The Celestial Moon Dao Sect’s mountain gates stood within the Nine Peaks territory, just outside the capital, where nine towering peaks pierced the heavens like celestial swords.
After burying Old Madam Feng in the Valley of Eternal Rest, Feng Xianyue immediately headed back to the residence where she had woken up.
She found the Sect Master in the hall, already seated at the head table, calmly taking a sip of tea.
Ning Wuhen then gestured for her to sit at the row below his right side.
Before sitting, Feng Xianyue suddenly knelt before Ning Wuhen.
After kowtowing three times before him, she poured a cup of tea and respectfully presented it before him.
“Disciple Feng Xianyue pays respect to Master,” she said, and Ning Wuhen accepted the teacup, his warm face smiling gently at her.
“Rise, Disciple Feng Xianyue.
From this day forward, I expect you to be steadfast and cultivate diligently.
Do not disappoint this Master.”
“Yes, Master,” Feng Xianyue said, bowing her head.
After sitting, Feng Xianyue saw a jade slip and a black token beside the teacup on the spiritwood table by her side.
“It belongs to you now,” he began, pointing at the jade slip and token.
“Extend your divine sense into the jade slip, and you will be able to access the manuals and scriptures of the different layers of Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment realms.”
Feng Xianyue widened her eyes in surprise.
The reality of joining a sect finally sank into her.
Pointing at the black token, Ning Wuhen said, “This token is the key that enables one to access a secret realm.
It will be opening in a month.
Before then, I want you to be at the peak of Qi Condensation.
Only then can I let you go in to gain experience.
Are you willing?”
Nodding, Feng Xianyue’s eyes shone in excitement.
Was she going to finally experience the cultivation world in its raw form?
What Feng Xianyue didn’t know was that Ning Wuhen was asking something almost impossible from her.
To cultivate from the first layer of Qi Condensation to the peak in one month was not possible without any external factor.
It usually takes years for a cultivator with mediocre talent to advance to the next realm, while the talented ones take half a year to advance from Qi Condensation to the next realm.
A month.
She had one month to go from the first layer of Qi Condensation to the peak.
It was impossible.
Yet she didn’t hesitate.
Using his spiritual powers, a lamp suddenly appeared on Ning Wuhen’s hand.
It was not lit and looked like an ordinary lamp.
Ning Wuhen soon called Feng Xianyue over and said, “This is called the Life Lamp.
With a drop of your blood, it will light for as long as you live.” He continued, pricking Feng Xianyue’s finger.
The lamp soon lit up once her blood fell on it.
“Going to the secret realm will be dangerous, with your life always at stake.
Your Master won’t be able to protect you, but with this, I will know if something happens to you.”
Feng Xianyue was touched by his kindness.
She had always known that she had to rely on herself to survive in this world.
From the books she had read, she knew it wouldn’t be easy for someone as weak as her to survive.
However, Feng Xianyue this time was not willing to die in this world.
Whatever it takes, she would crawl from the lowest of the bottom and rise to the top.
Kneeling, Feng Xianyue kowtowed before Ning Wuhen, thankful that at least one person in this world would be watching over her.
Feng Xianyue soon left the residence.
She remembered her Master saying that she would meet someone outside who would guide her to where she would be staying.
When she was out, she saw a tall, average-looking man in his twenties, clad in light blue robes, waiting for her.
“You must be Junior Feng,” the man said.
“Yes, Senior.
And you are?” Feng Xianyue replied, taking a good look at the man.
She couldn’t gauge his strength.
At first glance, he looked ordinary, but from his breath and the aura around him, one would know he wasn’t just an ordinary attendant.
As expected from her favourite character—even his attendant was exceptional, Feng Xianyue thought, smiling internally.
“I am Gu Han, the Master’s attendant,” the man said.
“Master informed me that no one knows you are his disciple.
However, he arranged for you to be under the Frost Moon Palace Master so you wouldn’t have any problems.”
“Thank you, Senior Gu.
Please lead the way.”
Leading the way, Gu Han decided to show Feng Xianyue around the sect at the same time.
The sect had nine palaces in total.
The Radiant Inscription Palace, where disciples traced runes with the precision of masters.
The Star Reflection Palace, where fortune-tellers read the fates of emperors.
The Jade Spirit Palace, where alchemists coaxed life from herbs.
The Heavenly Sword Palace, where the air itself was sharp with killing intent.
The Mist Veil Palace, home to illusionists who could make you forget your own name.
The Crescent Formation Palace, where ancient arrays hummed with trapped power.
The Heavenly Law Palace—feared by all, for they held the sect’s discipline and punishment.
And then there was the Eclipse Moon Palace.
It had been destroyed decades ago, its forbidden lunar arts buried with it.
No one spoke of it.
Feng Xianyue’s new home was the Frost Moon Palace—a place of yin cultivation, ice techniques, and moon arts.
It was one of the most powerful palaces in the sect, and many of its disciples were known for their arrogance.
As the sect had nine palaces, disciples of each palace were identified by the colour of their clothes or the palace token they carried around their waist.
Since Feng Xianyue happened to be from the Frost Moon Palace, she would naturally be wearing the light blue robes, just like Gu Han.
Feng Xianyue’s room was located in the disciples’ quarters of the Frost Moon Palace.
Once they arrived, she bid farewell to Gu Han and walked into her new room.
Before entering her room, she noticed how eerily silent the disciples’ quarters was.
No laughter, no conversation.
Only the distant hum of cultivation from behind closed doors.
It was only after asking Gu Han that Feng Xianyue learned the reason.
Every disciple from the Qi Condensation Realm to the Nascent Soul Realm had entered seclusion to prepare for their journey into the secret realm.
Because secret realms are double-edged swords—no matter what advantage or heaven-defying treasures you can gain, there will always be danger at every turn—one had to master their techniques to the peak level to even gain a chance of survival.
Feng Xianyue let out a heavy sigh.
Her body lack of strength suddenly became more obvious to her.
Though she no longer felt weak and was healthy, she surmised that she would really just be cannon fodder in the secret realm if she didn’t try her best.
Knowing all her colleagues were practicing, she knew she couldn’t idle anymore.
With a sudden surge of determination, Feng Xianyue closed her eyes and disappeared into her space.