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**
His eyes flickering with uncertainty, Ling Xiao subconsciously clenched his fists as he weighed his options. On one hand was a safe, stable path to power—one that required no suffering and carried no risk of becoming a cripple.
On the other hand lay the unknown. Whether he could endure the agony or successfully complete the process of "shedding his mortal coil" were questions without answers.
Time trickled by, second by second.
Finally, Ling Xiao made his decision.
Since the best option was right in front of him, how could he shrink back? He wanted the best, or else his journey to the Douluo Continent would be in vain. As for the danger—life rarely offered a perfect compromise.
Moreover, if one wished to become a true powerhouse, could they truly avoid danger forever? Ling Xiao had no desire to be a flower raised in a greenhouse. Straightening his expression, he spoke with firm resolve.
"Teacher, I am willing to try the High Method. I will have no regrets, even in death."
Mu Chen studied Ling Xiao, speaking slowly, "Have you thought this through? If you fail, forget becoming a powerhouse—even being an ordinary person will be a pipe dream for you."
When he first heard the stakes, Ling Xiao had indeed hesitated.
However, now that his mind was made up, he felt a sense of liberation.
He smiled and said, "Is Teacher trying to scare me away? I, Ling Xiao, aspire to become a peerless powerhouse and roam the world. If I shrink back today because of fear and hesitation, a flaw will appear in my heart. How could such a person ever reach the pinnacle of this world?"
"Hahaha!" Hearing Ling Xiao's decisive reply, Mu Chen could no longer suppress his joy and burst into loud laughter.
"Good! Truly worthy of being my disciple. You have determination and spirit!"
Despite facing a trial that would decide his fate, Ling Xiao was not intimidated. Seeing Mu Chen's delight, he tilted his small head and asked tentatively, "Teacher, you're so happy... could it be that everything you just said was just to test me?"
"Hehe, you brat, you're quite sharp. It was a test, and yet it wasn't. If you had truly shrunk back and chosen the Mid Method, I would still have accepted you as my disciple. However, your chances of becoming a truly top-tier powerhouse would have been much smaller.
"If your heart isn't strong enough, it's difficult to achieve your goals."
Mu Chen's expression turned serious again.
"But what I said was also true. You have shown your courage, but whether you have enough willpower to endure this trial remains to be seen. Rest well here today. Tomorrow, I will begin the process of reshaping your body."
"Yes, Teacher."
With everything arranged, Ling Xiao didn't waste any time. He settled down to cultivate peacefully, showing no fear toward tomorrow's ordeal. Mu Chen sat cross-legged nearby, watching his newly recruited disciple with a faint smile.
Ling Xiao was the most suitable person to be his successor that he had encountered in years.
He held high expectations for the boy; how could he truly let his disciple take such a suicidal risk? If the risk were truly that high, it would mean his method was flawed, making him look incompetent.
What he really wanted was for Ling Xiao to use this opportunity as a tempering process.
After all, the road ahead for this child would not be easy. Without sufficient willpower, even with excellent Martial Soul and physical aptitude, it would be difficult to accomplish his grand ambitions.
Before long, evening arrived. After finishing his meal, Ling Xiao remained at Mu Chen's residence to cultivate. According to Mu Chen, he wouldn't need to return to the dorms for the time being and would stay here to train.
Meanwhile, in the heart of Spirit City at the Pope Hall, within a luxurious room deep behind the main hall, Hu Liena lay in bed. She was tucked under the covers, eyes narrowed as she enjoyed a moment of warmth and comfort.
Earlier, Bibi Dong had arranged a special medicinal bath for her, which had caused her quite a bit of pain. Just as Hu Liena thanked the several maids attending to her, the door swung open. Bibi Dong walked in, a soft smile appearing on her face when she saw Hu Liena.
She signaled for the maids to leave, leaving only the two of them in the luxurious yet cozy room.
Bibi Dong sat by Hu Liena's bedside and asked gently, "Nana, how do you feel? Does it still hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt anymore, not at all. Teacher, Nana is very strong," Hu Liena replied with a smile.
Although she was a young girl, she and her brother, Xie Yue, had relied on each other for years in a Spirit Hall branch. Those years of hardship had made her heart more mature than her age suggested.
Hearing this, Bibi Dong smiled.
"Yes, Nana is indeed very strong. This Tier 7 Marrow-Cleansing and Bone-Forging Pill is a secret medicine from the Medicine King Valley. The medicinal bath prepared from it can improve your physical aptitude, which will be extremely beneficial for your future cultivation and development."
"Thank you, Teacher." Hu Liena's face beamed with happiness. She didn't fully grasp the significance of a Marrow-Cleansing and Bone-Forging Pill, but she understood that Tier 7 represented a high-level medicine, let alone a "secret" one.
In truth, she wasn't happy because of the high-status treatment she received as the Pope's disciple.
She was happy because someone was finally treating her so well. Bibi Dong was like a mother to her. The kindness was so overwhelming that it made her feel slightly uneasy, as if all this was stolen and didn't truly belong to her.
A bit nervously, she asked hesitantly, "Teacher, why are you so good to me?"
Bibi Dong looked at the little girl and seemed to see her former self.
Years ago, she was just like Hu Liena—an orphan with no one to rely on. With the help of Spirit Hall, she awakened her Martial Soul. Not only did she have Innate Full Soul Power, but she was also a Twin Martial Soul user.
Naturally, she was brought to the Pope Hall and became the disciple of the Pope. With unparalleled talent and the full support of Spirit Hall, she grew rapidly. Everything seemed to be heading toward a bright future—until that incident happened and changed everything.
Therefore, she did not want Hu Liena to suffer any tragic fate as she had. She hoped Hu Liena could live a beautiful life in her stead.
Bibi Dong stroked Hu Liena's head and said tenderly, "Because when I look at you, I see myself as I used to be. You are like a daughter to me. I hope you can have a wonderful life and be happy forever."
In this moment, facing Hu Liena, Bibi Dong briefly forgot the hatred in her heart, as if she had returned to the past.
"Teacher..." Hu Liena was deeply moved.
Her time in the Pope Hall had been the happiest period of her life.
The two chatted for a while, sharing their thoughts. Suddenly, Bibi Dong remembered something and said, "Nana, you previously mentioned to me that you wanted to follow the Path of Fusion Stream. Do you still remember that?"
**
Enjoying the story? Support the translation and get early access to future chapters here: www.patr eon.com/c/FanficTranslator
Thanks for reading!
I have 70 advanced chapter now on Patreon. I will post 5 advanced chapter on Patreon everyday except Sunday