Li Yundong hadn't anticipated that after surviving such a catastrophe, Shen Wancai would actually ask to become his apprentice. Startled, he immediately helped Shen Wancai up, laughing, "Mr. Shen, what are you doing? Get up, please get up!"

Shen Wancai, however, held his ground with a shameless demeanor. "Immortal Li, if you don't agree, I won't get up!"

Li Yundong was left both amused and exasperated. He hadn't expected someone of Shen Wancai's immense stature, and of his grandfatherly age, to resort to such obstinance.

With a gentle push of his hands, he exerted a subtle force that involuntarily lifted Shen Wancai once more. Li Yundong said, "Mr. Shen, let's talk this over properly. Why act like this? Tell me whatever difficulty you're facing. If I can help, I'll do my utmost. Don't put yourself in this position."

Shen Wancai seemed to have anticipated Li Yundong’s refusal to take him as a disciple. He gave a bitter, internal smile, sighed, and spoke, "They say that when one is facing death, one's 'heavenly eye' opens, allowing them to see all the events of their life and instantly understand what was previously obscure. Standing at the very edge of the grave today, I have understood that saying profoundly!"

Shen Wancai lamented, "In that final moment before death, my heart became as clear as a mirror. I realized instantly that Young Master Li, you must be an immortal walking among us. There absolutely must be deities in this world, mustn't there? Otherwise, how could you have brought me back to life?"

Li Yundong couldn't help but chuckle softly. He said, "Mr. Shen, you are being too absolute. Whether immortals exist in this world or not, I don't know, but I certainly know I am no immortal. As for how I revived you, that was actually a very scientific medical method."

Seeing Li Yundong deny it, Shen Wancai grew anxious. "Scientific medical methods? You could conjure fresh West Lake lotus seeds out of thin air in this bitter cold—how is that scientific? Furthermore, Xiao Hui told me you gave me an ordinary-looking immortal pill, and I immediately recovered. If that isn't the work of an immortal, what is it?"

Li Yundong smiled. "Mr. Shen, just as I mentioned before: Ge Hong said that this world is full of wonders, let alone immortals? At the same time, he also said that gods cannot achieve cultivation directly in this world, but immortals absolutely can, through the methods of cultivation. And cultivation is a very scientific endeavor in this world; its theories are based on the scientific framework of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Therefore, what saved you was TCM skill, not some magical immortal art. As for conjuring West Lake lotus seeds, that was merely a minor parlor trick, hardly worth mentioning."

Shen Wancai eagerly pressed further, "Then how does one learn cultivation? Can I learn it?"

Li Yundong hesitated slightly, then spoke earnestly, "Anyone can cultivate; it's merely a matter of one's level of attainment."

Shen Wancai did not hesitate any longer and started to kneel again. "Immortal Li, you absolutely must accept me as your apprentice!"

Li Yundong immediately stopped him, offering a wry smile. "Mr. Shen, why do you want me to take you as a disciple?"

Shen Wancai stated with gravity, "I wish to learn the art of cultivation!"

Li Yundong countered, "Mr. Shen, have you ever considered why you wish to learn cultivation?"

Shen Wancai pondered, then replied, "I want to become an immortal!"

Li Yundong burst out laughing. "Mr. Shen, you jest. If your goal is to attain immortality, I will not accept you as a disciple, because you are currently in a body past its prime. It is far too late for you to cultivate into immortality. If you pursue cultivation with that expectation and fail to meet your goal, you will surely resent me."

Shen Wancai quickly pleaded, "No, no! Immortal Li, what I truly desire is to live forever! Laozi lived over a hundred years, and Peng Zu and Master Qingcheng lived for eight hundred years. That was in antiquity; why can't I?"

Seeing Shen Wancai's excited and earnest expression, Li Yundong nodded slightly and said with a straight face, "Mr. Shen, don't rush to beg for apprenticeship. First, listen to a story I have to tell."

Shen Wancai calmed down slightly and said, "Immortal Li, please speak."

Li Yundong smiled faintly. "Mr. Shen, do you know Wang Chongyang?"

Shen Wancai chuckled. "Immortal Li, you underestimate me. Who doesn't know Wang Chongyang? Even if one hasn't been to school, they must have read Jin Yong's books! He's Zhong Shentong!"

Li Yundong smiled. "Mr. Shen, just call me Li Yundong. Don't call me Immortal Li; I am not an immortal."

Shen Wancai reluctantly changed his address but was unwilling to use his name directly. He remained deferential. "Young Master Li, please continue; I am listening."

Li Yundong continued, "After Wang Chongyang founded the Quanzhen Sect, he encountered Ma Yu, who was incredibly wealthy at the time. Ma Yu wished to become his disciple, but he was already advanced in years and couldn't let go of his vast fortune, his wife, and his children. He remained hesitant. Finally, Wang Chongyang employed various profound divine methods to enlighten him, which made him suddenly awake. He dispersed his vast family fortune and, along with his wife Sun Buer, both entered Wang Chongyang's tutelage, thus establishing the North Seven True Disciples of the Quanzhen Sect."

As Li Yundong spoke eloquently, Shen Wancai's heart stirred. He thought to himself: Why is Young Master Li telling me this story? Is he hinting at something to me?

Seeing Shen Wancai's contemplative gaze, Li Yundong knew the older man suspected his words held a hidden meaning. He smiled and clarified, "Mr. Shen, I'm not telling you this story to hint at anything, but rather to tell you that if you wish to cultivate, you must cultivate wholeheartedly, especially if your goal, like yours, is longevity."

Shen Wancai was taken aback and blurted out, "Young Master Li, do you mean... I must disperse my entire fortune?"

Li Yundong shook his head. "Mr. Shen, what I mean is that you must have a tranquil and peaceful environment for cultivation and an unwavering will to practice. Otherwise, it will only bring disaster upon yourself; it will absolutely not be a good thing!"

Shen Wancai grew frantic. "Then what exactly must I do for you to accept me as a disciple?"

Li Yundong smiled. "Mr. Shen, you are an intelligent man; you will naturally understand later. I cannot tell you now. However, given your current circumstances, I will not take you as a disciple."

Shen Wancai saw that although Li Yundong’s face was smiling, his tone carried an undeniable firmness that permitted no change. He was deeply disappointed, but as a shrewd, worldly businessman, despite his internal displeasure, he managed a strained smile. "Since that is the case, I will not press the issue. Young Master Li, if you ever change your mind, you must let me know!"

Li Yundong chuckled. "That decision is not in my hands; it's in yours."

Shen Wancai’s mind raced. He wondered: Is Young Master Li hinting... that a hefty apprenticeship fee is required?

Li Yundong merely glanced at him, knowing Shen Wancai had misinterpreted the intent. He gave a slight smile without correcting him, walked to the doorway, pulled the door open, and said, "I'm leaving now. Mr. Shen, take some time to think things over for yourself."

Shen Wancai slumped, murmuring an acknowledgement. Head bowed and riddled with doubts, he found the idea of scattering his wealth to apprentice under Li Yundong utterly impossible. For one thing, what about his large family? Shen You was unreliable, and Shen Hui was not capable of managing the vast estate alone. Who would he entrust everything to? And what about his four wives? Should he bring them under Li Yundong's tutelage like Ma Yu did with his wife? What a joke! He was already tormented by their constant infighting; if they were all under the same master, wouldn't life be unbearable?

Shen Wancai sat lost in thought. After some time, he descended from the upper floor. His eyes swept the hall, but he could not spot Li Yundong or Su Chan. He was startled. "Where is Young Master Li?"

Shen Hui replied curiously, "They left! We just went out to see them off. I even asked why you didn't come down, and she said you were in your room thinking. I assumed you knew."

Shen Wancai stomped his foot in regret. "Damn it, Young Master Li must be angry with me! I haven't even repaid his life-saving kindness yet! Quick, hurry and chase after him!"

The butler, Zhang, immediately responded and hurried out, but soon returned, panting heavily. "Master, I can't see anyone now."

Shen Wancai lamented, "This is my fault; I was negligent toward an esteemed guest!"

His Third Concubine smiled and offered comfort. "Master, don't worry. Since you know where Young Master Li lives, you can visit him personally another day and present a generous, heavy gift, can't you?"

Shen Wancai looked out the door and sighed deeply. "That's easy to say... but how heavy should a generous gift be?"

After Li Yundong and Su Chan left the Shen residence, the young girl asked with confusion, "Yundong, why are we leaving before the banquet is over?"

Li Yundong shook his head. "Shen Wancai stopped demanding I take Shen You and Shen Hui as apprentices this time, and now he wants to apprentice himself! Tell me, should I accept him?"

Su Chan’s eyes brightened. "Yes! Having such a wealthy apprentice would be wonderful!"

Li Yundong shook his head. "No. Taking on a disciple means being responsible for them. Moreover, his cultivation goal is eternal life. You are a cultivator too, and you know that to reach the realm of eternal life, one must attain the Golden Body realm. How many people throughout history have managed to reach this stage? Shen Wancai’s body is already declining, and starting cultivation at his advanced age is a huge disadvantage. On top of that, he has such a massive business empire, constantly bogged down by countless mundane affairs all day long?"

Su Chan finally began to understand. She gasped, "Oh, I see! His wives fight fiercely, and his son and daughter are troubling. He can never truly settle his mind to cultivate. If he cultivates in his current state, he will certainly suffer a backlash!"

Li Yundong nodded. "Exactly. I told him the anecdote of Wang Chongyang accepting Ma Yu as a disciple from the Quanzhen Sect. I wonder if he can grasp the implication."

Su Chan sighed mournfully, "Ah, what a pity. I was hoping we could take in a rich disciple so we wouldn't have to worry about food and clothing anymore!"

Li Yundong smiled, pinching the little girl's nose. "Don't be silly. If you want to be free of worries about provisions, just manage our Di San Xian shop well! Relying on others will never be as good as relying on ourselves!"

Su Chan clapped her hands in sudden realization. "Oh dear! Di San Xian hasn't opened for business in days; we've lost a lot of money!"

Li Yundong chuckled. "It's alright, we can open tomorrow! You should just happily stay as our proprietress!"

Su Chan looked a little embarrassed. "I caused such a big problem; I shouldn't be the proprietress anymore..."

Li Yundong questioned playfully, "I am the owner of this shop. Are you sure you really don't want to be the proprietress?"

Su Chan snapped back to attention, hugging Li Yundong tightly, and said with nervous urgency, "I do want to! I absolutely must be the proprietress!"

Li Yundong laughed heartily and patted the little girl's head. "Silly girl, let's go home!"

The little girl leaned against Li Yundong, breathing in his strong, masculine scent, and gradually felt calm settle in her heart. She walked quietly beside him for a while, thinking to herself: Yundong is so good to me; why am I still hiding things from him? But Master told me not to speak—why would she say that?

The little girl struggled with her thoughts all the way home. Unaware of her inner turmoil, Li Yundong’s mobile phone suddenly rang in his pocket.

Li Yundong pulled out the phone and chuckled. "I almost forgot I even owned a device like this. I wonder who's calling me?" He glanced at the screen and saw Feng Na’s number displayed. Li Yundong wondered aloud, "Why is this one calling me today?"

The moment Li Yundong connected the call, a frantic voice burst through the receiver. "Li Yundong, this is terrible! Help me!"