Chapter 10: Requesting Master to Accept Me as Apprentice

A restful night’s sleep.

After rejuvenating, Duan Wenxuan first visited the train station and discreetly placed a ‘door’ in a hidden corner. Then, he traveled to Liyang City, setting another door outside its outskirts amidst the wilderness. With these tasks completed, Duan Wenxuan felt assured and proceeded step by step according to his plan.

First on his agenda was practicing Eight Trigrams Palm. Through consistent training over recent weeks, Duan Wenxuan noticed that his body had fully recovered from its previous suboptimal state. He now appeared markedly different from his former otaku self, exuding vitality and radiance.

Even Tang Tianlu was greatly impressed by the effectiveness of this exercise regimen.

Duan Wenxuan didn’t attribute it solely to athletic potential; instead, he suspected it might be related to his ‘golden finger’. Moreover, when he formally began learning Eight Trigrams Palm, he found himself quickly grasping techniques with remarkable ease.

Initially, Tang Tianlu taught Duan Wenxuan out of helplessness and gratitude, but now it was genuine sincerity. Truthfully, if he had encountered someone with such natural talent before, even upon receiving a respectful bow of apprenticeship, Tang Tianlu might have reluctantly agreed to teach them.

As for Duan Wenxuan, his experience was somewhat peculiar.

Duan Wenxuan felt that his rapid progress was akin to how he had diligently memorized numerous classical texts for his college entrance exam. Although he later forgot most of them after entering society, when revisiting those books, he found reading them surprisingly smooth, despite not recalling every detail. It seemed as if the foundational knowledge remained intact, just becoming rusty without regular review. Now, picking it up again, everything flowed naturally.

Reflecting on this, Duan Wenxuan concluded that it must be an unexpected benefit from infusing his consciousness into Tang Tianlu’s body. Before the infusion, even when studying ancient texts about Eight Trigrams Palm, he never experienced such ease and insight.

This revelation was truly remarkable.

As a result, Duan Wenxuan’s progress in mastering the Eight Trigrams Palm could be described as meteoric. Within just a few short days, he swiftly crossed the threshold from an ordinary practitioner to achieving the Bright Vigor stage.

Such advancement transcended mere genius; Tang Tianlu could only marvel at Duan Wenxuan’s extraordinary nature, clearly beyond the realm of the mundane.

Time passed quickly. Fourteen days had elapsed since the first door opened.

Evening approached.

Duan Wenxuan once again assumed control of Tang Tianlu’s body, planning to venture out tonight to take care of necessary tasks. Tomorrow, he would rest well, preparing himself for the imminent arrival of the new world.

“Dr. Liao, here’s your coffee.”

The nurse repeated herself several times before Liao Yangsu snapped out of his daze and hastily stood up to take it.

”…Dr. Liao, you look very tired,” the intern nurse hesitantly remarked.

Liao Yangsu waved dismissively without acknowledging the young nurse. It wasn’t that he was aloof; rather, he simply lacked energy lately. For some reason, every night when he closed his eyes, he heard numerous voices whispering around him.

As a doctor, his first instinct was to examine himself, but despite thorough checks, nothing could be found. By now, Liao Yangsu had lost hope in conventional medical solutions.

He suspected that his condition might not be addressable by current scientific means.

After all, there is no known illness that would progressively enhance his ability to hear what initially seemed like mere tinnitus. These sounds were not random; as he listened more clearly, he shockingly realized they resembled whispers from his colleagues, relatives, and friends.

The voices grew louder, conveying more and more information. Some of it was already known to Liao Yangsu, while some were not.

For those unknown pieces, Liao Yangsu discreetly sought verification, only to find they were true.

It seemed as though he could now glimpse into others’ hidden secrets, but for Liao Yangsu, this ability was far from fortunate. The constant sense of fear and unease intensified with each passing moment.

Now, Liao Yangsu dared not return home, fearing he might bring harm to his parents. Additionally, he left behind a message akin to a will in his phone’s notes app, ensuring his parents would see it if something happened to him.

After consuming a cup of coffee, Liao Yangsu felt slightly more alert.

A moment later, he couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. Just yesterday, he had visited An City’s most renowned temple, devoutly praying and even donating generously for incense offerings. He also specifically found and wore the protective talismans his mother had previously obtained for him, but all these actions seemed futile.

Knock, knock.

As Liao Yangsu wallowed in his misery, another knock sounded at the door.

“Who is it?”

“Is Dr. Liao there? This old man has come to save you.”

Initially, Liao Yangsu assumed it was a patient who hastily spoke without clarifying. The mention of “old man” seemed somewhat peculiar; who would refer to themselves like that nowadays?

With a quick thought, Liao Yangsu opened the door, “What’s troubling you? Why did you come directly here?”

Many elderly patients often didn’t understand hospital procedures; instead of registering upon arrival, they would wander between various doctors’ offices.

The elderly person outside smiled gently, their neatly combed silver hair tied at the back. They appeared vibrant and energetic despite their age, showing no signs of illness.

Liao Yangsu unconsciously furrowed his brow.

Duan Wenxuan glanced at the surveillance camera in the corridor before stepping into Dr. Liao’s office.

“Elderly sir, you…”

“Dr. Liao, I am here to save lives, not seek medical attention.”

In an instant, realization dawned on Liao Yangsu. With a mix of fear and apprehension, he looked at this seemingly robust old man and subconsciously tightened his grip on the cell phone in his hand.

“Who are you?”

“Does it matter?” Duan Wenxuan countered, “I’m merely a relic of the past, destined to be forgotten by the world.”

Liao Yangsu couldn’t comprehend what the old man before him was saying, but it seemed his question elicited a sense of melancholy from the elderly figure.

“Don’t call the police unless you truly wish to die. I am not afraid of this nation’s authorities, but merely unwilling to prematurely exit this grand era.”

“What do you mean?!” In the past, Liao Yangsu would have dismissed the ramblings of this eccentric old man as mere delusions. However, now he couldn’t simply brush it off. Internally, he felt like screaming that he must be going insane, yet his mind compelled him to stand still and listen.

Something inexplicable had indeed occurred to him, something beyond scientific explanation…something akin to the realm of the supernatural.

The old man just smiled serenely and extended his hand. Instantly, a black paper figurine leaped out from within his coat. The paper figure danced excitedly in the palm of the old man’s hand, its head swiveling back and forth with apparent enthusiasm.

This wasn’t a movie scene or a magic trick.

As Liao Yangsu watched the lifelike movements of the paper figurine, he felt deeply unsettled.

After a long moment, Liao Yangsu finally regained his voice, ”…Elder… Elderly sir…”

Knowing when to adapt is the mark of a wise person; Liao Yangsu didn’t intend to persist stubbornly and promptly acknowledged him respectfully.

“This entity can pry into people’s secrets and enjoys playing tricks. When there are many individuals around, it compels them to attack each other using their own and others’ secrets. Eventually, they lose their sanity and die in violent confrontations. With fewer people, it causes relentless insomnia night after night, leading ultimately to madness and death.

You may have encountered someone pranked by this entity before, which allowed it to leave its mark on you as well. If I hadn’t arrived today, your fate would have been sealed within these few days.”

As Duan Wenxuan explained the paper figurine’s origins, the black silhouette seemed quite proud. It puffed up its thin, paper-like chest and strutted majestically several times across Duan Wenxuan’s palm.

Liao Yangsu immediately recalled the girl who had committed suicide by jumping from a building! Ever since then, he had experienced increasingly restless sleep. Additionally, due to that incident, he was specifically summoned to the police station with strict instructions not to spread any rumors. In other words, the girl’s death must have been caused by this black paper figurine!

Noticing Liao Yangsu’s astonished expression, Duan Wenxuan gently tapped the paper figurine’s head with his finger and reassured him, “Don’t worry, it has been subdued now. Alright, retrieve the mark from Dr. Liao’s body, and no more endangering others’ lives.”

Obediently, the paper figurine sprang up with a swift motion onto Liao Yangsu’s head. Liao Yangsu immediately jumped to grab it, but the figurine was too quick. Before he could catch it, the paper figure had already returned to Duan Wenxuan.

“Done.” Duan Wenxuan smiled.

Liao Yangsu suddenly felt a wave of comfort throughout his body, as if a heavy, damp cloth that had previously enveloped him, causing constant fatigue and discomfort, had vanished. Now, he felt rejuvenated.

Still reveling in the newfound ease of his body, Liao Yangsu noticed Duan Wenxuan preparing to leave within moments.

“Elder… Old Man…” Liao Yangsu instinctively chased after him.

The main reason for this reaction was that, based on their brief interaction, the elderly man seemed amiable and not at all menacing.

“Do you need something else?” Duan Wenxuan paused.

Liao Yangsu’s worldview, built over nearly thirty years, had just shattered into pieces. However, human minds are adaptable; piecing together a new perspective took mere minutes for him.

“I… I… I just wanted to ask, will incidents like what I experienced become more common in the future?”

“Yes, it’s only a matter of these next few years. If you survive this time, you might witness all sorts of peculiar events in the future.”

Liao Yangsu, by nature, was content with modest prosperity and considered fairly kind-hearted. He wasn’t much of a gamer; instead, he enjoyed reading martial arts novels that were popular during his school days.

Despite his age, deep inside, he still harbored dreams of a thrilling martial world filled with vengeance and adventure. After all, who doesn’t have their own aspirations?

Overwhelmed by the paper figurine incident, Liao Yangsu blurted out upon hearing Duan Wenxuan’s words, “Well, first, I need to stay alive to see those things, sir… Given my situation, is there any way for me to protect myself?”

“Just focus on staying fit. In today’s world, the truly capable individuals have yet to emerge. It’s mostly people like me, nearing the end of our lives, who venture forth to pave the way - essentially securing prospects for the younger generation at home.”

The thought instantly crossed Liao Yangsu’s mind: A pioneer for kingship, akin to how in ancient times, many who initially raised arms often didn’t reach the final victory but merely paved the path for the true dragon emperor.

The dawn of a new era was just beginning to emerge. Those truly aiming for the pinnacle were still biding their time, yet some were already starting to stir with anticipation.

Liao Yangsu’s thoughts raced, his thirty-year tranquility shattered as excitement surged within him. “Elderly sir, would you consider taking me as your disciple?! I don’t ask for much; I merely wish to have the means to handle such situations in the future.”

This opportunity might not present itself again tomorrow.

Although Liao Yangsu didn’t know the old man’s name or origin, and he appeared to be of modest status, appearances could be deceiving. Even the slightest chance was worth pursuing.

Despite how impulsive it may seem, Liao Yangsu felt compelled to try. He did not want to remain an ordinary doctor when the world underwent drastic changes in a couple of years.

“Take you as my disciple?” Duan Wenxuan looked at Liao Yangsu, puzzled.

Duan Wenxuan had already planned ahead - he intended to use various aliases and concoct stories as needed. After all, none of Xuanlan Star’s nations had significant knowledge about these impending changes.

His newfound opportunities were extraordinary, but it all depended on whether he could deceive everyone convincingly.

By weaving lies, he aimed to make the world dance to his tune. From the looks of it so far, the effect seemed promising.

“Yes!” Liao Yangsu also displayed his determination, “Please accept me as your disciple, Master! I understand that for someone like you, choosing a disciple is very strict, but rest assured, as long as it doesn’t go against my conscience, I will always respect and uphold the teacher-disciple relationship.”

Liao Yangsu subtly left himself an escape route just in case.

“Do you truly mean that? Do you know who I am? I’m merely an old martial instructor from the Duan Clan. When news of this mind-probing evil entity surfaced, the young master of the Duan lineage requested me to bring back someone suitable.”

Martial Instructor?! Liao Yangsu’s excitement surged even more, making him resemble a fervent young lad, “Honored Master, please accept me as your disciple.”

As a modern individual, he wasn’t sure how to properly show deference. He dared not step forward for a handshake, and clasping his fists seemed insufficiently respectful. With a firm resolve, Liao Yangsu dropped directly to his knees.

“Ha ha ha.” Duan Wenxuan’s laughter sounded bold and spirited. “You’re quite astute. My martial skills are average, and I have no right to expect a complete successor within the Duan Clan. Moreover, my life has been solitary with neither wife nor children.

Today, fate brings us together. If you are sincere, meet me at Southwest Station in three days’ time. Should you pass the test, I shall take you as my apprentice and entrust my knowledge to you.”

With that, Duan Wenxuan opened the door and swiftly departed.

“Teacher? Teacher!” Liao Yangsu hurriedly chased after him, only to realize that despite the elderly man’s seemingly slow gait, he moved remarkably fast. By the time she reached the hospital entrance, she could only catch a glimpse of his figure disappearing at the end of the street.