“So that’s how it is!” Cao Yuanfeng realized with sudden clarity. For these veterans who had been rooted here as long as he had, their devotion to their inherited bloodline was something outsiders could never truly comprehend, so once Zhan Mubai spoke, he understood immediately.

But precisely because he understood, an even greater dilemma settled upon his face.

If he helped with this matter, he would be violating the ancestral precepts of the Huanlu Sect; yet, if he refused, once Zhan Mubai was left without an heir, it would cause him tremendous trouble. From that moment forward, Zhan Mubai would essentially have created a formidable enemy for himself for no good reason! Even if he didn't fear Zhan Mubai, it would still be a massive headache!

What was he to do? Either choice seemed wrong!

Being in such a public setting also had its advantages. When Zhan Mubai made his plea, he hadn't lowered his voice at all; he had stated it out in the open for everyone to hear. This left Cao Guofeng with absolutely no room to retreat.

The Fourteenth Young Master of Jiuyou and Jun Mowu, having overheard this conversation by chance, naturally grasped the situation. They exchanged a glance, and a hint of schadenfreude couldn't help but surface in their minds. They never expected that the dignified Saint Emperor expert, Zhan Mubai, would be facing the immediate crisis of being the last of his line...

“The Wen Yang Profound Art passed down by my sect, if cultivated using the foundation of the extremely contrasting Xuan Yin Dead Veins, would undoubtedly be perfect…” Cao Guofeng said with difficulty, “However, that still requires the foundation of years of cumulative effort to resolve, and the process of resolution must proceed gradually, bit by bit, as the Xuan Yin Dead Vein is slowly unblocked. During this process, one must use the sect’s unique cultivation method to convert it into one's own profound energy. As for converting all the meridians from Xuan Yin to Wen Yang throughout the entire body... that would require at least half a Jiazi of time, a period that is exceedingly long, requiring massive dedication from both the master and the disciple…”

“Because our sect’s Profound Art is so unusual, it has always been passed down through a single lineage. For hundreds of years now, I haven't taken on a disciple precisely because I have been searching for a successor. If, before today, Brother Zhan had made such a request, even with my immense difficulty, I would have agreed, but…”

Cao Guofeng gave a helpless, wry smile and continued, “Setting aside the ancestral injunctions for a moment, I have unexpectedly discovered the possessor of another peculiar physique—a successor that any grandmaster of Profound Arts would dream of... the Ethereal Body! And the possessor of this Ethereal Body is right here before me... it’s impossible for me not to be moved...”

“The Ethereal Body? Is it truly the Ethereal Body? Who is it? Where are they?” At this point, Zhan Mubai’s attention was completely captured. All the Saint Emperor experts couldn't help but inquire, their faces displaying expressions of utter astonishment. The gazes of several among them instantly turned blazing hot.

This was not entirely their fault for being so shocked; it was because this so-called ‘Ethereal Body’ was simply too rare!

This referred to a congenital genius whose soul, bones, and muscle meridians all existed in a state of innate ‘emptiness’—completely untainted by any form of pollution!

Such a heaven-sent prodigy was truly a one-in-a-million, unseekable treasure.

Normally, regardless of a person's congenital constitution, they would naturally be in this special state at birth. However, after just a few days, they would inevitably suffer contamination from the food they ingested or even the air they breathed later on; this was unavoidable for anyone.

But these grandmasters of Profound Arts couldn't possibly stand guard outside every maternity ward. Moreover, even if they waited by a million birthing mothers, they might not encounter a single infant with the Ethereal Body...

Thus, it had always remained a legend. In the ten thousand years of the Xuanxuan Continent, it seemed only one such case had ever appeared! It was only because the inheritance scroll of the First Young Master of Jiuyou also mentioned this aptitude that the legend went unquestioned, subsequently circulating as a vague, ephemeral tale...

If a baby possessing the Ethereal Body truly appeared before these Saint Emperors now, it was likely that these Saint Emperors, who were just sharing drinks moments ago, would instantly start fighting amongst themselves to claim ownership!

The scroll of the First Young Master of Jiuyou stated clearly: if cultivated using a special method, once they reached maturity, they could ascend to the level of a Saint Realm expert within fifty years!

A Saint at fifty years old! This couldn't merely be described as a miracle; it was divine!

The trace of a god!

Furthermore, this achievement was only the beginning; this person’s future potential was completely limitless! This meant that given enough room to grow, this miracle would become the first person in history to shake the past and present!

This was a matter of bringing glory to ancestors and honor for eternity! If someone managed to take such a disciple—the foremost expert of all time—then that person would become the master of the foremost expert of all time!

At that point, what was the glory of a mere Saint Emperor?

The only reason this ethereal legend, which lacked any concrete proof, hadn't been dismissed was because the First Young Master of Jiuyou admitted in his scroll: he himself was a practitioner of the Ethereal Body!

What achievements did the First Young Master of Jiuyou possess? He was the absolute peak that no one before or since had ever surpassed, the progenitor of Profound Arts for every single Xuan cultivator on the Xuanxuan Continent! The ultimate existence revered by all Xuan cultivators since antiquity!

Everyone's breathing grew heavy, their eyes like searchlights fixed on Cao Guofeng. If Cao Guofeng remained silent for another moment, it looked as if they would rise up and attack him en masse...

Cao Guofeng offered a wry smile, his face etched with genuine regret. He had carelessly spoken out of distraction, and now he genuinely felt the urge to bash his own head in to apologize to his ancestors... He said with difficulty, “All esteemed members here already have their own successors; there’s no need to compete with me, and besides, I cannot confirm it absolutely yet, it's just a vague judgment...”

“A vague judgment? Who is it? Which family’s child?” Zhan Mubai’s fair face flushed crimson, his breathing coming in sharp gasps. Others might feel too embarrassed to snatch, but Zhan Mubai had descendants from all the inheritors bearing the surname Zhan; those were naturally considered his own posterity. Family martial arts couldn’t be considered stealing a disciple, could they...

If he could take an Ethereal Body genius as a disciple, possessing that supreme glory... Zhan Mubai felt he could faint from sheer happiness just thinking about it! If he could possess this honor, what did it matter if his line ended?

“Far away, yet right before our eyes, this person bearing the Ethereal Body... it is him!” Cao Guofeng looked at the hungry gazes of the crowd and felt even more helpless. He understood that if he didn't speak now, he would offend all seven of them. Moreover, they would monitor him closely, and his own aspirations would become unattainable. Out of necessity, he pointed his finger.

The crowd followed his gaze and immediately saw a face displaying astonishment beyond measure, shock beyond comprehension! Under their scrutiny, that face instantly crumpled, transforming into that of a bitter gourd!

The person Cao Guofeng pointed to was none other than... Young Master Jun!

The Fourteenth Young Master of Jiuyou paused, then suddenly burst into laughter, spitting out a mouthful of tea that drenched Jun Moxie opposite him, who was frozen like a wooden dummy.

Jun Mowu scrambled in a panic, almost wanting to unleash a fist of rage against this family member who seemed determined to stir up trouble—Young Master, I’m wearing a mask, what’s the meaning of this spray? If my true face is exposed because of this, won’t I be finished?

He hastily and meticulously wiped himself down, truly terrified... Even if the mask didn't fall off, if the skin underneath got wrinkled, it would still be disastrous...

Fortunately, this rather melodramatic cinematic scene did not occur, although the situation before them was already quite ‘cinematic’...

But good fortune doesn't last long for anyone. A situation more absurd than a movie scene unfolded!

In the next instant, seven or eight large male hands reached out simultaneously. Before Young Master Jun could react, his entire body was seized by those Saint Emperors and placed on the table, where they began to examine him with wide, staring eyes!

They scrutinized Young Master Jun’s body with the same fervent intensity usually reserved for observing an exquisite beauty! Thankfully, their clothes provided a barrier, otherwise, who knew what might have happened!

Cao Guofeng was both delighted and astonished! He had never expected that by casually socializing with Zhan Mubai and casually changing the subject, exchanging just a couple of sentences with the man, he would stumble upon a treasure trove! It was simply too lucky!

Between the two people who had been talking, the white-robed youth... was actually the legendary one-in-a-billion Ethereal Body!

At that first glance, Cao Guofeng could hardly believe his eyes. Then he looked again, and again, and finally confirmed: it truly was! My heavens, it really is!

At that moment, Cao Guofeng nearly suffered a cerebral hemorrhage! Oh Heavens, oh Earth, which immortal fairy had done such a good deed to make such a miracle appear out of thin air right before his eyes!

He was grateful for his refusal to take on disciples over the years, choosing quality over quantity—otherwise... his lineage had always been single-line, but bah! Even if he had taken disciples before, at worst he could expel the previous ones from the sect. As long as he could secure the person before him as a disciple, any price would be worth paying...

Thus, ever since discovering this super genius, Cao Guofeng’s mind seemed clearly overwhelmed. He spoke disjointedly, his thoughts entirely consumed by how to take the boy back stealthily without arousing suspicion. After all, the world was full of petty individuals consumed by jealousy... Even he, seeing someone else take such a disciple, would likely feel unbalanced...

But his distraction caused a lapse!

Zhan Mubai had used the constitution of his descendants as leverage, and Cao Guofeng hadn't considered it deeply, merely following the flow to refuse, but in his distraction, he carelessly blurted out the words 'Ethereal Body'...

The moment those words escaped his lips, Cao Guofeng felt an inexplicable urge to commit suicide on the spot to apologize to his ancestors!

What... what did I just say? I actually revealed the secret... I... I deserve death...

If he could secretly take this disciple and nurture him back in the Misty Illusionary Mansion, where there was no contact with the outside world and ample space for development—how wonderful would that be! By the time he passed away in a hundred years, this disciple of his would probably be unrivaled across the world...