Chapter 23: Nature’s Divine Workmanship

"I am willing," the young man replied, kneeling on one knee and presenting the golden bowl with both hands.

"Hold on!" Chen Yang waved his hand and smiled. "You are not yet qualified to be my disciple; do not address yourself with such words."

The sect of Mount Shu was famed for its strictness in accepting disciples. The Primordial Master himself had suffered loss of fortune due to careless disciple selection, and it was through his own disciples' involvement that he met calamity. Otherwise, given his reputation and seniority, how could the ascetic have dared to attack him with the Invisible Sword, or Emei have brazenly besieged him? At the very least, they could not have justified themselves to Master Bliss.

Although Chen Yang had taken a liking to this youth at first sight—and indeed, they shared a certain fate, for while Chen Yang sought materials to forge swords, the boy happened to deliver them to him, and possessed a natural talent for swordsmanship—these things alone were not enough. Most importantly, this youth, like himself, had lost his entire family. If this did not count as fate, then what did?

Fate aside, the necessary trials could not be omitted. Otherwise, he would end up like his own master, taking in unworthy disciples and meeting a poor end. As for those in the Supreme Demon Sect, they were mere resources to be consumed. He cared not for the sect itself, much less those expendables.

"He is entrusted to your Four Seas Trading Association," Chen Yang said. "Tell your ancestor—provide him with the very best resources. Within twenty years, I want him to achieve the Golden Core."

With that, he waved his hand, sending more than ten Primordial Pills into Sima Yan's arms.

Sima Yan did not know the effects of these pills, nor had Sima Changfeng revealed such secrets to her. Thus, she showed little excitement, simply accepting the pills and bowing in agreement.

The youth, meanwhile, heard Chen Yang's instructions to foster him into a Golden Core within twenty years, and a flash of excitement and pain crossed his eyes. He once more presented the golden bowl.

"Junior Zhong Xiu, thanks the elder."

"Zhong Xiu? That name does not suit you—too delicate," Chen Yang said, displeased. After a moment's thought, he recited, "How does the Sacred Mount stand? Its verdant slopes are boundless. Nature's spirit has endowed Zhong Shenxiu, and the forces of yin and yang divide dusk from dawn... One day I shall climb to its summit and look down upon all the mountains below."

"Nature’s spirit has endowed Zhong Shenxiu—let me add the character ‘Shen’ to your name, so that you may one day stand atop the heights."

"Zhong Shenxiu... Zhong Shenxiu..." The youth murmured the name a few times, then bowed again. "Junior Zhong Shenxiu, thanks the elder for bestowing a name."

"Very good," Chen Yang nodded, accepting the golden bowl. He then touched the youth's forehead, using the Heavenly Demon Sensing Method to impart the entry-level sword formula of the Five Terraces Sect—the Dragon Transformation Sword Scripture.

Though only an introductory technique, it formed the foundation for all of the sect’s superior sword arts. That Chen Yang would grant him this showed how highly he regarded him.

When Zhong Shenxiu regained his senses, Chen Yang withdrew the illusion, and departed with the three of them.

The onlookers felt as if they had been in a daze; when clarity returned, all memory of what had transpired vanished completely.

...

Sima Yan accompanied Chen Yang as he purchased five types of deadly poisons and a large jar of ordinary wine, then was dismissed.

She bowed and took her leave, bringing Zhong Shenxiu to the trading association to find Sima Changfeng. She presented all the Primordial Pills and relayed Chen Yang's instructions in detail.

"Good... very good... excellent work," Sima Changfeng exclaimed, delighted at the sight of more than ten Primordial Pills. He carefully stored them, one by one, in the finest jade boxes.

Seeing her ancestor value these seemingly ordinary pills so highly, Sima Yan’s eyes flickered with an unusual light, and a subtle tension arose within her.

Sima Changfeng was unaware that his granddaughter had secretly withheld one pill. After storing the pills, he turned to Zhong Shenxiu with a smile.

"Nature’s spirit has endowed Zhong Shenxiu—what an excellent name. Elder Chen is truly a man of letters."

Whether by nature or due to the upheavals in his family, Zhong Shenxiu was taciturn. In front of Chen Yang, he could speak succinctly, but before others—even a Nascent Soul master like Sima Changfeng—he made no reply to praise, simply clasping his hands in salute.

Sima Changfeng took no offense, and said to Sima Yan, "Take young Zhong below and make proper arrangements. Provide all resources adequately, do not neglect him."

"Yes," Sima Yan answered, bowing.

Zhong Shenxiu also bowed.

After the two departed, Sima Changfeng ordered an intensified search for the whereabouts of the Nine Divine Metals.

With another batch of Primordial Pills in hand, he was ever more convinced of his suspicion—that Chen Yang was indeed a Soul Transformation expert who had seized a new body, and one from ancient or medieval times at that.

Sima Changfeng’s guess was not entirely right, nor entirely wrong. The cultivation system of Mount Shu could not be easily compared to the methods of this world. If one forced a comparison, the Soul Transformation stage here roughly equated to the Primordial Spirit or “Loose Immortal” realm of Mount Shu. Although not identical, Soul Transformation was essentially the Nascent Soul transforming into Primordial Spirit, and the reason why late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators were so vastly superior to the early and middle stages was because they began to possess some of the supernatural qualities of Primordial Spirit.

It was precisely these supernatural qualities that created such a great gulf between cultivators of the same realm.

The next day.

It was the sixth day of the Baohua Gathering, and the final day of the auction.

Sima Yan waited early outside the courtyard, accompanied by a youth—Zhong Shenxiu.

Despite being a woman, Sima Yan had inherited Sima Changfeng's cunning and intelligence. Through her dealings with Chen Yang in recent days, she had realized that this elder regarded all things and people with a certain indifference, as if viewing the world as mere straw dogs. Or perhaps he treated all equally, neither disliking evil nor favoring good.

However, with Zhong Shenxiu, things were different; it was a feeling she discerned from observing the details. Coupled with the casual gifting of pills that had drawn her ancestor's utmost attention, Sima Yan took all this to heart and naturally became more thoughtful.

After completing the daily required practice, Chen Yang stepped out the door and immediately spotted Zhong Shenxiu, clean and neat, holding a longsword.

The youth was handsome, dressed in the same dark Daoist robe as himself.

"You don’t suit dark robes; wear white instead," Chen Yang said with a smile.

Zhong Shenxiu clasped his hands and replied, "Understood."

Handsome though he was, his expression was too cold.

"Youth, that's not good. You must smile more," Chen Yang said, smiling as he patted his shoulder. Toward this youth with whom he shared a bond, Chen Yang indeed acted differently, showing much greater tolerance.

"Mm." He forced a smile that was uglier than a grimace.

Chen Yang shook his head, amused, and did not press him further. From his sleeve, he produced a yellow-skinned gourd conjured by the Heaven-Holding spell and tossed it to him.

"This is Five-Poison Immortal Wine. It will strengthen your organs and enhance your elemental foundation. Drink a drop daily—it will last you twenty years."

Zhong Shenxiu was stunned. Only when Chen Yang walked past him did he return to his senses, holding the gourd quietly to his chest and murmuring a soft acknowledgment.