Chapter 244 - Third Disciple, Bai Ning!

Picking up the Unformed Cultivation Mantra, Xuan Hao narrowed his eyes ever so slightly as he began reading through the cultivation mantra with his full attention. Not wanting to accidently miss any important part that might cause a hidden danger to his future third disciple if he began cultivating the Unformed Cultivation Mantra in the future.

"Unformed Cultivation Mantra… Created by a blacksmith that also wanted to walk on the path of cultivation in the past after finding out his lifespan was running out… Really suitable for Bai Ning given the fact he will most likely also focus on blacksmithing mainly and cultivation secondarily…" Xuan Hao weighted the benefits and demerits of the Unformed cultivation mantra and felt it would be really suitable for Bai Ning.

While it was not strong when it came to combat or survival, the Unformed Cultivation Mantra almost seemed to be specifically made for blacksmiths as the purpose of the creator was simply to increase his own lifespan so he could continue practicing blacksmithing and reach an even higher realm in blacksmithing.

Putting away the Unformed Mantra, Xuan Hao decided to impart it to Bai Ning.

Even if Bai Ning did not end up being exceptional among his peers when it came to cultivation in the future, Xuan Hao would be more than happy if he ended up becoming an unparalleled blacksmith that could easily gather a swarm of experts under his banner with a single word.

At least if that happened, he would not have to worry about the Flying Sword Sect ending up in a dangerous situation, as a group of experts would willingly step forward and crush their enemies for them…

"Ah, so much time already passed, I will have to get back to the pavilion…" Glancing outside a small window on the top floor of the pagoda of enlightenment, Xuan Hao was roused from his imagination as he saw the disciples of the Flying Sword beginning to get up and move about.

Unknowingly, he had spent over one hour in the pagoda of enlightenment reading through the Unformed Mantra!

Whoosh!

Not daring to wait around for any longer, Xuan Hao disappeared from the top floor of the pagoda of enlightenment.

From start to finish, the elder guarding the pagoda of enlightenment did not even notice that someone had passed by him twice and even entered the highest floor of the pagoda!

…

""Master!"" The moment Xuan Hao returned back to his pavilion, his two disciples were already waiting outside as they called out to him the moment he appeared and quickly ran over to greet him.

"…"

Bai Ning on the other hand did not say anything and instead shyly looked on from the side before approaching with a nervous look on his face.

"Ah, its great to see that all three of you are here already! Qing Yi and Chu Yang, both of you can make your way to the training ground first, I have something to say to Bai Ning first!" Smiling happily upon seeing his two disciples, Xuan Hao did not waste any time and quickly send both of them over to the training ground as he decided to first-hand over the cultivation mantra, Unformed Mantra, to Bai Ning before moving on with teaching his two disciples.

""Yes! Master!"" Already having some idea what their master was going to talk with Bai Ning about, both Chu Yang and Qing Yi did not stay around as both of them quickly made their way over to the training ground located on the mountain peak.

Even if they could not listen to their master's teachings yet, they could still spend the time warming up with a few practice matches…

Having already come to the consensus that they would be fighting until their master showed up, both Chu Yang and Qing Yi were filled with battle intent as they soon disappeared from the mountain peak down towards the training ground located a little further down the mountain peak.

"E-elder Xuan…?" Not knowing what Xuan Hao wanted to say to him as he had unknowingly already walked over in front of him, Bai Ning was filled with a sense of nervousness that he had never felt before.

"Haha, no need to be so nervous all of a sudden Bai Ning, I'm not going to do anything!" Laughing a bit to himself as he saw the nervous expression plastered onto Bai Ning's face. Making him look like a small innocent animal about to encounter a ferocious predator, Xuan Hao really had no idea what to say.

He was not so scary, okay? He might not be as handsome as some of those fabled young prodigies and devastatingly beautiful men… But he was not that scary to look at… He could at least be considered ordinary, if not a little above average…

"Hah… Maybe things will change when I reach a higher realm and go through a rebirth of flesh or something along that line…"

"D-did you say anything Elder Xuan…?"

"Ah, no, it was nothing!"

Muttering something to himself, Bai Ning seemed to have calmed down as he was no longer acting as nervous anymore.

Shaking his head as he threw his useless thoughts to the back of his mind, Xuan Hao took out the Unformed Mantra from his interspatial ring.

"Bai Ning, how do you think things have been during your past few days in the Flying Sword Sect…?"

"Hm? Ah, they have been great! Both brother Chu and big siter Qing showed me a lot of different places! Today we even went to the Flying Sword City just outside and visited a lot of different places to get delicious food! And…"

Watching as Bai Ning slowly began to explain what he had been doing during the few days that he had left him in the care of his two disciples, Xuan Hao could not help but smile to himself happily.

It was indeed a great idea to have his two disciples take care of their future junior brother and it seemed like they got along well!

Chu Yang was especially good as it seems like he was the one who took care of Bai Ning the most and also managed to get the closest to him… A little unexpected, I thought for sure Bai Ning would be more interested in a beautiful senior sister over a senior brother…

Maybe I should get a female disciple next, so Qing Yi also has someone to cultivate and practice with in the future…

After all, no matter what, Zhi Ruo is just an ordinary person and won't be able to join in for practice and go out adventuring with her in the future…

"… After all of that, we ended up returning back to the pavilion again and then Elder Xuan appeared!" Thinking about all this, Xuan Hao was brought back from his train of thought as Bai Ning's explanation finished.

"So, you had a great time in the Flying Sword Sect so far…?" Asking this with a smile on his face, Xuan Hao could already predict that Bai Ning had begun to grow attached to the Flying Sword Sect over the past few days.

"Y-yes Elder Xuan, everything has been great so far! I-I'm really thankful that you helped me and even brought me to join the Flying Sword Sect! In the future, I will do my best to repay this act of kindness!" Thanking Xuan Hao with all his heart, Bai Ning swore to return the favour that Xuan Hao had shown him by giving him a place to stay and even a chance for him to continue studying blacksmithing!

Bai Ning truly felt happy for this and had no idea why someone like Xuan Hao had even helped him in the first place.

There were many people like him out in the world and he clearly knew that he wasn't special in any way inside the Flying Sword Sect.

In the first place, how could someone like him ever hope to repay the favour shown by Elder Xuan in the future…?

"No need to look so down all of a sudden, I brought you back to the Flying Sword Sect for a reason after all!" Seeing Bai Ning suddenly begin to look a bit depressed, Xuan Hao hurriedly called out to him as he watched Bai Ning look up at him with a confused look on his face.

His face was clearly asking something along the line of 'what do you mean?' and 'what reason?'

Putting on a confident look, Xuan Hao smiled gently at Bai Ning.

"When I first saw you, I clearly felt that you suited for walking on the path of cultivation in the future and wanted to take you in as a disciple. Be it on the path of cultivation or the path of blacksmithing, I want to support you in the future as your teacher. Hoping that you can one day take in a few disciples of your own to help the younger generation of the Flying Sword Sect when the time comes. Bai Ning, are you willing to take me as your master…?"

"Yes!" Not waiting for even a second, Bai Ning happily agreed as he closed the short distance between them and hugged Xuan Hao before he could react.