C586 Accepting a Disciple

The elder from Forgeroses, his face contorting in shock, let out a cry of alarm.

A wisp of his vitality, having shot out from his body, beheld the Blood Altar in Yu Yuan's little world, forged from the Sunsorrow of the giant beast.

His vitality, like an eye, fixated on the altar that shimmered like blood jade, flickering incessantly.

Whoosh!

The Blood Altar, floating at the center of the little world of vitality, suddenly surged towards the Eye of Vitality.

The bald elder's face fell as he huffed, "It's that accursed thing!"

Whoosh!

A strand of his vitality made a swift escape! Before Yu Yuan could even react, with lightning speed, he channeled the vitality into the gathering place of Yu Yuan's spiritual energy—the Golden Sanctum little world.

"The Golden Sanctum little world, such refinement and concentration of spiritual energy, the breadth of the Qi Sea!" he exclaimed once more. He then scrutinized Yu Yuan with a gaze as if beholding a demon and declared, "The Golden Acupoints have been tempered no less than seven or eight times!"

It was exceedingly challenging for outsiders to discern the nuances of the Golden Sanctum little world after several rounds of tempering.

Even those of higher cultivation levels could not perceive its depth with the naked eye.

One would need to probe with a remnant soul or, like him, employ a unique vitality sense to possibly gauge how many times a Golden Sanctum little world had been refined.

"Seven to eight times!"

Chen Qingyan of the Sword Sect, upon hearing this, was visibly astounded.

She had deliberately sought out information on Yu Yuan's whereabouts and actions within the Sword Sect.

The details she had gathered pertained only to Yu Yuan's travels, deeds, and the realms he had attained.

The number of times Yu Yuan's Golden Sanctum Acupoint had undergone purification and refinement was beyond her knowledge.

To learn that Yu Yuan had tempered his spiritual energy little world seven or eight times within the Golden Sanctum realm left her somewhat unsettled.

She was the unparalleled prodigy chosen by the Sword Sect, the pride of the Chen family from the Songbird Empire, yet she was taken aback by this revelation.

The vitality within this little world is exhibiting such unusual phenomena, and the Golden Sanctum has been refined seven or eight times..."

The bald elder stroked his chin thoughtfully before suddenly declaring, "I am Zhongli Dapan from the Forgeroses, practitioner of the Ancient Echoes of the Void! Young man, aside from being the heir to the sword sheath, do you have any other mentors or belong to any sects?"

Yu Yuan, battered and weak, replied faintly, "Not yet."

Zhongli Dapan's eyes sparkled as he burst into laughter, "I wish to take you on as my apprentice!"

Chen Qingyan, overhearing Shen Feiqing's revered instructor reveal his identity and then express his desire to accept Yu Yuan as a disciple, was momentarily taken aback. "Accept him as a disciple?"

Yu Yuan was equally astonished.

"The master of the sword sheath has long since passed away. Without guidance, it would be a challenge for you to attain his level of swordsmanship," chuckled Zhongli Dapan with a sly grin. "But I am different! If you agree to train with me, once we escape the Sword Prison, I vow to return to the Forgeroses and reclaim all that is rightfully mine!"

"I am destined to be the current leader of the Forgeroses! And you, with only a century under my tutelage, will be prepared to succeed me as the new sect master of the Forgeroses!"

Zhongli Dapan, caught up in his own fervor, continued, "Your talent for cultivation is perfectly aligned with the Forgeroses! The foundation laid by the Terror Claws is solid, and with my refinement, you are certain to condense a Solar Spirit within a hundred years, perhaps even reaching the Unbound Realm!"

Yu Yuan, taken aback by Zhongli Dapan's zeal, inquired, "And what of Shen Feiqing?"

"Feiqing will graciously step aside for you," Zhongli Dapan asserted with an air of inevitability. "Her talent for cultivation is commendable, but it pales in comparison to yours. At most, she could reach the Unbound Realm, just as I have. That is the pinnacle for both her and me."

After a brief pause, Zhongli Dapan proclaimed with a thunderous voice, "But you, you have the potential to master the Ancient Echoes of the Void to its utmost, to refine your primordial spirit!"

Upon hearing those words, Chen Qingyan was astounded. "The Forgeroses' cultivation method focuses on physical endurance and the nurturing of the soul, culminating in the breakthrough to the primordial spirit!" She found it nearly unimaginable.

Her master had mentioned that for a sect like the Forgeroses, which emphasizes physical conditioning, condensing a primordial spirit was an arduous task.

It was rumored that the Forgeroses was an ancient sect, predating the Sword Sect, the Sunlit Order, and the Ebon Star.

The Forgeroses' lineage could be traced back to the earliest cultivators who had harnessed the art of absorbing spiritual energy for their practice.

These pioneering cultivators devised a method to engulf spiritual energy and channel it into their elixir field. Over time, this practice evolved and gave rise to the current system of cultivation.

From the moment the first primordial spirit emerged, manifesting divine might that pierced the heavens and earth, and the power of immortality, human cultivators have believed that focusing on the cultivation of the three souls of heaven, earth, and man is the true Way of Heaven.

The Soul Awakening and Veil Breaking realms were seen as merely preparatory, requiring only minor refinement to support the subsequent Lunar Spirit and Solar Spirit.

Orthodox cultivators wouldn't expend excessive energy on these two stages. Moreover, once they surpassed the Veil Breaking realm, they would cease refining their bodies and instead devote all their energy to the cultivation of the three souls of heaven, earth, and man.

Humans, unlike the evilkind, are born with inherently weaker bodies. Thus, it is prudent to play to their strengths and not engage in physical contests with the evilkind.

As a result, despite their venerable history, sects like the Forgeroses were not regarded as orthodox by the inhabitants of Euwrea.

Chen Qingyan also believed that sects overly preoccupied with physical training, such as the Forgeroses, would struggle to give rise to primordial spirits.

Yet, when Zhongli Dapan expressed his desire to take Yu Yuan as his disciple, he boldly claimed that Yu Yuan had the potential to achieve a primordial spirit.

Chen Qingyan couldn't help but wonder if Zhongli Dapan's lengthy confinement in the Sword Prison had muddled his mind.

"I'll give it some thought once you've left the Sword Prison and ascended to the leadership of the Forgeroses," Yu Yuan said with a smile.

At those words, Zhongli Dapan seemed to snap back to reality.

Yu Yuan's hesitation to immediately accept the offer indicated he had reservations. It seemed he wasn't particularly keen on the idea of becoming a disciple.

Zhongli Dapan's gaze wavered, betraying his inner turmoil.

Out of nowhere, Yu Yuan was seized by a bone-chilling terror, his heart pounding wildly.

The intense murderous intent in Zhongli Dapan's flickering eyes instinctively unsettled him.

The gaunt, bald elder of short stature underwent a sudden shift in demeanor, his presence transforming dramatically. To Yu Yuan, the old man now seemed like a giant beast cloaked in human skin.

Yu Yuan realized that his vague remarks had provoked this formidable figure from the Forgeroses, inciting the thought of slaying him right there in the Sword Prison.

And this individual indeed possessed the capability and power to do so.

"If Yu Yuan perishes in the Sword Prison, you might find yourselves unable to leave," Chen Qingyan interjected, sensing the looming danger. She quickly cautioned the bald elder to refrain from acting rashly. "As for taking a disciple, simply capture him after we're out, confine him, and he'll have no choice but to accept."

Yu Yuan tried to speak, but found himself speechless.

Zhongli Dapan, slightly appeased by Chen Qingyan's suggestion, nodded with a forced smile, "That makes sense."

No sooner had he spoken than he swept his sleeve and launched another punch.

The surging punches filled the space, completely engulfing Yu Yuan.

"Boom! Boom!"

Yu Yuan, who had just managed to sit upright, was once again subjected to excruciating torment. The overpoweringly fierce punches, seemingly capable of warping time and space, mercilessly refined his corporeal body.

"That's a relief!" Yu Yuan silently sighed in relief as he sensed Zhongli Dapan's murderous intent dissipate.

Moments later, he collapsed to the ground, barely clinging to life as if he had died yet another time.

"With that item in your little world, you needn't worry about recovery," Zhongli Dapan said, stepping forward and grasping Yu Yuan's neck. He glanced at the tunnel leading to another cave. "Helping you attain the Subtlety Realm benefits everyone in the Sword Prison. It can't just be me putting in the effort."

With those words, he tossed Yu Yuan aside.

Yu Yuan's nearly lifeless body soared like it had sprouted wings, heading toward the other cave.

"Seek out the old dragon and obtain a drop of its blood. Use the item in your little world of vitality to refine it before you return."

As Yu Yuan was about to cross through the curtain of sword light, Zhongli Dapan's voice suddenly rang out again, "That old dragon, I know he still has some fight left in him. It's about time he put in some effort."

Whoosh!

Yu Yuan breached the confinement of the sword's will and sword light, vanishing from Chen Qingyan's view as he moved to another location.

"Yu Yuan will be okay, right?" Chen Qingyan asked, concerned. "After taking such a heavy hit from you, he can barely stand. Couldn't you have waited a bit?"

"Why should he stand at all?" Zhongli Dapan let out a sinister laugh. "That old dragon isn't me. He can't dodge those sword lights. If he tries to strike at the kid, he's signing his own death warrant."

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