Chapter One Hundred Sixteen: The Legacy of the Dark Crow

Old Master Ling covertly gave signals to Lu Han but found it inappropriate to speak out directly.

After all, this was the Great Sage!

“That foolish boy,” Old Master Ling muttered, shaking his head. “There are those who beg in tears for the chance to inherit from a Great Sage, yet he still hesitates. If this were passed down to the Central Ancient Domain, I fear countless people would be yearning with bated breath.”

Lu Han gritted his teeth and spoke the thoughts weighing on his mind.

“Senior Ming Tian, I already have a master, so I do not wish to change allegiances,” Lu Han said firmly.

Although Lu Han did not fully comprehend the true strength of the Great Sage, from Ming Tian’s tone, it was clear that few on the entire Celestial Continent could rival him at that time. Still, Lu Han had his own principles; having already accepted Old Master Ling as his teacher, he naturally would not turn to another.

Old Master Ling was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, never expecting Lu Han’s hesitation to stem from such loyalty. A pang of sympathy stirred within him. He wondered if he himself would have made the same choice under similar circumstances.

Ming Tian, the Great Sage seated upon the throne, laughed heartily.

“Hahaha… In ancient times, countless talented youths begged to become my disciples, many with extraordinary constitutions ranking among the top. Yet even I was unmoved. And now, a mere child dares to refuse me.”

On the Celestial Continent, discipleship could be changed, but switching masters meant discarding all previous teachings—a longstanding rule since ancient times.

Ming Tian continued, “Young one, do you realize that even if I were to strip you of your current master, you would have no choice but to accept my inheritance?”

“I trust that Senior Ming Tian, as a formidable figure, would not force matters,” Lu Han responded, initially startled, then resolute.

Ming Tian smiled with a hint of warmth. “I do as I please. Nothing can bind me. If I choose to force you, what then?”

Suddenly, Ming Tian floated up, leaving the throne behind. With a wave of his massive hand, Lu Han found himself involuntarily suspended before him.

“Suppose I were to kill your master now. You’d have no master, correct?” Ming Tian said openly.

“No! Even if that were the case, I would never acknowledge your inheritance,” Lu Han replied stubbornly.

Ming Tian pressed a hand to his forehead. “This kid—he won’t even joke around!”

“My life is one of pursuing justice as I see fit. Since you have fused the remnants of the ‘Soul Codex of the Dark Crow’ and bear the bloodline of the Dark Crow, you are my heir,” the Great Sage declared.

With a flourish of his hand, Lu Han was propelled toward the Dark Crow throne.

“Senior, I...” Old Master Ling began.

“Do not worry. My ‘Soul Codex of the Dark Crow’ differs from ordinary cultivation arts. It is a soul-based technique and will not conflict with his current methods. There’s no need to discard his existing skills. That was merely a test: If he had not chosen as he did, he would have gained nothing from me. What difference would that make from betraying one’s master and ancestors?” Ming Tian said calmly.

Ming Tian then turned to Old Master Ling. “Tell me, what is your connection to the Old Ice Ghost?”

“Old Ice Ghost? Could it be...” Old Master Ling’s heart skipped a beat.

His sect was indeed founded by a powerful ancient named Ice, the sect’s patriarch.

“Do you know the founder of the Freezing Ice Sect?” Old Master Ling cautiously inquired.

“Freezing Ice Sect? Indeed. He once intended to establish a sect. I had met him a few times, considered him a friend. No wonder you carry a familiar aura. For his sake, I shall help you this once. Your situation is not as difficult as it seems. With a soul cultivation technique, restoration can be immediate. Perhaps one day you might even restore your physical body. But without the bloodline of my Dark Crow clan, you cannot truly master our ‘Soul Codex of the Dark Crow,’” Ming Tian explained.

The ‘Soul Codex of the Dark Crow’ ranked among the top three soul cultivation arts. It was not that Ming Tian was stingy; rather, Ling Old Master lacked the Dark Crow bloodline.

The gray fragment Lu Han had fused was a remnant of the original ‘Soul Codex of the Dark Crow’ left behind by Ming Tian, granting Lu Han a faint trace of the Dark Crow bloodline. The Dark Crow clan was exceedingly rare, even more so than the Golden Crow. Ming Tian could no longer sense the clan’s existence, which was why the Dark Crow throne accepted Lu Han’s faint bloodline.

It was Lu Han’s use of a technique called ‘Ten Absolute Dark Crow Fingers’ that awakened this bloodline, alerting the throne to his presence. This revealed just how tenuous his bloodline was.

“Senior Ming Tian, you say I might restore my physical body?” Old Master Ling asked, excited.

“In ancient times, there were still numerous soul techniques. I have some treasured collections. Since this technique is from the Old Ice Ghost, I suppose I have ‘stolen’ half your disciple this time—consider it a small compensation,” Ming Tian said with some helplessness. In ancient times, even sages competed to have him as a master; now, he was reduced to sharing disciples.

“As for restoring the body, this soul technique contains such records. Close your eyes,” Ming Tian instructed.

He formed a sword finger with his right hand, pointing directly at Old Master Ling’s brow.

“‘Soul Refinement Scroll,’ a mid-grade Earth-tier soul cultivation technique created by an ancient soul-refining sage...” A vast influx of information flooded Old Master Ling’s mind.

“A mid-grade Earth-tier!” Old Master Ling’s heart leapt with joy.

Soul cultivation techniques were exceedingly precious. Since the ancient and recent eras, they had gradually vanished from history. Today, even an Earth-tier soul technique was worth a fortune, and no one would exchange a mid-grade Earth-tier for a higher-grade one lightly. Soul techniques were simply too rare.

Suppressing his excitement, Old Master Ling composed himself and began assimilating the profound information Ming Tian transmitted.

***

Meanwhile, Lu Han had just seated himself upon the Dark Crow throne when the surroundings shifted. He found himself in a desolate starry void, nothing but emptiness around him. Above, a massive scroll hovered.

Suddenly, the giant scroll transformed into a colossal Dark Crow, hurtling toward Lu Han.

Instinctively, Lu Han dodged.

“Whoosh!”

The Dark Crow grew smaller, diving straight into Lu Han’s mind.

“Ah!!!” Lu Han clutched his head, screaming wildly.

He felt as if his skull would split apart.

Suddenly, a familiar sensation surged within. His hands instinctively formed the hand seals of the ‘Ten Absolute Dark Crow Fingers,’ and the throbbing pain in his head gradually faded until it vanished.

A torrent of immense knowledge swept through him.

“‘Soul Codex of the Dark Crow,’ supreme cold beast, Dark Crow...” Lu Han gradually absorbed the Dark Crow’s inheritance, piece by piece.

At this moment, Old Master Ling was also digesting the knowledge from the ‘Soul Refinement Scroll.’

Ming Tian stood with hands behind his back, observing Lu Han. A flicker of strangeness shone in his eyes.

“Though altered, this is undeniably from that clan. That aura is unmistakable. With the inheritance of my Dark Crow clan and that clan’s essence combined, I find myself somewhat eager to witness this youngster’s future growth. Alas, I will not live to see it,” Ming Tian sighed. This was but a fragment of his consciousness residing within the Dark Crow throne. Once Lu Han fully accepted the inheritance, Ming Tian would vanish completely.