Mo Yichen instantly staggered back, pointing a trembling finger at the old man. "Yo… YOU—!" Words failed him. His poor, battered brain completely short-circuited.

Meanwhile, the old man roared with laughter, his body shaking like he'd just made the joke of the century.

Ancestor Bai wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye, cackling like a madman. "Hahahaha! Such a scaredy cat! I was only joking! Hahaha! Look at his face!" He jabbed a finger at Mo Yichen, grinning like a gremlin.

And to make things worse, the damn snake man started giggling too.

Hissing.

'These two are INSANE. Absolutely deranged.'

Mo Yichen's face twitched, his teeth grinding so hard it could sharpen a sword. "This old geezer's humor is the worst..."

The laughter continued for far too long.

It felt like an eternity of suffering before the old man finally waved a hand, sighing dramatically.

"Alright, alright. Let's get serious." He cracked his knuckles, his expression shifting into something smug. "This old man here—" he puffed out his chest, looking way too pleased with himself "—wants to take you as a disciple!"

Silence.

A heavy silence.

Then—

"…Not interested."

Mo Yichen rejected him instantly.

The old man's smugness cracked.

The snake man hissed in shock.

Mo Yichen folded his arms across his chest, his brows twitching. "First of all, hell no. Second of all, why the hell would I even consider it? I don't even know who you are! You could be some insane old cult leader for all I know!"

Ancestor Bai ignored his outburst, straightening his posture. A sense of pride settled into his features, his gaze carrying the weight of centuries of arrogance.

"Listen here, boy." His voice boomed, echoing through the icy cavern. "I am Bai Xuan, once the greatest swordsman in the cultivation world."

Mo Yichen snorted. "Yeah, sure. And I'm the emperor's long-lost son."

Bai Xuan's smile cracked but he continued. "Hundreds of years ago, I was unmatched in the way of the sword," he said, ignoring Mo Yichen's sarcasm completely. "No one in the martial world could rival me." He lifted his chin slightly, the air of absolute confidence surrounding him.

Of course, it was far from convincing Mo Yichen

"You're telling me, you were the strongest, and yet… you're stuck here?" His eyes narrowed. "If you're so damn powerful, then why are you rotting in this ice hole?"

Bai Xuan's expression flickered for a second before he let out a low chuckle.

"You're a sharp one." He glanced around the cave, an unreadable look in his eyes. "But I have my own reasons for wanting out.."

'Like that's not suspicious at all.'

Mo Yichen didn't like that answer. He eyed the old man up and down, brain working overtime to figure out the ulterior motive.

But before he could voice his suspicions—

Bai Xuan suddenly let out a small laugh. "I have no intention of harming you, boy." His voice lowered, taking on a weight that made Mo Yichen's gut churn. "But if you take me as your master, I can guarantee one thing."

He held up a single finger.

"You will become the strongest in the world."

Becoming the strongest? That was every cultivator's dream.

But—

He wasn't stupid.

Mo Yichen crossed his arms, expression wary. "And if I say no?"

The old man gave him a knowing smile.

"You really think you'll be leaving this place?" Bai Xuan gestured around the cavern with an almost mocking wave. "Face it, brat. You're already as good as a dead fish. If you don't take my deal, you'll rot here like I have."

Mo Yichen gritted his teeth. The thought of spending another second in this frozen hellhole made his skin crawl. Worse—he'd have to stay locked up with the snake man.

As if sensing his thoughts, the snake man suddenly hissed.

Mo Yichen yelped and jumped a step back.

"FUCK IT, FINE!" he shouted, shaking from equal parts cold and fear. "I'll be your disciple!"

Bai Xuan grinned like he just won a bet.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"But!" Mo Yichen quickly held up three fingers, his eyes sharp. "I have conditions."

The old man arched a brow, amused. "Oh?"

"One—I will never be hurt because of you." Mo Yichen's tone was dead serious.

Bai Xuan nodded, nonchalantly. "Fair."

"Two—you won't hurt innocent people."

A pause.

Then Bai Xuan laughed, shaking his head. "Brat, what do you take me for? A crazy butcher? Fine, I accept."

Mo Yichen squinted at him, not entirely convinced.

Still, better than nothing.

"Three—" He took a deep breath, his fists tightening. "I have my own goals and you are not supposed to ask anything about me." His gaze burned. "But yeah one this is for sure, I want to be the strongest."

A silence stretched between them.

Then—

The old man grinned. A sharp, knowing, and utterly satisfied grin. The moment Bai Xuan flicked his finger, a force rippled through the air.

The translucent bloody jade pendant lying on the cold ground jerked up instantly as if an invisible hand had plucked it from its resting place. It soared effortlessly into the old man's palm.

Mo Yichen's sharp gaze tracked every movement, his instincts coiling like a spring. His muscles remained taut.

Bai Xuan stretched the pendant toward his nose, his eyes narrowing as he inhaled the faint, lingering scent of crimson blood.

Then—his expression changed.

Something flashed in his murky gaze—a flicker of realization.

"You—"

Bai Xuan started, his voice slightly hoarse.

Mo Yichen tensed. His fingers twitched near his waist. But the old man didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he let out a slow, measured sigh.

"…This definitely is destiny," he muttered, barely above a whisper.

The old man stood still, his gaze fixed on the glowing pendant, his thoughts an enigma. His expression was unreadable—neither joy nor sorrow, neither nostalgia nor regret.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, Bai Xuan moved. He turned toward Mo Yichen and motioned for him to come closer.

Mo Yichen stepped forward, cautiously and steadily. There was no longer any reluctance in his heart because now he was sure that he wouldn't be in danger at least. And if this man is actually stating the truth about combat skills then Mo Yichen has no problem taking him as master.

Bai Xuan held out his hand, and with the faintest murmur of energy, a sudden white string-like hue enveloped the jade pendant.

The delicate translucent stone shimmered, its surface almost appearing alive under the flickering glow.

Mo Yichen's breath hitched.

"Give me your hand, brat." Bai Xuan's voice carried authority, yet there was something undeniably calm about it. Mo Yichen obeyed without hesitation.

He pressed his palm against Bai Xuan's, the cold surface of the pendant sandwiched between their hands.

Warmth.

A strange, creeping warmth spread through his palm, seeping deep into his veins, then further—sprawling across his entire body. His skin prickled, his chest tightened, and before he could even react—

FLASH!

A blinding white light erupted between their palms.

For a single heartbeat—everything vanished.

...

Mo Yichen's eyes flickered open, the cold, blinding white from before now replaced by an endless expanse of grey. Heavy clouds loomed overhead, swirling ominously. A sharp gust of wind howled through the air, biting against his skin, making his robes flutter.

His gaze shifted, and he caught sight of Bai Xuan standing at a distance. The old man's white robes billowed elegantly, untouched by the chaotic winds. His back remained turned, his figure exuding a profound stillness as if he belonged to this void.

Mo Yichen's brows furrowed. He pressed his palms against the uneven stone beneath him and pushed himself up. As the reality of the situation settled in, his breath hitched.

He and Bai Xuan were standing on a floating rocky platform, suspended in the middle of nowhere.

The air was deathly silent, save for the howling winds.

His pulse quickened as he cautiously took a step forward. The moment his left foot pressed against the edge—

CRACK!

A large chunk of the rock beneath him crumbled and plummeted into the abyss.

Mo Yichen's stomach lurched. He instinctively stepped back, his breath shallow, his eyes wide as he peered down.

Beneath them was a vast ocean of grey-blue water, eerily motionless, stretching as far as the eye could see. There were no waves, no ripples—just an expanse of liquid void, still and waiting.

'What the hell is this place…?' His fingers curled into fists as he turned to Bai Xuan. "...Master?"

The word felt foreign in his mouth as if his tongue had to wrestle it out. His nose scrunched slightly.

Bai Xuan, still facing away, remained quiet for a moment before speaking.

"Come here."

The firm command held no room for argument.

Mo Yichen carefully made his way to Bai Xuan's side. As he moved, he couldn't help but take another wary glance at the still, lifeless ocean below.

He finally reached the old man and, suppressing his unease, muttered, "This is...?"

Bai Xuan turned to face him, his aged but sharp eyes carrying an unreadable glint.

"You are in the Dimension."

Mo Yichen's brows knitted together. "Dimension…?"

Bai Xuan nodded. "Yes. This is a self-contained space, a world separate from the one you know."

A faint smile ghosted Bai Xuan's lips. He lifted his gaze to the vast expanse of grey sky above.

"…Many years ago, when I was still at my peak, I stumbled upon an ancient scripture."

Mo Yichen's ears perked up. "What kind of scripture?"

Bai Xuan exhaled, his voice carrying the weight of centuries.

"A very old one. Something that predates most cultivation techniques of today. It contained fragments—scattered hints on how to forge an independent space detached from the laws of the physical world. A place untouched by time, unreachable by fate."

Mo Yichen's eyes widened slightly. 'A dimension that defied the natural order?'

Bai Xuan continued, his expression unreadable. "It took years to decipher those hints. And even then, the process… was almost impossible."

His voice lowered, tinged with something that Mo Yichen couldn't quite place.

"In the end, I succeeded. But the cost… was severe."

Mo Yichen's fingers twitched. "…What do you mean?"

Bai Xuan closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if recalling something buried deep in his past. "Creating this dimension… drained nearly all of my soul power."

'Soul power…?'

Bai Xuan finally looked him in the eye. "I was at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage when I began. But by the time I finished—" He let out a chuckle, though there was no humor in it. "I had fallen back to the Golden Core Stage."

Mo Yichen's stomach twisted. "You lost an entire cultivation stage?!"

Bai Xuan nodded, unbothered. "The backlash was inevitable. But in return, I gained something that no one else in this world possesses."

Mo Yichen remained silent, his eyes hiding a glint. This wasn't a small spatial pocket that he had to store his medicines. This was a fully self-sustained dimension—something so rare and unheard that he never even thought of something like this.

Yet, this old man made it. And he succeeded.

Mo Yichen can't help but be satisfied with his fate to encounter such a legendary cultivator. Back then he also dreamt of coming across an unfathomable hermit to help him (well, that's actually a cheat code of every transmigrator). So in other words, this situation now is what he has been waiting for.

Bai Xuan averted his gaze slightly. "Now, it is yours."

Mo Yichen blinked. "Wait, what?"

"I am giving it to you," Bai Xuan repeated. "As a gift. A disciple should inherit their master's legacy."

Mo Yichen gaped at him, then at the expanse around them. His thoughts tumbled over each other, struggling to process the sheer magnitude of what was being handed to him.

He felt a rush of emotions—excitement, disbelief, and unease. He tried calming down 'Nothing in this world is free, especially something this valuable.'

Bai Xuan merely smiled, the corners of his lips curling ever so slightly. "Don't overthink, brat. This is just a void—for now. Its true potential depends on your ability and soul power to break through its stages and make full use of it. Even I am not sure about its full potential"