Chapter 530: The Way Must Not Be Transmitted Lightly!
"Magical treasures?"
Lin Mu was slightly surprised. He hadn’t expected magical treasures to exist in this realm, which was somewhat astonishing.
Magical treasures in the world were divided into several major categories. From lowest to highest, they were: Mortal Instruments, Magic Artifacts, Spiritual Artifacts, Immortal Artifacts, and Divine Artifacts. Within these categories, each magical treasure also had a strict hierarchy: inferior-grade, medium-grade, superior-grade, and holy-grade. This Soul Communion Realm was an inferior-grade Mortal Instrument, the absolute lowest tier of magical treasure.
No, that’s not right.
Lin Mu’s eyebrows twitched as he finally noticed something was off. A genuine magical treasure inherently possessed a unique Dao Charm, which was the fundamental distinction between it and an ordinary object. The stronger the Dao Charm, the higher the rank. Lin Mu’s own Yulong Sword was an inferior-grade Spiritual Artifact, exuding ample Dao Charm and boasting formidable power capable of destroying anything with a single strike.
However, this Soul Communion Realm only possessed a faint trace of Dao Charm, and even that was rapidly dissipating. Before long, it would degrade into a mere mundane item.
So, it’s an imitation.
Soon, this Soul Communion Realm would become an ordinary object, useful for nothing more than being a regular mirror.
Although it’s just an imitation, it’s still considered a rarity.
All magical treasures in the world came from the hands of Artifact Refiners, and Artifact Refiners were all powerful figures in their own right. To encounter a magical treasure on an Earth so scarce in Spiritual Energy was a surprise to Lin Mu, and it stirred some new thoughts in his mind.
Could it be that Earth once had Cultivators? Did they all disappear with the advent of the Last Dharma Age? For some reason, I feel things aren’t that simple.
I’ll have to wait for the spirit within it to awaken before I can ask my questions.
After stowing the Soul Communion Realm, Lin Mu glanced at Alice, who had long since passed out from the cold. He shook his head gently and slapped a palm against her body, infusing her with his Mana. Alice immediately regained consciousness.
"Thank you, thank you for saving me..." Upon seeing it was Lin Mu, Alice’s eyes instantly turned red as she voiced her thanks.
"I’ve already cured the Gu poison in your body. You may leave now." Glancing at Alice, Lin Mu shook his head. This woman was truly fortunate. It was a miracle that she had managed to survive the Gu poison for this long.
"Can I... can I take you as my teacher? According to you Easterners, you would call that person a ’Master,’ right?" Alice suddenly knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly to Lin Mu. "Immortal, please, take me as your disciple! I’m homeless now."
Her purpose in coming to Huaxia had been to cure the Gu poison in her body. Now that it was resolved, Alice suddenly didn’t know what to do. However, the thought of the various mystical powers this Easterner possessed filled her with a sudden desire to become his disciple.
"Take you as my disciple?" Lin Mu shook his head. "You’re not suitable."
"What?" Alice looked surprised. "Is it because I’m not pretty enough? Or do you want money? I know there’s a fee for becoming a disciple—I have money. As long as I can return to my country, I can give you a large sum of it."
When she left the Blood Rat Mercenary Corps, her Uncle Jack had left her a large sum of money, so the current Alice was quite a wealthy young woman. Moreover, in her country, apprenticing to a master required a hefty payment.
"Money?" Lin Mu scoffed. "Do you think I need it?"
"Then why?" Alice knew that someone like Lin Mu wouldn’t be lacking in wealth. Then...
Alice bit her lip, her cheeks flushing as she said, "Then what do you think of me? As long as you teach me, I’m willing to give everything, including myself..."
In the West, it wasn’t unheard of for teachers and students to have... special relationships. Although Alice was reluctant to offer her body, she was willing to pay any price to learn the Easterner’s mystical abilities. Besides, he was quite handsome and definitely her type.
"My conditions for accepting a disciple are very strict. You’re not suitable," Lin Mu said, fully aware of Alice’s thoughts as he rejected her directly.
"You haven’t even told me your conditions! How can you just say I’m not suitable?" Alice retorted, unconvinced.
She had been through far too much in the past year. Her uncle was killed, her mercenary corps was annihilated, and she had entered Huaxia alone—a mysterious country filled with endless dangers. During that time, she was hunted, deceived, and even imprisoned. She had encountered things that most people would never experience in their lifetimes. Whether in terms of experience, temperament, or willpower, she felt she was no worse than anyone else. Furthermore, back in the West, she had been called a genius. Naturally, she took great issue with Lin Mu’s dismissal.
Lin Mu furrowed his brow; he hadn’t expected Alice to be so stubborn. He said, "Do you really want to learn?"
Clenching her fists, Alice replied, "Yes, it’s all I dream about. In fact, I came to Huaxia for you, but not just to have the poison in my body cured. I came because I want to learn that magical power you have."
Alice didn’t understand cultivation, but she knew it was something wondrous.
Lin Mu’s brow furrowed again. "Can you tell me why you want to learn?"
"I want to become as powerful as you so I can protect the people I want to protect!" The memory of her uncle’s tragic death made Alice’s eyes redden.
Uncle Jack had been the kindest person to her, yet all she could do was flee to another country, watching helplessly as he was killed. Alice didn’t want such a tragedy to ever happen again.
"So, no matter how difficult it is, no matter how much I have to suffer, I’m not afraid!" Alice knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Lin Mu. "I, Alice Liddell, earnestly beg you to accept me as your disciple."
Seeing how serious Alice was, Lin Mu’s expression turned grave as he stated indifferently, "My path is not one that ordinary people can withstand."
"Even if I can’t, I must!"
"Alright then." Lin Mu said lightly, "Since you wish to become my disciple, you must pass my trial."
"Does that mean you’ve agreed?" Alice exclaimed excitedly. "Oh my god, thank you!"
Seeing Alice jump up and lunge toward him as if for a hug, Lin Mu took a slight step back. "I haven’t agreed to anything yet. Only if you complete my trial will I consider accepting you as my disciple."
"What?" Alice cried out. "You’ll only *consider* it after I complete it? What if you don’t agree then? Won’t all my effort be for nothing?"
"Then let’s not speak of this again. You may leave," Lin Mu sneered.
She wants to be my disciple and still dares to negotiate terms? As if anything in this world is so easy!
"Fine, I agree!" Alice said with a look of determination. "I said it before. No matter the difficulty, I will do it!"
"Good. That’s the spirit," Lin Mu said. "It’s nearly six hundred kilometers from here to Suzhou. I’ll give you one month. If you can walk to Suzhou, I will accept you as my disciple."
"Over five hundred kilometers? On foot?" Alice cried out in astonishment. "My God, how is that even possible?"
"Yes, on your own two feet. You cannot take any form of transportation—no planes, high-speed trains, or cars. And you cannot carry a single penny with you," Lin Mu said indifferently. "Of course, if you feel you can’t do it, you can forget I ever mentioned it. I’ll arrange for you to leave Huaxia and return to your own country."
Lin Mu wasn’t trying to make things difficult for Alice. The Dao could not be taught lightly.
In his previous life, he had endured so much hardship and fatigue just to be accepted into an Immortal Sect. He and his two siblings, holding Qing Zhu canes and wearing worn straw sandals, walked for three full years before they were barely able to enter a small sect. But it was those years that had tempered his character, forging it into steel.
"Alright!" Alice took a deep breath. "I promise you. I will definitely do it!"
"I shall wait and see."