Beast God
Chapter 66: The Sole Immortal

Duan Shulin was a chatterbox, talking nonstop with Chen Guan along the way.

Before long, Chen Guan had already heard about all the earth-shattering deeds Duan Shulin had accomplished since birth.

According to Duan Shulin himself, he was born into an ordinary family. His parents were cultivators with mediocre talent who could only make a living by running small stalls in secret realms. While they never went hungry, they weren't exactly wealthy either.

That was until Duan Shulin came crashing into the world. On the day of his birth, the skies were clear until a sudden thunderclap left everyone's ears ringing - coinciding precisely with Duan Shulin's arrival.

The midwife claimed that before Duan Shulin's birth, dragon-shaped clouds had gathered above the hospital, vanishing without a trace after he was born. However, since many babies were born that day, it was impossible to say for whom the celestial phenomenon had appeared.

Duan Shulin firmly believed the omen was meant for him alone.

He could walk at birth, perform the Hundred Schools Fist in reverse by age three, and by ten had defeated every opponent in his academy. His instructors, having nothing left to teach such a prodigy, sent him home to self-study.

At eighteen, he entered the Blessed Land of Mount Pingdu - charging into White Cloud Ravine at level 1, storming the Profound Yin Cave at level 3, where no enemy could withstand a single blow from him.

"You're only level 3 now?" Chen Guan eyed Duan Shulin skeptically.

"If I were just one or two levels higher, that mutated Profound Yin Ghost Mother wouldn't have lived to see you," Duan Shulin boasted smugly.

Chen Guan remained doubtful, though if Duan Shulin truly survived an encounter with the mutated Profound Yin Ghost Mother at level 3, that was indeed extraordinary.

"Old Guan, we'll have plenty of time together - you'll gradually learn what kind of man Duan Shulin really is." He chuckled. "I won't hide it - I've already been placed on the Celestial Army's reserve roster. Once I achieve my Second Awakening, I'll become a full member directly."

Chen Guan had heard about the Celestial Army reserves from Ji Nanhong previously.

To join the Celestial Army officially required at least Second Awakening. However, they maintained a reserve team recruiting top talents who hadn't yet awakened twice but had already made names for themselves.

While rare, the reserves occasionally accepted unawakened prodigies, though most recruits joined after their First Awakening when their talents became apparent.

Ji Nanhong had originally suggested Chen Guan register with the reserves first, allowing direct promotion upon his Second Awakening.

Chen Guan hadn't approached Ji Nanhong yet, torn between testing in normally or using her connections.

He suspected Duan Shulin was exaggerating. Very few in the entire Divine Land made the reserve list before First Awakening - unless Duan Shulin came from an influential family or possessed truly heaven-defying talent as claimed.

Yet Duan Shulin said his family had started as small merchants. While their business had grown, they couldn't possibly wield enough influence to get him into the reserves pre-awakening.

Seeing Chen Guan's disbelief, Duan Shulin grinned. "I know it's hard to believe such genius exists. But one story will prove I'm not lying."

"What story?" Chen Guan humored him.

"You know of the Great Demon, right?" Duan Shulin asked.

Chen Guan's heart skipped a beat, though his expression remained neutral. "You mean Qing Bai?"

"Who else deserves that title? He slaughtered millions - a true scourge upon the world," Duan Shulin pontificated.

"What does this have to do with you being in the reserves?" Chen Guan asked.

"Patience. That demon once invaded the Ancestral Court. Though briefly, he left behind a treasure there."

Duan Shulin lowered his voice dramatically. "The Hundred Flowers Divine Mirror - created to select his concubines. When touched by ordinary people, its flowers bloom according to their talent - more blooms indicating greater potential. After his defeat, the mirror was moved to Celestial Army headquarters. Now it tests prodigies - those making half its flowers bloom qualify for the reserves pre-awakening."

"Such a treasure exists?" This was Chen Guan's first hearing of it.

"Indeed. Over the years, many made flowers bloom, but few reached half. Only one person ever made all hundred flowers blossom."

"You?" Chen Guan found Duan Shulin's tales increasingly outlandish.

"No." Duan Shulin surprised him. "That was Jiang Qiemo of the Jiang family - one of the Ten Great Clans."

"After all that buildup, what's your connection?" Chen Guan asked.

"At age five, I crossed paths with Jiang Qiemo. We fought to a standstill - two punches each. An even match." Duan Shulin beamed.

Chen Guan nearly facepalmed - bragging about childhood scuffles?

Duan Shulin grew serious, whispering: "We became friends afterward. He told me a secret - after full bloom, the mirror opens to reveal an unclaimed sword inside. If I could retrieve it, I'd surpass him."

"Did you retrieve it?" Chen Guan asked.

"I'm not stupid. That mirror was for selecting concubines - why include a sword? Obviously, it's meant for the demon's descendants. The Celestial Army likely uses it to screen for them too. Claiming that sword would be asking for trouble."

"Surely after all these years, even if descendants existed, what harm could they do?" Chen Guan feigned nonchalance while inwardly alarmed by these revelations.

"You don't know the full story. When the Ten Heavenly Kings killed the demon in a Grotto-Heaven, his body vanished. They consulted the famous Ghost Taoist, who performed divination. Clear skies turned apocalyptic - thunderstorms, torrential rains. The Taoist only managed two verses before dying blood-spewing."

"What verses?" Chen Guan pressed.

Duan Shulin recited solemnly: "Royal blood stains beyond heaven / The demon's child descends to earth / Ten clans shall meet their doom / One alone becomes immortal."