Chapter 351: You and I Are Fated

The other members chimed in one after another.

Mitian Dasheng Jun: 【Ahem, Sword Immortal, don't get angry—it's not good for the Sword Dao.】

Once the message was sent, Mitian Dasheng quickly changed the subject.

Mitian Dasheng Jun: 【It's been a long time since I've seen Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor. I wonder how his longevity feast is going.】

A longevity feast held by an immortal Dao figure is different from one held by a mortal—it isn't wrapped up in a single day, but stretches over many days, with all sorts of events: some include juniors competing in martial bouts for prizes, and there are also Dao discussions and the like.

……

Another world, the Tianhong Great Realm.

The Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor that Mitian Dasheng Jun and the others had been talking about was at this very moment sitting in his own cave-dwelling great hall within his ancient clan, listening to a white-haired old man chatter on and on in front of him.

The white-haired old man was dressed in archaic robes, his brows, hair, and beard all white; every inch of him radiated power, his body wreathed in treasure-light, his eyes shimmering with rosy glow, and every gesture of his hands was bathed in divine radiance, like the legendary old immortal.

Beside him sat a young man.

If any Earthling were here, they would certainly be astonished beyond measure.

They had seen this young man before—wasn't he the one who had entered that corner palace in Ping'an Capital back then?

Moreover, this young man hadn't merely entered the palace—he had also obtained a supreme treasure.

As one may recall, that Russian captain, Mike, had said that a few people had managed to touch a few supreme treasures; their bodies hadn't been reduced to light, but instead they had been sent through a series of doorways.

Among them, the young man sitting beside the white-haired old man was one of them—Zhang Hao!

After Zhang Hao brought that treasure pearl, the 'Mochen Pearl,' to this world, the very first person from another world he met was the white-haired old man, 'Bai Yuanxian Jun.'

Bai Yuanxian Jun saw that Zhang Hao's talent was outstanding, rare through all ages, and the thought of taking a disciple rose in his heart.

Now, Zhang Hao had already formally entered Bai Yuanxian Jun's tutelage, becoming his sole disciple. Moreover, under Bai Yuanxian Jun's unstinting guidance and resources, in the days since he had already reached the second tier of Living Beings, and was not far from the third tier of Living Beings.

The speed of his realm advancement was in no way inferior to Gao Xiang Hong's.

At this moment.

Bai Yuanxian Jun was, in fact, showing off this disciple of his to the Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor.

"Old Ghost, my disciple here isn't bad, is he? In such a short time he's reached the second tier of Living Beings, and before long he'll be at the third tier—far more formidable than the juniors in your sect. You'd better watch out, now. Don't let all the disciples in your sect be outshone by my one disciple."

As Bai Yuanxian Jun spoke, he stroked his white beard and laughed heartily.

He and the Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor were close friends, and once had been deadly rivals. Because they had come to know each other through fighting, and as they fought on and on, deadly rivalry had given way to friendship. Now they were bosom friends who often bickered and tried to one-up each other.

After more than ten thousand years together, there was nothing they hadn't competed over—or rather, anything that could be competed over, they would compete over.

Now that he had finally taken a disciple, he naturally couldn't let slip such a fine chance to compete disciples. One must know that the Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor had not been shy about using the fact that Bai Yuanxian Jun was a lone wolf with no kin to needle him.

He was always bragging that his sect grew ever stronger, and Bai Yuanxian Jun, being a loose cultivator with no sect, had no way to fire back. Now, at last, he had his chance.

For this reason, he had come this time to attend the Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor's longevity feast, and in the juniors' talent contest at the feast, he had simply sent Zhang Hao into the fray, who crushed everyone and took first place, winning great face.

And so, from that point on, the name Zhang Hao spread among the outstanding talents of that region.

Bai Yuanxian Jun was a titan of this world, and moreover a loose cultivator. With such strength and status, naturally many outstanding talents had their eyes on him, wanting to become his disciple—in this way they would not only receive Bai Yuanxian Jun's inheritance, but also gain a powerful backer.

It was only a pity that Bai Yuanxian Jun had never taken disciples, yet now he had finally made an exception.

Listening to Bai Yuanxian Jun talk until he was nearly spraying saliva, his old face beaming with excitement, the Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor curled his lip and said stubbornly:

"Nonsense. My sect's disciples are far stronger than yours."

"Then how did your sect's juniors lose to my disciple in this talent contest?"

Bai Yuanxian Jun, utterly without the dignity befitting his age, snickered. Only in front of his bosom friend the Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor would he show his true colors.

The Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor retorted:

"That's only because I was going easy on you, didn't you see? I didn't even let my sect's true disciples go up in force."

"Keep spinning it. The truth is, after you sent a few up and found they really couldn't win, you stopped sending the other true disciples—because you knew they couldn't win."

"That's pure slander from you. Which of my sect's true disciples isn't a contemporary talent? Which one wasn't personally trained by an elder of the sect? Hah, what's the point of competing with you? They're all personally taught disciples of my sect's elders, not mine."

"Then why don't you train one yourself, and let our disciples have a match?"

Hearing this, the Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor waved his hand dismissively:

"Forget it. I'm a man who holds fame and fortune lightly, and I don't much care for taking disciples—can't you see I don't take any? Lucky for me I don't, otherwise any disciple I casually took would instantly kill yours, and then you'd be jealous till your eyes turned purple."

"You're changing the subject, aren't you? I think you're just changing the subject."

"Where am I changing the subject? It's clearly you, Old Bai, looking for a fight, isn't it? What, fifty years without a sparring match—is your skin itching?"

"My skin itching? I think it's yours that's itching."

"Oh-ho, looks like you've made some small gains, otherwise how would you dare to challenge me?"

"Those words of yours, I return them to you, intact."

"Then how about a sparring match to test it? Dare you?"

"Bring it on! Who's afraid of whom? If I don't beat your old nose black and blue today, my name isn't Bai Yuan."

"Those words of yours, I return them to you, intact."

Then, the two titans of the Tianhong Great Realm immediately started brawling, soaring straight up into the ninefold heavens to fight it out.

"Master…"

Zhang Hao wanted to try to talk them out of it—after all, it was because of him—but before he could say anything, the two great immortal Dao figures had already vanished from sight, disappearing over the horizon.

At this time, the people of the Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor's sect who had learned of the commotion and hurried over saw the scene and exchanged wry smiles.

The sect's foremost true disciple patted Zhang Hao on the shoulder:

"Brother Zhang, don't take it to heart. Laozu Sect and Senior Bai Yuanxian Jun spar all the time—basically any random excuse can set them off. Last time they competed over whose hair was thicker, and while they were comparing they started pulling out each other's hair, and then they got into a fight."

Zhang Hao: "……"

……

Half a day later, the Ghost Hong Demon Ancestor and Bai Yuanxian Jun, though each clearly sporting a bruised and swollen face, came back arm-in-arm.

"It's been ages since I logged into the chat group. I wonder how all you fellow Daoists are doing."

After seeing off Bai Yuanxianjun, Ghost Hong, the Demon Ancestor, returned to his cave and opened the chat group.

At this moment, the chat group was very lively.

Gao Xiang Hong had broken through to Life Stage Two in just half a day, and all members once again revised their understanding of his talent.

Great Sage Miti: 【Even I can't help but want to take him as a disciple—I'm even a little envious.】

Other members all replied 【+1】

At this moment.

Ghost Hong, the Demon Ancestor: 【Huh, what are you all talking about?】

After sending the message, Ghost Hong, the Demon Ancestor, scrolled up to read the chat history—and the more he read, the more astonished he became.

My heavens, during the time I hosted my birthday banquet, a new member joined the chat group—a beginner with utterly monstrous talent!

The next instant.

Ghost Hong, the Demon Ancestor: 【Xiang Hong, young friend, I observe your talent is excellent, and I sense a karmic connection between us—would you be willing to become my disciple? I've never taken a disciple before; you would be my first, and also my last. I shall teach you everything I know, guiding you to attain the Divine Demon realm as swiftly as possible—even to become an Immortal and an Ancestor.】

……