Chapter 470: An Offer He Couldn’t Accept

"Of course, it is!" Elder Ru Qi exclaimed the moment she heard Yi Chen’s doubt-filled words and explained, "Just from your manoeuvrability alone, one can easily guess that your spiritual sea is comparable to that of a late-stage Qi Absorption Stage cultivator.

But after witnessing the way you lifted that bookshelf up, I’m more than certain that your spiritual sea is as vast as a First Core Building Stage cultivator."

Elder Ru Qi stated with an expression of disbelief.

"This... I never thought it would be so much."

A trace of excitement immediately appeared on Yi Chen’s face the moment he heard those words.

Although he was already aware that his spiritual sea was almost equivalent to that of a Ninth Qi Absorption Stage cultivator thanks to his fight with Cao Li during his time in the Black Rock Kingdom, it was still a great surprise for him to realise that his spiritual sea had in fact already surpassed that of the Qi Absorption Stage and was comparable to a cultivator at the First Core Building Stage.

Hearing Yi Chen’s words, Elder Ru Qi nodded and further explained, "Since you’re already at the Ninth Meridian Refinement Stage, you would be aware that it’s only once you’ve formed your first Qi seat that your control over the limited spiritual sea you once had increases considerably, right?"

"Yes, that’s because the spiritual sea expands considerably when we enter the Qi Absorption Stage," Yi Chen answered with a nod, as this was something he was already aware of.

"Exactly." Elder Ru Qi said with a nod and continued, "However, after that first exponential increase, the increase in the rest of the layers is quite marginal...that is, until one enters the Core Building Stage.

So, what I’m saying is that your spiritual sea at the moment is at a level where it seems as if it has already experienced two exponential increases even though you’ve not even breached past the Meridian Refinement Stage... something that’s totally unheard of."

As Elder Ru Qi stated, she couldn’t help but display just how taken aback she was by this revelation.

’Could it be he possesses a special physique? That’s the only reasonable answer I can think of... but to think there was even a physique that could cause one’s spiritual energy to jump so much...’ As Elder Ru Qi thought along these lines, she couldn’t help but think just how powerful Yi Chen’s spiritual energy manipulation and the depths of his spiritual sea would be by the time he truly reaches Core Building Stage.

An anticipation immediately brewed in her eyes the moment she imagined that scene in her mind, as a deep desire to actively contribute towards this future took root in her heart.

"Disciple Yi Chen," she called out to Yi Chen the very next moment, her tone returning to its serious state.

"Y-Yes?" Yi Chen, who had been a little lost in his thoughts, responded the very next moment.

"Become my personal disciple. I’ll ensure that with your talent and my guidance you’ll become the fastest disciple in the entire continent to become a Tier 3 Pill Master!" Elder Ru Qi stated with fiery eyes the very next moment.

As one of the very few Tier 3 Pill Masters in the White Jade Kingdom, Elder Ru Qi had thousands of Pill Refiners willing to give away their entire fortunes for a chance to become her personal disciple.

Therefore, before she had even asked that question, she had already mentally accepted the fact that Yi Chen would respond positively to her question...little did she know that Yi Chen thought otherwise.

"I-I can’t..." Yi Chen responded with an awkward expression on his face while preparing himself to escape as far as possible in case Elder Ru Qi was to lose her cool.

’She won’t beat me to a pulp just because I refused her request... right?’ he thought with a worried expression on his face as he readied himself to escape the moment things turned unfavourable for him.

Meanwhile, the already forming smile on Elder Ru Qi’s face, which had already concluded Yi Chen’s decision, couldn’t help but freeze midway the moment Elder Ru Qi heard those words.

"Y-You... what did you just say?" Elder Ru Qi asked once again, thinking that she might have misheard.

Seeing the immediate frown on Elder Ru Qi’s face as she asked this question, Yi Chen knew that his answer had successfully managed to offend her, and that if he didn’t give her a reasonable explanation, he would end up ruining the little relationship he had built with her during this period.

"Elder Ru Qi, I would love to become your personal disciple, as the way you’ve explained concepts to me in this period has really helped a lot in my pill refining journey and is also one of the reasons I progressed so much... However, I can’t do that." Yi Chen stated with a regretful expression on his face the very next moment.

Hearing the first part of Yi Chen’s words, the frown on Elder Ru Qi’s face naturally lessened before returning in full intensity the moment she heard Yi Chen completely.

"This... why? Why can’t you become my personal disciple? Didn’t you like the way I’ve taught you so far?" Elder Ru Qi immediately asked the very next moment.

Confusion and subtle irritation were evident on her face as she asked that question.

"I-It’s because I’ve already promised a sect’s elder that I will be becoming his personal discip-"

Before Yi Chen could even fully finish his words, Elder Ru Qi cut him off and asked intently, "Who is it? With you possessing such an immense talent, it would be a waste if you were to become a personal disciple of someone who isn’t even at the Core Building Stage like myself!"

Thinking that with only a few people knowing about Yi Chen’s great talent, there wouldn’t be any Elder who’s at the Core Building Stage who would have proposed to make him his personal disciple.

’I’ll immediately go and talk with that Elder since it looks like he hasn’t become his personal disciple yet...’ Elder Ru Qi thought to herself while waiting for Yi Chen’s response with rapt attention.

Meanwhile, hearing Elder Ru Qi’s words about the other party, Yi Chen’s expression couldn’t help but turn awkward.

If possible, a part of him wanted to avoid answering that question in this moment, but with Elder Ru Qi’s piercing gaze right at him, he knew that wasn’t an option.

"I-It’s..." Yi Chen muttered in a futile attempt to stretch his words for as long as possible.

Meanwhile, Elder Ru Qi leaned forward, clearly portraying how serious the matter was to her.

"...G-Grand Elder Jian."

"W-What?... The Twelfth Peak Master?" Elder Ru Qi couldn’t help but widen her eyes the moment she heard those words.

"Yes."

Yi Chen nodded with pursed lips the very next moment.

"..."

The expression on Elder Ru Qi’s face instantly waned as an awkward silence couldn’t help but develop between the two for the next couple of seconds.

"You... forget about what I just said just now, you understand?" Elder Ru Qi said with narrowed eyes the very next moment.

"I understand..." Yi Chen nodded with the speed of light, clearly understanding the threat that was veiled underneath those words.

"That’s good..." Elder Ru Qi muttered while nodding as her expression relaxed as she continued, "Just because you can’t become my personal disciple doesn’t mean that I can’t help you with pill refining... Grand Elder Jian’s expertise lies in his swordsmanship, so I’m pretty sure you’ll still be needing my help in order to improve your pill refining... isn’t that right?"

Yi Chen’s eyes gleamed the moment he heard those words as he responded in a manner to impress Elder Ru Qi as much as possible, "Y-Yes, I really appreciate Elder Ru Qi’s guidance so far and would love to be presented with such an opportunity..."

Hearing those words, the bitterness in Elder Ru Qi’s heart for being unable to make Yi Chen her disciple somewhat disappeared.

"Aren’t you quite good with words?" She commented with a subtle smile, no longer facing him, and said, "Fine then. From tomorrow onwards, come here to my residence at ten in the morning every single day.

As long as you’re diligent with your training and don’t slack off, I’ll make a Pill Master out of you in just a few decades’ time!"

As Elder Ru Qi spoke those words, her eyes radiated with brilliance as she couldn’t help but imagine Yi Chen’s future.

’With such a vast spiritual sea and my continuous guidance, instead of decades, it might just be possible for him to become one in a little more than a decade’s time!’

"Uhm..."

However, Yi Chen’s hesitant voice immediately pulled Elder Ru Qi out of her imagination.

"...Elder Ru Qi, can’t I do it after a week’s time? I’m actually challenging an Inner Sect Disciple in nine days’ time, so I must diligently focus on practising for that match in this period."

Yi Chen stated the very next instant, not wanting to focus on a lot of things in this period. However, little did he know that those words wouldn’t be enough to convince Elder Ru Qi.

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