Who let him join the Sword Sect?!

Zhang Ze thought his plan was simply genius.

Since the Sect Leader wanted to play the identity game, he would go along with it and strike from a direction unfamiliar to the Sect Leader.

Old Ascender is bound to be stubborn and unable to accept new things.

When the card game starts, he will surely lose terribly, covered in notes, but the Sect Leader cannot lose his temper as his identity is hidden.

Although there's a risk of provoking a tiger, Zhang Ze felt as long as he pretended to know nothing, everything could be explained away.

Kids just love to play, and those senior and junior brothers did it too.

The Sword Sect is a reputable sect and cannot kill anyone over this trivial matter.

"Old Ascender, you're set to lose this with no complaints," Zhang Ze chuckled inwardly, sneaking a glance at Zhong Hui.

It's him, Old Ascender is disguised as Zhong Hui.

After all the checks along the way, Zhang Ze had concluded that Old Ascender was Zhong Hui, and Zhong Hui was Old Ascender.

Calming his excited emotions, Zhang Ze started distributing the card decks to everyone.

And he kindly invited his Senior Brother Zhong to start a round.

The outcome of this round was just as Zhang Ze expected, with Zhong Hui losing quickly.

"Activating trap card, Fuji's Treasure,..."

Zhang Ze swiftly ended the game and then stuck a note on Zhong Hui's face.

To avoid making his intentions too obvious, he divided the group into teams and began a chaotic fight.

Naturally, it was still Zhong Hui who lost the most, but to Zhang Ze's surprise, Junior Brother Wei had a talent and kept winning.

And he was the one who pasted the most notes on Zhong Hui's face.

Zhong Hui's face under the notes also looked a bit ugly, as if he couldn't hold it anymore.

Zhang Ze, having drunk a couple of sips of b wine and after embarrassing Old Ascender, was feeling a bit intoxicated and already blissfully unaware of directions.

Zhang Ze hugged Junior Brother Wei, patting his shoulder vigorously.

"Wei, you're amazing, look at Senior Brother Zhong, he, haha..."

"It's my first time playing, not as good as Senior Brother Zhang." Junior Brother Wei smiled bashfully.

"I'm telling the truth, come by the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion another day, I'll host you, come for a drink."

With that, he tried to force wine on Wei.

"No, no, I can't." Junior Brother Wei quickly waved his hand.

As Zhang Ze raised his hand, someone caught it.

Zhang Ze turned around to find it was his brother-in-law.

The brother-in-law looked at Zhang Ze like he was a nutcase, took the wine jug from him, and stepped back, bowing respectfully to Wei.

"Father, it's done."

Wei sighed, "You really are boring."

After saying that, he waved to Chen Mushi, and Pavilion Master Chen obediently turned and left.

"Still want to drink?" the Sect Leader of the Sword Sect, whose real name was Chen Qianhu, removed Zhang Ze's hand from his shoulder.

As the mountain wind blew, Zhang Ze's drunkenness faded. He dared not look at the Sect Leader but glanced at Zhong Hui and the others.

Planning to drag a few down with him.

But Zhong Hui and the others smiled at Zhang Ze, then they all transformed into the Sect Leader's appearance and disappeared into thin air.

All these people were the Sect Leader's Dharma Aspect incarnations.

"You, his face, his body..." Zhang Ze was somewhat incoherent.

What happened to the three-meter-tall, bald, white-bearded, muscular Sword Venerate?

Zhang Ze felt deceived.

"This is my true form." The Sect Leader looked at Zhang Ze with interest.

Zhang Ze was trembling all over, or rather his whole body was shaking from being toyed with by the Sect Leader.

He vowed in his heart never to drink with the Chen Family again.

B wine is harmful.

And he suddenly realized one thing, he understood who his Junior Sister's face-changing acting talent came from.

Her father.

As expected, Old Ascender had the upper hand.

The willing-to-lose Zhang Ze respectfully got up, stood in front of the Sect Leader, and saluted.

"Hello, Father-in-law." He tried to get closer.

"A bit early." The Sect Leader's tone was flat and without waves.

As Zhang Ze was wondering whether to address him as Uncle Chen or Brother Chen, he saw the Sect Leader wave his hand.

"Just call me Sect Leader, it'll be easier for you."

"Hello, Sect Leader." Zhang Ze greeted him again.

"Hmm." The Sect Leader nodded.

Just then, the mountain breeze blew away the last bit of Zhang Ze's alcohol, and his mind cleared up again.

"Hey! Just now I called him father-in-law, and Old... Sect Leader wasn't angry but said it was a bit early?"

"Does that mean it's a done deal?!"

With the sunlight, Zhang Ze started to shine again.

As he planned to flatter the Sect Leader by praising his strategic brilliance, he heard the Sect Leader say, "Zhong Hui's remark was indeed my oversight, you noticing it was great."

"It's just that everyone around you was me, so it didn't affect the outcome."

Zhang Ze felt this was praise from the Sect Leader, so he started to climb up the pole.

"Sect Leader's strategy of countering with the same trick is really high, that Elder Ma..."

The Sect Leader frowned, "That wasn't me, it was Ma."

Judging from the Sect Leader's tone, he didn't seem to like this topic, so Zhang Ze shut his mouth again.

Probably the Sect Leader also felt that Elder Ma's matter wasn't worth discussing, remembering what he said on the mountain path, he sighed.

"The Sword Sect's rules still stand, so Elder Ma's thirty years of salary are gone."

Zhang Ze kept his mouth shut, feeling the topic was not connectable.

All he could do was pray in his heart for Elder Ma, who suffered an unexpected calamity.

After disciplining Elder Ma, the Sect Leader beckoned to Zhang Ze, signaling him to come over.

"I have something to ask you."

Arriving by the railing, Zhang Ze stood a bit behind the Sect Leader, waiting for his question.

Then he heard the Sect Leader ask, "Do you really plan to deduce the Heart Method?"

"Huh?" Zhang Ze wasn't worried about revealing himself, as this wasn't a secret to the Sect Leader.

Pavilion Master Zhengyi and Junior Sister all know about it, so it's normal for the Sect Leader to know.

He was just curious why the Sect Leader suddenly asked this question.

The Sect Leader misunderstood his reaction.

"In the Four Continents, you're not the only one doing this."

"And previously when you modified the Cultivation Technique in the Sword Pavilion, now that you've reached Foundation Establishment, if you continue, you'll inevitably encounter issues with the Heart Method."

"It's a hurdle everyone on this path faces."

"As for your opportunities, that's your business, I'm not concerned."

"For thousands of years, geniuses have been endless in the Four Continents, yet how many can walk alongside me?"

"Opportunities are just everywhere, just look at my little daughter, she's still a Supreme Bone."

The Sect Leader's previous statement indeed stunned Zhang Ze.

It carried the Sect Master's mighty and unrivaled air.

But when talking about Chen Qin, the Sect Leader's demeanor changed, his voice lightened, the tone lifted, quite proud.

Zhang Ze bit his lip, suppressing the urge to retort.

He also wanted to ask if Junior Sister's Supreme Bone was that Supreme Bone, but held back.

The Sect Leader seemed to realize his tone had an issue and paused for a while before continuing.

"This path is dangerous, are you aware?" the Sect Leader's dignified aura returned a bit.

Zhang Ze recalled his various ways of "dying" and nodded, "Yes."

"Continue?" the Sect Leader asked.

"Continue." Zhang Ze replied without hesitation.

"Have you thought it through?" the Sect Leader asked.

"I have." Zhang Ze answered.

The Sect Leader tapped on the railing, "If you don't take this path, you could train with me in the Sword, I could teach you."

If it was the past, Zhang Ze would have agreed without hesitation.

But that was then, and this is now.

Zhang Ze bit his lip, holding back, then he smiled.

"I'm planning to follow through with the Inference Heart Method." Zhang Ze answered decisively.

"Very good," replied the Sect Leader, evidently surprised but pleased.

After a pause to gather his thoughts, he added, "It's true that extraordinary geniuses have risen in the Four Continents over the millennia, but..."

The Sect Leader didn't continue. He simply looked at Zhang Ze, his steady gaze returning as he sized him up.

"Continue along this path, and perhaps one day, you'll meet others like you." He finally closed his thoughts.

Wordlessly, Zhang Ze nodded. In his heart, it felt like a new adventure was just about to begin.

"""