Chapter 554 : A Prodigy's Humble Audience

"Caspian pays his respects to the Ancient Ancestor."

Caspian Chen bowed respectfully and discreetly tugged at the corner of Alistair Lu's robe.

Finally catching on, Alistair Lu hurriedly bowed as well. "This humble one is Alistair Lu, paying respects to the Ancient Ancestor."

"There is no need for such formality."

The sword-carrying youth smiled, a flicker of spiritual light dancing in his eyes.

He studied Alistair Lu for a moment, his gaze seeming to pierce right through him, before speaking in a gentle tone. "I am Sylas Ye, the First Disciple under my Master's direct tutelage."

"Come with me."

With those words, Sylas Ye led Alistair Lu deeper into the Grand Hall.

Only then did Alistair Lu begin to grasp the terrifying aura of the man before him. Sylas Ye appeared to be merely at the Purple Mansion Cultivation [the third major realm of cultivation, where one forms a spiritual core within their dantian], yet his presence far surpassed any Purple Mansion Cultivator he had ever encountered.

Even the Purple Mansion Ancestor of the Yan Clan, the dominant power of Heaven's Fate County, would likely find the courage to raise a hand against Sylas Ye utterly beyond their grasp. Find this and other novels at audio-novel*com.

"What manner of being must the Master of such a heaven-favored prodigy be?"

Alistair Lu's heart surged with excitement, yet he dared not speak further, suppressing his thoughts as he followed.

The two stepped into the Grand Hall, where they beheld a divine couple, one man and one woman, seated upon the dais.

With but a single glance, Alistair Lu felt a roar in his ears; these two figures shone with the radiance of deities from the Nine Heavens, inspiring in him a sense of awe so profound he could scarcely bear to look upon them directly.

At that moment, Sylas Ye beside him stepped forward and bowed. "Greetings, Master, Master's Wife!"

Finally comprehending, Alistair Lu hastily prostrated himself upon the floor, his voice trembling with fervor. "This humble youth, Alistair Lu, pays his respects to the two True Lord."

"Hmm."

Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod, his gaze appraising Alistair Lu for a long while before a faint smile finally touched his lips.

With a flick of his sleeve, he gently raised Alistair Lu to his feet. "Do you know," he inquired, "what caliber of innate talent you possess?"

"This..."

Alistair Lu hesitated for a moment, and after a year had passed, he finally spoke: "This junior possesses Four Spiritual Roots [a cultivation aptitude with four spiritual affinities], and my constitution seems to be unusual. However, my knowledge is shallow, and I do not know for certain if it is a Dao Body [a rare and powerful innate physique]."

Eldrin Chen and Lyra Jiang exchanged a glance, and a faint smile touched his lips as he began to speak.

"While Dao Body [a rare and powerful innate physique] are exceedingly rare in the world, when one stands at the True Lord Realm [a high cultivation realm] and surveys a vast and boundless continent, they are not utterly unheard of."

"However, Dao Body [rare and powerful innate physiques] also have distinctions in strength. The most common are those like the Fire-Aspected Dao Body [a Dao Body aligned with the element of fire], which belong to the category of Five Elements Dao Body [Dao Bodies aligned with the five fundamental elements]. The superior ones are the powerful Dao Body [rare and powerful innate physiques] such as the Pure Yang Dao Body [a Dao Body of pure Yang energy]."

"If my judgment is correct, your constitution is the legendary Four Symbols Dao Body [a Dao Body aligned with the Four Celestial Symbols]. It is a superior grade of Dao Body [rare and powerful innate physique]."

Alistair Lu's heart jolted with surprise. Suppressing his burgeoning elation, he asked, "May I ask, True Lord [a title for a high-ranking cultivator], what exactly is the Four Symbols Dao Body [a Dao Body aligned with the Four Celestial Symbols]?"

"The so-called Four Symbols refer to the Azure Dragon [the celestial beast of the East, representing wood], the White Tiger [the celestial beast of the West, representing metal], the Vermilion Bird [the celestial beast of the South, representing fire], and the Black Tortoise [the celestial beast of the North, representing water]—the Four Symbols True Spirits [the four supreme celestial beasts]. They represent four types of ultimate power within heaven and earth."

Eldrin Chen explained in detail, unraveling the mysteries of this Four Symbols Dao Body [a Dao Body aligned with the Four Celestial Symbols]: "The Azure Dragon [the celestial beast of the East] governs wood, the White Tiger [the celestial beast of the West] harbors metal, the Vermilion Bird [the celestial beast of the South] burns with fire, and the Black Tortoise [the celestial beast of the North] commands water."

"Possessing the Four Symbols Dao Body [a Dao Body aligned with the Four Celestial Symbols] means you are innately attuned to these four great Daos [fundamental principles]. In the future, your ability to master the secret forces of these four attributes, and even to comprehend their corresponding laws, will progress a thousand Li-lengths in a single day, ten times more smoothly than an ordinary person."

"The Four Symbols True Spirits [the four supreme celestial beasts]?"

Alistair Lu's heart surged with unparalleled excitement. He possessed the Four Spiritual Roots of Fire, Metal, Wood, and Water, which, unbeknownst to him, perfectly aligned with the latent potential of the Four Symbols Dao Body [a legendary physique harmonizing with the four cardinal symbols].

Eldrin Chen observed his expression, allowing him a moment to digest this revelation before speaking with a smile. "Your aptitude is extraordinary. With proper nurturing, your chances of breaking through to the Nascent Soul [the stage where a cultivator's spiritual essence forms an independent infant soul] are exceedingly high. This has stirred within me a desire to take you as my disciple."

"However, I am not one to force such matters. Should you be unwilling to bow and acknowledge me as your master, I shall instead bestow upon you a minor treasure as a reward for a promising junior."

Upon hearing this, Alistair Lu fell into deep contemplation, his face a mask of struggle and hesitation.

After a long pause, he shook his head with a bitter laugh. "My clan possesses only two Foundation Establishment [the second major realm where a cultivator solidifies their spiritual foundation] cultivators, and our Ancient Ancestor is advanced in years. If I were to leave, the Lu Clan would likely find itself without a pillar to lean upon."

"Such a heaven-defying opportunity lies before you. Are you truly willing to forsake this brilliant future for the sake of a mere Foundation Establishment Family?" Published by audio-novel dot com. All rights reserved.

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow, his tone laden with meaning. "Though your talent is exceptional, you hail from but a minor family. Securing cultivation resources will become a significant hurdle in the future."

"Without a monumental stroke of fortune, whether you can ever break through to the Nascent Soul remains uncertain, let alone take the next step to glimpse the immortal path."

Alistair Lu's heart trembled slightly. Yet, after another lengthy silence, he shook his head once more. "My clan gave me life and raised me; its grace towards me is as vast as the heavens. There are also people within it whom I hold dear. How could I, your junior, abandon them without a second thought?"

"Hahaha!"

Suddenly, Eldrin Chen let out a hearty laugh.

He nodded, his gaze filled with approval as he said, "You speak truly. If a person knows not gratitude, how are they any different from Demonic Monsters?"

"If you were to forsake all past kindness and debts for the sake of the Immortal Path, I fear I would not dare take you as my disciple."

Upon hearing this, Alistair Lu immediately prostrated himself on the ground, feeling a cold sweat break out upon his back.

So it had been a test from Eldrin Chen. Had he truly been tempted by the promise of the path ahead and acted as an ungrateful person, he likely would have been viewed with suspicion by the Chen Clan even if he had left the Grand Hall today.

From his high seat within the Grand Hall, Eldrin Chen glanced at Alistair Lu and smiled. "Though your talent is extraordinary, the world is not lacking in cultivators of exceptional aptitude. Yet most of them fade into obscurity."

"Setting aside the breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm, even obtaining the Heavenly Dao Qi [the primordial Qi of the Heavenly Dao, essential for high-level cultivation] would likely be beyond your reach without the support of a master and sect."

"If you become my disciple, the path ahead will be far smoother for you."

Continuing, Eldrin Chen added, "As for your clan, I can bestow upon them a Fourth Rank Spirit Vein [a land imbued with potent spiritual energy of the fourth rank] and pledge to nurture three Golden Core Cultivators for the Lu Immortal Clan. This shall serve as repayment for the debt of upbringing you owe them."

Alistair Lu felt a surge of emotion upon hearing this. The exalted status of a Golden Core Cultivator was rare in the world, yet in the eyes of a True Lord, it seemed to be of little consequence.

For such an existence, what ordinary people consider priceless Golden Core Formation Pill [a rare elixir that aids in forming a Golden Core] is but a common item, not particularly difficult to obtain.

For the Lu Immortal Clan to ascend to a Golden Core Immortal Clan in one fell swoop—what a monumental, heaven-sent opportunity this was for the members of the Lu Clan.

With this thought, Alistair Lu asked excitedly, "My clan's Ancient Ancestor is advanced in years, yet his kindness to me is like that of a parent. I wonder... is it possible to assist him in breaking through to the Golden Core [the third major realm of cultivation, where one's spiritual power condenses into a solid, golden core]?"

Eldrin Chen furrowed his brow. That Lu Clan Ancient Ancestor had already lived for three Jiazi-time [a cycle of sixty years] and had only just recently broken through to the Foundation Establishment, Late Stage [the late phase of the second major cultivation realm].

To nurture a cultivator of such circumstances to the Golden Core realm would be far more difficult than with an ordinary practitioner.

However, as a Nascent Soul Immortal Clan [a clan powerful enough to have a Nascent Soul realm cultivator as its pillar] and with a Longevity Treasure [a rare artifact that can extend a cultivator's lifespan] in hand, for the Chen Clan to forcibly nurture a single Golden Core Cultivator was not an impossibility. It was merely a question of whether the investment was worthwhile.

Clearly, given Alistair Lu's talent, which stemmed from his Superior Grade Dao Body [an exceptionally rare and potent innate physique ideal for cultivation], such an investment was indeed justified.

Thus, Eldrin Chen nodded and said, "I will have someone deliver a portion of Longevity Treasure later. It will naturally assist him in breaking through to the Golden Core Realm."

"Should you later ascend to the Nascent Soul [the fourth major realm, where one's spirit forms an independent infant-like entity], you may repay this karmic debt to the Lu Clan. However, if you take me as your master, your primary loyalty must henceforth lie with your master and sect. There can be no divided heart." Official source: site: audio-novel.com. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.