"Greetings, Lord Xingyuan!"
Zi Long brought Ye Cangtian and bowed respectfully to the man in the purple-gold mask.
This individual was one of the three presidents of the Dark Association, a Heaven-level powerhouse currently responsible for the association's daily operations.
Zi Long then introduced Ye Cangtian to the others. Besides Qing Dao, the remaining three were Cheng Hai, Huang Shan, and Lu Luo.
As Ye Cangtian finished his introductions, Xingyuan nodded faintly and gestured for Zi Long to sit to the side. His gaze then fell back on Ye Cangtian.
"Xuan Qi, Zi Long has already reported your matters. Your abilities are unquestionable, and you possess considerable strength. Among the many Xuan-level enforcers, you are truly top-tier."
"Therefore, I wish to ask you, what is it you desire? For instance, wealth, women, power, or something else entirely?"
Xingyuan's voice was calm. Ye Cangtian knew this was a test.
After a moment of contemplation, Ye Cangtian slowly replied, "Wealth, women, and power are not what I seek. I desire strength!"
Xingyuan's gaze flickered slightly as he continued, "And what will you do with that strength?"
"To continuously break through my limits and pursue the pinnacle of martial arts!" Ye Cangtian stated with resolute conviction.
Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed across Xingyuan's eyes once more.
The next moment, Xingyuan waved his hand, and four items landed before Ye Cangtian.
They were a bag of purple crystals, a sharp sword, an ancient book, and a golden mask.
"You may choose one of these four items."
"This is your reward for your outstanding performance," Xingyuan said with a smile as he saw Ye Cangtian's gaze fall upon the four items.
Ye Cangtian inwardly scoffed, feeling the elder's tests were never-ending.
He understood the meaning behind each item. The crystals represented wealth, as crystals served as currency in the ruins.
The sword and the ancient book represented strength. The former offered immediate results, while the latter required continuous practice to unlock its power.
The golden mask, however, symbolized power.
In essence, this test was merely an upgraded version of his earlier questions.
With this realization, Ye Cangtian decisively chose the purple crystals.
Seeing this, Xingyuan's eyes widened slightly with surprise, and he couldn't help but furrow his brow. "Why did you choose the crystals?"
"Reporting to you, sir, I initially wanted to choose the ancient book. However, that book is a sword technique, and I prefer to use a saber. Therefore, neither the sword nor the book is suitable for me!"
"Between the crystals and the mask, the crystals at least have some use for me, helping to improve my strength," Ye Cangtian quickly explained.
As he finished his explanation, the surprise in Xingyuan's eyes vanished. After a moment of thought, he glanced at the Heaven-level enforcer beside him and asked, "What do you all think?"
"This young man is quite remarkable. He remains neither humble nor arrogant in the presence of so many strong individuals. His resolve is rare," said the person on the left. This was Cheng Hai, whose skin showed signs of age, indicating he was advanced in years.
"Facing temptation, he can still maintain his composure and choose what he truly needs. This demonstrates his dedication to his dream. His future achievements are likely immeasurable!" Huang Shan spoke slowly.
Lu Luo nodded in agreement, while Qing Dao simply smiled, a glint of admiration in his eyes.
Meanwhile, observing the attitudes of the Heaven-level powerhouses, Xingyuan slowly stated, "Cheng Hai, I entrust this matter to you."
Cheng Hai immediately stood up and cupped his fists, "Rest assured, my lord. I will make the arrangements properly."
Xingyuan nodded, his gaze sweeping over Ye Cangtian. "Xuan Qi, whether you can secure a place in the Grand Hall in the future depends entirely on your efforts."
With that, Xingyuan turned and left the hall without waiting for Ye Cangtian's reply.
As Xingyuan departed, Cheng Hai stood up and said, "Xuan Qi, you may rest for tonight and find me here tomorrow."
With that, Cheng Hai also left the hall. Huang Shan and Lu Luo then nodded at Ye Cangtian before departing as well.
In an instant, only Zi Long and Qing Dao remained in the hall.
"Haha, to gain Lord Xingyuan's recognition is truly cause for celebration!"
"However, you must be mentally prepared, for being trained by Lord Cheng Hai is quite perilous." Qing Dao walked forward and clapped Ye Cangtian on the shoulder.
"Ah? What do you mean?" Ye Cangtian asked Qing Dao, a look of confusion on his face.
"Lord Cheng Hai firmly believes that one's full potential can only be unleashed at the brink of death. Therefore, the casualty rate among those who follow him is quite high."
"However, those who survive, even if they don't reach Heaven-level strength, will possess formidable combat power."
"Zi Long would have the most to say about this, as he was once brought up by Lord Cheng Hai." Qing Dao explained with a hint of amusement in his eyes, still vividly recalling Zi Long's miserable state back then.
"Hmph! Qing Dao, are you looking for a beating?" Zi Long snorted. Qing Dao immediately chuckled and hastily retreated from the hall.
Seeing this, Zi Long turned his gaze back to Ye Cangtian. "Don't worry too much. While training under Lord Cheng Hai is indeed dangerous, you'll have plenty of elixirs and crystals."
*Darn, will they send me on missions? When will I be able to rescue Shangguan Yanran!* Ye Cangtian muttered inwardly before following Zi Long out of the hall.
...
After returning to his room to rest for a while, Ye Cangtian left his room and headed directly to Qing Dao's quarters.
Qing Dao seemed somewhat surprised to see Xuan Qi arrive but still invited him into the room.
"Lord Qing Dao, I heard from Huang San earlier that you were looking for me. May I ask what it is about?" Ye Cangtian asked directly after sitting down. He intentionally framed his question this way to bring up the matter of Shangguan Yanran.
"There was a mission I wanted to assign to you, but you weren't present, so I had to handle it myself..." As expected, upon hearing this, Qing Dao began to recount the general course of events concerning Shangguan Yanran to Ye Cangtian. Shangguan Yanran had now been brought back to headquarters, and there were no longer any variables. Moreover, Ye Cangtian was someone recognized by both Qing Dao and headquarters, so revealing some details was acceptable.
"Oh? For the Heart of the Ruins, why not just kill Shangguan Yanran? Why bring her back?" Ye Cangtian asked with feigned surprise and confusion.
"Alas!" Qing Dao sighed, a surge of anger and frustration welling up at the mention of it. He had intended, as Ye Cangtian suggested, to kill Shangguan Yanran and seize the Heart of the Ruins. However, the artifact spirit of the ceremonial staff, Mo Yu, threatened to die if Qing Dao harmed Shangguan Yanran, even hinting at self-destruction. Faced with such a predicament, Qing Dao dared not take the risk, as the power of the Heart of the Ruins with and without its artifact spirit was vastly different. Therefore, Qing Dao made the decision to bring Shangguan Yanran back to headquarters for brainwashing and training, ensuring she would serve the Dark Association completely.
After a brief explanation, Qing Dao did not forget to sternly warn Ye Cangtian to keep this matter confidential, as it was quite embarrassing for a Heaven-level powerhouse to be threatened by an artifact spirit.
"Lord Qing Dao, please rest assured, I am not one to gossip."
"However, Lord Qing Dao, please don't take offense at my boldness, but with so many brainwashing techniques in the world, they are ineffective against those with strong wills. Will this brainwashing truly succeed?"
"Won't it be a case of trying to steal a chicken and losing the bait?" Ye Cangtian appeared genuinely concerned, as if worried about the brainwashing failing and his efforts being in vain for others.
"Haha, you can set your mind at ease about that."
"The brainwashing methods employed by various powers on the market are all rubbish. This method of brainwashing is an ancient technique, mastered only by Lord Shen Yuan."
"It is said that once the entire brainwashing process is completed, Shangguan Yanran will completely forget her past and be utilized by the Dark Association." Qing Dao smiled, having witnessed some successful cases thus far. Those individuals, after being brainwashed, not only retained their intelligence but also became completely obedient to the Dark Association, capable of mercilessly killing even their own parents.
*This...* Upon hearing this, the corners of Ye Cangtian's lips twitched beneath his mask. Such a domineering brainwashing technique! It was as if they were becoming entirely different people! If he wanted to save Shangguan Yanran, he had to do it as soon as possible. Otherwise, once everything was settled, it would be too late!