Falling into the hands of such an evil cultivator, Brian Sutton could only complain bitterly, but right now, he was at someone else's mercy and could do nothing about it. He sighed and replied, "Do whatever you want. Falling into your hands is just my bad luck. But you say I'm pretending to be someone from the Blade Domain—now that's a bit far-fetched. From beginning to end, I never claimed to be from the Blade Domain; that was all your own assumption."

"I say you're pretending, so you're pretending. You don't get to deny it." Jason said, somewhat annoyed and embarrassed, but his next words actually put the supposedly doomed Brian Sutton at ease: "Hmph, I didn't expect that this time, because of you, I would gain a blessing in disguise. The Ice Technique I cultivate, when introduced to this kind of Inextinguishable Flame, should have been a death sentence. But unexpectedly, with the help of this Inextinguishable Flame, I comprehended the Ice-Fire Technique. Water and fire complement each other, ice and fire merge, and the power has increased greatly. For now, I'll spare your life. But don't get too happy—I'm still determined to get the Xuanming Scroll. Isn't Jason Sutton with you? Where is he now?"

"I don't know. I wasn't with him for long before we parted ways."

"Hmph, do you think I'm so easy to fool? That kid Jason Sutton, I know him too well. You saved him, so he'll definitely be grateful to you. But you, kid, I've recently heard some rumors about you. Turns out you're actually a newly ascended one. Once he finds out, he'll surely help you. Judging by the direction you came from, could it be Hidden Valley?" This Jason Sutton was no fool; with one sentence, he exposed the lie, and his deduction made Brian Sutton even more alarmed.

"If you're so sure, why don't you go to that Hidden Valley to find him? Hmph, you think you're so smart, but why did you run away in panic the first time?"

Even with Jason's thick skin, being exposed like this made him feel a bit embarrassed. He had just been captured in that Hidden Valley and didn't know how to escape; how could he dare go back now and walk right into a trap? Brian Sutton had seen through this, which is why he dared to press him with words.

"Hmph, I can't be bothered to talk to you." Jason flicked his sleeve, turned around, and with a wave of his hand, summoned some dry branches from the mountain. A spark shot from his right hand, and the pile of wood caught fire. Under the pitch-black night sky, the two sat around the fire in silence. Brian Sutton was deep in thought, while Jason didn't dare say another word.

Chapter Thirteen: The Sacred Land of Evil—Youming Peak

The night passed quickly. Unknowingly, Brian Sutton actually fell asleep. Being with this evil cultivator, he unexpectedly felt a strange sense of security—at least he no longer had to worry about the rampaging beasts. So, for the first time since his ascension, Brian Sutton slept soundly through the night.

When a ray of sunlight touched his body, Brian Sutton woke from his sleep. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a pair of fiery red eyes staring at him, with a strange gleam in them.

"Kid, I see you have good bones and excellent comprehension. You've only just ascended, so I suppose you haven't taken a master yet. How about I take you as my disciple?" Jason suddenly said this, startling Brian Sutton. Looking closely, Jason's face was serious, clearly having thought this through before making the decision.

"How long has it been since you ascended?" Brian Sutton asked.

"I've been ascended for one and a half million years now. Why do you ask? Are you worried my cultivation isn't enough to be your master?"

"No," Brian Sutton shook his head. "Since you've been ascended for so long, you must have taken quite a few disciples. Why would you want to take me as a disciple if you already have others?"

"I did take a disciple once," Jason's face showed loneliness and pain. "Unfortunately, he is already dead. Sigh, killed by a high-level demon."

Brian Sutton was shocked. This was the first time he had heard of a primordial expert being killed by a demon. He wanted to ask more, but seeing Jason's expression, it seemed he didn't want to dwell on the subject.

"So, have you decided?" Jason looked up and asked.

Brian Sutton raised his head. "If I say no, will you give up on this decision?"

Jason subconsciously shook his head. "If I gave up just because of your answer, wouldn't I lose all face if word got out?"

"Then that's it. You're asking if I'm willing to be your disciple, but no matter how I answer, you've already made up your mind. Asking my opinion is just for show. Since that's the case, why bother asking me at all?" Brian Sutton said calmly.

"..." Jason was stunned. Originally, he thought that if this kid agreed too quickly, he would have to hesitate—no one wants to raise an ingrate. If the kid was too stubborn, he'd have to use some means to make him understand that a wise man doesn't fight when the odds are against him. But now...

Jason was extremely frustrated. Suddenly, he slapped Brian Sutton on the back of the head, knocking him out. Then, grabbing Brian Sutton, Jason sped off toward Youming Peak, the gathering place of evil cultivators.

After two days, Jason had carried Brian Sutton across countless millions of miles. When Brian Sutton woke up, he found himself beneath a dark cloud canopy, surrounded by ice-blue mountains. On each mountain sat a figure in meditation, and waves of murderous and evil energy soared into the sky, making this land of ice and snow seem like the underworld itself.