"He was so close, yet still couldn't obtain all nine. I wonder if he regrets taking such risks." A young woman scoffed at everything that happened. She was Ming Yuling, one of the outsiders who came to practice in this unique training ground. Beside her was the old man, casually stuffing his face with some type of pickled chips.

Ming Yuling frowningly asked, disgusted by the old man's eating habits, "What do you think?"

The old man ate another handful, licking his lips in satisfaction after a hefty swallow. "Hm? What?" He wasn't really paying attention to the young woman's criticizing words.

"I said: What do you think?!" She repeated, a tinge of anger between her brows. If she wasn't currently in disguise, perhaps her expression would instill a different effect onto the world, but as she were….she just came off as an annoyance.

The old man smacked his lips, licking his fingers, "About what?"

Ming Yuling released a frustrated grunt. This old man was becoming more and more intolerable by the second, but she couldn't do anything about it. "Aren't you my Dharma Protector? Why are you so absent-minded, ignoring me?!" She lashed out.

The old man gave her an odd expression, "You're right; I am your Dharma Protector. I'm not your companion, your thug, your servant, or your Clan Member. I'm your Dharma Protector. The only reason I'm even giving you instructions on your cultivation, not watching from the shadows as others do, is because of your Grandmother."

"..." Ming Yuling stifled her next words, even her anger was suppressed. She pouted, unable to retort.

The old man lightly sighed, "You little ones of the Eight Clans really forget our status, our strength with each passing day. Even your clan is very little in my eyes, in our eyes. We were only paid to watch over you not just to protect you but in the hopes that we'll find you to our liking, accepting you as our disciples."

The old man stuffed his mouth again with chips, no longer bothering with Ming Yuling's penchant to act as a spoiled little girl of a privileged status. He softly reminded her, "Just focus on your cultivation. Everything else is irrelevant."

Only able to accept the old man's words, Ming Yuling folded her arms around her chest, causing a faint distortion in the air despite her mostly flat-chest appearance. Clearly, the truth wasn't shown to the world. Suddenly, her eyes sparkled, "What about the changes to the training ground? Will we be ejected early?"

The old man shook his head, "The Season of Devils has only been changed. There's still dangers. It'll be perfect to train in, even better than before."

"What changed?" Ming Yuling asked.

The old man slyly smiled, "You'll see."

At this moment, a distortion near them caught the old man's attention. He lifted one brow curiously. "Cultivate. You only have a few months left to do so peacefully, take it." With that, he stepped forward and seemingly vanished into thin air, as if he had merged with space. The young woman pouted, already used to the old man's vanishing act.

Roughly three hundred miles away, the old man reappeared and observed a particular spot ahead of him.

"Venerable Higheater, I apologize if I've disturbed you," a soft, harmonious, and respectful voice resounded as a figure walked out from that particular spot. Her tall, curvaceous figure was by her tight-fitting outfit. With sky-blue leggings and a matching long-sleeved top that exposed her slim, firm belly through a midriff, she was an exceptional woman. While her face was concealed by a veil, her bright eyes that were revealed alluded to her gorgeousness hidden behind it.

"You're too polite. I was just giving a lesson to a youngster. What does an Envoy of the True Element Sect need from me?" The old man was unaffected by the woman's vixen-like figure, only giving off a congenial smile.

But the young woman didn't dare to show any disrespect, bowing deeply. "My name is Dai Yuxi, and I seek help from your esteemed self."

The old man asked, "The Spiritual Spell Restrictions?"

Dai Yuxi's eyes brightened, "Yes. I'm unable to break such a spell without causing damage, but your esteem self can-"

The old man halted her with a wave of his hand, "This is a training ground, a battlefield of sorts. Its meant to test the candidates of your True Element Sect. If they can not solve their own issues, then they aren't worthy enough to be here, no?" There was a faint smile on his face, clearly finding this a little amusing.

Unable to refute the old man, either due to his status and his reasonable words, she could only plead further, "I understand, but this was performed by means beyond the person's limit."

"How can you be so certain that the Holy Son didn't use his own strength to do so?" The old man asked.

Dai Yuxi was taken aback, she immediately answered: "The Spirit Units Levels are at least 50,000. That exceeds Mortal Limitations. Only a few extremely talented Starlords have reached such levels. A Light Reflection Phase Cultivator could not have produced such power without external aid or self-damaging means."

The old man faintly smiled, "I see. Regardless, I stand by my words: If they can not solve their own issues, then they aren't worthy enough to be here. You should heed them. If you won't, then at least try to expand your range of thinking and beliefs in the possibilities of the cultivation world."

After saying this, he didn't give Dai Yuxi another chance to speak, vanishing abruptly from her sight. She was left awkwardly there, unable to comprehend what just happened. Only after a while did she bite her lower lip, "If Senior Sister Lin hears about this, she'll definitely hold me accountable."

She had to find someone else willing to help. With that, she merged into the surroundings and seemingly vanished.

After a while, the old man reappeared. With a soft sigh, he looked at Dai Yuxi's departing direction. "How unfair. An Envoy of the True Element Sect is actively helping that boy. To think that even that old nagging woman would interfere at the most crucial moment. Why not just give the Chosen title to him? Clearly, she doesn't even care that the most suitable candidate had arrived."

In his view, Wei Wuyin was the best candidate for Chosen. While his origins were dubious, his talent and strength was irrefutable. To think an Envoy would actively act against her sect's interest to try and help another less suitable candidate. The number of rules this broke was extremely high.

"That fellow is quite blessed. Unfortunately, that child is also extremely vicious with a cunning, prepared mind. Even if that old nagging woman acts, she isn't breaking that formation without a fierce backlash." The old man had noticed the Spiritual Spell Restriction long ago, and it was thorough and intricate with powerful and vast spiritual strength within. If he tried to forcefully dispel it, the backlash towards him was negligible, but for Lin Ming…

"There's no way they could ask him to dispel the spell. That would be hilarious, completely ridiculous. What one year? He must've been laughing when this was suggested." The old man chuckled. Regardless of what, Wei Wuyin was not without a predictive mind. It was as if he foresaw Lin Ming's possible comeback and prepared for it.

-----

Wei Wuyin had returned to the True Desolate Temple, sitting comfortably within his bed as he contemplated various matters. He didn't give the one year agreement much thought. Regardless of what, he didn't think it would be easy to dispel his spell formations. Furthermore, it wasn't like he would be standing still.

He brought out the incomplete nonagon token that was missing one triangular piece. This badge contained the next steps of his cultivation! There were eight different elemental auras within, all of which accompanied by the unique Apex-Level Intent of each element!

To reach the next step of the Elemental Origin Intent, he needed to merge nine high-level Elemental Intents into one! But he wondered what would happen if the greatest intents all merged, forming one perfect whole!

As he continued to inspect the token, his heart started to throb fiercely as the aura of the Origin Essence became clearer and more prominent than before. He finally recalled why he felt the name Origin Essence was so extremely familiar!