Chapter 85: The Genius Apprentice from the Ghost King Sect

In the real world, Yang City No. 3 High School was divided into three distinct zones. The outermost area, naturally, was where the ordinary students attended their classes. Moving inwards, one would find the school's property, which served as the gathering point for guilds and mercenary groups. Deeper still lay the administrative district of the school.

At that moment, in one of the rooms within the central gathering area, a middle-aged man of about thirty was seated cross-legged at the center of the room.

The room itself was a hundred or so square meters in size. The entire floor was covered with a single sheet of white paper, so fragile it seemed that the slightest breeze would lift it away.

All four walls were painted black, their surfaces adorned with countless eyes of varying sizes, drawn in silver paint. No matter where one stood, one would feel that these eyes were fixed upon them.

Just then, the door swung open, and a youth of about twenty entered from outside. He wore the same plain linen garments as the middle-aged man within, yet, for reasons unknown, he exuded an aura of imperious grandeur.

This youth had long hair as golden as sunlight, his eyes a piercing blue like the sea, and he stood at about one meter eighty, his features sculpted like a marble statue.

Upon entering, the youth addressed the man seated in the room, “Teacher, the person you told me to watch has issued a mission, and his requirements are as follows…”

The middle-aged man listened in silence until the youth finished, then opened his eyes. At that moment, anyone present would have noticed that his eyes were identical to the silver eyes painted upon the walls.

He fixed his gaze on the youth. “Xu Ying, what do you think of this mission?”

Xu Ying did not answer immediately. He pondered for a moment before replying earnestly, “This mission is important to the school, so it makes sense for them to assign their strongest to complete it. It’s fair enough. That person discovered the mission, true, but it doesn't mean he has the right to command us.”

The middle-aged man closed his eyes again. “You still do not understand. Long before this mission was found, the school already planned to gather you all together. It can be said that, regardless of the mission, regardless of its importance, you would fight together—and that person would become your captain.”

Hearing this, Xu Ying spoke with the same calm detachment, as if this concerned someone else, “I don’t understand.”

The middle-aged man did not explain immediately. Instead, he spoke slowly, “Xu Ying, you have been with my Ghost King Sect for nine years. Now, you are only one step away from forging the Vajra Bones and reaching Level One.

But you don’t know, do you? There are more than just you and me in the Ghost King Sect. Here, in Yang City No. 3 High School alone, I have twenty-one disciples. The strongest among them, like myself, have achieved the Arhat Ghost Body, reaching Level Two, but have been stuck there ever since.

Even I, after all these years, have never crossed the threshold of Bodhisattva Blood to reach Level Three. Do you know why?”

Xu Ying, having studied under the middle-aged man for nine years, naturally understood the ways of the sect. After the question was posed, he shook his head gently.

The man sighed. “Because the path ahead is shrouded in uncertainty. The Vajra Bones and Arhat Ghost Body are the foundations of our Ghost King Sect. For those with the proper attributes, it takes only ten years to achieve the Vajra Bones, thirty to attain the Arhat Ghost Body. But to step from Arhat Ghost Body to Bodhisattva Blood—there is no way forward.

One must see the path ahead, must discern the direction of the Evil Buddha. If there is the slightest difference between Bodhisattva Blood and the Light of the Evil Buddha, not only is Level Four unattainable, but one will suffer a dreadful backlash.”

At this point, the middle-aged man rose to his feet, eyes open and fixed upon Xu Ying. “Can you say that you have seen the path ahead and know your goal?”

Xu Ying was silent for a long moment before resolutely shaking his head.

“But the one you look down upon has already done so.” The middle-aged man glanced at Xu Ying. “An ordinary person whom no one expected much from, he already has his own game name. Before Level Four, nothing stands in his way. If he wishes, as soon as he gains the required experience, he can ascend to Level Four at any time—even Level Five is not out of the question.”

The man’s voice rose, “If he were willing to join my Ghost King Sect, I would take him in at once. In thirty—no, fifty—years, he could step into Level Three. In a hundred years, he could stand with the founding patriarch, becoming a Ghost Buddha in his own right, and secure a legacy for our sect for ten thousand years.”

“Now that you know this, can you still look down on him?” the man asked, then sat down once more and closed his eyes, saying nothing further.

The room fell into silence. Xu Ying stood quietly in the darkness before finally speaking. “Teacher, what should I do?”

“Join his team, follow his orders, befriend him, and stand by his side at critical moments. If necessary, help him when the time comes.” The middle-aged man spoke with certainty. “Only then will he lend you a hand when it matters most. Remember, the friends of a lion are always other beasts of prey, like tigers.

His path is straight and unwavering. It may not suit you, but it will allow you to witness the heights of Level Four.”

From these words, Xu Ying understood much. He realized that his teacher’s intentions were for his benefit. If he were not currently his teacher’s sole disciple, perhaps this opportunity would never have fallen to him.

He bowed his head and saluted the middle-aged man, about to leave, when the man called him back.

“I’ve heard that person has a Level Two or higher Azure Dragon corpse. If possible, share with him the sect’s methods for refining Ghost Dragons and Nether Dragons. It may not prove useful, but it could at least forge a bond of goodwill.”

Xu Ying nodded and withdrew from the room.

The moment he stepped outside, Xu Ying made up his mind. With a swipe of his hand before him, a light screen appeared.

The screen displayed all the requirements and details for Liu Zong’s latest mission. This was a special privilege arranged by the school. Though Liu Zong’s mission was posted at the top of the hotel on the battlefield map, it would be sent first to certain individuals.

Xu Ying was one of them. His teacher, the middle-aged man, had received the news half a year ago and agreed to let his disciple take part in this mission.

All the previous explanations had been to ensure Xu Ying no longer saw himself as the genius elite of the Talented Apprentices Guild, to avoid unnecessary conflict with Liu Zong in-game.

Now that he understood, Xu Ying had nothing more to say. He carefully examined the mission list, pressed his right thumb to the screen, and accepted this long-term mission.