Chapter 81

"Xiao Yu, there's one more thing. You need to be mentally prepared. After the other six inner disciples complete their apprenticeship ceremony, the sect leader will order the opening of the Treasure Pavilion, giving you seven a chance to choose freely from within. What you can obtain will depend on your own luck and opportunities," Zhan Longxing slowly explained.

"What kind of treasures are inside the Treasure Pavilion?" Lu Tianyu immediately asked in confusion upon hearing this.

"Inside, you can find almost everything, including cultivation techniques of different levels, heavenly treasures of various grades, countless spirit weapons, dao weapons, and treasure weapons, and even some low-grade divine weapons. These are all left by our Lianyun Sect's ancestors. To obtain them, you must rely on your own luck and opportunities. Moreover, the Treasure Pavilion can only be opened once in a lifetime for each Lianyun Sect disciple. If you miss this chance, you will never have another opportunity to enter, so I hope you can seize this opportunity and strive to obtain some better treasures," Zhan Longxing explained in detail.

"Brother Tianyu, look, this is the treasure I obtained from the Treasure Pavilion." At this moment, Xiaoyu suddenly smiled and lightly pressed her right hand on the storage bag at her waist. Immediately, a bright little dagger appeared in her hand.

As soon as the dagger appeared, a tremendous pressure spread, and a thick killing aura swept out, enveloping the entire hall. It was clear that this was no ordinary item.

"You little girl, showing off again?" Zhan Longxing couldn't help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

"Hmph, Grandpa, I'm not showing off." Xiaoyu immediately pouted and glared at Zhan Longxing in displeasure, then turned to Lu Tianyu to explain: "Brother Tianyu, do you know, this dagger is called the Evil God Dagger, a mid-grade dao weapon, with a very high grade. If you can obtain a weapon of no less than dao weapon grade this time, it would be considered a great opportunity, right? Grandpa, isn't that so?" After saying this, she looked at Zhan Longxing with a smug expression.

"Indeed, Xiaoyu is right. Obtaining a dao weapon does require some luck, but I believe Xiao Yu will do even better," Zhan Longxing immediately said slowly. He had high hopes for Lu Tianyu.

"Ha ha, that would be great. Brother Tianyu, if you also obtain a dao weapon, I'll trade this Evil God Dagger with you. Even a low-grade dao weapon would be fine. What do you think?" Xiaoyu immediately put the Evil God Dagger back into her storage bag and clapped her hands in joy.

"Why? Isn't this Evil God Dagger very powerful?" Lu Tianyu couldn't help but be stunned upon hearing this.

"Brother Tianyu, you don't know. Although the Evil God Dagger is very powerful, I don't like it because it has too much killing aura. I don't like killing, so what use do I have for it?" Xiaoyu immediately frowned slightly and explained.

Lu Tianyu couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Xiaoyu was truly as pure and kind as a blank sheet of paper, completely unaware of the dangers of the world. But perhaps this was not a bad thing. He hoped Xiaoyu could continue to live carefree.

"Brother Tianyu, what do you think? You haven't answered me yet." Seeing Lu Tianyu lost in thought, Xiaoyu immediately continued to ask.

"No problem. If I can obtain a weapon, I'll trade it with you." Lu Tianyu immediately nodded without hesitation, coming out of his daze.

I do like the Evil God Dagger, as I don't mind killing.

"Ha ha, Brother Tianyu, we have a deal. When the time comes, if you obtain a high-grade weapon, don't go back on your word." Xiaoyu immediately said.

"Of course not. A man of honor keeps his word." Lu Tianyu nodded again.

"Alright, Xiaoyu, stop fooling around. The sect is currently holding the apprenticeship ceremony, which is very lively. Don't you want to go and see?" Zhan Longxing immediately said with a bitter smile.

"Ah! Yes, I forgot about that. The apprenticeship ceremony only happens once a year and is very fun. Brother Tianyu, let's go and see the festivities." Xiaoyu immediately pulled Lu Tianyu without hesitation and quickly walked towards the hall's exit.

"Uh... you little girl, I only let you go, not Xiao Yu. I still have some things to tell Xiao Yu..." Zhan Longxing's bitter smile deepened upon seeing this.

"What do you have to tell? Grandpa, Brother Tianyu is already your disciple. Do you think he will run away? You will have plenty of opportunities to tell him later." Xiaoyu immediately interrupted Zhan Longxing without looking back, continuing to pull Lu Tianyu forward.

"Xiaoyu, wait until Master finishes his instructions before we go." Lu Tianyu immediately said.

"Forget it, Xiao Yu, it's not urgent. Go and play with Xiaoyu first. We can talk after the apprenticeship ceremony." Zhan Longxing immediately said with a smile. In his heart, his granddaughter Xiaoyu was extremely precious, and he did not want to go against her wishes.

"I hope this girl can live happily for the rest of her life. That would be enough for me as her grandfather!" Looking at Xiaoyu and Lu Tianyu's disappearing figures, Zhan Longxing seemed to age ten years instantly, his eyes filled with sorrow as he muttered.

Xiaoyu was indeed pitiful. Her parents died when she was young, and at the age of ten, Zhan Longxing detected with his battle qi that she had a congenital condition called the Nine Yin Absolute Meridian, which meant she was destined to live no longer than twenty years.

Over the years, although Zhan Longxing had tried every possible method, seeking medical help and remedies whenever he went out, it had little effect. He only found a temporary solution, which was to use battle qi to nourish her meridians every three months. This could not cure her condition but could delay the onset of the Nine Yin Absolute Meridian, allowing her to live for five more years.

However, when Xiaoyu reached the age of twenty-five, there would be no hope of saving her.

This matter was always a pain in Zhan Longxing's heart. He could not tell Xiaoyu the truth and could only tell her that the battle qi treatment was to make her body healthier.

Therefore, Zhan Longxing always fulfilled Xiaoyu's requests and never went against her wishes. He only hoped that his granddaughter could live happily and joyfully in her limited time.

Moreover, he hoped that she could truly fall in love and experience the true feelings of life, living without regrets.

Zhan Longxing had already chosen Lu Tianyu as the person for Xiaoyu. He felt that Xiao Yu, with his good character, intelligence, and talent, was very suitable for Xiaoyu. If they could become a couple, he would not let her down and would accompany her through her life, making her happy until the end.

Although this was somewhat cruel to Xiao Yu, people are selfish, and Zhan Longxing was no exception. He only wanted his granddaughter to be happy, and he did not want to think about anything else.

Therefore, when Xiaoyu asked Lu Tianyu to accompany her, Zhan Longxing not only did not stop them but also encouraged it, hoping they would spend more time together and cultivate their feelings.

Under Xiaoyu's lead, the two rode on a celestial crane, flying to the inner part of the Lianyun Sect, which was the true headquarters of the sect. What Lu Tianyu had seen before was just the outer part of the Lianyun Sect.

The inner part of the Lianyun Sect was enveloped in a huge defensive array, surrounded by clouds and mist, making it impossible to see the outside. If outsiders came to the Lianyun Sect without permission, they would never see the true headquarters.

Seeing the scene below, Lu Tianyu couldn't help but open his mouth in shock, unable to close it for a long time. Below the defensive array, there were countless undulating mountains, forming a huge Bagua pattern, with the central towering building at the center. On each mountain, there was a building, which, according to Xiaoyu, housed the Lianyun Sect's elders and inner disciples. Only the outstanding ones could occupy a mountain.

"By the way, Xiaoyu, what is your grandfather's position in the Lianyun Sect? Why does he live outside the headquarters?" Lu Tianyu couldn't help but ask in confusion.

Logically, with Master Zhan Longxing's strength and status, he should live in the inner part of the Lianyun Sect.

"Hehe, my grandfather is now the grand elder of the outer sect, in charge of everything in the outer sect. Therefore, he lives in the War Mansion in the outer sect. Actually, we have a mountain in the inner sect, where all your senior disciples live. There are eight of them. I'll take you there when there's a chance. Now, let's go and see the apprenticeship ceremony. It only happens once a year, and it's very grand and fun." Xiaoyu explained in detail and then patted the celestial crane's head, making it speed up towards the towering building in the headquarters.

The celestial crane immediately let out a loud, clear cry, its huge wings flapping, transforming into a white lightning bolt, quickly piercing through the clouds and mist, heading towards the headquarters at full speed.

"Ha ha, we're here. Brother Tianyu, look below." About three minutes later, Xiaoyu suddenly stretched out her delicate hand and pointed at the square below, shouting excitedly.

Lu Tianyu immediately looked down from the high altitude and saw an extremely impressive scene.

In front of the headquarters building, a huge square was temporarily set up with a high platform. On both sides of the platform, countless Lianyun Sect disciples in their uniforms were gathered, watching the apprenticeship ceremony.

On the platform, there were several chairs, with a few people sitting on them. Below, six young men and women in blue robes were performing the three bows and nine prostrations, the traditional apprenticeship ceremony, to the people sitting on the chairs.

"Ah? I didn't expect the sect leader to personally take on disciples this time. That's quite surprising. Brother Tianyu, look, the person the sect leader personally took on is actually your good friend Sima Ye." Xiaoyu suddenly exclaimed, pointing to the person sitting in the middle chair on the platform below.