Chapter 9 The Apprenticeship

Words : 0 Updated : Jul 18th, 2024

A grave atmosphere hung over the audience hall of the Noel Clan. Nelson, the master of the Noel Clan, sat on his high seat, veins in his hands standing out violently as if he were trying to crush the armrests. Standing beside him was Gabriel, his bandages unable to conceal the man's fiendish face. The Elders and Deacons of the Noel Clan were also in a gloomy mood, dread filling their hearts. Today in the city square of Stonebridge City, their clan was completely disgraced. Not only had the Chair of The Elders taken a beating, but also a disciple was killed. And it was all due to a traitor without a spiritual meridian. What irritated them more was that this little traitor had once been a genius disciple of the Noel Clan. "I beg you to let me have Fabian, Master Nelson." Gabriel was the first to break the silence. "Show him we still have Fabian in our hands! Then how could the bastard be so arrogant?" he asked Nelson. "The bastard is now a disciple of Soshill Sect and has gotten accolades from the lady in black. You know, if we threaten her with Fabian and piss her off, we'd be doomed," Nelson said slowly. Ryan's words and determined look still burned in his heart. But more importantly, he feared the might of the mysterious lady in black. "Nicholas is a disciple of an innate spirit now. Why be afraid of her?" Gabriel growled impatiently. A black seed of hatred bloomed within him, filled with the desire to kill the lady in black. "That woman is no more than 22 years old, but her power is absolutely at the intermediate or even advanced stage of Bone Reinforcement. She is at least a core disciple of the Soshill Sect, Gabriel. One is a core disciple, and the other is only a nominal disciple of an innate spirit. As the Chair of The Elders, you must know which one is more important to the Soshill Sect," Nelson explained. "So are you saying we should just let the bastard go?" Gabriel asked, his voice dripping with malice. "Of course not! I have left a word with Wesley. My disciples will sneak into the Soshill Sect and wait for a chance to kill the good-for-nothing," Nelson said, his voice burning with a desire for vengeance. "Also, with Nicholas there, do you think he'll be able to get away with much? What's more, for a student without a spiritual meridian, the fifth grade of Dermal Fortification should be his upper limit. And why did the woman help him? She likes his perseverance and nothing else. But perseverance is neither a spiritual meridian nor talent, and it's not power either." "Now that that's settled, I'd like to leave," Gabriel said coldly. Nelson was never willing to give Fabian to him, even at such a time. So he left. Crack! After Gabriel left, Nelson splintered his armrest in one hand, frightening the Elders and Deacons in the hall out of their wits. "Remember to imprison Fabian secretly, but don't hurt him. And don't let Gabriel know where he is," Nelson commanded, his tone thick with menace, a cold light glittering in his terrible eyes. After a two-day flight on the back of the Snow Vulture, Ryan and the other disciples arrived at the temple of the Soshill Sect. It was a land of icebound mountains, on which huge palaces and shabby bungalows stood. On the foremost mountain, there was a huge gate carved of ice, with the two words "Soshill Sect" engraved on it. The two Snow Vultures landed on a small square on the mountainside. "According to our sect rules, you disciples will be registered under us, the core disciples of the Soshill Sect, so there will be no elders here accepting you as nominal disciples," the lady in black said as she dismounted the Snow Vulture. "Hahaha, Harper! Giselle! You came back late this time!" A sonorous voice arose as five more Snow Vultures flew overhead and landed, and thirteen figures dismounted. One could feel the raw power emanating from these thirteen people. They were core disciples of the Soshill Sect. "I can't understand why our sect chief wanted us to accept these guys as disciples," a young man said, looking at Ryan and the other boys with dull expressions. "Maybe it meant to be a toughening exercise for us!" a girl laughed and said. "Now that you've brought them here, I'd like first pick." A shadowy youth stepped forward and laughed. "Alright, then you first, Samuel," the charming girl called Harper smiled and nodded. Samuel selected four healthy-looking disciples casually, then he focused his attention on Ryan. Samuel was about to pick him, but one of the other disciples spoke up, "Master, his name is Ryan, and he has no spiritual meridian." Ryan knew this disciple, Simon, was also from the Noel Clan. "Oh!? No spiritual meridian?" Samuel doubted this upon hearing it. He jumped down beside Ryan and soon verified it to be true. Then Samuel asked Harper and Giselle, "How could this be? We are the Soshill Sect, not those ordinary schools open for everyone. How could he be one of us?" All the disciples from the Noel Clan sneered, and many other disciples joined in. Despite Ryan's stunning performance, he was still seen as a lesser young man without spiritual meridians. "Looking down on me again?" Ryan said resentfully, glaring at Samuel. But he didn't betray his emotions. He knew he would repay the sarcasm and sneers a thousandfold. "He has a token from the Chair of The Elders, Samuel," Giselle said. "Boy, if I were you, I'd turn tail and run. You can't be a part of the Soshill Sect just by waving around that token," Samuel said, sneering at Ryan. Passing on Ryan, Samuel selected another disciple and led them all away. Before he left, he scowled at Ryan one final time. He didn't say another word to him. The other core disciples selected their nominal disciples one after the other. As for Ryan, they either glowered at him or ignored him. Ryan mentally made a list of people he'd have to prove wrong. In the realm of martial arts, a person without a spiritual meridian could only be ordinary. For an ordinary person to go up against one with great spiritual power was courting death. After Harper made her picks and led her disciples away, only Ryan and Giselle were left. The whole square was deserted except for those two. "My name is Giselle. You are my nominal disciple from now on. But you must leave the Soshill Sect if you don't qualify for the Sect's Competition. You have three months to prove you're worthy," Giselle said seriously. "Thank you, Master Giselle!" Ryan was delighted at her words and didn't try to hide it. "I hope we're still master and student after the three months is up," she continued. "Definitely, Master Giselle!" Ryan said firmly. "Well then, follow me!"

Chapter 9 The Apprenticeship

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