Brainwashing

The next morning.

Lin Fan opened his eyes and rose to his feet.

Crackle, pop!

The bones throughout his body burst in rapid succession. His gaze flashed like lightning, his bearing surging like a rainbow.

"Core Condensation Realm... Third Level!"

"In less than a day, I've broken through a minor realm. With my own talent, let alone one day, I might not have managed it in a month, half a year, or even a year!"

Breaking through did not merely depend on the speed at which one absorbed the world's origin energy. That was only one factor.

One also had to consider one's "limit" and "bottleneck." Those with great talent encountered no bottlenecks at all before reaching a certain realm. They passed through them as naturally as eating and drinking.

Lin Fan's former talent clearly had no such potential, but Xiao Ling'er's talent was truly top-tier!

He sighed with emotion, while feeling immensely fortunate that he had made the right choice.

So what if the rules were wild?!

As long as they worked!

"Steady, stay steady!"

"I'm the master of a sect now."

Lin Fan gradually calmed down. "Let's check on Xiao Ling'er, and take her to choose a cultivation technique while we're at it."

When he left, he had initially planned to bring only Wu Xingyun. However, the five elders had nothing to do, and all of them were curious why Lin Fan had established those bizarre rules.

They were even more curious why Lin Fan had chosen Xiao Ling'er without the slightest hesitation, so they followed along.

Lin Fan did not refuse.

It would not make any difference either way. Perhaps it could even let her feel how much the sect valued her.

A good thing!

"Master!"

"Good morning, Elders."

Xiao Ling'er was washing up. Upon seeing Lin Fan and the others, she hurriedly bowed.

"Good morning."

Lin Fan smiled and nodded. "Did you get used to things last night?"

"I did. It was far better than sleeping beneath the sky with the earth for my bed," Xiao Ling'er replied sincerely.

She had been wandering outside these past days, constantly hiding and fleeing, unable to get a single night of peaceful sleep.

Last night had been her most peaceful night in months.

"It's good that you got used to it."

"Then let's head to the Scripture Repository and choose a cultivation technique suitable for you. After all, it will soon be time to..."

Before Lin Fan could finish speaking—

"What?!"

Wu Xingyun suddenly cried out, causing him to turn back. "Second Elder?"

"You..."

Yet the Second Elder seemed not to hear him. Her red lips hung open, and her beautiful eyes stared fixedly at Xiao Ling'er. "You? Opening Profound Ninth Level?!"

"H-How is that possible?!"

She was stunned!

Su Xinghai and the other four elders came to their senses as well. After sensing her cultivation, they were all shocked.

"It really is Opening Profound Ninth Level?!"

They were dumbfounded.

Hadn't she still been at Opening Profound Third Level yesterday?

How could she have advanced so quickly?!

And she had clearly suffered a drop in cultivation before. Shouldn't that have made cultivation even more difficult?

How could she still progress at such an absurd speed???

Even a so-called genius would need nearly a year to go from Opening Profound Third Level to Ninth Level!

Yet this girl... had done it in just one day, not even a full day?!

"A... a prodigy?!"

Li Changshou's heart raced as he blurted out those words.

She had already surpassed the category of genius. She was a prodigy, a favored child of heaven!

It was truly hard to believe, because they had all examined Xiao Ling'er yesterday. They had not seen any sign that her talent was especially remarkable!

"Could she have used some special method to block our detection?!"

They were old hands with broad knowledge, and they quickly guessed most of the truth.

But if that were the case, Xiao Ling'er was surely no ordinary person!

A prodigy, perhaps even possessing monstrous talent, yet she had hidden it all along. Yesterday, she had even smeared mud across her face.

There had to be some great secret behind her.

They were immensely shocked.

But what shocked them even more was how Lin Fan had distinguished her?!

Or rather, those new disciple-recruitment rules...

Each one seemed wilder than the last, with no connection between them and not a trace of logic to be found. Yet Lin Fan had used those very rules to select such a prodigious disciple!

If they old fellows had been the ones recruiting disciples, Xiao Ling'er would absolutely never have entered the sect.

Now that they analyzed it, everything seemed clear enough, and there appeared to be secrets everywhere.

But could they have seen any of it beforehand?!

Talking to herself?

So what if someone liked talking to herself?

Mud on her face?

That was her freedom. What the hell did it have to do with you!

The only thing they would have considered was talent. Yet Xiao Ling'er had blocked their detection and appeared utterly ordinary. Though she had cultivation, they could all tell that she had cultivated for at least eight years.

Eight years, only Opening Profound Third Level, and she had even suffered a drop in cultivation. Re-cultivating would be even harder.

Who would choose someone like that?

She was exactly the sort of person who could be thrown into a crowd, and they would not spare her a second glance.

Yet Lin Fan had somehow picked her out from more than ten thousand people with those ridiculous new rules.

And the facts proved that Lin Fan had been right!

She actually possessed talent at the level of a prodigy!

But... how was that possible?

Those absurd rules could really pinpoint that one grain of gold amid a sea of sand without fail???

Why?!

What was the basis for it?!

We can't understand it at all, Sect Master!!!

The five elders stood agape, their gazes shifting between Xiao Ling'er and Lin Fan. Their minds buzzed, and they could scarcely believe it!

At that moment, they were ecstatic.

But more than that, they were shocked and incredulous.

They could not believe the terrifying effectiveness of Lin Fan's new rules.

And what shocked them was that Lin Fan did not seem surprised at all?

Could it be that he...

Had known all along?!

Otherwise, he would never have been so calm!

So the Sect Master was actually the most astonishing one, wasn't he?

Fine steeds were common, but true judges of horses were rare!

Well, perhaps it was... just a coincidence?

They were utterly shaken.

But Lin Fan had long been prepared, and so had Xiao Ling'er.

Having shared Xiao Ling'er's talent, he naturally knew just how outrageous it was.

And Xiao Ling'er knew her current realm, so she naturally understood why they were so shocked. She merely smiled faintly. "You flatter me, Elders."

"It is only because the Moon Embracing Sect has such an excellent environment that this disciple's cultivation speed is somewhat faster."

That left the elders feeling rather embarrassed.

The Moon Embracing Sect's environment, well...

"As for cultivation techniques, Master, this disciple already has one of my own, and it suits me extremely well. So... may I refrain from changing techniques?"

The First Elder immediately said, "You may think your cultivation technique is good, but our Moon Embracing Sect..."

"First Elder."

Lin Fan waved a hand, signaling for the First Elder not to continue.

Then he said, "Since you have your own mind, of course you may."

"Come with me. I'll take you to receive the cultivation resources that belong to you."

Inside the Sect Treasury.

There were still quite a few resources left, though that was only in appearance. In truth, it was rather shabby.

Xiao Ling'er showed no disdain. Yet... in the next moment, Lin Fan pointed at the Origin Stones, pills, materials, and many other resources, saying calmly, "You may use any resource here as you wish. There are no restrictions."

"A-All of it is for me?"

Xiao Ling'er was greatly startled, her beautiful little face filled with disbelief.

The Sect Treasury was completely open to her?!

"Yes!"

"Though the Moon Embracing Sect has declined, we will never be stingy when nurturing disciples. We will give everything we have."

"As long as a disciple needs it, as long as... we can provide it."

Patting Xiao Ling'er lightly on the shoulder, Lin Fan looked at her, still stunned, and said, "As a member of the sect, you naturally have the right to enjoy these benefits."

"The sect does not belong to me, nor does it belong to any one person."

"It belongs to all of us."

Without waiting for her to recover, Lin Fan pulled the still-dazed elders away.

Only Xiao Ling'er remained, facing the treasury alone.

After a long, long while, she murmured, "Teacher, Master, he..."

"He is no ordinary man!" the aged voice sighed. "Such boldness is truly astounding."

"You must cultivate diligently and not disappoint his expectations."

"With a sect like this, your Early Game cultivation can proceed without obstruction."

"And in the future..."

"Remember to repay the sect!"

"I will!"