Chapter 8

Zhai Wangyou turned around without saying a word, extinguished the candle, and returned to the bed, as though nothing had happened.

Xi Zhou stared at her, wondering inwardly: Did that mean she agreed or not?

The room was quiet. Before long, the person by the table disappeared as well. In the flowerpot, the Dream-Entering Grass swayed in boredom.

The ninth day of the ninth month, the Double Ninth Festival.

At the foot of Fan Boundary Mountain.

Tianjian Sect stood in the center as the leading sect. On the left was Yudao Sect, and on the right was Medicine Sect.

The one leading Yudao Sect was the Sect Master’s eldest disciple, Lu Qianlu. He was four years older than Zhai Wangyou, having just turned twenty-five, and was also at early Golden Core cultivation. Behind him stood at least fifty Foundation Establishment disciples.

As for Medicine Sect, it was led by Great Elder Fachi. Behind him also stood several dozen disciples, some at Qi Refining and some at Foundation Establishment. However, Fachi’s cultivation was at late Golden Core, above both Zhai Wangyou and Lu Qianlu, and his formation was not weak either.

In comparison, although Tianjian Sect had Zhai Wangyou, the sect’s Eldest Senior Sister, leading the team, only ten Qi Refining disciples followed behind her. No matter how one looked at it, they seemed somewhat at a disadvantage.

The various sects silently waited for the mountain gate to open. However, intentionally or unintentionally, some people’s gazes would always sweep over Zhai Wangyou.

The three great sects did not interact much privately, but they knew plenty about one another.

Especially Tianjian Sect’s Zhai Wangyou. This Eldest Senior Sister not only had extraordinary talent, but was also as beautiful as an immortal. The disciples of the various sects called her “Fairy Wangyou.”

It was said that Zhai Wangyou had an extremely cold and indifferent personality. Her heart was set only on cultivation, and she did not even pay much attention to her fiancé.

However, looking at her now, the rumors seemed somewhat inaccurate. Because she held a sword in one hand and a flowerpot in the other. What was planted in the flowerpot was not some precious flower, but a blade of grass.

It was the most ordinary Dream-Entering Grass. Its only use was that it could be refined into a Dream-Entering Pill. After someone consumed a Dream-Entering Pill, others could enter that person’s dreams.

Basically, it was equivalent to having no real use.

In everyone’s eyes, Fairy Wangyou, whose beauty was like peach and plum blossoms, had a calm expression and looked cold as frost, lofty and unattainable. Yet she just happened to be holding a flowerpot, and inside the pot was a blade of grass with neither ornamental value nor any practical use.

No matter how one looked at it, it felt out of place. Extremely out of place.

Just then, a bell rang out for a long time. Several Deacon Hall disciples led more than thirty youths toward them. There were boys and girls, and all of their faces were filled with curiosity.

The rules for recruiting new disciples were as follows: first, their spiritual roots would be tested. Afterward, the three great sects would each introduce their strengths. Finally, the right to choose would be handed to the youths with spiritual roots. Of course, the three great sects could also choose not to accept them.

There were more than thirty people, but in the end, not even half had spiritual roots.

There was only one single-spiritual-root youth, not a single dual-spiritual-root one, and the rest were all ordinary three-spiritual-root or four-spiritual-root qualifications. Even if they were recruited, they could only become outer or servant disciples.

This year’s new disciples were even worse than previous years.

The disciples of the three great sects rarely had such tacit understanding, but at this moment, they all sighed inwardly together.

The only single-spiritual-root youth became the person all three great sects wanted to fight for. As for the others, they were merely servant-disciple material and were not important. They could go wherever they liked.

According to custom, it was time for each sect to introduce their advantages.

As the leading sect, Tianjian Sect went first. Zhai Wangyou stepped forward and said calmly, “The number one sect, Tianjian Sect, enters the Dao through the sword.”

Concise and to the point. Unlike the people who had led the team in previous years, who always loved long speeches.

Lu Qianlu froze for a moment before coming back to his senses. He deleted and shortened the speech he had rehearsed countless times in his heart. Otherwise, it would make Yudao Sect seem long-winded.

“Yudao Sect enters the Dao through the blade. Our Sect Master and two elders are all Nascent Soul cultivators. Cultivation resources…”

He spoke at length, then finally summarized with one sentence: “At present, among the three great sects, we are the sect with the most cultivators above the Golden Core stage.”

Although only the Sect Master and two elders were at the Nascent Soul stage, Tianjian Sect’s Elder Beishan had gone missing, leaving only Elder Nanshan and the Sect Master, both at Nascent Soul.

Tianjian Sect had two. Their Yudao Sect had three. Wasn’t that the most?

As for Medicine Sect, it mainly focused on refining pills and medicine. At present, only its Sect Master was at the Nascent Soul stage. Even this Great Elder was only at late Golden Core.

The single-spiritual-root youth was named Zhou Baihui. He was the Third Prince of the mortal world. Before coming, he had already learned about the three great sects, and he had made up his mind long ago.

Naturally, his first choice was read the original at bailiantales.com Tianjian Sect, the number one sect. He did not want to listen to his imperial father.

The people of Yudao Sect panicked inwardly and could not help looking toward their eldest senior brother. Their master had said they absolutely had to recruit a few inner disciples back this time. Now, there was only one person whose aptitude was enough to enter the inner sect, yet he had chosen Tianjian Sect. When they returned, they would probably all be punished.

Lu Qianlu, however, was not anxious. He glanced in Zhai Wangyou’s direction.

Fairy Wangyou, you forced me to do this. It seems I have no choice but to use the final move.

“Wait.”

Just as Zhou Baihui was about to walk under Tianjian Sect’s banner, Lu Qianlu spoke.

The Great Elder of Medicine Sect at the side swallowed and took back the words that had nearly reached his lips. Since someone had made the first move, he would sit back and watch the tigers fight for now.

Lu Qianlu gripped his phoenix-beaked blade and walked straight to the front of Tianjian Sect, stopping there.

Zhai Wangyou’s brows and eyes remained indifferent, as though she had not seen him. “Welcome the new disciple into the sect.”

When Zhou Baihui heard this, he subconsciously lifted his foot to move forward.

The long-handled phoenix-beaked blade blocked horizontally in front of him, cutting off his path.

Only then did Zhai Wangyou look toward Lu Qianlu. “Senior Brother of Yudao Sect, what guidance do you have?”

Following that question, the disciples of Yudao Sect instantly [stolen content]changed direction. From standing side by side, they shifted into confrontation, spreading into formation against Tianjian Sect.

Seeing this, the Deacon Hall disciples also lined up and quickly stepped forward with Elder Qingliu.

Elder Qingliu walked between Tianjian Sect and Yudao Sect and said loudly, “New disciples choosing their own sect is a rule jointly established by the three great sects and the Deacon Hall. If the rule is abolished, the cultivation world will fall into chaos. Can Yudao Sect bear this responsibility?”

He looked at the disciples of Yudao Sect and directly made his stance clear.

Unexpectedly, Lu Qianlu did not retreat. Instead, he advanced and even took out a small bell. “Elder Qingliu, do not be anxious. Our Yudao Sect naturally would not break the rules. This Demon-Seeking Bell of mine is an ancient spiritual artifact. It reacts when it encounters demonic aura.

“Just now, it showed movement, and the direction pointed straight at Tianjian Sect. Cultivators have always taken it as their duty to eliminate demons and defend the Dao. How can we allow evil beings to cause trouble? Yudao Sect has stepped forward because it is our duty.”

The field fell silent.

Elder Qingliu looked at the buzzing Demon-Seeking Bell, and his stance wavered slightly. He looked toward Tianjian Sect. Aside from Zhai Wangyou and Guanlan standing in front, one at early Golden Core and one at late Foundation Establishment, the ten disciples behind them were all at late Qi Refining. They did not seem unusual.

Could there really be an evil being hiding among them? But why had he not sensed any demonic aura?

At this moment, Medicine Sect’s Great Elder also stepped forward and said to Elder Qingliu, “Fellow Daoist Qingliu, why not let the young friend from Yudao Sect investigate? It will give everyone peace of mind. Tianjian Sect presumably has a clear conscience and will not refuse.”

Tianjian Sect had always stood above the others. Now that they had lost one elder, if they also lost Zhai Wangyou, this exceptionally talented Golden Core disciple…

Elder Qingliu hesitantly looked toward Zhai Wangyou. Before Zhai Wangyou could speak, Guanlan beside her could not hold back and said, “Eldest Senior Sister, they are only bullying us because we brought few people this time. They are deliberately looking for trouble. You must not agree.”

The outer disciples behind them all nodded and echoed her.

“Eldest Senior Sister, don’t agree.”

“Why should they investigate us?”

“That bell must have been tampered with.”

Zhai Wangyou looked at the buzzing bell, then looked at Lu Qianlu’s confident expression. A thoughtful look appeared in her eyes.

After a moment of silence, she nodded, clearly agreeing.

“Eldest Senior Sister… There is no need to fear Yudao Sect.” Guanlan and the other disciples did not understand.

Zhai Wangyou shook her head, signaling for them to be quiet.

Seeing this, Lu Qianlu gave a light shout toward the bell in the air. “Go.”

The Demon-Seeking Bell circled above the Tianjian Sect disciples once, then flew straight to Zhai Wangyou and hovered unmoving directly in front of her.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

“I heard that not long ago, Fairy Wangyou’s cultivation was completely destroyed and her Golden Core shattered. I wonder how you managed to recover overnight. Could it be that you used some forbidden technique? For example, eating the demon core of a Golden Core-stage demon, or perhaps being possessed by some evil spirit?”

Lu Qianlu slowly raised his phoenix-beaked blade, the tip pointing toward Zhai Wangyou. Both openly and secretly, his words were implying that there was something wrong with her.

“Impossible. Eldest Senior Sister is not an evil being. Your bell must be inaccurate.” Guanlan was so angry that she blocked herself in front of Zhai Wangyou.

Unexpectedly, the bell moved, bypassed her, and once again flew in front of Zhai Wangyou.

The air went silent again.

Lu Qianlu looked at everyone. “This Demon-Seeking Bell was bestowed by our Sect Master and has been passed down through generations of Yudao Sect’s eldest disciples. It absolutely cannot be wrong. Fairy Wangyou, give us a reasonable explanation.”

Author’s Note:

Mini Theater~~

Eldest Senior Sister: I heard someone is hoping I get injured?

Dream-Entering Grass: It wasn’t me. I’m reporting them—it was the readers in the comments section…