Trap!!!

Looking at the happy little black eyes of the raccoon kit, the old man's calm eyes softened as he nodded his head in confirmation.

"Really?" Flare asked once again. He couldn't believe this at all unless he would be able to hear the words of confirmation from the old man's lips himself.

"Yes. You are blessed," the old man couldn't help but give a couple of pats on Flare's head.

Such a small kit and yet he had to worry that no one loved him nor blessed him. He couldn't help but pity him a little.

Flare did not shout or dance around like any normal kid or a raccoon that he was. Instead he continued standing calm obediently.

If his eyes were not shining with happiness, the old man would have thought that Flare was not happy in the least.

The kid is really collected and composed for his age.

This made the old man's smile broaden a little further.

Flare was the one who talked again, "So now what do I have to do?"

The old man could understand that the kit was eager to cultivate and transform.

He chuckled and replied with an evil grin, "The first step is for you to address me as your Master."

'Trap!!!' is what Flare thought as soon as he heard the old man's words and saw his cunning smile.

"Why would I call you Master?" Flare asked him suspiciously while also taking a step backwards showing that he was vigilant towards this cunning old man.

His words and actions only made the old man feel even more amused as he asked back, "Why would I help you cultivate if you won't be my disciple?"

Flare froze in his tracks as he forgot to blink his eyes.

Logically speaking, the old man's words really sounded correct. Why would he have to help a random stranger whom he met literally a few hours ago?

Though Flare's logical side said that there was nothing wrong, somewhere deep inside him, his consciousness is telling him that he was falling into a trap that this old man laid out for him.

"What would you do if I say that I don't want to call you my master?" Flare asked with an eyebrow raised.

'Despite his young age, the kit knows how to negotiate and also to ask the questions perfectly. A good seed indeed,' the old man thought to himself while he used his hand to gently caress his long, white and shiny beard.

"Hmm, I am not forcing you to do anything. If you want my help I am telling you that I help only my disciples and not any strangers. If you don't want to be my disciple, you can reject me immediately and leave my place now," He answered calmly and turned his head away to look somewhere else. It was as if he didn't care whether Flare would be his disciple or not.

But if one were to look clearly, the corner of his eyes never left looking at Flare to observe his reactions. He wanted to know what the kit was thinking and also started planning for his next actions in case he rejects his proposal.

Flare looked at the old man with his squinted eyes. He did not know if he could really trust this old man or not.

One side of him was telling him that he can trust this man but the other side was shouting at him that the man was cunning and it would be better to stay away from him.

"What would I get if I am going to be your disciple?" Flare asked him.

The old man raised his eyebrows in surprise. This kit wants him to give something back to make him his disciple?

He wanted to say that just being his disciple is already the greatest achievement he could get in his life. If the number of people that wanted to become his disciple were made to stand in a line then the line would have turned across the entire planet and yet there would be no end.

Yet the old man couldn't reject the small kit. He really wanted to take him under his wing.

Hence he asked Flare back with amusement, "What do you want?"

Flare blinked his eyes and turned his head to look at the old man's place. It was nothing but a small hut-like place in the middle of a forest.

The place looked like it belonged to someone very poor. How could the old man afford anything even if asked him?

This is what Flare thought to himself and sighed. He then shook his head, "What do you even have with you?"

The old man was even more amused by the raccoon. 'What did I have?' In his entire life, he did not cross someone who had asked him such a question.