Master: This Villainous Disciple Is Not The Holy Child - Chapter 19: Reaching the Summit! A Quasi-Emperor's Congratulations, and the Holy Land in Awe

A sea of people filled the Tai Su Plaza.

“It’s been almost ten days. Do you think Chu Xiu might have perished in the Tai Su Divine Pagoda?” the plump female cultivator with a pockmarked face said cheerfully.

“It’s not entirely impossible. There are always cases of disciples perishing every time the Tai Su Divine Pagoda opens,” Qi Ming nodded thoughtfully.

Second Senior Brother Xiao Yifeng and Third Senior Sister Ren Hongying exchanged glances, barely concealing the glee in their eyes.

‘Good riddance… That trash deserves to die. He was never worthy of the position of Chief Disciple.’

Chu Xiaoran frowned, her heart filled with worry. ‘Could he really be dead? Why else would he be gone for so long?’

“There’s another possibility,” Qi Ming said, clapping his hands together as if struck by a sudden realization. All eyes turned towards him.

“Perhaps Chu Xiu was transported out long ago but failed to make it onto the Sea of Qi Monument. Ashamed, he simply left without telling anyone.”

“That’s highly plausible,” Xiao Yifeng agreed, nodding eagerly.

Chu Xiaoran shook her head. She had met Chu Xiu, had seen his arrogance, his pride. She found it hard to believe he would simply slink away in defeat. She’d sooner believe he had perished within the pagoda.

“Hehe, the chief disciple of Yúnxiá Peak failing to make it onto the Sea of Qi Monument…” The pockmarked woman grinned, her face splitting into a wide, toad-like smile. “That would be the biggest joke in the history of the Tài Sù Holy Land.”

Just as Xiao Yifeng was about to respond, a deep, ancient chime echoed from the Tai Su Divine Pagoda, its sound resonating across the heavens, bathing the world in a brilliant, multicolored light.

The entire Holy Land trembled.

“Someone’s entered the top ten!” a voice cried out.

And then…

Dong!

A second chime. Spectral images of dragons materialized in the sky above the pagoda, bowing their heads in reverence.

A third chime. Phoenixes appeared, soaring above the dragons, their cries echoing through the air, a celestial dance of celebration.

The extraordinary, awe-inspiring spectacle silenced the bustling Tai Su Plaza.

Hundreds of thousands of cultivators gazed upwards, their eyes fixed on the Tai Su Divine Pagoda, their minds reeling from the magnificent display.

“This… what… what is this?” Elder Huang’s whisk slipped from his grasp, his usual serene composure shattered.

Mo Feiyan’s jaw dropped, her face a mask of shock and disbelief. Three chimes… a sign of a truly monstrous talent emerging.

Just as she was about to probe the situation with her divine sense…

Dong!

A fourth chime. Eight spectral figures, ancient Saint Kings from a bygone era, materialized, surrounding the pagoda, their combined auras suppressing time and space, their voices a low murmur of profound pronouncements.

Su Ruxue, who had been basking in the admiration of her fellow disciples, looked up, her face pale with shock.

What… what kind of phenomenon is this…?

Dong!

A fifth chime. The River of Time, spanning eons, appeared in the sky, a figure of immense power descending from its currents, his every step leaving a lotus flower in his wake. His face was obscured, but his white Daoist robes and flowing black hair gave him an otherworldly aura, like an ancient emperor reborn. The pressure of his Quasi-Emperor realm cultivation pressed down upon the world, forcing hundreds of thousands of cultivators to their knees, their heads bowed in submission.

“Seventh Generation Tai Suzi… Quasi-Emperor Bai Su!” Mo Feiyan, forced to the ground by the immense pressure, recognized the figure, her voice a trembling whisper of awe and disbelief.

Five chimes… a Quasi-Emperor’s manifestation… for a Holy Son selection… A monstrous talent… a blessing for their Holy Land!

The Quasi-Emperor’s spectral figure, his hands clasped behind his back, seemed to stand upon the very fabric of reality. With a wave of his sleeve, he inscribed characters upon the Tai Su Divine Pagoda, golden light erupting from his fingertips, his every stroke resonating with the Dao, revitalizing withered trees and causing flowers to bloom and fade in an instant.

Ancient, golden characters, each a thousand meters tall, appeared on the pagoda’s surface, their strokes profound and powerful, like the very laws of the universe made manifest.

Every cultivator within the Tai Su Holy Land, regardless of their realm or distance, could see those characters, their hearts resonating with the profound truths they represented.

Within the Holy Master’s Hall, Tai Suzi rose to her feet and instantly appeared atop Tai Su Peak, her bare feet touching the void as she gazed down at the pagoda, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

“He has… surpassed the ancient limits…”

“He has… reached the summit!”

[Yúnxiá Peak – True Disciple – Chu Xiu]

[Reached the 99th Floor of the Sea of Qi Pagoda – Surpassing the Limits, Unprecedented in Ancient Times]

[Aptitude: Mid-Heaven Grade]

[Comprehension: Divine??]

[Perseverance: High-Divine Grade]

[Mentality: Divine??]

[Combat Power: Divine??]

[Qualified as a Top Candidate for Holy Son]

The name that had held the top spot on the Sea of Qi Monument for millennia was replaced.

At the very top, in golden characters ten times larger than the others…

[Sea of Qi Monument – First Place – Chu Xiu – 99th Floor]

The celestial phenomena in the sky began to fade.

Before vanishing, the Quasi-Emperor’s spectral figure glanced downwards, a hint of amusement in his eyes, as if sharing a secret joke with the world, before fading back into the River of Time, disappearing from this era, from this world.

A deathly silence descended upon the Tai Su Plaza.

Then, after a few heartbeats…

A thunderous roar erupted, a wave of shock and disbelief washing over the crowd.

99th floor…

Someone had actually reached the 99th floor of the Sea of Qi Pagoda.

Surpassing the limits, unprecedented in ancient times…

The entire Holy Land was in awe.

Multicolored light filled the sky. Dragons bowed in reverence. Phoenixes danced in celebration. Ancient Saint Kings offered their congratulations. A Quasi-Emperor, emerging from the River of Time, had personally inscribed his name upon the pagoda.

Such an honor!

What a monstrous talent!

“Who is Chu Xiu? Where is he?”

“Chu Xiu!”

“Chu Xiu!”

Hundreds of thousands of voices chanted his name, their cries echoing through the plaza, dispelling the clouds and mist.

Their excitement, their pride, their shared connection to this extraordinary individual… it was palpable.

‘Chu Xiu… a True Disciple of Yúnxiá Peak? Could he be… *the one*…?’ Chu Xiaoran’s lips parted slightly, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and joy. ‘He… he reached the summit… how… how is that even possible?’

The pockmarked woman’s jaw hung open, as if she could swallow a whole melon. The pimples on her face seemed to pulsate, oozing a disgusting pus, a testament to her utter disbelief.

The one she had mocked just moments ago… now stood at the pinnacle, a top candidate for Holy Son. The irony… the sheer, unexpected turn of events… it was almost too much to bear.

Qi Ming’s mind reeled. ‘Chu Xiu… that strong?’

Xiao Yifeng and Ren Hongying were more shocked than anyone. They, more than anyone else, knew the true nature of their “Senior Brother.”

How… how could he have reached the summit?

It was impossible. They must be hallucinating.

“Can someone please tell me… what does that ‘Divine ??’ evaluation even mean?” a young cultivator asked, his voice filled with confusion.

An elder, his hair as white as snow, his voice a low murmur, explained to his disciples, “It means… beyond Divine…”

…

Atop Tai Su Peak, Tai Suzi smiled, her eyes, filled with a light that seemed to encompass the birth and death of countless worlds, fixed on the golden light enveloping Chu Xiu.

“As expected of one who has comprehended a Primordial Sword Intent…”

…

Within the Peak Master’s Hall on Yúnxiá Peak, Qi Meng Die sat frozen on her white jade lotus throne, her gaze fixed on the sky, her lips parted slightly.

“That rebellious disciple… he’s… he’s practically defying the heavens…”

‘But… that’s not right… his aptitude… Mid-Heaven Grade… how…?’

‘His aptitude… it’s that high now?’

A blush crept up Qi Meng Die’s cheeks as a strange mix of emotions washed over her.

That aptitude evaluation… she had played a part in it…

Even Chu Xiu would have to acknowledge her contribution.

If it weren’t for her guidance, her teachings, her… sacrifices… his aptitude would still be at a pitiful Mortal Grade.

‘That… that damned disciple!’

She gritted her teeth and stood up, heading towards her bedchamber, a sudden urge to stab that straw doll a few more times to calm her turbulent heart.

…

Bathed in golden light, Chu Xiu stared at the three rewards floating before him.

The first was an ancient golden scroll: Insights into the Minor Archaic Saint Body.

The second, an archaic jade slip containing a secret technique: Nine Syllable Mantra – Xing Character Secret – ?? Grade.

The third, a strange and wondrous fruit, shaped like a serpent, radiating an icy aura yet burning with a white flame: Divine-grade Cold Flame Soul Melting Fruit.

The Tai Su Divine Pagoda’s voice echoed in his mind. He could only choose one.

He wanted them all.

But he quickly dismissed the thought. He wasn’t ready to face the full wrath of an Emperor’s artifact.

‘Which one… which one should I choose?’ He frowned, his mind racing, weighing the pros and cons of each reward.

P.S.

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