Chapter 324: Disciple Yang Ling Pays Homage to Master!

In the blink of an eye, all 27 Free Attribute Points were poured into Agility.

Agility rocketed from 103 to 130!

At this point, Yang Ling's dual attributes were already on par with Mingxin back then.

He was only 2 points short in total!

Yang Ling confirmed that his cultivation had solidly stepped into the Upper Sixth-Rank.

It was just that his Vital Qi, sitting at a mere 6000 points, was dragging him down.

"Quenched-Gold Armor-Piercing Flying Daggers? Ice and Fire Twin Blades?"

The figure crouched down, examining the battle traces on the ground.

When he spotted the frost-scorched marks on the ground, curiosity flickered in his eyes.

"This junior Shi Xin greets King Zhao."

Yang Ling turned to face the newcomer, speaking neither arrogantly nor humbly.

The man didn't look all that old, maybe around thirty-seven or thirty-eight.

But his temples were already streaked with white, his hair combed immaculately, topped with a simple, unadorned small crown.

Yang Ling tried to open the man's Status Panel, but all he saw was a string of question marks.

"...The gap between our cultivations is too wide, I can't check?"

"This is the man known as the strongest below Third-Rank; his son will one day found Zhao State."

"With my Vajra Indestructible Body, Ironclad Fortress, plus the Fire Crocodile Set, if I take one blow from him, I wonder how much HP I'd lose..."

"But one thing's for sure, the Fire Crocodile Set would be completely wrecked..."

As he was thinking this, King Zhao had already arrived before Yang Ling. He glanced at Jiu Xingkong's severed head and suddenly laughed:

"Jiu Xingkong was an Upper Sixth-Rank powerhouse whose Arhat Salvation Sutra had reached Transcendent level. Once he broke through to Fifth-Rank, he was sure to succeed the Abbot of Arhat Temple in the future."

"For a figure like that to be slain here by you, kid, you're pretty impressive."

Yang Ling's expression shifted. He felt that bone-chilling sensation had faded, and the other's attitude was surprisingly lenient.

Had the information he received earlier been wrong?

This King Zhao didn't seem enraged by Jiu Xingkong's death at all.

"Hmm, there are traces of Extreme Flame Sword Manor's involvement too."

King Zhao glanced around. "You're not surnamed Shi either; you're surnamed Yang, the Qingyun Mountain Chief Disciple of Devour Heaven Palace."

"He knows everything."

Yang Ling's expression shifted slightly.

"I was the one who asked Devour Heaven Palace to make the move, and I contacted Extreme Flame Sword Manor as well."

"I just didn't expect your actions to be this clean and efficient."

King Zhao looked Yang Ling up and down, admiration showing in his eyes:

"Are you interested in staying by my side? King Subei's Manor needs talent like yours."

Yang Ling was completely stunned.

What was going on?

Why did King Zhao ask Devour Heaven Palace and Extreme Flame Sword Manor to ambush Jiu Xingkong?

Wasn't Arhat Temple sending Jiu Xingkong to bless his son?

"It's normal if you can't figure it out right now. When you're older, you'll understand why I did this."

King Zhao: "So, how about it? Interested in staying by my side?

I can personally take you as my disciple."

"This..."

Yang Ling was actually quite interested, but this was just a dungeon. What was the point of apprenticing to a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster inside a copy?

The next time he entered, this man might not even recognize him.

Just then, that bone-chilling feeling returned.

Yang Ling dropped to his knees with a thud:

"Disciple Yang Ling pays homage to Master!"

With that, he thumped his head on the ground nine times.

"Good, very good."

King Zhao nodded with a smile and personally helped Yang Ling up:

"Not bad, looking like you're in your twenties and already Upper Sixth-Rank. You've got the makings of a Grandmaster in the future.

I'll write a personal letter to your Devour Heaven Palace's Palace Master, asking him to release you. Don't worry about any repercussions."

[Congratulations, you have obtained a wisp of Dragon Qi]

[Cultivation conditions for Great-Grade Azure Dragon Force unlocked]

Yang Ling froze for a full second. The cultivation conditions for Great-Grade Azure Dragon Force were unlocked just like that?

The moment he thought about Zhao De's identity, it clicked in an instant.

This was the father of Zhao Chongxu, the founding emperor of Zhao State!

Azure Dragon, Dragon Qi, so that was it!

Yang Ling steadied his nerves: "Master, I want to become the Palace Master's personal disciple of Devour Heaven Palace."

He had the Swallowing Heaven Golden Sword, an Upper Sixth-Rank Divine Armament.

If he could meet the Equip Requirement, after leaving the dungeon, his strength would be terrifying!

He could even clash head-on with a Lower Fifth-Rank!

King Zhao fixed his gaze on Yang Ling, seemingly catching something special in his eyes.

"Not bad, you have ambition. I like ambitious people."

King Zhao nodded with a chuckle:

"Wanting to be the Palace Master's personal disciple of Devour Heaven Palace is fine, just don't reveal that you've already apprenticed to me.

Otherwise, your Palace Master won't give you any more chances."

"Thank you, Master!"

Yang Ling felt a surge of joy.

This crisis was finally resolved!

Not only had he not been blown to pieces by the strongest below Third-Rank with a single punch, he'd actually become his disciple. Even if there were no other benefits, he'd take it!

"Since you've apprenticed to me, and can't reveal this relationship for now, I doubt I'll be able to guide your cultivation.

So, I'll pass this Candle Dragon Seven Star Sword Technique on to you."

King Zhao pulled out a manual and handed it to Yang Ling.

Yang Ling looked at the manual, a momentary daze in his eyes.

[Candle Dragon Seven Star Sword Technique, First-Class Martial Arts Technique]

[Beginner's Insight: Boosts 12 Agility]

[Comprehensive Mastery: Boosts 24 Agility]

[Flawless Proficiency: Boosts 36 Agility]

[Skilled: Boosts 48 Agility]

[Transcendent: Boosts 100 Agility, Attached Skill: Seven Star Sword Formation (Consumes 4000 Vital Qi)]

"This is... the Eroding Dragon Seven Star Sword Technique that the Fourth Prince and Third Prince practice?"

Yang Ling looked at King Zhao with a stunned expression, barely believing it.

He'd apprenticed to the man just to survive, never expecting to receive not only Dragon Qi but also a martial arts technique!

"Wait! Could it just be part of the plot mission? Is this reward actually non-existent?"

At that thought, Yang Ling's mood calmed a bit as he respectfully accepted the manual.

[Candle Dragon Seven Star Sword Technique, Cultivation Requirement: Strength 30, Agility 30, Spirit 30]

[Requirements Met]

[Study?]

Got it!

Yang Ling breathed a sigh of relief. Since there was such a prompt, it meant this martial arts manual was real, and he could practice it.

"The boosts at the earlier stages are similar to Ethereal Steps, but at Transcendent level, the Agility boost is 20 points higher than Ethereal Steps."

"The Seven Star Sword Formation skill should be quite powerful..."

Seeing Yang Ling's face a mix of three parts shock, three parts joy, and three parts gratitude, King Zhao said with a knowing smile:

"It's just a mere First-Class martial arts technique. No need to make such a fuss."

Yang Ling was deeply grateful and bowed again:

"Disciple thanks Master for this grace of rebirth! Top-Tier martial arts techniques are extremely rare in this world. If not for Master, this disciple would likely never have encountered one in this lifetime."

"That's not necessarily true. If your Devour Heaven Palace rises to First-Rate, with your talent, you'd be rewarded with a First-Class martial arts technique. You might even get a chance at a Top-Tier Internal Technique."

King Zhao said with a faint smile.

Yang Ling grumbled inwardly. After the founding of Zhao State, Devour Heaven Palace would be wiped out.

"I'm heading back now. Clean up here yourself... I can't be bothered dealing with the Heavenly Wolf Guard."

King Zhao had arrived with an imposing presence but left without a sound, vanishing from Yang Ling's sight in an instant.

Seeing this, Yang Ling immediately cleaned up the battlefield.

He retrieved the Quenched-Gold Armor-Piercing Flying Daggers one by one.

Around forty or fifty of the Centenary Refined Vermilion Gold Throwing Daggers had exploded.

All in all, his losses from killing Jiu Xingkong this time were within acceptable limits.

Much less than when he'd killed the Fire Vein Poison Crocodile.

"By the way."

Yang Ling suddenly looked up, his expression odd:

"I'm now on the same generational level as Zhao Chongxu?"

...

In the mountains, Zhang Shuzhou and the others exchanged puzzled looks.

After a long pause, Ji Nian said doubtfully:

"Did I see that wrong? Our mission is done just like that?"

"Even though the rating is F-, our mission really is complete. I already got my reward..."

Zhang Shuzhou whispered.