"One year?" A hint of joy flashed in Ye Han's eyes.
This cultivation speed was already comparable to that of some of the top prodigies.
At the very least, in the past few hundred years of the Profound Sun Sect, there had never been an outer sect disciple who could reach the Qi Condensation realm in just one year after starting from the first level of the Body Refinement realm.
"It's all thanks to Senior Brother Li Xun's intervention and the Blood Qi Pill he gave me," Ye Han said slowly, his voice filled with endless gratitude.
If not for Li Xun, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Of course, even if Li Xun hadn't intervened, Ye Han wouldn't have been in mortal danger, as his master’s remnant soul was still in his mind.
But if his master had been forced to act, it would have surely drawn the attention of the elders or even the Sect Master of the Profound Sun Sect.
At that point, everything would have been hard to explain.
The sect would never allow a disciple to join with the remnant soul of a powerful entity, especially one whose intentions were unclear.
The best outcome would have been his cultivation being crippled and his expulsion from the sect.
"Indeed," the old voice in Ye Han's mind echoed, filled with emotion. "In today's cultivation world, there are few like Li Xun who are willing to extend a helping hand."
"Your potential surpasses his. When you grow stronger in the future, you could lend him a hand," the voice suggested.
"Is my potential really greater than Senior Brother Li Xun's?" Ye Han smiled bitterly.
He knew his own aptitude well—he was merely average.
His current achievements were thanks to his master’s guidance.
Without his master, he would have taken countless detours, let alone being able to compare himself with Li Xun.
"Master, how far do you think Senior Brother Li Xun can go in the future?" Ye Han asked curiously.
"If nothing unexpected happens, in fifty years, he might become a core disciple of the Profound Sun Sect. With a hundred years of dedicated cultivation, he could become an elder. But without any other fortuitous encounters, that would likely be the extent of his achievements," the old voice replied thoughtfully.
After a brief pause, the old man continued, "But you are different. The Profound Sun Sect is just a pond for you. One day, you will leave here for a much broader world. That is where your true realm lies."
"I will remember your words, Master," Ye Han murmured, pressing his lips together. He wanted to say more but couldn’t find the words.
"Are you already thinking of helping Li Xun?" The old man’s remnant soul saw through Ye Han's thoughts and asked in a slightly amused tone.
"Senior Brother Li Xun saved my life, and although the Blood Qi Pill he later gave me wasn't particularly valuable, it held great significance to me. Not repaying a kindness isn’t in my nature. As for Master’s earlier suggestion to repay him later, I’m afraid if I constantly dwell on it, I won’t be able to cultivate with a clear mind," Ye Han admitted awkwardly.
His current strength was far inferior to Li Xun’s.
Even if he wanted to repay him, he felt powerless.
In the end, he had no choice but to ask his master for help, which made him feel a bit embarrassed.
After all, repaying a debt shouldn’t involve making his master bear the cost.
"Haha," the old man chuckled. "I anticipated that this would be your decision."
As he spoke, a stream of memories flowed into Ye Han's mind, and the old man's voice continued, "This is the Golden Body Technique, a high-grade Xuan martial technique. Though it’s not enough to repay Li Xun for saving your life, it should settle the debt for that Blood Qi Pill."
"Golden Body Technique..." Ye Han’s eyes lit up.
He knew that upon entering the inner sect, he could choose two techniques, but they would only be lower Xuan-level at best.
Now, giving Senior Brother Li Xun a high-grade Xuan-level technique would indeed repay the debt for the Blood Qi Pill.
After all, the pill wasn’t particularly expensive, and offering the Golden Body Technique in return would show his sincerity.
His only concern was that Li Xun, already at the Qi Condensation realm, might not choose a defensive technique when selecting his martial technique.
If that happened, it could conflict with the Golden Body Technique.
After briefly reviewing the Golden Body Technique in his mind, Ye Han said, "Thank you, Master, for your generosity!"
"It’s a small matter," the old man replied casually, though his voice was noticeably weaker.
As a remnant soul, he could only stay awake for a limited time each day, and passing on the technique to Ye Han had further drained his already fragile spirit.
"I’m afraid I’ll have to sleep for a few hours," the old man said.
"Rest easy, Master. I’ll do my best to gather more spirit stones so that you can recover your soul as quickly as possible," Ye Han promised solemnly.
There was no response from his mind, and Ye Han knew that his master had already fallen into slumber.
"My master’s soul is growing weaker by the day. I must enter the inner sect as soon as possible. Only then can I take on sect missions and exchange contribution points for spirit stones," Ye Han muttered to himself, feeling a sudden sense of urgency.
After taking a deep breath, Ye Han stood up and walked over to the table in his hut.
He opened a blank book, and after recalling the details of the Golden Body Technique, he picked up a brush and began writing quickly.