fynovel Chapter 40 Becoming an Apprentice
Chapter 40 Becoming an Apprentice
The Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, armory.
The cool moonlight shone on the mottled bluestone slabs, draping the century-old pavilion in a silvery veil.
In front of the armory gate, the gray-robed old man who was always drowsy was now slumped in a grand chair without any regard for his image.
His messy silver hair swayed gently in the wind, but the corners of his mouth were turned up high, and he even hummed an unknown tune. His beaming appearance made him look exactly like an old man who had found some money, and there was no trace of his usual lifeless and unapproachable demeanor.
Wang Dao's figure reappeared on the stone steps in front of the armory.
The last time he came here, he was a naive young man who was pretending to be a grandson in front of this gatekeeper in order to find the "Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound Method".
This time, however, his gaze no longer lingered on the tightly closed armory door, but instead locked onto the old man who was immersed in some beautiful fantasy, like a hawk.
Wang Dao moved with lightning speed, traversing dozens of stone steps in just a few strides to arrive in front of Wu Kuangren.
Without any preamble or hesitation, he abruptly bent down, raised his hands high above his head, and respectfully presented the rusty piece of iron, his voice booming: "Disciple Wang Dao greets Master!"
"puff!"
The Martial Madman was fantasizing about how he should act like a profound and unfathomable hermit when the kid arrived, first coldly refusing him, then setting up numerous tests, and finally reluctantly accepting him as a disciple after the kid's tearful pleas...
Before he could even process this combo into his mind, Wang Dao's crisp and decisive "Master" completely shattered it.
The old man's lips twitched violently a few times, and his feet, which had been swinging with his legs crossed, froze in mid-air.
He stared with his bull-like eyes at the sincere-looking boy in front of him, and couldn't help but curse inwardly.
"That little brat doesn't play by the rules at all! I prepared an 800-word opening, but I didn't even get a chance to say a single word!"
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the frustration in his heart, and stretched out his fingers, as thin as withered tree bark, to pick up the piece of iron. He glanced at Wang Dao with feigned seriousness and asked, "Little fellow, did the Princess send you?"
Wang Dao slowly straightened up, his slightly immature face filled with honesty and admiration.
He blinked his big eyes, his tone so sincere it was almost moving:
"Master, you are wise! Ever since I heard from the Princess about your unparalleled reputation for your sword that once chilled nineteen provinces, my heart has been filled with the thought of a thousand ants crawling all over me. I long to become your disciple as soon as possible!"
"I only hope that one day, I too can be like my master, dominating the world with my sword and sweeping across the eight wastelands!"
At this emotional point, Wang Dao slapped his thigh in frustration: "Last time, when I came to choose a cultivation technique, I failed to recognize Master's true form. I was utterly blind! So blind!"
This string of flattery flowed smoothly and effortlessly, making Wu Kuangren feel incredibly comfortable.
The old man, who had originally intended to maintain a certain air of composure, was now beaming with joy.
He squinted slightly, his head bobbing gently as Wang Dao spoke, his face perfectly displaying a smug look that said, "Hmm, well said, go on, I love to hear it."
Wang Dao's lips twitched slightly as he looked at the old man's pleased expression.
This old man seems to be a stubborn mule; you have to coax him.
Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Wu Kuangren finally put away his unserious smile.
He slowly sat up straight, and in that instant, his previous lazy and leisurely demeanor vanished, replaced by a solemnity that was breathtaking.
He looked Wang Dao up and down, his gaze sharp as if he wanted to see right through Wang Dao to the bone, and the satisfaction in his eyes grew stronger.
"Alright, you've got some skills with words." The Martial Madman waved his hand, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips. "My swordsmanship can only be learned by those with unparalleled talent and unwavering will."
"You lad, you have a solid physical foundation. Although your personality is a bit slippery, this ruthlessness is to my liking."
He suddenly stood up, and in that instant, his originally hunched body seemed to grow incredibly tall, like a majestic sword peak rising from the ground.
"Now that you have entered my tutelage, you are my person."
Suddenly, two dazzling beams of light burst forth from Wu Kuangren's cloudy eyes, and an indescribable terrifying aura erupted from his body.
The surrounding air groaned under the weight of this aura, and the once calm void cracked open with fine black fissures, as if the entire world could not withstand even a wisp of his presence.
He stood proudly before the armory gate, his voice, though soft, resounding like thunder in Wang Dao's ears:
"From this day forward, if anyone dares to bully the weak, they'll have to ask this old man in his hand first... for his three-foot-long sword!"
Faced with the sudden burst of fierce energy from the Martial Madman, Wang Dao felt as if the air around him had solidified, as if an invisible giant sword was pressed against his brow, pinning him to the spot.
He could clearly see that the energy was like billions of tiny sword threads, cutting and vibrating in the void, distorting and deforming even the light in its path.
It was a pure, overwhelming pressure, without any fancy phenomena, yet more awe-inspiring than any cataclysmic event.
In Wang Dao's eyes, the gray-robed old man before him was no longer the carefree gatekeeper basking in the sun, but a towering sword god, majestic as a mountain, unstoppable by any army!
"Master is awesome! Mighty!"
Wang Dao blurted out, his voice filled with undisguised amazement and a hint of spontaneous awe.
The Martial Madman's originally tense face twitched again after hearing this simple and unadorned praise.
He suppressed his aura, and the suffocating pressure instantly dissipated, restoring calm to the area in front of the armory.
"You're quite honest, kid."
Wu Kuangren glared at Wang Dao with annoyance, but he couldn't hide the smile deep in his eyes.
He sat back down in his chair, crossed his legs, and said leisurely:
"My lineage is very easygoing. We don't have the strict rules and regulations of those major sects, and we don't care about any formalities."
"Our philosophy is that the sword moves with the heart, and the key is to forge an invincible swordsman's heart that can cut through all constraints!"
He paused, his gaze falling intently on Wang Dao, then changed the subject:
"Of course, I made quite a few enemies during my travels around the world back then."
"Now that you've become my disciple and learned my swordsmanship, you'll inevitably have to clean up my messes and get into huge trouble in the future. Aren't you afraid?"
"Having slain all enemies, what has this disciple to fear!"
Wang Dao's voice was resounding, and his eyes burned with a fighting spirit as fierce as the sun.
Without the slightest hesitation, he said this not to flatter, but to express his truest feelings.
As Wu Kuangren looked into Wang Dao's clear and resolute eyes, the admiration in his eyes grew even stronger.
He could tell that this kid wasn't just talking big; he truly had that fearless belief ingrained in his very being.
"Good! That's bold!" The Martial Madman slapped his thigh hard, making a crisp "smack" sound that made Wang Dao's eardrums go numb.
He then added leisurely, "The Dragon Abyss Sword that you took from the armory last time has quite a history."
"That doesn't belong to the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion. It was something I obtained by chance at an ancient battlefield when I was traveling around the world."
"Its rank is unknown, but what it contains is extraordinary. Since you are fortunate enough to obtain it, make good use of it; that will suffice."
He stroked his sparse goatee, a glint of wisdom in his eyes:
"Now that you have obtained the Dragon Abyss, I will teach you a sword-nurturing technique."
"This is the foundational technique of my lineage, which aims to nourish the sword with the body and nourish the body with the sword, combining strength and gentleness."
"Don't let the name fool you; it sounds a bit rustic. Its origins are anything but simple. I obtained it from an ancient ruin years ago, and when combined with the Dragon Abyss Sword, it's twice as effective!"