The old skull's final words lingered in the silent chamber long after he finished speaking.
Heavenly Tribulation. Qi Deviation. Beast cultivation.
None of them sounded like distant stories anymore. Every one of them was a wall standing somewhere ahead of me, waiting for the day I crashed into it.
A helpless smile crept across my face.
It almost felt as though death had taken a liking to me. Every time I escaped one disaster, another quietly appeared, waiting outside the door. Somehow that door never opened completely, but each knock came closer than the last.
I lowered my gaze and let out a slow breath.
This world was nothing like the cultivation novels I had read in my previous life. There was no invincible system handing me techniques whenever I needed them. No miraculous opportunity appearing whenever I reached a dead end. Here, ignorance was no different from walking willingly toward the grave.
As that thought settled, my answer became painfully clear.
There was only one creature in this cave who understood this world far better than I ever could—the old skull before me.
Whether he accepted me or not was another matter entirely, but remaining silent would accomplish nothing. If I left this cave carrying the same ignorance I entered with, then the next time death came knocking, I doubted luck would save me again.
I slowly steadied my breathing. My heart refused to calm itself, but there was no point hesitating any longer. If I could swallow my pride to survive, then lowering my head cost me nothing.
"Senior."
The old skull remained motionless, his hollow gaze resting upon me.
I lowered my head until it nearly touched the cold stone beneath my feet.
"This junior is ignorant and understands almost nothing about this world. I respectfully ask Senior to guide me and allow this junior to learn."
The chamber fell silent. Not even the drifting Chaotic Qi seemed willing to disturb the stillness as I remained in the same position, waiting.
Several breaths passed before a low chuckle rolled across the cave, carrying neither anger nor amusement, only disbelief.
"Brat... do you even understand the words that just came out of your mouth?"
I lifted my head slightly and gave a small nod.
"Yes, Senior."
"Hmph."
His gaze sharpened.
"No."
"You don't."
His voice suddenly turned colder, each word carrying enough weight to make the air itself feel heavy.
"You fool. What you asked for was never simple guidance. You asked me to accept you as my disciple."
He lowered his massive skull until his gaze met mine.
"You asked me to become your master."
"And for yourself..."
"...to become my disciple."
The last sentence echoed throughout the chamber before his voice became even harsher.
"Tell me, brat."
"What gave you the courage to believe you were worthy of making such a request?"
My mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.
Only now did I understand the weight behind my own request.
In my previous life, "master" had been nothing more than a respectful title. But here... it was a bond far deeper than I had imagined.
The cave fell silent once again.
The old skull simply watched me in silence.
Seeing my silence, a cold snort escaped him.
"So? Has your tongue abandoned you already?"
"And yet... you dare ask for such a place beside me?"
His gaze turned colder, and the temperature inside the cave seemed to drop.
"I spared your life, allowed you to remain within this chamber, and even pulled you back from death when any other creature would've been left to perish. Yet after receiving all that, you dare stand before me and ask for more?"
His voice grew colder with every word.
"And this is how you repay that kindness? Have you mistaken my mercy for weakness? Or do you take me for some old fool who grants whatever is asked of him?"
The pressure in the chamber slowly increased, forcing my body lower toward the stone floor.
"You possess neither strength, nor knowledge, nor achievements worthy of mention. Yet you open your mouth and ask to become my disciple."
"What astonishing arrogance."
A heavy silence followed before his final words fell like a hammer.
"You are nothing more than a shameless brat who cannot distinguish gratitude from greed."
My claws dug into the cold stone. For a brief moment, I wanted to argue, to deny his words, but every excuse that came to mind withered before reaching my lips. He was right. I couldn't refute a single word.
If becoming his disciple was impossible... then perhaps I should simply remain here until I found another way.
The old skull stared at me before a cold snort echoed through the chamber.
"I know exactly what you're thinking, brat."
"You've already decided that leaving this cave is no different from throwing away your life. As long as you remain here, you believe nothing can touch you."
A faint laugh escaped him, carrying neither amusement nor warmth.
"That is the greatest foolishness you've shown since entering this place."
"Do you remember the abnormal phenomenon your breakthrough caused? Do you think I erased every trace of it?"
He slowly shook his massive skull.
"I merely concealed it. That concealment was never meant to last forever."
"The old monsters that have ruled this mountain for centuries are not blind. The moment they sense an abnormal existence appearing within their territory, they will begin searching. Whether it takes days or years means nothing to beings who have lived for hundreds of years."
"And don't place your hopes on this cave. It remained hidden because the Qi sustaining its concealment was abundant. You absorbed nearly half of the chamber's ancient Qi, and with every passing day, that formation grows weaker."
"When its concealment finally collapses, beasts will rush here for the ancient Qi, cultivators will come seeking treasures, and those old monsters will follow the disturbance."
He lowered his head slightly, his voice becoming colder.
"When that day comes, do you believe a little tortoise sitting in the middle of this cave will be allowed to walk away?"
The chamber fell silent.
"You were never choosing between leaving and staying. You were only deciding whether to prepare... or wait here for death to find you."
Those words struck me like lightning, sending a chill down my spine.
He was right. There was no safe path waiting for me. Remaining inside this cave was only delaying the inevitable.
After a long silence, I slowly raised my head.
"I understand what Senior is trying to tell me. I know the road ahead is dangerous, but... I no longer have another choice. If death is waiting outside, then hiding here only postpones it."
"I'd rather gamble for a chance to live than wait here until someone stronger comes to claim my life."
I drew a slow breath.
"So tell me, Senior. What must I do? If I fail... I will leave this cave."
He regarded me for a long moment before a cold snort echoed through the chamber.
"Heh... Even after hearing everything, you still choose to step toward danger instead of hiding from it. Very well, brat. Since you've chosen your path, I'll give you a chance to prove those words aren't empty."
The flames within his empty eye sockets flared slightly.
"Bring me fifty Beast Cores. Every one of them must come from beasts of your own realm or lower. Return only after you've gathered every last one."
The words left me stunned.
"Fifty...?"
"Hmph. Did you truly believe someone like you could earn my approval so easily? Those fifty Beast Cores are merely the first of many trials."
My heart sank.
The first trial...?
Then how many more awaited me?
The old skull's voice turned icy.
"But don't think your punishment ends there, you cheeky brat. You said that if you fail, you'll leave this place. Did you truly believe I would allow you to walk away carrying everything you've obtained here?"
"Everything this cave has given you... I will personally take it back. When you leave this place, you'll be the same insignificant one-year-old beast that crawled inside."
"Now."
"Make your choice