Ancient Saint Body

"Ye Xiaoqin?"

Lin Yan instantly felt a toothache coming on.

Good heavens, you've practically collected the surnames of the top three heaven-mandated protagonists!

If your life isn't tragic, whose is?

Seeing his master's huge reaction, Ye Xiaoqin gave a bitter smile, assuming his master had also heard the rumors in the city.

"I wouldn't dare deceive you, Master. I am indeed the son of the City Lord of Qingyun City!"

He lowered his head, his voice growing quieter.

"But please don't misunderstand, Master. The truth isn't like the rumors..."

"My mother is not that kind of person, and my father didn't commit suicide out of shame and indignation!"

"It all started when I went to the capital..."

Ye Xiaoqin recounted everything he knew in full detail.

His mother took him to the capital, saying they were visiting an expert to stabilize his spirit bone.

But after they returned, everything changed.

He was just an eight or nine-year-old child; he didn't understand why things turned out this way.

But Ye Xiaoqin knew his parents weren't like that. He didn't want them to die bearing such a disgraceful reputation.

Once he learned skills from his master, he would definitely clear his parents' names in the future!

After the boy finished speaking, his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

This was the sole motivation keeping him alive!

After listening, Lin Yan had a rough idea of what had happened.

They're all real pieces of work, aren't they?

At the same time, he gained a basic understanding of this world—it truly was a dog-eat-dog world!

To leave his son a way out, the husband didn't hesitate to personally cripple his son's cultivation, then kill his wife, and commit suicide.

This world was too terrifying!

It seemed he was right to keep a low profile up on the mountain.

But Lin Yan didn't say this out loud.

Telling the truth to an eight or nine-year-old child was too cruel.

Because that meant he would have to shoulder even more than he already did.

When he grew up, he would slowly figure it out himself.

Lin Yan reached out and gently patted Ye Xiaoqin's head.

"I understand. Your master believes you."

Ye Xiaoqin froze for a moment, his eyes reddening. He quickly lowered his head, not daring to let his master see.

Lin Yan remained fairly calm, but after hearing the story, the one with the biggest reaction was Liu Ruyan.

The little girl's eyes were red, her small hands clenched tightly, as if she had recalled something heartbreaking.

"It's these people again! It's these bastards who steal people's foundations again!"

Lin Yan glanced at the little girl.

Again?

Combined with the little girl's Lunar Holy Body traits from before, Lin Yan pretty much had an idea of what was going on.

"Alright. Heaven and Earth are ruthless, and treat all creations as straw dogs."

As soon as these words fell, the two disciples, who had been furious and murderous, instantly froze.

The two children looked as if they had been struck by something, standing blankly in place with an inexplicable light flickering in their eyes.

After a long while.

Liu Ruyan took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Lin Yan.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master. Your profound words carry great meaning, Yan'er understands!"

Immediately after, Ye Xiaoqin also kowtowed heavily three times.

"Thank you for your teachings, Master. Your disciple understands too!"

Lin Yan was dumbfounded.

Wait, what exactly did you two understand?

He glanced at Liu Ruyan. The little girl's eyes were still red, but her gaze had changed.

It was no longer the occasional look of anger, unwillingness, and the desire to kill her way back, but rather a kind of... calmness.

Like the surface of the sea after a storm, calm and tranquil, yet hiding deeper undercurrents beneath.

He then looked at Ye Xiaoqin. The boy's fists had loosened. The hatred in his eyes hadn't disappeared, but it was no longer bursting out like before.

Lin Yan opened his mouth, wanting to say something to smooth things over, but swallowed the words back down.

Forget it.

Let them misunderstand.

Anyway, his image in the hearts of his two disciples was already as high as it could possibly be.

"Alright, alright, you two stop overthinking."

Lin Yan waved his hand, returning to his lazy demeanor.

"Ye Xiaoqin, this is your Eldest Senior Sister, Liu Ruyan."

Ye Xiaoqin hurriedly turned around and bowed respectfully to Liu Ruyan.

"Greetings, Eldest Senior Sister!"

His movements were standard, his posture upright. A child from the City Lord's estate naturally had impeccable manners.

The little girl smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, the corners of her mouth turning up so high you could hang an oil bottle on them.

She had become the Eldest Senior Sister!

"Hello, Junior Brother. If anything happens in the future, your senior sister will stand up for you!"

"Thank you, Senior Sister!"

Off to the side, Lin Yan nodded gratifyingly. Another obedient and sensible disciple, not bad.

At this time, Ye Xiaoqin turned to look at Lin Yan again, his face full of expectation and a bit of apprehension.

"Master, right now your disciple's dantian and meridians are completely destroyed. I wonder... can I still cultivate?"

After speaking, Ye Xiaoqin stared nervously at Lin Yan, his palms sweating.

If he couldn't cultivate, then he really wished he could just go reunite with his parents. How nice it would be for the family to be together.

But if there was even a one-in-ten-thousand chance, no matter the price, no matter how difficult, he would definitely seize it!

Even if it cost him his life, he would accept it.

Ye Xiaoqin gritted his teeth, waiting for his master's answer.

But to his absolute surprise, his master just smiled, light and breezy, as if he hadn't asked "Can I still cultivate?" but rather "How's the weather today?"

Subsequently, Lin Yan pulled out a pill from his robes.

The pill wasn't large, about the size of a longan. It was pale gold all over, with faint streams of light swirling on its surface.

"Eat this, and your injuries will be healed."

Lin Yan handed the pill over, his tone as casual as if he were giving out a piece of candy.

Ye Xiaoqin was stunned.

He stared blankly at the pill, swallowing hard.

"Master... this... this is..."

"Nine Revolutions Body Sculpting Pill."

Lin Yan said casually, "Although it can't restore your spirit body, reshaping your meridians and repairing your dantian won't be a problem."

Nine Revolutions Body Sculpting Pill?

Ye Xiaoqin had never even heard of this name.

"Master... is this true? Can your disciple... can your disciple really still cultivate?"

Ye Xiaoqin's voice was trembling.

Lin Yan looked at his expression, which looked like he was about to cry, and sighed in his heart.

He was just an eight or nine-year-old child after all.

"Would your master lie to you?"

Lin Yan stuffed the pill into his hand and patted his shoulder.

"From now on, you'll live in the west wing. Go on, heal your injuries first. We can talk about other things later."

Ye Xiaoqin held the pill in both hands, as if holding the most precious thing in the world.

He opened his mouth to say thank you, but the words got stuck in his throat as if blocked by something.

In the end, he just nodded heavily, turned around, and walked toward the west wing.

After taking two steps, he turned back, his eyes red, and bowed deeply to Lin Yan.

Then he trotted away.

Lin Yan watched his back disappear behind the door and gently shook his head.

"He's a tragic child too."

Ye Xiaoqin left, holding the pill.

Liu Ruyan also began her bitter cultivation for the day.

Especially after hearing Ye Xiaoqin's story, her fighting spirit was aroused even more.

Lin Yan lay back on his rocking chair, crossed his legs, and silently recited in his heart.

"Open the system panel."

An illusory blue light screen unfolded before his eyes.

[Strongest Sect System 1.0]

[Host: Lin Yan]

[Cultivation Base: 20 Years]

[Sect: Tianyan Sect]

[Sect Grade: One-Star Sect]

[Sect Master Attributes: Guarding the Mountain Gate, Law Follows the Word]

[Sect Scale: 3/3] (Click to view disciple information)

[Sect Points: 1050]

[Disciple Trait Library: Empty]

[System Shop: Click to view]

[Sect Buildings: Sect Core, Skill Transfer Hall, Tree of Enlightenment]

[Disciple Trait Draw Chance x1]

......

[Disciple: Ye Xiaoqin]

[Cultivation: None]

[ID: 000002]

[Physique: Innate Spirit Body (Crippled)]

[Cultivation Method: None]

[Loyalty: 70%]

[Trait: None]

......

Lin Yan looked at the system panel and suddenly frowned.

The sect's capacity was already full, 3/3.

But the sect level was still One-Star.

"Sys, the sect size has already reached three people, why hasn't it upgraded yet?"

[All disciples must reach a loyalty of 80% or above, and at least one person must break through to the Foundation Establishment realm to upgrade to a Two-Star Sect!]

[Ye Xiaoqin's loyalty is 70%. Condition not met.]

"What?"

Hearing this, Lin Yan broke out in a cold sweat!

All disciples needed over 80% loyalty? And at least one needed to reach the Foundation Establishment realm?

Damn, thank goodness!

Thank goodness the two disciples he currently had possessed good character and knew how to be grateful.

If he had taken in ungrateful wretches with poor temperaments, wouldn't he be trapped in a One-Star Sect for the rest of his life?

This also served as a wake-up call for Lin Yan.

"It seems I need to be careful when taking in disciples in the future. After accepting them, I can't just be a hands-off boss; I have to spend time nurturing them."

Whether it was loyalty or cultivation realm, neither was easy to improve.

"Oh, right, Sys."

Lin Yan remembered another thing.

"After taking in a disciple, can they be expelled from the sect?"

[Yes! If a disciple commits treason or betrayals such as deceiving their master and destroying the ancestors, they can be expelled from the sect, and all previously bestowed traits, cultivation methods, and cultivation bases will be retracted.]

"Not bad, not bad."

Lin Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as there were countermeasures.

Next, Lin Yan looked at the pending Tree of Enlightenment.

"Good stuff."

Lin Yan stroked his chin, his gaze falling on the old locust tree in the middle of the courtyard.

This old locust tree came with the system when the courtyard was originally built. Its branches were lush, and its canopy was like a cover, casting a large patch of shade. He usually liked to lie under the tree to enjoy the cool breeze.

"Sys, can the Tree of Enlightenment and the old locust tree be merged? I mean replacing the old locust tree with the Tree of Enlightenment, but keeping the appearance of the old locust tree."

[Yes, the Tree of Enlightenment can change its physical appearance without affecting its functions.]

"Alright then, plant the Tree of Enlightenment in the current position of the old locust tree, and keep its appearance as the old locust tree."

[Ding! Planting the Tree of Enlightenment...]

The ground vibrated slightly as the roots of the old locust tree slowly merged with the Tree of Enlightenment.

The leaves were still that green, and the canopy was still that dense.

But Lin Yan could clearly feel that there was something indescribable added to the air.

He took a deep breath. A faint fragrance permeated the air. It was neither the scent of flowers nor wood, but a kind of... scent that made one's mind clear.

Lin Yan smiled.

His little courtyard was looking more and more decent.

"I wonder if using these leaves to brew tea in the future will have the legendary effects of Enlightenment Tea."

Lin Yan muttered, withdrawing his gaze and looking at the newly acquired disciple trait draw chance.

"Sys, let's draw it."

[Ding! Drawing disciple trait...]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the disciple trait: Ancient Sacred Body]

[Ancient Sacred Body: One of the top ten strongest sacred bodies in ancient times. When cultivated to great completion, it can rival a Dao Body, achieving sanctification through the flesh!]

Looking at the trait description, Lin Yan only wanted to say one word: envious.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

"It really is true that fortune relies on misfortune, and misfortune hides within fortune!"

"Losing a Spirit Body, but gaining a Sacred Body! And a Sacred Body that rivals a Dao Body at that!"

Without a second thought, Lin Yan directly equipped Ye Xiaoqin with the Ancient Sacred Body.