"Senior, this is my apprenticeship gift!"
The youth respectfully placed three rosewood boxes before Li Xuan.
"You've misunderstood. I'm no Reclusive Master, and I don't take disciples. Take these back!"
Li Xuan spoke with a slightly pained expression.
The youth was named Xu Yan. He was a wealthy young man from the commandery city, and his family background made Li Xuan, who had transmigrated to this world, rather envious. Unfortunately, the other party's brains were a little lacking. He had mistaken Li Xuan for a Reclusive Master and insisted on becoming his disciple.
It had been more than ten years since Li Xuan had transmigrated to this world. He had no system, no cheat, and couldn't even leave the small mountain village. To make matters worse, he was now the only person left in the village.
The small mountain village was surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs. There was only a narrow passage, about a zhang wide, leading in and out, making it an excellent place to live in seclusion. The village's ancestors had also migrated there to escape the chaos of war.
Now that the outside world was no longer at war, the younger generation in the village was unwilling to live out their lives in obscurity in that small mountain village. They had begun leaving the village to seek their fortunes beyond its borders.
The village was a hundred li from the nearest town, and the journey was fraught with danger. In particular, one had to pass through a dense forest where fierce tigers and Fierce Beasts often appeared.
After more than a decade, the village had grown increasingly deserted. By the time Li Xuan arrived, only a dozen or so households remained, most of them elderly people who had stayed behind.
Including Li Xuan, there were only five able-bodied young men in the village. None of them were willing to remain in the small village; they all dreamed of leaving for the city to make a living. Li Xuan was no different.
Unfortunately, the journey was dangerous. In particular, the thirty-li Evil Fiend Forest, which they had to pass through, was home to fierce tigers and beasts. Several able-bodied young men who had left the village had died in the Evil Fiend Forest.
One day ten years ago, a villager who had once left the village to seek his fortune returned. He wanted to take his mother to live in the city, and claimed that he had learned the Tiger Slaying Art and no longer feared the tigers of the Evil Fiend Forest.
Thus, Li Xuan and several other young men left the village together with him.
Although fierce tigers and Fierce Beasts lurked in the thirty-li Evil Fiend Forest, one could pass through safely if luck was on their side and avoid encountering them.
Li Xuan and his companions were not very lucky.
A spotted tiger appeared.
The fellow who claimed to have mastered the Tiger Slaying Art immediately gripped a sharp knife, let out a roar, and charged forward with a sliding tackle...
Only Li Xuan escaped with his life in a sorry state and returned to the small mountain village. He had always believed that the reason he survived was because, when that fellow performed his sliding tackle, Li Xuan had decisively turned and fled one step ahead of him.
This Tiger Slaying Art was far too unreliable. It had sent its practitioner straight into the tiger's jaws!
After that, Li Xuan became the only able-bodied young man left in the village. The elderly people who had lost their loved ones passed away one after another over the next ten years. Half a month ago, Li Xuan saw off the last old villager.
Looking at the empty small mountain village, with only himself remaining, Li Xuan's heart was filled with grief and indignation. Other transmigrators either rose against the odds or possessed extraordinary identities and backgrounds.
But what about him?
He couldn't even leave the small mountain village!
Without a system or a cheat, he might very well live out his days in solitude in the village.
"Sigh. I originally thought I could become one of those figures from web novels who traversed ten million li with a single sword, slew demons and exorcised devils beneath the heavens, attained sainthood, and looked down on the ages. It seems I was thinking too much."
Li Xuan sighed inwardly and mocked himself aloud, "I can't even leave this small mountain village, yet I want to traverse ten million li with a single sword? Ha!"
Because of that self-mocking remark, Xu Yan—who knew no one how had come to the small mountain village—heard the words "traverse ten million li with a single sword." He mistakenly believed Li Xuan was a Reclusive Master and immediately dropped to his knees with a thud, asking to become his disciple.
"Senior, I've finally found you! Please take me as your disciple and impart peerless divine arts to me!"
"What?!"
Li Xuan was startled. He widened his eyes as he looked at the sixteen- or seventeen-year-old youth in luxurious clothes with a sword hanging from his waist, completely dumbfounded.
"This junior is Xu Yan of Donghe Commandery. Since childhood, I have aspired to seek the true martial path. It is my great fortune to meet Senior today. I hope Senior will accept me as your disciple. This junior will surely cultivate diligently and never fail the inheritance of Senior!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Looking at the youth kowtowing respectfully with fervent eyes, Li Xuan was utterly bewildered. His first thought was: This kid's not very bright!
No matter how Li Xuan refused or denied being a Reclusive Master, Xu Yan refused to believe him and insisted on becoming his disciple. The fervor on his face gave Li Xuan an unbearable headache.
"I'm not a Reclusive Master, and I don't know anything about martial cultivation. You've found the wrong person. I'm still trying to find someone to teach me how to cultivate!"
"Impossible!"
Xu Yan's gaze was resolute. "Senior, stop deceiving me. You must be a Reclusive Master!"
"Look at this place. It has sheer cliffs on all sides and delightful scenery. Anyone can see that it's a secluded residence. If Senior weren't a Reclusive Master, why would you live here alone?"
"Senior, please accept me as your disciple. I will never fail your inheritance!"
Xu Yan continued kowtowing, his eyes fervent and his gaze unwavering.
"I'm not a Reclusive Master. I don't know how to cultivate, and I won't take a disciple. You really have found the wrong person..."
Li Xuan wore an expression of helplessness. Why was this kid so single-minded? He didn't even know how he had crossed the Evil Fiend Forest to reach the village.
Had searching for a Reclusive Master damaged his brain?
"I understand!"
Xu Yan suddenly stood up, his face filled with realization.
"Becoming a disciple is a major matter. How could I be hasty? This junior will return and prepare an apprenticeship gift!"
As Li Xuan stared in bewilderment, Xu Yan sprinted away and soon vanished from sight.
In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.
During that half-month, Li Xuan had been vexed that he hadn't seized the opportunity to ask Xu Yan about the outside world, or even see if he could use this chance to leave the small mountain village.
He had never expected Xu Yan to return.
And he had brought an apprenticeship gift!
He was determined to become Li Xuan's disciple!
No matter how Li Xuan denied it, Xu Yan firmly believed that he was a Reclusive Master.
Li Xuan didn't want to deceive anyone, especially not someone with an extraordinary identity and background. He had neither a cheat nor a system. If he were exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Thus, he repeatedly refused and repeatedly denied it. Unfortunately, Xu Yan was as single-minded as ever. Once he decided that Li Xuan was a Reclusive Master, not even nine bulls could pull him back!
"Senior, this is three hundred taels of gold. I know that worldly wealth is beneath your notice, but an apprenticeship gift cannot be lacking. This is a token of this junior's sincerity!"
Xu Yan opened one of the boxes. Inside were thirty gold ingots arranged in neat rows.
Li Xuan looked at the gold ingots and swallowed, feeling somewhat tempted. In the end, however, he gritted his teeth and said resolutely, "I don't take disciples! I'm not a Reclusive Master either. Take these back at once. I'm only a few years older than you!"
"Although Senior looks young, you must have achieved profound cultivation and retained your youth!"
Xu Yan remained convinced that Li Xuan was a Reclusive Master and opened the second box.
"This is the Thousand-Year Ginseng treasured by my Xu Family. It is this junior's second apprenticeship gift. I hope Senior will accept it!"
Li Xuan swallowed as he looked at the Thousand-Year Ginseng in the box. Its roots were intact and had already taken the shape of a human. Its faint medicinal fragrance drifted into his nostrils, and his entire body seemed to grow invigorated.
The Thousand-Year Ginseng was undoubtedly a rare treasure. The old villagers had once said that a Hundred-Year Ginseng could let a dying person live three days longer, greatly restore their vitality, and extend their lifespan.
Since a Hundred-Year Ginseng had such miraculous effects, the Thousand-Year Ginseng naturally possessed even greater divine efficacy.
Li Xuan was somewhat tempted, but he gritted his teeth and continued, "Take it back. I'm really not a Reclusive Master, and I don't know how to cultivate!"
Xu Yan opened the third box. "Senior, this is a Nine-Leaf Spirit Ganoderma, my third apprenticeship gift!"
A Nine-Leaf Spirit Ganoderma!
Li Xuan could hardly tear his gaze away. The village elders had once said that, according to the ancestors' legends, among all the Spirit Ganoderma in the world, nine leaves were the greatest. Consuming a Nine-Leaf Spirit Ganoderma would prevent all illness, keep the mind tireless, preserve black hair from turning white, and extend one's life by twenty years!
A Precious Medicine that was almost impossible to find!
Li Xuan looked at the jade-white Nine-Leaf Spirit Ganoderma in the box. It resembled a lingzhi, with nine purple petals growing from its stem. He drew a deep breath, reluctantly shifted his gaze away, and let out a profound sigh.
"Very well! Since you were able to come here, it means we are fated. I shall accept you as my disciple!"
He had simply been given too much to refuse!
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