Although the man in black kept his head lowered, his senses were incredibly sharp. Even while asleep, he could perceive everything within several miles with perfect clarity. The secretive movements and expressions of the young man and woman were all clearly sensed by him. Emily Foster's behavior made the man in black's eyes light up. "This girl actually has such a strong sense of curiosity. It must be closely related to her background. Since that's the case, I might as well give things a little push..."

Although the man in black was not skilled at scheming, he had weathered countless storms and possessed a unique and profound understanding of human nature. Emily Foster's actions suddenly inspired him, and he thought of a solution. As for what kind of tragic fate might befall William Carter as a result, it was not within his concern.

"Disciple, since you have successfully accepted the inheritance of my sect, from now on you are a direct disciple of my Vajra Ming King Sect. What I just taught you was the Dao; now, as your master, I will formally teach you the sect's ultimate skill." The man in black suddenly raised his head and said to William Carter. "By the way, what is your name?"

William Carter felt contempt in his heart—this man had no sincerity at all. But the situation was out of his hands; he was at someone else's mercy. He had no choice but to answer obediently, "William Carter." "Heh heh," the man in black chuckled twice in approval, "Aim high and reach far! Good name. I am Samuel Bennett, your master. Remember that. Times have changed; from now on, just call me Mr. Bennett."

After a pause, he continued, "Today I will teach you the sect's signature divine art, 'Vajra Ming King Mantra.' However, before you learn it, you must swear an oath to the heavens: do not kill recklessly, do not commit adultery, do not pass this on to others. Heaven, earth, man, and gods bear witness—if you break this oath, you will fall into hell and never reincarnate for a hundred lifetimes."

William Carter and Emily Foster exchanged glances. Samuel Bennett's words sounded exactly like lines from a movie, and his casual attitude made it seem even more like a joke. William Carter was unwilling in his heart, but dared not show it on his face. "Disciple William Carter swears to the heavens to strictly follow the sect's rules: not to kill recklessly, not to commit adultery, not to pass on the secret art. Heaven, earth, man, and gods bear witness—if I break this oath, I will fall into hell and never reincarnate for a hundred lifetimes."

Samuel Bennett nodded in satisfaction and said, "The sect's secret arts are passed down orally, never written. Today I will perform the great empowerment ritual for you, to cleanse your marrow and transform your tendons. The Vajra Ming King Mantra is a peerless art renowned through the ages. Do not take it lightly just because you obtained it easily!"

William Carter didn't feel much, but Emily Foster's bright eyes sparkled with excitement. Unlike William Carter, due to her special status, Emily Foster had little interest in ordinary wealth or power. Instead, she had a special curiosity for things that sounded mysterious and fantastical.

With the previous buildup, the more mystical Samuel Bennett sounded, the more convinced Emily Foster became that there must be some great secret within. As for the risks that William Carter cared about, Emily Foster thought they were not worth mentioning at all. Such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—of course there would be risks. It was just a pity that the man in black had not chosen her.

Samuel Bennett had William Carter kneel facing the rising sun in the east. He stood beside William Carter, gently placed his hand on William Carter's head, and began to chant Sanskrit mantras in a low, solemn voice. The deep and dignified chanting echoed atop the mountain. In the morning sunlight, the two of them, one receiving the mantra with his head bowed, slowly began to emit a golden light. The golden light was so brilliant that even the rising sun could not outshine it. Bathed in the golden glow, the two appeared solemn and dignified. Watching from the side, Emily Foster felt a wave of peace and happiness in her heart, and before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face.

Kneeling there, William Carter only felt utterly embarrassed in front of Emily Foster, filled with reluctance. Although he had already witnessed a miracle of life once before, he had not benefited from it at all. So he didn't really believe what Samuel Bennett was saying. Judging from Samuel Bennett's actions, this man seemed to have a taste for dark humor. Who knew what kind of game he was playing now?

But very soon, William Carter realized he was wrong. From the palm of Samuel Bennett's hand on his head, a surging heat flowed into him. The heat rushed down like a raging tide, quickly spreading throughout his body. Every blood vessel, every muscle, every pore was swept by this all-encompassing current. Wherever the heat passed, William Carter could clearly feel his flesh, bones, blood, organs, and even his mind and soul growing stronger and evolving. The exuberant, surging vitality even made his soul want to sing with excitement.

"Vajra means the ultimate in strength and indestructibility, nothing can destroy it, yet it can destroy all things. Ming King means..." At this moment, a mysterious text also entered William Carter's mind. In this state of clarity and tranquility, the profound scripture seemed to be engraved in his heart—not only did he remember every word, he even understood the meaning of each one.

At this moment, William Carter felt no obstacles in his heart. All existence was reduced to its clearest, simplest essence. The heat within his body also began to circulate according to a strange sequence dictated by the scripture. After just one round, William Carter easily memorized all the routes. On the second round, he skillfully guided the heat to flow through his body in this peculiar order.