"Such sensitive Mental Power. You actually sensed me approaching." As soon as Chu Feng finished speaking, the sky not far away distorted, and the figure of a one-legged elder appeared within his view, smiling at him.
"Who are you? Why were you tracking me?"
Seeing the person before him, Chu Feng couldn't help but frown slightly. Earlier, he hadn't been able to confirm if someone was around him; he'd only felt a strange fluctuation and couldn't be sure it was a person.
The shout just now was merely a probe. He never imagined it would actually flush someone out. So the elder's appearance truly startled Chu Feng.
Moreover, the elder before him not only wore the attire of a Four Seas Academy instructor but also possessed unfathomable cultivation. And Chu Feng had just killed two Four Seas Academy disciples. This felt like impending disaster.
"There's no need to fear. Though I am from the Four Seas Academy, I won't punish you for two useless disciples. On the contrary, like you, I believe such disciples deserved to die." The one-legged elder seemed to understand Chu Feng's worry and quickly explained with a smile.
"Who exactly are you? What is your purpose in following me?" Chu Feng could only confirm that this person was very strong but couldn't tell if he was friend or foe, so he remained on guard.
"Hehe, this old man is named Tai Kou. I am a Heaven-ranked instructor of the Four Seas Academy. I have no other purpose here. I simply think you're a talent and hope you'll become my disciple. I will cultivate you with all my might." Tai Kou was quite direct, getting straight to the point.
"What?! You're a Heaven-ranked instructor? You want to take me as your disciple?!" Yet, when the elder said this, Chu Feng was startled.
The other party's strength certainly qualified him to be a Heaven-ranked instructor, perhaps even much stronger than those Chu Feng had seen. So when the elder stated his name and identity, Chu Feng's first thought was that this elder might be the most eccentric and powerful among the ten Heaven-ranked instructors.
But that instructor was known for never taking disciples. And Chu Feng clearly wasn't a disciple of the Four Seas Academy. Yet here he was, saying he wanted to take Chu Feng as a disciple. What on earth was going on? It left Chu Feng somewhat speechless, even confused.
"When I, Tai Kou, speak, I am always direct. I wonder if young friend Chu Feng is willing?" Tai Kou smiled.
At this moment, Chu Feng felt even more uneasy. The other party actually knew his name, implying he had investigated him. But Chu Feng still didn't understand why the elder wanted to take him as a disciple. Regardless of whether this was real, or if there was some hidden motive, Chu Feng simply had no intention of joining the Four Seas Academy.
So Chu Feng cupped his fists and said politely, "Senior Tai Kou values me, Chu Feng, which is my honor. However, I have not joined the Four Seas Academy. Would it not be inappropriate to become your disciple under such circumstances?"
"Rest assured. As long as you're willing to become my disciple, you will naturally be a disciple of my Four Seas Academy. Rules like examinations are just limitations for the mediocre. They don't apply to you." Tai Kou waved his hand, his attitude towards Chu Feng quite friendly.
But Chu Feng genuinely did not intend to join the Four Seas Academy, so he could only shake his head and say, "Senior Tai Kou, I'm truly sorry. I really don't wish to join the Four Seas Academy."
"Oh?" Hearing Chu Feng's words, Tai Kou's sword-like eyebrows shot upward, clearly displeased. However, that displeasure only flashed briefly before he sighed with resignation, "Those I want as disciples, I look down upon. And those I look upon, don't want me. This is fate. Very well, I accept it."
As he spoke, Tai Kou's figure turned and vanished. At the same time, however, a voice transmission reached Chu Feng's ears.
"Young friend Chu Feng, I will pretend I saw nothing of today's events. But in the future, if anyone in these Eastern Waters dares to bully you, you need only mention my, Tai Kou's, great name. And if the day comes when you wish to become my disciple, my Tai Kou will welcome you anytime."
"Thank you, Senior Tai Kou!!" Chu Feng quickly bowed in thanks but received no response from Tai Kou.
He stayed there for a moment, focusing his Mental Power to observe his surroundings, but detected no further changes. So he concluded that Tai Kou had truly left.
"This instructor really is as eccentric as the rumors say." Chu Feng found Tai Kou somewhat baffling, but he left a decent impression. Though Tai Kou's personality was strange, he at least seemed like an upright person.
However, after this encounter, Chu Feng became even more cautious. He put on the Hundred Faces Mask he had taken from the Hundred Face Elder long ago and transformed his appearance into that of an ordinary-looking middle-aged man.
Chu Feng decided to show this face from now on. This way, even if he caused great trouble, it wouldn't affect his true self or implicate Jiang Wushuang and Zhang Tianyi, among others.
Furthermore, Chu Feng gave himself a new name: Wuqing (Heartless). The reason was simple: in order to achieve his goals, he would need to be a heartless person.
After changing his appearance, Chu Feng set his first destination: the Mandarin Duck Platform.
At the Mandarin Duck Platform, there was someone named Autumn Water Skimming Smoke. She was the Saintess of the Burning Sky Holy Church and also an old lover of Huangfu Haoyue.
So Chu Feng believed that when Huangfu Haoyue was still sane, he must have told Autumn Water Skimming Smoke something. Therefore, apart from Huangfu Haoyue, she was likely the only person who might know his origins.
However, the Eastern Waters were vast. Reaching the Mandarin Duck Platform would take considerable time.
Before that, Chu Feng needed to improve his cultivation. So he first found a secluded location, intending to refine the Lava Child.
"Chu Feng, why not take out that odd weapon fan Shentu Jiang won at the auction and have a look? Perhaps you'll discover something." But just as Chu Feng found his hidden spot, before he could start refining, Egg spoke.
"That fan? There is indeed a pattern on that fan. But the pattern is quite blurry. It's impossible to determine what's depicted, and I can't even be sure it's a map," Chu Feng said.
"Idiot. For ordinary people, it might be hard to discern. But you're different. Don't forget you've cultivated the Celestial Eye. For someone who possesses the Celestial Eye, you can see through such things at a glance."
"Although you haven't fully mastered the Celestial Eye, you've cultivated it for quite some time. The pattern on that fan is perfect for testing your progress."
"Regardless of whether it's real or fake, if you can distinguish it, that means you've initially grasped the Celestial Eye. If you encounter a place hiding a treasure, you should be able to see it too," Egg said.
"That's right! How did I forget? The Celestial Eye I cultivate can see what ordinary people cannot and reconstruct incomplete things!" After hearing Egg's words, Chu Feng suddenly realized. Without another word, he quickly took out that odd weapon fan.