The silence in the pavilion lasted for only a few breaths. Han Xuanji stared at the three Green Origin Hongmeng Dao Fruits in his hands, momentarily lost in thought.
It was not as if he had never seen good things; the divine weapons, Cultivation Methods, and Heavenly Treasuress he had obtained through Sign In were countless. He had even obtained treasures that could directly improve his Aptitude, but this was the first time he had seen a treasure of this caliber.
Moreover, to be given three at once—the weight of this introductory gift was far heavier than he had anticipated. Han Xuanji also gleaned a piece of information from his Master's few words.
This Master of his had a backer as well.
His Master's Founder...
If he guessed correctly, it was most likely a peerless expert in the Saint King Realm, a veteran-level figure of the Holy Court.
However, Han Xuanji did not dwell on such matters. If possible, he did not want to enter the line of sight of a Saint King Realm expert so early.
Against experts of that level, his current System concealment function would be of no use.
"I am still too weak."
A sudden sense of helplessness welled up in Han Xuanji's heart; he desperately wanted to achieve a breakthrough to the Saint Realm as soon as possible.
Seeing him like this, Mo Chenxiao assumed he had been stunned by the massive reward and couldn't help but chuckle, his tone carrying a rare gentleness:
"What? Did I startle you?"
Han Xuanji snapped back to reality and shook his head:
"This Disciple simply did not expect Master to be so generous."
Mo Chenxiao waved his hand, his expression carrying a hint of matter-of-fact indifference:
"Since you have taken me as your Master, you should naturally enjoy the best treatment. A Disciple of mine, Mo Chenxiao, cannot be inferior to others."
As he spoke, he glanced at Elder Meng, who was sitting composedly to the side as if he were uninvolved, his eyes clearly flashing with a touch of smugness.
Elder Meng felt that gaze and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, though he had to admit that Mo Chenxiao's grand gesture truly left one speechless.
After thinking for a moment, he added:
"To be honest, if someone else were to take you on as a Disciple, they might not be willing to bring out such an introductory gift."
Han Xuanji understood the meaning behind Elder Meng's words and grasped this point in his heart.
While those veteran Holy Lords might have stronger strength or deeper seniority than Mo Chenxiao, they had many Disciples under their tutelage, and resources were scarce. Even if they wanted to favor a new Disciple, they had to consider the feelings of their old Disciples and could not be overly partial.
Moreover, although those veteran Holy Lords had profound cultivation, when it came to wealth and resources, they might not compare to Mo Chenxiao, the Nine Profound Holy Lord who was in his prime and
possessed a background in the Holy Court.
"Thank you, Master, for your great kindness."
Han Xuanji put away the three Green Origin Hongmeng Dao Fruits and said solemnly:
"This Disciple will utilize them well and will not disappoint Master's expectations."
Mo Chenxiao nodded slightly and said no more. He did not take on Disciples randomly. Knowing his Disciple had a sense of propriety, some things were best left at a hint without needing repeated emphasis.
He changed the subject, his expression becoming a bit more serious:
"Xuanji, what I specialize in is the Way of Divine Soul and the Way of Destiny. However, your Dao Foundation is extraordinary; the path you walk is broader than that of ordinary people, and more complex than the path I walked back in the day. On this point, I may not be able to give you too much specific guidance."
Han Xuanji nodded. Cultivation of the Way of Laws was the most difficult. Even when practicing the same Cultivation Method, the Dao Laws condensed were roughly the same, but the constructed Dao Foundation would still differ. It could be said that everything had to rely on oneself.
Even an expert of the Way of Laws at the Holy Lord level could not give him too much advice.
Mo Chenxiao saw at a glance that Han Xuanji's Dao Foundation was extraordinary, far stronger than his own had been, and even within the Holy Court, such a Dao Foundation could be called perfect.
"However, regarding the Way of Destiny, I can still be of help."
Mo Chenxiao continued, "Your cultivation is currently shallow, and your practice of the Way of Destiny has not truly begun. If you have any confusion in the future, you can come to me at any time. I dare not speak of other things, but regarding the Way of Destiny, those in the entire Holy Court more proficient than me can be counted on one hand."
Han Xuanji bowed again: "This Disciple will remember."
Mo Chenxiao nodded with satisfaction. He had very few Disciples, and it was quite nice to enjoy the feeling of being a Master in front of a peerless Heavenly Pride like Han Xuanji.
"Stay in Qianhun City for this month and finish handling the matters at hand. One month later, I will send someone to pick you up, and you will go directly to Jiuxuan City."
Mo Chenxiao stood up, his tone returning to that same casual indifference as before.
After a pause, he turned around, the corners of his mouth curling into an arc: "However, you must be prepared. Having taken on such a good Disciple, it must be done decently. I cannot have people saying that I, Mo Chenxiao, took on a Disciple in silence, like a thief."
Having finally managed to snatch a Disciple with excellent talent before many others, he naturally wanted to show off in public, and at the same time, it was a reminder to everyone that this was already his Disciple and could not be snatched away.
Han Xuanji nodded silently without saying anything. In his heart, he actually still had some questions. But now was not the time to press for answers. Since it was said to discuss it upon arriving at Jiuxuan City, it would not be too late to ask then.
After giving his instructions, Mo Chenxiao moved his body and vanished without a trace. Elder Meng also exchanged words with Han Xuanji, added him as a communication contact, and then departed.
Out of sight, out of mind. Such a good seedling, snatched away by that guy Mo Chenxiao. The resentful look in Elder Meng's eyes before he left made Han Xuanji feel a bit embarrassed. However, there was no helping it. The Nine Profound Holy Lord had personally come to take him as a Disciple; he couldn't exactly refuse, could he?
Night fell. The daylight outside the pavilion gradually darkened, and the noise of the day had dissipated. After the Law Conference ended, Qianhun City, following a bout of revelry, was slowly returning to its original tranquility.
Han Xuanji walked out of the pavilion, took a deep breath of the cool evening breeze, and his gaze fell upon the familiar silhouette of the city walls in the distance. He felt a bit excited.
The three Green Origin Hongmeng Dao Fruits given by his Master, Mo Chenxiao, were of extremely high value; he wondered how good the effects would be after consuming them? He was now a genuine, peerless Heavenly Pride; if these Dao Fruits could still improve his Aptitude after consumption, that would be truly heaven-defying.
It would also be perfect to leverage the power of these fruits to step into the Eternal True Lord Realm. Having reached the Perfected of the Eternal Dao Lord and fought consecutively against many Prodigies at the Law Conference, his gains were not small.
Han Xuanji could not wait to return to the Purple Soul Grotto-Heaven; he wanted to taste one and give it a try.
... On the other side.
Mo Chenxiao had already returned to Jiuxuan City; for an expert of this level, crossing space was not difficult unless it was a special region.
"My second Disciple—his Aptitude is somewhat exaggerated." Mo Chenxiao was currently ecstatic from the bottom of his heart. In front of Han Xuanji, he had to play the part of a proper Master, but now, alone in the Jiuxuan Palace, he did not need to put up any pretense.
"His Dao Foundation is already perfect; it is a Dao Foundation of a Saint King. Unfortunately, my abilities are limited, and I cannot guide his cultivation very well." Mo Chenxiao shook his head slightly.
However, this was something that couldn't be helped. If his Disciple's path were easier, he would be able to offer a pointer or two. But with the other party's Dao Foundation, let alone him, even those veteran Holy Lords of the Holy Court could not do it. Perhaps only a supreme expert like his Founder could teach him, but even then, it could only be limited guidance.
To step into the Saint King Realm, one could only rely on oneself. As for him, the Master? Naturally, he could only provide more precious resources; everything else would have to depend on the Disciple himself!
"I hope he can be a bit stronger than me and have a better chance of stepping into a higher Realm." Mo Chenxiao looked at the endless world outside the great hall. "This world still needs stronger figures to save it. Even an expert like the Founder can only struggle forward, and I am unable to help."
Mo Chenxiao shook his head gently and walked out of the hall to begin arranging the apprenticeship ceremony.