As the saying goes, when immortals fight, mortals suffer. With Bai Qing and Li Heng locked in combat, Lu Qing and Baili became collateral damage. As wind blades swept past, the two of them were reduced to a pair of bloodied figures.
Baili possessed meager cultivation, and even though he had set up a defense array to protect himself, the effect was negligible.
With a bitter, pained expression and a grimacing face, Lu Qing gritted his teeth and said, “When on earth are they going to stop fighting?” It hurt his entire body was in agony!
“Only when one side dies will it stop,” Baili replied with a muffled voice, staring ahead while wondering what he was contemplating.
“Junior Brother Bai, are you hoping the pear blossom demon wins, or are you hoping your master wins?” A trace of banter flashed through Lu Qing’s eyes as he let out a soft scoff.
Baili wore a dejected expression. Upon learning that his biological mother was a demon and his biological father was none other than his master, amidst several conflicting and chaotic emotions, reason ultimately seized the upper hand.
His voice was icy and devoid of human warmth, as though his previous struggle and despair had never existed at all: “Of course I hope my master wins.”
Compared to the pear blossom demon, his master was the person who had accompanied him since childhood. Anyone would know how to choose between the two.
The wind carried Baili’s words away. Among the three locked in combat, Bai Qing had fallen into a disadvantageous position; one of her arms was severed by a wind blade, and she fell back to sit on the ground, raising her head to stare stubbornly at Li Heng with reddened eye rims and a flood of unvented grievances.
She let out a desolate laugh: “Li Heng, long time no see.”
“This is your personal matter, and the time left for us is running out. Say whatever you need to say as quickly as possible.” The heroic-looking man standing beside Li Heng turned around and walked toward Lu Qing and the other: “I’ll go check on those two little brats; they probably aren’t lightly injured.”
“Uncle-Master Song.” Baili emerged from behind a tree, bowing respectfully: “Uncle-Master Master Song, it was this disciple’s carelessness.”
Lu Qing also emerged from behind the tree, curiously sizing up Uncle-Master Song.
Uncle-Master Song was named Song Yin, possessing cultivation at the Piercing Illusion Stage, and was a close friend of Li Heng. His facial features were gentle, and he didn’t look stern in the least, giving off an impression of being very easy to talk to.
Song Yin smiled, raising a hand to lightly tap the top of Baili’s head. With a snap of his fingers, Baili was instantly restored to a clean appearance.
Turning his gaze toward Lu Qing, Song Yin smiled engagingly: “This must be Lu Qing, right? Quite capable of stirring up trouble, aren’t you?”
A tightness gripped Lu Qing’s heart as he offered a shy smile: “Uncle-Master Song, this was just an accident.”
“Indeed an accident.” Song Yin helped Lu Qing heal his injuries, his expression carrying profound meaning. “You seem as though you aren’t afraid at all? Normally, when people encounter demonic entities, they either wet themselves or tremble with terror; your reaction is somewhat too composed.”
Is he testing me? Why?
Maintaining a neutral expression, Lu Qing lowered his eyelids: “Speaking of which, I’m not afraid of Uncle-Master Song laughing at me, but I used to be a fool and have only been clear-headed for four days.”
“Is that so?” Song Yin lifted his eyelids to glance at him before releasing his grip and standing up. “Nothing serious, don’t be afraid; you’ll be able to leave this place right away.”
The dialogue between Li Heng and Bai Qing was inaudible, and the three of them had no idea what was discussed. Eventually, Bai Qing turned back to cast a lingering, reluctant glance at Baili, wishing she could firmly engrave his appearance deep within her heart.
Bai Qing’s physical form transformed into pear blossoms, leaving a glowing white demon core suspended mid-air. Following that, pear blossoms fluttered down across the entire sky, blanketing the ground littered with withered branches and rotting leaves beneath a layer of pristine white floral sea.
Li Heng retrieved the demon core, stood up, and walked in silence toward the three of them.
“Master,” Baili said in a husky voice, lowering his head and not daring to meet Li Heng’s expression.
Giving a light hum, Li Heng lowered his gaze to fixate on the top of Baili’s head: “Upon receiving your voice transmission, I asked your Uncle-Master for help, and your Uncle-Master reported the matter to the Sect Master, bringing people along to reinforce the seal. Taking advantage of the window while reinforcing the seal, your Uncle-Master and I came out together to search for the two of you.”
When he received Baili’s voice transmission, the very first thing he did was inform Song Yin, who then reported it upward. They believed that since a demonic entity could attack a cultivator’s flying boat at the connecting region between the mortal world and the Shifang Realm, the seal was undoubtedly unstable.
Coming here to inspect, they indeed discovered signs of the seal loosening. The people Song Yin brought along reinforced the seal, and to avoid prolonged delays bringing further complications, their actions had naturally been filled with urgency.
“Let’s go, this place is not somewhere to linger long.” Li Heng offered no explanation for what had just transpired, instead reaching out to grab Baili’s arm.
Meanwhile, Song Yin grabbed Lu Qing’s arm, and the two of them hoisted the boys like little chicks, stepping lightly upon the gentle breeze to fly upward.
Lowering his head to look: the moonlight was dark tonight, and all he could see was the pristine white of the pear blossoms.
He had genuinely never expected that Li Heng would go to such lengths for Baili, leading him to underestimate Baili’s standing in Li Heng’s heart.
This matter was far from over; practitioners of cultivation placed great emphasis on cause, effect, and karmic affinity, and instances of becoming qi-deviated and descending into demonic obsession were commonplace. Baili’s path would likely end right here.
Upon exiting Qiongming, a gentle, pleasant breeze blew over, dispersing that damp chill.
Above Qiongming, several senior figures were currently reinforcing the seal. Looking upward, one could catch sight of the silver-black palace beyond the clouds, its eaves looming indistinctly while radiating an aura of solemnity and ancient simplicity throughout.
“Let’s go, back to the sect.” Song Yin still needed to ensure the seal was thoroughly secure before he could depart.
Baili and Lu Qing rode upon a crane, while Li Heng led the way at the front. The entire journey passed in silence until the full appearance of the Shifang Realm finally came into view, prompting Lu Qing to let out an exclamation of awe that broke the silence.
Before his eyes, white mists and auspicious clouds billowed and drifted ethereally, steep mountain peaks connected directly to the heavens, and iron chain bridges crossed haphazardly and chaotically, stirring competing emotions of danger and terror within the heart. Cranes flew together and white cloud fairy palaces stood tall, as though one had arrived in the realm of immortals. Under the sunlight, a myriad of brilliant colors and shifting light reflections flashed past.
Ahead, an ancient pine soared straight into the clouds, and the three characters Lingyao Sect were carved upon a stone tablet with overwhelming momentum and grandeur. The bell chimed with crisp clarity, and immortal music played melodiously.
With a dazed expression, Lu Qing found his eyes unable to take everything in this was what the Shifang Realm looked like. Those towering palaces shimmered with silver light, genuinely making it feel as though one were residing in an immortal realm. The air inhaled into the body was pure immortal energy, leaving one feeling refreshed and clear-headed.
“Stunned?” Baili turned his head to look at him, the melancholy between his brows completely dissipated as his expression turned somewhat gentle. “When I first saw it, my reaction was identical to yours.”
Pointing toward the eastern direction where crimson ribbons were vaguely visible, he said: “That side is the mortal realm of the Shifang Realm; when you have free time, I can take you to go see it.”
Shifting his finger to point westward, he continued: “Fly straight ahead in that direction for roughly half a month, crossing past Qiongming, and you will reach Shengying City in the Nine Vaults.”
“However, now is not the time to go over there; wait until you are capable of cultivating before talking about it. By then, you will understand.” Smiling, Baili did not continue speaking further.
“We’ve arrived.” Li Heng glanced at Baili. “You go back and rest first; I’m taking him to the Ascension Platform.”
“Understood, this disciple takes his leave first.” Turning around, Baili vanished amidst the white clouds, disappearing from view almost instantly.
Walking straight ahead, Li Heng quickly arrived at the Ascension Platform of the Foreign Affairs Hall.
The Ascension Platform was already packed with individuals selected from the mortal world this time around. Seated upon the high platforms were major powers of the sect, positioned at great distances from one another, wearing white, cyan, yellow, red, and black five distinct colors in total.
Coupled with the inner and outer sect disciples, it could truly be described as a sea of people.
Lu Qing was brought to the very rear of the crowd. Without providing any instructions whatsoever, Li Heng turned around and vanished before his eyes.
The surrounding chatter was dense as people whispered cautiously to one another, overwhelmingly hoping to enter the inner sect and take a formidable master under their wing.
Knowing not a single soul, Lu Qing maintained a blank face while gazing straight ahead, splitting his attention between wandering thoughts and eavesdropping on the surrounding conversations.
At that exact moment, the black-robed man directly ahead spoke up, his voice piercing the eardrums of every single person present:
“Quiet! The Lingyao Sect intends to recruit disciples this time around; the moment you were selected, the test has already begun.”
“Some among you managed to be selected, while those with poor dispositional character will be advised to leave. The Lingyao Sect is the head of the nine sects; whether recruiting disciples or retaining outer sect disciples, those with inferior aptitude can continue to strive and cultivate diligently. However, those of unrighteous character will be sent away.”
With a wave of his hand, a water mirror materialized mid-air, its ripples unfurling to reveal the scenes reflected inside, causing a wave of uproar to sweep through the crowd.
The scenes displayed within that water mirror depicted everything they had done after being selected nowhere to hide. Instantly, many individuals turned pale with disbelief.
A jolt ran through Lu Qing’s heart as he conversed in hushed tones with the system via mind-to-mind thought: “Everything I did they won’t be able to see that too, will they?”
If that were the case, he probably wouldn’t be able to enter this Lingyao Sect. No wait, were these people out of their minds? Monitoring people at the drop of a hat was doing something like this really okay?
[The host can rest assured; what the host did cannot be seen by them, nor will it ever appear on that mirror,] the system stated with a proud tone. [As for the scenes over at Qiongming, they won’t appear either.]
“That’s good.”
Lu Qing let out a sigh of relief, his tense body relaxing as he raised his eyes to look forward. Those displaying abnormal expressions, or those who had shoved others to die in their places, were all escorted away from the Ascension Platform by people.
Upon leaving, they looked like mourners at a funeral, departing with pale, soulless expressions and drooping shoulders, quickly vanishing from sight.
Those who maintained a calm composure were all retained, and those screened to possess multi-element spiritual roots were led away, leaving very few people remaining upon the Ascension Platform. Standing sparsely with only a dozen or so individuals left, confusion flickered momentarily within their eyes.
The person upon the high platform spoke once more: “You all possess rather good aptitude. Having weeded out individuals of corrupted character and separated out the outer sect disciples, this is your opportunity. Should you catch the eye of the masters of various halls or various elders, you will be taken in under their tutelage.”
“Once accepted, remember to cultivate diligently and never harm the sect, let alone harm all living beings. Otherwise, the Law Enforcement Hall is the place where you will be punished, and in severe cases, you will be expelled from your master’s lineage and driven out of the Lingyao Sect.” Following this stern admonition, the selection of disciples matching their fancy commenced immediately.
Catching sight of Lu Qing, Wu Shuangxue and Gong Ya edged backward until they arrived right beside Lu Qing.
Wu Shuangxue pursed her lips, relaxing her tightly clenched fists as she whispered in a low voice: “You, you weren’t injured, were you?”
On the flying boat, they had witnessed with their own eyes those demonic vines dragging Lu Qing away. Seeing Lu Qing standing here safe and sound now caused the heart that had been lifted into their throats to drop back down into their stomachs.
Gong Ya looked forward with a smile on his face, lowering his voice: “Brother Lu, it’s good that you’re okay. In that kind of situation back then, none of us knew how to do anything and we didn’t do a thing apologies.”
With so many people present earlier, he hadn’t managed to locate Lu Qing, and alongside his sense of melancholy had come worry. Now that nearly half the people had left, he naturally spotted Lu Qing at a single glance; after all, who wouldn’t show a bit more warmth upon seeing an acquaintance?
Nodding slightly, Lu Qing offered a shallow smile: “Thanks for your concern, I’m quite alright. What about you two how did things go afterwards?”
Turning his head to glance at him before looking forward again, Gong Ya replied: “Later on, for reasons unknown, all those withered vines turned to fine dust in the blink of an eye, and naturally we were rescued as well right before people from the sect arrived.”
“Would you be willing to take me as your master?” A man clad in white robes pointed toward Wu Shuangxue: “A water spiritual root is naturally fine material for practicing swordsmanship.”
Filled with excitement, Wu Shuangxue dropped straight to her knees with a thud upon the ground, speaking incoherently: “W-willing, this disciple is willing! This disciple pays respects to Master.”
“Hahaha, get up then,” the man laughed heartily, rising to his feet. “Starting today, you are the thirty-seventh-generation disciple of my Sword Peak lineage. May your learning be unceasing and continuous like flowing water and drifting clouds, advancing daily without pause. Your dao name shall be Xingyun.”
Wu Shuangxue kowtowed: “Thank you, Master, for bestowing my dao name.”
“Let’s go. Having obtained such a disciple today, what more could one ask for?” Nodding toward those seated above, the man departed, taking Wu Shuangxue with him.
Envy painted across Gong Ya’s face as he said with a bitter tone: “Meeting her in the future, I’ll have to call her Senior Sister. Her master is the Hall Master of the Sword Peak lineage, Immortal Lord Xuanling.”
Lowering his head, he sighed softly: “I have an earth spiritual root, and I wonder where I’ll end up going?”
With a slight shift in his expression, Lu Qing raised a hand to pat his shoulder: “Don’t…”
“You would you be willing to take Me as your master?”
An archaic, majestic voice dropped down, making the Ascension Platform feel as though it were enveloped within a sky full of snow. The moment these words fell, the entire scene fell dead silent.
Everyone seated within the Lingyao Sect knew precisely who this voice belonged to, save for the newly arrived disciples standing upon the Ascension Platform who remained completely unaware.
Lifting their heads, they saw absolutely nothing, catching sight only of a cyan figure as ethereal and fleeting as the wind.
The gaze from above rested squarely upon Lu Qing, causing even the various disciples upon the Ascension Platform to look toward him with complex expressions.
Stunned for a fleeting moment, Lu Qing blinked his eyes the reality was that the voice just moments ago had indeed been addressed to him.
Seeing him freeze in place, Gong Ya gave him a kick with his leg, practically vocalizing through his nose: “What on earth are you still standing there frozen for?”
Bending his knees, Lu Qing dropped straight to his knees upon the ground with a resounding thud. The sound was loud enough that without guessing, one knew his knees must certainly be bruised.
[Important figure has appeared: Supreme Elder of the Lingyao Sect, Immortal Lord Yunchuan.]
Grimacing as the pain pulled his consciousness back, it was definitely not because of the system’s prompt!
Bending over to complete a kowtow in a single fluid motion, he shouted: “This disciple is willing.”