Chapter 76 ·Zhou A’niu!

At ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the outer sect of the Azure Wave Sect, at the foot of the mountain gate.

Today, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the place was especially lively.

On ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍an open ground before the mountain gate, several simple wooden platforms had been set up, with steward disciples of the Azure Wave Sect responsible for registration.

Below ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the platforms stood a bustling crowd of over a hundred people, mostly teenage boys and girls in their teens or early twenties, along with a few who looked slightly older.

They ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍came from all over the Spirit Realm—some were descendants of loose cultivators, some were children of small families, and some were purely mortals.

All ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍of them had come for a single purpose: to enter the Azure Wave Sect and step onto the path of immortality.

Nether Soul stood on a nearby green stone, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze slowly sweeping across the crowd.

With his Golden Core cultivation, he did not need to deliberately release his aura; the low-level cultivators around him instinctively avoided the area where he stood.

The information his main body had given him was extremely detailed.

That person’s appearance, age, aura characteristics, and even their approximate current location.

Nether Soul scanned once and quickly locked onto his target.

At the edge of the crowd, a boy who looked about fifteen or sixteen was squatting on the ground, fiddling with something with his head lowered.

The boy wore coarse cloth clothing, his hair somewhat messy, and there was even a bit of dirt on his face.

He looked exactly like a little beggar who had just run out of some remote mountain ravine.

The people around him all intentionally or unintentionally kept their distance.

The reason was simple—he smelled.

Not the kind of smell used as an exaggeration, but an actual smell.

It was as if he had not bathed for a long time, or had stayed in some livestock shed.

The mixed odor formed an indescribable scent, turning a two-meter radius around him into a vacuum zone.

Nether Soul’s steps paused.

He fell silent for a moment as the information transmitted by his main body surfaced in his mind.

【This person was, in his previous life, the Star God of Yinghuo Star in the Immortal Court of the Immortal Realm, at the Immortal King Realm. After offending an Immortal Emperor, he was schemed against and cast into reincarnation.】

Immortal King.

A great power of the Immortal Realm.

After reincarnation…

This?

Nether Soul took a deep breath and walked over.

The boy was still lowering his head, busy with his task, completely unaware that someone had approached.

Nether Soul stopped in front of him and looked down.

The boy held two stones in his hands, trying hard to strike a fire.

Beside him were a few pieces of dry grass and a section of dead wood—clearly he was trying to build a campfire.

Nether Soul: “……”

He silently watched the boy struggle for a long time. Sparks flew as the stones struck, yet the pile of grass stubbornly refused to ignite.

The boy muttered to himself, “That shouldn’t be right. I saw Old Zhang in the village do it like this—so why won’t it light?”

Nether Soul finally spoke, “What are you doing?”

The boy jumped in fright. His hand slipped, and the stone smashed onto his foot, making him grimace in pain.

He raised his head and saw a young man in Azure Wave Sect disciple robes standing before him. He immediately panicked, quickly scrambling to his feet and stammering,

“I-Immortal Master! I-I didn’t mean to cause trouble, I just wanted to…”

“Wanted what?”

“Wanted to start a fire to roast a flatbread…” The boy took out a hard, dry flatbread from his chest, looking a little embarrassed.

“I left home in a hurry this morning and didn’t eat. I’m a bit hungry now…”

Nether Soul looked at the bread in his hand, then at the clearly damp pile of grass on the ground, and fell silent for a full three breaths.

Then he crouched down and snapped his fingers.

A wisp of ghostly blue flame flicked from his fingertip and landed on the grass.

The grass instantly ignited.

The boy’s eyes widened, “I-Immortal technique?!”

Nether Soul stood up and said calmly, “Roast it.”

The boy froze for a moment, then quickly reacted, repeatedly thanking him, “Thank you, Immortal Master! Thank you, Immortal Master!”

He crouched down, skewered the flatbread on a branch, and carefully held it over the fire to roast.

Nether Soul did not leave. He simply stood to the side and watched.

The boy’s movements in roasting the bread were very skillful—flipping it, controlling the heat, watching the timing. Clearly, he had done this many times before.

After a while, the surface of the bread began to turn golden brown, and a wheat fragrance mixed with the scent of smoke drifted out.

The boy swallowed, then raised his head and saw that Nether Soul was still watching him, making him suddenly feel a bit uneasy.

“Immortal Master, would you… like to try some? Although it’s nothing good, it can at least fill your stomach…”

Nether Soul looked at the bread he offered but did not take it.

“What is your name?”

The boy was stunned for a moment, then honestly replied, “Replying to Immortal Master, my name is A’niu. My surname… should be Zhou. People in the village all call me Zhou A’niu.”

“Should be?”

“I was adopted by the village when I was little. I don’t know who my parents are, so I followed the villagers and took the surname Zhou.”

The boy scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.

“The name was given by the village chief. He said a humble name is easier to raise.”

Nether Soul nodded.

Zhou A’niu.

A very down-to-earth name.

Compared to the identity of the Star God of Yinghuo Star, it couldn’t be said to have no relation—it simply didn’t match at all.

“You came to become a disciple?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Zhou A’niu nodded repeatedly.

“I want to cultivate immortality! I heard the Azure Wave Sect is recruiting disciples, so I walked for half a month to get here…”

As he spoke, he glanced uneasily at his own appearance. “Immortal Master, someone like me… can I become a disciple?”

Nether Soul did not answer directly, but instead asked, “What spiritual roots do you have?”

Zhou A’niu froze. “Spiritual roots? What’s that?”

Nether Soul said nothing. He simply formed a hand seal, and a ray of spiritual light fell onto Zhou A’niu.

A moment later, he withdrew his hand.

Five-element spiritual roots.

Complete.

And the aptitude… how to put it—it was indeed at the level of an ordinary person.

Ordinary to the extreme.

If his main body had not confirmed it with the Haotian Mirror, Nether Soul would never have believed that this rustic boy before him would become a future Slaughter Immortal King.

But upon second thought, it was normal.

Reincarnation erased all memories, reset aptitude to zero, and forced one to start over.

That was the proper cycle of reincarnation.

If one still retained Immortal King-level aptitude after reincarnation, that would be abnormal.

Zhou A’niu had been startled by the spiritual light. When it dissipated and he found nothing unusual about his body, he finally relaxed.

He looked at Nether Soul and cautiously asked, “Immortal Master, can I… become a disciple?”

Nether Soul did not answer, instead asking, “Why do you want to cultivate immortality?”

Zhou A’niu thought for a moment and said seriously, “The villagers said cultivating immortality lets you have enough to eat.”

Nether Soul: “……”

“And what else?”

“Cultivating immortality means you won’t be bullied,” Zhou A’niu said.

“Bandits attacked our village last year. Several people died. If someone knew immortal techniques, the bandits wouldn’t dare come.”

Nether Soul looked at him.

The boy’s eyes were very clear. When he said these things, there was neither much resentment nor excessive expectation—just a simple statement of fact.

Very simple thoughts.

Having enough to eat. Not being bullied.

Compared to overthrowing an Immortal Emperor, the gap was immeasurable.

But Nether Soul knew that this simple boy before him would one day unleash boundless slaughter in the Spirit Realm, leaving rivers of blood and fields of corpses.

At that time, it certainly wouldn’t be for the sake of having enough to eat.

Nether Soul suddenly felt a bit curious.

What exactly turned a boy who only wanted to eat his fill into a Slaughter Immortal King?

But that was a matter for the future.

Right now, his task was only one.

To bring this calamity star under his wing.

“Zhou A’niu,” Nether Soul spoke.

The boy immediately responded, “Here!”

“Are you willing to take me as your master?”

Zhou A’niu froze.

He opened his mouth, and after a long time, managed to squeeze out a sentence, “I-Immortal Master… are you… telling the truth?”

“The truth.”

“But…” Zhou A’niu became flustered.

“I haven’t passed any tests yet, I haven’t been accepted, I don’t even know how to cultivate immortality, I don’t know anything…”

Nether Soul said calmly, “I will teach you.”

Zhou A’niu stood there dumbfounded, the bread in his hand almost falling into the fire.

He quickly steadied it, then looked up at Nether Soul, his eyes filled with disbelief.

A moment later, he suddenly knelt down and kowtowed three times.

“Master!”

Nether Soul did not dodge and accepted the three bows.

After he finished kowtowing, Nether Soul said, “Get up.”

Zhou A’niu stood up, his face filled with uncontrollable excitement, yet also somewhat at a loss, not knowing where to place his hands and feet.

Nether Soul glanced at the bread in his hand that was about to burn. “Your bread is about to burn.”

Zhou A’niu exclaimed, quickly pulling the bread away from the fire, blowing on it, then looking at Nether Soul and giving a foolish grin.

Nether Soul said nothing.

He turned around, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked toward the mountain gate.

Zhou A’niu froze for a moment, then hurriedly stuffed the bread into his chest, stamped out the fire, and jogged after him.

“Master, wait for me!”

Nether Soul did not stop, saying calmly, “Don’t start fires within the sect in the future.”

“Ah? Why?”

“There are spirit fire stoves. They ignite instantly. No need for you to start one yourself.”

Zhou A’niu nodded as if understanding, then asked, “Master, what is your name? I still don’t know.”

“Nether Soul.”

“Nether… Soul?” Zhou A’niu repeated it twice. “That name is so strange.”

Nether Soul ignored him. He did not like the name Lin You.

The name “Nether Soul” was given by his main body. In the past, he had used the name Lin You for the sake of better planning within the Azure Wave Sect.

But now, the plan was nearing completion, the future already set—there was no need to continue concealing it.

The two walked one after the other toward the mountain gate.

Behind them, the young men and women who had come to seek apprenticeship watched this scene, their eyes filled with envy and confusion.

Why was a dirty little beggar favored by an Immortal Master?

They could not understand.

Nether Soul, of course, would not explain.

He merely thought silently in his heart:

Main body, oh main body, what kind of task have you given me?

A reincarnated Immortal King, a future slaughtering fiend.

And right now, he’s a fool squatting by the roadside roasting flatbread.

Fine.

I have nothing better to do anyway.

I’ll just treat it as raising a pet.

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