Greater Sancte Green Lotus gently said, “I am only allowing you to speak to propose tasks. What is all this bickering? Such behavior is uncouth.”
“Master, may this disciple propose a task?”
“I’ll go first!”
“Let me go first! I have a perfectly ruthless idea.”
“I don’t think anyone can top mine.”
Green Lotus shook his head with a sigh. “Letting you choose the tasks was meant as compensation, but this is still the Sea of Karma, and I’ve taken losses as well.”
“Ah, Master wants to seize a lucky opportunity?”
“You little brat, stop talking nonsense. How could I do such a thing?”
“Shh! Master became angry.”
Lu Yin glanced at the seven spirit seeds, relieved that he had refused to marry all of them. They were too chaotic. It seemed that only two or three were actually speaking, and it was clear that several had never said a single word.
While gazing at Lu Yin, Green Lotus said, “I cultivate karma and highly value fate. The fate that brought you into the Sea of Karma binds us. If you fulfill all seven of their tasks, I will accept you as my disciple, my true disciple.”
Lu Yin was astonished. “You’ll accept me as your disciple?”
“Master, you’re offering to take this little thief as your disciple? You’re going to make him a true disciple?”
“All of us are just nominal disciples!”
“No way! This little thief can’t get off easy. I’ll give my task first. Sisters, let this youngest one go first.”
“All right, go ahead.”
“Seventh Sister, make it harsh! He can’t be allowed to stay in the Sea of Karma. It would be too dangerous otherwise. We won’t be able to bathe anymore.”
“Exactly! We’d be too scared to even bathe.”
Lu Yin completely ignored the incessant chatter and instead stared at Greater Sancte Green Lotus with growing suspicion. He had suddenly arrived in the Sea of Karma and been told to marry the Greater Sancte’s disciples before being offered an opportunity to become a personal disciple. It seemed obvious that Green Lotus knew that Lu Yin had comprehended karma, but was it because someone had told him, or had he sensed him breaking down the walls of karma? Lu Yin felt increasingly uneasy.
“Hey, little thief, I’m going to tell you my task now.”
Lu Yin looked back at the seven spirit seeds. “Alright, I’m listening.”
“You can beg for mercy, and maybe I’ll change it, but I’ll warn you now that my task will be extremely difficult! You won’t be able to complete it,” the woman taunted.
Lu Yin’s eyes flickered. “As one of Greater Sancte Green Lotus’s disciples, I trust that your task won’t violate the law of heaven or be completely unreasonable. If, for example, you ask me to become a woman, it would naturally be impossible to complete the task.”
“Hmph! Don’t try to manipulate me with words! I’m not as vulgar as you!
“Listen well. My task is this: make the sect master of the East Command, Lu Sizhan, become the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster.”
Lu Yin frowned. East Lin Sword Sect? Four Commands Grand Swordmaster? He had never heard of either.
“Seventh Sister, that’s way too harsh! How could he possibly accomplish that?”
“Well done, Seventh Sister! You absolutely lived up to our expectations!”
“What a pity... if I’d gone first, I would have made him do a few extra tasks before giving him an impossible one. Wouldn’t that have been more satisfying?”
“You’re right! Why did I forget that? None of you sisters even reminded me! Having him fail so quickly would be too lenient. Master, may I change my condition?”
Green Lotus calmly replied, “You are allowed to alter your condition, but this... he’s not guaranteed to fail.”
“What? Can he actually pull it off?”
“No way!”
“Master, is he really that capable...”
Green Lotus smiled at Lu Yin. “I merely said that it’s possible. Naturally, that still means that there is a chance of failure. Lu Yin, do you accept this condition?”
Lu Yin cautiously probed, “May I say no?”
“No.”
Lu Yin sighed helplessly. “Then why even ask?”
“All right, that’s my condition! I don’t believe that he can accomplish it. Master, your disciple is certain—this is my condition.”
Greater Sancte Green Lotus nodded. “Very well, you may go now.”
The seven spirit seeds glanced at Lu Yin before dispersing and leaving. Not another word was spoken.
They were curious to see what sort of talent someone had to possess to catch Greater Sancte Green Lotus’s eye and be selected as a disciple candidate.
The title of Four Commands Grand Swordmaster was famous throughout the entire Nine Odysseys Megaverse.
Once all seven spirit seeds had departed, Lu Yin’s expression grew solemn. He was alone with Greater Sancte Green Lotus.
The man looked at Lu Yin. “Do you know what the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster is?”
Lu Yin answered respectfully, “I do not.”
“There is a place in the Nine Odysseys Megaverse where sword intent is used to cultivate swordsmanship. It is divided into four Command Sword Sects—the Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Commands. At regular intervals, three of the four will support the fourth, and that chosen sect inherits the strengths of the other three to produce the Grand Swordmaster of the Four Commands.”
“The contest for the title of Grand Swordmaster of the Four Commands is a major event that draws elite cultivators from across the realm, and it can even influence the balance of power within parts of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse. The Eastern Command Sword Sect of this generation has no particularly outstanding successors. Lu Siyu is the daughter of that sect’s master, so it’s understandable that she hopes to see the Eastern Command take the title—but the sect itself lacks the strength to compete.
“What do you intend to do?”
Lu Yin said, “I can only know once I go and see for myself.”