He hadn't even sorted out his own three disciples—why would he take on more?
Three disciples were enough for him. In his lifetime, he had mastered three Great Daos, and it was only fitting that each of his three disciples inherit one.
He had to admit, he hadn't exactly fulfilled his duty as a master to those three. The only time he'd genuinely taught them with care was during the period they lived in his Small World. After they'd left the Small World, let alone teaching them, he could hardly find a chance to see them.
He wondered how those three little ones were doing these days.
But with their talent and the fact that they were living in the Star Boundary—a veritable cradle for Open Heaven cultivators—their future achievements shouldn't be anything short of remarkable.
The Ancestor mulled it over briefly before speaking: "Chenxi is capped at fifty members. In principle, no more should be admitted. But since you've made the request, I'll make an exception. Just this once—it won't happen again."
"Thank you, Ancestor!" Yang Kai bowed.
Over on the other side, A Cai also expressed her gratitude, her face a mixture of joy and excitement. The Ancestor's word was law—that meant she was now officially part of Chenxi.
The Ancestor waved his hand, then looked at Yang Kai with a meaningful gaze. "You traded such an enormous contribution for a single condition. Was it worth it?"
Yang Kai smiled. "Contributions are dead things. People are living. They can't be compared."
The Ancestor nodded slightly, rose to his feet, and said, "I'm tired. Time to go to sleep."
With that, his figure flickered and vanished.
"See the Ancestor off!" Everyone rose in unison.
Once the Ancestor left, the atmosphere grew even more lively and uninhibited. Cups clashed, drinks were exchanged, and the revelry continued without pause.
During the idle chatter, Xu Lingong learned that the meat soup had been made from yellow ox meat bestowed by the Ancestor of Fengyun Pass. He froze for a moment, then fell into deep thought.
Every pair of eyes turned toward him.
Xu Lingong's aura suddenly began to fluctuate in an irregular manner, and the boisterous courtyard fell silent, replaced by astonishment and excitement.
Holding his wine cup, Xu Lingong broke into a grin. "No wonder this soup tasted a bit unusual. Turns out it was a gift from the Ancestor. The effect is truly extraordinary. Today I've been given this opportunity, and I can't let the Ancestor's generosity go to waste. I'm heading off to advance to Eighth-Order. Everyone, please wait for good news."
With that, he drained his cup in one gulp and shot into the sky, his aura surging ceaselessly.
He left behind a crowd of people staring at each other in wide-eyed amazement.
When Yang Kai had given the yellow ox meat to Feng Ying and the others to make soup, he hadn't said much beyond explaining where it came from.
The members of Chenxi had actually been quite excited. After all, it was a gift from the Ancestor—perhaps it would have some extraordinary effect.
But after the Ancestor had spoken those words following his own bowl of soup, everyone understood. The yellow ox meat was nothing more than an ordinary ingredient with no special properties whatsoever. The Ancestor of Fengyun Pass had simply raised excellent cattle, that was all—the soup was just rich and fragrant.
Xu Lingong had arrived late and hadn't heard the Ancestor's remarks. He didn't know the truth. Upon suddenly learning that it was a gift from the Ancestor, he'd taken it to heart—and had inadvertently benefited from it. Strange, indeed.
Xu Lingong's two disciples took in everyone's expressions. Qing Kui looked at Yang Kai in confusion. "Brother Yang, what's going on?"
Yang Kai smiled. "Nothing much. Master Xu is advancing to Eighth-Order. It's a rare opportunity—I should go stand guard."
Even as he spoke, he shot into the sky as well.
Rather than "standing guard," it would have been more accurate to call it "observation," for the moment he set off, figure after figure soared skyward from within Dayan Pass. Among them were no few Eighth-Order Open Heaven cultivators.
They had all sensed the fluctuations in Xu Lingong's aura and realized someone was about to advance to Eighth-Order. Even without being notified, they would have headed over of their own accord to provide protection.
Even more numerous were the Seventh-Order Open Heaven cultivators. Many of them had the potential to take this very step. In the Ink Battlefield, while a Seventh-Order promotion to Eighth-Order wasn't exactly once-in-a-millennium rare, it was still uncommon. Having encountered one, they naturally seized the chance to observe and use it to validate their own cultivation. That way, when their own turn came to advance, they would have a precedent to draw upon.
The Seventh-Order members of Chenxi departed close behind.
Those below the Seventh-Order stayed put. Their immediate goal was advancing to Seventh-Order, so Xu Lingong's breakthrough held no practical value for them. Being exposed to this too early would do nothing beneficial for their cultivation.
Feng Ying walked alongside Yang Kai, transmitting via divine sense: "That meat… was there something hidden in it?"
Yang Kai chuckled. "Hidden, my foot. The Ancestor himself said it was nothing but an ordinary thing. We both drank that soup—did you feel any mystique in it?"
Feng Ying shook her head.
Yang Kai said, "This is most likely Master Xu's own fortune. Come to think of it, it's been quite a few years since he advanced to Seventh-Order. He was due for a push toward Eighth-Order. During the last battle to assault the Ink Clan's King City, he was badly wounded. Between life and death, he must have gained some insight. And when he heard the meat was a gift from the Ancestor, he assumed it was some kind of extraordinary treasure. With that expectation already planted in his mind, he took the final step."
This was Yang Kai's speculation, but it was likely close to the truth. Without that assumption, there was simply no way to explain why Xu Lingong had suddenly sensed a window for breakthrough.
It wasn't the Ancestor's gift that made the difference. It was that Xu Lingong's own fortune had arrived.
In the void, Xu Lingong stood alone, his aura churning like restless tides as he made his final preparations for the advancement.