Chapter 35 - 33 Choosing a Sect
The sky grew dark.
The setting sun gilded the surface of Mt. Wendao in a layer of gold. The soft evening breeze couldn’t budge the creeping dusk clouds. To the west, the final rays of sunset poured through the gaps in the clouds, beams of light distinct and clear.
Han Ye stood on the stone steps, gazing at the peak so close at hand, feeling the evening wind on his face, and the sight of a hundred thousand mountains under twilight unfolded before him.
He didn’t know if it was the blessing that came from “Dao Heart Like a Rock” or the transformation of his mindset after climbing the mountain.
At this moment, his state of mind had completely changed.
There were no longer any signs of fatigue, confusion, or fears of ascending a thousand-mile deep mountain in his eyes. There was only an indomitable spirit, a determination to reach the peak.
After he reaches the peak, he could become an official disciple of the Dragon Sparrow Sect!
By the time, he could leverage his ability of “Accumulation”, the resources of cultivation from the Dragon Sparrow Sect, his strength would inevitably take another leap forward.
In the world of cultivating immortals, strength means everything.
Difficult days would pass, and the future would surely be better.
Despite his utterly worn body, his eyes were filled with resolve.
“Tick-tock.”
Chu Xianyu’s pace was faster, reaching the top first, and he followed closely, standing side by side with her.
“Dao Heart Like a Rock (100/500): The Dao Heart is unshakeable, indestructible, and the Heart Demon finds it extremely difficult to corrode your mind, weakening the effects of hallucinations and illusion techniques.” After a while, Han Ye had successfully progressed one-fifth of the way on the Dao Heart Like a Rock.
At the entrance of the pavilion, Yun Xuzi was examining the climbers who reached the peak.
First to arrive.
It was a woman in a white dress and douli hat, light as cloud with an aura of an immortal.
He immediately recognized her as Chu Xianyu, the heiress of the Chu family. The other was a young man soaked in sweat, looking weary and unsteady. Although the young man was in a state of disarray, there was an unparalleled determination and depth in his eyes.
“Which one do you think resembles?”
Yun Xuzi asked Jiang Taixu.
“The first one to reach the peak is Chu Xianyu, and the second is this lad.” Jiang Taixu pondered for a moment and shook his head, “It’s hard to tell. It could be Chu Xianyu with her Kui water life destiny, or this young man with the Tyrant King Bloodline. It’s also possible that the person destined to survive the calamity hasn’t reached the peak yet.”
Yun Xuzi appeared calm and smiled, “Anyway, being able to pass the test within one day proves that both of them possess superior Dao Heart. This batch of disciples is good.”
No matter if they are the ones who are destined to survive the calamity, he was relieved to see someone reaching the peak.
It’s not easy to climb Mt. Wendao within one day. Most people need a few more days.
That’s the reason why this challenge has no time limit.
“They are coming, Sect Master.”
“Don’t reveal any information, even to the person itself who are destined to survive the calamity.”
“So here we are at the top of the mountain? From here we can take in the entire scenery of the Dragon Sparrow Sect.”
Han Ye was feeling the gust bellowing at the top of the mountain, a sense of refreshment washing over him.
Chu Xianyu, on the other hand, had turned her gaze toward the pavilion not far off. She saw someone slowly flying toward them.
“Congratulations to you both for being the first to reach the peak and become disciples of our Dragon Sparrow Sect.”
The clouds dispersed around them, and an old man dressed in a purple-cloud cloak with white hair, a black crown atop his head, and a dignified aura, his presence being profound and unbounded, arrived before them on top of colorful auspicious clouds.
He waved his hand, and the surroundings were filled with Spiritual Qi. Streams of this Qi poured into Han Ye’s body.
The feeling of fatigue from the climb disappeared as if by magic!
“Is this the power of Divine Skill?”
Han Ye was stunned.
In all the time he had been in this world, this was the first time he had ever seen a cultivator who could literally command the clouds and the mist.
Before he could react, the elderly man had already landed in front of him.
For some reason, the moment he saw the elderly man, the image of Taishang Laojun flashed through his mind.
“Are you two immortals?”
Han Ye greeted respectfully with a bow.
On hearing Han Ye’s words, Yun Xuzi couldn’t help but smile, saying, “Hahaha, becoming immortal requires one to pass the Immortal Tribulation. Although I’m an old man, it’s not yet time for me to ascend.”
Han Ye naturally knew the two of them couldn’t be real immortals, but it was customary to flatter each other when meeting for the first time, just to familiarize themselves.
“May I ask who both elders are…”
At this point, Jiang Taixu said, “He is the Sect Master of the Dragon Sparrow Sect, Yun Xu, known to all as Yun Xuzi.”
The Sect Master of the Dragon Sparrow Sect!
A jolt went through Han Ye’s mind.
He encountered the Sect Master right after joining the sect?
What a coincidence!
“I didn’t expect to meet the Sect Master just after joining the sect. A pleasure to meet you!”
Han Ye bowed in a very polite manner.
However, as he was halfway through his bend, he was propped up by an invisible force, immediately straightening him up again.
Yun Xuzi merely smiled, “There’s no need for such formalities. We in the Dragon Sparrow Sect do not engage in such practices. Save the grand gestures for your future master.”
“My future master?”
Upon hearing this, Han Ye was slightly stunned.
Is he suggesting that he should go and find a master?
Jiang Taixu saw his confusion and patiently explained:
“After passing the Sect Admission Test, you can choose your respective Masters, and pick the field that suits you best for cultivation.”
“Our Dragon Sparrow Sect has ten main peaks, encompassing a wide range of cultivation disciplines, such as Alchemy, Artifact Nurturing, Puppet Refining, Beast Taming, Talisman Inscription, Plant Cultivation and so forth. For each discipline, there are elders in the sect who can teach you. Once you choose an elder, or if an elder takes a liking to you, they’ll become your master.”
Upon hearing this, Han Ye came to a sudden realization.
“I see.”
The ten main peaks of the Dragon Sparrow Sect each correspond to their respective masters, which in turn represent the path he would walk in the future.
If he were to truly choose a master, what should he go for?
Alchemy?
Talisman Inscription?
Or Puppet Refining.
He figured Puppet Refining should have something to do with puppetry.
He concluded, regardless of what he chose, none were weak choices as long as it suited him.
“I have heard that the Ziwei Peak of the Dragon Sparrow Sect is well-known for its swordsmanship, so I am here to learn.”
At this moment, Chu Xianyu, who had been quietly observing the conversation, finally spoke up.
Her voice was cold and soft, yet charming.
Yun Xuzi’s old eyes squinted in a smile as he looked at Chu Xianyu, “Chu, as a descendant of the Chu Family, a famous cultivator family of Fuyao State known for producing great sword cultivators, why would you come here to learn swordsmanship at our Dragon Sparrow Sect?”
Han Ye’s attention was also drawn towards her.
He was curious about this question too.
Chu Xianyu’s face was hidden under the white veil of her douli hat, so they couldn’t see her expression, only noting a darkness in her voice as she replied, “On this journey, my father had no knowledge of it. So coming to Dragon Sparrow Sect, I represent myself rather than the Chu Family.”
“Oh?”
Yun Xuzi was slightly surprised at first but soon broke into a hearty laugh, “Well, well, well, our Dragon Sparrow Sect welcomes you, Chu. Wanting to learn the Purple Phoenix Startling Swan Sword Qi from the Ziwei Peak is not an issue. I believe it will be a piece of cake for you due to your comprehension abilities.”
Han Ye was taken aback by this, too.
So, Chu Xianyu had run away alone from home.
No wonder she had been alone during their journey.
Had she had a fallout with her family?
At this moment, Jiang Taixu, dressed in a linen robe, took a step forward, put away the Heavenly Mystery Compass behind him, and slowly said, “The Dragon Sparrow Sect has been known as Python and Sparrow Swallow the Dragon, a spot ideal for Dragon Emergence, for a thousand years. Joining the Dragon Sparrow Sect is definitely a wise choice, rest assured.”
In the pitch-black night, Yun Xuzi looked at the pitch-dark stairway, hope shining in his eyes, “I hope that tonight, more people will make it to the top.”