Chapter One: The Betrayal of the Disciple

Great Path Sect, Myriad Laws Peak.

“Master, I know I have wronged you after eighteen years of your nurturing care, but your disciple truly has no other choice.”

Lin Jun’s expression was calm, yet his eyes held a trace of melancholy as he gazed at his former disciple, who was hovering midair atop a flying sword.

“Xuan’er, so your decision is final?”

Clad in a white robe, Lin Qingxuan’s handsome face bore a faint, proud smile, his posture upright. “Yes, Master, I’ll be straightforward. Although you found me as an abandoned infant by the roadside years ago, raising me with painstaking care and accepting me as your sole disciple…”

He paused briefly before continuing, “...but water flows downward, and people strive upward. Since awakening the Immaculate Sword Body yesterday, I’ve come to realize you no longer have the right to teach me.”

“After all, you remain a worthless man without cultivation.” Lin Qingxuan pressed his lips, seemingly restraining a sneer.

Lin Jun shook his head; he had been through this before. His tone carried a hint of coldness. “Very well, then go. From now on, you need not call me Master.”

“Yes, Senior Uncle Lin.” Without hesitation, Lin Qingxuan bowed slightly and changed his form of address.

Instantly, the spiritual energy of the flying sword swirled beneath his feet, as if ready to depart.

Suddenly, Lin Qingxuan seemed to recall something, turning back with a faint, mocking smile. “Senior Uncle Lin, don’t take this the wrong way. You currently have no disciples. If you fail to accept a disciple at this afternoon’s grand apprentice ceremony, my Master might just expel you from the Great Path Sect.”

Without waiting for a reply, he formed a finger seal, transforming into a streak of light that shot toward Sword Heaven Peak, where the sect leader resided.

The leader of the Great Path Sect was none other than his new master.

“Truly, people strive upward. Is he preparing to become the Young Sect Lord?”

Watching the retreating figure of his former disciple without mercy, Lin Jun sighed and shook his head.

“I thought taking on a disciple would foster some loyalty and gratitude, but I was mistaken…”

He was a transmigrant, having crossed over more than thirty years ago. Born with a congenital defect, he had never been able to cultivate, enduring constant contempt since childhood.

His parents both died because of his inability to cultivate; thankfully, they left behind great achievements. Lin Jun inherited their legacy and became the head of Myriad Laws Peak.

But with no cultivation, he was a hollow name. Soon, all the disciples under his peak left and turned to other peaks.

For more than thirty years, he lived in solitude. Twice he had fallen in love, only to be used and discarded. He had hoped that taking on a disciple could ease his loneliness, but it ended the same way…

“My disciple system was nearly fully loaded. I planned to cultivate him into a peerless genius…”

Lin Jun sighed, glancing at the system interface.

There was a countdown.

It was something he had seen since childhood, though no one believed him.

In just a quarter of an hour, the system would fully activate.

Originally, under his trial, his disciple had awakened the rare Immaculate Sword Body. Today, he himself was to awaken the system, so the two of them could ascend life’s pinnacle together.

Yet, he had suffered such a ruthless betrayal.

“In that case, I’ll just clean house… starting with my dear disciple.”

With a calm thought, Lin Jun returned to the main hall, brewed himself a cup of tea, and leisurely waited.

All these years, he had cultivated nothing but a good temperament.

A quarter of an hour later.

[After thirty-two years, the disciple acquisition system has successfully loaded!]

[Every time you accept a disciple, your cultivation will be bound to theirs.]

[You will receive ten times your disciple’s cultivation as a return!]

[Additionally, any items you reward to your disciple will return to you a hundredfold!]

[If you find a disciple with a special destiny, hidden rewards await!]

Seeing this, a smile crept to Lin Jun’s lips.

His years of hope had not been in vain.

What pained him most was that his parents had disappeared without a trace due to his lifelong inability to cultivate.

If given the chance, he vowed to find those responsible for his parents’ deaths, avenge them, and resurrect his parents…

Lin Jun lazily reclined in his chair.

He didn’t need to understand the system’s intricacies to grasp its meaning. Now, he felt as if a great burden had been lifted, and he was filled with ease.

However, next time he took on a disciple, he would make sure to choose one with gratitude…

…

Great Path Sect, Sect Plaza.

The Great Path Sect was one of the strongest three-star sects in Yan Kingdom.

As the grand apprentice ceremony that only occurred once every five years, the plaza was naturally packed to the brim with people.

At the front, led by the sect leader Sword Heaven Venerate, the seven peak masters sat solemnly on their jade thrones, observing the disciples below.

Lin Jun was present as well, though his seat was at the far edge.

As for Lin Qingxuan, he stood respectfully beside Sword Heaven Venerate, not even sparing a glance at his former master.

“Junior Brother, the apprentice ceremony is about to begin. If you fail to accept a disciple, I will have no choice but to follow the sect founder’s decree, strip you of your position as Myriad Laws Peak master, and expel you from the sect.”

Sword Heaven Venerate’s voice was filled with authority, as if speaking of something trivial. “After all, our Great Path Sect does not harbor worthless people, especially those without cultivation.”

The other peak masters, intimidated by the sect leader’s prestige, dared not speak.

The sect leader saw Lin Jun as a thorn in his side, and by seizing his only disciple, he intended to crush him utterly under sect law.

Lin Jun remained indifferent, his gaze sweeping across the crowd of young disciples.

“The time to accept disciples is urgent, but no matter what, I must find one who does not forget gratitude…”

Just as he thought this, the ceremony began.

Over ten thousand disciples had been carefully selected throughout Yan Kingdom.

Each thousand moved forward in batches to undergo talent assessments.

If a peak master favored one, they would accept them under their wing.

Lin Jun was not in a hurry; he preferred no disciple to one with a bad character.

He did not want to be betrayed again.

With this resolve, Lin Jun’s eyes first fell upon a black-clad youth at the front row of the first batch.

[Name: Lu Renjia]

[Disposition: Submissive and humble when down, arrogant and disdainful when rising]

Lin Jun: …

Such a disposition could not be called too bad, for human nature was like this.

But he would definitely not accept him.

Next, Lin Jun looked at a pure and innocent girl in a white dress, clearly sheltered from the world.

[Name: Hua Xiaoyu]

[Disposition: Fickle, with a great fondness for sexual cultivation techniques]

Lin Jun: ???

Truly, appearances could be deceiving.

Unfazed, Lin Jun continued to scan through the disciples one by one.

Soon, after assessing thousands, Lin Jun found not a single disciple worthy of gratitude!

“Well, these disciples are the cream of Yan Kingdom’s cultivation world, having fought their way here. To them, loyalty and gratitude are probably the least valuable things…”

Lin Jun shook his head self-mockingly but refused to give up, turning to the second batch.

Yet, after the second batch, still not one with a grateful heart.

Then the third, fourth, fifth… all the way to the tenth batch.

Occasionally, Lin Jun found some with a grateful disposition.

But alas, those disciples looked down on his lack of cultivation and ignored his attempts, choosing to follow other peak masters.

As the ceremony neared its end, Lin Jun had not accepted a single disciple.

Sword Heaven Venerate’s eyes gleamed with ridicule, preparing to find an excuse to expel Lin Jun from the Great Path Sect.

This way, everything belonging to Myriad Laws Peak would fall into his hands.

“Woof! Woof woof!”

At that moment, a tender bark echoed.

Everyone turned to see a small black dog, apparently lost after wandering in the sect’s forest and accidentally arriving here.

Sword Heaven Venerate and the other peak masters glanced over, seeing it was just an ordinary dog with no special bloodline, and dismissed it, preparing to leave.

Lin Jun initially intended to do the same, but when his gaze landed on the little black dog, he suddenly froze.

[Little Black Dog]

[Disposition: A drop of kindness repaid with a fountain; willing to die for gratitude!]

“This…!”

Such an exemplary disposition had been absent among the tens of thousands of disciples!

Without hesitation, Lin Jun decided to accept this little black dog as his disciple.

“*Ahem*…” He coughed twice, walked over to the lost dog, and lifted it into his arms.

Sword Heaven Venerate sneered, “Lin Jun, you’re not accepting any disciples, so you want to take in this dog as your disciple?”