Chapter 162: Accepting a Disciple Against All Odds

Hearing these words, Mengchen was greatly shocked, his brows twitching.

What was her status? She was one of the Ten Fiends, an ancient Zhenhuang!

For such an existence to actually call him a fellow Daoist and even utter the word "request"? If this were to spread, would it not shock the entire world?

There is no need to even mention Yuechan, the Tianhu girl, Xiyao, Heizi, and the others; they were so shocked here that their mouths could not close.

What did the two words "fellow Daoist" signify? That was treating Mengchen as an existence on par with herself! The word "request" naturally goes without saying; these two consecutive terms directly elevated Mengchen to an infinitely high status, now comparable to the Ten Fiends!

"Senior, you are truly shaming this junior. You have passed the Zhenhuang technique to me, and I am already endlessly grateful. If you have any instructions, just speak them directly; there is no need to use the word 'request.' This junior truly cannot bear it," Mengchen said, bowing, his heart deeply shaken.

Everything he said came from the bottom of his heart; the Zhenhuang had passed him a supreme technique, leaving him endlessly grateful.

"In that case... then I will speak plainly," the Zhenhuang said.

As she finished speaking, she pushed the young Zhenhuang she was holding to the front and introduced her: "Fellow Daoist Mengchen! This is my daughter; I wish for her to take you as her master."

"What!" Mengchen, Yuechan, the Tianhu girl, Heizi, and Xiyao all widened their eyes, simply unable to believe it.

After hearing this, Xiyao was shocked for a moment, but soon, a sense of relief inexplicably emerged from the depths of her heart.

Hearing her mother's words, the young Zhenhuang felt even more embarrassed now, hanging her head.

Through her observations over these past two months or so, she knew that Mengchen was by no means a fish in a pond; her mother's judgment was not wrong, and she herself had already prepared to take him as her master.

It was just that her embarrassment at this moment was entirely due to her previous disrespectful words and actions, having nearly used force to injure her future master.

"Sen... Senior! This joke of yours is too big!" Mengchen was quite startled.

"Everything I say is the truth! It is by no means a joke; I hope you, fellow Daoist, can accept my child as your disciple," the Zhenhuang said sincerely.

Mengchen could also tell that this was definitely not a joke, but how could this be?

This young Zhenhuang's strength was that of a Venerable! And this Venerable was by no means comparable to an ordinary Venerable; he was a mere Array Formation cultivator, so how could he accept her?

For a disciple to be stronger than their master—if this were to spread, would it not be shocking?

Accepting a disciple stronger than oneself—this is likely the first time in history.

Mengchen felt he was not up to the task and politely declined: "Senior, why do you do this? Your beloved daughter's strength far exceeds mine; why must she take me as her master? Wouldn't it be better to be taught by that old gentleman?"

His words pointed toward the old man; he was an ancient Supreme, so wouldn't it be better to have his guidance? Why take a small Array Formation cultivator like him as a master and make a joke of it? If this spread, it would damage the Zhenhuang's reputation! "This old man is only responsible for guarding the young lady; as for teaching, I truly dare not accept such a role!" the old man replied with a smile.

He then said: "Little friend... ah, no... Your Excellency, you should still agree to my master's request! My young lady is clever, sensible, and well-behaved; she will surely be an obedient and good disciple."

As the old man spoke, he had originally intended to call him "little friend," but he instantly recalled the Zhenhuang's previous attitude toward Mengchen, so his words also reflected immense respect for Mengchen.

"Fellow Daoist! Please, just agree to this request of mine! I have only this sliver of divine sense left, and after this manifestation, it will cease to exist entirely. In the future, I hope she can follow you and live a peaceful life," the Zhenhuang said earnestly.

"Mother..." the young Zhenhuang looked back at her mother, her eyes instantly turning red.

She also understood in her heart that her mother no longer existed; this was only a divine sense that would eventually dissipate and be completely separated from her.

"Senior, it is not that I will not agree, but this junior truly is not worthy!" Mengchen said, finding it hard to speak.

If this young Zhenhuang had just been born or had just started cultivating, it would be one thing, but she happened to be stronger than him. If he accepted her, how could he teach her in the future?

"If you are not worthy, then I believe there is no one else in this world who can be my daughter's master," the Zhenhuang said, full of confidence.

After a slight pause, she added: "Fellow Daoist! I can understand and grasp your considerations, but I still sincerely hope you can accept her."

The Zhenhuang's attitude was incredibly sincere. She recalled her deductions from years ago: Mengchen would be invincible in this world in the future. Letting her daughter be his disciple was truly filled with selfish motives, thinking that with this relationship in the future, he would surely be able to protect her child's safety.

"Mengchen, just agree to it!" the Vajra Pestle understood the Zhenhuang's considerations and said to Mengchen.

"I... this really cannot be done!" Mengchen was not swayed and did not change his mind; this disciple could not be accepted.

"Are you holding a grudge for my previous disrespect toward you? If so, I am willing to be bound and accept punishment." At this moment, the young Zhenhuang also spoke, looking at Mengchen with firm eyes, thinking in her heart that Mengchen was holding a grudge against her.

"No! I just feel that I am unable to accept you as my disciple," Mengchen said.

"Why?" the young Zhenhuang asked.

"You are already at the Venerable Realm, but I have only just reached the Array Formation Realm. This... how can it be?" Mengchen said.

"Although my realm is higher than yours now, that does not represent the future."

The young Zhenhuang's words left Mengchen speechless for a moment.

"Fellow Daoist, I hope you can grant this," the Zhenhuang spoke sincerely once more.

The Vajra Pestle also spoke up: "Mengchen, just agree to it! I believe that someone who can create an array by themselves at the Array Formation Realm will surely be earth-shattering in the future." Both the Vajra Pestle and the Zhenhuang had performed deductions and had caught a glimpse of Mengchen's future terror, but this could not be stated clearly; they feared that speaking too clearly would cause unknown influences on the future.

"Your Excellency, please agree! This old man will kneel to you on behalf of my master and the young lady." The old man stepped forward to Mengchen, already preparing to kneel.

A Supreme wanting to kneel to a small Array Formation cultivator—what kind of scene was this? Mengchen naturally dared not accept it.

Whether it was the old man's actions or his heart, at this moment, it was from the bottom of his heart and incredibly sincere; he felt that someone his master respected was worthy of his kneeling.

He did not harbor any different emotions because of Mengchen's low realm.

He knew that his master's high regard for Mengchen could not be wrong; this person would surely possess heaven-reaching and earth-shattering abilities in the future. In order for the young lady to successfully take such a person as her master, a mere kneel was nothing at all.

"Old gentleman! Do not do this, get up quickly..." Mengchen hurriedly tried to help him up.

Mengchen could not stop him; the old man had already knelt down and said: "Please, Your Excellency, agree to my master's request."

"Xiaofeng..."

"Feng Lao..."

The Zhenhuang and the young Zhenhuang, mother and daughter, looked at the old man, speechless.

"Thump..." Finally, the young Zhenhuang also knelt on both knees and said: "Please, Master, grant this and accept me as your disciple."

She thought that if Feng Lao could go to such lengths for her, what face did she have left to hold onto?

Now, the young Zhenhuang sincerely wanted to take Mengchen as her master; Mengchen's great boldness in creating the array earlier had made her admire him wholeheartedly.

If her mother asking her to take Mengchen as her master was the beginning, then the talent Mengchen had displayed over the past two months or so was what truly made her submit and willing to take him as her master; such a person was worthy of her respect.

"You all..." Mengchen tried to help both the old man and the young Zhenhuang up, but he could not lift either of them.

These scenes left Yuechan and the others behind him stunned.

Aside from shock, they had no other emotions now.

"Mengchen, hurry and agree!" the Vajra Pestle spoke again.

"Fellow Daoist! You should just agree!" said Zhenhuang.

Mengchen's face showed his hesitation, but with Zhenhuang, Gangzi, and the old man—three supreme powerhouses—repeatedly urging him, he feared it would be unreasonable if he remained stubborn.

"Sigh! Very well." Mengchen sighed softly in his heart, and finally, he reached out to help the old man up, saying, "Old sir, please get up. I agree, I agree, please get up quickly!"

"That's wonderful, truly wonderful." The old man stood up instantly, overjoyed.

"Thank you! Fellow Daoist!" Zhenhuang said with a smile.

At this moment, she let out a sigh of relief in her heart; she believed that in the future, her child would live safely following Mengchen and would not end up like her previous children, dying in battle while helpless.

"Disciple pays respects to Master!"

Following this, the little Zhenhuang happily kowtowed and began to perform the rites.

Once the rites were finished, Mengchen helped her up and said, "Alright! From now on, we shall progress together."

Although Mengchen had agreed, he still felt guilty, feeling somewhat ashamed to be acting as a master.

In order to wear this master's hat with a slightly clearer conscience, Mengchen said, "Here! Since we have become master and disciple, I will first pass on the Kunpeng Technique that I know to you! After you have thoroughly comprehended it, I will pass on other true arts to you."

Having said that, he condensed a Kunpeng Rune and injected it into the little Zhenhuang's brow.

As the massive rune surged into her body, the little Zhenhuang was instantly delighted and bowed in thanks, saying, "Disciple thanks Master for passing on the technique."

"It is only right, it is only right," Mengchen said with a smile.

At this instant, Zhenhuang and the old man smiled with great satisfaction.

Subsequently, Zhenhuang raised her hand in a beckoning gesture, and the Karma Fire Red Lotus atop the Dao Platform flew across the air, spinning in her palm.

She held the Karma Fire Red Lotus out toward Mengchen and said, "Little friend! I gift this red lotus to you."

"Ah! This..." Mengchen's expression was uncertain; deep down, he truly wanted this red lotus, but it was simply too precious, and one should not accept rewards without merit! "Senior, wouldn't it be better to leave this Karma Fire Red Lotus for your daughter?"

"No... it belongs uniquely to you; only you can allow it to display the brilliance it ought to have," Zhenhuang said with a resolute attitude.

She had once seen in a divination that Mengchen, holding six divine lotuses, would slaughter his way through the world, slaughter his way into Yiyu, and slaughter his way into the Dark Boundary Sea; this red lotus belonged to no one but him.

(End of this chapter)