62: Chapter 62 Yun Yun: What nonsense are you spouting? You're clearly laughing at me.

"Senior Sister?"

Gu Han and Yun Yun looked at each other calmly. Seeing her normal expression, his mind raced.

"The Old Sect Master has come out of seclusion and is preparing to take me as a disciple?" Gu Han offered a reasonable guess.

But knowing that Yun Shan was still in death seclusion, he knew Yun Yun likely intended to take a disciple on behalf of her master.

"Teacher has not yet emerged." As Gu Han expected, Yun Yun gave a negative answer and stated bluntly, "This Sect Master wishes to take a disciple on behalf of my teacher."

It really was taking a disciple on behalf of her teacher. To come up with such a method, Yun Yun had clearly put some thought into it.

"Since you can take a disciple on behalf of your teacher, can the Grandmaster take me as a disciple instead?" Gu Han asked. "I want to be of the same generation as the various elders."

Yun Yun: ?

What kind of nonsense are you spouting?

"Will the one responsible for teaching me be you, Sect Master?" Gu Han inquired.

"Correct." Yun Yun nodded slightly. "In the future, your status will be that of my Junior Brother. Although you are an Ice Attribute Dou Qi cultivator and I am a Dou Huang, there are many aspects I can still teach you."

"You are a genius, so you don't actually lack my guidance; what you lack are resources. After your status is raised, you will be a Personal Disciple of the Cloud Mist Sect. It is only natural for this Sect Master to look after her own Junior Brother, and no one would be able to find fault with that."

This was a tempting offer. If Gu Han were an ordinary genius, he would surely accept, as his main concern was no longer an issue.

But he would definitely leave the Cloud Mist Sect in the future. Repaying a debt was one thing, but he didn't want to be too deeply entangled, nor did he want to acknowledge 'Cloud Emperor Yun' as his teacher.

"Then let's discuss it later." Gu Han spoke after a moment of thought. "For now, can you let me consider it a bit more?"

"By becoming a Personal Disciple, your treatment will improve drastically." Yun Yun was surprised that Gu Han would actually refuse. "You can cultivate in the Cultivation Hall at the mountain peak, freely enter the first and second floors of the Cloud Mist Sect's Scripture Pavilion, seek guidance from Dou Wang Elders at any time, and mobilize many resources."

"Treatment?" Thinking of his hundred-year cold jade, yuan crystal marrow, a quasi-Di-rank cultivation method, a quasi-Di-rank Dou Technique, and the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, Gu Han shook his head calmly. "Sect Master, I do not lack such treatment right now."

"Regarding cultivation methods, I was fortunate enough to be valued by a Dou Huang senior, who passed down a High-level Xuan Rank Ice Attribute Dou Technique and cultivation method."

"As for resources, as long as I participate in the Outer Sect Disciple Competition and then the Inner Sect Disciple Competition step by step, I won't lack anything."

"If all else fails, I can still work for you, Sect Master, and exchange merit points for benefits."

"I really don't want to find myself a teacher in name only."

At this point, Gu Han's gaze suddenly became serious and firm, looking straight at Yun Yun. "Sect Master, I stay in the Cloud Mist Sect because I want to repay a debt. If I wanted resources, I would have been better off apprenticing to that Dou Huang senior from the Central Plains."

"In this vast Cloud Mist Sect, there is only one precious thing that can move my heart and make me want to obtain it."

Yun Yun felt stung by Gu Han's undisguised gaze and subconsciously looked away.

After their first meeting, she felt that Gu Han's gaze when looking at her was different from the other disciples in the sect.

His refusal to call himself "disciple" and his insistence on apprenticing to an elder of her teacher's generation were all verifying her suspicions.

But she hadn't expected Gu Han to express that meaning so brazenly now. It was truly, truly...

"Sect Master."

Seeing Yun Yun's expression constantly changing, Gu Han stopped while he was ahead to avoid her becoming angry from embarrassment. He shifted the conversation. "This trip to the Xiao Family has been an eye-opener for me."

"The Jia Ma Empire is very small, and the Northwest Continent is nothing compared to the many regions of the Fighting Qi Continent. My goal and journey are the entire continent."

"I will leave the Cloud Mist Sect sooner or later; I can't stay here forever."

Yun Yun was startled by Gu Han's ambition.

If it were anyone else—a mere Dou Practitioner, even with some talent—she would only dismiss it as aiming too high, not knowing the difficulty of becoming a powerhouse.

But the one speaking was Gu Han. In less than two months, he went from a One-Star Dou Zhe to a Seven-Star, and had successively been valued by two high-level Ice Attribute Dou Huangs who wanted to take him as a disciple (as stated in Zhang Chuchen's letter).

Even if they couldn't successfully take him as a disciple, that Dou Huang expert still gifted him a High-level Xuan Rank cultivation method and Dou Technique, being extremely optimistic about Gu Han's future.

As the Sect Master of Yunlan Sect, she couldn't afford to lack even this bit of judgment.

"I understand. Then think it over carefully. You can come to find this Sect Master anytime once you've made up your mind." Yun Yun took two boxes from her storage ring and threw them to Gu Han. "Since the Dou Huang from the Central Plains is generous, this Sect Master naturally won't be stingy either. Inside are an ice heart pill and a one-pattern green spirit pill. You can take them before and after you break through to Dou Master."

"ice heart pill: A fourth-grade pill. A Nine-Star Dou Practitioner has a thirty percent chance of breaking through to Dou Master upon taking it. A Yin Attribute cultivator has a fifty percent chance, while an Ice Attribute cultivator has a one hundred percent chance of breaking through. If taken by a Dou Master, it can increase their cultivation by one to two stars, with very little drug resistance."

"one-pattern green spirit pill: Taken by a Peak Dou Shi, it increases the breakthrough chance by fifty percent. Taken by a Dou Practitioner, it increases cultivation by one to three stars, but carries the risk of cultivation regression."

Gu Han planned to wait until he reached the Dou Master level before taking them.

"Thank you, Sect Master." Gu Han put away the two pills without hesitation.

Compared to the benefits he brought to the Cloud Mist Sect, this was nothing.

"You may leave." Yun Yun waved her hand as if impatient.

"Sect Master, from now on, can I come to ask for your guidance every day?" Gu Han didn't budge, looking at Yun Yun.

"That is the treatment for my disciple and Junior Brother; you can't have it both ways." Yun Yun pulled a long face, feigning seriousness. "If you encounter problems in your cultivation, go find the Punishment Elder."

"Heh!" A trace of a smile appeared on Gu Han's usually cold face.

Yun Yun, do you even hear what you're saying? You're clearly criticizing me, yet you're telling me to find a Dou Wang Elder if I have problems.

"What are you laughing at?" Yun Yun clenched her hands, feeling her face grow a bit hot.

"I thought of something funny." Gu Han suppressed his expression.

You're clearly laughing at me.

Yun Yun snorted inwardly. "This Sect Master needs to go out for a period of time and will return before the Outer Sect Grand Competition. I hope your performance then won't disappoint me."

This was her telling him why she couldn't personally teach him.

"I await the Sect Master's inspection." Gu Han simply took his leave.

When only she remained in the inner hall, Yun Yun covered her cheeks with both hands, revealing a girlish demeanor she hadn't shown in front of outsiders since becoming the Young Sect Leader.

"That little fellow is truly arrogant, bold, and insolent..."

"I must be crazy!"

---

Time flies like an arrow, and years pass like a shuttle.

In the blink of an eye, two months had passed since Gu Han returned to Yun Lan Mountain.

During these two months, Gu Han lived a fixed routine: switching to the Ice Soul Profound Canon, raising his cultivation, condensing the ice soul, tempering his Dou Techniques, practicing secret techniques, visualizing the Xuanwu Shell to enhance his Soul Power, and using opportunities to obtain various resources.

"Condense!"

Inside the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, Gu Han sat on the yuan crystal marrow, with the hundred-year cold jade on his lap and the ice toad snow pearl in his hand, fully operating the Ice Soul Profound Canon, which had reached the level of Major Achievement long ago.

Soul Power surged out, guiding countless strands of Ice Attribute world energy to seep through his pores and gather at his heart. A large amount of Dou Qi surged out from the vortex in his dantian, also gathering at the same location.

Finally, a crystal with restrained cold air, pure white throughout, and a large amount of accumulated energy condensed at his heart.

"It's done."