Sun Chuanming's gaze was blazing as he stared into Song Changsheng's eyes as if he were looking at a precious treasure. The intensity of it made Song feel a little uneasy.
Seeing no response, Sun continued speaking to himself, "I am eighty-seven this year. My lifespan is limited. Over the years, I've been searching for someone worthy to inherit all that I've learned."
"But after all this time, not a single one has satisfied me until this very morning, when I laid eyes on you."
"Me?" Song Changsheng pointed at his nose, his voice filled with doubt. Though his talents were decent, he didn't think he was the most gifted person Sun had ever seen.
"That's right! I could smell the unusual scent on your body. I could feel it your spirit is unlike any ordinary soul. And I could see it you've cultivated a form of eye technique!" Sun Chuanming's eyes were like torches as they bore into him.
Song's pupils shrank as a wave of shock surged through him. That eerie feeling of being seen through during their eye contact earlier that morning so it wasn't just his imagination.
He had cultivated the Eye of True Sight, and aside from himself, no one knew. Not even those closest to him. Yet with just a glance, Sun had "seen" it?
"From the moment I saw you, I knew you were the one destined to inherit all I have. Will you learn from me?" Sun asked, now standing right in front of him.
Song Changsheng suddenly felt like his brain had stalled. All he had done was linger out of curiosity, asked a few questions and now the man wanted to take him in as a disciple? How had things escalated so quickly?
It wasn't that Song found the idea of a Foundation Establishment cultivator taking a Qi Refining cultivator as a teacher unacceptable. He was pragmatic if it brought him benefits, he'd gladly call even a mortal 'Master'.
But honestly, he didn't see anything especially valuable in Sun's skills. That dog-like tracking technique was interesting, yes, but not enough to warrant taking him as a master.
After a moment's thought, he decided to decline. Politely, he said, "Thank you for your generous offer, Master Sun, but I'm already deeply involved in both formation and artifact crafting. I simply don't have the energy to take on another discipline."
Sun Chuanming looked at him for a moment before suddenly smiling. "Do you think, perhaps, that the art of appraisal is too trivial to be worth your effort?"
That was exactly what Song was thinking but he couldn't say it out loud. He bowed slightly and replied, "You jest, Master. It's just that one's energy is limited. Taking on too much often leads to mastering none."
"Very well," Sun said with a calm smile, "then what if I told you there exists an eye technique, one that allows you to perceive the weaknesses of others? Would you want to learn it?"
Song froze. Perceive others' weaknesses? Not even the Eye of True Sight could do that. Could his legacy be that extraordinary?
"If it's just a single technique," Song said decisively, "I believe I can make the time."
If nothing else, being reborn had given him skin thicker than armor.
His decisiveness caught Sun off guard, but then a smile spread across his face. "If you're willing to learn, then I shall teach."
"Changsheng greets his teacher." Song bowed deeply, offering full disciple courtesy without a hint of hesitation.
A pleased expression appeared on Sun Chuanming's face. Though Song had used the respectful term "teacher" rather than the more reverent "master," it made no difference to him. The result was the same.
"Come with me."
Sun led him to his quarters and pointed to a portrait hanging on the wall. "That is my teacher. Since you wish to learn, offer incense and make three bows. Let this serve as your formal entry."
Following the direction of his hand, Song saw a white-haired elder in the painting, long beard reaching the floor, hands clasped behind his back, gazing off into the distance with a sage-like air.
Song picked up the incense laid out on the table, gently lit it with a breath, bowed three times in reverence, and inserted it into the center. Wisps of smoke curled into the air.
"My teacher's name was Fifth Xiang. He was once a rogue cultivator, who, through a twist of fate, inherited the legacy of a Purple Mansion realm predecessor. With it, he cultivated to the peak of Foundation Establishment but perished during his attempt to break through to the Purple Mansion realm."
"He only ever took one disciple me. But I was dull of talent, and despite my efforts, never made it past Qi Refining. So I traveled the world using my appraisal skills and eventually came to the Song Clan, where your grandfather invited me to stay as an honored guest."
"The Song Clan treated me well, gifting me a Foundation Establishment Pill. But fate was unkind I failed to break through, and after that, I lost my heart and chose to reside here in Luoxia City."
"Beyond repaying my debt to the clan, my greatest wish was to find someone to pass on this legacy. The moment I saw you, I knew you were the one."
As he spoke, Sun knelt on a prayer cushion before the incense table, holding a stick of incense with both hands, eyes closed as his voice dropped into a soft murmur.
"Teacher," Song asked after a moment, "there's something I still don't understand. How were you so certain I was the right person, just from a glance?"
Sun inserted the incense stick into the censer and replied calmly, "There are four reasons I chose you."
"First," Sun Chuanming said with a smile, "when speaking with the Fourth Elder, he mentioned that you have remarkable comprehension and a deep love for books. That is a prerequisite for entering our field."
"Second, the art of appraisal is not only used to evaluate items but also people. Although we only exchanged a glance, I could already tell that your potential was extraordinary and that you were no ordinary talent. If I pass on my legacy to you, there's a chance it may one day flourish, and I will have honored my master."
"Third, I saw signs of cultivation in your eyes. That's how I deduced you had trained in an ocular technique."
"Our lineage's inheritance is rather unique it requires the cultivation of an eye technique as a foundation. Since you already have that experience, learning this will come much easier to you."
"Fourth, just now, I sensed your exceptional spiritual consciousness. This is another key factor in mastering our lineage's techniques. The stronger one's spiritual sense, the greater their future accomplishments."
"These four factors none are especially rare on their own. But to find them all in one person? That is exceedingly rare. Over all these years, among all the talented youths I've met, only you possess all four."
"Are these reasons sufficient?" Sun Chuanming asked with a knowing smile.
Song Changsheng was suddenly enlightened. So it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision Sun had chosen him after careful observation and thought.
Judging by what he'd said, their lineage did have quite strict standards for disciples: keen intellect, strong spiritual sense, notable talent, and experience with eye techniques. It was rare for someone to meet all those conditions. At least, Song had never met another who did.
Rubbing his hands together, Song couldn't help asking eagerly, "Teacher, this eye technique you mentioned…"
"Don't worry, I plan to pass everything I know to you," Sun Chuanming said as he turned to the bookshelf and opened a hidden compartment. From within, he retrieved a thick, ancient tome, its age evident at a glance.
Song's eyes lit up and he reached for it immediately, but before he could touch it, Sun pressed a withered hand firmly over his, his tone turning solemn:
"Though I'm entrusting you with this inheritance, you must swear aside from your direct descendants or disciples, you must never pass it on lightly."
In the world of cultivation, many were highly protective of their legacies. They'd rather see a technique lost forever than shared indiscriminately. Song didn't quite understand that mindset but he respected it.
So, following Sun's instruction, he solemnly swore a Heart Demon Oath: if he violated the agreement, he would be tormented by inner demons for life.
Only after this did Sun release his grip and hand the book over. "From this moment, it belongs to you. Everything you wish to learn is written within. If you have questions, come to me."
"Also, if you wish to read more, you're welcome to browse my collection freely. When I pass on, these too will all be yours."
Song received the tome with care and bowed deeply. Just as he turned to leave, he paused at the doorway, glancing back. "Teacher, you're not worried that your student might be heartless, disrespectful, or disloyal?"
Sun Chuanming smiled faintly and shook his head. "Just the fact that you've been officially named successor by the clan leader is enough to reassure me. The grandson of Song Xianming how could he possibly disappoint?"
"Of course not," Song said with a wide grin, then strode out the door.
It was already late at night. Most others had returned to their quarters. Only Song Luhuai sat quietly in a rattan chair, waiting.
"Twelfth Uncle?" Song asked, a bit puzzled. "You were waiting for me?"
Glancing at the ancient book in his hand, Song Luhuai chuckled. "So Master Sun has passed on his knowledge to you?"
"You don't sound the least bit surprised."
"Actually," Luhuai said, "your grandfather had this in mind when he sent you here. You weren't the only one several of the young clan members who came with us also had contact with Master Sun. But in the end, he chose you. For the clan, that's a great fortune."
Hearing this, Song couldn't help grumbling inwardly: So this was Grandpa's plan too? Just how many layers of schemes has he set in motion? What's the real reason he sent me here? What else is he hiding from me?
It felt like invisible hands were constantly pushing him along hands that perhaps belonged to Song Xianming… or maybe someone else.
The feeling made him uncomfortable. He preferred being in control not being manipulated from the shadows.
Irritated, he asked, "What other arrangements has Grandpa made? Might as well tell me all at once."
To his surprise, Song Luhuai just shook his head. "Even I don't know how many plans your grandfather has set in motion. But I do know this everything he's done is for your benefit. Go get some rest."
He clasped his hands behind his back and strolled off leisurely.
Returning to his quarters, Song Changsheng felt a bit uneasy. Still, he knew Song Luhuai was right his grandfather would never intentionally harm him.
"Old man… just what are you plotting, that you even need to keep me in the dark?" Song muttered to himself.
But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't come up with a clear answer. With a sigh, he picked up the ancient book that lay at his side.
The book was bound in beast hide coarse to the touch and worn by age. On the first page, in bold calligraphy, were the characters: "Spirit Eye Appraisal."
Turning to the next page, he found it densely packed with tiny characters, recounting the origins of the inheritance and a wealth of information on the world of appraisers.
As it turned out, this inheritance had quite an impressive pedigree it was the life's work of a top-tier appraisal master. In terms of value alone, it could rival a Tier-Four Cultivation Method.
That was no small matter, after all, even the entire Song Clan didn't own a single tier-four cultivation method.
He flipped through the next few pages, which were filled with detailed techniques and caveats related to appraisal. These didn't interest him much at the moment, so he skimmed over them quickly.
Eventually, near the back of the book, he found two techniques.
The first was the ocular technique Sun Chuanming had used to tempt him Insight Technique.
Once activated, it granted the user extraordinary perception: no flaw in any item could escape their gaze, and even the subtlest weaknesses in an enemy's defenses would become vividly apparent.
Its true power, however, lay beyond mere appraisal. At advanced levels, it allowed the user to discern people to see through to their very nature. Whether someone was rotten to the core or a hidden gem, a treacherous wolf, or a loyal ally, would all become clear at a glance.
Of course, reaching that level of mastery was no easy task. It required not just a powerful spiritual sense but also a deep foundation in the art of appraisal. Even Sun Chuanming had only grasped the barest edge of it just enough to sense that Song Changsheng was gifted.
Still, Song was pleasantly surprised. If mastered, this technique would be a powerful asset. In battles between evenly matched opponents, even the tiniest vulnerability could be the key to victory, and Insight Technique specialized in revealing just that.
But instead of diving straight into cultivation, he turned his attention to the second technique. This was the tracking art Sun Chuanming had mentioned the one Song had jokingly called the "dog-nose method."
Its real name was "Ten-Thousand-Mile Tracking." As the name implied, if one could identify a person's unique scent, they could be tracked even from ten thousand miles away.
This, too, was quite valuable. Tracking had long been one of Song Changsheng's weaker areas, and now he had a means to shore up that gap.
"I'll start with the Insight Technique," he muttered. "But I wonder if it'll conflict with my
Eye of True Sight?"
After all, he'd never heard of anyone cultivating two ocular techniques at the same time.
"Whatever. I'll never know if I don't try." With that, Song steeled himself and began meditating, following the instructions detailed in the text.
As soon as he began, he realized his worries had been unfounded. Not only did the two techniques not conflict, but they merged beautifully as harmoniously as monarch and minister.
In just one night, Song had successfully reached entry-level mastery of the Insight Technique.
Even he was astonished by how smoothly it had gone. "No wonder this art requires prior training in an eye technique," he murmured. "With that foundation in place, cultivating Insight Technique was just a matter of course almost effortless."
His
Eye of True Sight remained fundamentally the same, but now it carried with it the enhanced perceptive power of insight making it far more refined and complete.
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