67: The Grand Elder invites you.

In the end, Lin Yan did not agree.

The two brothers from the Zhao family left with regret.

As a man, he certainly wanted a Dao Companion.

But the modern mindset of free love from the 21st century did not allow him to be so rash.

Life is long, and choosing a partner requires careful consideration.

A Cultivator's life is even longer, so choosing a Dao Companion must be done with even greater caution.

Furthermore, Lin Yan always felt that the Second Elder was not just taking him as a Disciple, but also intending to bring him into the Zhao family.

Lin Yan's impression of the Zhao family was indifferent, and he did not want to get involved.

...

The next day, just as Lin Yan woke up, a crane landed outside his small wooden hut.

The crane was black and white, its feathers shiny and lustrous, and while large in stature, it was also very elegant.

"What a beautiful crane." Lin Yan could not help but praise it.

Hearing this, the crane lifted its head slightly, clearly enjoying Lin Yan's compliment.

"Lin Yan, the Grand Elder requests your presence." The crane spoke in the voice of a young girl.

"Holy crap!" Lin Yan was startled. "It can talk..."

"Making a fuss over nothing." The crane rolled its eyes at Lin Yan.

"Alright then..."

As Lin Yan said this, he prepared to mount the crane's back.

"What are you doing???" The crane shrieked.

"Riding you, of course..." Lin Yan replied with an innocent face.

In his imagination, the crane had come to carry him to see the Grand Elder.

"You lecher! Who gave you permission to ride me?!" The crane was furious.

It flapped its large wings, and a powerful Aura erupted. Before Lin Yan could react, he was knocked to the ground.

"Sorry..." Lin Yan scrambled up in a sorry state.

"Hurry up, the Grand Elder is still waiting."

After saying this, the crane flapped its wings and flew off.

"Wait for me!" Lin Yan shouted.

He quickly took out his flying boat from his Storage Pouch and channeled his spirit power to activate it.

The flying boat grew in size against the wind, and Lin Yan quickly steered it to follow the crane.

This flying boat was more Advanced than the one Senior Brother Luo had; it was faster and possessed powerful defensive capabilities.

With this flying boat, traveling outside became much safer for Lin Yan.

Of course, this flying boat also consumed more Spirit Stones.

Standing on the flying boat with his hands behind his back, the beautiful mountains and rivers beneath his feet quickly receded.

This flying boat had another advantage: its open-top design, with the upper portion protected from the wind by a spirit power barrier.

Not only was the interior comfort undiminished, but it also offered a panoramic view of the magnificent landscape.

"This is what Cultivating should be like!" Lin Yan let out a long breath, feeling his heart and mind broaden.

Soon, he followed the crane to a cliff.

A waterfall cascaded down from the cliff, forming a deep, clear pool, with a small thatched courtyard beside it.

The Grand Elder was waiting there for Lin Yan's arrival.

"Greetings, Grand Elder!" Lin Yan bowed respectfully to the Grand Elder.

"Hmm, not bad."

The Grand Elder looked Lin Yan over, a satisfied expression appearing on his kind yet dignified face.

"May I ask why the Grand Elder has summoned this Disciple?" Lin Yan asked.

"No rush." The Grand Elder smiled slightly and gestured for Lin Yan to sit.

He brewed a pot of tea and poured a cup for Lin Yan.

He smiled and introduced it: "This is a spirit plant I cultivated, called the Zhengyang Spirit Seed."

"This spirit tea loves the sun and must be planted on mountain peaks to maximize the absorption of the sun's essence. Each tea tree can only yield ten leaves per year, making it very rare."

"Try it." The Grand Elder gestured with his hand.

Hearing the Grand Elder's introduction, Lin Yan immediately became interested in the spirit tea.

"I didn't expect such good things as spirit tea to exist in this world; this Disciple is truly ignorant."

Lin Yan offered a compliment, then picked up the teacup; before even tasting it, he could smell a fresh tea fragrance.

He took a small sip.

The tea slid down his throat, turning into a warm current that gathered in his abdomen.

The warm current surged upward, traveling from his abdomen all the way to the crown of his head.

Instantly, Lin Yan felt refreshed, and his mind became much clearer.

"How is it?" The Grand Elder asked with a smile.

"Excellent tea!" Lin Yan exclaimed: "Not only is the fragrance and taste superb, but it also has a powerful refreshing effect. After drinking it, I feel invigorated and my mind is clear."

"Could it be... is this the legendary Enlightenment Tea?!" Lin Yan said, somewhat incredulously.

Hearing this, the Grand Elder laughed heartily: "Hahaha, calling it Enlightenment Tea is an exaggeration."

"However, this tea of mine can indeed enhance one's mental state, allowing a Cultivator to reach their optimal state for enlightenment and increasing the efficiency of comprehending Cultivation Techniques and Sword Techniques!"

A look of pride appeared on the Grand Elder's face.

"I see." Lin Yan understood.

Although it wasn't Enlightenment Tea, these tea leaves were precious enough.

"Do you like it?" The Grand Elder asked.

Lin Yan replied without hesitation: "I do."

"Become my Disciple, and there will be plenty of this tea!" The Grand Elder finally revealed his true intentions.

Hearing this, Lin Yan remained calm, not feeling surprised at all.

"The Elder is too kind; Lin Yan is honored." His tone was humble, unhurried: "Yesterday, the Second Elder approached me, saying he wanted to take me as a Disciple and promised to marry his granddaughter to me."

Hearing this, the Grand Elder was not angry; he knew Lin Yan was bargaining.

But as long as Lin Yan was willing to talk, things were manageable.

"That old ghost Zhao is truly swift and decisive. The Sword Testing Tournament only just ended yesterday, and he went to find you that very night?" The Grand Elder said nonchalantly.

"Yes." Lin Yan nodded.

"But you should know that the Second Elder is a member of the Zhao family. If you enter his sect, you will be bound to the Zhao family." The Grand Elder continued: "Since you haven't become his Disciple yet, it means you don't want to join the Zhao family, right?"

He hit the nail on the head, piercing through Lin Yan's thoughts.

Lin Yan could only smile awkwardly: "The Elder is truly insightful; this Disciple's little thoughts cannot hide from you at all!"

"Hahaha, you rascal!" The Grand Elder laughed.

Lin Yan said candidly: "However, taking a Master is a major matter. This Disciple still wishes to be like Senior Sister Su Wan Yue and strive for as much support as possible for my own path to immortality."

Hearing this, the Grand Elder frowned.

Lin Yan's words had touched upon his sore spot.

"You want to comprehend the prototype of Sword Intent while in the Refining Qi Realm, and then join the Inner Sect?" The Grand Elder murmured: "Indeed, an Inner Sect Elder is at least a Fifth Realm Nascent Soul Cultivator and can provide a Fifth-Tier Lifebound Spirit Plant for your Foundation Establishment..."

The Grand Elder shook his head slightly; he was only a Golden Core Cultivator and indeed could not meet this requirement of Lin Yan's.

"Since that is the case, this old man will not force you." The Grand Elder's tone shifted: "However, our Hall Master is a Fifth Realm Nascent Soul Cultivator, and he has the intention to take you as a Disciple. Are you interested?"

Since he couldn't take the Disciple himself, he would try his best to keep Lin Yan in the Spirit Herb Hall.

"Ah..." Lin Yan was stunned.

In fact, he had no intention of taking a Master for the time being, just using it as an excuse to refuse the Grand Elder.

The reason was simple.

He had his own secrets, and if his Master was too weak, there was no point in becoming a Disciple.

If the Master was too strong, his little secrets would be seen through immediately.

Not to mention anything else, he had already comprehended the prototype of Sword Intent.

If they were too close, a high-level Cultivator would certainly be able to sense it.

It was only because the Grand Elder's cultivation was insufficient, or rather, his level in the Dao of the Sword was not high enough, that he couldn't sense it.

The best way to solve this problem was to let himself develop quietly for a period of time.

After reaching the Foundation Establishment, or after cultivating some techniques to conceal his Aura, it would be safe to take a Master.

"This... Elder, please do not joke. Lin Yan has never heard of the Hall Master taking a Disciple." Lin Yan began to find excuses: "Besides, if the Hall Master wanted to take a Disciple, why didn't he tell me directly?"

"Hey... you rascal, do you think this old man would lie to you?" The Grand Elder raised his eyebrows and continued: "The Hall Master may not have taken Disciples before, but that doesn't mean he won't now!"

"And let me tell you, the Hall Master is not only a Fifth Realm great Cultivator, but his background is also quite extraordinary! If you, brat, can become his Disciple, it would be ten times better than joining an ordinary Inner Sect Elder!"