C40 Three Masters

He turned to Jiang Su and remarked, "Your ability to enter the Thousand Feet Illusion seems to be a twist of fate with me. I'm bound to this place for eternity, yet no one has taken up my advanced knowledge of runes and formations. I'm willing to teach you a few techniques. Whether you master them is entirely up to you."

With a gesture, he traced symbols in the air.

Jiang Su watched as lines intertwined, creating intricate runes and formations. Astonishingly, he recognized them and could instantly recall each one in his mind!

A gentle breeze carrying the scent of fresh grass swept by.

The spiritual energy within the Thousand Feet Illusion converged on Jiang Su, igniting a surge of spiritual power!

Shangguan Yue watched, almost in disbelief. Jiang Su's capacity to absorb spiritual energy rivaled his own. Jiang Su was undeniably a prodigy.

He continued to sketch runes and formations in the void.

As Shangguan Yue crafted a particular rune, the golden characters "Tao Heart" flowed from his fingertips, carried by the spiritual energy straight into Jiang Su's forehead, and settled into his sea of consciousness.

Shangguan Yue paused, then said, "This will guard you against losing control during your breakthroughs. Though your Tao Heart is pure, the future is unpredictable. This might just save you one day."

Jiang Su processed the formation Shangguan Yue had drawn. Hearing these words, he bowed deeply, expressing his gratitude. "Thank you, elder. Should I have the opportunity to return to the Thousand Feet Illusion, I will surely come to pay my respects."

The tranquility was shattered as the Thousand Feet Snow Mountain seemed to succumb to an avalanche. Torrents of snow cascaded down, exuding a piercing chill.

Witnessing the scene, Jiang Su hesitated before asking, "Elder, is there truly no method to free you from the Thousand Feet Illusion? If there is, I vow to spare no effort in aiding you."

Shangguan Yue's gaze drifted beyond Jiang Su to the frigid expanse of the Thousand Feet Snow Mountain. Save for himself, no life stirred in this icy realm. He had nearly forgotten what it was like to live outside the illusion.

Loneliness was his only companion, his days spent gazing at the snow-capped peaks, the trees, grasslands, wildflowers, and lakes.

These were all things he once held dear. He and Chen Pingsheng had plans to explore the world together.

Sadly, fate had other plans.

He was capable of leaving, but Jiang Su, a Qi Sensing Stage cultivator, couldn't assist him. He intended to be honest and discourage Jiang Su from trying.

Shangguan Yue spoke calmly, "I am aware of a method to escape the Thousand Feet Illusion, but it's unfeasible. I possess the Celestial Spiritual Root. To leave, I must inhabit the body of another cultivator with the same spiritual root."

Jiang Su, taken aback, addressed him, "Senior."

He was cut off after a single word by Shangguan Yue, "Never mind. It looks like I'm destined to remain in the Thousand Feet Illusion indefinitely. Focus on your cultivation. If the opportunity arises, bring in cultivators with Celestial Spiritual Roots."

Jiang Su replied with resignation, "Senior, I possess a Celestial Spiritual Root."

Shangguan Yue gave Jiang Su a skeptical look. Cultivators with Celestial Spiritual Roots were exceedingly rare. In the Cultivation World, they emerged only a handful of times every hundred million years.

The odds of encountering one in a thousand years were far slimmer than those of a cultivator achieving Ascension. After a millennium trapped here, he began to question his own sanity, wondering if Jiang Su was merely a figment of his imagination.

Could all of this be an illusion?

Shangguan Yue closed his eyes and recited the Heart-clearing Spell. Upon opening his eyes, Jiang Su was still there.

After much deliberation, he crafted a formation capable of detecting a cultivator's spiritual root.

His eyes widened in shock. Jiang Su truly had a Celestial Spiritual Root!

To meet one in the Cultivation World was a rarity spanning a hundred million years, yet here was one before him today!

After a thousand years confined within the Thousand Feet Illusion, he finally saw a glimmer of hope for escape!

It was no surprise that Jiang Su had mastered the Shadowless Step and the Taiqing Sword Manual at the Qi Sensing Stage. Jiang Su was a prodigy, both in the Cultivation World of old and the one that now felt so alien to Shangguan Yue. This realization struck him suddenly.

Observing Shangguan Yue's expression, Jiang Su could tell what was on his mind. "Senior, I think it's necessary to mention that I've actually reached the Foundation Stage," Jiang Su revealed.

Shangguan Yue's brow furrowed as he attentively sensed Jiang Su's spiritual breath. Indeed, Jiang Su had attained the Foundation Stage, but to Shangguan Yue, his spiritual breath felt faint.

Having narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by Nan Qi, Jiang Su recognized that his level of cultivation seemed insignificant to these formidable beings. His spiritual breath was barely perceptible to them unless they scrutinized it closely.

Yet, once they learned of his Celestial Spiritual Root, their underestimation ceased.

Jiang Su took great satisfaction in this Surface Weakening Buff. Now, within the vast Cultivation World, no one was aware that he had advanced to the Golden Core Stage. Concealing his true level of cultivation was advantageous, allowing him to keep a low profile. After all, no powerful individual would bother with someone weaker.

As long as his Celestial Spiritual Root's potential remained a secret, everything was ideal.

"You truly are an enigma. Had we not sparred, I would never have guessed your prowess. To those unacquainted with you, your most lethal weapon seems to be your looks," Shangguan Yue remarked.

"Senior, I appreciate the compliment," Jiang Su responded with a hint of embarrassment. Despite the frequent compliments on his looks, he never considered himself particularly attractive. For a man, he believed, true strength was paramount.

"Have you ever delved into the realm of Talisman Cultivators? I could take you under my wing, imbue one of your possessions with my presence, and instruct you in the arts of formations and runes," Shangguan Yue offered with a broad grin. "What do you say? Intrigued? Despite possessing the Celestial Spiritual Root, my passion lies with Talisman Cultivation, and I've dedicated myself to mastering it. I dare say, I'm the most formidable Talisman Cultivator since the dawn of the Cultivation World."

His words may have carried a self-congratulatory tone, but they were far from false. As a Talisman Cultivator, he could take on multiple Sword Cultivators simultaneously, even holding his own against a Sword Immortal!

Had he cultivated multiple skills simultaneously like Jiang Su, he might have ascended to the rank of Immortal Sovereign.

Yet, he harbored no intentions of vying with Chen Pingsheng.

His heart swelled with joy in anticipation of Jiang Su accepting him as his master.

But Jiang Su seemed somewhat crestfallen. With a calm and measured bow, he addressed Shangguan Yue, "Master."

Though his response was subdued, his salute was profoundly respectful. Shangguan Yue, pleased, stepped forward to lift Jiang Su to his feet.

He now boasted three masters!

His first was Chiu Yue, the Great Elder of the First Devil Sect, a Nascent Infant Stage Sword Cultivator endowed with innumerable immortal pills and secret treasures. His second, a Medical Cultivator known as the "Miracle-working Doctor" and "Toxic Yama King," was Wen Shu, who might also hold a leadership role in the Nebula Pavilion. His third master was Shangguan Yue, the Cultivation World's most formidable Talisman Cultivator, with over a thousand years of life.

Should the Golden Dragon, dormant within him until his Nascent Infant Stage, be counted as a master, then he would claim four.

His masters were titans of strength, wielding vast influence within the Cultivation World.

Jiang Su was overjoyed. With such guidance, he was on the fast track to becoming an omnipotent cultivator.