The Interrupted True Disciple Ceremony

Two days later.

Inside a dark room.

"What? Han Yuan still hasn't shown up?"

Liu Xinghe asked with a gloomy expression.

A disciple said, "No. We've confirmed that Liu Sisi gave Han Yuan the entry token two days ago, and Han Yuan accepted it as well, but he simply hasn't appeared these past two days!"

Another person said, "I heard that Peak Lord Du decided to hold the True Disciple Ceremony in three days and has already reported it to the Sect Master."

"I already know about that!" Liu Xinghe said angrily. "Old Man Du has lost his mind. Ignoring the opinions of the other elders, he directly reported to the Golden Core True Person in secluded cultivation within the peak, forcibly pushing through all objections and starting the true disciple procedure!"

Someone beside him said strangely, "That makes no sense!"

"It's more than unreasonable! It's practically cutting through a tangled mess with a sharp blade!"

Liu Xinghe frowned slightly. "Eliminate every possibility. No matter how unbelievable the remaining possibility may be, it must be the truth. Han Yuan's talent is too great! He shocked Old Man Du too badly! That's why he was willing to start the procedure ahead of schedule!"

"But Han Yuan only has a Mid-grade Five Elements Spiritual Root?"

Liu Xinghe pondered. "Clearly, it isn't aptitude for cultivating spiritual power, and it can't be Spiritual Sense either. All the peak lords were present then—if there had been a huge abnormality in his Spiritual Sense, it would have been discovered. It can't be talent in the arts either; before this, he only knew how to grow Blood Spirit Rice! So the only possibility is his comprehension. His comprehension is too astonishing! Could even a Major Accomplishment Realm cultivation art not hold him back, and he has already comprehended it to the Perfection Level? Perhaps he has also made tremendous breakthroughs in other spells!"

"He was too cautious. In Cangming Cave Mansion, I had no way to deal with him. In that case, carry out the final plan!"

Liu Xinghe finally made his decision!

"Yes!"

The group then withdrew.

Not long afterward.

Several pieces of news spread throughout the sect's Inner Sect Disciples, outer sect disciples, and even Menial Disciples.

In some corner, several disciples were chatting.

"Have you heard? Han Yuan from Spirit Script Peak, who's at the Qi Refining Mid Stage, is about to become a True Disciple!"

"He's only at the Qi Refining Mid Stage. Why can he become a True Disciple?"

"I know this one. They say his comprehension is astonishing—he cultivated the Ancient Wood Nourishing Spirit Art all the way to Cultivation Art Perfection, and several of his spells have reached Minor Accomplishment and Major Accomplishment! He's a comprehension genius seen only once every five hundred years!"

"Isn't that too exaggerated? That has to be a lie, right?"

"Why would I lie to you? His comprehension shocked Peak Lord Du, who forcibly pushed through all objections, bypassed the elders, skipped even the assessment, and directly began the True Disciple Ceremony!"

"I don't believe it. I remember you said he only entered the sect a little over two years ago. Among disciples of the same generation, not a single one has even reached Minor Accomplishment in a cultivation art. And you're telling me his cultivation art has reached perfection? Do you believe that yourself?"

"You don't believe it? Let me tell you a little secret. An Apricot Tree at the outer sect residence where Han Yuan used to live absorbed the spiritual aura he exhaled and inhaled every day, changing from an ordinary tree into a spirit tree. People say that if you can get an apricot blossom to make tea with, it can speed up comprehension of the Ancient Wood Nourishing Spirit Art!"

"Really or not?"

One true or false rumor after another spread through the Earth God Sect.

Some said Han Yuan had comprehended an inherited spell.

Some said Han Yuan's arts were exceptional and that he had already become a late-stage first-rank Formation Master.

In short, the rumors became more and more outrageous.

These rumors eventually reached the ears of Sect Master Feng Jianming.

Upon hearing them, Feng Jianming gave a derisive smile and paid them no mind. What five-hundred-year comprehension genius? If it were true, it would have been detected during the entry examination long ago, and he would have been secretly nurtured.

Yet that night.

A figure with sword-like brows and starry eyes still appeared above an outer sect Small Courtyard as if guided by unseen forces.

His gaze fell upon the Old Apricot Tree, which inhaled and exhaled spiritual power in the wind.

"It really has become a spirit tree, and this is... the circulation route of the Ancient Wood Nourishing Spirit Art?"

Feng Jianming was startled, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.

With a sweep of his sleeve, he vanished again in an instant, as though he had never appeared at all.

Amid the strange atmosphere throughout the sect, the day of Spirit Script Peak's True Disciple Ceremony arrived in the blink of an eye.

Han Yuan changed into the robes of a True Disciple and stood upon Du Yuanhe's sword.

Han Yuan asked worriedly, "Master, there won't be any problem with this True Disciple Ceremony, right?"

Du Yuanhe blew his beard and glared. "When I'm handling things, what are you worried about?"

Only then did Han Yuan relax. "That's good."

Du Yuanhe examined Han Yuan's body and said with satisfaction, "Not bad. You've concealed the Wood Spirit Heart. Be smarter during the ceremony and speed things up."

"Alright!" Han Yuan nodded obediently.

In the blink of an eye, the two arrived at the main hall of Spirit Script Peak.

At this moment, all thirty-nine Foundation Establishment Elders currently on Spirit Script Peak were already in position. Each wore an inscrutable expression as they examined Han Yuan, as though they wanted to see a flower bloom from him.

Outside the hall, all the Inner Sect Disciples of Spirit Script Peak had assembled in formation.

Most of the Inner Sect Disciples were seeing Han Yuan for the first time, and they all exclaimed in amazement.

The True Disciple Ceremony was about to begin, yet only now were they finally seeing what he looked like. This was truly unprecedented in the history of the Earth God Sect.

Thus, Han Yuan drew an enormous amount of attention. Calling it "the focus of all eyes" would not have been an exaggeration.

Han Yuan looked at his nose, his nose at his heart. Once this True Disciple Ceremony was over, he had already decided to continue cultivating steadily and safely, at least until he reached the Qi Refining Peak Stage.

As time passed, everyone's attention on him would naturally gradually diminish, so Han Yuan remained calm.

"The auspicious hour has arrived!"

A Foundation Establishment Elder shouted.

Du Yuanhe grew solemn and stepped to the center of the main hall. He bowed toward the Earth God Sect's patriarchs within the hall. "Du Yuanhe, current Peak Lord of Spirit Script Peak, pays respects to the patriarchs!"

"We pay respects to the patriarchs!" The Foundation Establishment Elders bowed one after another.

"We pay respects to the patriarchs!" The Inner Sect Disciples outside the hall and Han Yuan all bowed together.

Du Yuanhe said solemnly, "Today, there is a disciple, Yuan, of extraordinary talent and intelligence, with excellent character. I now accept him as a True Disciple of Spirit Script Peak and hereby report this to the patriarchs!"

Du Yuanhe brought out three incense sticks and placed them into the incense burner before the patriarchs' portrait.

Wisps of green smoke drifted upward!

The atmosphere within the hall became solemn.

Du Yuanhe turned and looked at Han Yuan. "Inner Sect Disciple Han Yuan, are you willing to take me as your master and become a True Disciple of Spirit Script Peak?"

Under everyone's envious gazes.

"I..." Han Yuan opened his mouth, but his voice abruptly cut off.

"Wait!"

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.

More than a dozen figures arrived together.

Du Yuanhe's expression changed. He knew these people all too well—they were the peak lords of the various peaks, as well as Sect Master Feng Jianming!

Du Yuanhe frowned. "Sect Master, what do you mean by this?"

Feng Jianming said in a deep voice, "According to the rules of the Earth God Sect, if a disciple reaches the level of an exceptional genius, all peaks must discuss together and decide which peak the genius belongs to. I heard that Spirit Script Peak has a disciple who has reached the level of an exceptional genius, so I came specifically to see for myself."

Du Yuanhe raised his brow. "You mean Han Yuan? He doesn't yet count as an exceptional genius. His cultivation art has indeed reached the Minor Accomplishment Realm, and his physique gives him a slight advantage in Foundation Establishment. He can be considered a decent high-grade genius, but calling him an exceptional genius—isn't that going too far?"

Feng Jianming was surprised. His physique had outstanding qualities as well?

He looked at Han Yuan and smiled. "I am Sect Master Feng Jianming. May I examine your physical condition?"

Naturally, Han Yuan had no objection and nodded.

The Sect Master examined him and indeed discovered the state of Han Yuan's Dantian. He nodded. "His innate foundation is one realm greater than others'. Not bad."

He did not pay much attention to that and said, "I heard that Han Yuan's comprehension is quite good. Peak Lord Du may not understand his full circumstances. How about this? Spirit Script Peak has a Spirit Script Ancient Stone Wall. Let him comprehend it once and see. If he fails to comprehend anything special, then we'll consider him a high-grade genius. But if he comprehends something, then I hope Peak Lord Du can bear the pain and give him up!"

Peak Lord Du said blandly, "The sect's rules must naturally be obeyed!"

He gave Han Yuan a look that said, You understand.

Han Yuan returned an expression that said, Don't worry.

When it came to comprehending Spirit Script, he was completely confident in his own comprehension. There was definitely no chance he would achieve anything.

He did not even need to deliberately slack off. He only needed to make the normal motions of comprehension.