Chapter Seventeen: Registered Disciple

When he finished speaking, Tianxuanzi lowered his eyes, a sorrow too deep for words flickering within them.

The three others stood in silence.

Shen Wan knew it was not the time to speak carelessly. Looking at the old man before him, he actually wished he could offer a word of comfort.

After a long pause, Tianxuanzi sighed softly, his expression returning to its former composure.

"That is my past, and the reason I must entrust this matter to you."

Hearing this, Shen Wan immediately exclaimed, "You… You’re not asking us to avenge you, are you?"

At these words, Lin Bufan and Zhu Qianqing, standing to the side, tensed up as well.

Though they had no idea what sort of cultivation the Soul of the Pill Realm entailed, being wounded by someone of that realm—when even this old man had taken one hundred and thirty years to recover—if it had been them, wouldn’t a single sneeze from that person have reduced them to dust?

Tianxuanzi looked at Shen Wan in disbelief—how could this fellow be so melodramatic?

"Do you think you’re up to it?"

"Absolutely not!" Shen Wan replied without hesitation.

"Then why are you nervous?"

Tianxuanzi mocked him scornfully.

Shen Wan felt as if a great weight had lifted from his shoulders. He supposed that perhaps he'd promised too much to the old man earlier.

Of course, Tianxuanzi did not hold it against him. Withdrawing his gaze, he opened his palm, and with a flash of golden light, a wooden box appeared.

The box was oval, its surface carved with hollow patterns, resembling a finely crafted cricket cage.

Through the filigree, a small cluster of pale blue flames floated within.

"This is my wife's lifebound flame. While the flame endures, she still lives."

With that, he looked solemnly at the three.

"I wish you to help me find my wife and child, and to deliver a message for me."

Shen Wan tilted his head in confusion. "That's all? Just deliver a message?"

Tianxuanzi ignored him, his gaze passing naturally to Lin Bufan and Zhu Qianqing. "Which of you was first to enter here?"

The two exchanged glances, then simultaneously pointed to Shen Wan.

The scene grew awkward.

"Alas," Tianxuanzi sighed again.

Before his death, he had divined his fate: in the future, the first to set foot atop the tower would be his destined helper.

But now...

His gaze once more fell on Shen Wan.

Had he made a mistake all those years ago?

Meeting the old man’s doubtful eyes, Shen Wan simply shrugged. "Don’t worry about it—it’s me."

Had he been asked to avenge someone, Shen Wan would never have agreed, but delivering a message was the simplest of tasks.

Tianxuanzi pondered for a long while, then, as if making a final decision, pressed the wooden box into Shen Wan’s hands. "Then I leave this matter to you. Who would have thought, after centuries, that the one to reach this place and aid me would not be a disciple of my own sect? Perhaps it is fate."

At these words, all three were left stupefied.

"How did you know I’m not a disciple here?" Shen Wan asked.

"I founded this sect. Wouldn’t I know whether you’re one of my own disciples?"

"Oh, and you built the tower too—so how come you didn’t know I’d be the first to reach the top?"

"..."

Tianxuanzi clenched his fists so tightly that they creaked.

Seeing this, Shen Wan hurriedly waved his hands. "No problem, no problem. Leave it to me—I’ll handle it cleanly and efficiently." His tone shifted swiftly, afraid the old man might lose his temper and strike him again.

Standing behind them, Lin Bufan suddenly recalled something, quickly stepped forward, and bowed. "Grandmaster, Brother Shen currently has no status within the sect. If he returns as he is, I fear unnecessary trouble may arise."

Tianxuanzi nodded in agreement. Indeed, as things stood, Shen Wan was little more than an intruder, and since he needed his help, it would only be proper to grant him a formal identity.

As for how this fellow had entered the sect at all, Tianxuanzi neither cared to ask nor wished to know. He was only a wisp of consciousness, powerless to meddle in such matters even if he wanted to.

He glanced once more at Shen Wan.

The Ten Prisons Tower was supposed to be accessible only to disciples of the sect. Who would have thought that one day an outsider would ascend all the way to the top? And to do so as the very first?

It left Tianxuanzi in a quandary.

After much deliberation, he sighed again.

"Never mind," he said at last, withdrawing a jade token from his sleeve. It was exquisitely crafted, with the character for 'Xuan' engraved upon it.

Upon seeing it, Lin Bufan and Zhu Qianqing started in shock. They had seen similar tokens only with the sect master and the grand elder.

"This token marks you as my registered disciple. From now on, when you enter the sect, no one will trouble you."

He handed the token to Shen Wan, though his tone was anything but enthusiastic.

But there was no other way—this was the only means to bestow an identity.

The two nearby were even more astonished, hastening to step before Shen Wan and bow. "We pay our respects, Uncle-Master!"

Shen Wan was dumbfounded. He didn’t have to do anything, and he’d gained a whole generation?

He accepted the token, noting its beauty. He couldn’t tell if it was of icy or glassy jade, but it was certainly clear and bright.

Yet as soon as he took hold of the token, it emitted a faint purple glow.

Seeing him accept it, Tianxuanzi clasped his hands behind his back and attempted a mysterious demeanor, as though expecting something momentous.

But nothing happened.

Shen Wan simply stuffed the token into his robe pocket with a casual air. The denim pocket was snug enough that he wouldn’t lose it.

With the token safely stowed away, Shen Wan looked up at the old man again. "Alright, we’re free to leave now, right?"

Tianxuanzi’s face turned dark.

If he struck this disciple down now, would it count as the fastest expulsion from the sect in history?

Lin Bufan, perceiving what was amiss, nudged Shen Wan and whispered, "Shen… Uncle-Master, you must pay respects to your teacher..."

Only then did Shen Wan realize his error. Looking again at Tianxuanzi—such a pale old man, but why had his face changed so?

Sensing a coming storm, Shen Wan hurriedly knelt and called out in a loud voice, "Disciple Shen Wan pays respects to Master!"

A man kneels only to heaven, earth, and parents; but a master is as a father, and to him, one may kneel.

Seeing this, Tianxuanzi’s face softened at last.

"Rise. Since all is settled, leave the tower at once," he said coldly.

To be honest, Tianxuanzi didn’t care to see this fellow for another moment.

Shen Wan rose to his feet, grinning broadly.

He’d gained a master for nothing—and the sect master at that. What a formidable backing!

Following Tianxuanzi’s directions, the three made their way to a small room. It was modest, but on the floor stood a stone platform about twenty centimeters high.

The platform was carved with three dragons and three phoenixes, entwined together, each bearing a sparkling gem upon its head.

Those were spirit stones, though Shen Wan had never seen their like.

"This is the teleportation array. The three of you will leave the tower through here," Tianxuanzi announced from outside the room.

Having used such arrays before, Lin Bufan and Zhu Qianqing were not surprised. At his words, they stepped onto the platform one after the other.

Shen Wan, still admiring the carvings and gemstones, saw them step up and followed suit.

Once they stood together, Tianxuanzi swiftly formed a hand seal.

At once, the spirit stones on the platform began to emit a faint blue glow. The platform activated, and a curtain of light rose to envelop the three. In an instant, Lin Bufan and Zhu Qianqing vanished from the platform.

Shen Wan, however, remained rooted in place.

Naturally, he was not surprised. It was a matter of spiritual energy—if he could be transported by this, that would be the real miracle.

But Tianxuanzi didn’t know that.

The old man was baffled, checking the platform carefully. The spirit stones had all dimmed considerably, yet there was no sign of damage. How odd.

He formed another seal. Again, a curtain of light rose, but Shen Wan stood unmoved.

The spirit stones shattered one by one. Two attempts had drained all the energy from them.

Gazing at his troublesome disciple, Tianxuanzi was at a loss for words.

Shen Wan felt awkward, scratching the back of his head, unsure how to explain. In truth, he couldn’t explain—so he could only mumble, "Um… Master, I think I’ll just walk down."

With a clatter, the stone door to Tianxuanzi’s chamber atop the Ten Prisons Tower slammed shut.

Standing outside, Shen Wan felt as though he’d been kicked out.

"I told you that old man was stingy," he muttered, unconcerned, as he shrugged.

Turning around, he gazed at the familiar, empty hall and found himself close to tears.

The tower, though called ten stories, was tall enough to be over a hundred.

The thought made his scalp prickle.

Just as he resigned himself to the long descent ahead, a figure appeared in his field of vision.

The Tenth Prison—Barrier Prison.

Yun Shu, having exhausted all her strength, had finally shattered the first stone wall.

Utterly spent, she settled into meditation on the spot, but a fierce flame of hope blazed within her heart.

At last, she had reached the final prison.

The stone walls were formidable, but if she could break the first, then the others were merely a matter of time and medicinal aid.

"I, Yun Shu, will be the first in the Xuan Sect to set foot atop the tower!"

A powerful determination rose in her heart. She was not greedy for fame, but her competitive spirit was strong.

In her mind, there was no such thing as second place.

Tap, tap, tap...

Casual footsteps echoed nearby. Thinking she had misheard, Yun Shu opened her eyes slightly.

In the distance, a figure was walking steadily from within the tower.

Trailing behind him was a long, bright tail of sparks...