Apprenticeship

Facing the oncoming lava, Walter merely smiled and held out his hand, spreading his fingers. He plunged them into the magma and gently blew on it. The searing lava immediately cooled, turning into black stones that still steamed with heat.

Yan Jin's pupils contracted as she stared at the scene before her in disbelief.

"Child, you should learn to respect the strong."

As soon as he spoke, a terrifying pressure swept over them.

This Soul Pressure was so dreadful and violent, like a mountain collapse or a tsunami.

Yan Jin and Lei Yin were forced to one knee, cold sweat pouring down their foreheads. They wanted to resist, but they had no control over their bodies. Their legs shook uncontrollably; even standing up was a distant hope. Their hands were limp and weak, unable even to clench into fists.

Yan Jin's face was filled with horror. She had thought herself a minor expert, yet before a true powerhouse, she did not even have the right to stand.

This pressure crushed her pride and self-satisfaction to pieces.

She gritted her teeth until her lips bled.

Walter looked rather surprised at Amon, who remained calm and unruffled. "You don't seem to be affected?"

Powerful Soul Power could oppress both the mind and body. This oppressive force was likewise a manifestation of Soul Power.

When such Manifestation acted upon Amon, it became a target his First Soul Skill could select. In theory, Amon could remain unaffected by the aura of any Soul Master.

In fact, the Worms of Time parasitizing Yan Jin and Lei Yin could likewise Steal the host's Soul Power Manifestation. But Amon deliberately wanted Yan Jin to learn a lesson, so he did not help remove the pressure they were enduring.

Yan Jin had been far too reckless. That punch had made even his heart tighten.

"I have special ways of dealing with it," Amon answered with a smile.

Walter did not seem inclined to probe further. He softly told Yan Jin, "Remember this. Do not rashly attack a Soul Master far stronger than yourself. It could cost you your life."

Yan Jin pursed her lips and said nothing.

"I apologize for my sister's recklessness," Lei Yin said, bowing deeply.

Amon adjusted his Monocle and clicked his tongue before asking:

"Then let's get to the point, Lord Walter. A big figure like you surely wouldn't come all this way just to make things difficult for us out of boredom, would you?"

Walter stroked his beard and looked at Yan Jin. "Of course not. This was both tempering and a test... I have been watching your growth all along.

"You are an outstanding child. You rejected me back then, but that also showed your loyalty and devotion.

"Yet everyone must pay the price for their choices. Since you chose to refuse me then, I would not provide you with resources or help you grow.

"What gratifies me is that even without anyone's aid, you did not squander your talent. You still managed to shine.

"Mi Zonglan reported your situation to me, so I arranged this test.

"The bandits you encountered on the road were all placed there by me. They had been 'working' elsewhere before I captured them. I told them that if they could kill you, I would spare their lives.

"Your performance was satisfactory—no, it was nothing short of astonishing!"

He clapped in admiration. "Yan Jin, I'll ask you once more. Are you willing to become my disciple?"

Yan Jin looked at Amon. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. After a long silence, she finally asked timidly, "If I don't become your disciple, will Northland Academy refuse to admit us? Will Ma Wen harm my younger siblings?"

Walter shook his head. "No. Who would force someone to become their disciple?

"I want to find an inheritor, not raise an enemy!

"Even if you refuse now, Northland Academy will still welcome you. The Ice Thorn Chamber of Commerce will also restore its friendly relationship with you... I will no longer interfere in your lives.

"Everything that happened today was only meant to remind you that without backing or connections, even if you have talent and ability, you may not necessarily stand out.

"You need a supporter. Just as you once sought Ma Wen to 'invest' in you, you can now try letting me become the power behind you."

Yan Jin said somewhat stubbornly, "I already have a teacher. Amon... I only got this far thanks to his constant care."

Walter shifted his gaze to Amon, who merely smiled faintly.

Even if Walter had not come looking for them, Amon would have sought out someone similar. By now, Ma Wen could no longer provide them with help, so Amon needed a new "Ma Wen."

Whether this new "Ma Wen" wanted to take on a disciple, make a deal, or something else entirely, Amon would not refuse. He was still weak. Securing sufficient resources and growing faster were what he sought at this stage.

Walter's initiative in coming to them was precisely what Amon had hoped for.

First, it resolved a hidden danger. He no longer needed to consider the potential threat posed by the Soul Douluo whom Yan Jin had once rejected as a master.

Second, a Soul Douluo wielded enough influence that, under his wings, they would not need to find a new patron for a long time to come.

Though this would seem to cause Yan Jin a little emotional pain... that was not unacceptable.

Practically speaking, becoming Walter's disciple would not harm Yan Jin either. And Yan Jin's interests were, to a certain extent, tied to Amon's own.

Amon adjusted his Monocle and said:

"Yan Jin, I am only your instructor at the academy. Ours is an ordinary teacher-student relationship, not the kind of master-disciple relationship involving the passing down of one's legacy.

"Though I acknowledge that I am your teacher, I have never acknowledged you as my disciple, have I? At most, I said you counted as half a disciple of mine...

"The disciple Walter speaks of is someone who can inherit his path and carry on his will... Do you think I need you to carry on my path as a Soul Master?"

"But... but..." Yan Jin's nose stung, and her eyes reddened slightly.

She truly regarded Amon as her teacher, as the person she respected most. Though she called him Amon all day long and appeared to show no respect whatsoever, deep down, she relied on him immensely.

Ignoring Yan Jin, who was on the verge of tears, Amon turned to Walter.

"Mr. Walter, a master chooses a disciple, and a disciple also chooses a master. It is a two-way process.

"Have you truly prepared yourself to teach Yan Jin? Do you have any plan for her future development? Do you understand the characteristics of her Martial Soul?

"You should know that a master cannot pass their own power directly to a disciple. What matters more is the teaching of knowledge."

Walter pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"I have my own set of teaching principles... I am not a research-oriented Soul Master, nor do I possess extensive knowledge. To be honest, I am not very good at teaching in the traditional sense.

"However, while a master's strength cannot be directly imparted to a disciple, it can bring resources. Using the resources obtained through that strength to accelerate a disciple's growth can also be considered an indirect way of passing down one's power."

Amon raised his brows. This old man had some real insight. He adopted an honorific tone.

"A very advanced theory. You must also be an exceptionally fine educator... Yan Jin, I believe that under Lord Walter's guidance, you can become a great Soul Master better and faster."

As he spoke the latter half, he turned to Yan Jin.

Yan Jin was still immersed in the disappointment of not receiving Amon's acknowledgment. Hearing him say that, she gave him a pitiful look and said dejectedly, "If this is your decision, then I am willing to accept it."

Walter could tell that Yan Jin was still somewhat unwilling, but he did not mind. He began considering how to make her accept him as soon as possible and willingly acknowledge him as her master.

After all, seedlings comparable to the Golden Generation were hard to come by.

Following ancient custom, Yan Jin knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to Walter.

Walter smiled in satisfaction. "Good, good, good. Since you have become my disciple, accept your first lesson now."

Lei Yin looked at his sister with heartache. He knew how distressed Yan Jin felt, yet Walter was already so eager to put on airs as her teacher, which inevitably angered him.

Perhaps I did not explain things clearly enough in these past few chapters, leading some readers to misunderstand.

Walter did not directly threaten Yan Jin with her family. He merely made others afraid to show Yan Jin kindness, cutting off the friendships she might receive from others and making her feel the helplessness of having no supporter or connections, where every step was difficult.

When Yan Jin entrusted her younger siblings to Ma Wen, she was both asking her to help care for them and showing her sincerity in cooperating. Originally, even if Yan Jin could not fulfill their initial agreement and could not participate in the Soul Master Tournament, Ma Wen would not force her. Yan Jin had already become powerful enough that forcing her to work under Ma Wen might not necessarily benefit Ma Wen. Ma Wen would still treat her "kindly."

But because of Walter's pressure, Ma Wen could no longer treat her kindly. Thus, when Yan Jin could not enroll in the academy or provide the promised returns, Ma Wen would follow their agreement and "remind" Yan Jin to come work for her. Her family's safety was Yan Jin's weakness, the guarantee that would make her obediently fulfill the agreement. In truth, Yan Jin and Ma Wen had understood this from the beginning. So long as Yan Jin did not break the agreement first and returned to Frostleaf City to work for Ma Wen, her family would remain safe.

Therefore, what Walter vaguely used to threaten Yan Jin was not her family's lives, but the bright future she might have gained—the life-changing opportunity to stand out in the Soul Master Tournament. That did not cross the bottom line.

And at the same time, it reinforced the lesson Walter wanted Yan Jin to understand: with a good master, your future will be brighter.