Shi Feiyang smiled, walked over, and gently patted his shoulder, drawing out the chill and dispersing it into thin air.

Li Zhenchuan paused for a moment before letting the True Qi in his Dantian fill his entire body once again, feeling as if he had been revived. Looking at Shi Feiyang, his face was a mix of disbelief and overwhelming excitement, "I thought I had trained my martial arts to the highest level, that I would just gain a bit more strength with hard training into old age without any great leaps, and that only the legendary Sword Immortals could surpass me. Never did I imagine that there are people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens. Your martial artistry is the highest I've ever witnessed in my life. May I ask which school or style did you use for your training?"

"I belong to no school and no sect; it's just that I obtained a Secret Manual and ate an Immortal Fruit, and by chance, I taught myself to succeed."

Li Zhenchuan sighed, "Roaming the Jianghu, my skills made me a rare adversary, but your prowess is a hundred times greater than mine, enough to establish a sect!"

Shi Feiyang felt his desire to learn and his intent to seek discipleship. He hadn't taken on disciples in many years; he had no need for disciples who were only good at head-down cultivation, but now he lacked 'secular disciples' who could handle mundane affairs and manage operations. He wondered if Li Zhenchuan was such a person.

He then laughed and said, "I do have plans to establish a sect, but a single tree does not make a forest. I came to Yellow Mountain to find those with quality and virtue who are also humble and eager to learn, to take a few as disciples, and then to find a place to establish a school."

"I am the one! I am humble and eager to learn!" exclaimed Li Zhenchuan as he knelt with a thud, "Since my youth, I've been studying martial arts, my parents hiring famous teachers for me. After I grew up, I visited various masters, hoping to develop the world's strongest martial arts! Master, if you do not despise me, please accept me, I am willing to be the head disciple of your sect's establishment."

Captivated by martial arts and having personally experienced Shi Feiyang's unfathomable Inner Strength, he yearned to immediately become his disciple, and upon hearing that Shi Feiyang truly intended to take disciples, he knelt down on the spot.

He had made a name for himself in the Jianghu, and many recognized him. Seeing him also compete for the sword increased their sense of pressure. Now they saw him kneeling, which surprised everyone, and many eyes turned his way, wondering why the naturally proud "Tyrant of Eastern Sichuan" was kneeling to someone.

Shi Feiyang said, "We've just met; you don't know me, nor do I know you. There's a saying, 'It takes three years for a disciple to find a master, and three years for a master to find a disciple.' We need to understand each other to see if we're suitable to be master and disciple."

Kneeling, Li Zhenchuan implored, "Even if you are not willing to accept me now, please allow me to stay by your side, so you can assess whether my character and habits make me suitable to be your disciple."

Shi Feiyang remembered from the original story that Li Zhenchuan's parents were martyrs who perished for their country at the end of the Ming Dynasty. He gathered a group of brothers to roar in the mountains, becoming a Village Chief, yet he did no evil. Eventually, he reformed and became a disciple of Tong Yuanqi. Now, seeing his potential in person, Shi Feiyang said, "I'll take you as a nominal disciple first, and in three years, if you are truly capable, I will formally accept you into the sect."

Li Zhenchuan was overjoyed and hurriedly kowtowed, "Master above, please accept this disciple's bow!"

The crowd of Jianghu heroes around were stunned; they all knew of Li Zhenchuan's pride and never expected to see him publicly kowtow to a younger man.

Shi Feiyang asked Li Zhenchuan to rise and then inquired about the goings-on in the Jianghu.

Li Zhenchuan, an old hand in the Jianghu, recounted tales and secrets of various factions as if they were his family treasures. He also recognized most of the Jianghu people on Yellow Mountain.

Dai Xiangying, standing by the side, felt a twist in her heart, knowing that Shi Feiyang possessed unfathomable Inner Strength but thinking that he was only somewhat better than her eldest brother Bai Qi, skilled in martial arts and handsome, and close to her own age. She really wanted to make friends with Shi Feiyang.

But Shi Feiyang just talked with his new disciple, ignoring her...

She sighed silently, turned around, and went to find Ling Yunfeng. Ling Yunfeng was still irritated with Yu Yunzhong, who kept apologizing, while Ling Yunfeng wouldn't give him the time of day and wanted him to keep his distance.

As Shi Feiyang and Li Zhenchuan chatted, Shi Feiyang asked about his personal circumstances and past experiences, confirming this man could handle mundane matters; he was only too proud to waste time with those he looked down upon.

As the two spoke of martial arts, Shi Feiyang casually gave some advice, and Li Zhenchuan found unexpected joy in it, increasingly feeling that he had chosen the right master.

The sun climbed high, and Dai Xiangying brought some dry food for Shi Feiyang and Li Zhenchuan.

Only then did Shi Feiyang remember the matter of eating; he hadn't had a proper meal in many years.

Li Zhenchuan also quickly presented his dry food, offering Shi Feiyang some sun-dried sauce meat and a bottle of wine. Dai Xiangying brought some previously cooked flatbreads.

Shi Feiyang ate a flatbread, chased it down with dried meat, and drank a whole bottle of wine. Compared to the various exquisite heavenly brews in his Qiankun Jade Box, it was incredibly earthy, but not having eaten for so many years, this return to the taste of worldliness had a different flavor; it was the taste of being human.

As the noonday sun approached its zenith, the crowd on Tian Dou Peak grew.

Dai Xiangying's much-anticipated Bai Qi finally arrived, truly handsome and dignified, dressed in snow-white garments, the epitome of a martial heroes novel protagonist, accompanied by her biological brother Heng Yu and her childhood sweetheart Xu Chao.

Dai Xiangying was delighted and hurried over to introduce them.

Bai Qi and his companions also enjoyed making friends. Their conversation was hearty, and they had long heard of Li Zhenchuan's fame, surprised to see him accept a young and unknown master.

Bai Qi said, "I came here today, not wishing to see the Divine Weapon, the Immortal Slaying Sword, fall into wrongful hands, to be used for evil and chaos across the Jianghu. If Brother Li desires it, I would not dare to contest, and would even help you to obtain this sword, how about that?"

Li Zhenchuan hurriedly waved his hands, "Actually, I share the same purpose as Brother Bai. Now that you are here, the sword should undoubtedly belong to you. I have already accepted a master, and one word of guidance from him surpasses a hundred Immortal Slaying Swords. I will do my utmost to help Brother Bai obtain the sword!"

Shi Feiyang suddenly spoke up, "I advise you all not to think about obtaining the sword."

Taken aback, everyone quickly said, "If you desire this sword, we will naturally spare no effort to help."

"I don't want it for the moment," Shi Feiyang said, pointing to Qiu Shaoliang in the distance, "I've already promised to help him get the sword."

Bai Qi was surprised, then his expression turned grim, "No! That man is not good!"

"I know he's not a good person," Shi Feiyang replied, "that's why I want to help him get the Immortal Slaying Sword."

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