Jiang Fan felt endless waves stirring in his heart, but his face remained calm and he said, "Please, senior, examine me."
Venerate Xinnie did not abandon the examination because Jiang Fan was so composed.
His gaze fell on Jiang Fan.
Jiang Fan immediately felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him, causing him immense pain.
The power within him surged uncontrollably to resist this force.
He had just used the Execution Pen, and all his strength was completely depleted.
Where could he draw out any strength?
He was immediately forced to the ground by the pressure of this gaze.
Venerate Xinnie frowned slightly: "Why is your body empty?"
Jiang Fan showed a pained expression and with clasped hands, replied, "Reporting to senior, we were pursued and our spiritual power and physique were completely exhausted."
"Allow me to recover a bit, and it won’t be too late for senior to check again."
"If senior cannot wait, granting me a panacea for rapid recovery would also do."
Venerate Xinnie said indifferently, "Go and rest on the sidelines."
He wasn’t certain if he had sensed it wrong in the first place.
Now he was merely checking on a whim.
How could he waste precious recovery Spirit Pills on a disciple without any background?
What would be wasted would yield no particular favor.
Jiang Fan felt as if he had received a great reprieve.
He secretly rejoiced, thankful that he had used the Execution Pen to deplete the Void Flow Thunder Force and fire force.
Otherwise, he would have been in a great deal of trouble this time.
"Then, senior, could we go in first?"
"It would be a waste to squander the opportunity of being the first to arrive with great difficulty."
Venerate Xinnie glanced at Jiang Fan with a slight hesitation, unwillingly saying,
"I promised publicly that the first to ascend the Heavenly Ascending Ancient Road would be taken as my disciple."
"Are you willing to take me as your master?"
In truth, he intended to accept disciples from the Three Divine Sects and Seven Great Sects.
Firstly, because their disciples are meticulously cultivated by the sect and well-rounded in all aspects, requiring little effort to nurture from the start.
Secondly, more importantly, if he accepted a disciple from the Divine Sect,
His relationship with that sect would naturally become extremely harmonious.
Wouldn’t it be easier to mobilize their disciples to find a practitioner of the Void Flow Thunder Force?
Unexpectedly, the first to arrive was a disciple of a minor sect from such a remote place on the continent.
Taking him in would mean having to retrain him from scratch and offer no leverage on his sect’s strength.
Yet, having boasted in front of the people of Taicang State,
He could not go back on his word.
Jiang Fan felt a jolt in his heart, becoming Venerate Xinnie’s disciple?
It would be fine for a day or two, but over time, how could Venerate Xinnie not discover the anomalies within him?
Once discovered, the master-disciple relationship wouldn’t protect him at all!
He would surely be smashed to pieces instantly!
But refusing directly would offend him, so after much thought, he could only tactfully say, "I’m honored by Venerate Xinnie’s high regard."
"But I have already entered the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; if I switch to a senior’s sect, it would be akin to betraying my masters and elders, wouldn’t it?
Having a disciple like me would affect your reputation, right?"
Upon hearing this, Venerate Xinnie was immediately delighted.
He thought Jiang Fan would surely become his disciple.
After all, being a disciple under a venerable is something even many Nascent Soul Experts dream of.
Who would have thought someone would refuse!
He naturally went along with the flow: "Alright then, since you already have a master, I won’t insist."
"Let’s just say I never mentioned it..."
He looked into the depths of the blood-colored curtain, his eyes turned slightly.
The reason he was accepting the first to ascend the Heavenly Ascending Ancient Road was also that he wanted something inside.
Something even the Young Emperor is looking for!
If he couldn’t find a practitioner of the Void Flow Thunder Force, this item would be his way of making amends.
But if he didn’t accept Jiang Fan as a disciple, on what grounds could he request the item Jiang Fan obtained?
Forcefully demand it?
Or ambush and seize it?
After all, this wasn’t the Heavenly State, where every move was monitored by two venerates and a bodhisattva.
Some things were better done with restraint.
His gaze shifted, and he said: "Forget it, since I’ve made a bold claim, how can I not keep my promise?"
"Considering you have a master, I will accept you as an honorary disciple."
"You will still be part of your Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion while maintaining a nominal master-disciple relationship with me."
"Whenever you or I no longer wish it, a simple word will sever the tie."
Jiang Fan thought rapidly, clearly, Venerate Xinnie did not want to accept him as a disciple either.
Why did he change his mind? fre.eweb(n)ovel\.c om
But an honorary disciple didn’t need to stay by Venerate Xinnie’s side; having or not having this master didn’t make much difference, so there was no worry about exposing the Void Flow Thunder Force.
Even at critical moments, he could flaunt the title of honorary disciple to bluff people.
Moreover, Venerate Xinnie likely wouldn’t allow him to refuse again.
So, after weighing the pros and cons, he confirmed that the advantages outweighed the disadvantages and happily clasped his hands and said, "Disciple Jiang Fan pays respect to Master Xin Nie!"
Feng Xinnie nodded with a smile: "Good disciple, no need for formalities."
He thought for a moment, then casually took out a bottle of Spiritual Liquid from his sleeve: "Take it and break through to the Ninth Layer Perfection of Core Formation."
"Consider it a small meeting gift from your master."
A venerable only gives this?
It’s even less valuable than the Spiritual Meat he gave away!
No wonder as an honorary disciple, the benefits were just nominal; there wasn’t much to gain.
"Don’t think it’s little; once you help me obtain the Ancient Token, more will be given," Venerate Xinnie probably felt it was a bit stingy and added.
Jiang Fan’s heart was moved.
So did this old fellow have ulterior motives for insisting on making him an honorary disciple?
He clasped his hands and asked, "Master, may I ask what the Ancient Token is?"
Venerate Xinnie pointed to the figure on the throne and said, "You are first in the Linyin Hunting."
"When you stand before him, he will give you a token, that is the Ancient Token."
The implication was that Venerate Xinnie was now coveting Jiang Fan’s prize for being first in the hunting ground?
He snorted coldly in his heart.
Just an honorary disciple, and he wanted to swap for his reward, what a calculation!
"Yes, Master." Jiang Fan nodded calmly.
First, obtain the token!
He always felt the arrival on the Heavenly Ascending Ancient Road was strange; things might not be as easy as they seemed.
So, after a pause, he continued, "Master, going in without any strength, won’t it be dangerous?"
Venerate Xinnie snorted coldly inside, naturally understanding that Jiang Fan was taking the opportunity to ask for benefits.
However, Jiang Fan didn’t need to remind him, he already planned to give him some.
Without some power, Jiang Fan probably couldn’t even stand properly in front of that throne.
Immediately, he painfully took out a gold-shining Spirit Pill, radiating intense spiritual pressure.
It was a Fifth-grade Spirit Pill!
The best Jiang Fan could currently make was a Fourth-grade Spirit Pill.
Even he found it challenging to obtain this pill.
"Swallow one and not only will it restore all your strength, but it will also boost your power in all aspects by twenty percent."
"I see you should have the physique of a Peak Nascent Soul; after taking it, your physique should reach the level of a Second-stage Nascent Soul."
Jiang Fan’s heart raced wildly.
Having the physique of a Second-stage Nascent Soul before undergoing a tribulation?
What level would his physique reach after a dual Golden Core tribulation?
Would his internal Void Flow Thunder Force, fire force, and even spiritual power increase?
He hesitated no longer and swallowed it in one go.
Without waiting for the power within him to begin recovering, he said, "Your disciple is going in first."
He dared not recover his strength in front of Venerate Xinnie, lest the Void Flow Thunder Force be exposed, which would lead to serious trouble.
Venerate Xinnie was eager for Jiang Fan to proceed, nodding and said, "Don’t be nervous, the one in front used to be a Divinity Transformation Venerable from Central Earth, and won’t do anything to you."
Jiang Fan’s eyes showed contemplation, what did that mean?