Chapter Thirteen: Acknowledging the Master

As Yaoye opened his eyes, he saw Master Ding carefully studying him. "Congratulations," Master Ding said with a smile, "you've successfully passed the trial, and I also congratulate you on reaching the One-Color Lotus Realm with your spiritual power! I hope you reach the Seven-Color Divine Sealing Realm one day."

Yaoye looked at himself in delight and exclaimed, "I've finally entered the One-Color Lotus Realm! But the Seven-Color Divine Sealing Realm is still a long way off. Those are realms spoken of only in legends! From one color up to seven, there have been those who achieved it, but as for the Divine Sealing beyond seven colors, I’ve never heard of anyone on the Fengwu Continent who has reached it!"

A thrill of both excitement and nervousness ran through Yaoye as he turned to Master Ding and asked, "Master Ding, since I’ve passed the trial, does that mean the Creation Cauldron has recognized me as its master?"

Master Ding chuckled, "In theory, yes, but you still lack one final step. You must release your spiritual power and resonate with the Creation Cauldron. Only then will it truly acknowledge you as its master. Now you understand why you fainted the first time you tried to probe the cauldron with your spiritual power, don’t you? Think back to the three trials you underwent and what you learned from them. This understanding is crucial for communing with the cauldron. The Creation Cauldron sees directly into your heart—it knows your truest thoughts."

Hearing these words, Yaoye closed his eyes once more, recalling all he had experienced during the trials. Slowly, he began to recount, "The first trial was loneliness. It taught me that to become strong, one must endure solitude and withstand loneliness. Only by remaining true to oneself and never forgetting one’s original intentions can one reach the other shore.

"The second trial was about facing death, to see if that unwavering courage still exists. In a lifetime, everyone faces many crossroads. When confronted with danger and hardship, if you give up and retreat, your life may be preserved, but you will have lost your fighting spirit, and the beautiful scenery ahead will forever remain unseen. If you stay true to yourself and do what you believe is right, even if you are misunderstood by others, you shall reap rewards of a different kind. Most importantly, I learned the value of a heart capable of great love. If one lives only for oneself, what difference is there from a walking corpse? If you always live under others’ scrutiny and give up your initial resolve, even if you gain the world, you are still a failure.

"The third trial tested choice—whether I had the courage to press forward in the face of life and death, whether I could still hold firm to my dreams, whether I had the resolve to stand where none else would. Through these three trials, I have learned that those who are strong are so because they possess hearts unafraid of hardship, loneliness, or peril—a heart willing to give everything for their dreams. As for my dream, it is to make those I care about proud of me, to defend the honor of my ancestors with my life, and to protect that pure land in my heart!"

Having spoken these words, Yaoye gazed forward, as if looking down the path he would tread.

Listening to Yaoye, Master Ding felt deep satisfaction. "To grasp so much is truly impressive! At first, I saved you only because I feared you would perish here, and the Creation Cauldron would be lost as well. Now, you are worthy of the cauldron’s recognition. As for me, I am but a spirit of the cauldron; I cannot make the final decision. The rest is up to you."

Sitting cross-legged, Yaoye gathered his spiritual power and called softly to the Creation Cauldron, "The world is vast, yet in our hearts there is only one pure land worth defending. Let us guard that pure land together. For the sake of our dreams, let us walk this path side by side. You will be proud of your choice!"

As Yaoye called out again and again, the Creation Cauldron gradually began to glow, slowly merging with Yaoye’s spiritual power. Everything felt perfectly natural. At last, the cauldron moved from Yaoye’s chest into his spiritual world.

"Congratulations on being recognized as its master!" Master Ding said to Yaoye with a smile.

"I can feel it! The cauldron is within my spirit now. But there’s so much I don’t understand, and I hope you can enlighten me," Yaoye said, frowning slightly.

Master Ding nodded, "Ask what you wish. I’ll tell you all I can."

Looking ahead, Yaoye spoke slowly, "I want to know what exactly the Creation Cauldron is. Why are both demons and humans, as well as beastfolk, so desperate to seize it? What exactly happened in that battle centuries ago? Why would the cauldron recognize me as its master? Why do the demons, despite their advantage, resign themselves to a corner? What is their purpose? And why did Elder Xiaotian want me to claim the cauldron early? How will the Creation Cauldron help me?"

Master Ding looked at Yaoye with a grave expression. "Alright! I’ll answer your questions one at a time.

"The Creation Cauldron is a divine artifact. Whenever it appears, it means this world is about to face a great calamity. It descends to the mortal realm to answer this crisis. As for why humans and beastfolk compete for it, that’s because of its powers—which I’ll explain in a moment. The demons seek to use it to open a passageway out of this world. Currently, the Fengwu Continent restricts entry to powerful cultivators. As for the battle centuries ago and the demons’ true purpose…"

At this point, Master Ding suddenly fell silent, then decided, "Very well. Let me tell you the whole story, slowly."