Gods of Destruction

Chapter 16 The Azure Bamboo Hall

"Innate Fire Spirit Body!"Sect Master Amir and the seven elders exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with shock. The red-robed woman was even more excited, her eyes sparkling with a radiant gleam. In a flash  of red light, she leaped to Shirin's side, grasping her delicate arm, her excitement growing even more evident.Those with an Innate Spirit Body are born from the essence of heaven and earth, possessing an exceptionally keen sensitivity to the elements, making them perfect candidates for cultivating the path of sorcery.Unable to hide the smile on her face, the red-robed woman returned to her seat, overjoyed. "I never imagined that this young girl would have an Innate Fire Spirit Body. It's most fitting for her to enter the Spell Hall and inherit my legacy."The other seven elders displayed varying degrees of envy. An Innate Spirit Body was an exceedingly rare constitution, even in the long history of the Netherworld Sect. The fact that the red-robed woman could receive such a disciple to inherit her legacy naturally stirred feelings of jealousy among the others.Now, Abbas had been accepted as a disciple by the Sect Master of the Netherworld Sect, Hina had joined the Purple Thorn Hall, and Shirin was poised to inherit the red-robed woman's mantle. However, Nasser Reza, whose displayed strength and aptitude were only average among the disciples of the sect, had yet to be claimed by any elder.Amir turned his gaze toward a man on his right, who appeared quite ordinary but bore a look of determination in his eyes. "Brother Hassan," Amir said, "besides the Nameless Hall, it's your Azure Bamboo Hall that has the fewest disciples. How about you take in this remaining boy?"Hassan, the head of Azure Bamboo Hall, responded calmly, "I have no objections. However, since it was Uncle Saeed who recommended these four to our Netherworld Sect, I wonder if he intended for them to inherit the martial arts of the Nameless Hall."As soon as Hassan finished speaking, Amir's expression darkened. The Nameless Hall's former heads had always been renowned for their unparalleled prowess in martial arts, far surpassing the other elders, and even the Sect Master could barely match them.Among the four—Hina and Shirin had shown exceptional talent in the mystical arts, while Nasser Reza's aptitude was merely average within the entire Netherworld Sect. Only Abbas, who excelled in both martial arts and mystical arts, possessed extraordinary talent in both disciplines.If Saeed intended to choose one among the four to inherit the martial legacy of the Nameless Hall, it would undoubtedly be Abbas. But how could Amir willingly hand over his newly accepted disciple to the nearly extinct and empty Nameless Hall?"Did Uncle Saeed ever mention that he intended for you to inherit his legacy?" Amir asked, frowning slightly as he glanced disapprovingly at Hassan, clearly dissatisfied with his earlier remark. He then turned to the four, his voice tinged with unease."Master, Saeed did not mention anything about it," Abbas replied.Upon hearing Abbas's response, the slight frown on Amir's face immediately eased, replaced by a look of regret that couldn't quite conceal the hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. "It's truly a pity that the Nameless Hall has no one to pass on its legacy. However, since Uncle Saeed didn't specify who should inherit his teachings, we have no right to make that decision ourselves. We'll wait until the day Uncle Saeed returns to the sect and let him decide."With that, Amir deliberately tossed the token that Saeed had given the four of them to Nasser Reza, saying, "Keep this token as a memento."The seven elders all nodded in agreement. None of them saw the need to challenge Amir on this matter, especially considering they had no idea when Saeed might return to the Netherworld Sect.Seeing no objections from the others, Amir smiled, clearly pleased with the outcome. "Since everyone is in agreement, then it's settled. You may all return to your duties.""Farewell," they replied, taking their leave.The seven elders voiced their farewells and promptly began to exit the hall. Abbas remained with Amir, while Hina and Shirin were taken away by Maha and the woman in red. Nasser Reza, on the other hand, followed Hassan out of the hall."The Green Bamboo Hall is quite a distance from this Heavenly Dragon Hall. Since your cultivation is still low, let me take you there myself," Hassan said. Without waiting for Nasser Reza to respond, he lifted Nasser Reza by the arm. Before Nasser Reza could react, the two of them suddenly appeared on a white marble plaza.Startled, Nasser Reza was about to catch his breath when his surroundings suddenly changed again. Looking around in shock, he realized they had already left the plaza and were now soaring through the air. The wind rushed beneath their feet, and the clouds rapidly receded around them. Glancing down, the depths below were unfathomable, and the strong winds made it difficult for him to keep his eyes open.Nasser Reza's heart raced with surprise. He had initially thought that his mediocre display of talent had led Amir to casually assign him to the Green Bamboo Hall, likely because Hassan's strength was considered lower among the elders. However, he hadn't expected Hassan to possess such formidable abilities.The mountain peak where the Green Bamboo Hall was situated was relatively low, yet its summit was still shrouded in mist, with wisps of smoke curling gently in the air.Under Hassan's swift flight, it took only the time of a cup of tea for the two of them to reach the Green Bamboo Hall.The hall was located halfway up the mountain, nestled among verdant bamboo groves. The bamboo was lush and green, standing tall and sturdy. Scattered among the groves were over a dozen bamboo huts, their yellowish hue exuding a sense of elegance and simplicity. Occasionally, a gentle breeze would pass through, causing the bamboo to sway and rustle softly. The leaves fluttered down, adding to the tranquil atmosphere.Surrounding the bamboo huts were clusters of delicate, vibrant flowers, adding a splash of color to the serene environment.The air in the garden was exceptionally fresh and moist, invigorating anyone who breathed it in.Nasser Reza couldn't help but silently praise the place: What a wonderful place to live.As he was entranced by the scenery before him, a cheerful voice suddenly rang out from behind one of the bamboo huts."Father, you're back!"The cheerful voice alone was enough to lift the spirits of anyone who heard it, bringing a sense of joy along with it. Moments later, a bright and lively figure appeared before Nasser Reza. Upon closer inspection, it was a young woman with a beautiful face and a radiant smile.Noticing Nasser Reza standing beside Hassan, the young woman smiled sweetly and said, "You must be my father's new disciple, right? Nice to meet you, I'm Dina."With that, she extended her hand with a warm and friendly smile.Faced with the lively and charming girl before him, Nasser Reza found himself momentarily at a loss for words.Although Hina, Shirin, and Dina could all be considered stunning beauties, their personalities and temperaments were vastly different.Hina's beauty lay in her icy demeanor, that cold and aloof aura that sparked a desire in men to conquer her; Shirin's charm was in her shyness, the kind of delicate bashfulness that made any man want to immediately take her into his arms and savor her sweetness.Dina's beauty, however, was found in her lively and cheerful nature. Just hearing her voice and seeing her appearance could instantly lift anyone's spirits. While her looks might be slightly less striking compared to Hina and Shirin, her exuberant personality more than made up for it.Ever since the massacre of Nasser Reza's village, he had become withdrawn and reserved, speaking little even when he was with Abbas, Hina, or Shirin. So when the usually silent Nasser Reza suddenly encountered someone as lively and talkative as Dina, he found himself at a loss for words.Seeing Nasser Reza remain silent, Dina put her hands on her hips, pouted slightly, and pretended to be angry, though there was an undeniable cuteness to her expression. "You're so rude! When someone greets you, you don't even bother to respond," she said, playfully feigning annoyance."Greetings, Senior Sister. I am Nasser Reza, and I have just joined the Qingzhu Hall," Nasser Reza finally spoke."Senior Sister?" Dina looked momentarily stunned, then quickly understood, her face lighting up with joy. "That's right, you're new to the sect, so you should call me Senior Sister. Haha, this is wonderful! Finally, someone is calling me Senior Sister. I'm no longer the youngest."As Dina basked in her happiness, three more figures emerged from the bamboo house. One of them, a young man in white attire with a clean appearance, smiled and asked, "What's made our little Junior Sister so happy?""Second Senior Brother, my father has taken in a new disciple, so I finally have someone calling me Senior Sister," Dina said, lifting her chin with delight.Upon hearing this, the three of them couldn't help but smile slightly. Dina had often complained about being the youngest, and now, her wish had been fulfilled.As the three approached, they composed themselves, bowed to Hassan, and addressed him as "Master.""Hmm," Hassan nodded in acknowledgment.At that moment, a fragrant breeze swept through, and a graceful figure appeared before them—it was Amina, Hassan's wife.Amina, originally a disciple of the Zijing Hall, was not only naturally beautiful but also highly skilled in the art of magic, rivaling even the current head of Zijing Hall, Zixuan. She had been much admired by the disciples of Jiu Hua Sect and was once pursued by the current head, Hua Qing. Yet, for reasons unknown, she had devoted herself to the seemingly ordinary Hassan, which left many people puzzled."Mother!" Dina called out."Master's wife!" the others greeted her respectfully.Dina and her three senior brothers said their greetings, and Nasser Reza, with a slight hesitation, also bowed and addressed Amina as "Master's wife."Hassan cleared his throat and said, "I have some matters to discuss with your master. You four take good care of our new junior brother. Dina, you'll teach Nasser Reza the Qingzhu Meditation Sutra and Qinggang Sutra for the Warrior stage. He'll be under your guidance for now.""Yes, Father," Dina responded, giving Nasser Reza a playful wink.With that, Hassan and Amina took off into the sky.As soon as Hassan left, Dina's face lit up with a cheerful expression. "Junior Brother, let me introduce you to the three senior brothers," she said, pointing to the most robust among them. "This is Senior Brother Reza, the strongest among us four.""Senior Brother," Nasser Reza greeted with a fist salute.Reza, slightly wooden, nodded in acknowledgment."And this is Second Senior Brother Zayd, the kindest of us all.""Second Senior Brother," Nasser Reza said. When Dina mentioned that Reza was the strongest among the four, Nasser Reza noticed a fleeting discomfort on Zayd's face, suggesting that the relations among the four were not entirely harmonious.Zayd smiled and said, "Hehe, Junior Brother, if you encounter any difficulties after joining Qingzhu Garden, just let us know.""This is Third Senior Brother Khalid, who is the best at cooking. We rely on him for all our meals," Dina said, pointing to the last one, who looked quite earnest."Third Senior Brother," Nasser Reza greeted.Khalid gave a simple, good-natured smile but did not speak.After the introductions were complete, Reza, Zayd, and Khalid went back to their quarters, leaving only Dina and Nasser Reza."Junior Brother, since Father asked me to teach you the Qingzhu Meditation and Qinggang Technique for the Warrior stage, we should not delay. I'll take you to the back mountain to begin your training," Dina said, her playful smile replaced with a serious expression.Nasser Reza nodded in agreement, though he mused to himself that Dina, with her playful demeanor, gave off a surprisingly brisk and spirited impression when she was serious.While Dina was about to start teaching Nasser Reza, it's worth noting that Nasser Reza, despite his recent entry into the Shadow Realm Sect and the Qingzhu Hall, was unaware that this moment would mark a significant turning point in his fate.What seemed like a mere coincidence might well be the work of fate, an intricately woven design that no one could fully understand or explain.