"What's the matter, young man?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

That night, at the peak of Proud Sword Mountain, with a voice full of amusement echoing, the boy kneeling in the snow looked up at the night sky.

Immediately following, a figure appeared in the night sky, clad in dark battle armor, a dark cape swirling amidst the icy wind!

That face, majestic and handsome, carried a hint of a serene smile, with black hair billowing wildly in the night wind, like a Demon Monarch descending upon this world!

"You! You! It's you! It's actually you!" Instantly, the kneeling boy in the snow recognized the person emerging in the night sky!

"Oh? You recognize me?" Hearing the boy's words below, even the person standing imposingly in the sky like a demon was slightly surprised, speaking.

"Of course! Of course I recognize you!" The boy, with a matter-of-fact demeanor, said, "I've seen your portrait! It's definitely you! You are Emperor Nine Nether, Netherworld! The strongest in our Tianheng Continent!"

"Heh, it seems you truly recognized me." Hearing the boy announce his name, Netherworld, standing imposingly in the night sky, let out a "heh".

Yet, his face didn't show much surprise. The name of Netherworld, shaking the world, his portrait had long spread throughout the Five Domains!

Then, Netherworld smiled and asked, "On this snowy day, why are you kneeling here? Did you commit some wrongdoing and were punished to kneel by your elders?"

"I..." Hearing Netherworld's words, the boy recalled earlier events, his face once again showing a trace of anger, saying, "They said I violated the Ten Thousand Swords Manor's rules! Punished me to kneel here for three days and nights!"

While saying this, the boy's face was full of defiance!

Proud Sword Mountain! Ten Thousand Swords Mountain! Proud Sword Manor! Ten Thousand Swords Manor!

The mountain where the two were situated was anciently called Proud Sword Mountain. However, for reasons unknown, over countless years, Proud Sword Mountain suddenly renamed itself to Ten Thousand Swords Mountain.

Nonetheless, Ten Thousand Swords Mountain, even now, some still call it Proud Sword Mountain, and Ten Thousand Swords Manor is still referred to by its ancient name, Proud Sword Manor.

Seeing the boy's defiant expression, Netherworld seemed intrigued, and said, "Oh, would you care to tell me?"

The boy angrily spoke again, "This morning, Yun Yiji deliberately sought me out, trying to stir trouble! I originally tolerated him, didn't want to pay attention to him, didn't want to argue with him, I... couldn't beat him. But he kept pressing, inching forward, so I taught him a harsh lesson!"

"Hmm?" Hearing the boy's words, Netherworld lightly said, "You said you couldn't beat him, so how did you teach him a harsh lesson?"

"I led him into a trap I dug a few days ago, it's his own foolishness! He brought it upon himself, so he can't blame me!" The boy said.

"I see!" Netherworld nodded with a smile, saying:

"Because your cousin got injured in a trap you set, so your Yun Family's elders made you kneel alone in this snow to reflect?"

"I did nothing wrong! I don't need to reflect!" At this moment, Yun Yimeng shouted almost defiantly, facing the person in the void.

"Last time Yun Yiji beat me half to death, breaking several ribs, I lay bedridden for months unable to move, did anyone say anything?

That time my injuries were far more severe than Yun Yiji's, and the Yun Family people? Did they punish Yun Yiji?

The next day, Yun Yiji still came to my bedside to flaunt!

This time, it's Yun Yiji who brought it upon himself, yet everyone criticizes me! Calls me deceitful, calls me vicious! Says I'm unfit to be Yun Family!

If not for my father pleading before Manor Master and elders, I wouldn't just be kneeling here for three days and nights to reflect, they would have expelled me from Ten Thousand Swords Manor, expelled me from Yun Family!

Only because Yun Yimeng is a cultivation waste! They're looking down on me!

No matter how hard I try, how diligently I work, I can't break through the barrier to become a Two-star Martial Disciple! I, Yun Yimeng, am fourteen this year yet still a mere One-star Martial Disciple, I'm unwilling! I'm unwilling! I'm unwilling to be a waste. I won't be looked down upon anymore!"

Towards the end, Yun Yimeng's every word was practically shouted out in excitement!

With fists clenched, the body kneeling in the snow started trembling violently.

Netherworld saw in him sheer unwillingness!

At that moment, the snow in the night sky began falling heavier, each snowflake like goose feathers, and the night wind suddenly howled more fiercely, "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

The night wind was like a cold blade, slicing against the boy's body.

Netherworld saw, because of the cold, the boy's body trembling more violently at this moment.

He wore only a thin garment.

A mere Two-star Martial Disciple, despite channeling all the Primordial Power in his Dantian, couldn't withstand the cold of this land.

At this time, Netherworld spoke again to the boy, saying:

"I've already sensed, at this moment aside from you and me, there's no one else on this mountain peak. You don't need to remain kneeling, you should stand and rest for a bit. There's a cave not far away where you can light a fire and warm yourself."

"No! I won't!" As soon as Netherworld spoke, defiance flooded the boy's face again, speaking stubbornly to the person in the night sky:

"They want me to kneel for three days and nights, then I'll kneel for three days and nights, I'll kneel for them to see! I want them to know, I, Yun Yimeng, am! Not! A! Waste! I'm not!"

"Every moment I, Yun Yimeng, kneel on this snowy ground, will be etched into my mind!"

Hearing Yun Yimeng's words, Netherworld suddenly grinned again, watching the boy still kneeling unmoving below, he said no more.

Then, Yun Yimeng suddenly remembered the identity of the person in the night sky again, and suddenly said:

"You are Emperor Nine Nether, the strongest in Tianheng Continent, and your disciples Lingg Yefeng, Mo Xiaoyao, Leng Aoyue, Luo Qingchuan, are now renowned Martial Artists. You can certainly make me no longer a waste, you can certainly lead me on the path of strength, please take me as your disciple! I beg you!"

"Master!" At the last word, "Master," Yun Yimeng kowtowed deeply to the person in the night sky, wanting to become a disciple.

"Heh, you want to take me as your master?" Hearing Yun Yimeng's words, the person in the night sky suddenly laughed, asking in return, "Why should I take you as a disciple?"

"I..." Hearing the question, the snow-covered boy lifted his head, looking back at the man in the night sky, momentarily speechless, not knowing how to answer.

Silently to himself:

"Yes! He is the strongest in Tianheng Continent, those wanting to be his disciples are more than millions, why should he take me as a disciple? Why would he take a waste like me?" His mind had a touch of self-mockery.

"Alright, once you know how to answer me, come find me at Heavenly Cloud Valley. I'll be there these few months!" These words echoed through the world, gradually fading away, the figure like a Divine Demon disappearing into the night sky.

...

"Master!"