Chapter 277: Registered Disciple

Wang Yu followed Xi Men Mei into the hall and immediately saw a golden-robed elder with an unusual face, seated on a chair in the center, idly turning two purple walnuts in his hands, while a golden toad as large as a calf lay curled beside him.

The toad's entire body shimmered with golden light, as if forged from pure gold, yet its two eyes were emerald-green and crystalline, like twin jade gems.

This was the legendary third-rank spirit beast, Tian Chan!

After glancing at the golden toad twice, Wang Yu immediately bowed deeply with Xi Men Mei before the golden-robed elder:

"Mei'er greets Grandfather."

"Disciple greets Ancestor."

Both spoke in unison.

"Rise," said the Tian Chan Ancestor, sizing up Wang Yu with a glance. "You are Wang Yu?"

"Yes, Ancestor," Wang Yu replied respectfully.

"Mei'er has mentioned you several times before me," the Tian Chan Ancestor said, finally smiling. "She said you greatly aided her in the secret realm, enabling her to obtain the Blood Essence Mushroom."

"I merely offered minor assistance," Wang Yu promptly demurred. "Without Sister Xi Men's mastery of arrays and talisman concealment, I could not have even approached the core of the secret realm."

"Grandfather, Brother Wang is being too modest," Xi Men Mei stepped beside the golden-robed elder and smiled sweetly. "Without Brother Wang's help, I could never have obtained the Blood Essence Mushroom alone. Besides, he once saved my life, and has always revered and admired you. Why not take him in? I know you've been considering taking another direct disciple lately."

"Nonsense!" the Tian Chan Ancestor frowned. "At my stature, the position of direct disciple involves countless interests and rivalries—it cannot be granted lightly. As for Wang Yu's merits, I shall reward him appropriately."

Hearing this, Wang Yu's heart sank.

But he had never claimed to want to become this Jin Dan Ancestor's direct disciple—he only sought a temporary registered disciple status!

Wang Yu felt a flicker of confusion.

Xi Men Mei pouted slightly but said nothing; instead, she walked behind the Tian Chan Ancestor and obediently began massaging his shoulders.

"Enough of your sweet tricks—this matter is impossible."

"But I heard you encountered Yuan's boy in the secret realm and saved his life. Is that true?" The Tian Chan Ancestor narrowed his eyes, seemingly enjoying Xi Men Mei's massage.

"You mean Yuan Huatian? I met him in the Jialan Secret Realm—he was captured by the Joy Palace. If not for me and Brother Wang, he'd already be their honored guest," Xi Men Mei replied with a sniff, clearly disdainful.

"Heh, that Yuan Huatian is an interesting lad. Enough of that—where is the Blood Essence Mushroom? Let me see if it's truly usable." The Tian Chan Ancestor chuckled, then turned serious.

"I have it here," Xi Men Mei blinked, paused her massage, pulled a black box from her person, and handed it to the Tian Chan Ancestor.

The Tian Chan Ancestor said nothing, opened the box, and immediately saw three Blood Essence Mushrooms and a talisman atop them.

"This is..."

The Tian Chan Ancestor showed a flicker of surprise, glancing at the young woman beside him.

"Grandfather, this is..." Xi Men Mei whispered a message, then pointed at Wang Yu, as if explaining the talisman's purpose.

After hearing the whisper, the Tian Chan Ancestor glanced at Wang Yu again, his gaze now tinged with unusual interest. He shook his sleeve, and a pale yellow wooden rod appeared in his hand.

The rod's surface was covered in layered emerald-green spiritual patterns—clearly at least a second-rank artifact.

The Tian Chan Ancestor merely tapped the rod against the three Blood Essence Mushrooms in the box.

With three soft *pops*, three rings of green light rippled outward from the mushrooms—one brilliantly radiant, the other two slightly dimmer.

"Excellent, excellent—all three are usable, each with a thousand-year potency, and one appears to be twelve hundred years old." The Tian Chan Ancestor's face finally brightened. He retracted the wooden rod, closed the black box, and carefully stored it away.

"As for your reward..."

The golden-robed elder turned his gaze to Wang Yu, his smile fading as he hesitated.

At that moment, Xi Men Mei resumed massaging his shoulders and whispered something again.

"Registered disciple?"

The golden-robed elder seemed startled by what he heard.

"Yes, Brother Wang asks for no other reward—only a registered disciple status, and only temporarily."

"These Blood Essence Mushrooms were brought out of the secret realm at great risk. Is such a request truly unreasonable?" Xi Men Mei smiled sweetly, speaking clearly and loudly, no longer whispering.

"Wang Yu, are you certain you wish only a registered disciple status in exchange for bringing back the Blood Essence Mushrooms? If you fail to establish a Foundation within the future, this status will be revoked." The Tian Chan Ancestor's eyes flickered, his brow furrowed briefly, then he slowly asked Wang Yu.

"If the Ancestor grants me the status of registered disciple, that alone is the greatest reward I could ever hope for—I dare not ask for anything more." Wang Yu bowed deeply again, his expression earnest.

The Tian Chan Ancestor sensed the sincerity in Wang Yu's words, paused briefly in thought, then finally decided:

"Ordinarily, a mere late-stage Qi Condensation inner sect disciple could never become my disciple."

"But these Blood Essence Mushrooms are of great use to me, and you once saved Mei'er—these two merits may be combined."

"I hear you slew three demonic true disciples in the secret realm—your strength among this generation of Qi Condensation disciples is indeed exceptional. Very well—I shall grant you this chance. I will accept you as a registered disciple, but I will not publicly announce it; I will merely acknowledge it."

"I give you twenty years. If you establish a Foundation within that time, you shall become my true disciple. If you fail, it means we lack the teacher-disciple bond—and your registered disciple status will be revoked. Do you have any objections?"

"I have no objections at all! Thank you, Ancestor, for your mercy in accepting me!" Wang Yu replied instantly, overjoyed.

"Brother Wang, you still call Grandfather 'Ancestor'—shouldn't you change your address?" Xi Men Mei smiled broadly and gently reminded him.

"You're right, Sister. Disciple Wang Yu, bows before my Master."

Wang Yu instantly understood, dropped to his knees, and bowed his head deeply before the Tian Chan Ancestor.