Three days had passed since Guan Yonghai, Jiang Hao, and Jian Tiansheng arrived in Great Radiant City. During their brief stay, they had caught glimpses of the intense power struggle unfolding within the Ancient Long Family. The air was thick with tension, and the trio had wisely decided to distance themselves from the conflict.
Instead of getting entangled in the family's internal affairs, they opted to focus on their primary objective: recruiting talented disciples. To achieve this goal, they had set up a humble street office in the bustling market district of Great Radiant City.
The office, though modest, was strategically located to attract potential recruits. Colorful banners and posters adorned the exterior, proclaiming the trio's search for exceptional talents. Passersby couldn't help but notice the office, and some even ventured inside to inquire about the recruitment process.
However, despite their efforts, Guan Yonghai, Jiang Hao, and Jian Tiansheng had yet to discover any outstanding talents to recruit. While they had encountered individuals like Young Lady Qi and Young Lord Tian, who possessed impressive abilities, these exceptional individuals were already affiliated with prestigious powerhouses, making them ineligible for recruitment.
The sun was still high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the city. It was the month following autumn, and the afternoon air was crisp and cool, carrying the faint scent of ripe fruits and woodsmoke. The streets were bustling with activity, as people went about their daily routines, unaware of the significant events unfolding within the Ancient Long Family.
"That lady was dangerous, definitely not someone we should be around," First Disciple Guan sighed, resting on the office seat.
"Yeah, Lady Leng Yi was soul-creeping, not someone I would want to be around," Second Disciple Jiang agreed, lounging on the sofa.
"But... She was beautiful," Eight Disciple Jian ventured, his voice hesitant at first, but eventually finding the courage to express his thoughts.
A hint of shyness colored his face, but he didn't shy away from uttering those words, which sounded perilous to the other two.
"She was what?" First Disciple Guan arched his right brow, asking in amusement.
"I mean... She was indeed beautiful," Eight Disciple Jian stammered, licking his lips as he felt a mix of nervousness and embarrassment. He took a deep breath before adding, "And... very sexy too."
First and Second Disciples exchanged a bewildered glance, their eyes blinking in unison as they wondered what had come over their Eight Brother.
Just as the three brothers were about to correct Eight Disciple Jian's understanding of beauty, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching. A young man and a lady walked into the office, each possessing breathtaking beauty that was rarely seen in heaven and earth.
The young man wore light armor that seemed to shimmer in the light, making him look like a reject from a bad fantasy novel. The young lady wore a divine garment that illuminated the sun and moon, because, you know, subtlety is overrated.
Both of them exuded an extraordinary aura, one that belonged to heavenly children, or in other words, children who were so spoiled that they thought they were gods.
The three brothers watched in awe as the young man and lady greeted them and took their seats in front of the office table, looking like they owned the place.
"Greetings to the young lords, I am Long Wang, and this is my elder sister, Long Zhen," the young man introduced himself and his sister with confidence, as if to say, "Bow down, mortals, before our greatness."
The three brothers blinked their eyes in surprise, taken aback by the young man's and lady's arrogance. They looked at each other, wondering if they had somehow stumbled into a bad parody of a fantasy novel.
But what was even more astonishing was the person who had given them such names. The one who had named them was truly the most arrogant person in the world!
How dare they name this young man "Long Wang," which means Dragon King, and this lady "Long Zhen," which means Dragon Dominator!
It was simply infuriating! Who did they think they were, naming their kids after mythical creatures and expecting everyone to tremble with fear?
The three brothers couldn't help but wonder what other ridiculous names this family had come up with. "Hey, let's name our kid 'Invincible God Emperor'!" "No, no, that's not arrogant enough. Let's name him ' Supreme Ruler of the Universe' instead!"
"Ah!!" After a long while, First Disciple Guan finally returned to his senses, his eyes wide with wonder. He composed himself and introduced himself, "Greetings to you too, Young Lord Long and Young Lady Long."
"I am..." He began to introduce himself, but the young man, Long Wang, smiled knowingly.
"I know you are Brother Guan from the Heaven Trampling Sect, right?" Long Wang asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
First Disciple Guan's eyes widened in surprise. "Yes," he nodded his head, confirming his identity.
Long Wang's smile grew wider. "Anyway, we heard that you are recruiting disciples, so we came here to join your sect."
His words dropped like a bombshell, shocking all three brothers.
But somehow, the confident and otherworldly aura that Long Wang exuded seemed to convey a different message. It was as if he was saying, "We're not here to join your sect, we're here to take it over."
The brothers exchanged skeptical glances, unsure what to make of Long Wang's intentions.
First Disciple Guan's eyes widened in surprise, his face scrunched up in a mixture of confusion and alarm.
Actually, it wasn't the fault of the trio. Since the day they had met the members of the Ancient Long Family, they had been feeling uneasy around them.
This was also why, whenever they met with members of the Ancient Long Family, they seemed to be surrounded by strange activities.
Everything they saw seemed to be shrouded in lies or deception, making it difficult for them to discern reality from illusion.
"But since you possess the surname Long, doesn't that mean..." He trailed off, his voice barely above a whisper.
Young Lord Long Wang's smile was so bright it could have guided ships safely into harbor. "Yes, we are from the Ancient Long Family, but we still want to join your sect because we want to learn things outside of our family territory as well."
First Disciple Guan's face turned a lovely shade of green, like a pickle that had been left out too long. He looked like he was about to vomit up his lunch. "You...you want to join our sect?" he stuttered.
Long Wang nodded enthusiastically, his smile never wavering. "Yes, we do! We've heard so many great things about your sect, and we just can't wait to learn all about...um, whatever it is you people do."
First Disciple Guan's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And what makes you think you're qualified to join our sect?" he asked, his voice dripping with skepticism.
Long Wang thought for a moment before responding, "Well, I'm pretty sure I'm a genius. And my sister here is, like, super smart too."
Long Zhen nodded in agreement, her face a picture of serenity. "Yes, we're both very intelligent. And we're also very good at...um, breathing."
The three brothers stared at the Long siblings, their faces a mixture of confusion, alarm, and utter bewilderment. What kind of crazy people were these?
When they heard Long Zhen's claim, the trio's faces turned beet red with suppressed rage. They wanted nothing more than to punch her beautiful face, to wipe that serene smile off her lips.
What did she mean by "good at breathing"? It was a ridiculous claim, akin to saying she was skilled at blinking or talented at standing upright. The trio's minds were racing with more accurate descriptions of Long Zhen's skills – "good at backstabbing," "expert at manipulation," or "master of deceit."
But no one dared voice their opinions out loud. Instead, they were forced to smile, to pretend that Long Zhen's words hadn't made their blood boil. The air was thick with tension as the trio struggled to maintain their composure, their faces aching from the effort of pretending to be polite.
Behind their forced smiles, the trio's minds were seething with indignation. They thought to themselves, their mental monologues dripping with sarcasm and hostility.
'You guys are lucky that you're in the Ancient Long Family's territory. If you have the guts, meet us outside for two minutes, and we'll beat you two senseless for five minutes!! Humph!! Humph!!'
Their mental taunts were accompanied by imaginary fist-shaking and foot-stomping, a testament to the trio's pent-up frustration. But, of course, they maintained their polite smiles, all the while seething with rage beneath the surface.
**************
In the Ancient Long Family's residence, the Southern Garden Residence stood as the private sanctuary of Long Yang. The gentle rustle of leaves and the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers filled the air as Long Yang sat in the gazebo, sipping his tea.
The serene atmosphere was disrupted by the arrival of Long Tian, who approached the gazebo with a calm and unhurried demeanor. Without waiting for an invitation, Long Tian took a seat and poured himself a cup of tea.
Long Yang's eyes narrowed slightly as he swirled his tea, the enchanting fragrance wafting up to tease his senses. "I don't think I invited you to have a cup of tea with me?" he said, his voice tinged with a hint of curiosity.
Long Tian smiled and sipped his tea, his eyes glinting with amusement. "But I also don't remember you forbidding me from visiting you."
The air was filled with an uncomfortable silence as Long Yang's gaze locked onto Long Tian's. "Hm, so how does it feel like, killing your own brother?" Long Yang's smile was a thin, mirthless line.
Long Tian's expression turned contemplative, his eyes clouding over as he pondered the question. He silently placed his teacup on the table and stood up, his movements unhurried as he walked out of the gazebo.
Reaching out, Long Tian plucked a delicate flower from the garden, his fingers closing around its stem.
"You tell me, how does it feel like killing your third brother?" he asked, his voice low and even.
The question hung in the air, its implications astonishing. It was getting complicated to comprehend the sudden turn of events. Why was Long Tian asking Long Yang the same question he had just been asked? The confusion was palpable, the air thick with unspoken tensions.
A sly smile crept onto Long Yang's face as he leaned in, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "To tell the truth..." He paused, his eyes glinting with mirth. "It was full of excitement and entertaining."
Long Tian's gaze met Long Yang's, a flicker of curiosity dancing in his eyes. Long Yang's smile grew wider as he turned the question back on his brother. "What about you?"
Long Tian's expression turned introspective, his eyes clouding over like a stormy sky. ".... It was painful," he said finally, his voice laced with a hint of melancholy. He deeply sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly. "But very interesting."
The two brothers chuckled, the sound low and menacing. It was a laughter that sent shivers down the spine, a laughter that hinted at secrets and lies.
But what were they laughing about? What secret were they sharing? The air was thick with tension, heavy with the weight of unspoken truths. If the context of their conversation were to be revealed, the fragile peace that currently existed would be shattered.
The secret they shared was not something that could be openly discussed or learned. It was a truth that was better left unspoken, hidden behind the mask of laughter and polite conversation.
***************
Far away from the bustling streets of Great Radiant City, Wudi Egun sat cross-legged in his chamber, his eyes closed in deep contemplation. The air was thick with the scent of incense and the soft hum of spiritual energy as he cultivated his inner power.
Suddenly, a mechanical voice pierced the silence, a sound Wudi Egun hadn't heard in months. His eyes snapped open, and he gazed at the notification hovering before him.
[ Congratulations Host for recruiting 2 Disciples ]
A faint smile played on Wudi Egun's lips as he read the message. He thought nothing much of it, assuming it was just another routine notification.
But then, his eyes scanned the rewards listed below, and his interest piqued.
[ Reward for recruiting 1 Inferior-Grade Low Rank Talent ; 10 Qi Refining Pills, Inferior-Grade Low-Rank Martial Art [ Shadowless Step ] and 1000 Inferior-Grade Low-Rank Spiritual Stones ]
Wudi Egun's smile widened, but the second notification truly surprised him. He didn't expect the second talent to be so outstanding.
Wudi Egun's eyes widened as he gazed at the notification before him.
[ Congratulations on recruiting an Inferior-Grade Mid-Rank Talent ]
[ Rewards ; 100 000 Inferior-Grade Mid-Rank Spiritual Stones, Inferior-Grade Mid-Rank Martial Art { Divine Fist }, Mid-Rank Cultivation Technique { Cosmic Descent }, 10 Superior-Grade Low-Rank Martial Art, 10 Superior-Grade Low-Rank Cultivation Technique, 50 Inferior-Grade Low-Rank Martial Art, 50 Inferior-Grade Low-Rank Cultivation Technique, Mid-Rank Weapon { Spirit Devouring Banner } ]
A beaming smile spread across Wudi Egun's face as he beheld the treasure trove of rewards. But before he could revel in his good fortune, another notification echoed through the air.
[ Ding !! Congratulations for recruiting your first Mid-Rank Talent , hence you shall receive a special reward ]
[ Time-space Swordsmanship
Grade ; Mid-Rank Divine Power
Affinity ; Time And Space
Description ; With the sword in your hand, you can attack past, present and future, destroy all the timelines and obliterate realities. With the sword in your hand, nothing in the world can stop you, no one can escape from you and no power can hide from you for space is within your control ]
Wudi Egun's jaw dropped, his mind reeling in stunned silence. He had never heard of such a powerful ability existing in this world. But, as he gazed at the notification, his excitement was tempered by a dose of reality.
Unfortunately, his cultivation was still insignificant, and he couldn't wield such a Divine Power.
To harness a Mid-Rank Divine Power, one needed to be at least a Dao Noble. Only Dao Masters could create their own Low-Rank Divine Powers, while Dao Nobles could create Mid-Rank Divine Powers. Dao Kings, in turn, could forge High-Rank Divine Powers.
And then, there were the Dao Emperors, whose powers were known as Imperial Edicts.
With a deep breath, Wudi Egun calmed himself, his gaze drifting back to the notification. He knew that he had a long way to go before he could wield such immense power.
Personal strength was what truly mattered, and Wudi Egun steeled himself to return to his cultivation, more determined than ever to reach the pinnacle of power.