This coming-of-age banquet allowed Shuo Heng to make a fortune.
Shuo Ya put all the gifts from the guests into a super-large Storage Ring and then handed the Storage Ring to him.
Inside were also birthday gifts from the Shuo Family, including his father, his mother, his second uncle, and the Ninth Ancestor.
It basically covered all the resources he would need for his early Cultivation—and then some.
Shuo Heng didn't stand on ceremony with them.
If they gave it, he took it; there was nothing to be embarrassed about.
“This boy…” Shuo Ya watched Shuo Heng ignore everyone after taking the money, and with a speechless sigh, took a sip of tea. “I really don’t know who he inherited this money-grubbing personality from.”
Yan Qing chuckled, finding the scene quite amusing.
…
By then, the guests had almost all departed.
Only the Shuo Family and people from Canglan Immortal Palace remained in the main hall.
Seeing that the Palace Master Cang had no intention of leaving, still sitting at the table drinking Spiritual Wine, Shuo Ya knew that he probably had something to discuss with him.
So he gestured to Shuo Yang, indicating for him to take the irrelevant Shuo Family members out.
Shuo Yang nodded subtly and turned to make arrangements.
Soon, only six people remained in the Shuo Family's main hall.
Cang Lin knew it was time for him to speak.
“I heard that your son was born with Feng Lei's Body.
Seeing him today, it truly lives up to its reputation; even Zhuo weapons vie to recognize him as their Master.” Cang Lin smiled.
He had a very good relationship with the Shuo Family’s Ninth Ancestor Shuo Gu.
They were close friends, the kind who could sit down, drink together, and discuss martial arts.
For a Cultivator, having a few enduring friends throughout their long life is a blessing, so Cang Lin cherished this friendship greatly.
His praise at this moment seemed even more sincere.
Shuo Ya immediately stood up and cupped his hands: “Palace Master Cang flatters him. This boy only has decent talent; his temperament is truly quite mischievous.”
“Shuo Heng is young; it’s normal for him to be a bit playful.” Cang Lin actually found the child’s personality quite endearing; he had noticed the small interactions between Shuo Heng and Shuo Ya earlier.
He was an interesting child.
“After he gets his Spiritual Root tested at six years old, how about he comes to my Canglan Immortal Palace to become my disciple?
At that time, I will take him as…”
Cang Lin hadn’t finished his sentence when he saw the unremarkable old man behind him suddenly raise his hand and slap Cang Lin on the back.
With a crisp, loud sound.
“….” Cang Lin was silent for a moment.
His back hurt a lot, but he still maintained the image of a Palace Master of a top-tier force, not crying out in pain in front of everyone, nor making any distorted expressions.
However, no one was paying attention to Cang Lin's reaction at the moment anyway.
Shuo Heng saw that the old man who had been subtly observing him suddenly appeared beside him in a flash.
Shuo Heng wasn't afraid; instead, he remained still, watching him with interest.
Shuo Ya had originally been shielded from perception by the Qi fluctuations around Ming Wanli, always believing him to be an ordinary servant brought by Cang Lin.
Now that Ming Wanli no longer concealed himself, Shuo Ya naturally recognized who this person truly was.
He immediately stood up and bowed respectfully with cupped hands.
“Junior greets Lingquan Holy Monarch.”
“Oh, it’s fine, it’s fine. No need for such formalities.”
Ming Wanli chuckled, glanced at Shuo Heng, who was lazily performing a salute like his father, and then plopped down next to him, picking up a piece of fish that Shuo Heng hadn't finished and tossing it into his mouth: “This old man has been standing for a long time, and I’ve watched you all eat for a long time.
Are there any more dishes? Bring some up.”
Shuo Ya immediately waved for someone to fetch them.
So everyone watched as Ming Wanli ate, while also reaching out to rub Shuo Heng’s small head: “Little one, do you want to become this old man’s disciple?”
A glint flashed in Shuo Heng’s eyes; he originally expected to see purple or golden light.
But he didn’t expect to see anything.
Oh, this was rare.
【Your eyes are useless against this old man; looking too much will only harm your body.】
The smiling words entered Shuo Heng’s mind, causing him to casually withdraw his gaze.
This person was interesting.
“Senior Ling Quan, what are the benefits of becoming your disciple?” Shuo Heng blinked his big eyes, looking at the old man.
Ming Wanli smiled, stroking his beard: “The benefits are simply too numerous.
The top-tier Cultivation Techniques and Divine Abilities in this world, as long as you want them, this old man can snatch them for you.”
“…cough cough.”
Cang Lin silently picked up his wine cup and took a sip, not wanting to admit that this was his Senior Brother.
【Senior Brother, don't make our Canglan Immortal Palace sound like a bunch of bandits.】
Cang Lin’s telepathic message ultimately fell on deaf ears, because Ming Wanli was in no mood to pay attention to him right now.
He only felt that this boy became more and more interesting the more he looked at him, and his heart grew fonder.
—He absolutely had to reserve him first.
Shuo Heng obviously hadn’t expected Ming Wanli to say such words.
It seemed this old man was not only mysteriously powerful, but also quite interesting in his temperament.
He had naturally learned about Canglan Immortal Palace from his research; it was considered one of the top powers in the Vanyang Realm.
And judging by his father’s level of respect, even more serious and cautious when facing Ming Wanli than Cang Lin, this indicated many things.
If he had such a powerful Master as his backing, it didn't seem bad either.
So Shuo Heng slowly stood up from the soft couch.
“Master above, please accept your disciple’s bow.”
After speaking, he knelt down.
He knelt to the heavens, to the earth, to his parents.
Now, there was one more person worthy of his genuflection.
“Good! Haha! Excellent!” Ming Wanli joyfully helped Shuo Heng up, then rubbed Shuo Heng’s small head again, “Since that’s the case, let’s return to Canglan Immortal Palace with us today.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Yan Qing became anxious.
“Lingquan Holy Monarch, Heng’er is still young, and his bones haven’t fully developed; he can’t Cultivate yet.
How about… we wait until Heng’er is six years old and has his Spiritual Root tested? That way, everyone will have a clear answer.”
Although he was said to have a Twin Feng Lei Saint Spiritual Root, the true result hadn't been seen yet, so Yan Qing didn't dare to speak presumptuously.
Moreover, she couldn’t bear to part with her child.
“Although he can’t Cultivate, he can Body Refining first.” Ming Wanli looked at the gentle beautiful woman, fully understanding a mother’s love for her child. “Madam Shuo, rest assured, even if Shuo Heng doesn’t have a Twin Feng Lei Saint Spiritual Root in the future, this old man’s words about taking him as a disciple will absolutely not be retracted.”
Yan Qing still wanted to say something, but Shuo Ya reached out and pulled her, making her swallow the words on the tip of her tongue.
“Since that is the case, then I entrust my son to Senior Ling Quan’s care.” Shuo Ya cupped his hands and bowed.
“Xiao Heng is my only disciple; it is only right.”
Shuo Heng blinked, then threw himself into Yan Qing’s arms: “Mother~”
He wasn’t particularly reluctant, but he still needed to comfort his sad mother.
“Mother, don’t be sad. I can come back to play often~
Right, Master?”
As Shuo Heng spoke, he turned and winked at Ming Wanli.
Ming Wanli chuckled, stroking his beard, happy to cooperate: “Naturally.”
Yan Qing hugged the precious treasure in her arms: “You rascal… don’t you forget what you said today.”
Shuo Heng smiled: “Mother, I will naturally not forget.”
—
Finally, Cang Lin and Ming Wanli took Shuo Qianye and Shuo Heng away.
Cang Lin had no intention of taking a disciple after his Senior Brother took Shuo Heng, but by chance, he saw Shuo Qianye, who had come to bid farewell to his younger brother.
That glance was astonishingly beautiful.
He vaguely remembered Shuo Gu mentioning this child, but he hadn't paid it much mind at the time.
Now, seeing Shuo Qianye, he admitted that his desire to take a disciple had stirred again.
So young, yet as gentle as jade, with the bearing of a Phoenix and a Dragon.
His talent was also very good.
Thus, Shuo Qianye was also taken away from the Shuo Family.
—
It was extremely simple for a Saint-level powerhouse to tear open the Void Realm and travel through it.
So before Shuo Heng could even react, he found himself in a completely new land.
Unlike the noble elegance and opulent grandeur of the Shuo Family.
This place was like a fairyland.
…
Mountains without visible peaks, soaring into the clouds.
Pavilions, waterside structures, magnificent palaces.
Waterfalls cascaded from the sky, and dense, misty Spiritual Qi brushed across his face.
In the distance, immortal cranes leisurely soared and danced, free within it all.
Shuo Heng looked at the scene before him with some shock, and then, something even more astonishing happened.
He saw his new, convenient Master point to the tallest mountain among them.
That mountain was extremely tall.
Almost more than half of its body was above the clouds, making the surrounding peaks appear somewhat dwarfed.
“That’s our territory—Taichu Peak.”