Everyone was dumbfounded.
In the short span of less than five minutes after Chen Daoxuan's appearance, they had lost count of how many times they had misjudged this senior.
Initially, they thought he was somewhat benevolent, at least helping with the passing ceremony after killing someone. But... to scatter the ashes right after the passing? There was no hint of kindness left, he was practically an executioner!
Curses! Fooled by this senior again!
Everyone's lips twitched, utterly puzzled by the character of Leng Yanran’s this powerful master. He seemed kind-hearted in speech... But how did a few words end up in someone's sudden death? And then even overseeing the passing ceremony, followed by scattering the ashes!? What kind of sorcery was this?
"Cough, cough… Ugh!!! This is so disgusting, damn it… Damn you, Ren Qirui! Even in your ashes, you still have to annoy me!"
Wang Yan kept brushing the ashes off himself while occasionally gagging. The image of the dashing young nobleman collapsed in an instant.
"Stop it! If you get ashes on my Master, I'll kill you!"
Suddenly, Leng Yanran's brows furrowed, and she glared at Wang Yan with anger. While he hadn't been disrespectful to her, he had implicitly allowed Ren Qirui to use his mansion. Although Leng Yanran had no intention of taking his life, she was still quite displeased with him.
"Uh, understood, understood!"
Wang Yan was scolded by Leng Yanran's low growl, and he stiffened, refraining from brushing off the ashes any further. He feared that if he continued, that senior might pat him on the shoulder and praise how young people could sleep so soundly. Just like Ren Qirui, he might end up in a predicament. He didn't want his ashes to be scattered either.
At the same time, Wang Yan made a resolution in his heart. After this trip back to his sect, he would never set foot in the Northern Region again. It was just too terrifying; these experts in the Northern Region were all unpredictable!
Meanwhile, Chen Daoxuan's gaze turned to the silent figure of the white-robed Saintess. Slowly, he walked towards her, attracting the attention of everyone present.
Leng Yanran's eyebrows twitched as she watched her Master move toward the woman. Although the woman was attractive, her figure couldn't compare to Leng Yanran's. Leng Yanran compared herself to the woman as she walked.
As Chen Daoxuan reached the large stone, the Saintess, Li Shenruo, couldn't hold onto her identity any longer and lightly leaped down.
"Li Shenruo, I greet Senior."
Li Shenruo offered a graceful bow, managing to maintain her composure despite the nervousness in her heart.
"Girl, do you have a master?"
Chen Daoxuan smiled faintly. Upon his arrival, the system had alerted him that there was a Saint-ranked individual who met the disciple requirements. That person was Li Shenruo.
"Senior, to speak honestly, I am usually taught by the seven elders on the mountain. However, if we talk about having a master, then I don't have one."
Li Shenruo was slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected this senior to ask such a question. Was he trying to probe her background? Even so, she answered his question truthfully; she had no choice at the moment, and her sect was too busy to offer her support.
"Oh? That's right, hmm... Not bad. Would you be willing to become my disciple, under my, Chen Daoxuan's tutelage? Becoming my disciple won't restrict your freedom. You can even return to your own sect whenever you wish. None of these will be an issue."
Chen Daoxuan candidly stated his intentions.
For him now, the quickest way to earn system points, other than committing atrocities like killing and burning, was the rewards from the advancement of his disciple's cultivation level. If he could take on another disciple, the speed at which he gained system points would multiply, and he might even earn points by having his disciples engage in battles and slay enemies.
Recruiting more disciples was the righteous path!
Moreover, with Li Shenruo's attractive appearance that could rival Yanran… cough, the main point was Li Shenruo's astonishing bone structure and saintly aptitude – it had nothing to do with her looks!
As Chen Daoxuan's words fell, a pout formed on the face of Leng Yanran standing behind him. Her Master wanted to take this woman as a disciple? Did that mean someone else might vie for her Master's affection in the future? How annoying!
Argh… but she couldn't go against her Master's wishes. It was a headache. She hoped this woman wouldn't know what's good for her and decline…
Leng Yanran pursed her lips, feeling a bit aggrieved, as if her most precious treasure was about to be shared.
"This… the matter of becoming a disciple is of great importance. Senior, please give me some time to consider it carefully."
Li Shenruo, taken aback by the sudden offer of discipleship, bowed slightly and replied after a brief moment of hesitation.
"Very well, since that's the case, after the Secret Realm concludes, if you are willing to become a disciple of my Heavenly Dao Pavilion, you can follow Yanran back to the Illusory Peak in the Void Illusion Mountain."
Chen Daoxuan wasn't bothered; accepting disciples depended on fate. If they weren't meant to be, he wouldn't force it, nor would he abduct genius saint-ranked talents just for the sake of system rewards. After all, he had plenty of time; he would encounter suitable disciples eventually.
"Thank you for your understanding, Senior."
Li Shenruo breathed a sigh of relief, secretly thinking that this senior wasn't as difficult as she had initially assumed. He was quite reasonable.
As for the matter of becoming a disciple, she wasn't too concerned. After the Secret Realm concluded, she planned to return to the Eastern Region. In her view, even if he managed to kill the Ren Clan Ancestral Patriarch's Boundless Realm avatar, it still wouldn't be enough reason for her, Li Shenruo, to become a disciple.
After all, some elders on her mountain could achieve the same feat!
Chen Daoxuan wasn't overly concerned with this. He turned his gaze towards the entrance of the Secret Realm. The identity manifestation could only last for ten minutes, and about five or six minutes had already passed.
"Yanran, from now on, you'll have to rely on yourself within the Secret Realm. I'll be heading back soon. However, it seems that the Secret Realm will take around five more days to open. Very well, I'll open the Secret Realm early. This way, you won't have to endure waiting in this desolate wilderness."
As Chen Daoxuan's words fell, everyone was left bewildered. While deducing the exact time of the Secret Realm's opening had its difficulties, many experts could achieve it. However, opening the Secret Realm early? Even Li Shenruo, the Saintess from the Eastern Region, had never heard of such a thing!
Still, Chen Daoxuan paid no mind to the astonishment of the crowd. Instead, he gracefully took hold of Leng Yanran's slender waist and stepped into the air, arriving directly at the entrance of the Secret Realm.
At this moment, the entrance to the Secret Realm shimmered with faint inscriptions, yet the patterns were unstable. Chen Daoxuan casually placed his hand on the engraved stone pillar, channeling his boundless spiritual energy into it without restraint!