Chapter 28

Hengyi's inexplicable excitement took a long time to subside.

Chen Zizai was very satisfied with his reaction, quietly drinking the wine poured by Hu Baijie, watching Hengyi calm himself down.

"Compared to this, the Lake Sea Sect is really too small..."

"Of course!" Chen Zizai's eyes sparkled as he stared at Hengyi, speaking clearly and earnestly. "Especially for you! Our human civilization has an uncountable number of people! However, over sixty percent of those who practice cultivation cannot enter the Mountain Venerable realm by the age of thirty; over eighty percent cannot enter the Earth Venerable realm. Those who are over thirty and have reached the Earth Venerable realm are only considered average in the immortal sects! Among so many human peers, those who can enter the Mountain Venerable realm before the age of eighteen are considered to have outstanding talent! In the Lake Sea Sect, such a person is a rare genius in history! But in the immortal sects, this is just the basic condition for being called outstanding. Those who can enter the Earth Venerable realm by the age of eighteen are the truly outstanding geniuses! Such people, not to mention the Lake Sea Sect being too small, even the Peak Sect is just barely suitable as a place for their cultivation."

Chen Zizai took out another talisman from his chest and pressed it onto Hengyi's chest, where it immediately turned into light and merged into Hengyi's body.

A moment later, Hengyi saw sixteen fist-sized flames form a circle in front of him, with seven smaller flames forming another circle inside, and seven even smaller flames forming yet another circle inside that.

"Brother Hengyi is about my age, sixteen years old, born on the seventh day of the seventh month." Chen Zizai suddenly stood up, raised his arms, and looked up at the stars outside the pavilion, shouting loudly, "Brother Hengyi, do you know what this means? It means you have a very high chance of entering the Heaven Venerable realm by the age of eighteen! You are a genius among geniuses, and your future is not on the Peak Star, but in the Upper Heaven of the Five Leadership Stars of human civilization! There—where the future of human civilization's countless geniuses lies! Those who enter there shoulder the responsibility for the future of human civilization! The future of those who come out from there is in the vast universe and starry sky!"

Chen Zizai suddenly turned around, his eyes sparkling as he stared at Hengyi, almost questioning, "Do you still want to stay in the Lake Sea Sect? Wasting your time, wasting your talent, wasting your future here! The time wasted here could have made you go higher, allowing you to shoulder more responsibility for the future of human civilization! Do you know how many immortal sect spells there are in the Peak Star system? Any disciple who enters the Peak Sect can practice and use any immortal sect spell within the Peak Star system! You will eventually come to the Peak Sect by the age of eighteen, but I came today because I don't want to see your time wasted by Lake San! If I didn't come, Lake San would send you to a sect a million miles away for some time, then to one of the eight major sects for some time, and finally to the Peak Sect! During this period, your time will be purely wasted! Brother Hengyi, what you should do now is pack your things and go to the Peak Sect with me immediately."

Hu Baijie listened on the side, not daring to say a word.

Yes, Lake San would eventually send Hengyi to the Peak Sect, which was inevitable. Because of this, Lake San knew he had little time and had to win Hengyi's favor, and thus Dahuanyuan's favor. Then he would send Hengyi to the sect a million miles away that oversees the Lake Sea Sect, which would bring the support and care of the sect a million miles away. After a period of care, Hengyi would be sent to one of the eight major sects that the sect a million miles away considers a close ally or the most reliable.

Because talents like Hengyi and her are what any immortal sect hopes to obtain, hoping to add their names to the sect's lineage. In the future, when they achieve something, these sects can speak up if they need anything, and for the immortal sects, these sects can also share in the glory and receive many visible and invisible benefits. This practice has long been a rule in the immortal sects, and there is almost nowhere that is not like this.

Lake San planned to send Hu Baijie away in three months, and the care he would receive would elevate the Lake Sea Sect to a ten-thousand-mile level sect. With Hengyi, this number would definitely double. But if Hengyi was not won over during this period, the long-term benefits for the Lake Sea Sect would be unreliable.

Now that the Peak Sect was coming to take Hengyi, Lake San's plans were in disarray. The Peak Sect could decide the life and death of any immortal sect in the Peak Star system with just a word, without exception!

"I can't go."

"What?" Chen Zizai stared at Hengyi in surprise. Refusal? It was simply inconceivable!

"I really want to go, but my master and many junior disciples are here, and they need me. I really want to go to the vast world you described... But since I can easily go, I should stay here now to help the junior disciples. Maybe my help can make one, or even more than one of them, also go to the Peak Sect, to the Upper Heaven! To see the vast world of the immortal sects! Brother Chen, don't you think so?"

Hengyi's serious expression, the excitement and anticipation in his eyes, Chen Zizai saw it all...

Hu Baijie was secretly panicking. She thought Hengyi was crazy! Refusing the Peak Sect was no different from suicide! It was like a village deity daring to disagree with them, the Lake Sea Sect, which was simply asking for death!

Silence, a long silence.

Chen Zizai suddenly burst out laughing, laughing and slapping the stone table. "Brother Hengyi, Brother Hengyi, you are an interesting person, and I, Chen Zizai, like your interestingness! The talent for cultivation can be changed very little by human effort. Your heart is good, but reality is cruel. Think about this again, because I believe your master will also advise you to go to the Peak Sect. I will stay nearby for a few more days and come back in two days!"

Chen Zizai left, and Hengyi watched him go, knowing he needed to talk to his master...

Hu Baijie sat there, her body limp, her hands on the stone table, breathing heavily. She felt she had narrowly escaped death twice tonight. Hengyi really didn't understand the immortal sects. Facing the Peak Sect, they were like a village deity facing them, who normally didn't even have the right to see them, and a word could destroy the Lake Sea Sect!

She was really, very afraid...

Hu Baijie couldn't help but grab Hengyi's hand. She had always had hopes for the future, and if she died like this, how unwilling would she be?

"Hengyi, Hengyi, you are really a fool—"

Hu Baijie hugged Hengyi's waist, crying and releasing the long-suppressed fear, the fear of death...

"What's wrong, Baijie? Why are you crying?" Hengyi was puzzled. Seeing Hu Baijie crying uncontrollably, his words of comfort were ineffective, so he just stood there quietly, letting her cry.

In the city of Lake Sea.

In the inn, when Chen Zizai returned, the two women looked at each other in surprise. Seeing that Chen Zizai didn't seem in a bad mood, they dared to ask, "Hengyi didn't come?"

Chen Zizai shook his head, saying nothing.

The two women bowed and retreated.

"How dare he refuse... Is this person crazy?"

"Our master has been too lenient with him, and he hasn't even been punished. I wonder how the Lake Sea Sect disciplines its disciples. They should all commit suicide to atone for their sins."

As the two women were discussing in confusion, a voice came from outside the door.

"I am Dahuanyuan of the Lake Sea Sect, Hengyi's master, and I have come to pay my respects."

The two women looked at each other and laughed coldly. One of them said, "The people of the Lake Sea Sect are truly bold and deserve death. What are you, to dare to pay respects to our master! For your disturbance, you should commit suicide immediately! Hurry up and die—"

"Ridiculous! Let him in." Chen Zizai's cold voice came from the inner room.

The two women, puzzled, hurriedly opened the door and led in Dahuanyuan, who was trembling with fear.

"I pay my respects..." Dahuanyuan knelt and bowed, not knowing what to call him.

"I am well aware of the matters of the Sanyuan Sect. I have also investigated a lot about you. Hengyi's refusal today is not just for his junior disciples. His performance in the Lake Sea Sect's competition was outstanding, and he didn't care about being seen as arrogant! In my view, it's not for himself. Since he understands that the higher he goes, the better it will be for his junior disciples, he wouldn't refuse. You rose from a lowly position to a powerful elder in the Lake Sea Sect in a short time, both by luck and by cunning. This shows that you are not content to be an elder under Lake San. You want to replace Lake San and revive the Sanyuan Sect. You can't do it alone, so you are counting on Hengyi! His refusal is for this! Isn't it?"

Chen Zizai's analysis stunned Dahuanyuan. He never dreamed that this person was so perceptive! He also never expected that Chen Zizai had investigated so much, even understanding the characters of him and Hengyi so clearly.

Dahuanyuan calmed himself and decided to be straightforward, as he had come for this purpose.

"Respected master, I, as Hengyi's master, sincerely hope for Hengyi's better future, and I will advise him to agree. Reviving the Sanyuan Sect is a distant dream, and I absolutely do not want to delay Hengyi for this. I don't know who you are, but I believe you can easily help. I guarantee to persuade Hengyi to go with you immediately, and I humbly request your help to secure a future for the Sanyuan Sect!" Dahuanyuan bowed repeatedly, knowing that more words were unnecessary. In fact, he had nothing to offer in exchange, relying only on Hengyi's value or importance to the other party. This opportunity would be good for the Sanyuan Sect and for Hengyi! Hengyi's future would certainly be better if he followed such a person than staying in the Lake Sea Sect.