"Is this Ancestor Luo's cave dwelling?" Xie Ruolan asked.
"Indeed. Master lives on the island. Follow me," Fang Jing replied, already stepping onto the long bridge.
The moment Xie Ruolan set foot on the bridge, she felt an unsettling sensation—as if invisible eyes were tracking her every move. Though she scanned her surroundings and saw no one, the feeling of being watched persisted. She forced herself to stay calm and continued following Fang Jing.
They soon reached the island, which was dotted with numerous pavilions. Many people moved about, though most appeared to be mortals. The most striking feature, however, was a seven-story pagoda rising nearly a hundred feet high from a small hill at the center of the island. Each floor was over ten feet tall, making the structure loom over the landscape.
"Master resides at the top of that pagoda," Fang Jing noted as they headed toward the hill.
As they walked, Xie Ruolan realized that every pavilion, courtyard, tree, and even the placement of stones followed a profound and mysterious logic. The entire island was saturated with intricate formations. Without Fang Jing to lead her, she would have been trapped within a few steps.
---
Inside the Pagoda
At the base of the tower, Fang Jing produced a seal-like object. It emitted a beam of light that struck the main doors, causing them to groan open.
Stepping inside, Xie Ruolan was stunned. Just like the Treasure Pavilion in the third-layer market, the pagoda was a spatial magic treasure. The interior of the first floor spanned over five hundred feet across and was filled with lush, green spiritual fields. She recognized several rare herbs—each worth a fortune—growing here as if they were common weeds.
A Golden Core Ancestor over five hundred years old truly has unfathomable wealth, she thought. Perhaps my luck really has turned.
Fang Jing led her to a teleportation array. "Within Master's Profound Heaven Tower, one must use these arrays to move between floors," she explained.
After a flash of light, Xie Ruolan found herself in a simple room with a single corridor. At the end of the short hallway lay a massive circular pool, over a hundred feet in diameter. In the center, an old woman in a black dress hovered silently above a surface of water that looked as dark as ink.
"Master, Xie Ruolan has arrived," Fang Jing bowed.
The old woman appeared to be in her sixties or seventies—not quite as ancient-looking as Fang Jing—and her gaze had been fixed on Xie Ruolan since she entered. After a few moments of scrutiny, she nodded with satisfaction.
"Fang Jing, you may leave," she commanded. Her voice was surprisingly crisp and clear.
---
The Trial of Will
"Junior Xie Ruolan greets Ancestor Luo!" Xie Ruolan bowed deeply.
Luo Wanying watched her and nodded again. "Good. I have few rules here. Since you have bowed to me, I consider the apprenticeship ceremony complete. From this day forth, you are my disciple."
"Yes, Master!" Xie Ruolan formally changed her form of address and bowed once more.
When she looked up, the old woman was already standing directly in front of her.
"You possess a Triple Spirit Root. Your Wood and Fire roots are strong, while your Water root is weak. In the cycle of the five elements, Wood feeds Fire, and weak Water fuels a strong blaze—a rare Blazing Fire Physique. This makes you powerful with fire-attribute arts, though your cultivation speed is naturally slower. Yet, you reached Foundation Establishment before twenty. This proves your willpower is exceptional. That is why I took you in. To me, aptitude only needs to be adequate; character and will are what truly matter."
Xie Ruolan finally understood. Her earlier confusion vanished, replaced by a sense of purpose. "I will cultivate with all my heart!"
Luo Wanying nodded. "As you have entered my tutelage today, I should give you a meeting gift. But first, I must ask: Do you wish to learn my most powerful cultivation method?"
Xie Ruolan hesitated. Normally, one obviously wants the best technique. But looking at the withered state of her Master and Senior Sister Fang, she had a bad premonition.
"Master, I am naturally willing to learn the strongest art!" she replied firmly.
"Are you certain? I will tell you plainly: this technique offers no youth-preserving effects. I am at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core, with a lifespan of six or seven hundred years. At over five hundred, I should look like a woman in her late seventies, and as you see, I do. Do not think of using Youth-Preserving Pills; they will be useless."
"The physical body is but a foul leather sack," Xie Ruolan said without a hint of doubt. "It is good to keep one's beauty, but if it cannot be kept, there is no need to force it."
"Good! Very good! Your conviction is even stronger than I imagined." Luo Wanying handed her a bottle. "Take this Sea-Inclusive Bottle and draw three measures of water from the pool yourself."
Xie Ruolan took the bottle and reached toward the dark surface. The moment her fingers brushed the liquid, a bone-chilling cold surged through her, nearly freezing her hand solid.
"Master, this is... Cold Water!" she stammered.
"Indeed. This is Dark-Yin Cold Water. One measure is worth over a thousand spirit stones," Luo Wanying explained. "This is for your cultivation. Take this manual for the Frost-Yin Demonic Fire as well. Go and contemplate it yourself. You are not permitted to ask Fang Jing for help. In one month, I will test your comprehension. Now, find Fang Jing; she will give you your supplies and arrange your living quarters."
"Yes, Master." Xie Ruolan bowed and departed.
As Xie Ruolan vanished into the teleportation array, a flicker of frenzied excitement crossed Luo Wanying's eyes.