In the central hall of the Thousand Shadows Sect, Mo Xian sat upon a throne of black stone.Two torches burned at his sides, releasing a purple smoke that slithered along the floor.
"The core has stabilized," Mo Xian said, staring at his palm. "In forty years, I will break through to the Transformation Realm."
For cultivators, forty years was nothing.For him, it was tomorrow.
Elder Yu approached, bowing low."And the Celestial Sword Sect?"
"Keep watching. I want every promising talent marked."
Yu hesitated."And your supporter still cannot act?"
Mo Xian lifted his gaze toward the ceiling, as if seeing beyond the stone itself."Hei Yun is still recovering. When he moves… no one in this region will survive."
Yu lowered his head."Understood."
Mo Xian closed his eyes."Forty years. Enough time for me to prepare. Not enough time for them to react."
Meanwhile, in the outer sect of the Celestial Sword Sect, Lu Jie waited for the matches to end so he could finally become an inner disciple.When the bouts concluded, the elders present began calling out the names of disciples who had caught their attention.
Four names came before his.The system flashed before his eyes, displaying their status.
[Name: Shen Ruo (Outer Disciple of the Celestial Sword Sect)Age: 62Cultivation: 2nd level of the Circulation Realm]
[Name: Feng Lian (Outer Disciple of the Celestial Sword Sect)Age: 35Cultivation: 2nd level of the Circulation Realm]
[Name: Han Zemin (Outer Disciple of the Celestial Sword Sect)Age: 93Cultivation: 7th level of the Circulation Realm]
[Name: Mu Yuxin (Outer Disciple of the Celestial Sword Sect)Age: 30Cultivation: 9th level of the Opening Realm]
Lu Jie observed calmly."Han Zemin only joined the outer sect recently as a wandering cultivator… He was already at the fifth level of the Circulation Realm, from what I've heard."
Everyone here truly seemed talented.
Soon, his own name was called.He approached, lowering his head cautiously.
"I'll take this boy as my disciple!" Gu Wei declared.
"Over my dead body! I'll be the one to take him!" Jian Jun retorted.
"You've already taken a few talented disciples. I think I deserve this one." Ren Hao said, crossing his arms.
"Shut it, you old mummies! Let the boy decide." Elder Mei Lin slammed her palm on the table, the sound booming through the hall.
All eyes turned to Lu Jie."Boy, all of us want you as our disciple. So choose… who will be your master?" Mei Lin said, a faint smile on her lips.
Just as Lu Jie was about to speak, the familiar golden light flickered before his eyes.
[Options detected. Choose your master.]
[1 – Become Gu Wei's discipleReward: Earth-grade treasure + Mortal-grade defensive skill.Note: Gu Wei is patient and rarely sends disciples on dangerous missions.]
[2 – Become Jian Jun's discipleReward: Mortal-grade sword skill + 500 spirit stones.Note: Jian Jun loves duels and often drags his disciples into "educational" fights.]
[3 – Become Ren Hao's discipleReward: Mortal-grade spell + Pill to advance one level in the Circulation Realm.Note: Ren Hao is stingy and demands 30% of all his disciple's earnings.]
[4 – Become Mei Lin's discipleReward: High Mortal-grade movement skill + Low Mortal-grade spell + System Update.Note: Mei Lin is unpredictable—she may protect you with all her power… or vanish for years without warning.]
Lu Jie scanned the options.
"Gu Wei… too safe. I'd end up as a decorative rock."
"Jian Jun… I can already feel the bruises from his 'training.'"
"Ren Hao… charging me before even accepting me. Shameless."
His eyes lingered on the last option."Movement skill, spell… and a system update?"
He lifted his head and spoke firmly:"I choose… Elder Mei Lin."
The elders looked at him with clear disapproval—especially Gu Wei.
"Tsk, boy, are you blind? I'm obviously the best choice," Gu Wei scoffed, arms crossed.
"Don't bother the boy. If he's chosen, it's settled." Mei Lin cut in, her smile satisfied.
After Lu Jie stepped back, Su Li was called next. After a few glances and quick discussion, she too was accepted by Mei Lin. It was worth noting that she and Mu Yuxin were the only ones in the Opening Realm to catch the elders' attention that day.
Once everything was over, only Lu Jie and Su Li had been chosen by Mei Lin. The elder led them to the base of the outer sect and pulled an elegant flying boat from her storage ring.
"We're heading to the inner sect. Try not to fall off," she said casually, as if piloting a flying boat was no more trouble than crossing a street.
The two boarded. The boat rose smoothly before accelerating toward the inner sect.
Though the distance was short, each elder's mountain was colossal, towering like natural walls that divided the territories. Normally, disciples would travel on their own flying swords, but Lu Jie and Su Li had yet to learn the technique, making this the only way to get there.
As they soared through the skies, Lu Jie couldn't help but admire the view."The Celestial Sword Sect… is truly vast."
The structures below looked tiny before the immensity of the mountains, and the air was so pure that spiritual Qi condensed into a soft mist.
When they reached Mei Lin's mountain, a colossal plaque stood out at the peak, golden characters gleaming in the sunlight: "Peach Blossom Sword."
"Master, why that name on the plaque?" Su Li asked curiously.
"In the Celestial Sword Sect, there are many elders, but only four are considered the sect's pillars. Each of us has a mountain, and we are known as the Four Swords of the Celestial Sword Sect," Mei Lin replied calmly, guiding them up the steep path. "I am the Peach Blossom Sword."
"And the others?" Lu Jie asked, attentive.
"The others are the Fire Sword, the Tribulation Sword, and the Nine Heavens Sword." Her voice was steady, tinged with pride. "And beyond us, there is the Main Peak, called the Celestial Sword, where the Sect Master resides."
As she spoke, a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of peach blossoms that covered the slope. The scene contrasted with the sect's imposing reputation, making it almost too peaceful for the home of one of its most formidable elders.