Chapter 48: Ning Qi—Ning Kunlun, Heir of the Ancient Sacred Sect

"Hey, are you two really thinking the same way as little Qinghu?" Zhou Ji looked at the Qingjin brothers in disbelief.

"Yes, that's exactly what we're thinking," Qingzhen replied immediately. "I remember when I was very young, whenever Mother divided the fruit, the prettiest one was always given to Eldest Brother, the biggest and sweetest went to our little sister, because she's a girl, and the rest, which made up most of the fruit, was for me.

Because I wasn't good-looking, I had to eat more fruit to nourish my face."

Ah, pfft! Pfft!

Zhou Ji was doubled over, clutching his stomach in laughter.

Ning Qi was laughing so hard his chest hurt.

Old Zhao was holding onto the chair beside him, barely able to stand. "How can your family be so particular about dividing fruit?"

"Look, Uncle Zhao, what's so strange? Even dividing fruit needs a proper distribution plan," Qingzhen said, genuinely puzzled that Zhou Ji, Ning Qi, and Zhao were so amused. He was speaking perfectly normally—why did it sound so funny to them?

After everyone had a good laugh, the tension in their hearts eased.

"Qingjin, since that one has recognized you as his personal disciple, sooner or later he'll invite you to meet him. Have you thought it through?" Old Zhao asked. "What I mean is, if that one is an outsider, you might end up infamous among the human race..."

"Hmm..." Qingjin heard this, glanced at Zhou Ji, who was frowning, then at Ning Qi, who gave him a gentle smile, as if encouraging him.

Qingzhen didn't care, and little Qinghu was too young to understand what it meant to become the personal disciple of an outsider Dao Lord.

Uncle Zhao's face showed concern and difficulty; he understood everyone's worries...

"As a disciple of a declining cultivation family, if I were mediocre, that would be fine. Although in the future I might become cannon fodder in some clash of talented sons, at least before that, I could live a long, peaceful, and happy life. I could marry early, have children, work hard to build up the family for my parents, my wife, and my kids, so they have something to rely on after I'm gone. Even if I died, what I left behind could help my children grow strong, not falling behind our clan brothers.

Just like my great-grandfather and grandfather did! Passing it down, generation after generation.

But I'm not a mediocre offspring!

So I'm unwilling!

When Heaven gives me a chance, when I'm allowed to glimpse a different world, I refuse to turn back and be ordinary.

If I can truly walk the path of cultivation, what does it matter if I bear infamy?"

To put it bluntly, Shen Qingjin was a gifted, ambitious, and bold person. Such a person would either become a peerless Dao Saint or an unrivaled Demon Lord.

It all depended on how his fate would twist in the future, and whether he would be forced to abandon all his principles.

Old Zhao's expression froze.

He looked at Qingjin in silence, unsure how to persuade him.

After hearing Shen Qingjin's words, Zhou Ji paused, then said, "If you really become the disciple of an outsider Dao Lord, forgive me for breaking my word. I can't stay here to help you; I must leave."

"Alright," Qingjin replied with a smile.

"I'm sorry. I promised my grandfather never to associate with humans who follow outsider Dao Lords," Zhou Ji said apologetically.

"No need to apologize. When I made my choice, I knew what I would have to endure. Maybe even my family will abandon me. It doesn't matter," Qingjin said, utterly calm.

"Qingjin, do you need to reconsider?" Zhou Ji asked with difficulty.

Qingjin shook his head. "There's no turning back for me.

Since the other has acknowledged me as his disciple, then I am his disciple—there's no doubt. All the powers and Dao Court will see it that way.

Whether I truly follow him only affects my own interests, not others' perception.

If I went to explain at Meishan that I hadn't joined his sect, do you think anyone would believe me?" Why struggle, then?

"Besides, whether it's lone cultivators or families like ours, the cultivation manuals we have usually cover only the first three realms:

Qi Refining, Foundation Building, and Golden Core.

Some families don't even have complete Golden Core manuals. Their Golden Core cultivators spend their lives stuck in the first, second, or third stage of the realm.

But if I become a disciple of a Dao Lord, even if he's an outsider, I can escape the dilemma of reaching a bottleneck in cultivation but lacking the proper manuals to advance."

It was this world itself that was cold and cruel, not Shen Qingjin.

So what if he joined an outsider Dao Lord?

Zhou Ji wanted to say, "So what if you're ruined? What's so bad about a lifetime at Golden Core? Why can others accept it, but you can't?"

But he knew these words wouldn't convince Shen Qingjin.

This boy was not one to accept fate.

He should have known long ago.

"Well said. In fact, if you weren't planning to join that one's sect, I would have tried to persuade you to do so," Ning Qi said suddenly.

Zhou Ji was stunned. "Ning Qi, do you know what you're saying? Joining an outsider Dao Lord is tantamount to betraying the Dao Court and the human race!"

"Would you dare say that in Wuding City? Even inside the Dao Court, the new generation of Dao sons eagerly compete for spots as disciples at ancient Dao grounds. Tell me—which of those ancient Dao grounds belong to humans?" Ning Qi's retort was fierce and unflinching.

Zhou Ji was left speechless.

"How was the Dao Court established in the first place—do any of us not know? Wasn't it just some human disciples from ancient Dao grounds banding together? Why could they do it back then, but Qingjin can't now?"

Qingjin was hearing such secrets for the first time and looked at Ning Qi in shock.

"Since you've decided to join that one's Dao ground as a personal disciple, let's formally introduce ourselves. I am Ning Kunlun of the Ancient Saint Sect, seventh in my family, so I am also Ning Qi. When I first met you, Qingjin, I intended to bring you into the Ancient Saint Sect, but fate had other plans."

"Because the other has acknowledged you as a personal disciple, even our Ancient Saint Sect can't forcibly take another Dao Lord's disciple."

Everyone was astounded.

"That Ancient Saint Sect—isn't it ranked first on the Dao Court's wanted list for evil sects?" Qin Zhen suddenly asked.

"That's right, the number one evil sect—the Ancient Saint Sect," Ning Kunlun replied, a hint of pride in his smile.

Qinghu immediately gestured a thumbs-up.

Her family now had someone involved in the evil sects—even if it was only her brother's friend.