Staring at the beggar's back, the smile on Sir Guo's face widened. Ah, finally, I found someone.
Sir Guo had once been a Wanderer. He came from a powerful sect, a martial school in another region that specialized in Lightning—whether in cultivation techniques, battle techniques, or attributes. They only accepted disciples with the talent to cultivate their unique Way of Cultivation, and he had been one of them.
An outer disciple, Sir Guo was eventually kicked out due to his lack of talent and inability to advance further in his cultivation. His peers had long since surpassed him, while he struggled for years to make even the slightest progress.
After his expulsion, he drifted from place to place, eventually adopting the Way of the Wanderer. He found peace in observing ordinary cultivators striving to advance their cultivation. That's why he chose to become the guardian of Klown City's Training Ground.
It had been three years since then, and during that time, he had made a decision—to find his own disciple, regardless of status or age, and turn them into the greatest Lightning Cultivator.
But before that could happen… Sir Guo had another task for his new disciple. His eyes glinted with mischief as a chuckle escaped his lips. "Fatso, my friend… you've been getting on my nerves."
Meanwhile, back at the Great Serpent Cultivation School…
The island was bustling with martial students. Some were cultivating by the beach as the ocean waves crashed nearby; others were inside their homes or walking the streets, buying from vendors who were also students trying to earn a living.
Atop the tallest mountain, where the most expensive buildings stood, an old man with hair as white as clouds was meditating peacefully on a brown mat.
Around him, blades made of water floated in the air, catching the sunlight and glinting like real swords. These water blades were sharper than any steel, deadly, and capable of cutting through almost anything.
This was Elder Yuan, one of the seven elders of the Great Serpent Cultivation School. He wore a white hanfu robe with the school's insignia on the back, concealing his thin frame within its folds.
With his eyes closed, concentrated Qi flowed into his body, following a practiced pattern before settling into the dark blue orb within his dantian.
At the 4th-Step Qi Condensation Stage, he was close to forming his core, the next step required to reach the Core Creation Stage.
Elder Yuan cultivated in peace, time seeming to fade away as the water blades continued to circle around him.
He had been meditating for a few hours, which in cultivation terms was not long at all, but rather, very short. However, his peace was interrupted by a knock on the door. Without opening his eyes, he said, "Come in." His voice was neither loud nor soft, yet it resonated through the room and beyond the door.
The door creaked open, and a man entered before kneeling on the wooden floor.
"Master," the man said. He was middle-aged, with black hair that reached his shoulders, sharp eyebrows, deep-set eyes, a straight nose, and thin lips. His mustache and beard further emphasized his age. He wore the black-and-white uniform of the Great Serpent Cultivation School, but unlike the regular students, his hanfu robe had gold linings.
"Heru," Elder Yuan said, opening his eyes slowly. He stared at one of his disciples, the Senior Brother of the Great Serpent School, one of the seven.
"Is it true?" Heru got straight to the point. He wasn't one for small talk.
"Yes," Elder Yuan smiled. "But don't worry. I believe in you. You've been eyeing that position and have proven yourself more than once to be worthy of becoming the Personal Disciple."
"Thank you, Master," Heru smiled confidently, though his face soon darkened. "But he chose an outsider for the first candidate. That's a clear disrespect to the school, don't you think, Master?"
"You're right," Elder Yuan nodded, his expression growing serious. "He may be the youngest Headmaster of one of the school's branches, but he lacks experience. We all want what's best for the Great Serpent, but disrespecting it is a different matter.
Heru, you need to prove that only those born and raised within the heart of the Great Serpent Cultivation School have the right to become the Personal Disciple—the future Headmaster."
"Yes, Master!" Heru bowed, his eyes glinting dangerously. And I will make sure to kill that brat, he thought. He was furious. It felt like someone had trampled on his status, and that someone was just a mere commoner with no strength to back it up. He looked up determinedly and asked, "When can I issue a challenge?"
"You can issue a challenge at any time," Elder Yuan said. Neither of them considered the possibility of losing. They were confident the appointed Personal Disciple was a pushover, someone Heru could easily defeat. "Once you defeat him, the real challenge will begin. You'll need to defend your position from the other six Seniors."
Elder Yuan and Heru weren't the only ones having this conversation. The other Seniors sought out their masters, and after confirming the rumor, they too decided to issue challenges as soon as possible.
In the highest building on the tallest mountain, the Headmaster was floating atop a mat. In front of him stood a figure dressed in a black-and-white robe that concealed their identity.
They spoke for a while before the hooded figure vanished into a puddle of water.
Axton was silent for a moment, then a frown creased his face. "What is that guy planning?"
The Wanderer had met with another Wanderer. Sir Guo and his disciple had talked at the training ground for a while before Yoma left the scene.
The person Axton had assigned to monitor Yoma reported that an agreement had been made, but due to the distance, they couldn't overhear the conversation.
Axton had tasked one of his men with keeping an eye on Yoma to understand him better and gather information. So far, Yoma hadn't done anything strange aside from staying at the Filly Restaurant, and this was the only time something unusual had happened.
"Hmm, I should request his presence," Master Axton muttered.