At night, the full moon hung high, and stars dotted the sky.
However, amidst the galaxy, a nine-colored lightning swirled, appearing exceptionally dazzling.
“A celestial phenomenon has appeared; a Divine Body must have descended.”
In the Nine Provinces Continent, at the peak of the Imperial City, an old man in a golden robe stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the night sky.
Behind him, tens of thousands of Imperial City experts knelt neatly on one knee, as if waiting for a command.
“Buzz…”
Suddenly, the lightning condensed, turning into a nine-colored divine lightning, and struck down from the nine heavens’ galaxy.
In an instant, night turned into day. Even before the divine lightning landed, the earth had already begun to rumble and shake violently.
However, the moment the nine-colored divine lightning touched the continent, no terrifying destruction occurred; the lightning simply vanished into thin air.
At the same time, the earth was once again enveloped in night. The previously bright night sky also grew much dimmer, as if some sort of essence had been extracted, restoring its former tranquility.
At this moment, however, the old man’s eyes brightened intensely, his body even trembling with excitement. He pointed to the place where the lightning had fallen: “In the Azure Province region, all children born tonight, bring them all back to the Imperial City!”
“As ordered!”
A thunderous response echoed in the sky. Tens of thousands of Imperial City experts set off for the Azure Province, vowing to find the Divine Body so it could be used by the Empire.
Time flew by, and in a flash, five years had passed. Even though people still remembered the shocking scene from that year, no one knew what the Empire had actually done.
In the Nine Provinces Continent, within the Azure Province region, there were many sects, and the Azure Dragon Sect was one of them.
Today was the time for the Azure Dragon Sect’s annual disciple recruitment. Outside the Azure Dragon Sect, a sea of people had gathered.
However, whenever this time arrived, the busiest people were the outer court disciples. All of the sect’s welcoming duties were placed upon their shoulders.
Being an outer court disciple was a tiring and thankless task. Not to mention their low status within the sect, even outsiders looked down on them.
The reason was very simple: everyone who became an outer court disciple had exceptionally poor talent and would find it hard to achieve great success in their lifetime, so it was only natural for them to be despised by others.
“Hey, what kind of attitude is that? Do you know who I am?” A lavishly dressed woman, leading a young boy, pointed at a teenager and scolded him loudly.
“I am truly sorry, it is getting late and the sect will be closing soon. Please come back again tomorrow.” The teenager’s handsome face still looked youthful, yet there was a touch of a heroic aura between his eyebrows.
His name was Chu Feng, fifteen years old this year, and he was one of the tens of thousands of outer court disciples in the Azure Dragon Sect.
However, despite being an outer court disciple, this Chu Feng was different. He had no sense of inferiority, did not yield to despair, and treated everyone without fear, always maintaining a calm demeanor.
“Come back tomorrow? Do you think I’m an idiot? In this remote mountain and wilderness, where are you telling this mother and son to stay?”
“You have to find a place for us to stay, otherwise, I will go argue with your elders.” The woman refused to give up, even grabbing Chu Feng by his collar.
“Junior Brother Chu Feng, are you in trouble?” But right at this moment, a sweet voice suddenly rang out.
Looking towards the voice, a girl dressed in purple was walking over. Although there was a smile at the corner of her mouth, her sharp eyes glared intensely at the woman.
Seeing the girl, the woman’s expression immediately changed drastically, followed by a heavy sense of fear.
It was for no other reason than the purple robe on the girl’s body, which was the symbol of an inner court disciple.
The woman cursed inwardly. At first, she thought that with her status, she could make things difficult for this teenager in front of her.
Who would have thought that this seemingly ordinary teenager actually had the backing of an inner court disciple, an existence she could not afford to offend.
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing, I was just asking this little brother a few questions,” the woman explained with a smile.
The girl first glared at her, then spat out a single word: “Scram.”
At this moment, the woman’s body couldn’t help but tremble, her face turning deathly pale.
But she didn’t hesitate in the slightest; she quickly took her son’s hand and walked away rapidly. In her panic, she even tripped, looking extremely pathetic.
Seeing this, Chu Feng helplessly shook his head, then bowed respectfully to the girl beside him: “Thank you, Senior Sister Chu Yue.”
“Why are you still so formal with me? We are family.” Chu Yue looked a little displeased.
What she said was true; she and Chu Feng were indeed family. They came from the same noble family, the Chu Family.
This Chu Yue was the older cousin from Chu Feng’s second uncle’s family; she was only a year older than him.
However, Chu Yue had passed the inner court exam three years ago and became an inner court disciple. Now, she was already a fourth-level Lingwu expert.
“Sect rules must still be followed,” Chu Feng smiled brightly.
“Sigh,” but seeing Chu Feng like that, Chu Yue’s heart ached: “Junior Brother Chu Feng, are you still not going to participate in the inner court exam this year? Could it be, you still haven’t reached the third level of Lingwu?”
Chu Feng did not answer, there was still a smile on his face, and no one knew what he was thinking.
Seeing this, Chu Yue took a silk pouch from her waist and placed it in Chu Feng’s hand: “Refine this, it might help you break through to the third level.”
Chu Feng opened the silk pouch, and immediately a strong spiritual aura emanated from it. A finger-sized Immortal Spirit Grass, clear and translucent, lay inside.
“Sister Chu Yue, this is too precious, I cannot accept it.” Chu Feng hurriedly returned it to Chu Yue.
The Immortal Spirit Grass was an extremely precious martial cultivation holy medicine. This medicine possessed boundless efficacy for martial cultivators below the Lingwu Realm.
And the Chu Family, in order to quickly increase their cultivation bases, subsidized everyone with one Immortal Spirit Grass every year.
It could be guessed that Chu Yue’s was also her family subsidy. It was just that Chu Yue didn’t consume it herself and instead gave it to him. This made Chu Feng not only touched but also even more reluctant to accept it.
“I said I’m giving it to you, so just take it. Are you my brother or not?” Chu Yue was a little annoyed.
“Yo, since when did Sister Chu Yue become so generous that she’s even willing to give away an Immortal Spirit Grass to someone else?”
“Look, I am also your brother, and it just so happens that I’m about to break through to the fourth level of Lingwu soon. How about Sister Chu Yue gives this Immortal Spirit Grass to me?”
A teenager about the same age as Chu Feng walked over; he was also wearing inner court disciple attire.
His name was Chu Zhen, also from the Chu Family. Five years ago, he entered the Azure Dragon Sect together with Chu Feng, only that since two years ago, he had already become an inner court disciple.
“Chu Zhen, you broke through to the third level of Lingwu a long time ago and successfully condensed your spiritual energy. Even without this Immortal Spirit Grass, you can still advance rapidly.”
“But Junior Brother Chu Feng has yet to condense spiritual energy even now; this Immortal Spirit Grass is far more important to him.” Chu Yue forcefully stuffed the Immortal Spirit Grass into Chu Feng’s hands.
“Yeah, your words are true, but unfortunately, he doesn’t appreciate your kindness.” Chu Zhen spread his hands and smiled cynically.
“Who said I didn’t want it?” However, Chu Feng smiled faintly, and without holding back, he kept the Immortal Spirit Grass inside his clothes, then said: “Sister Chu Yue, just consider this Immortal Spirit Grass a loan from me. I will definitely repay it twofold in the future.”
“Mm, alright.” Seeing Chu Feng accept it, Chu Yue was overjoyed. She merely agreed casually, not expecting Chu Feng to return it at all.
“What are you going to use to repay it? Giving this Immortal Spirit Grass to you is truly just a waste.” But Chu Zhen’s expression turned ugly.
Chu Feng smiled and ignored him, instead saying to Chu Yue: “Sister Chu Yue, I will participate in the inner court exam this year.”
“Hmph, relying on just you? If you can pass the inner court exam, I will give my family’s Immortal Spirit Grass subsidy for this year to you.” Chu Zhen looked at Chu Feng with disgust.
“Will you keep your word?” Chu Feng didn’t believe him.
“Sister Chu Yue is the witness. But what if you fail to pass?”
“Then my Immortal Spirit Grass for this year will be yours.” Leaving those words behind, Chu Feng resumed his work as an outer court disciple.
“Chu Zhen, we are a family, why are you always looking for trouble with Chu Feng?” Chu Yue stared at Chu Zhen with displeasure.
“Family? Sister Chu Yue, you should know that this Chu Feng is not a part of our Chu Family at all.”
“It’s been five years since he entered the sect, yet he can’t pass the inner court exam; he is truly a disgrace to our Chu Family.”
“In the entire Chu Family, who even likes him? Only you are so good to him, even giving your own Immortal Spirit Grass for him to use.” Chu Zhen was deeply baffled.
“You are truly stubborn.” Chu Yue was a little angry, and after glaring at him, she walked away.
On the contrary, Chu Zhen stood in place laughing. He was very happy. Although he didn’t get Chu Yue’s Immortal Spirit Grass, he knew that Chu Feng’s Immortal Spirit Grass for this year would definitely fall into his hands.
Late at night, the resting quarters of the outer court disciples became pitch black.
After a busy day, everyone was exhausted and had gone to sleep early. Only Chu Feng’s room still had its lights shining brightly.
He sat cross-legged on his bed, took out the Immortal Spirit Grass given by Chu Yue, and whispered softly: “Hopefully, this Immortal Spirit Grass can make you full.”
After saying so, Chu Feng closed his eyes, clamped the Immortal Spirit Grass between his palms, and formed a strange hand seal.
At this moment, the spiritual energy within the Immortal Spirit Grass began to flow along Chu Feng’s palms, entering his body, and finally converging in his Dantian.
At the same time, a chewing sound could be heard from Chu Feng’s Dantian, as if something was eating.
If one could look through his skin, they would find that deep within Chu Feng’s Dantian, a ball of lightning was entrenched.
This ball of lightning was divided into nine colors. Each color looked like a giant lightning beast, emitting a terrifying aura that did not belong to this world.
