Chapter 13: Taking on a Disciple for Amusement

The next morning.

At dawn, Ye Jiuyao awoke and stretched lazily, only to realize in surprise that he seemed to have broken through again.

"Ah, perhaps this is the sorrow of genius. No wonder I used to envy those children who could read ten lines at a glance, write with flying pens, always top the tests, and carry that look of envy in their eyes..."

"But… in the end, they all became my subjects. Life is so boring—the outstanding genius is always so lonely."

A look of helplessness spread over Ye Jiuyao's face. After dressing neatly, he stepped out the door. The only reason he rose so early today was because it was the first of the five working days, the so-called 'five on, two off.'

Thus, Ye Jiuyao got up early to guide them. Yesterday had been out of obligation, but today he came willingly, and so his mood was especially good.

He didn't walk in the air as usual, but wandered leisurely down the street like any ordinary person. When people spotted him, they all greeted him, their eyes full of admiration.

Suddenly, a stream of scolding reached his ears.

"Look at you—your cultivation is useless! The mighty Emperor Ye Jiuyao was already a formidable power at fifteen, and if you can’t cultivate, you might as well come back and inherit the family fortune!"

"Mother, no! With tens of millions in wealth, I'll never spend it all. I want to cultivate, I’ll work hard, I promise..."

"I don't want just money, I'm not interested in riches! I want to be like Emperor Jiuyao, slaying enemies and winning glory..."

A smile played at Ye Jiuyao's lips as he listened. He sensed he had perhaps encountered a promising young seedling, a potential heir to his legacy of ostentation.

No, wait—a successor to his legacy of overwhelming all, suppressing the heavens.

Ye Jiuyao followed the sound and saw a woman glaring at a child with a look of utter disappointment.

The child appeared no older than seven or eight, yet could speak with such an air of bravado. Clearly, he’d read more than a few books on the subject. Ye Jiuyao felt a pang of appreciation for talent.

"Um, excuse me… madam?" Ye Jiuyao was a bit awkward, for he truly had no idea who this noblewoman was. She was rather plump, yet seemed to exercise regularly. He could only address her this way.

"What? Did you just call me madam? I’m only twenty this year! Are you blind?"

Ye Jiuyao scrutinized her closely and felt a thousand wounds to his soul. Her face was round, her waist barrel-like, her legs like an elephant's, her hands not unlike pig's trotters, her hair black and glossy as winter frost—and yet she claimed to be twenty.

Clearly, the child’s penchant for showing off wasn’t learned from books, but inherited.

"Mother, mother, that’s him! He’s Emperor Jiuyao..." The child stared intently at Ye Jiuyao, excitement growing with every glance, and suddenly tugged at the "young lady’s" hand.

"Emperor Jiuyao? Him? Son, have you lost your mind?" The young lady’s face was twisted with worry as she cradled her son’s cheeks.

Ye Jiuyao curled his lip. So, he was merely famous, not a household name with a face everyone recognized.

"Ah, the pain of having nowhere to show off—who could understand? Perhaps… I’ll make a reluctant display."

As he finished speaking, a surge of energy burst forth from Ye Jiuyao, his whole body ascending into the air, a terrifying pressure spreading around him, leaving the noblewoman trembling at the knees.

"Now do you know who I am?" Ye Jiuyao’s expression was cold, his eyes icy as he fixed her with his gaze.

"Em—Emperor!"

The noblewoman collapsed to the ground in terror, afraid that Ye Jiuyao might kill her.

The Emperor’s might is inviolable!

"I wish to take him as my disciple. Any objections? If not, I’ll be taking him."

The noblewoman was so frightened she could barely speak, let alone object. Many onlookers envied the scene, but none dared say a word.

Only after Ye Jiuyao left with the child did the crowd break into a frenzy of discussion. The noblewoman, still trembling, began to laugh wildly the next moment.

"Hahaha—my child has been chosen by the Emperor as his disciple!"

Little did she know that her child was now embarking on a path of ostentation from which there would be no return.

Ye Jiuyao brought Bai Yijian to the training ground, where seventy-eight people had already assembled, including Ye Hanzhou.

"Yijian, what I’ll teach you is simple—just follow my lead. Tomorrow I’ll formally instruct you in cultivation, so you won’t have to inherit that fortune..."

Ye Jiuyao had already grown familiar with Bai Yijian on the road, and was sincerely satisfied with his future disciple.

Every word and action was steeped in flair, and he was extremely adept at reading the room. For a moment, Ye Jiuyao wondered if the child had said all that on purpose, knowing he was there.

"Master, I understand. My talent is excellent, it’s just that I’m not that interested in cultivation. But I know that with a master as supreme as you—able to traverse heaven and earth, refine pills with your right hand and forge weapons with your left—you’ll be able to teach me..."

Bai Yijian’s every word exalted Ye Jiuyao to the heavens. The latter couldn’t help but laugh, nodding in satisfaction.

"Today, I’ll guide you all in practicing primordial arts. I’ll suppress my cultivation and spar with you—let’s say, lowering myself by two realms, so I don’t bully the weak..."

"You scoundrel, what did you just say?" Ye Hanzhou barked, gripping his staff, while Bai Yijian glanced at Ye Jiuyao, excitement flashing in his eyes. He stepped forward, hands on hips.

"My master doesn’t look down on everyone here—"

The crowd visibly relaxed at these words. Ye Hanzhou looked at Bai Yijian approvingly, reaching to pat his adorable face, but his hand suddenly froze mid-air.

"It’s just that, in my master’s eyes, you’re all rubbish."

"………"

Ye Jiuyao looked at Bai Yijian with utter innocence. That was indeed what he meant, but Bai Yijian seemed oblivious to the situation.

"Heh… heh… Ye Jiuyao, care to explain yourself?" Ye Hanzhou eyed him, voice brimming with hostility, staff twirling in the air. The assembled ministers knew better than to intervene—this was a family matter.

But Bai Yijian was just a child.

"Uncle, my master just said you’re all worthless. If not for the sake of his wife, he’d rather eat himself to death or sleep his life away than come here…"

"Enough!"

Ye Jiuyao felt utterly wronged, and Bai Yijian’s innocent face only made him more uncomfortable. He cut him off with a sharp word.

"There’s much to teach today, so let’s not waste time."

Ye Jiuyao changed the subject, having already noticed the veins bulging on Ye Hanzhou’s hand as he gripped his staff, his fury at its peak.

"You, you, you, and you… all of you, come over here." Ye Jiuyao pointed to eight people in succession, including Luo Yuanhuang, who no longer dared to look down on him and tried to hide behind others.

But unfortunately, Ye Jiuyao singled him out.

"Come at me."

Ye Jiuyao instantly suppressed his strength. Ye Hanzhou shot him a fierce glare and stepped aside to make room.

Yet Bai Yijian was not content.

"Master, beat all these weaklings—I’m rooting for you!"

Everyone else was speechless, silently reminding themselves that children speak without malice.

P.S.: Two chapters a day, updates never stop! Please recommend!