Firmament Sword

His words made nearly everyone’s blood boil. They roared in unison, ”That’s right! Let’s bury those sons of bitches with every attack Elixir we have!”

”Damn it! We were too timid before. The moment someone taunted us, we didn’t dare to use attack Elixirs, let alone the ones that instantly boost our own strength!”

”Yeah! Those bastards always use words to corner us, saying that a real fight should rely on one’s own strength. But isn’t our strength our various Elixirs?”

”If they’ve got the guts, let’s see those Sword Cultivators fight without their swords!”

”That’s right! Without their swords, they’re just a bunch of losers!”

Everyone in the square was fired up, roaring with bloodshot eyes.

At this moment, Xu Luo no longer needed the Jade Balance Demon Sound. He had successfully roused the emotions of everyone in the square.

Then, Xu Luo made a gesture. He raised both arms, palms down, and gently pressed downwards.

Across the vast square, filled with hundreds of thousands of people, the commotion instantly died down until it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The nine Elders on the stage couldn’t help but gasp.

The Senior Brother of the Medicine Garden had established his authority!

”I have already explained the first point. For the second, I said that you’ve all benefited from the Medicine Garden’s grace yet never thought to repay it. Do you have any objections to that?” As Xu Luo spoke, his gaze fell upon the second senior brother, Zhu Gang.

Feeling Xu Luo’s gaze, Zhu Gang’s face flushed, but he candidly cupped his fist and said loudly, ”I have no objections. We Medicine Garden Disciples truly haven’t brought any glory to the Medicine Garden over the years. Instead, we’ve only made the Elders worry. You’re right.”

With that, Zhu Gang suddenly gave Xu Luo a deep bow. ”Zhu Gang greets the Senior Brother!”

”We greet the Senior Brother!” A roar like a tidal wave suddenly erupted from the hundreds of thousands in the square, their voices perfectly in sync.

A glint flashed in Xu Luo’s eyes. In that instant, he suddenly felt that coming to Celestial Brilliance might mean more than just saving Qianqian.

’And obtaining the Soul Scripture... perhaps stealing isn’t the only way!’

Having never had such an experience, Xu Luo’s state of mind... suddenly became much more complete.

His cultivation realm... also quietly ascended another small step.

Perhaps... a small fraction of the disciples below were still unconvinced, but at this moment, the vast majority of Medicine Garden Disciples had truly begun to recognize and accept their new Senior Brother.

Xu Luo announced loudly, ”Since you all accept me, then I have a few things to say!”

Everyone gazed at Xu Luo in silence.

”First, from this day forward, the Medicine Garden will never again finish last in the annual competition! I will lead all of you to take down every bastard who ever mocked us, one by one. We will make them understand that the people of the Medicine Garden don’t just know how to refine elixirs—we’re no worse than them at fighting!”

”Second, we must be of one mind. We must respect the Elders, Deacons, and Stewards above us, and protect our martial brothers and sisters below us. Only by uniting will our Medicine Garden become indestructible!”

”Third, I hope that from this day forward, all of my talented fellow disciples will bring your full abilities to bear. Refine all kinds of powerful Elixirs. And then... we’ll see our rivals at the annual competition!”

Xu Luo’s last sentence set the blood of every Medicine Garden Disciple ablaze. Their combined roar formed a sonic boom over the square.

A warship, approaching from the distance, suddenly slammed into this sonic boom. It wobbled precariously, nearly crashing and giving the people inside a serious fright.

A handsome youth turned to the person beside him with a shocked expression. ”What is that bunch of trash from the Medicine Garden doing? Have they gone insane?”

The person beside him replied, ”Answering you, Master, over at the Medicine Garden... it seems Grand Elder Yuwen has accepted a disciple. That’s... what the rumors say.”

The handsome youth burst out laughing. ”That bunch of useless idiots from the Medicine Garden? They get this excited just because some Senior Brother who got in through connections shows up?”

”Heh, they’re just a bunch of bookworms who only know how to refine elixirs. Why should you bother with them, Master?” the person beside him said obsequiously.

The handsome youth smiled faintly. ”If I get the chance, I’d like to meet this Senior Brother of the Medicine Garden. I wonder... what kind of reaction would the Medicine Garden have if I thrashed him on the very first day he’s taken as a disciple?”

”Hahaha, you have a sense of humor, Master. But if that really happened, news of it would probably spread throughout all of Celestial Brilliance in no time, wouldn’t it?” the person beside him said.

The handsome youth raised an eyebrow, looking quite tempted. ”In that case, let’s go to this Senior Brother’s residence... and wait for him!”

”As you command, Master! Hold on tight!”

Then, the warship above the square changed course and sped off in another direction.

Quite a few people saw the warship, especially the Elders on the stage, who frowned slightly.

Normally, warships were strictly forbidden from flying so recklessly in this area. But the Medicine Garden had been weak for a long time, so some of the Direct Disciples of high-ranking, powerful Elders in Celestial Brilliance paid it no mind.

In the past, no one had stepped up to deal with them. It was beneath the older generation to act, and the younger generation... no one dared.

Once, there had been the Senior Sister of the Medicine Garden, Qi Yue, who dared to manage them. When she was around, her presence deterred many from acting so brazenly in the Medicine Garden. But ever since she left to gain experience, no one in the entire Medicine Garden... had dared to rein these people in.

Zhu Gang had tried to intervene twice, but both times he returned in bitter defeat. If his opponents hadn’t held back at least a little, it’s doubtful Zhu Gang would have survived.

Xu Luo also glanced at the departing warship high in the sky. He could read a great deal in the eyes of many disciples but didn’t say anything.

He simply nodded at Hongtao and said in a low voice, ”Tell me what that was about later.”

Although Hongtao held the esteemed position of a Medicine Garden Steward, he didn’t dare put on airs in front of this new Senior Brother. This young man truly had skill—with just a few sentences, he had completely pacified the younger generation, convincing them to their core.

Even Hongtao himself was deeply moved, feeling that having a Senior Brother like this was a stroke of incredible luck for the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden.

”Alright,” Hongtao agreed simply before resuming the apprenticeship ceremony that had been interrupted just after it began.

The rest of the ceremony proceeded without any further interruptions, continuing smoothly to the final stage.

The Discipleship Rite!

Standing before Yuwen Ji, Xu Luo’s heart surged with emotion. He had come from the mortal world of the Lower Realm, his rise beginning when the Seven-Star Soul entered his body. His journey had been arduous; he had faced and shouldered nearly everything by himself.

He had been lost, he had been weary, and he had known moments of quiet sorrow.

Xu Luo had once thought he had grown accustomed to this life, but there were always times when his will outstripped his strength, a silent suffering only he could know.

The old man before him was the first person to have ever seen through him so completely.

Although it was a matter of serendipity, wasn’t the path of cultivation... all about opportunity?

’It’s rare for someone to see my talent and not want to refine me, but to actually help and guide me...’ Xu Luo thought with self-deprecation. Thinking of the last Great Saint of the Ancient Emperor Tribe, he added silently, ’You... should be able to rest easy now! I am in the Divine Domain, and I am doing very well!’

Looking at Yuwen Ji’s benevolent smile, Xu Luo no longer hesitated. He knelt to the ground and performed the grand rite of three prostrations and nine kowtows, formally becoming a disciple!

Hongtao announced in a loud voice, ”Present the tea!”

Xu Luo took a teacup from an attendant and respectfully presented it to Yuwen Ji.

His face filled with gratification, Yuwen Ji drank the tea.

Afterward, Xu Luo paid his respects to the other eight Elders in turn.

Among these eight Elders, some still felt awkward in their hearts, such as Fifth Elder Li Tian, who had always opposed the matter, and Elder Qi Zou Yuan, Chu Lin’s master.

But at this moment, they all gave Xu Luo sufficient face, each taking out a treasure to give him.

Xu Luo thanked them earnestly and accepted the treasures, thinking to himself, ’I never expected taking a master would have these kinds of benefits. From now on, I’ve got a powerful backer!’

”The rite is complete!”

With Hongtao’s loud cry, the Senior Brother of the Medicine Garden was officially established!

Then, the four young women who had been standing on the stage this whole time slowly approached, carrying trays.

Hongtao uncovered the first tray. On it rested a palm-sized Seal, radiating a soft white halo. It was lustrous and translucent, clearly carved from Top-Grade Jade.

”Luo Tian, receive the Seal!” Hongtao announced. ”This will be your token!”

Xu Luo accepted it with both hands. A glance at the bottom revealed three words carved in an ancient script: Celestial Brilliance Luo Tian!

Next, Hongtao lifted the red cloth from the second tray, revealing a Top-Grade Jade Bottle. His gaze was filled with envy, and even the crowd of Elders on the stage looked astonished.

Lu Xue looked at Yuwen Ji and thought, ’It seems Big Brother is dead set on passing down his legacy this time. He even gave him something like this.’

”This is the Heaven-Defying Life-Seizing Creation Pill!” Hongtao’s voice trembled as he spoke to Xu Luo. ”This Elixir... is a top-tier Elixir in Celestial Brilliance. In all of history, only three have ever been successfully refined. Two were gifted to the first-generation Sect Leader. This is the last one!”

BOOM!

The entire square erupted. The moment they heard the name, everyone was stunned and gasped in disbelief.

”That’s actually the Heaven-Defying Life-Seizing Creation Pill... My god, that thing... it actually exists!”

”I can’t believe the Grand Elder actually gave this Divine Pill to the Senior Brother!”

”They say this Elixir has the power to raise the dead! Even if only a sliver of flesh remains, with this Elixir, one can seize creation itself and return to life!”

”I can’t believe the Grand Elder was willing to bring out this Elixir! I heard that because it’s too heaven-defying, the divine ingredients needed to refine it... are now extinct!”

”You can forget about the Sect Leader’s two pills. This one... is probably the last one in the entire Divine Domain!”

The various discussions from the square reached Xu Luo’s ears, and he too stared at the Top-Grade Jade Bottle in disbelief.

The young woman holding it only now realized what she had been carrying this whole time, and her hands began to tremble.

It was Hongtao who finally took the jade bottle. For a split second, a look of struggle flashed in his eyes, but he quickly handed the bottle to Xu Luo.

Xu Luo quickly took it and stashed it away inside the Bronze Divine Hall World. ’This thing is a death warrant!’ Xu Luo couldn’t help but grumble internally about his new master. ’To give me a treasure of this level in front of everyone... isn’t this just making me a target for all?’

However, Xu Luo also knew that Yuwen Ji was sending a message to everyone about how much he valued him.

It was tantamount to placing a Protective Talisman on him.

Still, if Xu Luo had a choice, he would have preferred that Yuwen Ji give it to him in private.

Once the commotion in the square below had subsided somewhat, Hongtao presented Xu Luo with the item from the third tray: a book.

”The Pharmacopoeia.”

After Hongtao announced the book’s title, the crowd below grew quiet, and the eyes of many revealed confusion and bewilderment.

This was because the Pharmacopoeia was the introductory text for the Medicine Garden. Every new disciple, even the common Servants, could own a copy.

What profound meaning could there be in the Grand Elder presenting this book right after the Heaven-Defying Life-Seizing Creation Pill?