On the void ship, at a glance, there were about a dozen disciples, all clad in "red."
Most wore profound robes with red patterns, indicating they were Inner Sect Disciples.
However, there was one person in a white robe with red patterns, looking young, clearly an Inner Sect Elder.
These were merely those visible on the deck of the void ship; Song Yan inside the deck had not seen yet.
In such a place, Song Yan's profound robe with profound patterns appeared quite conspicuous and out of place, like a duck among swans.
He quickly approached the young Elder, respectfully greeting him, "Disciple Song Yan, greets the Elder."
The young Elder glanced at him, nodded casually, made a nasal sound in response, and did not speak further.
Song Yan originally wanted to say he intended to pay respects to Stone Master, not for other reasons but to avoid being impolite. However, it seemed now... there was no need to ask.
No one cared.
No one believed he had the qualifications.
Song Yan didn't mind; he casually stood in a corner by the ship's railing.
As the Shadow Puppet Void Ship left the cliff and took off, Song Yan took a deep breath, his eyes lighting up as his vision widened.
But he quickly realized there was no crosswind, and the air didn't feel thin, as if a strange power spread from the Shadow Puppet Void Ship, protecting the passengers within.
Lone sun and floating clouds, the sky boundless, it lifted the spirits of those on board.
Yet in the northeast direction... the red of the Earth Demon became clearer, like a red, terrifying vortex silently and slowly rotating.
'This is what a true Skin Master is like...'
Song Yan yearned for it.
But soon, he realized no one was talking to him here.
The Skin Masters and prospective Skin Masters clearly had their own circles.
Wherever he looked, Song Yan always saw a similar scene.
Just like on South Bamboo Peak, where Demoness Wang might coquettishly try to please Senior Brother Zhang and ask for favors; here on the deck, two attractive Inner Sect female cultivators clung to two male cultivators, one on each side.
And everything on the deck seemed to revolve around these two men.
Song Yan remained silent, but he listened intently.
Soon, he pieced together a lot from snippets of conversation.
Stone Master, named Stone Seat Elder, was the foremost Skin Master on Shadow Puppet Peak. Obsessed with the Shadow Puppet Dao, he had spent less time on cultivation, thus by now, at eighty, he still hadn't broken through the Refining Profound Realm.
If he didn't break through, his lifespan would be of a mortal, living perhaps just over a hundred years, free from major illness.
Naturally, at eighty, Stone Seat Elder had to choose a "heir", considering the complexities of what he studied all his life.
Everyone on this void ship was here for that "heirship."
Yet, these people were clearly split into two factions.
One faction, led by the young Elder "Lv Hong," who wasn't a disciple of Stone Seat Elder but became a Skin Master through his own opportunity. His Elder title wasn't due to realm level, but because he was an outstanding Skin Master despite his young age.
The other faction was led by a promising Inner Sect Disciple named "Gu Rufeng," a disciple of Stone Seat Elder and a "second-generation demon" from the Demon Sect's Puppet Sect, with one of his parents seemingly an Elder in the sect.
Both Lv Hong and Gu Rufeng were initially somewhat curious and wary of Song Yan, who suddenly joined the ship.
But seeing the latter shrinking into a corner so reservedly on the void ship, they didn't think much more.
He probably just wanted to gild himself, coming here to become a Skin Master.
Neither had the idea of befriending Song Yan.
Stone Master's personality was rigid and severe; who knew if "befriending" might leave a "negative impression" on the old man?
Thus, Song Yan truly became invisible.
Even when someone glanced in his direction, their gaze went through him as if he didn't exist.
...
...
After one incense stick of time, the void ship arrived over a small jade-green valley.
In the valley, there were pavilions and towers, peaceful and serene.
As the void ship entered, a dome shimmering with faint silver light suddenly rose, isolating inside and out.
Song Yan had never seen such a thing but could guess it was the legendary — array.
An array covering an entire valley wasn't small.
Due to the consumption of Profound Stones, such arrays were usually inactive, only activated during sect attacks or when significant individuals arrived.
Clack, clack, clack...
Clack...
The void ship landed smoothly.
Everyone on board promptly stood up solemnly, waiting.
Until the hatch opened, and a serious-looking, short white-robed, red-patterned old man emerged with a cane.
Beside him was a voluptuous, beautiful woman in Inner Sect disciple robes.
"Stone Master!"
"Mistress!"
The disciples outside shouted in unison.
Song Yan joined them in the chant.
The so-called Mistress laughed coquettishly, arm in arm with Stone Seat Elder, as they walked out together.
At the gangway, Stone Seat Elder suddenly stopped, glanced at Song Yan in the corner, and asked, "Who's the unfamiliar face?"
The Mistress didn't recognize Song Yan, so she looked to Gu Rufeng on the other side.
Gu Rufeng exchanged a glance with the beautiful Mistress, then smiled elegantly, stepping forward, "Master, a disciple from South Bamboo Peak, recommended by Cheng Danqing, approved by the Peak Master."
Stone Seat Elder closed his eyes, murmuring, "South Bamboo Peak... a servant origin?"
Song Yan respectfully replied, "Yes, Stone Master."
The air suddenly tightened a bit.
Stone Seat Elder opened his eyes, his old eyes showing a gentle smile, "Not easy, truly not easy. Learn more this time, and become a Skin Master soon."
Song Yan hesitated for a moment and said, "Thank you for the encouragement, Stone Master."
With those words, Stone Seat Elder, supported by the beautiful Mistress, disembarked from the void ship.
The disciples followed closely behind.
...
...
The Linglong Valley Exotic Beast Association was essentially a "large animal zoo's sketching scene," the rare captures and concentration of many demon beasts requiring significant effort.
Song Yan was assigned a temporary cave mansion and given "paper and brush," then went out, immersing himself in this "sketching scene."
Various cages, big or small, unveiling their dark covers, revealed all kinds of demon beasts inside.
There were not only low-level demon beasts but also intermediate demon beasts.
Intermediate demon beasts corresponded to cultivators at the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Layers of the Refining Profound Realm.
Approaching these demon beasts, Song Yan could feel the horrendous blood aura surrounding them. Stepping one step further, his throat seemed blocked, neck seemingly gripped; behind the barrier of blood aura, a pair of eyes gave him a shivering sensation.
He sensibly "scared" himself down, then sensibly moved toward the low-level demon beasts.
This scene felt perfectly reasonable.
Everyone assumed it should be so.
Song Yan arrived before a half-human-height bird demon beast, with iron-grey feathers that emitted a metallic screeching sound, eyes staring straight at him with a glint of greedy bloodthirst.
He glanced at the nearby signboard: Iron Feather Finch, Third Level Demon Beast, likes eating humans.
He pulled up a chair, began observing the Iron Feather Finch, while focusing on the "Technique" column of the "Skin Painting Technique."
'Dedicate a month's time, using the Iron Feather Finch as a catalyst, to comprehend the "Skin Painting Technique."'