At the foot of Azure Sword Mountain, the Azure Sword Sect had erected many tall buildings, forming a protective layer around the mountain — except on the northern side, which bordered the vast wilderness.
Right now, atop one such towering building that overlooked the examination grounds, two figures stood silently observing the examination below.
The wind at this height was fierce, whipping their robes and hair, yet they remained as still as statues, their gazes fixed on the scene unfolding beneath them.
Even with Lucian’s current heightened senses, he couldn’t see them from this distance.
The man standing slightly in front wore an azure robe of the silk. Near his chest, a red sword symbol indicated his indentity as a Core Disciple within the Azure Sword Sect. His long golden hair flowed behind him like a river of sunlight, occasionally catching the sun’s rays and shimmering in the wind.
Behind him, standing respectfully, was a young man clad in the robes of an Inner Sect disciple of the Azure Sword Sect. His posture was perfect, hands clasped behind his back, and his eyes focused on the scene below.
“Is that white-haired guy supposed to be my nephew?” The golden haired man, who looked to be in his early 40s, said in a neutral voice.
The young man, Xander, said respectfully, “Yes, senior brother, Marcus. And I’ve checked it earlier, he has already reached Blood Purification. The person I’ve sent to kill him also died. It seems his physique is indeed quite powerful to make him stronger than those in the same stage.”
The golden-haired man’s eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of interest passing through them, “Blood Purification at such speed? Interesting. But how did he do that?”
In the mortal realm, Spiritual Energy was as scarce as rain in a desert. The very concept of Spirit Fruits or low-level Spiritual Beasts existing in such a barren environment was laughable. Even the weakest of spirit herbs would wither and die in a place so devoid of the fundamental essence that allowed any being to cultivate.
And he didn’t even consider the possibility of his brother helping him because there were barely enough spirit stones for himself, let alone for others. The idea of familiar bonds did not exist in this dog-eat-dog world.
Xander replied calmly, “He must’ve used those Spirit Stones he had gotten from those Crimson Sky sect bastards.”
The golden-haired man’s eyes widened, a flash of anger crossing his face.
In an instant, he spun around, his hand moving faster than Xander’s eyes could follow.
PAAHH!!! Find adventures at empire
A resounding slap echoed through the air as his palm connected with Xander’s cheek, leaving a vivid red handprint.
The force of the slap was so great that it sent Xander stumbling back several steps, his body teetering on the edge of the towering building. The wind howled around them, as if nature itself was recoiling from the sudden slap.
“YOU FUCKING IDIOT!” the golden-haired man roared, his voice seemed to be carrying the weight of thunder, “Didn’t you just say his physique was ‘quite good’? Absorbing Spiritual Energy as a mortal, and you call this merely ‘quite good’?”
Xander, still reeling from the blow, struggled to regain his composure.
“B-but the sect has such disciples with strong physique! So… so I didn’t think…” Xander stammered, his voice trembling as he tried to explain himself.
“Hah! If I had this kind of mentality, I would’ve been dead long ago,” the golden-haired man spat, his eyes blazing with fury.
“Why would you give someone the chance to grow when you can just kill them–” He was about to reprimand him more when all of a sudden he felt something and his body spanned completely, and saw a incredible pillar of crimson fire that spurted into the sky, widening his eyes, “WHAT THE FUCK!!”
The golden-haired man’s eyes widened in disbelief, his pupils constricting as they reflected the dancing flames.
Xander’s jaw dropped as he witnessed the pillar of crimson fire erupting from the examination grounds below. For a moment, he even forgot the pain.
“His Element affinity is even stronger than mine! Not only does he possess such a strong physique, but his fire affinity is also incredible. No… I must kill him personally before he becomes a Qi Gathering Cultivator!” The golden haired man said, frowning.
Xander was now sweating behind him, realising his grave mistake.
***
“Send that white-haired young man to my pavilion.”
Elder Feng’s old eyes widened in surprise and a hint of disdain that he quickly hid as he replied “politely” using his Qi Sense, “But Vice-sect Master, the recruitment process is still going on–”
“I’ll personally judge that for myself,” the old feminine voice interrupted, its tone leaving no room for argument, “Send him. Now.”
Elder Feng’s weathered face twitched almost imperceptibly. He knew better than to disobey a direct order from the Vice-sect Master.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself before addressing the crowd of young men and women before him.
“It seems the Heavens have other plans for one among you,” he announced, his voice carrying a mix of resignation and curiosity.
“This white-haired young man, step forward.” He said, pointing to Lucian who was standing in the middle of the crowd.
Lucian, surprised at being suddenly called out, hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, the eyes of the others candidates seeming to piercing into his back.
Elder Feng said, “You are to report to the Jade Lotus Pavilion.”
The Jade Lotus Pavilion? He had never heard of such a place, and the sudden summons in the middle of the sect’s recruitment process made him bewildered.
He had no connections to any influential members of the sect, except for his so-called uncle. However, he doubted that his uncle’s status as a core disciple was enough for him to be suddenly summoned in the middle of the sect’s requirement process.
As he stood in front of Elder Feng, the old man didn’t explain anything, just waved his hand after saying, “You all stay here, I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Don’t open your eyes, otherwise with your pitiful Cultivation, you’ll be blind,” Elder Feng’s authorative voice resonated in Lucian’s mind.
Lucian didn’t dare to try anything funny, and after closing his eyes, he soon felt his body being enveloped by a cocoon of Spiritual Energy, lifting him effortlessly into the air!
He felt his body become as light as a feather, the sensation of solid ground beneath his feet vanishing in an instant.
Whoosh~!!
The wind whistled past his ears. Though his eyes were completely closed, he could “sense” the rapid changes in his surroundings — the air growing thinner, the temperature slowly dropping, and the Spiritual Energy becoming denser by the moment.
As they ascended the Azure Sword Mountain, Lucian soon felt solid ground under his feet once more.
Elder Feng’s voice rang out, “You may open your eyes now.”
Lucian’s eyelids fluttered open, and he found himself in a world of mist and wonder. The clouds were so dense that he couldn’t see more than a few feet ahead, swirling around him like white silk.
Even breathing felt different here; each inhalation filled his lungs with air so rich in Spiritual Energy that it made his body tingle with vitality. He believed that if he re-cultivated here, he could reach Blood Purification in just 2 days.
The spiritual energy here was many times denser than at the foot of the mountain, seeming to shimmer in the air like heat waves on a summer day.
As his eyes fully adjusted, he was stunned to realize that the old man had already vanished at some point.
He wanted to ask the old man where he was right now and why he was here in the first place? But the elder vanished as soon as he left Lucian here.
“So now what?” He murmured to himself.
At this moment, the mist magically parted, revealing a stone door in front of him. The door had no decoration except a blooming lotus flower in the middle.
Slowly, it began to open…
A soft light spilled forth from the widening gap, bathing Lucian in its warm glow. The air that escaped from within carried the scent of lotus flowers and incense.
“Don’t just stand there. Come inside!”
Lucian suddenly heard a old female voice giggling gently in his mind, startling him, causing his heart to skip a beat.
The ethereal quality of the voice, sent a shiver down his spine.
For a moment, he hesitated. But in this realm of cultivation, where the only strong reigned supreme, he knew he had little choice here.
So he didn’t dare to refuse. What if the other party was short-tempered? Wasn’t that just asking to be killed?
With a deep breath to steady his tense nerves, Lucian slowly stepped forward, crossing the threshold into the unknown.
The moment he passed through the doorway, it closed behind him with a “thud”, sealing him within this mysterious cave.