In the Armory Square, the breathtaking spectacle of the myriad laws encircling Qin Wudao continued unabated.
The Mystic Ancestor looked upon Qin Wudao with satisfaction, then swept his gaze toward Qin Tianlong. "Tianlong, Wudao, you are both the future pillars of our Qin Family. Let bygones be bygones."
"I hope you two can cast aside your former animosity, restore the family's glory, and refrain from further disputes. Internal friction only weakens our strength."
With those words, the figures of the Mystic Ancestor and the other ancestors gradually faded until they vanished completely.
All eyes in the square were now fixed upon the protagonist.
Admiration, jealousy, awe, and hidden greed swirled in the air. The three precious treasures bestowed personally by the Mystic Ancestor were enough to tempt even a Saint, yet they had all fallen into the hands of someone once dismissed as a piece of trash. Not to mention this world-shaking phenomenon of the myriad laws coming to pay homage.
"What kind of monster is this guy exactly?"
"The ancestors actually value him this much..."
"Sigh, Young Lord Qin Tianlong is truly going to be suppressed this time, I fear..."
"It’s hard to say. The First Elder’s Faction has deep foundations; they will surely stop at nothing."
The crowd whispered, speculating whether Qin Tianlong still had a chance at retribution and what Qin Wudao’s future achievements might be.
The First Elder, Qin Yuan, stood in the distance, his face expressionless, yet the resentment deep in his eyes grew ever more intense. The bestowal of the Mystic Ancestor’s treasures and the pursuit of the myriad laws had pushed his sense of crisis to its breaking point.
Qin Tianlong was overcome with extreme jealousy, staring daggers at Qin Wudao. "At the Dragon Gate Ceremony three months from now, I hope... you still have such good luck."
"Noisy."
At that moment, a bland voice rang out, carrying a pressure that made even a Saint’s heart flutter.
Qin Tianlong felt an invisible force sweep over him, forcing the harsh words he was about to utter back down his throat. The power even churned his blood and Qi so violently that he nearly collapsed again.
Who had acted?
Everyone looked around in terror.
There, in the deepest part of the Armory, beside the ancestral stele, stood an old man in coarse gray robes who had appeared out of nowhere. The old man’s aura was retracted, indistinguishable from an ordinary elder. But when the several Qin Family elders who had rushed over to maintain order saw him, their expressions shifted instantly, and they bowed with profound respect. "Greetings... Elder Shu!"
Elder Shu!
The guardian of the Qin Family Armory!
An old relic whose seniority surpassed even the Mystic Ancestor, who had lived for unknown ages and rarely concerned himself with worldly affairs!
Elder Shu ignored everyone else, his gaze resting on Qin Tianlong for a fleeting moment.
"Hmm, Primordial True Dragon Bone... it has a certain air about it, I suppose."
"A pity... it is cracked, its origin lost. Compared to that little fellow, it falls far too short."
"His temperament is also quite poor!"
"I think that boy, the Mystic Ancestor, is truly getting senile in his old age."
Having said this, he paid no further attention to Qin Tianlong.
Listening to that dismissive evaluation, Qin Tianlong felt a bottomless sense of humiliation, yet he dared not utter a single word of rebuttal.
Elder Shu’s gaze shifted to Qin Wudao, who remained encircled by the myriad laws. Even though he had seen the seas turn to mulberry fields, weathered countless eras of strife, and witnessed countless peerless geniuses, this scene still stirred a minuscule ripple in his eyes.
"Hongmeng Emperor Bone... Primal Dragon Emperor Scripture... myriad laws coming to pay homage... good... very good..."
He beckoned to Qin Wudao. "Little fellow, come here."
*A sweeping monk?* A thought flickered through Qin Wudao’s mind. "Greetings, Senior."
"Not bad, not bad. A solid foundation, a steady mind, and carrying great destiny. Your future achievements will be limitless."
He then gestured to the surrounding radiance of floating cultivation techniques. "Though these legacies are plentiful, not all may be suitable for you. Greed for quantity leads to poor digestion. Since I see you are already primarily cultivating the Primal Dragon Emperor Scripture, your foundation is set. I shall select a divine ability that best resonates with your Hongmeng Emperor Bone."
Elder Shu tapped lightly into the air.
An ancient animal-hide scroll, wreathed in chaotic energy, flew out from the thousands of lights and drifted slowly toward Qin Wudao. The scroll was inscribed with arcane patterns and emanated a terrifying aura of absolute annihilation.
"This is the Great Annihilation Art, left behind by a taboo existence from the same era as our ancestor. Its power is infinite, and it is perfectly suited to your constitution."
"However, this art is extremely difficult to cultivate and exceptionally perilous. A moment of carelessness could lead to a backlash."
"Do you dare to learn it?"
Qin Wudao nodded without hesitation. "I dare!"
"Good, a bold spirit!" Elder Shu nodded, imprinting the activation method and the preliminary cultivation path directly into Qin Wudao’s mind.
Qin Wudao sat cross-legged and began to comprehend.
The Primal Dragon Emperor Scripture began to circulate on its own, and the Hongmeng Emperor Bone radiated light, echoing the aura of the Great Annihilation Art.
After only a moment...
A faint yet incredibly pure Dao rhyme of annihilation began to permeate Qin Wudao’s body.
He... he had actually achieved entry-level mastery immediately?
Elder Shu’s expression tightened as he recalled his own experience comprehending this technique. It had taken him three years to move from starting the practice to achieving initial mastery.
Yet now, Qin Wudao had taken less than the time it takes to finish a cup of tea.
Is this... right?
What kind of freak is this kid?!
"Ahem..."
Elder Shu coughed twice, feeling that if he kept thinking about it, his own Dao heart might waver. He waved a hand. "Kid, you are formidable—the strongest genius I have ever seen!"
He then tossed a star-glimmering jade pendant to Qin Wudao. "This is a Star Core Talisman; it can protect your spirit. Keep it on you and cultivate diligently. The future of the Qin Family is yours to bear."
With that, Elder Shu’s figure vanished from the spot, leaving everyone in the square in a state of stupor.
Another... another precious treasure?!
And one bestowed personally by Elder Shu!
He even said... that Qin Wudao could bear the future of the Qin Family?!
Then what of Qin Tianlong?
Hearing Elder Shu’s words, those present were dumbfounded! This appraisal was far too high! Furthermore, Elder Shu’s weight in the family exceeded even that of the Mystic Ancestor! If Elder Shu were to demand justice for Qin Wudao, Qin Tianlong would, in all likelihood, be crippled!
Not far away, Qin Yuan’s brows furrowed slightly. While his expression remained mostly unchanged, the sense of crisis in his heart intensified.
Qin Tianlong’s eyes turned red with jealousy, and he nearly lost his grip on his sanity.
Meanwhile, Qin Wudao, feeling the Great Annihilation Art beginning to circulate within him and the warm Star Core Talisman in his hand, wore an unabashedly happy smile!
Coming to the Armory this time was truly the right choice!
Not only did he successfully check in and receive rewards, but he also gained the Mystic Ancestor’s treasures, and now, he had won the favor of this senior of even higher standing, receiving a top-tier divine ability and a protective amulet.
The haul was simply massive!
Moreover, he had dealt one blow after another to Qin Tianlong! Although there was no physical harm, it felt incredibly satisfying—this feeling was truly wonderful!
Just as he was preparing to take a few manuals back to cultivate, a figure walked up to him.
It was Qin Yao.
The fiery girl who had previously reminded him to go to the ancestral stele now stood before him, her bright eyes looking at him with a complex expression.
Qin Wudao raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.
What does she want?
She’s not going to offer herself in marriage, is she?
But I’m only eight years old!