158: Become a disciple in a dream

After the others left, only Master Yao Mugen and Senior Brother Lu Bo remained.

Chen Cuo knew that Master Yao was not a Mortal; perhaps he was a powerful Cultivator.

Although he did not know why he would hide in a small village and town, working as a sculptor, Chen Cuo now intended to become his Disciple. In this Dream Realm, Chen Cuo had already begun to intentionally train his body, but this body had no System, nor had it experienced any Talent Awakening.

His progress was slow, and he did not dare to be too conspicuous. For a Little Beggar, who was on the verge of freezing to death, to possess advanced martial arts and even Cultivation methods, seemed too suspicious.

After all, Master Yao was not simple.

However, he discovered that the Little Beggar's body had very skillful and flexible hands.

These hands seemed naturally born for delicate crafts like carving, truly a prodigious talent.

His recent study of carving had already proven this point. Lu Bo could see it, and Yao Mugen naturally saw it even more clearly, having silently observed him since adopting the Little Beggar.

Whether it was Chen Cuo's choice to voluntarily learn wood carving, or his completion of the stone tablet inscription, and his decent grasp of stone and wood identification basics, all of this was seen by Yao Mugen.

So...

At this moment, it was what he had been thinking about: wanting to uncover the technique for repairing that Magic Treasure chess board, learning this Legacy, and then returning to the real world to repair the chess board and become a true Disciple.

Even after many years of ups and downs, Chen Cuo still felt a slight excitement at this moment.

This feeling of exploration made him feel as refreshed as eating a piece of iced watermelon in the dog days of summer.

Yao Mugen stared at Chen Cuo, looking at his thin body, and suddenly said, "You've been practicing martial arts recently, haven't you?"

Chen Cuo was startled, not reacting immediately.

Lu Bo, however, exclaimed in surprise, "Little Junior Brother, is that exercise method you're using a form of martial arts?"

The set of Fist Arts Chen Cuo used for training was a self-modified version combining his past life memories with martial Dao, roughly similar to a form of Tai Chi. Combined with the abundant Origin Qi in the Dream Realm, it did not require excessive nutrient supplementation, making it the most suitable cultivation method for him in the Early Stage.

Every day after finishing his carving, he would practice two sets of Fist Arts in the courtyard, which Lu Bo naturally knew about.

However, that slow-moving Fist Art did not look like martial Dao at all, so Lu Bo just thought he was playing around. But Yao Mugen knew that the Fist Intent revealed in that Fist Art was an extremely high-level Legacy.

Chen Cuo nodded and said, "Yes, Master, Senior Brother, I did not intentionally conceal it. This skill is a Family Legacy from my memories, but I've forgotten all my other memories!"

When the Little Beggar was rescued and brought back to Yao's workshop, the original body had no memories, nor any information about his identity. So, Chen Cuo could easily attribute his abnormalities to the Little Beggar's identity.

As for who the Little Beggar originally was, he didn't care at all.

"Hmm, this Fist Art of yours is not simple. It seems your identity might be that of a Disciple from a prominent Family, but none of that matters. I just want to know, do you truly wish to be a stonemason?"

"If you want to learn carving, I can teach you!"

Lu Bo's eyes were filled with anticipation. In recent days, seeing Chen Cuo's maturity, sensibility, and considerable talent, he had long considered Chen Cuo his Little Junior Brother.

"Of course, it's true. I want to learn carving. As for becoming a stonemason, I don't know if I have the talent for it!"

What Chen Cuo said at this moment was from his heart. Learning carving from Yao Mugen was not entirely just for repairing the chess board. This Dream Realm was like reality, and its Legacy was absolutely extraordinary.

Being able to learn even a trick or two might prove greatly beneficial in the future.

Also, this carving technique provided significant assistance to the Dao of Puppets.

"Since that's the case, there's no time like the present. You shall officially become my Disciple today!" Yao Mugen said.

Upon hearing this, Chen Cuo immediately knelt down and kowtowed to acknowledge him as his Master.

"Offer tea to Master!" Since there were only three people present, the Discipleship ceremony was relatively simple, presided over by Lu Bo.

After Chen Cuo offered the Master-acknowledging tea, Yao Mugen officially accepted him as his Disciple before the Ancestral Master's stone statue.

The Ancestral Master's stone statue bore the marks of long years. He held a hammer in one hand and a chisel in the other, gazing intently forward, as if cherishing a rare treasure, symbolizing that the heart of passion would never fade, remaining unchanged no matter how many years passed.

After Chen Cuo completed the Disciple's Rei, the stone statue seemed to have a spirit, and its lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

After Chen Cuo completed his Discipleship, Yao Mugen took out a set of tools from behind him and personally handed them to Chen Cuo, saying, "Little Beggar, this is the Legacy of us stone carvers. You must cherish it as your life!"

Seeing Chen Cuo's great interest in the Dao of carving, Yao Mugen began to introduce the carving methods and techniques of the carving art.

"The creation of carvings requires patience and meticulousness, and also continuous practice and improvement."

Yao Mugen displayed some of his works. The stone tablet inscriptions were heavy and ancient, and the beast-shaped stone carvings were lifelike, as if they would come alive in the next moment.

Chen Cuo truly felt the charm and wonder of the carving technique. Perhaps the legend of him carving Dragons was true.

"The carving skill of our lineage, its Legacy is called Chisel Stone Method. This method can turn decay into wonder, imbuing form with life."

"As for things like inscription carving, they possess other mystical powers."

"At the same time, its most important function is to restore cultural relics. Chisel Stone Method first emphasizes form. When form reaches its extreme, spirit is born, and then the divine comes alive. If you want to restore cultural relics, you must first restore their spirit."

Upon hearing this, Chen Cuo's heart surged with waves.

This philosophy, indeed, the answer he sought was right here.

Moreover, the philosophy of this Chisel Stone Method perfectly aligned with the principle of creating life in Lingbao Mountain's Artifact Refining.

"I have been learning this skill from my Master since I was young, and after many years of diligent practice, I finally mastered its essence."

Next, Yao Mugen spoke eloquently.

The first step of the Chisel Stone Method is material selection.

One must choose top-grade stone, and after countless selections, one can find a stone suitable for carving.

Then, we use chisels and hammers to remove the Impurities and flaws from the stone surface, revealing the stone's true essence. This step requires patience and meticulousness; there can be no slightest carelessness.

Next, we design the carving patterns and shapes according to the stone's form and texture.

When form is born, spirit is born!

This step requires rich imagination and creativity, combining the natural beauty of the stone with artificial beauty to create a unique work of art.

Further, it requires superb skill and perseverance, transmitting one's intentions and emotions to the stone through the chisel, allowing the stone to radiate the brilliance of spirit.

Chisel Stone Method is an expenditure of effort, a consumption of time.

It required meticulous effort, and Chen Cuo also understood the preciousness of this method, and that it was key to contending for the true Legacy. Since he had become a Disciple, he ought to study diligently.

He had no System to rely on, but his inherent carving talent was already outstanding, and he had confidence.