Chapter 60: ARE YOU READY TO BECOME THE STRONGEST PRACTITIONER?!

Li Yan was even more shocked when he learned that his new master was actually the head of the Apothecary department. If Fu Hanzheng held such an important position within the sect, then Li Yan could not understand why he had gone through the trouble of disguising himself as a ragged man and sitting inside that abandoned pagoda.

"Why were you pretending to be a madman if you are the head of the department?"

Fu Hanzheng chuckled and leaned back in his chair, looking nothing like the disheveled man Li Yan had encountered earlier. His refined appearance made the disguise seem even more ridiculous now that Li Yan knew the truth.

"I use this method to scout for new disciples. Many people often judge a book by its cover, and most would never willingly approach an unkempt man sitting inside an abandoned pagoda. You were not far off at the beginning, but I could tell that you were a very intelligent child. You were cautious about the situation, yet you were still willing to strike a deal even though you knew you might take some losses. It was then that I knew you would make a remarkable disciple."

Li Yan listened carefully, and the explanation finally made the strange encounter in the pagoda make sense. Fu Hanzheng had deliberately presented himself in such a manner to test whether potential disciples would allow appearances to determine their judgment, and he had nearly fallen for the trick if Xiaoxiao had not reminded him to look beyond what was in front of him.

"You can be free with Master and tell me whatever it is you wish to learn. I shall assess your abilities and guide you toward the right path."

Li Yan did not need much time to consider the offer because he already knew exactly what he wanted to learn.

"I want to study Apothecary and Pill Formation."

Fu Hanzheng smiled when he heard the answer, and for a moment, his expression carried a trace of the carefree spirit he must have possessed in his youth. Li Yan’s straightforward ambition reminded him of himself at fifteen, when he had been young, wild, and eager to explore every path that cultivation had to offer.

"Give me your hand."

Li Yan immediately extended his hand and allowed Fu Hanzheng to examine him. His abilities were the one thing he could not afford to conceal from his teacher, because proper guidance required Fu Hanzheng to understand his foundation and determine what kind of path would suit him best.

Fu Hanzheng placed two fingers against Li Yan’s pulse point and closed his eyes, allowing his spiritual sense to enter Li Yan’s body. He carefully examined the condition of his meridians, the movement of his Qi, and the unusual energy flowing through his body, and the longer he examined it, the more serious his expression became.

After a brief moment, Fu Hanzheng withdrew his fingers and opened his eyes, no longer carrying the relaxed amusement he had shown earlier. His gaze settled on Li Yan with a weight that immediately made the young disciple realize that something about his condition was more complicated than he had expected.

"You possess such rare innate abilities, but the Devouring Phoenix Bloodline will be an issue."

Li Yan’s heart tightened slightly at the words, and he looked at Fu Hanzheng with a mixture of curiosity and caution as he tried to understand what his master had discovered.

"You are able to tell?"

"My cultivation is very high, so there are very few things that can escape my perception. The only thing I cannot see clearly is your Primordial Spirit, but I can tell that it is extremely healthy and vibrant. You possess the makings of the Heavenly Race, yet you may still fall into damnation if that bloodline is not properly dealt with..."

Li Yan looked at Fu Hanzheng seriously as he considered the situation. If his bloodline truly became more aggressive as his cultivation increased, then he needed to understand what could be done to prevent it from becoming a threat to his own cultivation and safety.

"What must I do about it?"

Fu Hanzheng remained calm, showing none of the concern Li Yan had expected from someone who had just discovered such a dangerous bloodline in his disciple. He calmly lifted his teacup and took another sip before giving Li Yan a reassuring answer.

"You do not need to worry about it at this stage. Your cultivation is still too low for the bloodline to become truly aggressive. Once you reach the Gold Qi Realm, I will seal it temporarily. We will maintain the seal until we find the Defying Phoenix Bloodline. That is the only thing capable of properly stopping the Devouring Phoenix Bloodline."

Li Yan understood the plan, but Fu Hanzheng’s knowledge about his bloodline continued to bother him. His master seemed to understand far too much about something that was supposed to be extremely rare, and Li Yan naturally wanted to know where that knowledge came from.

"How do you know so much about it?"

Fu Hanzheng answered with such simplicity that Li Yan almost wondered whether he was joking.

"I have a friend who has a friend with it."

Li Yan stared at him for several moments, unable to decide whether that explanation was supposed to be taken seriously. Fu Hanzheng merely smiled before continuing, apparently deciding that the answer was sufficient.

"Researching the Devouring Phoenix Bloodline is part of my work. I have spent years trying to find ways to remove its abilities, transfer them, limit them, or discover how its power can be properly harnessed without allowing the bloodline itself to affect the user."

Li Yan was genuinely taken aback by the revelation. His luck was beginning to feel almost ridiculous because everything he needed seemed to be falling directly into his hands without him having to search for it.

He had wanted a master capable of teaching him Apothecary and Pill Formation, and he had somehow ended up with the head of the entire department. Now that he needed someone who understood his bloodline, he had discovered that his new master had already spent decades researching it.

It almost felt as though fate had decided to place everything he needed on a silver platter.

"And how many years have you been carrying out this research?"

"Thirty-five years. I started recently."

Li Yan’s expression turned peculiar as he processed the answer. The world of immortals clearly had a completely different understanding of time because thirty-five years being described as recent was absurd by any ordinary standard.

"Then, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you, Master?"

"I am forty-five."

Li Yan stared at him with renewed disbelief. If Fu Hanzheng had spent thirty-five years researching the bloodline, then he had started when he was only ten years old. Most children at that age were still learning the fundamentals of cultivation, yet his master had apparently already possessed the intelligence and patience to begin researching something as complicated as the Devouring Phoenix Bloodline.

He must have had an exceptionally high cognitive ability.

Fu Hanzheng noticed the look on his face and smiled, clearly pleased with his disciple’s reaction. His earlier seriousness disappeared as he leaned back comfortably in his seat and regarded Li Yan with an amused expression.

"Are you impressed? You scored full points on the written examination, so I have no doubt you will be able to retain what I teach you. Besides, most of it is practical anyway. So what do you say, Yanyan? Are you ready to become the strongest practitioner?"

Li Yan nodded firmly as determination settled in his heart. He had already made up his mind that he would do whatever it took to become stronger, and now that he had found such a capable master, there was even less reason for him to hold himself back.

"Yes..." he nodded, feeling determined and motivated. "With my mythical space, I’ll rule the world." (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

With his space supporting him and countless possibilities waiting ahead, Li Yan could not help feeling confident about his future. If everything continued going this smoothly, perhaps he really could reach the peak of this world.