Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 444 Holy Light Initiation

At last, after careful selection, Ye Qingchen found a relatively intact thatched cottage to settle into.

The interior of the thatched cottage was even more spartan than Ye Qingchen had imagined. Besides a table and a wooden bed, there was nothing else, save for a quilt and bedding that seemingly hadn’t been used for many years and wafted a musty smell.

Elder Yang thoughtfully brought Ye Qingchen a tea set and said, "It’s still early. First, tidy up this cottage, then get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow at this time, I will take you to undergo the Holy Light Initiation."

After speaking, Elder Yang turned and left, returning to his cottage and not emerging again.

Ye Qingchen, who had been adventuring for years, was quite adaptable to various environments, but the sight of the moldy quilt still made him frown involuntarily.

Fortunately, there was a well on the hill, so Ye Qingchen took all the bedding out and washed it thoroughly five times. He then manipulated his Spiritual Energy to dry the bedding before proceeding to clean the thatched cottage inside and out.

After that, he began to look for thatch to block the drafty spots.

Just then, Elder Yang came out again and said, "Don’t bother looking for thatch. You can take some from the other cottages; it’s enough as long as we both have a place to stay. If Shenmu Academy ever recruits disciples again, they can figure it out for themselves."

Ye Qingchen was speechless.

He pursed his lips as he watched Elder Yang irresponsibly return to his cottage. At this rate, Shenmu Academy probably won’t even last long enough to recruit new disciples.

Nonetheless, Ye Qingchen followed Elder Yang’s approach and took thatch from the other cottages to patch up his own dwelling, leaving the others looking even more derelict.

By the time all this was done, it was already afternoon. Ye Qingchen had no intention of looking around, as the entire bare hill could be taken in at a single glance.

He returned to his cottage and lay down on the clean bed. Although a hint of mustiness still lingered, it was generally acceptable.

Now, Ye Qingchen needed to consider two things: tomorrow’s Holy Light Initiation and how to persuade Elder Yang to take him to the Ten Ancient Clans.

Elder Yang seemed quite unreliable. However, the fact that he could sustain an entire academy by himself within the Central Celestial Academy suggested he was not as simple as he appeared.

Later, Ye Qingchen studied Formation techniques for a while before finally lying down on the bed and falling into a deep sleep.

The next morning, after getting up and washing, Ye Qingchen thought it over and decided to fetch wash water for Elder Yang. After all, they were now master and disciple, so it was the least he could do.

What he hadn’t expected was that by the time the sun was high in the sky, well past their agreed-upon time, Elder Yang had yet to get up.

By noon, Ye Qingchen couldn’t stand it any longer and knocked on Elder Yang’s door.

About a quarter of an hour passed before a languid voice came from within the room.

"Lad, don’t be in such a hurry. I saw the sun was nice today, so I decided to wait for noon. That’s when the Yang energy is strongest, the perfect time to perform the Holy Light Initiation for you. You’d better not misinterpret my good intentions!"

Ye Qingchen curled his lip. You’re the boss here at Shenmu Academy, so your word is law. Whatever excuse you want to come up with, what can I do about it?

Ye Qingchen waited for another hour before Elder Yang finally opened the door. He walked out lazily, stretching and yawning, a slovenly figure difficult to associate with the esteemed image of a reclusive expert.

However, Ye Qingchen had already come to terms with it, deciding to make the best of the situation.

He pointed to the washbasin at the doorway, gesturing for Elder Yang to wash up, but Elder Yang waved his hand and said, "No need for all that fuss. Let’s go. We’ll get the Holy Light Initiation over with, and then you won’t have to disturb my sleep."

Seeing Elder Yang’s sloppy attire, Ye Qingchen internally sighed at his own pointless effort and followed him.

Upon reaching the stele, Elder Yang stopped and said to Ye Qingchen, "Kid, the Holy Light Initiation can not only enhance your Cultivation, but it can also perfect your innate talent and remedy your shortcomings. For any Martial Artist, it’s a blessing they can only dream of. However, the reward is proportional to the pain. There is a great deal of Holy Light accumulated here. If you can’t bear it, just shout. I’ll stop the initiation for you. But remember, a Martial Artist only gets one chance at the Holy Light Initiation in their lifetime. If you stop, you can forget about ever getting another. Do you understand?"

"Disciple understands!"

Ye Qingchen nodded, a hint of anticipation stirring in his heart.

Elder Yang gestured for Ye Qingchen to sit cross-legged, then a faint wisp of energy appeared in his hand and flowed toward the stele.

"Kid, unite your mind and spirit, and comprehend it well. I’m off to sleep a bit more. If you can’t endure it later, remember to shout out loud. You know I’m a heavy sleeper."

Seeing Elder Yang actually leave so irresponsibly, Ye Qingchen gritted his teeth in fury.

Is this how a master is supposed to act? The Holy Light Initiation is clearly a serious matter that must be handled with care, yet Elder Yang is treating it like a joke, going back to his room to sleep at such a critical moment!

Suppressing the urge to punch Elder Yang, Ye Qingchen forced himself to calm his mind and prepare for the imminent Holy Light Initiation.

After Elder Yang returned to his room, he lay on the bed and immediately began to snore thunderously. His hand movements, however, never ceased. He continuously changed the Hand Seal, sending strands of energy, imperceptible to others, into both the stele outside and Ye Qingchen’s body.

For someone of Elder Yang’s strength, conducting a Golden Light Initiation hardly required much effort. As for whether others would view him as unreliable, Elder Yang couldn’t care less.

Moreover, Elder Yang was indeed curious to see the true talent and temperament of this disciple he had accepted on an intuitive feeling.

Thus, although Elder Yang was in his room, he kept a part of his focus on Ye Qingchen, observing his every move.

When he sensed that Ye Qingchen had settled his mind, Elder Yang nodded to himself in approval. To be able to achieve a unity of mind and spirit so quickly showed that Ye Qingchen, at the very least, possessed a firm temperament. Sometimes, temperament was even more important than talent.

Elder Yang directed another burst of energy toward the stele. The once-bare stone monument suddenly blazed with a brilliant golden light. Wisps of Golden Holy Light slowly began to enter Ye Qingchen’s body.

The instant these strands of Golden Holy Light entered his body, Ye Qingchen’s handsome face contorted in agony.

Elder Yang, however, paid this no mind. He simply increased the output of energy, causing even more Golden Holy Light to pour from the stele into Ye Qingchen’s body.