Tang Bufan was really unhappy. It was because he had learnt that he would get no maidservant, at least not just yet. It was because there was no one that was willing to be his maidservant.
Rushuang had quit being his maidservant all of a sudden and she had secretly told the other female ordinary protégés that Tang Bufan had actually offended the new acting sectarian leader.
When Rushuang had lost this opportunity to be Tang Bufan's maidservant, there was actually still several interested female ordinary protégés that were willing to take up this 'lost' opportunity that was given up by Rushuang. However, when their Sect Leader Qin had suddenly defeated Supremacy Wen, shove away Celestial Bai Laoxiong and even reassigned the grand elder positions, all the protégés had suddenly realized that Qin Keqin was not someone that they could afford to step upon.
Therefore, all the opportunistic female protégés had all decided to give up this opportunity to be an attendant of a core protégé. This golden opportunity may cause them to lose their position and life. None of the female ordinary protégés were willing to risk their positions in the Heavens Ridge Ville for that.
At this moment, Tang Bufan was on his way to see Celestial Shi Guanyin. As he walked, he was sighing heavily that he had got Rushuang into his bed yet. She was really a pretty protégé and moreover, she was also a second realm cultivator. While he had played with many women before, there was none who was a second realm cultivator and above. So he was dying to have this experience as part of his conquest.
"Never mind," he thought. "I can still work on my new master. After all, she is actually quite beautiful and she is quite sexy too."
When he had entered the Red Heaven Sword Hall, Celestial Shi Guanyin was already there with three core protégés.
Nangong Yu was the most senior of the three core protégés and he was already an initial fourth realm expert. All the other core protégés had to address him as senior brother and Tang Bufan was not an exception.
Leng Qiuyue was the second senior and she was like an icy beauty. She rarely spoke unless it was necessary. She did not even bother to greet Lu Qingyun as senior brother. She was an upper third realm expert.
Li Chen was the third senior and he was always had a smile on his face. He was a middle third realm expert.
As Tang Bufan entered the Red Heaven Sword Hall, he immediately greeted. "Master, seniors, Tang Bufang greets all of you."
Shi Guanyin nodded expressionlessly before she said, "The rest of you are dismissed. I will speak with Bufang alone."
Tang Bufang was startled but he was also secretly glad. Could it be that his master had shown an exceptional interest in him? This was an excellent opportunity for him to get into his master's good books!
So he began to smile broadly as his seniors departed, giving a hand bow to them when they had walked past him.
Nangong Yu and Leng Qiuyue simply walked past him without even acknowledging him while Li Chen returned a smile and a hand bow as he walked past him.
He was silently cursing Nangong Yu and Leng Qiuyue, "There is no need to be so haughty. Soon I will overtake all of you and you will regret the day that you have slighted me."
Shi Guanyin read a cultivation slip without looking at him, "Bufan, you are a new core protégé. I hope that you will get along well with the other seniors. Our Red Heaven Sword Halls specialized in swordplay. This does not mean that our swordplay is better than the other martial halls but your swordplay must never lose to the other martial halls. After I have dismissed you, go to the Red Heaven Sword Library and get yourself three sword manuals for your self-study. You are now dismissed."
Tang Bufan was startled, "I am dismissed so fast? Self-study? Won't master be instructing me personally?"
Shi Guanyin said lazily without looking at him, "In a month's time, I'll be testing you on your self-study. The Red Heaven Library elder will also be giving you a cultivation slip on the third realm celestial practice. Go now."
Tang Bufan smiled weakly, "Master, I have a small request. May I speak?"
Shi Guanyin said lazily, "You may."
Tang Bufang smiled, "Master, you are the most beautiful master that I ever got. At the moment, I still don't have a maidservant to attend to my needs. May I request for an attendant to attend to my daily needs as soon as possible so that I can better focus on my cultivation?"
This time Shi Guanyin put down her cultivation slip as she looked at Tang Bufan as she lit a smile…
Tang Bufang was overjoyed. By saying that she was the most beautiful master that he had ever got, his master was indeed flattered by him. Slowly he would work on his plans on seducing her…
Shi Guanyin said coolly as she looked at him, "There won't be an attendant for you. At least not until after the sect internal martial tournament. Tang Bufan, you have better saved on your flattering. I have seen many people that are like you in the past. If you think that I am just an inexperienced maiden then you are greatly mistaken. Do you think that your Tang Clan is really that rich? You have no knowledge what the wealthy truly is in the world of cultivation. It is not something that the puny likes of you can imagine."
Tang Bufan was startled. His master had actually rebuked him!
Just as he was about to protest he had no ill-intentions, Shi Guanyin said coldly. "You know. I have really regretted taking you in my core protégé and I should have let Bai Laoxiong have you instead. So what are you waiting for? You're dismissed."
With that, she had returned her attention to her cultivation slip.
Tang Bufan was smiling weakly. This master of his was really not easy to handle. He did not understand why his master was so cold toward him. He had thought that he was a genius cultivator and that his master would be too eager to have him as her core protégé. But all of a sudden this seemed a little amiss somewhere…
Shi Guanyin had already noticed that Tang Bufan was full of hostilities toward Lu Qingyun during the core protégés selection. All the tiny nuances that were being displayed by the two hundred candidates were all captured by her spirit perception. She was after all a golden celestial and a fifth realm expert. Her attainment and strength were not something that a mere third realm cultivator like Tang Bufan could ever imagine until he had reached her state of divinity.
This Tang Bufan had not only made an enemy out of Lu Qingyun but he had also foolishly made an enemy out of Qin Keqin or so the rumors had claimed as spread by Rushuang.
She did not like surprises and she did not want to offend someone as powerful as Qin Keqin, at least not yet until she was shrewd enough to overcome her. Getting to her present position was really not easy and she had stepped upon the dead bodies of her fellow protégés to climb to this height. She could tell that Tang Bufan was an ambitious man by his actions.
But he was also a stupid man. She mused silently, "A stupid fellow like you won't survive in the scheming world of the cultivators. Although you are cunning but you are stupid to think that everyone else is a stupid fool like you. I'm not surprised that you are being played by the others sooner or later."
When Tang Bufan was out of her sight, she began to mutter. "Lu Qingyun, Lu Qingyun. I wonder what is your background? You are but a lowly first realm cultivator but you have actually possessed a nine rank spirit entity. You are not even a fourth realm expert yet. This spirit entity is such a waste on you. And I wonder why Qin Keqin has shown such a great interest in you?"
She began to sigh. If she were to have a ninth rank spirit entity then she would have already broken through to sixth realm golden supremacy level. Then she would be one of the most powerful celestials in New Empyrean City.
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Tang Bufan walked miserably out of the Red Heaven Sword Hall, cursing his master for not appreciating him and failing to fall for his handsome charms.
Soon he was now at the Red Heaven Sword Library and there was an old elder who was sitting in the lobby inside.
He took a look at Tang Bufan and said in his old hoarse voice, "You must be Tang Bufan. I've been expecting you."
Tang Bufan smiled as he gave a hand bow, "Indeed I am. How may I address senior elder?"
The old man replied casually, "Elder Kongshi."
Tang Bufan greeted, "Elder Kongshi!"
Elder Kongshi took out a cultivation slip and put it on the table in front of him, "As you are just at the beginning of the third realm, this cultivation slip is a third realm cultivation slip that may be helpful to you."
"Senior elder, thank you!" Tang Bufan expressed his gratitude and happily took the cultivation slip. Third realm cultivation slips were really rare even in New Empyrean City. This was something that he sorely needed and he had finally obtained a copy of it. Finally he would fulfill his grand dreams of reaching the fourth realm immortal celestial level.
"Also," Elder Kongshi added as he put a green jade ring on the table. "To select the sword manuals, simply tap it with your ring. As you are a third realm core protégé, you are able to access to the 3rd floor limit."
After thanking the elder, he began to walk into Red Heaven Library.
He was a little surprised to see that there were dozens of protégés that were roaming around. When they saw him with his core disciple attire, they immediately greeted. "Senior brother!"
Tang Bufan lit a smile. To be called a senior brother was such a wonderful feeling.
He was like a blazing sun with this new attire that had marked him as a core protégé and it was like a badge of honor.
This was the first floor and most of the sword manuals were only basic. Therefore he decided to go to the second floor directly. He was after all a core protégé and it would not be good for his reputation if he pick a sword manual from the first floor.
On the second floor, there were only about two dozen protégés that were around. When they saw him, they hastily greeted him as senior brother.
By now, Tang Bufan was feeling extremely superior and proud of his new status as a core protégé. The new attire of a core protégé really worked wonders!
He decided to go to the third floor directly. As a highly ranked core protégé, how could he compare to these common protégés on the second floor? If he wanted to learn a new swordplay then it had to be something fantastic to fit his lofty status as a third realm cultivator.
When he reached the third floor, there was only a single protégé inside and that single protégé was Nangong Yu, the eldest core protégé of Celestial Shi Guanyin.
He quickly greeted panicky, "Senior brother!"
Nangong Yu stared coldly at him and said icily, "You are indeed ambitious enough to come to the third floor. Don't bite more than you can chew."
Tang Bufan smiled weakly, "Yes, yes."
Now it was his turn to call someone else senior brother. The first two floors were like heavens to him while the third floor was like hell all of a sudden…