Chapter 125: Would You Be Willing to Become My Disciple?

"In years past, the Buddha of the Shang Sect took a wrong turn and could not find his way back. Even so, in the Sea of Stars, he only narrowly lost to the Nine Sages. At the end of his life, he returned here to establish the Shang Sect..." Wu Cang sighed faintly.

This sigh was clearly interwoven with profound regret and helplessness. Once, there had been a demi-saint who walked a unique path and possessed brilliant talent, yet because he erred at a crossroads, he ended up squandering his entire cultivation. From that moment on, the mortal universe was deprived of a figure who could have ascended to sainthood.

"To have narrowly lost to the Nine Sages and to have ties to the Saintess Linglong—he was certainly a figure of some standing. Why, then, is he so obscure in ancient history?" Tanya toyed with the talisman in her hand, her eyes shimmering.

Tanya was naturally more concerned with the talisman of Saintess Linglong. Its value was beyond words; it could lead one to the legendary Divine Treasury. Legend had it that the Divine Treasury contained artifacts of the Universal Emperor, and at her level—comparable to the Nine Sages of the Sea of Stars, the Emperors of the Ten Cultivation Domains, or the Ancient Immortals—this was a source of intense interest.

"The Shang Sect had no time to flourish before the Buddha of the Shang Sect passed away. He was like a pebble cast into a great lake; he sank before he could stir up many ripples." A trace of desolation appeared on Wu Cang's face. Back then, the Buddha of the Shang Sect had fought the Qian Sage, one of the Nine Sages, to prove his path, but this only accelerated the decay of his divine body. In the end, he exhausted his remaining strength to create the Hurricane World as a legacy, ensuring his profound techniques would not be lost.

"By giving me this talisman, are you hoping I will abandon my plan to destroy this place?" Tanya’s beautiful eyes sparkled.

"The talisman presented by my Shang Sect has not yet reached the time for its true emergence. For now, it represents a favor for Saintess Linglong. I ask you, my lady, to hold your hand for the sake of the Saintess." As he spoke, Wu Cang bowed.

Simultaneously, the seven-colored talisman overflowed with divine brilliance. Crystal clear and radiant, it trembled restlessly in Tanya’s hand, as if attempting to break free and return to the ancient temple. Tanya’s expression shifted, and a strand of saintly power from the Universal Path descended, instantly suppressing the talisman's agitation.

"How insolent! You dare to dismiss me? No matter how powerful Linglong was in life, she is now but a handful of dust. You want a living saint to grant a favor to a dead one?" A cold, sharp look appeared on Tanya's face.

"Saintess Linglong is not dead. One day in the future, she will return. When that time comes, the heavens and the Sea of Stars will sing of her merits, and even the Nine Sages will bow before her achievements." Wu Cang looked up, his voice ringing with conviction as he revealed a shocking truth!

"What!" The crowd was dumbfounded, almost doubting their own ears. Saintess Linglong was a figure from several eras ago; it was widely believed that her passing had been confirmed, and she had been gone for so long that no one had seen her immortal shadow since. Yet, in this age, someone claimed she would return.

The young man looked slightly surprised, then his handsome face turned serious. "Saintess Linglong was peerless in grace and defined an era. If she can return, it will be a blessing for the Sea of Stars."

"Is there proof?" Tanya’s gaze was searing, her breath held, betraying her inner agitation. Despite the vast passage of time, Linglong's strength was beyond doubt. Rumor had it she had one foot inside the Emperor Realm and had personally slain three Ancient Immortals. In the previous epoch, only the peerless Immortal Lord Li, who wielded the Heaven-Returning Xuanming and possessed unparalleled divine grace, could compare. And in this epoch, the Hua Sage was perhaps the only one approaching her level.

"My words shall be proven prophetic."

The gray-clad Wu Cang bowed once more. At that moment, deep within the Hurricane World, the ancient temple glowed. Green vines swayed, casting down brilliant green mist, and the great bell tolled again. *Clang... clang... clang...* The sound was archaic, heavy, and profound, weighing down the heart. The seven-colored talisman shimmered once more, rising like a mist from Tanya’s slender hand, sweeping across the ninety thousand meteor mountains toward the ancient temple.

Tanya did not stop it. Thinking of the shocking truth of Linglong’s return, she looked at Wu Cang again, only to see him perform a final bow before his figure faded, merging into the meteor mountains.

Old Yuan drew a sharp breath. Linglong was not dead and would eventually return—this was monumental news! If those fallen, ancient beings heard this, they would be too terrified to sleep. One had to remember that the Saintess was known for her hatred of evil; she had once entered a thousand domains alone and quelled all chaos in just one year. Her efficiency was nothing short of staggering.

"Sect Master, if this news is managed correctly, it could bring many benefits. And... what about the Young Master?" Old Yuan asked.

"Silence." Tanya interrupted him and glanced at the young man. "What do you think of this?"

The young man smiled. "As I said before, if Linglong returns, it is a blessing for the Sea of Stars. Those working in the shadows should learn to restrain themselves."

Hm? Tanya’s beautiful eyes brightened. The young man’s words were well-taken. The undercurrents in the spiritual universe had been turbulent lately, and it was far from peaceful; the return of a supreme existence would indeed deter many. She just wondered how much of this news was true, and if it were, when she would return.

"It is time to take my leave." The young man waved his hand, unfurling his Domain of Derived Laws. Three thousand spheres of light drifted, as if deities were sitting in meditation, chanting to the heavens, enveloping Feng Shang and the three girls, including Little Huang.

"Wait." Tanya smiled at the three girls, her eyes shimmering with light. Lost in thought, she suddenly spoke with a gentle, amiable tone: "The three of you have natural spiritual bones, clear as divine jade. I find myself quite fond of you. Would you be willing to become my disciples?"

"The Sect Master wants to take disciples..." Old Yuan was incredibly shocked. If the Sect Master of the Universal Origin Sect spoke of taking disciples, the entire starry firmament would likely boil over, and countless prodigies would break their heads trying to get the position.

Little Huang was startled, but then her large eyes fluttered, filled with yearning; she was quite moved.

*Seriously? This enchantress has taken a liking to Little Huang and the others.* Feng Shang muttered to himself. Objectively, this was a good thing; a saint’s disciple was something everyone envied, and their future achievements would undoubtedly be extraordinary. Mentally, however, Feng Shang resisted; after all, he had caused no small amount of trouble for the Universal Origin Sect. If that were discovered...

Qing'er’s eyes darted around. Seeing the opportunity, she tugged on the young man’s snow-white cloud-patterned sleeve. "Sect Master, we are already the disciples of Master Wuming. We cannot serve two masters."

"Oh." Tanya’s smile faded, and she turned cold. She glanced at the harmonious-looking young man and huffed with annoyance. If it were any other master, she would simply snatch them away, but the Hua Sage was another matter.

The young man smiled slightly. "Sect Master Tanya, if there is nothing else, we shall truly take our leave. This incarnation of mine can hardly bear my presence for too long. I still need to experience the mortal world to reach perfection."

"Wait a moment. You—what is your name?"

Tanya took two graceful steps into the Domain of Derived Laws, lingering with interest among the three thousand deities for a moment. Her gaze suddenly landed on Feng Shang, blooming with intense light, as if she had been waiting for this for a long time.

*Does this enchantress want to take me as a disciple too? No, I’ll just use the same excuse about Little Huang and the others to refuse.* Feng Shang’s eyes flickered as this thought crossed his mind.

"I am Feng Shang. Sect Master, do you have any instructions?"

Having witnessed Tanya’s strike earlier—that sword aura spanning three hundred light-years—Feng Shang had been deeply impressed. He bowed with great politeness.