Pressing the imperial court, Lord Hao Tian's face grew increasingly stern. He hadn't expected that even with a closed-door disciple, things would prove so difficult. In the past, it was always Master Xiao Feng who handled the recruitment, and all he needed to do was sit back and watch the new disciples bow and present tea. Thus, he had always believed that taking disciples was a simple matter. Now, after finally finding one he truly admired, he faced resistance from his own disciples. The main reason for their opposition was Qin Feng's poor character. Have you ever met him or worked alongside him? How can you claim he lacks character simply because Master Xiao Feng was beaten up? I've fought countless people in my life—does character suddenly become an issue? As for Qin, the young lord, he simply maintains a detached, indifferent demeanor. He's not afraid of their uproar at all. The more they protest, the greater the benefits he secures. First of all, I'm the one chosen by the Heaven-Sky Hammer. If it didn't pick you, that means you're not up to par. The Heaven-Sky Emperor has finally found a promising disciple—how could he easily let that go? Furthermore, by treating the Master this way, you not only fail to achieve anything, but actually provoke the Emperor's resistance. I'm the Master, after all—how dare you dictate my decisions? Who's in charge here, you or me? I must say, Xiao Feng True Man has oversimplified the situation. He assumed that as long as the brothers and sisters united, they would surely convince the Master to abandon his intention of taking new disciples. Unbeknownst to him, the result would be the opposite. "Please, Master, retract your decision," the disciples shouted in unison. "You... you... you're absolutely wonderful! Truly, such excellent disciples of the Heaven-Sky Palace—now even capable of uniting to pressure the Master!" "Hao Tian Di, flushed and standing up from his chair, pointed at them and said, 'Listen carefully, disciples. Today, I have officially decided to take on my new disciples. Anyone who dares to obstruct me shall be held to the temple's rules.' Brother Da Mi, determined to oppose his master, couldn't swallow the indignation from being brutally beaten by Qin Feng. He raised his head and said, 'Master, if you truly insist on your course, then we shall kneel here and never rise until you abandon your intention to take new disciples.' 'Are all of you thinking the same?' Hao Tian Di asked in a steady tone. 'Yes!' the disciples shouted in unison. This gave Hao Tian Di a sense of urgency. He had always been lax in disciplining his disciples, never considering it to be a shortcoming. He hadn't expected that Qiao Feng, among all his younger brothers, possessed such strong influence, able to rally everyone to stand together. He glanced at his eldest disciple with a complex expression, then sneered, 'Do you know why I absolutely must take Qin Feng under my wing?' "No one responded; everyone kept their heads down, silently opposing the master. "I'll tell you the reason," said the Heavenly Emperor in a resonant voice. "Among you, not a single one is capable of succeeding me. To be blunt, you are all mere mediocrities." "Master, if you say that, it might be a bit unfair," replied the second disciple. "We brothers may indeed be slow-witted, but our consistent efforts are no less true. As for Qin Feng—though you've only met him once—how can you claim he surpasses us and is worthy of inheriting your teachings?" "The Emperor took a deep breath: 'Because he was chosen by the Heaven-Sky Hammer, you may be surprised. Many have asked me before—why I sealed the Hammer instead of passing it on to one of you. Today, I will tell you the reason. You will not receive the Heaven-Sky Hammer's recognition. Now, I ask you—when you were young, did I not send you to retrieve the Heaven-Sky Hammer? Did you succeed in lifting it?' Master Qiao Feng blushed: 'Reported to the Master, the disciple is clumsy and failed to lift it.' 'What about your second brother?' 'The disciple is also clumsy and failed to lift it.' 'And your third brother?' '...' After asking several others, they all gave the same answer. The Emperor then turned to others: 'Has anyone among you ever succeeded in lifting it?' 'No.' They all answered in unison. 'That is precisely why I chose Qin Feng—he was the one who successfully lifted it.' "The Emperor said with a self-deprecating tone, 'You can't even grasp my signature weapon—how dare you claim to inherit my legacy? When I sealed the Heavenly Hammer, it was truly out of necessity. With so many disciples, none of them could wield it. Then what good was it to me, adding to my own burdens? After sealing it, the Heavenly Hammer cried out night after night. I was deeply moved, yet I held back the truth, unwilling to shatter your self-esteem. So, reluctantly, I cast it out of the heavens, hoping one day to meet someone truly destined to carry it.' As he spoke, all the disciples looked down, filled with embarrassment. They had never felt ashamed for not being able to handle the Heavenly Hammer, nor had any of them deeply considered the profound meaning behind their master's actions. The Emperor's gaze swept over each of them, and he continued, 'The Heavenly Hammer has chosen to settle in the Chinese lands—proving that it was indeed the right decision. After a thousand years of patient waiting, it has finally found its destined bearer.'" "With that, he turned to Qin Feng, and Qin, without realizing it, straightened up. 'Yet you have obstructed your master's efforts to train disciples.' The Emperor sat down again, sneering, 'Reflect upon this deeply—do you truly believe this is right? Reflect once more—have you truly done this out of concern for your master, for the Huangtian Palace?' Everyone's heads bowed even lower, until Master Xiao Feng's face nearly touched the floor. As the originator of this incident, he bore an irrefutable responsibility. Inviting his younger brothers to join him in defying the Emperor was primarily driven by the lingering resentment from being beaten—when it came to the prestige of the Huangtian Palace, that was pure exaggeration. Qin still viewed the situation as a mere spectator, genuinely impressed. Who would have thought that the much-admired Huangtian Palace could also harbor its own flaws and imperfections? In fact, most people had no idea what was really going on—until the senior disciple's single remark, at which point they simply blundered over to join him, standing firmly on the same side. By the time everyone had figured things out, their gaze toward him carried a hint of resentment. Seeing that he had become the target of everyone's criticism, the senior disciple, no longer caring about his dignity, bowed deeply and said, "Master, I am at fault. I shouldn't have judged the noble with the mindset of a petty person. I willingly accept any form of punishment you see fit. Please don't be angry—especially don't let your health suffer." Huangtian Emperor sighed, then solemnly declared, "From today on, Qin Feng shall be my youngest disciple at the Huangtian Palace. I will personally train him. Anyone who dares to speak against this shall be subject to the palace regulations. Xiao Feng, since you have volunteered for punishment, if I were to overlook it, I would lose credibility. Therefore, go to the back mountain to face wall meditation. Return only when you've truly achieved inner peace, and then come back to see me."