"Looks like we found a hidden gem," Prince Arven said calmly.

Lurina’s eyes lingered on Aksai as well, though she did not speak. However, one could sense a hint of envy in her gaze.

Arkaal folded his hands behind his back and continued to study Aksai.

"To think a wandering cultivator with no background or support would have such a body..." he muttered. "Good. Very good."

Aksai lifted his head and looked at Arkaal with a guarded gaze. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he was unsure how to react to the old man’s sudden change in attitude.

"I may have a poison constitution," Aksai said slowly, "but why are you so excited?"

Arkaal stared at him for a moment.

Then he burst out laughing.

"Hahaha!"

The laughter echoed in the hall, loud and unrestrained.

"Brat, you sure are bold," Arkaal said, his voice filled with amusement. "Standing in front of me with that pitiful cultivation base and still daring to question me."

He stepped closer again.

"I like that," he added. "Youth should have some backbone."

Before Aksai could react, Arkaal raised his hand and patted him on the head.

It looked like a simple gesture. But the force behind it was anything but simple.

Aksai felt a heavy impact on his head, like a small mountain had dropped on him. His body almost lifted off the ground from the sheer force. He quickly circulated his Spirit essence to steady himself, forcing his feet to stay planted.

Even then, he felt the pressure travel down his spine. Aksai’s expression turned slightly stiff. There was a trace of dissatisfaction in his eyes, but he held it back.

Arkaal did not care. He simply pulled his hand back and continued speaking as if nothing had happened.

"You clearly don’t understand what you have," Arkaal said, his tone shifting into something more serious.

"A natural poison constitution is not something you see every day. If nurtured properly, it can take you very far."

He looked at Aksai with a sharp gaze.

"You can easily break into the Core Formation realm. And beyond that... you may even have a chance to step into the Nascent Soul realm."

Aksai’s eyes flickered slightly, though he kept his face calm. Arkaal continued.

"And with the right Spirit resources, this process can be sped up by a lot," he said. "You won’t need to struggle like most cultivators."

He paused for a moment before his lips curled into a faint smile.

"And that’s not even the best part."

Aksai stayed silent, listening.

"Your constitution makes you highly compatible with poison-type demon beast bloodlines," Arkaal said. "Much more than ordinary cultivators."

He lifted his hand slightly, and a faint trace of blood mist appeared around his fingers.

"For example," he continued, "if you were to merge with the Bloodmist Nine-headed Serpent bloodline that I carry... you would be able to bring out its true potential."

Aksai’s gaze sharpened a little. Arkaal’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.

"Even with my talent and centuries of practice, I can only manifest three heads of the serpent," he said. "It is enough to deal with people like you... to place curses and control others."

His voice grew a little heavier.

"But with more heads... the power increases greatly. A true nine-headed manifestation can control forces on the level of the Big Five Sects all by itself."

He let out a soft breath.

"Perhaps you might even trigger atavism," he added.

Aksai frowned slightly.

"In short, stop being human entirely," Arkaal said, looking straight at him. "And become something closer to a progenitor of that bloodline."

Aksai listened silently. But he still looked like he had many doubts and wasn’t impressed. As such, Arkaal decided to guide him further/

"Don’t underestimate demon beasts," Arkaal continued. "They are far more powerful than most people think. Especially the bloodline clans. It’s just that this subcontinent is cut off from their true domain."

He folded his hands behind his back again.

"If you refine your bloodline properly, your future won’t be limited to this place," he said. "You could even step beyond the Shinayin Empire."

Aksai stayed quiet. Arkaal looked at him one last time before adding,

"You might even be accepted into a true bloodline clan... like the Nine-headed Serpent Clan."

Aksai stood there, still acting like a cautious wandering cultivator. But inside, his thoughts were already moving fast.

Aksai looked at Arkaal for a long moment after hearing his words. His face stayed calm, but there was a clear hint of caution in his eyes. He did not reply right away, as if he was carefully thinking about every word before speaking.

"That still doesn’t answer my question," Aksai said slowly. "Why are you so excited for something that only benefits me?"

For a second, the hall went quiet. Then Arkaal suddenly burst into laughter. His voice echoed through the hall, deep and heavy, carrying a strange sense of pressure along with it.

"Of course I am excited," Arkaal said, still smiling. "I get to guide a talent like you. Do you think such chances come often?"

He stepped closer, his sharp eyes fixed on Aksai.

"Tell me, brat... don’t you want to be accepted as my disciple?"

The moment those words were spoken, Aksai felt a faint headache forming. His brows twitched slightly, and stress lines appeared on his forehead.

’Damn it. Not again,’ he complained inwardly.

For a brief moment, he even blamed Seralyth. If not for her, he would have already left this place. Instead, he had stayed and revealed something he had no intention of showing. Now, he had attracted the attention of someone far stronger than he would have liked.

Aksai did not enjoy standing in the spotlight. Especially not in the middle of an enemy faction’s territory, surrounded by unknown dangers. The more Arkaal focused on him, the higher the risk that something would go wrong.

He also did not like the idea of becoming someone’s disciple. Even pretending to be one felt like a burden. It meant more scrutiny, more expectations, and more chances for his identity to slip.

After thinking for a few moments, Aksai finally shook his head.

"I am sorry to disappoint you, Lord Arkaal," he said in a firm tone. "But I already have a master. As long as he is alive, I will not accept anyone else."

Arkaal’s smile faded slightly. A deep frown formed on his face as he stared at Aksai. The air around him seemed to grow heavier for a moment.

It was clear that he did not like the answer.

However, instead of getting angry, Arkaal suddenly laughed again. This time, his laughter sounded more controlled, almost as if he had already thought of another option.

"Fine," he said. "If you won’t become my disciple, then become my apprentice."

He folded his hands behind his back and looked at Aksai with a sharp gaze.

"I will personally nurture your poison constitution. With the right guidance, you can become an exceptional vessel bloodline user. And since you have already joined the royal faction, there will be no trouble in arranging resources for you."

He paused for a moment before continuing, his tone turning slightly deeper.

"In return, you only need to grow strong enough to enter the Bloodmist Nine-headed Serpent clan in the future."

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"And when you do... you take me with you."

Aksai’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he did not interrupt.

"We both win," Arkaal continued. "Your future opens up beyond this subcontinent. And I get a chance to step into a higher world. Our interests will be tied together."

He chuckled softly.

"No need to worry about betrayal when both sides stand to gain, right?"

Arkaal leaned slightly closer, his gaze filled with expectation.

"So... what do you say, brat?"

Aksai did not answer right away. He stood there quietly, his eyes fixed on Arkaal while his mind moved quickly behind that calm face. The offer sounded tempting on the surface, but he knew better than to trust it without thinking things through.

Joining the royal faction itself was already risky. He had only just stepped into their circle, and yet he had already seen enough to understand how dangerous they were.

People like Arven and Arkaal did not waste time. Once someone joined them, they would be used. Covert missions, dangerous tasks, and even open conflicts with powerful sects could be assigned at any time. There would probably be no room to refuse.

At the same time, Aksai also understood another truth. Since he was new, the resources he would receive would be limited. The royal faction would not pour their best assets into someone they did not fully trust yet. He would have to prove himself first, and that usually meant taking risks he did not want to take.

There were also other problems. The royal faction was secretive. Its structure was hidden. Its enemies were many. If something went wrong, there would be no one to rely on. A wandering cultivator like Naran would simply disappear without a trace.