48: If you require it, sir, this servant may...

Palace Master Shen Lanxin was taken aback upon hearing this, looking at Ye Chen with a strange expression!

Such a young man, and he actually likes... men?!

Ouyang Yaoxi, standing to the side, softly added, "Palace Master, Ye Chen... wasn't born this way. He Cultivates an extremely sinister Cultivation Technique, and the prerequisite for cultivating this technique is that one must first... castrate oneself!"

"Castrate oneself?!"

Shen Lanxin was truly shocked this time, her beautiful eyes wide open as she looked at Ye Chen as if he were a monster!

She had originally thought Wang Ming's preference for men was just a personal inclination.

Little did she expect it was a physical defect, forcing him to only like men!

Looking at Ye Chen, she recalled the gruesome scene at the Black Water Pool and those disfigured Vicious Beasts described by Wang Ming.

So, all those ravaged Vicious Beasts were... Shen Lanxin shuddered violently, not daring to picture the details!

"Enough! No need to say more!" Shen Lanxin felt nauseous, quickly averted her gaze, and waved her hand.

"This matter... ends here!"

"Shadow Guard, proceed as discussed earlier! Throw him out! He is never to set foot in Qingxin Palace territory again!"

The Shadow Guard nodded emotionlessly, grabbed Ye Chen who had long given up resisting, and with a swirl of black mist, vanished instantly from the hall.

Shen Lanxin rubbed her temples, looked at Wang Ming and Ouyang Yaoxi, and her tone softened, "You two should go back and rest as well, prepare for the Disciple recruitment ceremony in two days."

"This Disciple takes his leave." Wang Ming cupped his hands in salute.

"Yes, Revered Master." Ouyang Yaoxi also bowed.

Exiting Qingxin Hall.

Ouyang Yaoxi let out a long sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

All the entanglements with Ye Chen were finally completely severed today.

Her heart felt clear and open, an unprecedented lightness.

In fact, she clearly sensed that the long-troubling Bottleneck at Foundation Establishment Layer One was loosening slightly at this very moment!

"Wang Ming." She turned, her eyes bright, "I... I think I'm about to have a Breakthrough! I must return immediately to go into seclusion!"

Wang Ming nodded, "Go ahead."

Ouyang Yaoxi said no more, gave him a radiant smile, and transformed into a streak of light, speeding away.

Wang Ming returned to his own Listening Bamboo Pavilion.

[Ding! Host has completed the choice! Reward obtained: Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer cultivation!]

A surge of immense power erupted within his body!

His bones and tendons resonated, his blood and Qi surged like a great river!

His Dantian Qi Sea expanded wildly, spiritual power solidifying at a terrifying speed!

Foundation Establishment Sixth Layer, Seventh Layer, Eighth Layer... breaking through barriers like splitting bamboo, reaching the Peak of the Ninth Layer!

His Desolate War Body also rose accordingly, his physical strength and defense increasing dramatically once more!

"Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer... not bad." Wang Ming felt the surging power within him, a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

At this moment, with his Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer cultivation and the boost from his Desolate War Body, he was fully confident he could easily defeat ordinary Core Formation Middle Stage Cultivators!

Even against Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, he would have the strength to fight!

But this was one of his greatest trump cards, not to be revealed unless absolutely necessary!

Show weakness to the enemy, then strike with strength!

Thinking this, he focused his mind, and his Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer aura rapidly receded.

His outwardly displayed cultivation was suppressed back to the level of Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer.

Brilliance concealed, plain and unadorned.

Just after he adjusted his aura.

A knock sounded at the door.

A timid female voice came from outside, "Revered Master Wang Ming... are you there?"

Wang Ming raised an eyebrow slightly and opened the door.

Outside stood a slender young girl.

She wore a slightly oversized coarse servant's dress, her head bowed low.

Her hair was pure white like snow.

Hearing the door open, she cautiously lifted her head.

Revealing a face still somewhat youthful but already showing the contours of a beauty.

However, what truly caught Wang Ming's gaze were her eyes.

Her left eye was a clear sky-blue, while her right eye was a fiery flame-red!

Heterochromatic eyes!

But unfortunately, below her left eye, on her cheek, there was a deep purple mark about the size of a fingernail, irregular in shape.

Like a brand, it disrupted the harmony and delicacy this face should have had, appearing extremely jarring.

The girl noticed Wang Ming's gaze landing on the mark on her face, her body visibly shrinking back, her head bowing even lower, her voice growing softer, carrying an unmistakable sense of inferiority.

"This servant... Xiao Xue. The Palace Master said that since you've just arrived, you need someone to take care of your daily needs, so she assigned me to come... serve you."

She seemed very afraid Wang Ming would reject her because of her appearance.

Looking at her, Wang Ming was slightly taken aback.

Above Xiao Xue's head, several choices appeared.

[Choice One: So ugly and still fit to serve me? Tell her to get as far away as possible! Reward: A pair of socks Xiao Xue has worn for a year without washing!]

[Choice Two: Appearance isn't a problem; in the dark, they're all the same. Move her with emotion, take her hand, pull her inside! Reward: Heaven Rank supreme Cultivation Technique, God Devouring Art!]

[Choice Three: This isn't a birthmark, but a Legacy Mark. Help her Cultivate, plunder her Legacy Mark! Reward: Nine Nether Demon Thought!]

Wow, this Xiao Xue is also one of the Female Leads?

Wang Ming's thoughts raced, and almost without hesitation, he grabbed Xiao Xue's hand.

"Revered Master Wang Ming...?" Xiao Xue was startled, instinctively trying to pull her hand back.

But Wang Ming's grip was strong; she couldn't pull away.

"Aren't you supposed to serve me? Why are you hiding?" Wang Ming pulled Xiao Xue inside and closed the door.

[Ding! Host has completed the choice! Reward: Heaven Rank supreme Cultivation Technique, God Devouring Art!]

A stream of information flooded his mind.

Wang Ming instantly learned about this God Devouring Art.

The God Devouring Art, a forbidden Cultivation Technique long lost on the Ancient Desolate Continent.

It can devour others' Divine Sense to strengthen oneself!

And those whose Divine Sense is devoured become empty shells without consciousness.

Extremely sinister, thus classified as forbidden. Once exposed, it would be jointly hunted down by all forces on the Ancient Desolate Continent!

"Devour others' Divine Sense to strengthen oneself!"

A gleam flashed in Wang Ming's eyes. What forbidden Cultivation Technique? This is clearly a divine skill!

Roaming the Jianghu, who doesn't get cut?

Dying under someone else's blade is death; contributing Divine Sense to him is also death!

How is that sinister?

From a Buddhist perspective, this is called salvation!

Sending suffering beings to the Pure Land!

"Revered Master, you... aren't sending me away?" Just then, Xiao Xue suddenly asked timidly.

Wang Ming's thoughts were pulled back. Looking at Xiao Xue, his eyes gleamed green, as if looking at a wealth-bringing maiden.

If the God Devouring Art is this powerful, he now really wanted to know if the reward for the third choice, Nine Nether Demon Thought, might be even more formidable than the God Devouring Art!

"Revered Master, could you please not look at me like that? I... I'm scared." Xiao Xue felt creeped out by his gaze, continuously backing away.

Wang Ming sat on the edge of the bed, "Did the Palace Master mention what your service duties include?"

Xiao Xue lowered her head, the tips of her ears turning red, "Daily life, tidying up, bathing and changing clothes, and..."

"And what?"

"If you have any needs, Revered Master, this servant can... can..." Xiao Xue's voice was barely audible.