Chapter 476
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Chapter 476: A Bet!
The entrance to the Battlefield of Ten Thousand Swords is about to open. Among these disciples, the top sixteen who prove to be the strongest will receive incomparable benefits and abundant rewards from the sect. These rewards will be revealed at Spirit Sword Peak.
“Dharma Protector Wang, Dharma Protector Zhu, have you both accepted many new disciples this time? How many have each of you taken in?”
Many Dharma Protectors gathered together, and an elder spoke up, addressing the two Dharma Protectors.
“We accepted several who are quite promising.”
“We had a few who were particularly good, so we accepted them into the sect.”
Two middle-aged men, around fifty years old, replied. One had a large face and round waist, with a slightly chubby body and a small, protruding belly, but his gaze emitted a sharp light that should not be underestimated.
The other was tall and thin, with a piercing gaze.
These two Dharma Protectors are the ones guarding the fourth-floor spatial portal within the Battlefield of Ten Thousand Swords. This time, the Heavenly Stairs malfunctioned, and numerous outer disciples entered. Each of them selected around ten promising disciples, which can be considered a decent harvest.
“Some outer disciples are quite promising. If they are trained well, they could have a bright future!”
An elder remarked, pointing out that among the outer disciples, there were also some good ones. If selected and trained carefully, they could have a bright future, and the Heavenly Stairs would be the best place to identify and nurture such talent.
“However, there was a malfunction on the Heavenly Stairs this time, so be careful not to overlook any talents…”
A Dharma Protector joked. This time, when the Heavenly Stairs malfunctioned, many outer disciples managed to enter the Battlefield of Ten Thousand Swords and climb up the Heavenly Stairs. Choosing the right disciples now requires keen insight.
“I do have some discerning eyes for this.”
Dharma Protector Wang, with his slightly plump figure and a gentle smile, spoke confidently. His eyes radiated a confident light.
He was confident in his discerning eyes and the ten or so disciples he had chosen. Although they could not compare with the inner or direct disciples, they were definitely outstanding among the outer disciples.
“This one cannot be overlooked!”
Dharma Protector Zhu, tall and lean, also spoke with confidence in his judgment.
“Dharma Protector Hou, how many disciples have you accepted into your peak from the many who have walked up the fifth level of the Heavenly Stairs this time?”
A Dharma Protector asked, shifting his gaze toward an elder who appeared to be in his late fifties.
The elder wasn’t tall, but his face, slightly over fifty, gave the impression of having weathered numerous hardships. He wore the emblem of a Dharma Protector of the Divine Sword School, and his eyes twinkled with a mysterious light that could make one’s heart quiver with just a passing glance.
This was Dharma Protector Hou Changming. Gazing at the protector who spoke, he slightly flicked his eyes and said, “One!”
“One!”
Upon hearing this, a group of Dharma Protectors displayed expressions of surprise and astonishment.
All Dharma Protectors knew that drawing the lot to enter the Battlefield of Ten Thousand Swords was extremely lucky, causing envy among the other Dharma Protectors.
However, Hou Changming had been extremely unlucky and ended up drawing the lot to guard the fifth level of the Heavenly Stairs space teleportation portal.
The fifth level of the Heavenly Stairs was a portal where disciples rarely had the opportunity to ascend. Even if one did succeed, the Elders would likely be watching closely, and the disciple would not easily be able to take a Dharma Protector as their teacher.
Therefore, when Dharma Protector Hou Changming drew the lot to guard the fifth-level space teleportation portal of the Heavenly Stairs in the Battlefield of Ten Thousand Swords, it became a source of amusement among the other Dharma Protectors.
However, the Heavenly Stairs had malfunctioned, resulting in a large number of disciples managing to reach the fifth-level space teleportation portal of the Heavenly Stairs.
All the protectors originally thought that Dharma Protector Hou Changming had incredibly good luck and believed that he would take the opportunity to select a few promising disciples.
It was surprising to the other protectors to see that Dharma Protector Hou Changming had only taken in one disciple.
“Better to have nothing than something worthless!”
Hou Changming said calmly, with no expression on his face.
At this moment, Dharma Protector Hou Changming was feeling quite distressed. He knew very well how his disciple was performing, but unfortunately, the other two disciples he had his eye on had both decisively rejected him, leaving him with no room to maneuver.
He couldn’t just tell these guys that he wasn’t able to take in the two he had wanted, so he ended up randomly accepting one disciple.
“What excellent judgment!”
Dharma Protector Wang cast a disdainful look at Dharma Protector Hou Changming and said impatiently, “I conjecture that the disciple taken in by Dharma Protector Hou is surely comparable to a direct disciple. Having ascended to the fifth level of the Heavenly Stairs, his aptitude must be exceptional!”
Dharma Protector Wang clearly remembered that when Hou Changming had drawn the lot to guard the space portal on the fifth level of the Heavenly Stairs, his face had immediately turned black. Yet, he still put on an aloof expression, insisting that taking in disciples wasn’t something to be compromised on and that he would rather take none than settle for mediocrity. And now, he was saying something like this. Everyone knew that if it weren’t for the malfunction of the Heavenly Stairs, it would have been impossible for any disciple to ascend to the fifth level.
“Not bad, I agree. The disciple taken in by Dharma Protector Hou is definitely comparable to a direct disciple. Who knows, perhaps they might even ascend to Spirit Sword Peak!”
Dharma Protector Zhu smiled knowingly.
“Ha ha.”
The Dharma Protectors present smiled, knowing that Dharma Protector Wang and Dharma Protector Zhu were joking with Dharma Protector Hou Changming.
“Wang Tianbao, Zhu Changgao, don’t be too pleased just because you’ve taken in a few more disciples. Does that necessarily mean they are extraordinary?”
Dharma Protector Hou Changming replied, feeling helpless. He had never intended to guard the space portal on the fifth level of the Heavenly Stairs, but luck was not on his side. He unexpectedly drew that lot, and although a miracle occurred and many disciples managed to ascend the stairs, he sadly ended up only accepting one disciple.
He had set his sights on two absolutely exceptional individuals, but both had rejected him without giving any leeway.
Originally, the outer disciple named Zhang Qing seemed unremarkable, with an ordinary aura and even appeared to fall below the average level of the group of outer disciples. Dharma Protector Hou Changming began to feel slight regret in his heart regarding his decision.
At the time, he had been purely driven by impulse, wanting to see if the third outer disciple would also reject him. Who would have thought that Zhang Qing would kneel down and kowtow immediately?
Dharma Protector Hou Changming spoke at that moment, and even if he was secretly dissatisfied, there was nothing he could do. These were not enough to draw comments from outsiders.
“Oh dear, it seems like Dharma Protector Hou has absolute faith in his disciple. He is so confident in him that I have an idea! Let’s make a bet. If your newly recruited disciple can ascend to Spirit Sword Peak, I’m willing to bet ten intermediate-grade star-rated pills. However, if your disciple fails to reach Spirit Sword Peak, Dharma Protector Hou will only have to give me one low-grade star-rated pill. No, actually, please give me ten high-grade dragon-rated pills instead. I can even share them with my newly recruited disciples.”
Dharma Protector Wang Tianbao sneered, expressing dissatisfaction with Hou Changming’s unyielding attitude, which he found quite irritating.
“Haha, good. I’ll also bet on it. Ten high-grade star-rated pills for ten high-grade dragon-rated pills. I can also give some to my newly recruited disciples.”
Dharma Protector Zhu Changgao laughed heartily.
