Not even worthy of carrying shoes

Under the starry sky, in front of a flowing waterfall!

An old man and a young man were drinking and conversing freely.

Drinking a pot of turbid wine, discussing a segment of life.

Accompanied by the clear breeze and bright moon!

Though they had only just met, they seemed exceptionally harmonious.

Lu Wanli watched this scene, feeling a little dazed.

He had already forgotten how long it had been since his master had laughed so heartily.

Looking at him now, this kid didn't seem as annoying as he did at first.

Zhong Qing drank very heartily during this session.

It is said that when drinking with a true friend, a thousand cups are too few; when words don't align, even half a step is too much.

This person clearly belonged to the former category; drinking with him wasn't just about the wine.

It was also about a long, memorable, and legendary life story.

From the old man's mouth, he seemed to witness a magnificent, epic history.

His stories were many and long; any single segment could draw one into it.

Perhaps the majestic brilliance of ancient times, or the vibrant diversity of recent antiquity, or the turbulent transition between two eras…

Each segment was full of stirring emotion!

Dugu Feng also felt extremely exhilarated!

He had forgotten when he had last laughed so heartily!

In his opinion, Zhong Qing was not only a very good drinking companion, but his frequent insightful remarks also resonated deeply with him.

It made him feel as if they had met too late!

If the two of them could have been born in the same era!

They should have become close old friends.

But now, it didn't seem too late either!

The night was deep, and the starry sky grew increasingly brilliant; Dugu Feng's slightly hazy eyes also became brighter and brighter.

He had struggled his entire life, experiencing too many upheavals.

It was rare to meet such a pleasing young man in his later years.

Since they couldn't be close friends.

It seemed that being a pair of Disciple and master wouldn't be bad either.

At this moment, the old man had the thought of taking a Disciple.

“Come, drink another cup!”

Zhong Qing, deep in his cups, toasted again.

The two went back and forth, cup after cup of wine, never stopping.

Like a whale swallowing or an ox drinking.

Even though Zhong Qing had an astonishing capacity for alcohol, at this moment, he couldn't help but feel a bit tipsy.

“Good!”

“Good!”

“Good!”

Dugu Feng took it and drank it all in one gulp.

Then he said with a smile.

“You invited me to drink, so as a reciprocal gesture, this old man should also show some appreciation.”

“This old man has lived a wasted life, with empty pockets and no possessions of value; only this cultivation of mine is barely presentable.”

“I wonder what little friend desires? Whatever you wish for, this old man will certainly do his best to fulfill.”

These words made Lu Wanli, who was silently guarding nearby, extremely envious and jealous.

Having followed Dugu Feng for many years, how could he not see that his master had already moved to take a Disciple? The hints in his words were simply too obvious.

What kind of status did his master possess?

Those who wished to become his Disciple, looking across the world, were countless.

They could probably line up from the Chaotic Land, to Shuo North Prefecture, then to the Void Domain, and further extend to the Central State Three Thousand Domains.

In the Central State Three Thousand Domains, how many astonishingly talented prodigies were there, yet none seemed to catch his master's eye.

But he never expected that this kid, just by having a drink with the master, could gain such favor.

It truly was as if his ancestral grave was emitting green smoke, indicating immense luck.

However, Zhong Qing's response exceeded his expectations.

“What kind of talk is that, Mr.!”

“It was just a drink; why should there be any gesture of appreciation?”

“If others knew, they might think I couldn't afford it.”

These words surprised Dugu Feng.

Was his intention too subtle?

Or did the other party truly desire nothing?

Lu Wanli, beside him, felt even more anxious for Zhong Qing.

“Silly boy, my master wants to take you as a Disciple! Why aren't you kneeling to express gratitude for his mentorship and seizing this tremendous opportunity?”

“Do you know how many people throughout the entire Central State Three Thousand Domains are vying to become my master's Disciple?”

Upon hearing this, Dugu Feng looked at Zhong Qing with a smiling face.

The more he looked at Zhong Qing, the more satisfied he became.

Young in age, neither humble nor arrogant, neither proud nor impetuous.

He truly suited his taste.

Zhong Qing met the old man's benevolent gaze.

He sighed lamentably, suddenly feeling that the wine had lost much of its flavor.

He hadn't expected it.

After coming to Central State, singing all the way, taking Disciples everywhere, one day he would have someone try to take him as a Disciple.

The moment the old man spoke, he knew the other party's intention.

His evasive answers were clear proof of his gentle refusal.

He hadn't expected that the window paper would still be poked through.

Zhong Qing's demeanor left Dugu Feng, who had been waiting for him to call him master, puzzled.

“You, unwilling?”

Zhong Qing smiled: “Thank you for your kindness, Mr., but in this life, I should not take anyone as my master!”

“Why is that?”

After a moment of silence, Zhong Qing slowly said: “Because, I don't need one!”

These words made Dugu Feng frown deeply.

He had thought of a thousand reasons, but he had never expected this one.

He could tell that Zhong Qing was a unique cultivator.

He was unique because he possessed the distinct aura of a cultivator, but strangely, even he couldn't see through his cultivation.

This alone was enough to prove Zhong Qing's extraordinary nature.

But the Dao has no end!

It is said that when three people walk together, one of them must be my teacher!

No matter how extraordinary a person is, they need to keep learning to keep progressing.

Who in the world can say that they will never need a master in their life?

Is it arrogance? Or ignorance?

Dugu Feng felt that Zhong Qing had gone down a wrong path.

Having drunk the other party's wine, he couldn't let the other party go down this path of no return.

After a moment of contemplation!

He slowly said: “It's a good thing for young people to have sharp spirits!”

“But what is rigid is easily broken; being too sharp is not a good thing!”

“I observe your bone age; you are barely in your early twenties.”

“Among those your age, some have already broken through to the Three Yang Realm, some have comprehended their unique innate divine abilities, and some have even created their own martial arts, finding their unique path.”

“None of these people would dare to say that they don't need a master.”

“How do you think you compare to them?”

Zhong Qing didn't speak.

Because at this moment, he suddenly felt a surge of powerful profound energy entering his body.

Clearly.

As the brief window of two million Disciples cultivating their techniques passed, it was now time for a surge of power.

He had already broken through to the Returning to One Realm Fourth Heaven two days ago, and he didn't expect to reach the Returning to One Realm Fifth Heaven so quickly.

And during a breakthrough, the leakage of power was quite normal.

So, at the moment of his cultivation breakthrough, Dugu Feng clearly perceived it.

It also made Dugu Feng's intended words instantly come to an abrupt halt.

His face, which had been calm and serene all along, also showed an expression of immense emotion.

His pupils constricted, and his expression drastically changed: “Guiyi… you are actually in the Returning to One Realm!”

To speak of Dugu Feng, how rich his life experiences were, and how vast his knowledge.

He believed that in his entire life, even if the sky fell and the earth crumbled, it wouldn't cause him the slightest ripple.

But at this moment, he was severely stimulated by the cultivation Zhong Qing displayed.

His original intention was to list some of the world's top peers to let Zhong Qing know how high the sky was and how thick the earth was.

To make him not underestimate the world's heroes and maintain a humble attitude of seeking guidance.

But who could have known that those peers were not even worthy of carrying Zhong Qing's shoes in front of him!