Chapter Twenty-Five: Are You Willing to Take Me as Your Master?

Outside, the mercenaries could feel the cavern shaking violently. Some shouted about going in to take a look, but everyone just glanced at each other, none daring to make a move.

Coughing, Lu Han emerged from the cave, his face and hair covered in dust.

"Kid, where's our captain? What's going on in there?" Zheng Qi drew his long blade and pressed it against Lu Han's throat. From his expression, it was clear that if Lu Han didn't give an answer, his head might soon no longer be his own.

"Well... it's like this. The two captains started fighting inside. It looks like they're determined to settle it to the death. You'd better go in and help; the way the cave's shaking, things must have gotten serious." Lu Han lied without the slightest hesitation.

"Impossible. The captain said he wouldn't make a move on Li Hu unless he was confident. And how could there be such a commotion?" Zheng Qi's blade flashed as he pressed it closer to Lu Han's neck.

"They seemed to have started fighting over the legacy of a King of Earth expert," Lu Han whispered.

"A King of Earth expert? No wonder..." Zheng Qi, though aware of the treasure map, didn't know exactly what lay within. His life had been saved by Iron Mad, and he never asked more than he should.

That explained it: the legacy of a King of Earth was enough to make even a Profound Lord fight to the death.

"You few, follow me in to help the captain," Zheng Qi commanded, gesturing for some of the stronger mercenaries to enter the cave with him.

"Brat, time to slip away..."

Seeing Zheng Qi and several others entering, members of the Flying Tiger Mercenary Group followed suit but, after only a few steps, hurriedly rushed back out.

"Quick... out! The cave is collapsing!"

Just as everyone scrambled out of the entrance—

Boom!

The entire cave collapsed.

"Too close. One step slower and we would've been buried alive," someone said with lingering fear.

"It wasn't the two captains fighting at all. That kid must've known the cave was about to collapse and tried to kill us!"

"Where is he?"

Lu Han had already slipped away while everyone was distracted by the stone cave.

"You bunch of useless fools—two hundred of you can't keep an eye on a single brat." Zheng Qi was furious, having been outwitted by a teenager for no reason.

"Now, since I have the highest cultivation, I'll take command. Leave some men here to dig open the cave—we need to find the captains, dead or alive. The rest will come with me to chase down that brat. He must know something, and besides, we can't let him off for what happened to our vice-captain." Zheng Qi clenched his fist. As vice-captain for years, he'd earned considerable authority. The Flying Tiger Mercenary Group had been leaderless ever since Li Hu made his own vice-captain his scapegoat; now, no one dared take the position.

Everyone looked at each other in silence, tacitly agreeing—none dared oppose Zheng Qi, whose cultivation was on the verge of breaking through to Innate.

After fleeing for most of the day until nightfall, Lu Han, following the old man's guidance, arrived at an unknown cave.

"Old man, are you finally going to explain what's going on?" Lu Han sat on the ground in the small, unfamiliar cave, slowly feeding the campfire. The flames crackled as he added wood.

"Kid, this Sky Vest King was likely an ancient array master, a profession long extinct in the northern reaches. He probably inherited some secrets from the ancient era. The village you entered was merely an illusion he created to test you... The Sky Vest King wanted to see what you were made of," the old man explained as the fire blazed brighter with more wood.

According to the old man, all three of them had entered the illusion, deliberately left by the Sky Vest King as a trial. Lu Han passed and received the scroll. As for the other two, it seemed one had failed—no wonder they had looked so deranged at the time; likely, they had slain the women and children within the illusion.

"The Sky Vest King certainly put much thought into this. If I had made the same choice as Iron Mad and Li Hu, I’d probably be buried in that cave now," Lu Han mused.

"Innocence after virtue, pure as a child! Haha... Well done! Brat, you passed both the Sky Vest King's and my own tests," the old man said, stroking his beard proudly.

"Your test? What test?" Lu Han was puzzled.

"Why do you think Iron Mad caught up with you so quickly? I left markers along the path for them..."

"I'll kill you, you old rascal!" Before the old man could finish, Lu Han flew into a rage. No wonder Iron Mad had found him so swiftly; it hadn't made sense at the time, and now he realized the old man was behind it all. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

"Don't run! Do you know you nearly got me killed?" Lu Han chased the old man around the fire.

"Brat, I just wanted you to gain some experience. Besides, with me around, what danger could there be? Rescuing you from a mere Innate cultivator is nothing for me," the old man boasted.

"Fine, whatever. I'm out of danger now, so say whatever you want. By the way, what about this so-called test of yours?" Lu Han asked.

"Watch carefully." The old man's expression grew serious. He picked up a burning stick from the fire, and a white mist shot from his palm.

Sizzle...

The stick instantly froze into a sculpture of ice.

"This..."

"My attribute is ice, and it's pure. If you rate your potential at five, I am a ten. Would you be willing to take me as your master?" the old man asked.

"Why choose me?" Lu Han wondered, since the old man was now free to move and could seek a more talented student.

"There are eight attributes in the world. Single-attribute talents—especially wind, thunder, and ice—are incredibly rare, one in millions. I finally came across one, even if you're not highly accomplished yet—I'll make do. Most importantly, you have a pure and innocent heart. Besides, I don't know how many years I have left—three? Five?" The old man's words carried a tinge of sorrow; if he didn't find an heir soon, his legacy would vanish with him.

"In that case... Old man, I'll humble myself and accept you as my master." Lu Han had learned much during his time with the old man. After all, having an experienced teacher was a treasure, not a loss. He would finally have someone to answer his questions about martial arts.

"Humble yourself? Back in the day, countless people begged to learn from me, and I refused them all. Now you're acting like I'm the one at a loss?" the old man glared.

"Well, master, since you're so impressive, why not show me a dozen Heaven-grade techniques to choose from..."

Thump—

The old man flicked Lu Han on the head. "Brat, Heaven-grade techniques? If I had those, would I be in this state? If you can bring out a Heaven-grade manual, I'll be your disciple!"

Lu Han rubbed his forehead.

"Now that you're my disciple, of course I have something good for you. Here, take this." The old man coughed, tossing a ring to Lu Han.

"There's a cultivation technique inside, the one you snatched earlier. Don't worry, its original owner is dead."

Lu Han slipped the ring onto his finger. With a thought, a scroll appeared in his hand.

He focused his mind on it.

"Heavenly Frost Cold Qi—mid-grade Profound-level ice attribute technique. Mastery produces Heavenly Frost Qi, rivaling high-grade Profound techniques."

"Rivaling high-grade Profound techniques!"

"Master!" Without hesitation, Lu Han knelt. High-grade Profound techniques! In all of Maple Leaf City, even the lord only possessed a mid-grade Profound technique inherited from his clan. Only a fool would refuse such a master.

The old man watched Lu Han kneeling, the corner of his mouth twitching. "So it's the technique that works best, eh!"