“Nothing, there’s nothing left,” 01 said softly.
Darkness spread everywhere. The bright moonlight was blocked by dark clouds, and from afar came bursts of crackling electromagnetic static.
“I… I… will say it…” 01 said with difficulty.
01 was not a real living being. As long as its data remained, it would be immortal. Although Shen Guhan made it feel very dangerous, based on its long-standing inertia from the task worlds, it still held something back from Shen Guhan. It had thought it could conceal everything from heaven, but it had underestimated Shen Guhan.
Shen Guhan merely moved his hand, and it seemed as if its data was about to disperse. 01 decisively chose to submit.
Shen Guhan held his left hand behind his back, and with his right hand he casually tossed 01 aside. His gaze remained as indifferent as always, and he did not utter a single word.
01 had already clearly felt Shen Guhan’s threat to it, so naturally it would speak everything it knew, but it did not know what Shen Guhan wanted to know. After all, this world was a novel world, and to tell him everything would take a very long time. Although it could directly input it into Shen Guhan’s mind, it did not have that courage.
Shen Guhan waited for a moment, then gave 01 a thoughtful look. He knew what 01 was hesitating about.
Although he was confident he could kill 01, he still knew very little about the source of 01’s power, so he did not trust 01.
“I have already examined Ye Jinyun’s body. Although he was born with a sword bone, his foundation has been ruined, and he cannot communicate with spiritual qi. How will you help him become immortal?” Shen Guhan asked.
“This is very simple,” 01 said smugly as soon as it spoke of its own line of work, “as long as I bind with Ye Jinyun, if he follows the tasks I issue, I can provide rewards. The higher the task difficulty, the more generous the rewards.”
“Rewards?” Shen Guhan asked.
01 grew more and more excited as it spoke. “The rewards are spirit stones, spirit pills, and spirit artifacts. Forget about his spirit root being damaged, even if he’s dead, I can bring him back to life.”
“Bring him back to life?” Shen Guhan once again grabbed 01 in his hand and carefully examined the white mass, his handsome brows furrowing. “You really have such an ability?”
When Shen Guhan grabbed it like that, 01’s earlier excitement vanished in an instant, and it immediately calmed down. It said carefully, “I do, but it has to be my bound host. Other people can’t do it, and it can only be used once. More than that won’t work either.”
“You should not have these abilities.” Shen Guhan looked straight at 01, as if seeing it through completely. “Say it, who is behind you?”
“N-no one.” 01 trembled all over, screaming inwardly, but facing Shen Guhan, it could only mewl weakly.
“Go back.” After staring for a long while, Shen Guhan suddenly said.
“Go, go where?” 01 asked.
“Bind with Ye Jinyun, help him.” As he spoke, a black light shot from Shen Guhan’s fingers into 01’s white mass. “At the same time, obey my orders.”
At this moment, 01 was like a wronged little wife. Ever since Shen Guhan had flicked something unknown into its body, it seemed to be completely exposed in Shen Guhan’s eyes, as if it had been controlled by him and had to do whatever Shen Guhan said.
Otherwise, it would die. 01 thought about it, and this robber’s demand was not just its own usual standard? It had not expected that it would have this day too.
“What if I’m exposed? What then?”
Ye Jinyun was still somewhat uneasy and asked again.
“Don’t worry. The pillar just now was called the Nine Profound Pillar. Only the chosen one of destiny can awaken it, and you are the chosen one of this world.”
01 explained.
Chosen one of destiny…
The corner of Ye Jinyun’s mouth twitched. He only felt that this old-fashioned trope really fit the model of a point-of-view dragon-overlord protagonist.
Just as the old man was about to take Ye Jinyun away, several streaks of white light flashed across the sky.
Several powerful figures in gray-white dao robes appeared in the disciple-recruiting square. They first looked toward Ye Jinyun in unison, then looked at each other. There was some confusion in their eyes, but in the end they still returned to calm.
“Master.” Shen Guhan walked toward one of the middle-aged men in dao robes.
“Not bad, you’ve improved again.”
The Sword Sect sect master followed the voice and looked toward Shen Guhan. His gaze swept over him as he smiled and nodded. Shen Guhan was his disciple, and also the most outstanding seed he had ever seen. He was extremely satisfied with Shen Guhan, and then followed his gaze toward the people behind him. “Shaoxin, you must work hard.”
“It’s all thanks to Master’s guidance.”
There was no trace of joy on Shen Guhan’s face. He remained indifferent, as if no matter whose praise it was, it would be the same to him.
Gu Shaoxin also had high talent, but he was playful and undisciplined. Compared with being a Sword Sect disciple, he looked more like some young prince or noble son, living a carefree and pleasurable life. Hearing his master’s exhortation to study diligently, his whole body was lazy, and with his head lowered he answered, “Yes, Master.”
The Sword Sect sect master had always understood this disciple of his, and did not say much. He turned around and asked, “Who was it that awakened the Nine Profound Pillar?”
Ye Jinyun stepped out from the crowd without hesitation and cupped his hands. “This junior is Ye Jinyun.”
A light breeze gently passed by. Ye Jinyun’s high ponytail fluttered in the wind, and his voice was calm and forceful, like a ripple suddenly rising on a calm ancient pond, falling into everyone’s ears.
The Sword Sect sect master swept his gaze over him. The young man before him had an exquisite face, with a hint of youthful vigor. What was unexpected was that his spirit root was actually damaged. He did not know why the Nine Profound Pillar would judge him to be the chosen one as well.
“Sect Master?” The others who had also rushed over sensed that something was wrong and looked at the sect master in confusion.
The Sword Sect sect master waved a hand. “Young friend, would you be willing to come with us?”
Ye Jinyun had already learned from 01 that he truly was the chosen one, so naturally he was not worried. He nodded and said, “Of course I am willing.”
As he spoke, he inadvertently glanced at Shen Guhan.
Shen Guhan naturally felt Ye Jinyun’s gaze. He was very satisfied with Ye Jinyun’s performance, and the corners of his mouth lifted. His cold face suddenly gained warmth.
Discussion hall.
The elders of the Sword Sect all fixed their gazes on Ye Jinyun, as if they wanted to bore a hole through him. But no matter how they looked, Ye Jinyun was still a waste whose spirit root had been ruined, with no hope of cultivating immortality, completely unlike the legend of the chosen one.
“Sect Master, could it be that the Nine Profound Pillar is broken? How could this brat possibly be the chosen one?” The third elder had always been impatient. Seeing that the other elders were all silent, he could not help but ask.
“The Nine Profound Pillar is an immortal artifact, how could it be wrong?” the second elder on the side said.
“Exactly, exactly. Besides, Yichan has gone out to train and still hasn’t returned yet, so we still can’t make a conclusion right now.” The fourth elder agreed.
“Then according to you, are we just supposed to wait here? We can wait, but this brat can’t.” The third elder said impatiently.
“Why can’t he?” the fourth elder said unconvinced.
“The sect has a rule, mortals are not allowed to linger.” The fifth elder, who had been sitting in the corner without speaking, said.
As soon as the fifth elder’s words fell, the discussion hall fell silent again.
This was a rule of the Sword Sect from ancient times to the present, and no one could break it, not even the Sword Sect sect master.
Mortals. Ye Jinyun clenched his fists. He was indeed a mortal, but he had not expected that as a mortal, he would not even be allowed to stay in the Sword Sect. Thinking of this, he looked toward Shen Guhan. It was Shen Guhan who had told him to come participate in the Sword Sect’s trial. Could Shen Guhan be humiliating him?
Thinking of how Shen Guhan had previously told him to become his furnace cauldron, it was not entirely impossible.
But the system’s task for him was also that he had to become a Sword Sect disciple before he could save enough points to restore his spirit root.
Although Shen Guhan said that Honored Hongyun had ten-thousand-year flying sand grass, Ye Jinyun did not dare place all his hopes on one person.
Moreover, Shen Guhan was actually a complete stranger to him, especially since Shen Guhan’s actions were everywhere full of strangeness. He did not trust him.
“Master, the sect also has a rule that as long as someone can pass the disciple-recruiting trial, they can become a disciple of the sect.” Shen Guhan said.
“He is only a mortal, and his spirit root is ruined. He cannot communicate with spiritual qi at all. How can he take part in the disciple-recruiting trial?” The third elder shook his head and did not agree with Shen Guhan’s idea.
For an ordinary mortal without cultivation to take part in the Sword Sect’s trial was not impossible. As long as he possessed a spirit root and could communicate with spiritual qi, that would be enough.
But Ye Jinyun’s spirit root was destroyed. He simply could not communicate with spiritual qi. The moment he stepped into the Sword Sect trial, he would be torn apart by the massive spiritual qi. Shen Guhan pressed his lips together. “I am willing to form a bond with Ye Jinyun and help him communicate with spiritual qi, a dao bond.”
As soon as Shen Guhan said this, everyone froze and looked toward Shen Guhan in unison.
In the World of Longevity, there are three types of bonds, life bonds, death bonds, and dao bonds. A life bond is a master-servant contract, one side obeying the other, and it can be dissolved. It is mostly established when the weak depend on the strong. Compared with a life bond, a death bond is even more unequal. The bound person’s life is completely in the hands of the one who formed the bond. If the one who formed the bond dies, then the bound person will certainly die with them.
But if the bound person dies, it will not endanger the life of the one who formed the bond. The most important thing is that it cannot be dissolved.
A dao bond, however, is the most equal covenant among the three. Those who form it can share life span, can sense each other’s existence, and even dao companions may not necessarily choose to form a dao bond.
“No, absolutely not.” The third elder still did not agree.
As Shen Guhan’s master, the Sword Sect sect master was somewhat surprised. His disciple had always been cold and proud, and never got close to others. This time, however, he was willing to spend effort on a complete stranger, and even propose something as intimate as forming a dao bond. It was truly strange.
Shen Guhan’s expression was calm as he explained, “The awakening of the Nine Profound Pillar is a major matter. Although the news has already been temporarily sealed, it is inevitable that people of the demonic path will learn of it. If the chosen one is left to drift outside, I fear the world will fall into chaos.”
At the same time, Shen Guhan gave an order to the 01 bound to Ye Jinyun, “Make Ye Jinyun agree to form a bond with me.”
As soon as Shen Guhan said this, even the third elder, who had been objecting, had nothing more to say. He only swept a resentful glance at Ye Jinyun, then waved his sleeve and turned his head away, showing his dissatisfaction.
The Sword Sect sect master pondered for a moment. It seemed he could not think of any better method for the time being, and he also felt that what Shen Guhan said made sense. So he turned to Ye Jinyun and asked, “This is fine as well, I wonder what your thoughts are, young friend?”
“This junior is willing.” Ye Jinyun had already received the system’s task. Although he felt that two men forming a dao bond was very strange, forming a dao bond with Shen Guhan was not a bad thing for him, and he agreed without hesitation.
Author’s note:
I went to get an injection today, I wish everyone a happy Double Eleven! Thank you to the little angels who sent me reward votes or nutrient solution during the period 2020-11-09 21:15:03-2020-11-11 35:04:43.
Thank you very much for everyone’s support. I will continue to work hard!