Chapter 269: Golden-Winged Great Sage: Whose Subordinate Is This?
On the Boundless Sea, Chu Feng stood at the bow of the treasured vessel, casually calming the surrounding towering waves.
In less than an hour, Chu Feng saw, several dozen li away, a colossal beast over a thousand zhang long. It lifted its massive head from the sea's surface. Atop its gaping maw stood a handsome, graceful man—one hand holding a sword, the other a wine flask.
The man used his sword to press against the beast's fangs, preventing it from closing its mouth. From time to time, he would take a swig of fine wine, and each sip made his gaze slightly more hazy.
The sight left Chu Feng momentarily stunned. He nearly clapped his hands and shouted: This guy's act deserves full marks.
As the beast raised its head, many cultivators began to gather around.
Just as the surrounding cultivators were preparing to strike, they suddenly heard the man standing inside the beast's mouth loudly recite:
"In the Northern Abyss, there is a fish, named Kun. The Kun is so vast, one knows not how many thousand li it spans..."
As the voice echoed out, a radiant glow erupted from the handsome cultivator.
The demonic aura on the beast visibly weakened at a pace discernible to the naked eye. Those cultivators who were just about to take action halted, choosing instead to observe.
The man continued reading aloud while drinking. He grew more exhilarated, and finally, he even moved his sword away from the beast's fangs and poured it a mouthful of wine.
This scene left all the onlookers dumbfounded. What astonished them most was that after drinking, the beast's expression turned intoxicated.
The man leapt from the beast's mouth and landed on its head, drinking, reciting, and feeding it wine—all of it done with remarkable elegance.
Each time the beast drank, it would let out a low, pleasing hum, as if echoing the cultivator's recitation.
"What the hell, whose subordinate is this guy? He's unbelievably bold!"
The Golden-Winged Great Sage couldn't help but exclaim.
He had seen many worldly marvels as a Half-Saint, but never anything quite like this.
Prodigies from Wendao Academy challenging higher realms was commonplace.
But one as carefree and refined as this youth—this was a first.
"Xiuyuan could be your subordinate too."
Chu Feng said with a beaming smile.
"Huh?"
The Golden-Winged Great Sage looked at Chu Feng in disbelief. "Brother, don't tell me... that boy is also your disciple?"
"Correct. He is my disciple, Nie Xiuyuan."
Chu Feng explained with a grin, "I didn't expect Xiuyuan's fortune to be found here. It seems this voyage was well worth it."
The Golden-Winged Great Sage: "..."
He already knew Chu Feng was an exceptional teacher, but he had never expected such talent to exist under Chu Feng's banner.
"Wait a minute—wasn't Nie Xiuyuan that dejected drunkard who'd lost all will to fight? Always looking defeated? And now you're telling me that handsome youth is him? I'm struggling to believe this."
Chu Feng patted his shoulder. "I know it's hard for you to accept that Xiuyuan is more handsome than you. But facts are facts."
The Golden-Winged Great Sage: "..."
Damn it, is that what I meant?
Still, in the end, he chose not to argue. After all, explaining is just another form of denial, and denial means it's true.
Time passed minute by minute.
As Nie Xiuyuan's recitation and the Kun's hum merged in harmony, the glow around both man and beast gradually became one.
By now, the sun was setting. Sea and sky melded into one, and under the hues of the dying sun, a breathtaking scene was sketched across the horizon.
At that moment, Nie Xiuyuan's recitation came to an end, and the aura around him began to shift.
"He broke through!"
A cultivator observing from the sky couldn't help but exclaim.
The surrounding cultivators also wore expressions of envy. But even more than envy, they were shocked.
A cultivator at the Path Union realm cultivating inside the mouth of a Nirvana-level sea monster—this could truly be called unprecedented, never seen before in history.
At the same time, a familiar voice echoed in Chu Feng's mind.
"Host's disciple Nie Xiuyuan has broken through to the third level of Path Union. His Grand Freedom Intent has reached perfection. Host is rewarded with eighty years of cultivation and +5 Great Dao truth."
Hearing this voice, Chu Feng muttered, "Free and unfettered travels paired with a Kun... truly exquisite."
The Golden-Winged Great Sage asked curiously, "How do you know that little fellow's name is Kun?"
Chu Feng rolled his eyes. "I've told you often to read more. Why don't you ever listen?"
???
The Golden-Winged Great Sage wore a baffled expression. What does this have to do with reading more books?
Woo woo woo...
Kun seemed to sense the shift in Nie Xiuyuan's aura and let out a joyful sound.
Nie Xiuyuan gently stroked Kun's head. "Would you like to roam the world freely with me?"
Woo woo woo...
Kun happily agreed.
The surrounding cultivators descended to the sea surface, offering their congratulations.
"Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on taming the sea monster."
"Fellow Daoist, your cultivation is extraordinary. May I ask which esteemed master you follow?"
Nie Xiuyuan cupped his hands and replied, "Fellow Daoists, you flatter me. I, Nie Xiuyuan, merely came across a fortunate opportunity and, with the aid of a text by my master Half-Saint Chu, was able to tame Kun. You may rest assured that as long as I, Nie Xiuyuan, am here, Kun will never bring disaster upon these seas."
As soon as these words were spoken, the assembled cultivators were inwardly shocked. Quite a few had harbored thoughts of ambushing him, but upon hearing Nie Xiuyuan's background, they promptly abandoned such ideas.
The reputation of Half-Saint Chu was well known. Every one of his disciples carried a sword jade bestowed by him—something even most Half-Saints could not withstand, let alone ordinary cultivators like them.
"So he's a personal disciple of Half-Saint Chu. No wonder he's so exceptional."
"May I ask, fellow Daoist, what number disciple of Half-Saint Chu you are? I observe your cultivation surpasses even the Invincible Sword and Peerless Tyrant Fist—surely someone of your level should not be so unknown."
As these words fell, the cultivators who had just quelled their malicious thoughts suddenly brightened. Indeed—they had never heard of Half-Saint Chu having such a disciple.
That meant this brat must be an imposter.
Just as Nie Xiuyuan was about to speak and explain, a lofty voice rang out from the skies above.
"When has it ever been your place, you mangy strays, to question my disciple?"
The cultivators instinctively looked up. A massive, sky-obscuring figure descended from above.
Before the figure had even landed, the oppressive might radiating from it caused all the cultivators' legs to tremble. Several of the weaker ones fell into the sea with a splash from sheer fright.
Even Kun, the ruler of the sea, was visibly quivering at the sight of the figure.
Half-Saint pressure!
This thought flashed through everyone's minds. At once, they shouted in unison:
"We pay our respects to Half-Saint Chu!"
Nie Xiuyuan bowed with reverence. "Disciple greets Master. Greetings to Uncle Golden Wing."
"No need for formalities."
As Chu Feng's voice fell, the terrifying pressure dissipated, and everyone let out a long sigh of relief.
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