"Hmm, there is such a good thing." He was surprised why this old man would suddenly teach him; could he have ulterior motives? But even if he did have such ideas, he could not do much; the difference was too large.
"Sigh." Even with a second chance, he still felt powerless. "Yes, please teach me," he said, knowing he had little to lose. Whether this was a true opportunity or something else entirely, time would tell.
"Here." Old Caine pointed a finger at Ash's forehead, and a bright light seemed to ignite within his mind. Countless mysterious symbols and words appeared, each brimming with secrets that pulled him in and left him lost in their depths.
Seeing this, Caine didn't interrupt. He calmly sipped his tea, watching Ash as he absorbed the unknown mysteries unfolding within his mind.
Ash clearly felt something vast, something infinite, but slowly, the essence of the vast mysteries seemed to merge, and slowly, it turned into a powerful technique.
"108 Star Empyrean Technique."
He finally understood the technique's name as the mysterious, boundless energy seemed to merge within him. The words became clear, and he opened his eyes, a bit tired but with shock written across his face.
Ash couldn't believe what kind of technique this was and can martial arts really reach the state mentioned in this technique.
According to the technique, mastering the 108-Star Empyrean Technique would grant the power of one hundred and eight stars. These weren't just symbolic stars—they referred to the actual strength of celestial bodies spanning millions of kilometres.
Ash's face twisted in disbelief. 'What kind of horrifying technique is this?' He thought. 'Can a human really reach such a level? Maybe all that talk of gods isn't bullshit… maybe I'm the ignorant one here.'
He quickly tried to control his expression and looked at the old Caine, who gave him this technique, while he couldn't help but guess how strong this old man was.
"Not bad. You have a strong mind; you managed to grasp the basics in two hours."
"Hmm, two hours?" He was surprised when he heard he was in a trance for two hours; to him, it felt like a minute.
Old Caine maintained a nonchalant expression, but deep down, he was a bit shocked. It had taken him nearly five hours to grasp the basics of the technique, even with the help of the original intention scroll—and that was when he was many times stronger than this kid. Yet, somehow, this brat had understood it far faster. How could he not be surprised?
His original plan was simply to let the kid feel the mystery of the technique, to see how long he could endure and how much he could comprehend on his first try. He hadn't expected Ash to understand it so directly, especially at his current level as a third-rate martial artist.
"F**k, I met a monster."
He didn't expect the kid to be this heaven-defying; although he looks like an amicable old man, he's also proud to the bone; his talent isn't only one of the best in the 'Starfall Empire' but in the whole world.
[Skills-108 Star Empyrean Technique [Level - 0(1/5000) ], Shadow Wolf Technique [ Level - 2 (35/80)]
Ash quickly noticed the new addition in the panel, but when he saw the number of years of experience required to just reach level 1, he was shocked. He didn't know how much time it would take to reach the entry-level of the mysterious 108-Star Empyrean Technique.
But he was certain of one thing—this technique was extraordinary, a treasure beyond anything he could have hoped to find. He looked at Old Caine and bowed respectfully. He didn't fully understand the old man's intentions, but he knew that Caine had given him a life-changing opportunity.
"Thank you, Senior," he said, his voice filled with gratitude.
"Hmm, what 'senior'? Call me Master, understand?"
If before he was merely satisfying his curiosity because of Lea's words, now, after witnessing Ash's talent, he couldn't let this opportunity slip by. How could he pass up the chance to take on such a promising disciple?
Naturally, Ash was also quick on the take and immediately bowed, "Yes, master."
Not to mention that the old man already taught him a heaven-defying technique and was already considered half-master by him.
He knew he needed a strong background; surviving in a strength-hungry world wasn't going to be easy without it. Becoming a disciple of old Caine was exactly what he needed—and a god-given opportunity he couldn't afford to miss.
"Haha, good! Disciple, you will be my third apprentice. You have two senior brothers, but they're not here, so I won't talk about them for now."
"Follow me; since you are my disciple, you don't need to train with others." Old Caine said, and Ash followed him quickly.
The two of them arrived at the garden behind the cafeteria. Ash was a bit surprised; the moment he stepped inside, he felt a surge of energy, and his mind seemed clearer.
There was a mysterious aura here that seemed to make him comfortable; he even felt his spirit was being strengthened here.
"From now on, you'll train here. Ah, almost forgot—I haven't introduced myself."
"My name is Caine, just an ordinary, slightly strong old man," he said with a grin. "But don't worry; even though I'm old, I can handle most problems. So when you travel outside, don't be afraid. If anyone tries to mess with you, just f**k them up—I'll handle the consequences."
But at that moment, he had no idea that these words would come back to f**k him instead in the future.
Ash smiled upon hearing this and could not help thinking that his time was coming when he didn't have to sneak around and be domineering.
"Yes, master."
Old Caine didn't say anything further and simply nodded. Ash quickly found an empty room in the back garden, where several vacant quarters had been built, and decided to make it his new home.
Since Ash had just learnt the technique and his spirit was exhausted, Old Caine didn't begin teaching him immediately, allowing him some time to rest instead. After settling in, Ash went out to meet Adam, who had become a close friend over the past two days.