Apprenticeship

Chapter 17: Seeking a Master

"Senior Brother Yi, I don't understand what you mean."

Li Gan shook his head.

Yi Zhong hadn't expected Li Gan to be so stubborn. His expression immediately turned cold. "Junior Brother Li, you are just a Menial Disciple. There are things that you cannot hoard for yourself. Let me tell you something. The items left by Elder Song have already caught the eye of a significant figure in the inner sect."

"Senior Brother Yi, to be honest, I'm still completely confused about this so-called opportunity you mentioned. After all, I've only been in the Bell Tower for a little over two years. Elder Song has been gone for so long. Was my relationship with him really that close? Worthy of him passing what you call an opportunity to someone like me who has no connection to him?"

Li Gan sighed as he spoke.

"Then why did you deliberately conceal the fact that Chu Yingying is your cousin?"

Yi Zhong said coldly.

"Senior Brother Yi, we are both Menial Disciples. We are not superior and subordinate. I don't need to explain these things to you."

Li Gan said in a deep voice.

Even if Song Yingying revealed the letter, he would never admit it.

"Junior Brother Li, I've said all I can. Think it over carefully."

Seeing that Li Gan was neither yielding nor aggressive, Yi Zhong snorted and turned to leave.

"Elder Song, you're really putting me on the spot."

Li Gan watched Yi Zhong's retreating back, his mood heavy.

The matter of the Treasure Map was far from over.

He would rather not have any Treasure Map. With the Sacrificial Artifact System, he could rise to prominence anyway, without taking such great risks.

But now, a Treasure Map had placed him in danger.

Fortunately, he was within the Divine Sword Sect, and also served as the Bell Ringer. The person behind Yi Zhong probably wouldn't dare to deal with him easily.

But if this dragged on, who knew what might happen?

"Yi Zhong mentioned a significant figure in the inner sect. Is he bluffing, or is it true?"

A thought stirred in his mind.

The Chore Hall and the inner sect were not the same concept.

Those who could enter the inner sect were definitely Official Disciples, and there were even higher positions like True Disciples, Elders, and Peak Masters.

For the current Li Gan, these were levels he simply couldn't reach.

Although he was already a Ranked Martial Artist, Postnatal Realm First Layer, he was merely the lowest-tier Official Disciple within the Inner Sect.

"No, I can't let this continue. If someone from the Inner Sect really gets involved, things will become increasingly troublesome for me later on."

Li Gan took a deep breath, a strong sense of urgency growing within him.

He just wanted to quietly be a Bell Ringer.

Why did trouble always find him?

"It seems this is the only way."

Li Gan finally made a decision.

He knew that with his identity as a Menial Disciple, even with his Postnatal Realm First Layer Ranked Martial Artist cultivation, he couldn't protect himself.

His status wasn't enough.

Let alone Inner Disciples, even the higher-ups in the Chore Hall could boss him around.

Immediately, Li Gan returned to his room, tidied up, and then went down the mountain.

He didn't go to the Chore Hall but instead headed to the valley behind it.

In this valley stood a solitary wooden house.

Behind the wooden house was a waterfall.

It was currently the dry season, so there was little water flowing down the mountain. If it were the flood season, the waterfall would be spectacular.

From the Bell Tower, he could just see this waterfall.

On a wooden chair outside the wooden house, a scruffy Old Man was reclining. His face was flushed, and he reeked of alcohol, clearly drunk.

"Senior."

Li Gan called out.

"Ugh ugh."

The Old Man scratched his nose and then shifted into a more comfortable position.

"Senior."

Li Gan called out again.

"Hmph, this old man isn't deaf, I heard you. What is it?"

The Old Man mumbled without even opening his eyes.

"Junior wishes to take the re-examination."

Li Gan said respectfully.

That's right, he planned to participate in the Divine Sword Sect's re-examination and become an Official Disciple.

As for becoming an Official Disciple, wouldn't it be inconvenient to stay in the Bell Tower?

That's what he originally thought.

But the current situation forced him to change his mind.

"Re-examination?"

The Old Man finally opened his eyes and sized up Li Gan, "As expected, you've entered a rank."

"How old are you?"

He suddenly asked.

"Seventeen."

"How many years have you been a Menial Disciple?"

"Two years, two months, and eleven days."

"Did you cultivate before entering the sect?"

"I did not cultivate."

"What Martial Arts are you practicing now?"

"Sword Piercing Fist."

"Sword Piercing Fist?"

The Old Man suddenly sat up and looked at Li Gan, "This is a basic fist technique. It is by no means easy to enter a rank with this fist technique alone. At least in the history of my Divine Sword Sect, there have been very few. Moreover, it is impossible to do so in more than two years."

"Practice a set of Sword Piercing Fist for this old man to see."

He said after a moment of contemplation.

"Yes, Senior."

Li Gan immediately assumed a stance, circulating Internal Qi within his body. His fist technique was activated, and an invisible sharp aura emanated.

The Old Man's originally slightly cloudy eyes burst with sharp light, "Fist intent?"

"That's enough, you don't need to practice anymore."

He spoke.

"Tsk tsk, you can cultivate a most basic fist technique to the Perfection realm and comprehend a fist intent. Such comprehension is extraordinary. It seems the initial entry test missed you."

The Old Man said in surprise.

He no longer doubted that Li Gan had achieved entry-level status in just over two years using a basic fist technique.

Being able to cultivate a basic fist technique to the Perfection realm was a miracle in itself.

"Boy, do you want to take this old man as your Master?"

Suddenly, the Old Man spoke.

Geniuses with good bone structure and talent were not uncommon in the Divine Sword Sect.

However, one with such high comprehension was extremely rare.

Because in martial cultivation, as one reached higher realms, pure bone structure and talent became secondary. The most important factor was actually comprehension.

Li Gan's ability to cultivate a basic fist technique to Perfection showed his high comprehension, stirring his desire to nurture talent.

"Junior does not yet know Senior's honorable name?"

Li Gan asked respectfully.

"This old man is merely a Gatekeeper of the Divine Sword Sect. However, if you take me as your Master, you will naturally receive the same treatment as other Official Disciples."

The Old Man smiled.

"Disciple Li Gan greets Master."

Li Gan did not hesitate at all and immediately knelt down.

All he wanted was the status of an Official Disciple. As for who he took as his Master, it was not important.

As far as he knew, becoming an Official Disciple did not mean one was qualified to take a Master.

Most Official Disciples with ordinary talent were merely Named Disciples of some Elder or Peak Master.

Only true geniuses would be taken as Personal Disciples by Elders or Peak Masters.

This Gatekeeper Old Man, although Li Gan didn't know his status and position in the Divine Sword Sect, his主动 offer to take Li Gan as a disciple meant he had the authority to accept disciples.

This alone was enough.

Having a Master or not made a completely different difference.

It was equivalent to having a backer.

"Good, from now on, you are my Zhou Buping's Personal Disciple."

The Old Man nodded and said, "Disciple, where were you working before?"

"Reporting to Master, I was the Bell Ringer at the Bell Tower," Li Gan said.

"Then you shall live here with me from now on. For the Bell Tower, the Chore Hall can send someone else." The Old Man said.

"Master, I wish to continue cultivating at the Bell Tower." Li Gan said.

"Huh? And why is that?" Old Man Zhou Buping asked.

"Master, the Bell Tower is very quiet, and I have already gotten used to the life of cultivating while ringing the bell," Li Gan said quickly.

"Mm, the morning bell and evening drum, they are thought-provoking and can cleanse the heart. You have endured solitary cultivation for over two years, practicing the Sword Piercing Fist to the Perfection realm. Continuing to cultivate at the Bell Tower will indeed be greatly beneficial," Old Man Zhou Buping nodded and said. "However, as an Official Disciple, you cannot be held back by trivial matters. How about this, you continue cultivating at the Bell Tower. If you feel that ringing the bell affects your cultivation, then have the Chore Hall send an additional Menial Disciple."

"Thank you, Master." Li Gan said quickly.

He definitely did not want the Chore Hall to send anyone else to the Bell Tower. After all, he already considered the Bell Tower his territory. The Chen Bell, his sacred artifact, absolutely could not be touched by anyone.