Urban Extraordinary Immortal Doctor
Chapter 1408: Competing for Disciples

Chapter 1408: Chapter 1408: Competing for Disciples

"Reporting to the Palace Master, I... this disciple... this disciple’s name is Shi Ming..."

Shi Ming felt as if all the bones in his body were about to be shattered by Li Sanfu’s pat, but he managed to steady himself, replied with a bitter expression.

Li Sanfu slapped Shi Ming’s shoulder, intentionally testing the weight of this tall disciple. Seeing how his body trembled like a sieve and his dark face revealed a look of embarrassment, he couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

"Shi Ming, is it? You don’t need to feel ashamed! When I was your age, my cultivation level wasn’t even as good as yours! So... your Martial Dao cultivation will surpass mine in the future. I have high hopes for you!"

After speaking, Li Sanfu patted Shi Ming’s shoulder again.

This time, however, the pat was gentle, without any force.

"And you? What’s your name, little guy?"

Li Sanfu’s gaze shifted to Fang Bai. He was equally intrigued by this youthful "pretty boy" who already possessed Half-Step Foundation Establishment strength.

Both Shi Ming and Fang Bai were in the Half-Step Foundation Establishment realm and possessed Innate Spiritual Roots. However, Shi Ming was already over forty years old, while Fang Bai was just in his twenties. The comparison clearly showed Fang Bai’s talent and aptitude to be superior.

Li Sanfu understood, however, that even with better talent, Fang Bai’s achievements today would have been impossible without diligent cultivation.

In this world, any Martial Artist who achieves glory and renown relies not only on fortune but also enduring the hardships and solitude of cultivation, investing unimaginable effort and sweat, and surviving countless battles on the edge of life and death; all are indispensable.

Li Sanfu had always admired Martial Artists with good aptitude, high talent, and devotion to cultivation.

The "pretty boy" before him was clearly one of them.

Little guy?

Hearing Li Sanfu refer to him as such, Fang Bai paused for a moment, then chuckled silently, thinking about how he has already lived for tens of thousands of years over two lifetimes, making him undeniably an old-timer. Yet here he was, called a "little guy."

Fine, little guy it is—it’s not like this young body he possessed was anything but youthful.

"Reporting to the Palace Master, my name is Fang Bai."

Fang Bai intentionally put on a look of nervousness, as if meeting a powerful figure for the first time, cautiously answering.

Li Sanfu patted his shoulder as well and laughed, "Fang Bai, is it? Don’t be nervous! Every Lingxu Palace disciple knows I’m a very approachable and easy-going person."

However, the force Li Sanfu used to pat Fang Bai’s shoulder was the same as he had applied to Shi Ming earlier. Fang Bai’s expression changed slightly as his body trembled faintly, revealing a look of pain.

Li Sanfu let out a surprised "Hmm," seeming quite intrigued. His gaze scanned Fang Bai up and down as he exclaimed, "Could it be that this little guy also possesses innate divine power? Judging by your physique, it doesn’t seem likely!"

When Li Sanfu slapped Fang Bai’s shoulder, he clearly felt a tremendous resistance arising from within Fang Bai’s tendons and flesh, a kind of raw strength seemingly even greater than what Shi Ming possessed.

In Li Sanfu’s understanding, individuals with such strength were considered to have innate divine power.

Innate divine power refers to Martial Artists who are born with tremendous physical strength that can be unleashed purely through the body.

Some Martial Artists with innate divine power can even contend against others in the same realm solely relying on their physical strength, without utilizing spiritual energy.

Such Martial Artists typically have tall, robust physiques, muscles as taut as steel, standing like imposing iron towers that exert an intangible pressure on others.

For instance, both Li Sanfu and Shi Ming fell into this category.

But although Fang Bai’s height was slightly above average compared to ordinary Martial Artists, he far from qualified as "huge." Yet he unexpectedly possessed innate divine power.

This left Li Sanfu somewhat perplexed.

What he didn’t know was that Fang Bai had been cultivating the "Dragon-Tiger-Lion-Elephant Technique" since his days in the secular world. This technique was a body refinement cultivation method designed specifically to enhance physical strength.

It was no exaggeration to say that if realms and cultivation levels were disregarded, and it came down to raw physical strength in combat, Fang Bai could even fight and defeat Li Sanfu.

Li Sanfu did not favor anyone over the other, and continued to warmly greet the remaining two new disciples, patting their shoulders as well.

However, the strength of those two disciples was slightly weaker than Fang Bai and Shi Ming. Li Sanfu’s pat sent both of them toppling onto the ground, drawing bursts of laughter from their fellow disciples nearby, leaving them deeply embarrassed, almost to the point of tears.

Following Li Sanfu, Lingxu Palace’s high-ranking members arrived one after another.

When the three elders of Lingxu Palace saw that Fang Bai and Shi Ming were both Innate Spiritual Roots cultivators, their eyes lit up, and they began loudly quarreling over who would take them as disciples, each eager to claim an Innate Spiritual Root for themselves.

"Fang Bai is an Innate Fire Spirit Root, aligning with my cultivation techniques and Martial Arts. Besides, I’m the one who brought him here, so from now on, I’ll be the one teaching him. You three can argue over Shi Ming instead!"

Wu Zhihua stepped forward to shield Fang Bai, clearly showing a protective stance.

"Elder Wu has done great service for Lingxu Palace. Since he wants an Innate Spiritual Root disciple, you all should let him have one," Li Sanfu said in support of Wu Zhihua.

When Li Sanfu said this, the three elders were reluctant to compete with Wu Zhihua over Fang Bai, turning their focus to Shi Ming instead, who became the hot prize.

After much spirited verbal sparring, Shi Ming was ultimately taken by Yun Feng, the elder overseeing the Enforcement Hall, becoming Yun Feng’s personal disciple.

Yun Feng cultivated Earth Element Techniques while Shi Ming was an Innate Earth Spirit Root. To ensure the smooth progression of Shi Ming’s Martial Dao journey in the future, the decision was eventually finalized by Palace Master Li Sanfu, placing Shi Ming under Elder Yun Feng’s guidance.

The other two elders, unable to claim an Innate Spiritual Root disciple, inevitably felt disappointed. However, the remaining two new disciples also had fairly decent talent. The elders each took one of them, preparing to instruct them in Martial Arts Techniques later.

Within moments, the four new disciples had been distributed among the four elders. The remaining high-ranking members could only exchange bitter smiles and sigh in regret.

"Elder Wu, I’ve got something to discuss with you..."

After the Lingxu Palace disciples in the square dispersed, Elder Sun Jing, who oversaw the Elixir Hall, approached Wu Zhihua. Gesturing at Fang Bai beside Wu Zhihua, she said, "If your disciple is ever free, could you lend him to me for a while?"

Wu Zhihua, who had a good relationship with Sun Jing, laughed and said, "First, tell me the reason! If I think it’s appropriate, I’ll lend him to you."

Sun Jing replied earnestly, "As you know, I’ve made some progress in the art of alchemy in recent years and can now refine basic Holy Grade low-tier Spirit Pill. However, the attendant who normally watches over my pill furnace doesn’t have an Innate Fire Spirit Root. Their abilities to sense and control the fire are inadequate, leading me to ruin many furnaces of elixirs..."

Hearing Sun Jing’s explanation, Wu Zhihua immediately understood her intention and said with an unhappy expression, "Elder Sun Jing, are you trying to make Fang Bai into a pill furnace attendant for you?"