Chapter 1452: The Eighth Disciple

"Me? Champion?"

Zhang Jiuxiao was stunned and quickly shook his head: "How is that possible!"

He was only at the Out-of-Body stage now, with no idea when he could even attack the Domain stage. He was far behind Zhang Chun, Zhang Feng, and the others. Whether he could even pass the first round was uncertain. To aim for the championship was something he dared not even dream of!

To be honest, as a branch disciple, being able to participate in a family gathering meant for core disciples was already incredibly surprising to him. The championship... he didn't even dare to hope!

"As long as you listen to your teacher, making you surpass others in a short time and create a miracle is not impossible!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

"But... among the younger generation, the strongest like Zhang Chun have already reached half-step Cave Void stage, and it's said some have even reached true Cave Void. I... I'm too far behind!"

Seeing that the other didn't seem to be joking, Zhang Jiuxiao smiled bitterly.

It wasn't that he didn't believe the person before him, but it was completely impossible.

From the fifth level of the Saint Domain, Out-of-Body, to the eighth level, Cave Void, the gap was immeasurable. They were worlds apart. Against a powerhouse of that level, even a hundred of him would only have the chance to flee. How could he fight?

Moreover, the core disciples of the Zhang family were geniuses among geniuses. Even battle masters of the same level might not be able to contend with them... In short, the possibility of participating in the competition and winning the championship was zero!

"Don't boost others' morale and diminish your own! By becoming my disciple, just this one point shows your vision has already surpassed countless others!"

Seeing that the other had no confidence at all, Zhang Xuan raised his eyebrows.

"Being able to take you as my teacher is my honor, but..." Zhang Jiuxiao's face was bitter.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, but the competition started tomorrow, and his current strength...

"I know what you're worried about!"

With his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan looked over: "I, Zhang Xuan, started from the Tianxuan Kingdom, from the third level of martial artist to my current peak Domain stage, in just fourteen months. I have seven direct disciples. My eldest disciple, Zhao Ya, is now the Young Palace Master of the Icefield Palace."

"My second disciple, Wang Ying, entered the Enlightener Guild and has a boundless future."

"My third disciple, Liu Yang, you've met. Although somewhat unworthy, he has still risen above the crowd and dares to act and take responsibility."

"My fourth disciple, Zheng Yang, is a Battle Master of the Battle Master Hall and the future Hall Master!"

As he spoke, he walked forward, his aura growing stronger with each word: "My fifth disciple, Yuan Tao, is the Young Family Head of the Yuan family, bearing the Dragon Rhinoceros bloodline, unmatched in the world."

"My sixth disciple, Lu Chong, received the inheritance of the Soul Witch, and his soul-witching arts are unparalleled through the ages!"

"My seventh disciple, Wei Ruyan, is the new Hall Master of the Poison Hall, with an innate poison body that can annihilate all things!"

"All seven direct disciples are extraordinary. I took you as a disciple with expectations for you. How is it that you are the one retreating?"

At this point, Zhang Xuan looked over, his gaze like lightning.

"I..."

Clenching his fists, Zhang Jiuxiao's face flushed with excitement.

He knew his teacher had many students, but he never imagined each one was so powerful!

The Young Palace Master of the Yin-Yang Palace, the Battle Master of the Battle Master Hall, the Hall Master of the Poison Hall, the Young Family Head of the Yuan family... every one of their statuses was not much inferior to the acting family head of the Zhang family, and they were all his students!

If he hadn't heard it with his own ears, he wouldn't have believed it.

Earlier, he thought winning the championship was difficult to achieve, but now, hearing the names of his students, he immediately felt his blood boil, as if all the blood in his body was about to explode.

With a teacher like this, what more could he ask for!

Seeing that he was inspired by his words, Zhang Xuan nodded with satisfaction and looked over again: "If you win the championship, what harm is there in taking you as the eighth disciple?"

"Eighth disciple..."

Breathing rapidly, Zhang Jiuxiao's face turned red.

This meant he would be accepted as a direct disciple.

The previous Heaven-Approved Master, Kong Shi, had three thousand disciples and seventy-two direct disciples. The weakest among the direct disciples had become ancient sages!

Bu Shang, the founding patriarch of the Saint Son Hall, was not even ranked among the top among those many disciples!

From this, one could see how powerful they were.

The teacher before him was a Heaven-Approved Master. Although his seven previous disciples were described simply, there was no doubt that each would become an extraordinary figure shaking the world. If he could become his eighth disciple, his future would be limitless!

"Indeed, the founding ancestor of our Zhang family didn't have an extraordinary bloodline at first. It was only after he reached the peak that his bloodline was passed down. Even if I'm from a branch, so what? It's not impossible to stand out and reach the peak!"

The more he thought, the more excited he became. Zhang Jiuxiao's breathing quickened.

Are kings and generals born noble?

Who says those with strong bloodlines are necessarily strong?

If that were true, why, over tens of thousands of years, had none of the many geniuses with pure bloodlines in the Zhang family surpassed the founding ancestor?

In the time of Kong Shi, among the seventy-two worthies, no one had heard of anyone with an inherently strong bloodline!

To succeed, it's not about bloodline, but about tireless effort and unwavering confidence!

And a truly good teacher!

Now the teacher was right in front of him, and he himself worked hard enough. Whether he could become a direct disciple and rise above the rest was a matter of a single thought.

"Teacher, what should I do? As long as you instruct, I, Zhang Jiuxiao, will do my utmost!"

With the blood in his body ignited, no longer hesitating, Zhang Jiuxiao clenched his teeth and looked over.

Since his teacher was a Heaven-Approved Master and said it could be done, then it must be possible. There was nothing to worry about.

"Very good!"

Seeing the young man before him make a decision, Zhang Xuan nodded with satisfaction: "Perform the apprenticeship ceremony!"

"Now?" Zhang Jiuxiao couldn't help but be startled: "Didn't you say I have to win the championship first to be qualified?"

He couldn't believe his ears. Just now, he said he would take him as a disciple after winning the championship... He was still far from achieving that, and it was uncertain whether it was possible. How...

Smiling lightly, Zhang Xuan's face showed intense confidence: "I, Zhang Xuan, say you will become the champion, then you will definitely become the champion. What difference does it make whether I take you early or late?"

"I..."

Zhang Jiuxiao felt as if every muscle in his body was about to leap, and all his blood began to burn.

Inspired by the words and seeing the firm determination in his teacher's eyes, he suddenly felt that if his teacher said it could be done, then it would be done.

This was not deception or brainwashing, but a strong confidence.

With this confidence, even the most difficult things seemed insignificant.

"Teacher, what should I do now?"

Kneeling on the ground, he kowtowed eight times and performed the apprenticeship ceremony. Zhang Jiuxiao looked over again.

Since the teacher spoke with such confidence, he must have already thought of a method of cultivation.

"Your current strength is only at the Domain stage. The only way is to rapidly increase your cultivation. But in one night, pushing such a low level to the eighth level of Saint Domain is completely impossible, unless..."

Zhang Xuan paused, looking in a certain direction with a profound gaze.

"...we use the Zhang family's... Blood Pool!"