"I don't believe it." Xu Jiaqi suddenly spoke with a cold expression on her face.
"You just learned the strongest soul cultivation technique known in the Nine Heavens, not to mention that spectacle just now. There's no way you don't feel any different."
Yuan shook his head with a bittersweet smile, "Why would I lie to you? I truly don't feel any different. Perhaps the effects will start showing later, but I can't sense anything different about my body at this moment."
Neither Lady Xiang nor Xu Jiaqi could argue with his logic, especially when they still cannot comprehend what had just occurred.
"Then I would like to make a suggestion. You should stay here for a little longer so that I can monitor your condition." Lady Xiang then said.
"I'm sorry, Lady Xiang, but I have somewhere to be, and I already broke my promise once. I cannot disappoint my friend a second time. I hope you can understand. If I feel any different, I will let Senior Bai know."
Lady Xiang frowned, clearly unhappy, which was to be expected. However, what Yuan didn't expect was what she would go on to say.
"That's not right. I told you to address me as Sister Biyu." Lady Xiang revealed her reason for being displeased, leaving Yuan speechless.
Xu Jiaqi then spoke, "You don't need to report anything if you don't want to. We just wanted to make sure your body is unharmed after enduring the golden bell for so long."
If it is considered rude to question a cultivator about their gains after they consumed a treasure, the same logic applied to cultivation techniques.
"Anyways, about the soul cultivation technique… Do you have it?" Lady Xiang asked a moment later.
Yuan silently nodded.
Lady Xiang took a deep breath before speaking, "Not only did you surpass me in comprehension, you even made the golden bell ring 110 times. I don't think something like this will ever be surpassed or repeated again."
"Junior Brother Yuan, would you like to be my disciple?" Lady Xiang suddenly offered to be his master.
"If you become my disciple, I will immediately bring you to the Supreme Heaven, and I will spare no resources nurturing you. All of my disciples have become a powerhouse in the Nine Heavens one way or another, and with your talents, you will surely be my brightest disciple yet. Moreover, since our soul cultivation technique is very unique, I am the only person in the Nine Heavens who can guide you properly in that regard."
"Although the Divine Essence Monastery is a female-only sect and I have only ever accepted female disciples before, I will make an exception for you. You will not only be surrounded by beauties, they're the most brilliant and beautiful flowers you can encounter in the Nine Heavens. If that's not enough to satisfy you, I don't mind offering myself to you. I may have lived a long time, but as the Holy Maiden, my body is still pure." Lady Xiang winked at the end.
Yuan was speechless. How did the conversation go off the rails so fast within a single sentence?
"Hey, what nonsense are you spouting? I'll kill you." Xu Jiaqi interrupted with a cold look on her face.
Lady Xiang remained calm despite Xu Jiaqi's threatening aura, and she even smiled, "Nonsense? I did not utter a single lie just now. In case you forgot, you also studied under me at one point."
"That was because my father…"
"No matter how you put it, you cannot alter the truth."
Xu Jiaqi rubbed her eyes and sighed, "Yuan, ignore her. She may be the Holy Maiden, but she acts anything but one. Even if she is the only person in this world who can teach you about the soul cultivation technique, I have a feeling that you won't need it. In fact, you might even be the one guiding her in the future."
"How can you say such a thing in front of a junior right before my presence, Little Qi? To make things fair, how about I reveal some of your embarrassing secrets?" Lady Xiang spoke with a cold look on her face.
"I thought I told you that I would kill you if you ever utter that name again…" Xu Jiaqi's eyes flickered with killing intent.
Sensing that things were getting out of hand, Yuan cleared his throat and spoke in a stiff voice, "Seniors, please calm down. You're both my benefactors. I cannot bear to watch the two of you fight with each other."
He then turned to look at Lady Xiang and continued, "As for your offer, Lady— Sister Biyu, I'm sorry, but I will have to decline."
"May I ask for your reason?" Lady Xiang asked, her expression turned serious.
"There are still things that I must do— questions that I need to find answers for down here before I ascend to the Supreme Heaven. I have already decided to climb every step of the way to the Supreme Heaven, so I cannot let you take me there." Yuan explained.
After all, he won't be able to recover his memories if he skipped all the way to the end.
Lady Xiang closed her eyes and released a long sigh, "If that's your decision, I won't force it."
While she really wanted to accept Yuan as a disciple, she already expected for him to refuse. However, even if Yuan accepted her offer, she wouldn't have actually accepted him as her disciple for one simple yet complex reason— a reason that she cannot reveal to either Yuan or Xu Jiaqi.
"Junior Brother, I won't pursue this issue any further, but I have another request. Let's meet again in this place after three months. I want to see how much you've progressed with the soul cultivation technique." Lady Xiang said.
"Three months… I might not be able to make it, as I will be entering the Nameless Emperor's Tomb, which could last for as long as half a year." Yuan said.
"Nameless Emperor's Tomb…? You're actually going inside that torture chamber? What are you, a masochist?" Xu Jiaqi couldn't help but utter these words.
"You've been inside before?" Yuan had a feeling this was the case.
"Of course. In fact, most of the Immortals in the Supreme Heaven have explored the Nameless Emperor's Tomb at least once. Despite this place existing in the Third Heaven, it is still dangerous enough that even Immortals have perished inside. While inside, everyone above Spirit King will have their cultivation restricted to peak Spirit King, and all spiritual treasures above Ancient-grade are rendered useless, so the only advantages we have are our knowledge, experience, and techniques." Xu Jiaqi said.
Yuan swallowed nervously after hearing all of this.
The Nameless Emperor's Tomb is dangerous enough to kill even Immortals that are entities that he cannot even comprehend yet? Why does such a place even exist? He couldn't wait to find out.
"Now that I know you're planning to explore the Nameless Emperor's Tomb, I cannot leave you empty-handed." Lady Xiang suddenly said.
"Here are some life—"
Right as Lady Xiang prepared to pull out life-saving treasures for Yuan, Xu Jiaqi stopped her and said, "What are you doing? Have you forgotten our position? If we interfere too much, it could have the opposite effect and harm him instead."
"..." Lady Xiang wanted to argue, but she couldn't.
"Fine, I won't give him any life-saving treasures, but I won't let him go inside without anything." Lady Xiang said with a stern look on her face. "Even though he's not my official disciple, he still learned my soul cultivation technique, so he is technically one."