With his gaze on Lin Feng, Xiao Yan opened his mouth asking, "Since senior is saying this, are you indicating that you have a way to help me defeat Murong Yanran three years later?"
Lin Feng smiled cooly, "Naturally I have a way, but the final result still has to look at how determined you are and how much effort you are willing to put in."
"A master initiates the apprentice, but their skill depends on their own efforts. A rotten tree is in the end unable to achieve greatness."
Xiao Yan’s twin brows rose up, "I don’t know if in senior’s eyes I am a rotten tree or a rough diamond, but I dare to say that my determination will absolutely not falter, I will do my utter best."
The black-clothed youth’s gaze was filled with resolution, "No matter how much pain, I am able to bear it. No matter how great the trouble, I will overcome it!"
Lin Feng nodded his head, "If it’s like this then acknowledge me as your master, I will take you in."
"I also have to acknowledge you as my master?" Xiao Yan was a bit hesitant.
Lin Feng said as a matter of factly, "Anyone who enters under my teaching I will definitely teach them my all. What I want is a successor, not a half-minded opportunist."
Xiao Yan thought for a moment and then prepared to accept it.
Seeing him about to accept, Lin Feng’s heart instantly heated up. But closely afterward he sensed a slightly familiar mana fluctuation approaching the lakeside.
Twisting his head and looking over, he saw petite, purple figure rapidly rushing over.
Yan Mingyue also discovered it, her gaze looking towards the purple figure together with Lin Feng. Xiao Yan followed their gazes and looked over, becoming slightly dazed, "It’s Zhen'er?
Lin Feng secretly frowned. At such a critical moment new problems unexpectedly cropping up is what he fears the most. Even if he covets Xiao Zhen'er’s talent, right now he doesn’t wish for her to get involved and bring about more variables to the matter of him taking Xiao Yan in as his disciple.
"I don’t wish to see other people. Go greet her and see what she wants, I will wait for you here." Lin Feng said indisputably, directly ordering Xiao Yan to go and dismiss Xiao Zhen'er.
Xiao Yan looked at Lin Feng and then looked at Yan Mingyue at the side, in the end still nodding his head and heading towards Xiao Zhen'er, stopping her far away.
Lin Feng could feel Xiao Zhen'er’s surveying gaze sweeping towards him, but unsure of what excuse Xiao Yan used, he brought her and walked over towards a further area.
Yan Mingyue stared at Xiao Zhen'er’s back, her gaze filled with a radiant splendour, "The relationship between Xiao Yan and this Miss Zhen'er is extremely good, this could also be considered another fortuitous opportunity."
Lin Feng knows that in these three years she’s been hiding in Xiao Yan’s ring the whole time, maybe she already discovered the abnormalities of Xiao Zhen'er.
"In this life, anybody that you meet is a type of opportunity, although whether or not it will affect your future is hard to say." Lin Feng very casually said.
Yan Mingyue glanced at him, "Fellow Taoist Lin’s opinion is somewhat similar to that of Buddhism's."
Lin Feng smiled noncommittally, the majority of his concentration right now was all focused on the Heavenly Cage Mantra in the ring.
He tried to use his own mana to grasp the principles of the Heavenly Cage Mantra but was met with little success. Thinking of it, it had made a lot of sense, if the Heavenly Cage Mantra was so easy to see through then how could it become the Great Void Sect’s secret skill?
But for the current Lin Feng he has to crack and understand the principles of the Heavenly Cage Mantra within a short period of time or else the remnant Taotie’s spirit will reappear.
At that time Yan Mingyue will of course act to suppress it again, but Lin Feng will then have revealed his true situation. Naturally, he won’t be able to continue acting like a sagely master and Xiao Yan, the disciple that was already in his hands will also be lost.
While they were talking, Xiao Budian was standing at the side the whole time behaving well, but in the end, he was still just a child who is not even four years old yet. Very quickly his attention was attracted by a little red bird that flew over the lake.
The corner of Lin Feng’s eye swept over Xiao Budian who was restless, saying gruffly, "Go play by yourself,but don’t run too far."
"Thank you, master!" Xiao Budian let out a cheer, stretching out his body and chasing after the little red bird.
Yan Mingyue’s eyes stared at Xiao Budian’s disappearing figure, exclaiming in a low voice, "And fellow Taoist Lin says that it’s not easy finding disciples, the talent of this little disciple of yours is virtually unmatched in the world."
"Besides one of my seniors, I have never seen anyone who was able to reach the level 4 of Qi Disciple stage at such a young age."
Lin Feng smiled uncaringly, "Don’t say this in front of him, little kids cannot be praised. Once they start to get smug it’ll be difficult to scale them back."
Lin Feng was secretly laughing in his heart. You, the Great Void Sect, may be filled with prodigious geniuses, but the current Xiao Budian has still yet to display his true talent.
If not for the fact that he was harmed by his clan brother, Xiao Budian was a person that was born at the foundation establishment stage.
Although the Great Void Sect’s mega pool of prodigies still makes Lin Feng incredibly red-eyed.
He used the talent probe in the system tools before to secretly test Yan Mingyue, but he only obtained one notice from the system.
"Target matches the criterion but already has a master, needs to abolish the current master-disciple relationship to be able to become the host’s disciple."
Lin Feng said in his heart, "Looks like those who already are with a master cannot be taken as disciples if I want to steal disciples then I will first need to incite the person to betray their original school and then I can take them as a disciple."
Yan Mingyue frowned slightly, "That seems to be a fire hummingbird, this kind of spiritual creature is very rare, before I’ve only seen them at the Intense Flaming Sword Sect. I’ve never heard of fire hummingbirds in the Wuzhou region."
Lin Feng was busy in the middle of studying the Heavenly Cage Mantra, casually replying, "Maybe someone had brought it over…"
Half way through his sentence Lin Feng’s voice abruptly stopped.
Dammit, it could only be the Intense Flaming Sword Sect!
"Little red birdy, don’t run!"
Xiao Budian chased after the little red bird from behind, passing through a little forest he saw the red little bird land on the shoulder of a red-clothed person.
The person stood amongst a group of red-clothed people. A dozen people stood together, their mana surging had caused the area around them to be incredibly hot. Standing beside them was like standing beside the mouth of a volcano.
Amongst them, two of the people had mana as deep as the sea, powerful and endless, they were Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.
And the red-haired old man with a fierce appearance was at the very front, he displayed a calm look but the pressure that he brought to Xiao Budian was even greater than all of the other people combined.
"Ah!" Even though Xiao Budian is little, he is a precocious child and his eyes were very sharp. With a glance he recognized one of the red-robed youths standing in the group of people, it was precisely that Intense Flaming Sword Sect disciple that he had left behind in the mountains.
This person was respectfully saying towards the red-haired old man, "Elder Li, this is this child that I had seen."
"You had looked everywhere but still can’t find it, and when you turn around and it’s right there." The red-haired old man sized up Xiao Budian, his gaze revealing a hint of astonishment, slowly nodding his head, "Excellent, excellent! Truly an outstanding gift and talent."
He walked over to Xiao Budian with big strides, bluntly saying, "Kid, come with me. From today onwards you are now a disciple of the Intense Flaming Sword Sect!"
Xiao Budian blinked his eyes, "But old grandpa, I already have a master."
Elder Li with red hair slightly cocked his eyebrows, "You don’t know how to behave, kid, since I said you are a disciple of the Intense Flaming Sword Sect, you are and can only be a disciple of the Intense Flaming Sword Sect!"
"Old Grandpa, I think it’s better if I go." Xiao Budian retreated a few steps back, suddenly turning around and running away.
Elder Li let out a cold snort. A foundation establishment stage cultivator of the Intense Flaming Sword Sect stood out beside him, extending his palm and opening it, his mana turned into boundless flames, directly detaining Xiao Budian below it like a massive cover.
Boundless flames enveloped the entire area around Xiao Budian, leaving him without any path of retreat.
Xiao Budian shouted in anger: "You’re a bad person, I won’t go with you guys!"
The Foundation Establishment stage cultivator said with a frown: "A wild child from a mountain village, he doesn’t know what’s good for him. We the Intense Flaming Sword Sect taking him in is his good fortune and yet he’s still is here fooling around, it really getting on my nerves."
"Zhang Nan, just teach him a small lesson right now and teach him some manners, lest we return to the sect and he’s still making a fuss, it’s too shameful."
The red-robed youth Zhang Nan that Xiao Budian first encountered responded and then walked over towards the fire barrier.
Looking at Xiao Budian, Zhang Nan laughed coldly in his heart: "Little twerp, in the end you still land in my palms." To begin with, being ditched by Xiao Budian in the mountains made him extremely unhappy.
Right now seeing that Elder Li has decided to take in Xiao Budian as his disciple upon just meeting him, Zhang Nan’s heart feels even more uncomfortable. In the past, he could be considered a renowned prodigy in his hometown , but to enter into the Intense Flaming Sword Sect he still had to go through great lengths.
And yet this little twerp that once screwed around with him was so easily taken in as a disciple, this made Zhang Nan who was originally narrow-minded envious and hateful.
The Foundation Establishment stage cultivator purposely opened a hole in the fire barrier in convenience for Zhang Nan to enter.
Seeing a gap finally appear in the fire barrier Xiao Budian immediately dashed forward, attempting to escape.
But Zhang Nan was waiting for this exact moment, taking a step forward he blocked Xiao Budian’s path. Xiao Budian yelled anxiously: "Move!"
"Stay inside like a good boy." Zhang Nan let out a cold laugh, his palm pushing towards Xiao Budian’s chest.
The area of the gap is limited, Xiao Budian has no way to dodge and is forced to engage him, also thrusting his palm towards Zhang Nan.
Zhang Nan laughed coldly in his heart. He can see that even though Xiao Budian’s escape technique is refined, his level is after all only a level 4 Qi Disciple. Going head-on against him who is at the level 6 Qi Disciple is asking to be burnt.
While thinking Zhang Nan suddenly saw Xiao Budian flip his palm, clasping his wrist. Turns out that Xiao Budian’s forward thrust was just feint, after grabbing hold of Zhang Nan his abnormal body strength fiercely exploded.
Before Zhang Nan could even react he was thrown by Xiao Budian over his head, heavily smashing into the ground like a hammer.
The group of Intense Flaming Sword Sect cultivators were all dazed, nobody thought that Xiao Budian was actually so fierce.
Seeing Xiao Budian about to escape out of the gap in the fire barrier after throwing over Zhang Nan, the Foundation Establishment stage cultivator that set up the fire barrier felt embarrassed. Letting out a cold snort his powerful mana instantly overwhelmed Xiao Budian.
Xiao Budian lay on the ground constantly struggling. He may be young but the strength of his body is incredibly powerful. Going nuts right now and letting out low roars he was like the cub of a savage beast.
The Foundation Establishment stage cultivator was blue in the face. He did not make a killing move and the result is that he actually has a slight feeling of being unable to suppress Xiao Budian.
At this time Zhang Nan came back around. Outside of the fire barrier the sound of laughter of his juniors and seniors travelled over, causing his face to turn red and his heart to be filled with a furious rage. Crawling back up he pounced onto Xiao Budian, slapping Xiao Budian in the head knocking Xiao Budian’s head into the ground.
Zhang Nan cursed in a low voice: "You little bastard, today I’ll teach you how to behave!" While speaking slap after slap landed on Xiao Budian’s body.
Xiao Budian felt the burning pain on his body but he did not cry and did not yell in pain, not letting out a single sound.
All because his master once told him: "When you are in a disadvantageous position, the more you submit the happier your enemy will be and the more intensely they will bully you. No matter what you lose, you cannot never lose in vigour, you have to be strong and do everything possible to transform defeat into victory!"
Seeing Xiao Budian not only not surrender but instead struggle increasingly more, Zhang Nan’s ferociousness was aroused, his strength rising to the limit and chopping towards the back of Xiao Budian’s neck with his palm.
"Stop!"
Just rushing over Lin Feng saw a scene in front of him that made his blood boil with anger, hurriedly letting out a loud shout like thunder exploding on the ground.
Accompanying the loud shout, a brilliant beam of Polar Aurora Divine Light shot straight towards the fire barrier. Violent lightning directly shredded the fire barrier, causing it to turn into fiery meteors scattering all over the place.
The beam of lightning did not stop, striking towards Zhang Nan who was dumb as a wooden chicken.
Over at the side of the Intense Flaming Sword Sect, a beam of light flashed in Elder Li’s eyes, he let out a cold snort: "You have the face to show off these parlour tricks?" Lifting up his hand and pointing with his finger, a beam of crimson red sword aura shot forward.
With just the least bit of difference from Zhang Nan, the crimson red sword aura stopped the Polar Aurora Divine Light, shattering the lightning in mid-air.
Lin Feng’s pupils abruptly contracted: "Aurous Core stage!"
The Polar Aurora Divine Light was the strongest attack of the Foundation Establishment magic item, the Polar Aurora Sword. Even with Lin Feng’s own level he is unable to use it and has to rely on the Heaven Thunder Moon Jade to be able to use it. It is equivalent to a full-powered attack of a peak Foundation Establishment stage cultivator and is Lin Feng’s strongest move.
From far away, upon seeing the mana fluctuations of the fire barrier he knew that it was the ability of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. If he wants to save Xiao Budian he needs to first get rid of the fire barrier, which is why he let out a big move at the get go and surely enough he had destroyed the fire barrier with one hit.
But now the Polar Aurora Divine Light has been casually dispelled by that red-haired old man, Lin Feng’s heart also sank to the bottom with it.
Every stage of cultivation is a massive dividing line, a near insurmountable chasm for those of the mundane. Not mentioning that right now Lin Feng is only at level 7 Qi Disciple, even if he successfully reaches Foundation Establishment, against Elder Li who is at the Aurous Core stage it would still be suicide for him.
There is simply no way to make up for such a great difference, the overwhelming difference in strength allows Elder Li to ignore all strategies and schemes, directly crushing Lin Feng.
Against a group of threatening Intense Flaming Sword Sect cultivators, the cold sweat on Lin Feng’s back had already completely soaked his clothes.
"Master!" Lin Feng’s attack before was not entirely useless. The shockwaves of the collision between the crimson red sword aura and the Polar Aurora Divine Light directly overturned Zhang Nan who was pressing on top of Xiao Budian. Xiao Budian struggled up, running over to Lin Feng.
But after taking just two steps his body abruptly paused, the next instant his body flew backwards landing in the hands of Elder Li, being held by the collar in mid-air by the red-haired old man.
Being grabbed by the old man Xiao Budian felt completely strengthless, he was unable to use any of his mana or strength.
Xiao Budian’s four limbs helplessly flailed in the air: "Let go of me, let go of me! You bad old geezer! Master, master, save me, master!"
Lin Feng was bitter in the mouth, forcing himself to become energetic and maintaining the appearance of his masterly demeanor. He stared coldly at the group of Intense Flaming Sword Sect Cultivators: "The dignified Intense Flaming Sword Sect, a member of the Nine Heavens Sword Alliance, actually bullying a little child?"
Elder Li laughed coldly: "You are but a mere wandering cultivator with a level of just peak Foundation Establishment, do you think you are qualified to parade your tongue in front of me?"
"This kid possesses outstanding talent, learning from you is practically like casting pearls before swine, a waste of his talent. Me taking him under the door of our sword sect is precisely to not waste his talent. It is his good fortune and luck, as for you…"
Elder Li curled his lips in disdain: "Today I’ve accepted a good disciple and am in a good mood, I’ll let you go, screw off as far as you can. From today onwards you’re not allowed to appear in front of me or else I’ll cut you down. I’d like to see who dares to speak wrong of me!"
He casually glanced at Lin Feng, and this is only because of Lin Feng’s Polar Aurora Divine Light before or else he couldn’t even be bothered to take a look at Lin Feng.
But just this glance made Lin Feng feel like he had fallen through ice. An unprecedentedly strong sense of danger emerged in his heart.
He’d never felt himself to be so close to death, his life withering, his soul shattering.
An aurous core stage cultivator exerting his pressure on the body of a qi disciple level 7 cultivator, just this pressure alone is virtually enough to crush the entire body of the opponent.
Lin Feng’s finger moved, he had the impulse to clench his fists but he restrained himself at the first moment, becoming relaxed again.
Right now Lin Feng was having an internal battle with himself in his heart: "What should I do? Should I just endure it? The difference in strength is too great. If I fight I’ll definitely be killed by this old geezer."
It’s true that he will be killed by the system if he does not complete the system task within one year and gather four disciples, but if he doesn’t step back today then he might be about to die right away.
"Ten years is not late for a gentleman’s revenge. I’ll first endure it for today and then in the future when my level is higher I’ll have this old geezer pay back twice as much. Knowing that you are no match and forcing yourself to fight is not bravery, it is stupidity…" Lin Feng constantly convinced himself in his heart, but when he came in contact with Xiao Budian’s clear eyes, he suddenly couldn’t keep on going.
The four year old child’s gaze did not have any fear or worry, only endless hope. It was like he was never worried that his master would be no match for the enemy and especially never thought that his master would abandon him.
Lin Feng’s two fists suddenly clenched tight, roaring in his heart: "Fuck it, if it’s an idiotic move then I’ll be an idiot. I didn’t come over here to be someone’s bitch, why live if I live so worthlessly?"
Your birdy faces the sky if you die, if you don’t then long live forever, it’s just two words.
Do it!
Lin Feng’s action of clenching his fists was keenly sensed by Elder Li. He let out a cold laugh: "Looks like you’re suicidal, then I’ll fulfill your wish!"
One hand grabbing onto Xiao Budian, the fingers of his other hand came together like a sword. A dazzling fiery red sword aura started to gather and condense at the tip of his fingers.
Different from his juniors controlling flying swords, Elder Li had already completely refined his flying sword into a beam of blazing sword aura, human and sword as one. His strength was on an entirely different level.
The sword aura blazed like a flickering flame. He had yet to release it but it was already emitting waves of an incredibly terrifying aura.
In the surrounding hundreds of meters, all of the vegetation had already withered and the moisture was evaporated.
Lin Feng stood on the spot, the air the he breathed into his lungs was like it was about to burn up. Under the scorching environment he felt waves of dizziness, the sign of dehydration.
He could even see large amounts of steam like clouds and mist rise up from the little lake in the distance.
This is the terrifying strength of aurous core stage cultivators. Once Elder Li releases this attack it is enough to reduce the entire area around the little lake north of the city to shambles.
Lin Feng licked his chapped lips, right now he was the direct target of this sword.