Taking a Disciple

"Uh..." Hearing Xiao Han blurt that out, Shi Tou was happy Brother Lin still remembered him, but why did it sound so wrong?

"You must be over a hundred by now, right?" In the end, Xiao Han spoke first, his tone carrying a trace of surprise.

Given how cruel the Dou Qi Continent was, bottom-tier cultivators like Dou Shi could easily get caught up in accidents and die.

And a Dou Shi's lifespan was not much longer than an ordinary person's. It was a miracle that Shi Tou had lived this long.

"Heh heh..." Perhaps because it felt like he had returned to the days when he used to follow behind Xiao Han, Shi Tou's tone became much lighter too.

"I don't know how I managed to live this long either, and I never imagined I'd get to see you again, Brother Lin."

"How did you survive back then? I thought you'd been eaten by a Magical Beast." As he said this, Xiao Han's voice sank even lower.

"Back then, I ran out of the village to play. I didn't expect to accidentally fall into a pit and pass out."

"When I finally got back to the village, I found everyone was dead. It was the disciples of the Yun Lan Sect who saved me."

Shi Tou looked sorrowful. After all, back then, he had only been six or seven years old when he witnessed the deaths of all his relatives, friends, and fellow villagers. It was a scar branded into his heart for life.

"After that, I was taken to the Yun Lan Sect and became a menial disciple. I was lucky enough to cultivate to Dou Shi.

Then, when I was in my sixties or seventies, I was dismissed and sent back because I was too old." There was even a playful note in his voice.

"Who would've thought I'd end up living all the way until now?"

"And this little fellow?" Xiao Han glanced at the boy beside them. What had happened today was simply too unbelievable for this child.

Having never truly understood this continent, he had heard his Grandpa Shi actually call this young man, who looked no older than his twenties or thirties, big brother?

And... hmph! He was a bad person too. Even now, he was still displeased about Xiao Han grabbing him.

"Xiao Wu? I picked him up in the mountains. I don't know how he got abandoned there either." Shi Tou's expression showed a bit of heartache, then he suddenly grew proud. "But this kid's cultivation talent really is something else. He had no resources at all, yet he became a Dou Zhe at eleven! Hahaha!

If he hadn't refused no matter what, I would've sent him straight to the Yun Lan Sect."

Phew—thank goodness! Xiao Han let out a long breath.

If you'd sent him to the Yun Lan Sect, wouldn't that have let Yun Shan pick up a huge bargain?

"Let him follow me. I'll take him to the Central Region, Langya Pavilion. From now on, he'll be my disciple. You come with me too. I'll see if there's any way to heal your body."

The moment they met, Xiao Han had noticed that because Shi Tou was too old, his body was now utterly frail and riddled with illness.

As one of the few old acquaintances he had, and also to make up for his mistake back then, Xiao Han had to find a way to resolve his injuries and sickness.

Although Shi Tou's end was already near, and his body would have difficulty enduring any pill that extended life, this was no longer something human strength could achieve. Such was the way of heaven.

Powerful experts might be able to defy the heavens and change fate, revive the dead, and be reborn. That was also the original intent and driving force for many people to pursue the peak. But Shi Tou was clearly not among them. Xiao Han only wanted to let him pass more peacefully at the end of his life.

As for taking this boy named Xiao Wu as a personal disciple, that was a spur-of-the-moment decision by Xiao Han.

Xiao Wu's talent definitely was not bad. Without any resources to help him, relying solely on talent, he had reached the same achievement as Xiao Yan in the original work, and even surpassed it somewhat. Though he was not as good as Xiao Han himself, he was still better than Xiao Yan. After all, Xiao Yan had a good family background, and he had not lacked resources in childhood.

What made him even more suitable was that his constitution was also ice attribute. Although he most likely could not compare to Xiao Yan, who had cheats, he was still enough to inherit Xiao Han's mantle.

However, faced with Xiao Han's proposal, Shi Tou hesitated.

Shi Tou had occasionally heard of a place like the Central Region. Although he had great confidence in Brother Lin, it was still an unfamiliar place. What if Xiao Wu suffered losses there?

His own strength was fine in this remote little town, but once he got there, it was basically the same as having none.

Seeing his worry, Xiao Han said, "Don't worry. I'm the Pavilion Master of the Central Region, Langya Pavilion. How could I possibly let my own disciple suffer?"

"Besides, you may have some misunderstanding about Xiao Wu's talent. I can tell you very clearly that even in a first-rate faction in the Central Region, he could become a core disciple."

Xiao Han added, "I still have some reputation in the Central Region. And you want to watch Xiao Wu grow up too, don't you? If your body is healed, at the very least, you'll be able to live a few more years with less suffering. Right?"

These words truly struck Shi Tou in the heart. He had already lived for so long that he had no regrets left. His only wish was to watch Xiao Wu grow up, marry, and have children.

Although his days were nearly at an end, at the very least, he wanted to see the boy undergo his coming-of-age ceremony.

"All right, Brother Lin. Xiao Wu and I will go with you to the Central Region." Shi Tou made up his mind.

"Come here, Xiao Wu. Hurry and acknowledge him as your master." Then he turned and spoke to Xiao Wu.

"I don't want to take someone like him as my master." Xiao Wu puffed up his little face and said angrily.

"Sigh... You child. I'm not going to harm you." Shi Tou got a bit of a headache at Xiao Wu's sudden stubbornness.

"It's fine. I'll talk to him." Xiao Han smiled and said to Shi Tou.

In his heart, he laughed evilly. Kid, you think I can't handle you? Once you become my disciple, I'll make sure you properly understand what it means to respect your teacher and honor the Dao.

But on the surface, he remained calm and wore a fake smile, looking exactly like a weird uncle coaxing a child.

"You're Xiao Wu, right? Do you really hate me?" At this moment, Xiao Wu looked at him like he was looking at an idiot. Wasn't that obvious?

"Do you want to hit me?" Xiao Han did not mind at all. In a moment, he would let the boy know what it meant to settle accounts after the fact.

"Yes." Only then did he finally speak. "Then do you want to learn from me?"

"If you can learn my abilities, maybe you'll be able to beat me."

"Really?" Now that you mention that, I'm interested.

Very good! Education through love, plus one!

"Really. And don't you want to become stronger so you can protect Grandpa Shi? If you take me as your master, you can do all of that."

Xiao Wu glanced at Xiao Han in distress. What should he do? It was such a tempting offer.

Clearly, Xiao Wu, who had lived in the remote mountains with Shi Tou since he was young, cut off from the world, was adorably simple in some ways.

And although Shi Tou could tell that Xiao Han intended to lure him in, he was perfectly happy to let it happen. He did not know how strong Xiao Han was, but he was definitely very powerful.

After all, keeping one's youthful appearance was something only the strong could do.

Besides, wasn't the reason he wanted to send Xiao Wu to the Yun Lan Sect precisely because he did not want to hold back his talent?

"Mm..." After pondering for a long while, Xiao Wu said, "Fine, I'll reluctantly agree."

"Very good!" Xiao Han smiled, but to Xiao Wu, it somehow seemed a little dangerous.