Wu Chen Jian Xian, naturally, was not foolish. He had merely broken through his inner demons, and his state of mind had improved, allowing him to understand more clearly what he truly needed.
Before encountering Zhang Fan, he had always believed that with his mastery of the sword, there were no opponents left for him on Earth, and no one worthy of being his rival.
However, his previous crushing defeat had made him realize that, not to mention others, this young man before him was already far superior in his sword dao realm; they were not on the same level at all.
He no longer wanted to remain lost in his own world but sought a higher realm of sword dao. Zhang Fan's casual words had deeply enlightened him, making him understand how immensely beneficial a senior's guidance was for cultivation, far beyond what he could achieve by burying himself in solitary practice.
Therefore, he had made up his mind to pledge allegiance to Zhang Fan and learn sword dao from him.
"You have trespassed onto my Lake Heart Island today, a capital offense."
Zhang Fan stared at Wu Chen Jian Xian and said, "I can see your sincerity, but some things are not enough with mere sincerity. You chose the wrong time.
"Becoming my disciple, joining my sect, is no longer possible.
"However, your talent and strength are still considerable. I will give you an opportunity: become my sword slave. Are you willing?" Zhang Fan said calmly.
To cultivate to the late stage of the Core Formation realm on Earth, a place with scarce spiritual energy, solely through one's own efforts, Wu Chen Jian Xian's talent was beyond doubt.
Moreover, Zhang Fan was indeed short-handed. Apart from the Blood Demon Flood Dragon, the Blood Ancestor, and the three Blood Race princes, everyone else was too weak to be of much help.
Therefore, if Wu Chen Jian Xian had this resolve, Zhang Fan would not mind keeping him by his side.
Upon hearing Zhang Fan's words, Daoist Niu could not help but look at Zhang Fan with a strange gaze. A sword cultivator at the late stage of Core Formation, wanting to join his sect, but being refused.
If this news were to spread, the entire martial arts world of China would likely go mad.
"Sword slave?"
Upon learning that he could not join Zhang Fan's sect, Wu Chen Jian Xian felt a deep sense of loss. However, upon hearing the words 'sword slave,' he fell into a daze.
Clearly, he did not know the meaning behind the term 'sword slave.'
"A sword slave can also be called a sword attendant. Once you become my sword slave, your life and death will be under my control, and you will no longer be free. However, you will still have the opportunity to follow me and learn sword dao," Zhang Fan explained.
Wu Chen Jian Xian understood. A sword slave was a slave to the sword master, serving at the sword master's beck and call. Yet, they could still remain by the sword master's side and learn sword dao.
Wu Chen Jian Xian fell into contemplation. To condense a nascent soul on Earth and reach the late stage of Core Formation realm, he was undoubtedly a person of extraordinary talent, possessing the pride befitting a genius.
If, before this, anyone had dared to say such a thing to him, Wu Chen Jian Xian would have considered it a great shame in his life, one that could only be washed away with blood.
But after witnessing Zhang Fan's power, he understood that even if he had broken through to the late stage of Core Formation, he would not be able to make much of a ripple against Zhang Fan.
"I am willing!"
Wu Chen Jian Xian declared with a resounding voice, bowing three times to Zhang Fan, "Jian Wu Chen greets my master!"
It was a simple choice between two paths: one led to death with his pride intact, the other to ignominious servitude, but with the chance to survive and even touch a world he had never encountered before.
Jian Wu Chen chose the latter.
"Good. You have made a very wise choice. You do not yet know what this means, but you will understand in time."
Zhang Fan walked up to Wu Chen Jian Xian, looked down at him, and said, "Open your spiritual consciousness space. I will plant a sword intent within you!"
Opening one's spiritual consciousness space to another was an extremely dangerous act. If the other party’s divine sense invaded and launched a spiritual attack, the damage to the divine sense could be far more severe than physical injury.
Just like the Pope of the Church before, whose spiritual consciousness clone was injured by Zhang Fan and took nearly a year to fully recover.
Wu Chen Jian Xian offered no resistance. Zhang Fan easily planted a sword seed in Wu Chen Jian Xian's spiritual consciousness space. The sword seed hovered at the center of the space, constantly emanating sword intent. This sword intent was all-encompassing, containing many aspects that Wu Chen Jian Xian had never experienced or encountered before.
He knew this was Zhang Fan's way of restraint. The sword seed could help him comprehend sword intent, but if he harbored any thoughts of betrayal, a single thought from Zhang Fan could detonate the seed, causing devastating damage to his spiritual consciousness space.
Wu Chen Jian Xian had no intention of trying to refine the sword seed, as only through personal experience did he understand its terrifying power, far beyond his ability to resist.
After completing all this, Wu Chen Jian Xian bowed thankfully again, then stood respectfully beside Zhang Fan, awaiting orders.
"You didn't escape?"
Zhang Fan's gaze turned towards Daoist Niu in the distance. He had stood there watching Zhang Fan do all of this without intervening or fleeing.
Initially, Zhang Fan had assumed that after witnessing his full power, Daoist Niu would see the situation clearly, realizing he was no match for Zhang Fan, and that staying would only be waiting for death.
Hearing Zhang Fan's words, Daoist Niu revealed a benevolent smile. He took a large gourd from his waist, removed the stopper, and a rich aroma of wine filled the air.
Daoist Niu took a deep breath. The potent aroma of wine made him feel refreshed. He tilted his head back and took a long swig, exhaling contentedly.
"This old Daoist has lived for over a thousand years, and my lifespan is nearing its end. Without condensing a Golden Core, I cannot truly transcend this world. In the remaining time, living in a pathetic state is worse than staying here to have a good fight with Holy Master Zhang."
A bright smile spread across Daoist Niu's withered, ancient face, as if he had already cast aside life and death.
Cultivators of the Golden Core stage could live up to three thousand years, but those in the Core Formation stage only had fifteen hundred years. Daoist Niu had lived for over a thousand years and knew he had no hope of condensing a Golden Core, thus he had a relaxed outlook.
"Your mindset is not bad, but with your strength, wanting to have a good fight with me might be difficult!" Zhang Fan scoffed.
Daoist Niu's strength was at the late stage of Core Formation, not much stronger than the deceased Martial Saint of Changbai Mountain, who had been utterly defenseless and slaughtered by Zhang Fan. How could Daoist Niu fare any better?
"It doesn't matter. Holy Master Zhang is only twenty years old, yet his strength has already reached the heights of the Half-Moon Immortal of the past. Such talent is beyond any words of praise. To say he is unprecedented, past and present, is not an exaggeration.
"To die at the hands of Holy Master Zhang, this old Daoist's life will have been worthwhile."
As Daoist Niu spoke, he raised the gourd and took another long drink, as if wanting to finish all the fine wine in the large gourd before he died.
"Master, Daoist Niu's state seems unusual. I can sense his aura constantly rising, it seems... he is about to break through!" Wu Chen Jian Xian reminded him from the side.
Zhang Fan calmly watched the scene. If Wu Chen Jian Xian could sense it, how could he not?
"Boom!"
As if breaking through some shackles, a muffled sound emanated from Daoist Niu's body. On Emerald Wave Lake, a large amount of spiritual energy poured into Daoist Niu's physique...
His aura suddenly surged, much like Wu Chen Jian Xian's previous breakthrough. In a mere instant, his aura reached the peak of the Core Formation realm.
...