Volume 1 Chapter 22: What? The Young Master Is Not Human?

For the next half-month, the Ascension Assembly was held with great fervor across the Tianjue Island.

Wang Mu had established twenty monitoring stations throughout the island, covering almost every remote area, which greatly improved efficiency. While the population density in these areas was not as concentrated as in the Royal City, the total number of people was still quite significant.

"Currently, over four million people across the entire Tianjue Island have undergone the aptitude test arranged by the Young Master," Li Yuanhua reported respectfully in the palace. "Fourteen thousand seven hundred and some have been found to possess spiritual roots! Among them, over thirteen thousand have mid-grade roots, one hundred and eight have high-grade roots, and three have top-grade roots!"

Wang Mu nodded and said, "You have worked hard these past few days."

Li Yuanhua looked alarmed. "What are you saying, Young Master? To serve you is a blessing this old servant could only dream of!" After a pause, he added, "It is quite amusing—ever since word spread about your Ascension Assembly, the island masters of the surrounding islands have been contacting me, fishing for information on when you might bestow your grace upon them! I gave them a piece of my mind and sent them packing."

Wang Mu looked at Li Yuanhua with a faint, inscrutable smile. "And what exactly did you say to them?"

Li Yuanhua began to act out the scene vividly: "Naturally, I pointed at their noses and cursed them, calling them a bunch of greedy, whimsical parasites. I told them that the Young Master’s grace is a gift from the heavens, not something to be dispensed so easily, and they should look in a mirror to see if they are even worthy!"

Wang Mu laughed twice. "Enough, no need to test me. Since I have set out to perform this righteous act, I will not favor one over the other. Tell them... in two days, I shall grant their wishes."

Li Yuanhua immediately knelt down. "The Young Master is truly benevolent and compassionate, a sage of our time. It was my own narrow-mindedness that failed to grasp your greatness!"

Wang Mu tapped his finger at Li Yuanhua twice, smiling without a word. The man was a wily old fox. He had clearly guessed Wang Mu's next move but kept it to himself to frame his own persona as a harsh gatekeeper, forcing Wang Mu to reveal his plans. This not only highlighted Wang Mu’s magnanimity but also allowed him to flatter his master once more. If this old fellow were in another world, he would be equally adept in both corporate and political circles. Wang Mu saw through the little ruse, yet he felt no resentment—in fact, he found it somewhat pleasant.

Suddenly, a guard came to report. "Young Master, the Sect Master of the Nine Suns Sect, the Master of the Ten Thousand Snow Pavilion, and the Sect Leader of the Yin Gate, along with their entourage, are here to request an audience!"

Wang Mu raised an eyebrow. Li Yuanhua whispered, "Young Master, these three are the most powerful sects on Tianjue Island, and each has a Nascent Soul cultivator presiding over them."

"Oh?" Wang Mu mused for a moment and said, "Invite them in."

A moment later, the group arrived before the hall. "We pay our respects to the Young Master!" They knelt in unison, bowing reverently.

"Rise," Wang Mu said calmly, leaning back on his dragon bed, gazing down at them with a detached expression. "I hear you wish to see me?"

"Indeed," said Yang Juzi, the Sect Master of the Nine Suns Sect, bowing with cupped hands. "We have been fortunate to receive your great grace and have recruited many talented youths. We have pondered day and night, unable to sleep in peace, feeling we cannot simply enjoy your favor without returning the gesture. Thus, we have brought some humble gifts to express our gratitude."

He performed a slight incantation, and a brilliant glow appeared before him, revealing a vast array of treasures. At a glance, there were dozens of high-grade spirit stones, among other riches. The leaders of the Ten Thousand Snow Pavilion and the Yin Gate, along with various smaller sects, did the same. Even for the most powerful sects, their leaders were only at the Golden Core stage. For them, offering such a massive sum was no small feat, and it surely pained them to part with it.

However, since the start of the assembly, they had been the ones to carve up the most talented individuals. They were gorging themselves, recruiting more geniuses in this single year than in the previous decade. Being old foxes who had lived for centuries, they knew that after receiving such benefits, they had to show their appreciation. Moreover, the Young Master of the Wang family was wealthy beyond measure; they knew he wouldn't care for common trinkets, so they had to do their best to show their sincerity. They feared that even if he said nothing, he might secretly think they were ungrateful. Furthermore, the newly discovered geniuses were deeply grateful to Wang Mu; for them, the sect's gesture of appreciation only deepened their sense of belonging. It was a win-win situation.

Wang Mu smiled faintly. "I have received your intentions, but you should take these things back."

Yang Juzi panicked. "We realize these gifts are meager, but we can add more..."

Wang Mu waved his hand. "You misunderstand. I have said before that the purpose of this assembly is to ensure that those with spiritual roots are not buried in obscurity. If you give me money now and word gets out, what would the world think of me? Would they say that Wang Mu uses the guise of righteousness to enrich himself?"

The crowd was terrified. "No, no, that is not our intention at all!"

Wang Mu interrupted them with a smile. "As long as you treat the disciples you have recruited well and cultivate them into pillars of our human race, so that they may one day protect the people, that will be the greatest repayment to me!"

Hearing this, everyone in the hall stood frozen, trembling slightly, exchanging looks. Then, with complex expressions, they bowed respectfully. "We shall keep the Young Master's teachings in our hearts!"

Wang Mu waved his sleeve. "Old Li, see them out."

"As you command, Young Master."

...

Li Yuanhua escorted the group outside the palace. "Please, return now," he said, turning to leave.

"Old Ancestor, please wait!" Yang Juzi called out.

"What is it?" Li Yuanhua frowned.

Yang Juzi said, "Old Ancestor, the Young Master is too kind to accept our gifts, but if we leave like this, won't we be seen as ingrates?"

"Indeed!" said Chu Youchang, master of the Ten Thousand Snow Pavilion, full of worry. "If this continues, it may become a heart demon, lingering in our minds! We beg you to show us a path."

"We thank you in advance, Old Ancestor!" said Shui Ziliu, the leader of the Yin Gate, bowing respectfully.

"Very well," Li Yuanhua sighed. "Since you sincerely ask, I will point you in a direction." He leaned in and whispered, "First, you must understand that the Young Master is not just a man."

Yang Juzi was shocked. "What? The Young Master is not a human?"

Li Yuanhua: "!!!"