Houtu is infatuated with me, so I made her lean against the wall.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for accepting Zhen Yuanzi as your seventh personal disciple. Rewards include the Hongmeng Classic of Mountains and Seas, the Xuanhuang Imperishable Body, the Earthly Treasure Sealing Spirit List, and the Earthly Treasure Immortal-Slaying Whip!"

As Zhen Yuanzi became Qin Ming's disciple, a system notification sounded in Qin Ming's mind.

The Hongmeng Classic of Mountains and Seas records the earth veins of the Hongmeng universe. One can absorb the energy of the earth veins of the Hongmeng universe to enhance one's cultivation. It can also assist in comprehending the most powerful spatial laws. The cultivation is divided into eleven stages, and upon completion, one can become a Great Dao Emperor.

The Undying Body of Xuanhuang: Absorbing the Qi of Xuanhuang to temper the body, when it reaches its peak, the physical body is comparable to a supreme treasure of chaos, impervious to all laws, indestructible, and the physical body can traverse the primordial chaos.

The Spirit Sealing List, a rare and precious artifact, can be used to confer titles upon spirit immortals. All spirit immortals recorded on the list are bound by it. As long as the Spirit Sealing List exists, the spirit immortals will not perish.

The Spirit-Slaying Whip, a rare and precious artifact, acts as a punishment in accordance with Heaven's will. Any cultivator struck by the Spirit-Slaying Whip will experience sluggish magical power and damaged supernatural abilities. It is especially effective against a cultivator's primordial spirit. The true spirit of a cultivator killed by it will automatically be entrusted to the Spirit Sealing List.

Combined with the Spirit Sealing List, it is comparable to a supreme innate treasure.

Looking at the cultivation techniques and spiritual treasures rewarded by the system, Qin Ming nodded in satisfaction.

"Rise. Today you have formally acknowledged me as your master, and I cannot refrain from making any gesture!"

"These are the Primordial Classic of Mountains and Seas, and the Undying Body of Xuanhuang. These two techniques are compatible with you. I hope you will study them diligently in the future!"

"This is the Spirit Sealing List, an extraordinary treasure from the earth, which can be used to confer titles upon Spirit Immortals. This is the Spirit Strike Whip, an extraordinary treasure from the earth, which can be used to punish on behalf of Heaven and can help you be conferred titles upon Earth Immortals. When fighting enemies, it can specifically target the enemy's primordial spirit and can help you protect yourself. When the Spirit Sealing List and the Spirit Strike Whip are combined, they can be compared to innate supreme treasures, combining offense and defense."

With that, Qin Ming activated his Great Dao Divine Eye, sealed the cultivation technique, and bestowed it upon Zhen Yuanzi.

Having received the cultivation technique and the spiritual treasure, Zhen Yuanzi's eyes gleamed with excitement. He bowed deeply once more in gratitude, saying, "This disciple thanks Master for bestowing upon me the technique and the treasure!"

"It's alright, go and have a good chat with your fellow disciples!"

Qin Ming waved his hand, lifted Zhen Yuanzi up, and transferred him to the side of the Styx River.

"My brother and I wish to become disciples of the Daoist Master. We beg for your mercy and acceptance of us as your disciples!"

"Please have mercy, Daoist Venerable. We were born in the West and have endured the Dragon-Han Calamity and the struggle between Dao and Demon, leaving the Western continent extremely barren. Please have mercy, Daoist Venerable, accept us as your disciples, and pass on your skills and teachings. In this way, when we have achieved some success in our cultivation, we can also benefit the Holy Spirits of the West."

As Qin Ming finished speaking, a sorrowful and grief-stricken voice echoed among the cultivators.

Upon hearing the two voices, the cultivators exchanged bewildered glances and looked toward the place where the voices had come from. They immediately saw one cultivator with a look of distress on his face and tears streaming down his face, prostrating himself before Qin Ming and crying out his grievances.

On the platform, Qin Ming's lips twitched imperceptibly.

These two are the same shameless Western duo from the original timeline, aren't they?

I originally thought that a great being who could become a saint and open up eight hundred side sects must be a cultivator with great perseverance, great fortune, and great merit, and should not be as incompetent as rumored.

But now it seems that these two are not just shameless, they have absolutely no shame.

Seeing that they had accepted Zhen Yuanzi and bestowed upon him cultivation techniques and spiritual treasures, these two began to recommend themselves.

They even said the West was barren.

It's incredibly barren.

He expended enormous energy to protect the main Western artery and its branches in various regions.

Although the western continent is indeed more barren than the eastern and southern continents, it is still much better than the northern continent.

This situation is infinitely better than the original Western continent, which only had most of the main vein and some branches left.

Now, these two are actually lying through their teeth in order to become my disciples.

Thinking of this, Qin Ming glanced at Hongjun without leaving a trace.

What puzzled Qin Ming was that Hongjun showed no anger at the Western duo's decision to become his disciples.

This situation startled Qin Ming.

Weren't the Western duo Hongjun's disciples?

Why isn't Hongjun angry at all now that he sees the two of them becoming his disciples?

Upon further reflection, Qin Ming understood Hongjun's thoughts.

In the original timeline, the battle between Hongjun and Luohou severely damaged the western land veins. Even though Hongjun ultimately won, he still owed the western continent a great karmic debt.

Therefore, even though Hongjun foresaw that the Western duo would betray the Daoist sect in the future, he still accepted them as disciples and granted them the opportunity to become saints, thus repaying this karmic debt.

Now, because of his own actions, he has preserved most of the earth's veins in the West, and the karmic debt owed by Hongjun is negligible.

Furthermore, since he had obtained the Twelve-Petaled Golden Lotus of Merit, the destined treasure used by the Western duo to suppress their fortune, if the Western duo were to become his disciples, Hongjun would not only be spared the karmic debt, but could also conveniently trick him as well.

"Heh heh, Hongjun, your plan is quite clever, but alas, I won't grant your wish!"

Thinking of this, Qin Ming's eyes shone brightly, focusing on the Western duo, while his right hand pretended to make calculations.

After a short while, Qin Ming sighed, "You all indeed possess great fortune and perseverance, and will achieve extraordinary things in the future."

"Unfortunately, you have no master-disciple relationship with me, but you do have a special connection with Fellow Daoist Hongjun beside me!"

"Fellow Daoist Hongjun is also a great being born at the beginning of creation, with incomparably profound cultivation. He is not far from attaining the Dao. You are destined to be with Fellow Daoist Hongjun, which is enough to show your good fortune. Do not be disappointed."

Upon hearing this, Hongjun's expression darkened visibly.

"Damn it, how did this Pure World calculate the karmic connection between me and them?"

"Could it be that he also used it for the Jade Disc of Creation?"

"That's not right. Even with the Jade Disc of Creation, without the help of the Heavenly Dao, it's still impossible to calculate so thoroughly. What's going on?"

While Hongjun was cursing under his breath, the Western duo were first disappointed, then excited.

Although I didn't succeed in becoming Qin Ming's disciple, becoming Hongjun's disciple is still pretty good.

After all, they had been watching the struggle between the Dao and the Demonic forces closely.

Hongjun possesses numerous spiritual treasures and supreme treasures, and his strength is extremely formidable.

Furthermore, even Qin Ming said that Hongjun was about to attain enlightenment, so this matter must be true.

Therefore, the Western duo looked at Hongjun with great anticipation.

It's a pity that although they were extremely eager for Hongjun to accept them as his first disciples, Hongjun seemed to have no such intention, keeping his eyes down and remaining silent.

Upon seeing this, the Western duo were taken aback, but then comforted themselves, saying, "Perhaps our time has not yet come. No rush, no rush. Since the Daoist has said so, we will surely have the opportunity to become Hongjun's disciples."

"Master Dao, may my brother and I become your disciples?"

Just then, Fuxi's words made Hongjun's heart tighten again.

Nuwa is his disciple, and an inner disciple at that. If he were to become Qin Ming's disciple, wouldn't his time to achieve Dao be postponed again?

At this moment, Hongjun could only feign composure, his eyes darting nervously towards Qin Ming.

Noticing Hongjun's expression, Qin Ming chuckled inwardly, but on the surface he fell into deep thought.

This scene made Hongjun extremely uneasy, as if he were sitting on pins and needles.