novelraw Chapter 134 : Pilot Program
Chapter 134 : Pilot Program
Chapter 134: Pilot Program
"Yes, Master."
Xu Zhengyang responded, then turned to Liu Baoshan and said, "Elder Liu, forgive me."
As soon as Xu Zhengyang finished speaking—
Behind him, 6090 activated without wind, fluttering wildly, as a soul-restraining force emanated from it.
It enveloped Liu Baoshan, who was on the stone bed and about to lose consciousness.
Just moments ago, Liu Baoshan had been pondering what the so-called “Reemployment Center for Disassembled Cultivators” Xu Zhengyang had mentioned was supposed to mean.
But the instant he sensed that soul-restraining force, he cried out in fear, "The Ten Thousand Souls Banner?!"
The Ten Thousand Souls Banner had a fearsome reputation!
Precisely because of that—
Liu Baoshan no longer bothered to suppress the poison in his body, pouring what little remained of his spiritual power into resisting the soul-restraining force of 6090!
Seeing that the soul-capture was being resisted—
Xu Zhengyang called out to Liu Baoshan on the stone bed, "Elder Liu, cease your resistance and trust me this once.
This is by no means a soul banner in the traditional sense!"
Pei Zhen chimed in as well, "Withdraw your spiritual power. I will personally bring both of you before the Sect Master later.
If you are unwilling to remain in Ah Zheng’s…
Reemployment Center for Disassembled Cultivators, I will personally implore the Sect Master to perform a proper disassembly for you."
"……"
Liu Baoshan’s already-pale and poisoned face grew even more conflicted upon hearing this, clearly locked in an intense mental struggle.
Moments later—
Liu Baoshan sighed.
He knew—
With Pei Zhen present to anchor the situation, even if Xu Zhengyang harbored ulterior motives, could he really escape?
Better to go along with the flow…
With that thought in mind—
Liu Baoshan immediately withdrew his spiritual power that was resisting the soul-restraining force, then gave a bitter smile and said, "Since it’s come to this—
This old man shall respectfully obey……"
No sooner had he spoken than—
Liu Baoshan’s soul had already been drawn into 6090 by Xu Zhengyang!
……
Half an hour later, at Celestial Mechanism Peak.
Pei Zhen sat in the reception hall like he was on pins and needles. He truly feared that once Master Xuan Yin learned the purpose of their visit—
He would fly into a rage and slap his precious disciple to death…
【But Ah Zheng hasn’t done anything outrageously evil since obtaining the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. Surely Senior Sect Master wouldn’t be that unreasonable?
Then again…
This is the Ten Thousand Souls Banner we’re talking about!
Forget it…
If the Sect Master really makes a move, even if I must set aside my pride, I’ll shield Ah Zheng with my own body.
At worst, we destroy the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
I refuse to believe the Sect Master would kill both Ah Zheng and me!】
……
Just as Pei Zhen was considering how to face Master Xuan Yin, the latter’s voice arrived before he did:
"Junior Brother Pei, what brings you here today with so much free time, even bringing your disciple with you?"
As the words fell—
A streak of rainbow light shot in from outside the reception hall, and Master Xuan Yin appeared seated in the main seat.
Before Pei Zhen could speak—
Master Xuan Yin had already discreetly examined Xu Zhengyang’s cultivation progress. A hint of approval flashed in his eyes as he praised Xu Zhengyang:
"Not bad.
Even with the Spiritual Pivot Puppet, for you to temper your spiritual energy to this degree in such a short time—
It shows how much effort you've put in."
As he spoke—
Master Xuan Yin didn’t wait for Xu Zhengyang’s reply. With a wave of his hand, two steaming cups of spirit tea flew to Pei Zhen and Xu Zhengyang.
Only then did Master Xuan Yin teasingly ask Pei Zhen, "It seems your disciple is not far from achieving full cultivation.
So then—
Did you come to have me issue invitations in the name of the True Essence Sect, asking disciples from other sects to witness your precious disciple’s tribulation?"
"That’s a minor matter."
Pei Zhen waved his hand, then cautiously continued, "In fact, there is another matter I wish to ask for Sect Master Senior Brother’s approval…"
"Oh?"
Master Xuan Yin raised an eyebrow.
If inviting other young elites to witness Xu Zhengyang’s tribulation was a minor issue…
Then what was this major one Pei Zhen spoke of?
He sipped his tea before saying, "Let’s hear it, Junior Brother Pei. Tell me in detail."
"It’s like this."
Pei Zhen hesitated briefly.
In the end, he braced himself and started from the beginning, "A few years ago, Ah Zheng accompanied our Divine Mechanism Peak’s guest elder Liu Baoshan to clean up some ghost cultivators in the Rotten Bone Forest.
At that time, he acquired a Ten Thousand Souls Banner……"
……
Fifteen minutes later—
After Pei Zhen thoroughly explained the origin of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, Xu Zhengyang’s intended use for it, and even his future plans—
He cautiously shifted his body to shield Xu Zhengyang behind him.
"The Reemployment Center for Disassembled Cultivators, huh?"
Master Xuan Yin murmured, probing the interior of 6090 with his divine sense. Once he confirmed that Pei Zhen wasn’t lying—
He couldn’t help but laugh. "The name is quite fitting, actually."
That said—
Master Xuan Yin pondered for a moment. While playing with the 6090 in his hand, he looked at Xu Zhengyang and asked:
"Your master only has about thirty years of lifespan left.
If he fails to form a core within that time—
Would you truly capture your master’s soul and make him a soul cultivator within your banner?"
"Of course."
Xu Zhengyang answered without hesitation, "The idea of reincarnation is vague and unreliable.
If Master truly passed away, rather than gamble on a future reincarnation and slim chance at immortality…
I would rather keep him by my side!
After all, while the methods to restore a soul cultivator’s physical body are rare, if one lives long enough, surely they can be found!"
Master Xuan Yin’s expression turned intrigued, then he asked again, "And what if you stop at Foundation Establishment, and perish two hundred years later?"
"I would take on a disciple too!"
Xu Zhengyang continued, "And my disciple would have disciples of their own. So long as the Divine Mechanism Lineage endures, generation after generation—
Our lineage will never die out!
A thousand years, ten thousand years…
Could it be that our Divine Mechanism Lineage would never produce a genius capable of transcending an era and restoring us to life?"
Master Xuan Yin never expected Xu Zhengyang to think this way and was momentarily at a loss for words.
After a pause—
Master Xuan Yin returned the 6090 to Xu Zhengyang and said, "If you can successfully achieve Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment—
I will allow you to pilot this so-called…
Reemployment Center for Disassembled Cultivators within the Divine Mechanism Peak!"
At this point, Master Xuan Yin briefly paused, tacitly acknowledging the new name Xu Zhengyang had given the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
He then added, "If you can truly use these soul cultivators to achieve tangible results—
And elevate the industries of Divine Mechanism Peak to a higher level…
Then I shall personally vouch for you and turn your Reemployment Center for Disassembled Cultivators into our True Essence Sect’s ‘Sword Tomb’ equivalent!"
【So Celestial Mechanism Peak will be the pilot program to gauge my potential, huh?】
Xu Zhengyang thought as much and immediately vowed to Master Xuan Yin, "Please rest assured, Sect Master Uncle. I will not let you or Master down!"