"Age has nothing to do with strength."
"What you see is not necessarily the truth."
Mo Yu spoke calmly.
As his words fell, an overwhelming aura burst forth from his tiny body.
Murong Yi immediately felt the surrounding air become unbearably heavy.
An invisible pressure descended upon her, making it difficult even to breathe.
Her heart trembled with horror.
This child's strength...
It was terrifying.
Even the Dragon Guardian couldn't compare.
Could he actually be a Golden Core Cultivator...
No.
That was impossible.
Seeing the disbelief on her face, Mo Yu smiled faintly and casually flicked a finger.
In the next instant—
The magnificent Qin Family manor beside them was silently sliced cleanly into two halves.
The cut was perfectly smooth, as though polished into a mirror.
Murong Yi's pupils shrank violently.
Her entire body trembled.
That Sword Intent...
She recognized it instantly.
It was exactly the Sword Intent she had sensed earlier.
This child...
He was the peerless Sword Dao expert who had shaken the entire Qin Family.
It was by comprehending a trace of his Sword Intent that she had managed to break through at the critical moment and defeat Qin Xuan.
Realization dawned upon her.
Without another word, she immediately closed her eyes, held her breath, and immersed herself in the lingering Sword Intent left upon the perfectly cleaved manor.
Mo Yu stared at her, utterly speechless.
Seriously?
Could you at least pretend you're not cheating?
I merely swung my sword once, and you're already comprehending Sword Intent?
Sword Intent was one of the great realms of the Sword Dao, followed by even higher realms such as Sword Heart and Sword Soul.
Even Mo Yu himself had only comprehended Sword Intent after reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Of course, that was partly because he had spent very little time in the Qi Refining Realm.
A few moments later, Murong Yi slowly opened her eyes.
A razor-sharp brilliance flashed through her pupils, revealing that she had gained tremendous enlightenment.
She rose to her feet and bowed deeply toward Mo Yu, her attitude filled with genuine reverence.
"Master... please accept this disciple's respects."
Mo Yu nodded with quiet satisfaction.
However, the expected System notification never appeared.
"System, she's already my disciple."
[Not yet. A disciple is only recognized after completing the formal kowtow ceremony.]
[Murong Yi's current Favorability: 70.]
[Villain Points +700.]
What a troublesome system...
Mo Yu turned his gaze back to Murong Yi.
"In my sect, accepting a master requires performing a kowtow."
Hearing this, Murong Yi frowned slightly.
After a long moment of silence, she slowly raised her head.
Her eyes were clear, and her voice remained calm, neither servile nor overbearing, yet filled with unwavering resolve.
"I'm sorry, Master, but I, Murong Yi, kneel only to Heaven, Earth, and my parents."
"I cannot bring myself to kneel before a child I've known for less than a day."
How classic.
Mo Yu sighed inwardly.
"Are you certain you won't kneel?" he asked once more.
"Absolutely."
"Do you understand the consequences of refusing?"
"I do."
Murong Yi nodded firmly.
"But I have my principles, and they will never change."
"Very well."
A trace of appreciation flashed across Mo Yu's eyes.
"Then don't blame me."
Looks like it's time to let strength do the talking.
An overwhelming pressure descended upon Murong Yi once again.
This time, it was far more terrifying than before.
She felt as though an enormous mountain had been placed upon her shoulders.
Her legs trembled violently, barely able to support her body.
For the first time, Mo Yu felt a strange sense of excitement.
After spending so long as a Child of Destiny, he was finally experiencing what it felt like to play the role of a villain.
Murong Yi clenched her teeth and resisted with all her strength.
Her knees quivered, and her body swayed on the verge of collapse.
Even so, she refused to kneel.
"I... won't... kneel..."
She forced the words out through gritted teeth, every syllable filled with unyielding defiance.
The corners of Mo Yu's lips curled upward as he increased the pressure.
"I can remove the poison from your body."
"I can help you awaken the Erosion Heart Poison Body."
"I can provide cultivation resources."
"I can teach you—or find someone to teach you—how to cultivate."
"As long as you kneel."
The pressure grew heavier and heavier.
Murong Yi's bones creaked under the strain, as though they might shatter at any moment.
Blood seeped from between her clenched teeth.
Yet she still refused to submit.
"I... would rather remain... a mortal forever... than kneel... before a child like you..."
"This... is my dignity."
She really was worthy of being a Daughter of Luck.
Why did she feel like one of those heaven-defying protagonists?
Come to think of it...
Wasn't she even afraid of death?
Mo Yu silently increased the pressure once again.
Crack!
The sharp sound of bone fracturing echoed through the courtyard.
Murong Yi's body trembled violently.
Her knees finally slammed heavily onto the ground.
Mo Yu did not stop there.
In a flash, he appeared before her.
Reaching out, he grasped her dishevelled black hair and gently pulled it forward.
Bang!
He pressed her forehead against the ground.
The kowtow ceremony was complete.
[You used force to compel Murong Yi into becoming your disciple. Under your future guidance, she will eventually submit completely.]
[Reward: Immortal-Rank Poison Art.]
"You...!"
Murong Yi cried out angrily.
She struggled with all her might, trying to stand.
Yet that seemingly small hand resting atop her head was like an immovable mountain, leaving her completely unable to move.
Mo Yu spoke calmly.
"Without strength, you don't even possess the right to refuse a single kowtow."
"Dignity."
"Principles."
"Pride."
"They're all meaningless."
"In the face of absolute strength, those things are nothing more than empty words."
As he spoke, he carefully observed Murong Yi's reaction.
Logically speaking...
Something should happen now.
Perhaps she'd awaken some heaven-defying cheat.
Or perhaps she'd experience a sudden enlightenment, causing her future cultivation path to become smooth and unstoppable.
Looking at the miserable girl kneeling before him, Mo Yu suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest.
He shouldn't have forced things so directly.
It was the former.
He had been poisoned.
Heart-Corroding Poison.
******
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