On the ninety-fifth floor, Su Xun stepped out of the elevator and looked at the only entrance door before him.
Steadying his breathing, he reached nervously for the doorbell.
Yet his outstretched hand passed straight through the doorbell. Then an inexplicable suction seized his entire body and sent him tumbling through the door.
Splash, splash!
Chirp, chirp!
A clear spring burbled, and birds and beasts called to one another.
Su Xun opened his eyes and found himself seemingly transported into a secluded paradise hidden within a primeval jungle.
However, with his rough understanding of Han Tianyi's abilities, he knew that everything before him was most likely constructed from spiritual power.
Instinctively, he compared this world of spiritual power to the world inside the Spirit Ascension Platform.
He discovered that, with his current spiritual power, he could not distinguish between them at all.
If he had to name a difference, the Spirit Ascension Platform's primeval forest felt a little more real. After all, it brimmed with a primordial atmosphere.
Here, however, a faint fragrance drifted through the air.
Su Xun surveyed his surroundings.
Since Leng Yaozhu had continued keeping him in suspense before he left, he currently did "not know" Han Tianyi.
Naturally, he knew even less about what was happening now.
Still, that did not prevent him from analyzing the situation based on what he knew.
There were only so many reasons to keep the details from him. The likeliest possibility Su Xun could think of was, naturally, that Han Tianyi wanted to test him.
After all, spiritual power cultivation would certainly involve insights Han Tianyi had accumulated over many years-his core legacy.
Before him lay a lake. Winding slabs of blue stone floated on its surface, forming a stone path that extended toward a small island at its center.
An ancient tree grew on the island, with a stone tea table and meditation cushions beneath it.
The entire scene exuded an air of antiquity.
Su Xun drew a deep breath. Multicolored, illusory light appeared in his eyes, immediately revealing the scant traces of "reality" presented before him.
More precisely, these were real elements within the illusion that Han Tianyi had deliberately left for him while constructing this environment.
He stepped forward, but rather than landing on a blue stone slab, his foot touched the water.
Ripples spread in widening circles, yet Su Xun did not sink into the lake.
It was a very simple test. Even without activating a soul skill, his eyes could still find the correct answer.
"Oh?" A soft exclamation of surprise sounded beside his ear.
Su Xun smiled faintly and walked across the rippling water to the island.
Beneath the ancient tree, an old man with an unusually large head sat on a stone meditation cushion, staring at him in astonishment.
"The middle stage of the Spirit Connection Realm, and eyes with an innate ability to see through falsehood. Worthy of spiritual eyes indeed...
"No, that's not right. These aren't spiritual eyes!
"What exactly is your martial soul?"
Han Tianyi's spiritual power flowed outward, and he soon detected something unusual. He grew excited at once, his eyes widening on his oversized head.
At the sight, Su Xun suddenly felt that the phrase "eyes as wide as bronze bells" had taken tangible form.
Faced with Han Tianyi's question, Su Xun thought for a moment and chose not to hide anything.
Leng Yaozhu had given him no specific instructions against it, clearly granting her tacit permission to reveal his abilities to Han Tianyi. Otherwise, how could he learn anything of real substance?
With a slight shift of thought, Su Xun's entire body lit up.
The light of the six roots converged, taking the form of an ethereal six desires immortal behind him.
"This... six kinds of body martial souls? No, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind-these are the six desires roots!
"What is your martial soul called?!"
Han Tianyi's understanding of body martial souls clearly surpassed Leng Yaozhu's. He had immediately identified the right "direction."
Su Xun smiled faintly. "You have a discerning eye, Senior. My martial soul is indeed related to the six desires.
"It told me: six roots, six dusts... six desires immortal."
Six desires immortal!
Han Tianyi froze. "Of course. Only when the six roots are stained by the six dusts do they become the six desires."
But immediately afterward, his gaze shifted slightly. As though he had seen through everything, he spoke without reserve:
"Desire-type martial souls have always been classified directly as evil martial souls, alongside fallen angels and the like. They are the Holy Spirit Cult's most cherished treasures.
"Six desires immortal sounds pleasant, but in truth, 'immortal or demon' is decided in a single thought.
"Whether you become a six desires immortal or a six desires demon will likely depend on whether you can remain true to your heart."
Su Xun's pupils contracted slightly at those words, but inwardly, he remained calm.
Indeed, he had added "immortal" himself.
During his martial soul awakening, the exact words his martial soul had conveyed to him, the words he had felt within his heart, should have been-
The six roots and six dusts become the six desires.
Cling to immortality or fall into demonhood in a single thought.
He did not believe he would fall into demonhood, so he had chosen only "immortal."
Moreover, the two abilities of his innate talent, Six Roots Empathy-Contemplative Desire Subjugation and Desire-Infusing Fall-also pointed directly toward "immortal and demon."
Su Xun's expression remained calm. "Immortal and demon are merely different ways of wielding power. I believe I can hold to my principles."
Han Tianyi stared silently at Su Xun, as though trying to dissect even his soul.
A moment later, he suddenly smiled. "So young, yet so steadfast in mind. Heavenly Phoenix has certainly taken in a fine disciple."
Then his tone changed abruptly. "However, Heavenly Phoenix is not a body soul master, after all. Su Xun, become my disciple.
"Not only can I give you the finest spiritual power cultivation method, but in the future, I can also bring you into the Body Sect to undergo a second awakening of your body martial soul.
"Only then can your martial soul's potential be developed to its fullest."
Han Tianyi's gaze burned with fervor.
Although he had questioned Su Xun calmly just now, towering waves had long since surged through his heart.
As a body soul master, how could he fail to recognize the tremendous potential of Su Xun's martial soul?
A six desires immortal formed from six of the finest body martial souls-this was unique throughout the recorded history of the Body Sect's legacy.
It even came very close to the nearly perfect body martial soul that generations of Body Sect predecessors had deduced-the ultimate body martial soul encompassing the entire body.
Although the six desires immortal was not yet that, if it underwent a perfect second awakening, it might well have a chance to evolve again!
Thus, never mind that Su Xun already possessed a firm will at such a young age and answered his probing questions with effortless fluency.
Even if Su Xun's answers had been riddled with mistakes, he would not have minded in the slightest.
This was precisely the best age to guide him.
Put plainly, in his view, if Su Xun became a great demon in the future, the teacher nurturing him now would bear tremendous responsibility.
But under his expectant gaze, Su Xun gently shook his head.
Han Tianyi's brows drew together slightly, but Su Xun spoke first. "Senior, I can feel how highly you regard me.
"But I already have a teacher. As the old saying goes, a teacher for a day is a father for life.
"I won't betray my teacher.
"In other words, if I betrayed my teacher and became your disciple, shouldn't you be worried as well?
"If the Body Sect became useless to me someday, and someone else offered a greater temptation, wouldn't I betray the Body Sect too?"
Han Tianyi was taken aback. Then his gaze toward Su Xun grew even more fervent.
The reasoning was entirely sound. Even he had been persuaded.
Yet the more this was true, the more regret he felt.
Leng Yaozhu had actually beaten him to taking such an exceptional prodigy as her disciple!
Ah...
Han Tianyi sighed quietly to himself, then smiled helplessly. "You certainly have a silver tongue, lad.
"Very well. Come, let me see your talent for spiritual power cultivation.
"If you can truly win me over, what harm is there in entrusting my legacy to you, even if you don't become my disciple!"
Before you continue