Chapter 54: Personal Disciple
The Kress family castle was enormous, but almost everyone in the castle knew that the 'Qingyuan' area, which occupied nearly a third of the castle's grounds, was forbidden territory.
Because that was McKinsey's residence. Apart from McKinsey and his wife, only those three servants and McKinsey's disciple could enter freely. Even the family patriarch or his son normally had to be announced before entering.
Qingyuan was very large. Trees, flowers, and plants covered most of the area, and the buildings inside were all simple, single-story dwellings. Even so, it could easily house a hundred people.
Linley's group was invited into Qingyuan.
A virtuous, beautiful woman with green hair, around thirty years old, led the way for Linley and his companions, arranging their accommodations.
"Bilis, prepare the banquet according to the menu from when Hadeson came last time," McKinsey said to the green-haired woman.
"Yes, my lord."
The green-haired woman was inwardly surprised. McKinsey's reception of guests was graded by rank. What he was requesting now was the highest level, usually reserved for welcoming Saint-level experts.
"Is this young man already a Saint-level expert?" Bilis glanced at Linley, speculating inwardly.
McKinsey smiled and said to Linley, "Linley, although you've been in my Northwest Province for a while, I doubt you've tasted the true delicacies of the Northwest Province."
"True delicacies?" Linley raised an eyebrow.
When staying at the hotel, Linley had ordered the most famous top-grade dishes. After all, at Linley's level, money was no longer a concern.
"Of course. All the various delicacies of the Northwest Province can be found in the provincial capital. But some restaurants or clubs might only serve one portion per week. The most delicious dishes can't be obtained just with money," McKinsey said proudly.
Throughout his life, aside from cultivation, McKinsey's greatest passion was the world's fine cuisine.
McKinsey had even once said that life without fine food would be too bland.
"Then I'll have to enjoy myself today," Linley said with a smile.
At this moment, only Linley and McKinsey were in the living room, along with Bebe on Linley's shoulder. Buck's five brothers and the others were resting in their quarters.
"Hmm?" McKinsey looked at the Shadowmouse on Linley's shoulder and said with slight surprise, "Linley, I have a feeling that this magical beast of yours is unusual, but it's a black Shadowmouse. This..." Black Shadowmice were very low-level magical beasts. But McKinsey felt that given Linley's status, he couldn't possibly have such a weak magical beast.
Bebe had stepped into the Saint realm.
But Bebe was now completely restraining his power. If a Saint-level expert restrained their power, unless the other party was much stronger, they wouldn't be able to sense it.
"Bebe is a peak-level nine magical beast," Linley said with a smile.
On Linley's shoulder, Bebe bared his teeth at McKinsey, looking very disdainful. In Linley's plan, Bebe, as a Saint-level magical beast, was one of his major trump cards.
Bebe had been terrifying enough before reaching the Saint realm. Now that he had reached it, if Linley didn't use the 'Earth's Profound Truths', he would simply be toyed with by Bebe.
But among Saint-level experts, how many could attack as strangely as Linley's 'Earth's Profound Truths'? Ordinary Saint-level experts were no match for Bebe at all.
"A black Shadowmouse, a peak-level nine magical beast?" McKinsey was still very surprised.
"Let's not talk about that, McKinsey. I plan to head to the imperial capital in a few days. When do you think we should schedule our sparring match?" Linley asked.
"Leaving so soon?" McKinsey looked a bit disappointed. "I originally wanted to spend some more time with you, Brother Linley. That way, we could spar and improve faster. But since you have business in the imperial capital... how about this: three days from now, we'll spar on the small barren mountain outside the city."
"That works," Linley nodded in agreement.
"Come, let me show you my training ground," McKinsey said enthusiastically. Linley followed McKinsey to take a look.
×××××
While Linley was enjoying McKinsey's warm hospitality in the Northwest Province, Wharton, along with Nina, had left the imperial capital and was heading toward the Wushen Sect's headquarters on the outskirts.
The Wushen Sect was built on a high mountain, which was also called 'Wushen Mountain'.
"It's been over two hundred years since the War God last took a personal disciple. A few years ago, the genius sword saint 'Olivia' rejected the War God's invitation. But now, he's actually going to take a personal disciple."
"A personal disciple! If I could become one someday, even if it were just for a day, I'd die content."
...
The official road outside the imperial capital was bustling with people, all talking among themselves. The Wushen Sect taking on registered disciples was already a major event. But taking a personal disciple was an earth-shattering matter, no less important than an emperor's succession.
After all, in the over five thousand years since the War God 'O'Brien' had existed, he had only taken a little over twenty personal disciples. Many of those twenty-plus had long since passed away.
And the empire's emperors?
In over five thousand years, there had been more than a hundred changes of emperor.
Although this matter was extremely important in the hearts of the empire's citizens, the Wushen Sect kept the process of taking a personal disciple very simple, only making a public announcement at a specific time.
At noon today, the Wushen Sect would make the public announcement.
Early this morning, a large crowd had already gathered toward Wushen Mountain. Wharton and Nina naturally went to watch this important event.
Inside the carriage.
"Big guy, who do you think will become the War God's personal disciple?" Nina asked. Even in the eyes of a royal princess, the War God was an unattainable, lofty existence. Nina had never seen the War God in her entire life.
Not to mention Nina, even the current emperor, 'Joan', had never seen the War God.
But the War God's personal disciples had the right to see him. This showed the extraordinary status of a War God personal disciple. Back then, the genius sword saint 'Olivia' had actually rejected the War God's invitation, which was why everyone was so amazed and impressed.
"Taking a personal disciple means the War God chooses someone with extremely high talent. At the very least, they're a level-nine warrior. And they all have a high chance of stepping into the Saint realm," Wharton summarized based on historical records.
"But there are too many level-nine experts in the empire. Talent is hard to judge. It's very difficult to say who the War God will take as a personal disciple."
Suddenly, the carriage stopped.
"Princess, we've arrived at Wushen Mountain. There are people everywhere up ahead. The carriage can't go any further," the coachman's voice sounded.
Wharton immediately took Nina's hand and got out of the carriage.
"So many people!" Nina looked at the sea of people ahead and couldn't help but feel a little scared.
At the foot of the towering Wushen Mountain, the area was densely packed with people. The carriage had been able to move forward on the way here, but now it couldn't advance at all. The mountain path was also full of people.
"Nina," Wharton smiled at Nina.
"Roar~~" The saber-toothed tiger that had been following the carriage leaped over. Wharton placed Nina on its back. "Hold on tight. We'll take a small path up."
Nina was a dual practitioner of magic and martial arts. Although her strength wasn't great, she could hold on tightly to the saber-toothed tiger.
"Let's go!" Nina was also very excited.
The saber-toothed tiger immediately sped up, and Wharton quickly followed beside it. They weren't taking the main road but were charging up from the back via some difficult small paths.
The slopes were very steep, but the saber-toothed tiger moved as if on flat ground. Wharton was also very agile.
One person and one beast climbed quickly. Along the way, they also discovered many powerful experts using the same method to come up. After all, taking the main road, people were packed together, and it was unknown how long it would take to push through.
"We're here." With a leap, Wharton and the saber-toothed tiger both reached the square.
"Wow, that scared me. I'm sweating all over," Nina said, her small face flushed with excitement. Then she jumped down from the saber-toothed tiger.
The flat stone square before them was enormous. Even though over ten thousand people had already gathered there, it didn't feel crowded at all. In fact, it felt spacious.
"Big guy, do you know? This large training ground of the Wushen Sect was created when the War God sliced off the main peak of Wushen Mountain with a single sword strike," Nina said with a sigh.
Wharton was also amazed by the War God's strength.
Wushen Mountain actually had several peaks. The largest main peak had been easily sliced flat by the War God with a single sword strike, creating this level square. The Wushen Sect had built a large number of structures here, and this place became the residence of the Wushen Sect's registered disciples.
Legend had it that the War God and his personal disciples lived on other peaks.
"It's not time yet. Let's rest for a while." Wharton took Nina's hand and sat down on a row of stone benches at the edge of the square.
The square grew more and more crowded. Finally, the time arrived.
On the high platform at the front of the square stood a large number of people. These were all registered disciples of the Wushen Sect. Wharton's love rival, 'Wharton', was among them.
"Look, a Saint-level expert!"
"Someone is flying over!"
...
Wharton and Nina also turned to look at the sky. In the distance, three figures in blue robes streaked across the sky, flying side by side toward the high platform, and finally landed.
"Three Saint-level experts!" Everyone felt a shiver in their hearts. It was rare to see even one Saint-level expert, and now three appeared at once.
After the three Saint-level experts landed, the leader, a middle-aged man with graying temples, said loudly, "Everyone, today, we three senior brothers are here on behalf of our teacher to announce his twenty-seventh personal disciple."
Everyone fell silent.
"These three are all personal disciples of the War God," Wharton felt his breath catch. The Wushen Sect was too powerful. Three personal disciples, and all of them were Saint-level experts. No wonder it was known as the number one military power on the continent.
The middle-aged man with graying temples continued, "The last time a personal disciple was taken was in the year 972 of the Yulan calendar. This year is 10008 of the Yulan calendar, so it's been 285 years."
The people below all sighed. Two personal disciples, with such a long interval between them. 285 years—many people didn't even live that long.
"I announce that our teacher's twenty-seventh personal disciple is—Brummer Achison!"
Upon hearing this name, the crowd in the square erupted into cheers like a tidal wave. At the same time, Brummer stepped out from among the group of registered disciples standing on the high platform.
Brummer was thin, with slightly sunken eyes. He appeared resolute and cold.
"Greetings, senior brothers," Brummer said respectfully as he walked up to the three.
The War God's three personal disciples all nodded slightly. The leader, the middle-aged man with graying temples, took out a crimson spatial ring from his bosom.
As a registered disciple of the Wushen Sect, Brummer knew very well that the proof of identity for a personal disciple was a spatial ring. And they were all crimson.
"It's him."
Wharton, watching from below, shook his head slightly. The last time he had participated in the competition for registered disciples, the one who had ultimately won was this Brummer.
Unexpectedly, in just one year, this Brummer had transformed into a personal disciple of the War God!
Nina nodded beside him and said, "The unremarkable Achison family has produced two geniuses in a row. The genius sword saint 'Olivia' was a peerless talent whom even the War God wanted to take as a disciple. And now, Olivia's younger brother, Brummer, has become the War God's personal disciple."
Seeing Brummer like this, Wharton still had enough confidence in himself.
So what if he had entered the Wushen Sect? Wasn't it all just to reach the Saint realm? And a Dragonblood Warrior who reached the Saint realm was absolutely the strongest among Saint-level experts.
(Chapter 2 of the day)