The Baiyun Mountain soared over three thousand meters, a range eternally green, and the Baiyun Villa nestled atop its main peak, Baiyun Peak...

As the largest BngPi in Ninglang Prefecture, Baiyun Villa spanned an immense area, its architectural footprint alone covering over ten thousand mu. Its style was ancient and elegant, devoid of any hint of extravagance. Had it not been for the initial unpleasantness, Ye Jingyu might have actually grown fond of the place...

Changing into a newly provided set of black robes, Ye Jingyu was escorted by two Baiyun Villa disciples to a side hall within the inner compound—a place rumored to be accessible only to the core disciples of the Villa...

Gazing upon the hall before him, simply furnished yet exuding an aura of deep, unadorned substance, Ye Jingyu paid no mind to the two escorting disciples and walked directly to a wooden chair nearby, settling himself down heavily...

Having just survived that life-or-death battle, his spirit and body were both wrung dry. After all... this was the first time he had ever killed a man...

Fundamentally, he was a person raised in an age of peace. Though he had enjoyed a brawl since childhood, he had never taken a life. It was impossible to claim he felt nothing, yet he understood that he had to do what he did, or the one who died would have been him...

The very instant Ye Jingyu sat down, a stooped old man with snow-white hair shuffled slowly out of another doorway. The two disciples who had brought Ye Jingyu immediately bowed with utmost reverence, "Disciple pays respects to the Great Elder..."

The old man said nothing, merely waving his hand to dismiss them. The two disciples dared not utter a word more and withdrew from the hall. Finally, only Ye Jingyu and the Elder remained, staring at each other across the space...

"Old man, you summoned me?" Seeing the old man's face split into a gentle smile, Ye Jingyu suddenly felt like a rabbit led into a wolf's lair...

"First time killing someone?" Instead of answering Ye Jingyu's question, the Elder countered with an inquiry of his own...

"Isn't that obvious?" Ye Jingyu rolled his eyes, studying the old man with wary vigilance... C Why does this old guy’s smile look so sleazy? Did he see I was too handsome? Does he want to play some kind of thrilling game with me? Damn it... I’m not interested in men, and certainly not interested in an old man like this. But the fellow looks like he holds a very high rank here. What if he forces himself upon me?

"Heh, how does it feel?" The Elder, completely unaware of the sordid thoughts churning in Ye Jingyu's mind, merely smiled faintly...

"Feel? What feeling?" Ye Jingyu was momentarily taken aback...

"The feeling of killing, of course..."

"..." C Why do I feel like this guy is a total psychopath? I was nearly sick to death just now, and he’s asking about the feeling of killing? Looking at the Elder’s placid smile, goosebumps erupted across Ye Jingyu’s skin one by one...

"Heh, do you think I’m perverse?" As if reading Ye Jingyu’s mind, the Elder spoke softly. Before Ye Jingyu could reply, he continued, "This world is a realm where the strong prey upon the weak. To live is either to kill or be killed, just like today between you and that brat. If you had lost, do you think you would have survived?"

Ye Jingyu was stunned again...

Survival of the fittest? Kill or be killed? Was this the fundamental law of existence in this world?

He recalled Qin Minglong's murderous gaze from earlier today, and the faces of those who had bullied him upon first arriving here—when had any of them shown a shred of pity, a trace of sympathy?

This world was perhaps far crueler than the society he had known. Maybe he truly needed to slowly acclimatize himself to it...

In that moment, the unease that had settled in his heart after slaying Qin Minglong began to subside significantly. While he couldn't yet face the act of killing with complete composure, at least his spirit felt considerably better...

"Boy, do you understand now?" Seeing the shocked expression on Ye Jingyu’s face, the Elder said quietly...

"I understand, but what then? Am I supposed to go around constantly killing people?" Ye Jingyu lifted his head, his sharp, clear eyes searching the Elder’s face for answers to the confusion stirring within him...

"Certainly not. We are human beings, not demon kings bent on slaughter. Although this is a world where killing occurs, we are not obligated to kill. We merely need the ability to not be killed, don't we?" The Elder smiled gently at Ye Jingyu...

Watching the Elder’s fox-like smile, Ye Jingyu’s dark eyes spun rapidly. Why was this fellow telling him all this out of the blue? Could it be...

"You saw my unique bone structure and exceptional talent and want to take me as your disciple?" Suddenly, Ye Jingyu snapped his fingers and spoke...

"..." The Elder’s face registered shock. He did intend to accept Ye Jingyu as a disciple, and the preceding speech was meant to gauge Ye Jingyu’s comprehension. Now it seemed his comprehension was excellent—one hint and he grasped the intent. But did anyone ever propose discipleship by saying, 'My bone structure is unique, my talent is exceptional'?

"Indeed, that is my intention..." Nevertheless, the Elder nodded. To kill a high-level Martial Warrior, whose True Qi was nearly externalized, purely through brute physical force—such talent was a rarity seen perhaps once in a millennium...

"Damn it, I knew you old coot had ill intentions..." Ye Jingyu rolled his eyes. So this was the scheme the fellow had been hatching...

"What do you mean, ill intentions? I am Qin Xiao, the Great Elder of Baiyun Villa, overseeing all its affairs. My status is second only to the Villa Master. Are you saying that becoming my disciple is an imposition upon you?" Seeing Ye Jingyu’s completely indifferent expression, Qin Xiao felt deeply wounded...

"Uh... so, if I become your disciple, there will be many benefits?" Ye Jingyu’s eyes lit up... Over the past few days, he had learned enough about Baiyun Villa to know it represented something akin to the overlord of the entire Ninglang Prefecture. Forget a Great Elder; even any random disciple carried significant weight outside. This was precisely why so many local gentry were willing to spend fortunes sending their sons here to learn martial arts—was it not all for the status?

"Benefits?" Qin Xiao was momentarily bewildered again. Seeing the greed flickering in Ye Jingyu’s eyes, a wry smile touched his lips. This fellow actually wanted to become his disciple for the sake of benefits? Didn't he realize that simply becoming his disciple was the greatest benefit of all?

After all, the disciples of Baiyun Villa were divided into Outer Circle Disciples, Ordinary Disciples, Direct Disciples, and Core Disciples. The status difference between each rank was like a chasm.