Chapter 53: The Younger the Age, the Greater the Talent!

For a disciple as young as Cao Xuan, he would normally have already been accepted by an elder as a personal disciple. All he needed to do was cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage, take the spirit token crafted by the elder, report to the sect master on Azurecloud Peak, and be formally granted the status of a personal disciple under a certain elder.

So he continued with a smile, "Perhaps some elder has gone into seclusion again and forgot to prepare the spirit token for you, junior brother!"

"Now that we are both at the Foundation Establishment stage, and you are a personal disciple, we can address each other as senior and junior brothers from now on!"

Unlike the cold and distant figure of the Hall of Transmission's Protector half a year ago, his smile now was gentle, like that of a senior brother who had cultivated for several more years in the sect.

Cao Xuan thought it made sense. The Azurecloud Sect had a long heritage, and the relationships among the five peaks were intricate. Those not of the direct line generally addressed each other based on cultivation level.

Except in the early stages of Qi Refining, where one might be senior brother today if his cultivation was higher, and tomorrow, if someone surpassed him, he would become the junior brother.

So, hearing this from the Hall of Transmission's Protector, he quickly clasped his fists. "Senior brother jests. I have only just broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage and have not yet formally acknowledged a master!"

His words left the Protector slightly stunned. "What... have the elders become so selective?"

Looking at Cao Xuan's appearance, he guessed he was probably only thirty or forty years old. For someone so young to reach Foundation Establishment—no more than fifty at most.

Cultivating during the Qi Refining stage also delayed aging. Unless one reached the late stage of Qi Refining at a very young age, few would maintain the appearance of a teenager.

He himself had broken through later, so he looked middle-aged. However, if he could quickly reach the Golden Core stage, his overall lifespan would increase, and he would appear much younger.

"Uh, I was just speaking nonsense earlier. The elders probably have their own considerations. Here is your spirit token, junior brother. Perhaps we will have the opportunity to work together in the future!"

The Hall of Transmission's Protector, knowing not to speak too much with mere acquaintances, did not continue.

He thought that for such a talented young disciple as Cao Xuan, he surely would have remembered him if they'd met before.

Since he didn't recognize him, it meant either he was a junior of a Foundation Establishment elder or protector, or someone brought up the mountain and taught privately by a senior who had traveled down the mountain.

As for why he hadn't been formally accepted as a disciple, perhaps it was to temper his disposition and prevent him from becoming an arrogant wastrel, squandering his talent.

And so, Cao Xuan appeared in the Grand Hall on Azurecloud Peak.

As a cultivator in the middle stage of Golden Core, Yu Qingsong focused more on cultivating his mind. Upon hearing that someone had brought a spirit token, he smiled softly. "The sect has gained another Foundation Establishment cultivator. I wonder whose disciple this will be."

The sect separated inner and outer disciples, and inner disciples who reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining were secretly evaluated by the elder protectors during their cultivation.

If a promising seedling appeared, like Senior Brother Ding Qing from Elixir Peak, the protectors and elders would extend an olive branch early on.

Such prodigies with Ninefold Tempered Spirit Roots, upon reaching Foundation Establishment, were almost always promoted to personal disciples.

Some of the more senior inner disciples, already over sixty, even if they later broke through to Foundation Establishment, would likely only reach the mid-stage in this lifetime and were usually appointed as sect protectors.

Hearing that a young disciple had arrived, Sect Master Yu felt genuinely pleased.

The Azurecloud Sect had thrived generation after generation thanks to its talented disciples.

Was it Ding Qing from Elixir Peak, Jiuping from Talisman Peak, or perhaps Xiao Zhan from Demon-Expelling Peak?

The three names Yu Qingsong considered were all prodigies at the pinnacle of the ninth layer of Qi Refining on their respective peaks, any of whom might break through to Foundation Establishment at any moment.

The earlier one broke through to Foundation Establishment, the more time there would be to nurture their Dao Foundation and condense a Golden Core, and thus, the greater the chances of reaching the Golden Core stage.

The Azurecloud Sect master of Yunzhou was required to be at least at the Golden Core stage in cultivation, but, unfortunately, until now, there had been no suitable candidate.

He even considered letting Mistress Yu Wan of Talisman Peak use the upcoming Azurecloud Conference in Central Province as an opportunity to break through to Golden Core, just in case.

If, after his ascension, no outstanding candidate emerged from Azurecloud Peak to succeed as sect master, the position would go to Mistress Yu Wan.

Hearing laughter approach, Cao Xuan grew excited—after all, this was a Golden Core cultivator.

In his past life, he’d often heard the saying: “Swallow one Golden Core, and only then do you realize your fate is no longer dictated by Heaven!”

"Disciple Cao Xuan greets the Sect Master!"

Yu Qingsong laughed heartily, "I knew it, it’s you, boy… Uh… what?"

Thus unfolded the scene in the Grand Hall, where Cao Xuan and Sect Master Yu Qingsong of Azurecloud Sect stared at each other wide-eyed.

Yu Qingsong had been cycling through the profiles of three prospective top disciples in his mind, ready to deliver lines like, "As expected of the genius from XX Peak, you broke through to Foundation Establishment before anyone else. The future of Azurecloud Sect rests on you."

But when he looked closely, he was stunned!

Cao Xuan, feeling it impolite to stare at the sect master, quickly lowered his head in respectful salute. Internally, he wondered why the old man kept staring at him without either granting him the title of personal disciple or making him a protector.

In truth, it made little difference to him; all he needed was access to the Foundation Establishment cultivation methods.

Yu Qingsong pondered for a moment, waved his right hand, and took Cao Xuan’s identity token.

"Ninefold Tempered Spirit Root, three years since entry... what on earth is the Hall of Transmission doing... cough..."

Cao Xuan looked up—this old man was rather irascible. Sensing Cao Xuan’s gaze, Yu Qingsong instantly composed himself into the demeanor of a sagely cultivator.

'A genius indeed, perhaps with some fortuitous encounter,' Yu Qingsong thought.

Ninefold Tempered Spirit Root was considered top talent in Azurecloud Sect; he himself possessed it as well.

Most importantly, Cao Xuan was exceptionally young. Breaking through to Foundation Establishment at this age gave him nearly 180 years to nurture his Dao Foundation—if nothing went awry, Golden Core was all but assured!

In his eyes, this was already comparable to the finest spirit roots. With a bit more fortune, he might even attain Golden Core within a century. Even with a Ninefold Tempered Spirit Root, such a feat rivaled the Earth Spirit Root.

As a Golden Core cultivator who had traveled Central Province, he had seen more than most.

In the sacred lands of Central Province, while innate talent was paramount for accepting disciples, in the later stages of cultivation, temperament and fortune mattered more—in other words, strength prevailed.

If one achieved Nascent Soul, one would become the Holy Son or Daughter, regardless of whether they merely had an outstanding spirit root.

If one remained at Golden Core and stagnated due to a damaged Dao heart, then even with Earth or Heaven Spirit Roots, the title of Holy Son or Daughter would remain out of reach.

Cao Xuan, with his Ninefold Tempered Spirit Root and Foundation Establishment cultivation, was, in Sect Master Yu’s eyes, already on par with chief disciples of each peak: Ye Caixuan, Jin Tiehua, Li Yao, Xing Mengfan—all of whom had successfully established their foundations in their early twenties and begun nurturing their Dao Foundations and Golden Cores.

Thinking of this, Yu Qingsong was tempted to take him as a disciple personally, but remembering his own approaching end, he sighed.

"Peak masters of each peak, gather at the Grand Hall!"

Sect Master Yu considered that with Cao Xuan’s talent, it would be best to leave his cultivation to the peak masters.

Soon, several flashes of light arrived in an instant.

"Brother Yu, what has happened? Could it be that some scoundrel dares covet our Azurecloud Sect?"

"Let me take them to Demon-Expelling Peak and give them a proper lesson!"