Did you really mastered this made-up cultivation technique, disciple?

"Senior, this is my apprenticeship gift!"

The young man placed three sandalwood boxes in front of Li Xuan with great respect.

"You have misunderstood. I am not some hidden expert, and I don't take disciples. Please take them back!" Li Xuan said, looking somewhat troubled.

The young man was named Xu Yan, a wealthy heir from the county town. His background in this world, where Li Xuan had been transported, made Li Xuan envious. However, Xu Yan's lack of intelligence led him to believe that Li Xuan was a hidden expert, and he insisted on becoming his disciple.

Li Xuan had been in this world for over ten years without any system or cheats. He couldn't even leave the small mountain village he was in. To make matters worse, there was now only one person left in the village.

The village was surrounded by steep cliffs on all sides, with only a narrow, 30-foot-wide passage as the entrance and exit. It was an ideal place for seclusion, and the ancestors of the village had settled here to escape warfare.

Now that there was no more conflict outside, the younger generation of the village was eager to leave and seek a better life in the city. The nearest town was a hundred miles away, and the journey was treacherous, especially through a dense forest where dangerous tigers and beasts often roamed.

Over the past decade, the population of the village had dwindled. When Li Xuan arrived, there were only a dozen households remaining, most of them elderly. Among the few young adults in the village, including Li Xuan himself, all of them were eager to leave for the city to make a living.

However, the dangerous journey, especially through the "Evil Tiger Forest" that stretched for thirty miles, had claimed the lives of several young villagers. Then, ten years ago, a villager who had previously left and returned claimed to have learned the art of tiger-slaying, declaring that he was unafraid of the tigers in the Evil Tiger Forest.

So, Li Xuan and a few other young villagers joined him on a journey to the city. Although tigers and fierce beasts occasionally appeared in the Evil Tiger Forest, it was possible to pass through safely with good luck. Unfortunately, Li Xuan and his companions were not so lucky.

A magnificent striped tiger appeared, and the self-proclaimed tiger-slayer, holding a sharp knife, rushed forward with a roar and made a reckless move...

Only Li Xuan managed to escape in a miserable state. He believed that the reason he survived was that he had seen the danger and fled when the so-called tiger-slayer recklessly attacked.

That tiger-slaying technique was just too unreliable; it had led him straight into the tiger's mouth!

Since then, the village had only Li Xuan as a young adult. The elderly residents, who had lost their loved ones, gradually passed away over the years. Until half a month ago, Li Xuan bid farewell to the last elder in the village.

Looking at the empty village, with only himself remaining, Li Xuan felt bitter. Other transmigrators either rose against adversity or had extraordinary backgrounds.

And what about him?

He couldn't even leave the small mountain village! Without a system or cheats, he might end up living alone in this small village for the rest of his life.

"Sigh, I thought I could be like the martial heroes in online novels, wielding a sword across a thousand miles, vanquishing demons and proving my prowess. I really overestimated myself," Li Xuan sighed in his heart, self-mockingly saying, "I can't even leave this small mountain village, and I still dream of wielding a sword across a thousand miles? Hah!"

It was because of this self-mocking statement that Xu Yan, who had somehow arrived in the small mountain village, heard the last part, "wielding a sword across a thousand miles," and mistakenly believed that Li Xuan was a hidden expert. He immediately knelt down and wanted to become his disciple.

"Senior, I've finally found you! Please accept me as your disciple and pass down your unparalleled divine skills to me!"

"What?!" Li Xuan was taken aback, staring at the sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth dressed elegantly with a long sword at his waist. He was bewildered.

"I am Xu Yan from Donghe County. Since childhood, I've been determined to find true martial arts. Today, I've had the chance to meet you, Senior, and it's a great honor. I hope Senior will accept me as a disciple. I promise to work hard in my cultivation and not disappoint Senior's teachings!"

Thud, thud, thud! Watching the youth kneel down with fervent eyes and knocking his head respectfully, Li Xuan felt utterly baffled. His first thought was that this kid's brain didn't seem to function properly.

No matter how much Li Xuan rejected or denied being a hidden expert, Xu Yan didn't believe him and insisted on becoming his disciple. His enthusiastic attitude gave Li Xuan a headache.

"I'm not a hidden expert, and I don't know anything about martial arts. You've got the wrong person. I'm even looking for someone to teach me martial arts!" Li Xuan said helplessly.

"It's impossible!" Xu Yan's gaze remained resolute. "Senior, don't deceive me. You must be a hidden expert! Look at this place—surrounded by cliffs on all sides, with picturesque scenery. It's clearly a place of seclusion. If you're not a hidden expert, why would you live here alone?"

"Senior, please accept me as your disciple. I won't let you down!" Xu Yan continued to kowtow, his eyes burning with determination.

"I'm not a hidden expert, I don't know any martial arts, and I won't take disciples. You've really got the wrong person..." Li Xuan said, feeling helpless. This kid had a one-track mind, firmly believing that he was a hidden expert, and no amount of denial would change that.

"I understand!" Suddenly, Xu Yan stood up with a look of realization. "Taking a master is a significant matter; it cannot be rushed. I will go back and prepare my apprenticeship gifts!"

In Li Xuan's bewildered state, Xu Yan ran off and quickly disappeared.

Blink, and half a month had passed.

During this time, Li Xuan had been regretting that he hadn't taken the opportunity to learn about the outside world from Xu Yan. He even hoped to find a way to leave the small mountain village. Unexpectedly, Xu Yan had returned, determined to take him as his master.

Moreover, he brought apprenticeship gifts!

He was determined to be his disciple!

No matter how Li Xuan rejected him or denied his identity as a hidden expert, Xu Yan firmly believed that he was one. Li Xuan didn't want to deceive anyone, especially someone with an extraordinary background like Xu Yan. He had no cheats or systems, and if he were exposed, the consequences would be disastrous.

So, he kept refusing and denying, but Xu Yan was as stubborn as a mule, convinced that he was a hidden expert and couldn't be dissuaded.

"Senior, this is three hundred taels of gold. I know that worldly wealth means nothing to you, but the apprenticeship gift is essential. It's my sincere offering!" Xu Yan opened one of the boxes, revealing thirty gold ingots neatly arranged inside.

Li Xuan looked at the gold ingots, swallowed hard, and felt tempted. But in the end, he clenched his teeth and said firmly, "I won't take disciples! I'm only a few years older than you!"

"Senior, although you have a youthful appearance, it must be because of your accomplished cultivation, which keeps you forever young!" Xu Yan still firmly believed that he was a hidden expert and opened the second box.

"This is a thousand-year-old mountain ginseng from my Xu family's collection. It's the second part of my apprenticeship gift. I hope Senior will accept it!" Li Xuan swallowed his saliva as he looked at the ginseng, which had intact roots and already resembled a human figure. Its faint fragrance of ginseng wafted into his nostrils, rejuvenating his spirit.

A hundred-year-old mountain ginseng could extend the life of a dying person by three days and restore their vitality. A thousand-year-old mountain ginseng was even more effective. Li Xuan felt tempted, but he gritted his teeth and continued, "Take it back; I really am not a hidden expert, and I don't know anything about martial arts!"

Xu Yan opened the third box. "Senior, this is a Nine-Leaf Essence Mushroom. It's the third part of my apprenticeship gift!"

A Nine-Leaf Essence Mushroom!

Li Xuan couldn't help but gaze at it. The elderly residents of the village had said that in their ancestral legends, Essence Mushroom was considered a rare treasure. A hundred leaves could heal the critically ill, granting them three extra days of life, revitalizing their vital energy, and extending their lifespan. A thousand leaves would have even more miraculous effects.

This was a rare elixir!

Li Xuan couldn't take his eyes off it, but he forced himself to look away and let out a deep sigh, feigning sophistication. "Very well! You have come here with fate on your side. I will accept you as my disciple!"

Xu Yan had offered too much; Li Xuan couldn't bear to refuse.