Chapter 414: Acknowledging a Master

“Young man, you have passed through numerous trials. You will receive an inheritance and unimaginable benefits. This drop of spring water contains infinite power and wisdom. Consume it now, and I shall bestow upon you the cultivation techniques and secrets from ancient times!”

As the spring spoke, a drop of water hanging above it fell with a PLIP, floating slowly toward Nie Yun.

The drop of water was crystal clear and full-bodied, unlike anything he had seen before. Even before it reached him, he could feel a mellow aura emanating from it, an energy that excited his very soul and caused the pores all over his body to open wide.

‘This drop of spring water has concentrated the potential of all the disciples who entered the Lingxi Celestial Palace. If I consume it, not only will my strength break through to the Late-Stage Ultimate Venerable realm, my Spiritual Power will probably soar to a new height as well…’

As Nie Yun received the drop of water, he felt his muscles thrum, and he was overcome with the urge to swallow it on the spot.

“Consume it quickly. Once you do, I will bestow upon you the cultivation techniques and secrets, and your strength will advance by leaps and bounds…” When the spring saw the young man hesitate, its voice urged him on.

“Alright, I’ll consume it now!” Nie Yun nodded, tilted his head back, and swallowed the drop of water.

“Excellent. Now, use your Beast Taming Qi to communicate with me. I will give you the cultivation techniques and secrets left behind from the ancients!”

The spring’s voice held a trace of excitement.

“Mm!” Nie Yun activated his Beast Taming Dantian, sending his Beast Taming Qi boring into the spring’s source.

“Haha! After being imprisoned for so many years, I’m finally getting a body! I’m coming back to life! Heavenly Slaughter Daoist, you never would have dreamed that a Beast Tamer would appear among your descendants, would you!”

The moment his Beast Taming Qi entered the spring’s source, Nie Yun felt an incredibly immense aura instantly sweep over him.

Tyranny, bloodlust, hatred, madness… All sorts of negative emotions assaulted him in an instant, riding upon the aura and nearly causing his Spirit to collapse.

‘Beast Taming Qi, suppress! Nine Nether Cold Pearl, shatter evil! Blood Pupil Master, Blood Pupil Light!’

Sensing this power, Nie Yun didn’t panic. He opened his mouth, and the Nine Nether Cold Pearl shot out, flying straight toward the spring’s source. Simultaneously, he activated his Blood Pupil Master talent, and the Blood Pupil Light shone down.

“How can you still control your Beast Taming Qi? Didn’t you just consume that drop of spring water?”

The spring seemed to sense that something was wrong, its voice laced with anxiety and anger.

“If I’m not mistaken, had I truly consumed that drop of water, my Beast Taming Dantian would have been suppressed, and I would’ve been unable to restrain you, correct? A fine scheme, indeed. However, you’re still a long way from being able to harm me with such a paltry trick!”

With a long cry, Nie Yun sent his Beast Taming Qi surging forth furiously, while gradually intensifying the power of the Blood Pupil Light.

Beast Taming Qi had a suppressive effect on all Demon Beasts and Spiritual Objects, much like a superior bloodline dominating an inferior one. It was an immutable law of nature.

The drop of water contained numerous chaotic wills. Once consumed, they would assault his mind, causing him to lose control of his Beast Taming Dantian. His Beast Taming Qi would then lose its suppressive power!

This would allow the spring’s will to seize the opportunity, turn the tables on the host, and possess Nie Yun completely!

This method was well-known among the Demon Race; it was a form of Demon Spirit possession. Many a Demon had used this channel to infiltrate the human race and rise to positions of power.

Of the dozens of sworn brothers who had entered the Ten Thousand Realms Mountain with him back in the day, two had been possessed in this very manner!

When a person was possessed this way, the invading soul would reside within their Beast Taming Dantian. As long as it remained dormant, even the most powerful expert would be unable to detect any flaw. But once it chose to act, it could instantly obliterate the Beast Tamer’s will and replace them completely!

Before entering the Lingxi Celestial Palace, Nie Yun hadn’t known the spring’s objective. But when he saw that the potential of those who were killed was being devoured and absorbed, he was able to guess most of the truth.

As he progressed step by step, the entity’s objective became increasingly obvious. Nie Yun would have been a true fool not to see the conspiracy. So, he decided to play along, pretending to swallow the water. In reality, the instant the drop touched his throat, he had transferred it to his Storage Dantian.

“Impossible! My Beast Taming Possession Rebirth Technique is a Secret Technique of the Demon Race! Even the Heavenly Slaughter Daoist of old didn’t know it! How could a mere Ultimate Venerable like you possibly know? I don’t believe it!”

The spring couldn’t believe this outcome. Its immense will surged forth, frantic and agitated, attempting to crush Nie Yun with brute force.

“You don’t believe it? Well, you’re about to! Beast Taming Qi, intensify! Submit to me!”

Ignoring the entity’s furious roar, Nie Yun’s eyes turned cold as ice. With a sharp arch of his brow, he drastically increased the output of his Beast Taming Qi.

The Spirit Rhinoceros Spring wanted to subjugate him? Fine. Today, *he* would be the one doing the subjugating!

“Subjugate me? In your dreams! I’ll take you down with me!”

With a wild shriek, the spring’s frantic will seemed to burst into flames.

The spring was a Spiritual Object, unlike a Demon Beast. When a Demon Beast was suppressed by Beast Taming Qi, it could still fight with its physical body. A Spiritual Object, however, had no body and could only rely on its will. If that will was also suppressed, its fate was sealed.

Therefore, knowing its plot had been exposed, the spring’s will went for broke. A powerful Telekinesis, like a scorching sun, charged viciously toward Nie Yun.

‘Take me down with you? You’d have to be capable of it first! Nature’s spiritual energy, heed my call! Break through! Late-Stage Ultimate Venerable!’

Sensing the opponent’s immense willpower crashing toward him like a monstrous wave, Nie Yun took two steps back. His eyes flew wide open as an aura powerful enough to pierce the heavens shot straight up from the crown of his head, burning like a blazing inferno.

Nie Yun had already reached the Late-Stage Ultimate Venerable realm over a month ago and was on the verge of a breakthrough. After more than a month of consolidation, both his strength and Spiritual Power had been greatly tempered. With the spring’s will determined to perish together, he held nothing back, immediately channeling his power to shatter his Chains.

BOOM!

A tremendous roar echoed in his mind as the already-weak Chains of the Late-Stage Ultimate Venerable realm were instantly shattered. In that moment, Nie Yun’s power surged as if he had consumed a potent elixir, increasing explosively.

10,000 Phenoms!

12,000 Phenoms!

15,000 Phenoms!

20,000 Phenoms!

…

50,000 Phenoms!

In one go, his breakthrough continued until his True Qi Power reached a staggering 50,000 Phenoms!

An ordinary cultivator at the Early-Stage Magical Power Realm possessed 10,000 Phenoms of power, 20,000 at the mid-stage, and 30,000 at the late-stage. Nie Yun, now at the Ultimate Venerable Peak, already possessed 50,000 Phenoms, making him comparable to an average cultivator at the Peak of Magical Power Realm!

“Haha! Refine for me!”

The breakthrough from Late-Stage Ultimate Venerable to Ultimate Venerable Peak took only a couple of breaths. Nie Yun’s power surged, and his soul solidified once more. He laughed heartily as his Blood Pupil Light completely enveloped the spring’s source. At the same time, his Beast Taming Qi gushed forth endlessly, as unstoppable as a river bursting its dams.

BOOM!

With Nie Yun’s advancement to Ultimate Venerable Peak, the quality of his Beast Taming Qi had also increased significantly. The tables turned instantly. The spring’s will was completely suppressed, growing weaker and weaker until, finally, it ceased its struggle.

“Don’t wipe me out… I’m willing to be your servant and produce Spirit Rhinoceros Spring Water for you…”

The spring’s will finally broke, and it pleaded in a low voice.

“My servant? Then hurry up and offer your soul in tribute!”

Nie Yun barked.

“Yes!”

As it spoke, Nie Yun felt a ray of white light fly into his mind. The spring’s will had offered its soul, becoming his most loyal servant.

A Spiritual Object offering its soul was just like a Demon Pet or Demon doing the same; with a single thought, he could now completely obliterate it.

Having subjugated the spring’s will, Nie Yun finally understood the whole story.

It turned out the Heavenly Slaughter Daoist the spring had mentioned was the ancestor of everyone in the Ancient City. He had been the one to discover the Spirit Rhinoceros Spring, a Spiritual Object born of heaven and earth. This spring could devour human potential to condense its water. As a result, the water could grant people extraordinary talent, allowing them to become immensely powerful at a young age.

The Heavenly Slaughter Daoist himself had been a Beast Tamer. He subjugated the Spirit Rhinoceros Spring’s will, making it his servant to produce water for his descendants. After he died, the spring was kept in check by his lingering preparations, forced to remain here. After who knows how many years, it finally encountered another Beast Tamer. It thought it could seize a body and be reborn, but it never expected to end up treading the same old path.

‘Even if a Spiritual Object gains Spiritual Wisdom, its natural lack of a physical form means it’s destined to be refined by a human sooner or later. There’s no way around it. Possessing a human, on the other hand, is exceedingly difficult!’

“Since you’re my servant now, there’s no need to stay here. You’re coming with me.”

Realizing this, Nie Yun smiled faintly. With a sweep of his hand, he moved the entire spring into his Zihua Cave Mansion.

The Zihua Cave Mansion was a Grotto Heaven in its own right; containing a small spring was an effortless task.

‘I can study the Spirit Rhinoceros Spring Water and its source later. Now that I’ve taken the spring, the Ancient City is bound to be thrown into chaos. I’d better leave quickly!’

After taking the spring, Nie Yun didn’t linger, quickly darting toward the exit.

…

「Outside the Lingxi Celestial Palace」

In the plaza, the Five Great Manor Masters, the City Lord of the Ancient City, and the families of the disciples in the trial all waited anxiously for the results.

“There’s no need for suspense this time. My grandson, Mu Shang, will certainly gain the approval of the Spirit Rhinoceros Spring and emerge as the victor!”

Mu Qi, the Manor Master of Muaixia Manor, was seated on a high platform, gazing at the distant Stone Gate as he spoke with a smile.

“Mu Shang? Hah. I know you helped him boost his strength yesterday, but winning won’t be that easy.”

A cold sneer came from none other than Mu Ruo, the Manor Master of Dieyi Manor.

“It may not be easy, but his chances are certainly better than that descendant of yours, Mu Jie!” Mu Qi snorted.

“Hah, we shall see. I’m just afraid you’ll be the one weeping in the end!”

Mu Ruo said, a smirk on his face.

RUMBLE!

As the two were bickering, the Stone Gate of the Lingxi Celestial Palace suddenly began to open slowly.

The Stone Gate opening signified that the trial was over. Someone had obtained the approval of the Spirit Rhinoceros Spring!

“Look, someone’s coming out! It’s a young man…”

As the Stone Gate opened, someone with sharp eyes shouted.

“Ah… It’s Mu Jie? How could it be Mu Jie?” Seeing the emerging figure, Mu Qi’s expression froze.

“Haha! I told you Mu Jie would be the victor! Control of the Spirit Rhinoceros Spring is ours now…” Seeing that the person emerging from the Stone Gate was from his own manor, Mu Ruo burst into excited laughter. Before the sound died out, however, it choked in his throat as if someone had seized him by the neck.

Because…

With a great “BOOM!”, the Lingxi Celestial Palace suddenly… collapsed.

I rushed as fast as I could, but I’m still six minutes late…