Call...

Five hundred miles away from Jialane Town in the Central Continent, by a quiet stream.

Bai Xuanling sat silently by the stream, her feet submerged in the water. Her expression was no longer fierce, though the faint redness in her eyes had yet to fade. Her gaze rested calmly on the stream's surface, reflecting her face.

It was unclear whether she was staring at her own weary expression or the inner demon devouring her reason.

Chu Xingchen stood beside her, his eyes tinged with concern as he observed Bai Xuanling.

In the system's records, most of Bai Xuanling's traits remained unchanged.

[Target: Bai Xuanling]

[Cultivation: Peak of the Tribulation Transcendence Realm]

[Orange Trait: Celestial Bearing]

[Purple Trait: Ruthless Decisiveness]

[Purple Trait: Combat Instinct]

[Blue Trait: Keen Intellect]

[Black Trait: Heart-Devouring Bloodlust]

[Meets Disciple Recruitment Conditions]

Only her cultivation had advanced from the early stage of Tribulation Transcendence to its peak.

On the surface, her traits showed no signs of worsening, but anyone with sense could tell that her current state was far from normal.

Chu Xingchen had sent Li Yingling and Chen Baiqing to handle the aftermath in Jialane Town.

The battle had not lasted long, but its intensity had been extreme.

The Haotian Sect had already dispatched elders to investigate, while Daoist Yuyang and representatives of the Taidao Sect were in discussions with them.

Anyone with eyes could see that Bai Xuanling was in an unstable state, so no one objected when Chu Xingchen left with her. Matters concerning the Tianyan Sect were left to its disciples and elders.

Li Yingling and Chen Baiqing fully represented Chu Xingchen's stance in his absence.

Though Bai Xuanling had always carried herself with unshakable confidence, she was still a Tribulation Transcendence cultivator who had once dominated the Central Continent. Naturally, she had no desire to show vulnerability in front of others.

Chu Xingchen watched her silent, almost lifeless demeanor before speaking with a lighthearted smile,

"Only Elder Sister Bai could be so peerlessly fierce."

Bai Xuanling kept her eyes on the stream, her tone subdued but her words playful,

"Naturally. Who else could it be?"

Chu Xingchen fell silent for a moment before removing his shoes and dipping his feet into the shallow stream, the cool water barely covering his feet.

Then, his voice turned serious.

"What’s happening to you right now?"

Bai Xuanling glanced sideways at him.

"I’m still alive, aren’t I? What could be wrong?"

Chu Xingchen met her gaze steadily.

"Must you be dead for it to count as a problem?"

Bai Xuanling stared back, and only then did Chu Xingchen realize that the crimson streaks in her eyes were not mere blood vessels—they were swirling intent.

She replied calmly,

"I’m far from death."

Chu Xingchen responded swiftly, "You don’t have to deceive me like you would Ling Yu."

Bai Xuanling raised a brow. "I’ll be sure to tell Ling Yu that."

"You wouldn’t dare." A faint smile crossed Chu Xingchen’s face. "You know me—I’ll find out what I want to know one way or another. And since I bear the responsibility of saving the world, time is precious. Don’t waste it on things you could just explain plainly."

A trace of amusement flickered across Bai Xuanling’s expression.

"Truthfully, it’s nothing much. Just an overwhelming bloodlust in my heart. At worst, it’ll consume my reason and turn me into a mindless beast."

Chu Xingchen pressed further, his tone steady,

"And your cultivation? From early to peak Tribulation Transcendence?"

Bai Xuanling narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him as if trying to see through him.

"You, at the Unity Realm… can actually perceive my cultivation level?"

"I’m the one asking questions here, not you." Chu Xingchen persisted. "Have you turned to demonic cultivation?"

Bai Xuanling held his gaze for a long moment before lowering her eyes to the stream.

"Perhaps the great calamity remains unresolved. Or perhaps the heavens themselves are flawed. As far as I know, the path to ascension in this world has been severed. No one can become an immortal."

"The higher one’s cultivation, the deeper their understanding of the laws—and the clearer it becomes that something is wrong with this world."

"I suppressed my cultivation for a reason. First, to avoid reaching a state where tribulation might strike, even if it wasn’t guaranteed. Better to be cautious."

"Second, keeping my cultivation restrained made it easier to suppress the demon in my heart."

"At least, that was the case initially. The Tianyan Sect’s sealing formation reduced my cultivation to early Tribulation Transcendence, and the pressure did lessen."

"But I never expected the backlash after breaking the seal to be this severe."

Chu Xingchen’s eyes remained calm. Though her answer seemed complete, he sensed she was withholding something more critical.

For now, Bai Xuanling wasn’t willing to speak further.

But Chu Xingchen didn’t need to press her immediately. He could always ask Lv Xuan later for a clearer explanation.

Bai Xuanling lazily kicked at the water, her voice languid.

"I’ve answered all your questions, oh Savior of the World. Satisfied? My problem isn’t one you can fix, so don’t trouble yourself over it. I’ll just have that fool sect leader seal my cultivation again."

Chu Xingchen chuckled. "Are you underestimating this world-saving hero? If I can save the world, why not you?"

Bai Xuanling arched a brow, her tone teasing.

"With that death-wish pill of yours? I’d rather die than rely on that to suppress my inner demons."

"It’s not that dire."

"Then what’s your solution?"

"How about you become my disciple?"

"Have I lost my mind, or are you tired of living?"

"It’s just the two of us here—a private matter. Just call me 'Master' quietly. If I really fix you, the legendary 'Living King of Hell' of the Central Continent can return to her former glory, unrivaled and rewriting history. Wouldn’t that be better?"

Bai Xuanling stared at him in bewilderment.

In her current state, surely Chu Xingchen wouldn’t be shameless enough to trick her…

More importantly, how could becoming his disciple possibly solve anything?

Unless he had some secret technique only transmissible to a disciple?

She studied his eager, confident expression—the look of someone utterly convinced this would work.

"Say it!" Chu Xingchen urged.

After a moment’s hesitation, Bai Xuanling spoke warily,

"…Master?"

Chu Xingchen’s eyes lit up, nodding emphatically as he waited for the system’s prompt.

But after a long pause, the system remained silent.

Meanwhile, Bai Xuanling’s gaze grew increasingly dangerous.

Chu Xingchen rubbed his chin thoughtfully before insisting,

"You didn’t mean it! Put some sincerity into it!"

Bai Xuanling exhaled slowly, then repeated with slightly more conviction,

"Master!"

Still, no system notification came. The only change was the growing murderous intent in Bai Xuanling’s eyes.

This… shouldn’t be happening.

The system clearly stated she [Meets Disciple Recruitment Conditions], and he still had slots open. There was no issue with the way she addressed him.

Was the problem her lack of genuine acknowledgment? Or did the final step require some kind of ritual?

Chu Xingchen stood up, glancing at Bai Xuanling’s narrowed eyes before clearing his throat and tentatively suggesting:

“How about… you kowtow and perform the disciple’s rites for me?”

Boom!

Bai Xuanling punched Chu Xingchen straight into the creek, her voice sharp as she snapped:

“Call me Grandmaster! Every time I called you just now, you owe me ten—no, a hundred times in return!”