The Strongest Mythical Emperor
Chapter 144: How Could I Humble Myself

Chapter 144: Chapter 144: How Could I Humble Myself

"Our Divine Sword Hall wishes to recruit you as core disciples, and you may choose any elder in the hall as your master."

The man in the black robe spoke, his voice devoid of any emotion, which gave it an air of superiority, much to Qin Jun’s discomfort.

Whoosh—

The entire inn suddenly burst into an uproar, as everyone exchanged glances, their faces showing envy and jealousy.

"The elders of the Divine Sword Hall are like gods themselves; Qin Jun and Li Yuanba have completely turned their fates around!"

"Yeah, they’re both from a small kingdom, but now that they’ve joined the Divine Sword Hall, their kingdoms will rise with them."

"Exactly, we must never provoke those two in the future."

"Sigh, when can we join the Divine Sword Hall, or any of the other Six Major Sects would also do."

The cultivators discussed animatedly, but Qin Jun, the focus of the conversation, remained indifferent. He had no intention of joining any of the Seven Major Sects. If he did, he would likely spend most of his time confined to the sects.

Still, he couldn’t help but ask, "If I join the Divine Sword Hall, can I roam freely outside and return whenever I wish?"

As soon as he said this, the room fell silent, everyone looking at Qin Jun as if he were a fool.

"Hmph!"

Li Yuanba snorted coldly, and everyone immediately felt a tremor in their chests and an upheaval in their blood Qi, hastily averting their gaze from Qin Jun and the others.

The three black-robed men from the Divine Sword Hall couldn’t help but look at Li Yuanba in surprise. They sensed a terrifying and dangerous aura from him, which indicated that Li Yuanba was not weak.

Feng Yixuan also stared intently at Li Yuanba. He had come here to challenge Qin Jun and Li Yuanba, but the cold hum from Li Yuanba just now had made his heart palpitate, even making him afraid to confront him. He did not want to admit this fear, but it lingered nonetheless.

"The Divine Sword Hall operates under the direct control of His Majesty, serving the entire Imperial Dynasty; it’s not somewhere you can arrange your own schedule as you please," the man in the black robe said gravely.

They didn’t believe that Qin Jun would refuse, as the Divine Sword Hall was the foremost of the Seven Major Sects, and countless cultivators would break their heads trying to get in. The reason for making their recruitment public was not only to showcase the might of the Divine Sword Hall but also to create momentum for the new disciples who would join.

Unfortunately, Qin Jun was no ordinary person.

He was someone who aspired to become an emperor, and to serve another emperor now, even one who was lofty and admirable, was not something he would be content with.

"Then I’m sorry, but we refuse!" Qin Jun stated unequivocally, causing an uproar among all those present, all of whom looked at him in disbelief.

To refuse the recruitment of the Divine Sword Hall?

Not only was it foolish, but it was also suicidal!

The three black-robed men also grew angry, and the one in the middle said sternly, "Do you know whom you are refusing?"

He thought Qin Jun might be ignorant of the status of the Divine Sword Hall within the Nanzhuo Dynasty, given his origins from a poor, minor kingdom.

Little did he know that Qin Jun was not afraid of the Divine Sword Hall. Surely the hall wouldn’t kill him just because he refused, and even if they wanted to, it would have to be done in secret, given that they represented His Majesty of the Dynasty.

"Sorry, but I prefer freedom."

Qin Jun shrugged and laughed, as Daji, Li, Fa Hai, the Evening Star, and Li Bai all stood up, making the atmosphere suddenly tense.

Jia Xun was panicked and anxious, not expecting Qin Jun to dare refuse, and more importantly, judging by Daji and the others’ demeanor, it seemed they were ready for battle!

Although he was confident in Daji and the others, he feared offending the entire Nanzhuo Dynasty and condemning the Qianyue Kingdom to irreversible doom.

"The pursuit of cultivation is the pursuit of unfettered freedom, Your Highness. Go forth in your quest, and let us deal with any peril that lies before you," the Evening Star said with a chuckle, stroking his beard without trying to lower his voice, his words full of arrogance.

This caused the cultivators around to look at him with astonishment. His attire seemed otherworldly, and coupled with his inscrutable cultivation, it was clear he was a strong figure who dared to stand against the Divine Sword Hall.

"How could I bow and scrape before those with power, and make myself unable to smile freely? Haha! Your Highness, Li Bai admires your spine!" Li Bai laughed heartily, his spontaneous verse sending tremors through the other cultivators.

How could I bow and scrape before those with power... and make myself unable to smile freely...

Although the poem sounded stubborn, the meaning it conveyed resonated with the cultivators, awakening a sense of admiration within them.

Qin Jun wished he could kiss Li Bai; the poem was from "Dreaming of a Farewell at the Heavenly Mountain," and cultivators in this world would not have heard it.

It seems the poem should be renamed "Veneration for the Defiant Spirit of King Yue, Qin Jun" in the future!

Damn, it does have a ring to it, doesn’t it?

"Hmph! You will regret this!"

The black-robed man snorted coldly, and after speaking, turned to leave, followed closely by the other two. As envoys of the Divine Sword Hall, they naturally wouldn’t beg Qin Jun to join.

However, today’s events would surely embarrass the Divine Sword Hall, and they would need to report back to the elders.

After the three envoys from the Divine Sword Hall had left, Jia Xun spoke anxiously, "Your Highness, why did you refuse? The throne of the Qianyue Kingdom will surely be yours in the future, and you could have used these years to cultivate well within the Divine Sword Hall!"

"These years?" Qin Jun shook his head with a smile, "I cannot afford to wait that long."

He now wielded enough power to destroy kingdoms; there was no need to wait for a few more years, and besides, whatever the Divine Sword Hall could offer him, he could achieve with his mythology system!

Endless battling, triggering side quests—far stronger than toeing the line and training like a errand dog!

"This..."

Jia Xun wanted to persuade him but, seeing Qin Jun’s confident expression, didn’t know how to proceed.

Qin Jun returned to his seat, and Daji and the others followed suit. Seeing this, Jia Xun reluctantly sat down, suppressing his restless heart.

Feng Yixuan focused on Qin Jun and Li Yuanba, intending to step forward and challenge them, but Li Yuanba suddenly glared at him, scaring him into quickly turning and leaving, causing the surrounding cultivators to exchange glances.

What could have been a highly anticipated battle between talents was cut short by the arrival of the Divine Sword Hall.

"This is what it means to be a true chosen one," Yang Lan said, her face full of admiration as she watched Qin Jun at the next table, while Ye Xuan, Zong Yan, and Murong Xuan exchanged glances.

Zhu Yanqing kept her gaze on Qin Jun’s back, her eyes equally lost.

This scene caused Ye Xuan’s heart to bleed, and he felt powerless at the same time.

Even he had to admit that Qin Jun was too outstanding!

"Ah, why hasn’t that clichéd plot twist from the novels descended upon us?"

Qin Jun lamented as he watched Feng Yixuan’s retreating back, genuinely looking forward to Feng Yixuan’s challenge and the subsequent side quest it might trigger. Alas, the fellow had been frightened away by Li Yuanba.

"What does clichéd plot twist mean?" Li asked curiously.

"It means a plot that is overly conventional and childish," Qin Jun explained with a shrug.

Li nodded as if she half understood and the group continued their meal, while Li Bai, unable to help himself, continued to spontaneously recite poems, attracting the attention of the other cultivators.

Show-off!

Just as Qin Jun was about to pick up his chopsticks, a system notification sounded in his mind:

"Ding! The monthly God and Demon summoning has arrived, and you can summon a God or Demon at random!"