Chapter 55: Trait Enhancement, An Eighty-Fold Fairy!

“Cough, cough~” Master Yuan of the Alchemy Peak was utterly taken aback. “Duo Shao?”

“Nineteen years old? You’re telling me he’s nineteen?”

Of course, he wasn’t referring to Cao Xuan’s appearance. What he found unbelievable was that a nineteen-year-old prodigy could exist without him knowing about it.

In his mind, he’d always assumed the candidate would be one of the older, established alchemists of the peak—gifted, perhaps, but not dazzling. Someone who advanced step by step, steadily cultivating to the Foundation Establishment stage, destined to become a future guardian elder of their Alchemy Peak.

That was why, when he’d detected Cao Xuan’s Foundation Establishment cultivation, he’d merely smiled and nodded—he thought he’d just glimpsed the future guardian elder of his own peak.

Similarly, Master Wang of the Iron Peak smiled, while Masters Yu Wan and Li Zhiyun remained cold and indifferent, for the very same reason.

But now, in the sky, numbers shone forth, and beside them, four ancient characters materialized—“Nine-Tempered Spiritual Root!”

It turned out this magical artifact could not only test bone age, but also aptitude.

Sect Master Yu Qingsong’s eyes gleamed with a hint of heat as he watched. Though Cao Xuan’s identity token already stated he’d joined the sect three years ago, and he had his suspicions, only after this public test could he truly be certain.

At that moment, the four peak masters needed no further signal from their sect master—they understood the situation at once.

The sect master’s life was nearly at its end, while they themselves had just passed a hundred years. If they succeeded in breaking through to the Golden Core stage, they could live up to four hundred years. Such a prodigy was surely to be entrusted to their care.

“Cough, cough,” Master Yuan of Alchemy Peak cleared his throat, about to speak, when a gentle voice sounded—so gentle it startled everyone.

“Child… ahem, I am Li Zhiyun, Master of the Exorcism Peak. Are you willing to take me as your master and become my personal disciple on the Exorcism Peak?”

Not only Master Yuan, but also Master Wang and Sect Master Yu Qingsong shuddered. When had their junior sister ever spoken so gently?

Cao Xuan finally raised his head to look.

[Name: Li Zhiyun]

[Spiritual Root Attribute: Nine-Tempered Spiritual Root]

[Multiplier: 55x]

“Hm? Fifty-five times?” Cao Xuan muttered under his breath.

Li Zhiyun’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Fifty-five times? What do you mean?”

Before she could ponder further, another voice, cool yet gentle, drifted over.

“You’re nothing but a brute. What do you know about teaching disciples?”

“Cao Xuan, I am Yu Wan, Master of the Talisman Peak. Will you become my final disciple?”

Now, both invitations were for personal disciples, but Yu Wan’s specifically named him her final disciple—an honor of much greater weight.

Master Wang of Iron Peak and Master Yuan of Alchemy Peak both twitched at the corners of their mouths. These two were never this gentle.

Cao Xuan turned his gaze, momentarily dazed.

[Name: Yu Wan]

[Spiritual Root Attribute: Nine-Tempered Spiritual Root]

[Multiplier: 80x]

[Special Trait: Butterfly…] (the meaning was unclear)

Cao Xuan froze, his eyes blazing. Heaven truly favored the diligent—had not all his hard work been for the chance to see higher vistas and meet cultivators with even rarer talents? And now, two had appeared at once!

“Eighty times? Butterfly…?” Cao Xuan only murmured inwardly this time, not daring to speak aloud.

“A new attribute has appeared on the panel. What could this mean? Is the eighty-fold multiplier related to this trait?” He stared at those characters, unsure, and wondered if perhaps he was overthinking it. Maybe it was some unique constitution or talent.

But eighty times—this was the highest multiplier he’d ever seen in this world.

Sect Master Yu Qingsong saw his two junior sisters had spoken and glanced at the other two peak masters, silently suggesting, “Aren’t you going to try?”

“Cao Xuan, I am of the Artifact Refining Peak…”

“Cao Xuan, I am of the Alchemy Peak…”

Both peak masters began at once, but before they could finish, Cao Xuan bowed deeply and declared, “I am willing!”

The two peak masters were caught off guard. Master Yuan of Alchemy Peak even continued, “...take me as your master, and you’ll have free access to all the pill formulas in the Pavilion… Wait, what did you say?”

The hall fell into silence. Cao Xuan bowed again, solemn and respectful. “I am willing to take Master Yu Wan as my teacher!”

Cao Xuan swore to himself—it wasn’t because of any special trait. He merely wished to draw closer to a master with an eighty-fold multiplier, to show filial respect and offer gifts!

Yu Wan was momentarily stunned, her usual composure shaken. Throughout her cultivation, she had experienced choosing and being chosen, many times over.

Her former master, the senior brother she once admired, the genius disciple Li Yao of the Talisman Peak—none had ever chosen her so resolutely.

Yet this prodigious youth, whom she’d only just met today, had chosen her with unwavering determination, softening her heart ever so slightly.

To be honest, Cao Xuan’s talent was impressive, but she had only spoken up out of instinct to compete with Li Zhiyun.

Among the four, she was the closest to the Golden Core stage, the likely next sect master of Azurecloud Sect. Accepting a disciple was less important than breaking through to Golden Core.

For this Azurecloud Gathering, she already had a guaranteed spot in the Azurecloud Grotto under her junior uncle’s name. She was confident she’d form her Golden Core in five years.

Thus, Cao Xuan’s resolute acceptance left her somewhat conflicted.

Li Zhiyun suddenly interjected, “Cao Xuan, think carefully. Sister Yu is about to break through to the Golden Core stage!”

“She will spend most of her time—and the next five years—in seclusion. She’ll have no time to teach you!”

Li Zhiyun patted her chest with pride. “I see you’ve just reached early Foundation Establishment. What you need most is a master with time to guide you.”

“I, unlike her, have plenty of time! And you must have heard of our Exorcism Peak’s ‘Prison Suppression Art’—one of the top Foundation Establishment techniques, capable of nurturing a Six-Pattern Prison Suppression Golden Core, with unmatched killing power!”

“These next five years would be wasted with her. Far better to build a solid foundation with me!”

Her suggestion set an example for the other two elders, who promptly offered their own incentives for becoming their disciple.

Sect Master Yu Qingsong looked at Cao Xuan. In truth, he too preferred that Cao Xuan choose among the other three peak masters, for as Li Zhiyun had said, Master Yu Wan’s priority was to break through to the Golden Core stage.

She had been summoned today only because she was almost certain to become the next sect master—her presence was obligatory.

He’d expected her, given her temperament, to abstain from accepting disciples, merely making a token appearance. Yet, provoked by Li Zhiyun, she’d spoken up after all.

And, crucially, Cao Xuan had agreed so readily.

Fortunately, the other two peak masters’ offers were generous. Compared to those, Yu Wan’s silence might sway Cao Xuan to reconsider.

All eyes turned to Cao Xuan. Sect Master Yu Qingsong even cast a discreet glance at Yu Wan and shook his head, as if to say, “Think of the bigger picture.”

But Cao Xuan was oblivious to the undercurrents. He only heard the Exorcism Peak master point out that his chosen teacher was about to break through to Golden Core. Wasn’t that a good thing?

“I thank all the peak masters for their kindness. Since I have already pledged myself to Master Yu, I will not change my mind lightly!”

Cao Xuan’s eyes were as firm as those of a man swearing a solemn oath.

“But…” Sect Master Yu Qingsong parted his lips, about to speak…