cultivation Technique!

This was granted by the Main Branch hundreds of years ago when he became the Branch Family Head!

But this one in front of him was a genuine Saint-Level Cultivation Method!

If he could have a Saint-Level Cultivation Method, it wouldn't be impossible for him to Breakthrough the Venerable Realm and reach the Supreme Realm in this life!

A Saint-Level Cultivation Method, even in the Ancient Shen Family with its deep heritage, was something only a Ten Lives Branch Family Head could be fortunate enough to obtain!

“You are?!”

Shen Jinkuo clutched the Saint-Level Cultivation Method tightly with both hands, raised his head, and stared at Zhong Qing with wide eyes.

“For a first-time Master, I don't have much to give you. I'll give you this, go and Breakthrough yourself.”

Zhong Qing smiled faintly.

He had him completely under his control, giving a slap then a sweet date.

Besides, if this new precious Disciple had a Breakthrough, he would benefit immensely!

So, what was a Saint-Level Cultivation Method worth?

Wasn't this just investing in himself?