“Young Lord Wen arrived on time. This one is Lu Yao, and this is my senior-apprentice brother Zuo Qi.”

Lu Yao wore a dark green brocade robe embroidered with bamboo patterns in gold thread, exquisite in detail. He had a pair of grape-like eyes, large and spirited, and his jade crown restrained his hair with graceful elegance.

As the son of the head of Shangqing Immortal Sect, his status was naturally extremely noble. The sword he carried, " Bright Moon," was also a rare treasure in the world.

Gentle breeze and Bright Moon.

Interdependent, with shared breath and connected branches.

They were a pair of brother swords that were originally one in ancient times, later separated into two, experiencing numerous changes over time. Until today, Bright Moon was the first to be born, obtained by the head of Shangqing Immortal Sect, and personally given to his beloved son.

Later, while on an adventure, Hua Che accidentally found Gentle breeze when saving someone who fell into a cold pool.

This sword had a spirit, and it was imbued with the aura of the "ancient," naturally unparalleled in its might. Though unspoken, many coveted it, leading to bloodshed and chaos. Some even succeeded in seizing Gentle breeze, but couldn't draw the sword from its sheath.

The treasured sword recognized its master; even if thrown into the flames, it would refuse anyone other than Hua Che.

It was useless to snatch it; this storm had finally settled.

Hua Che sneered.

The swords were brothers of the same origin, and the original wielder of the sword should have been respectful and loving as brothers, but alas...

Lu Yao's respect and affection for him ultimately lost to jealousy and weakness.

"It's really different this year with the disciples coming to Lingxiao Palace." Lu Yao roughly swept over everyone; he hadn't seen Chu Binghuan before. Chu Binghuan's reclusive and unsocial nature made him rarely leave home, even for a grand event like this, so his face was unfamiliar.

In contrast, Mu Rongsa was different. His motto was high-profile, going wherever there was excitement, always eager to stand out, and naturally, Lu Yao recognized him at a glance.

The young master from the Feng Ming Valley came to Lingxiao Palace?

Lu Yao felt a bit incredulous, but it wasn't convenient to ask face to face in this atmosphere. Moreover, the selection of disciples in the immortal sects had to be absolutely fair and just, and your background wouldn't grant you special treatment. Even if he was the young master of the Feng Ming Valley, he had to be assessed like other ordinary people, proving his skills.

Suddenly, Lu Yao was stunned.

Behind Mu Rongsa stood a slender youth dressed in a dark red high-collared robe. His silver-white hair was tied with a silver hairband, and his face was calm, with clear and bright phoenix eyes and a smile carrying profound meaning on his lips.

Lu Yao dared not confirm, "Are you, by any chance, Hua..."

"The time is not early, Master Wen," Chu Binghuan suddenly interrupted, and the one who was immersed in admiring the disciples of Shangqing Immortal Sect came back to his senses. He quickly responded, "The young masters only need to stay here for three days. When the time comes, we will return. Please rest assured; during these three days, both I and the young master of Shangqing Immortal Sect will be by your side. Seek help in case of danger, and do not act recklessly."

After all, it was a test for new disciples. Even with the presence of the eldest senior brother, as long as it didn't endanger lives, they wouldn't interfere.

Shangqing Immortal Sect had many rules, and the relationships among disciples were tense due to a rule that seems foolish to Hua Che—unlike other sects where the seniority was determined by the order of apprenticeship, in Shangqing, the seniority was based on the cultivator's own cultivation level.

So, after joining Shangqing, despite Lu Yao being called his senior brother for half a month, Hua Che gloriously broke this rule, becoming Lu Yao's senior brother, and never once playing the role of a junior since then.

One step at a time, surpassing one after another, he became the undisputed eldest senior brother of Shangqing Immortal Sect, leaving a hundred, a thousand, and a solitary figure in the dust.

With such rules and regulations, the seeds of competition were planted from the first day of entry. Changing from "senior brother" to "junior brother" was considered humiliation. In such a sect, where is the camaraderie among fellow disciples? Where is the brotherhood and mutual assistance?

Following the team, Hua Che glanced at Lu Yao from a distance.

Lu Yao, despite being the son of the sect master, had mediocre aptitude. He was repeatedly surpassed since the beginning of his cultivation, and his father was overly harsh, using a form of discipline that involved publicly berating him and even hitting him in front of other disciples to toughen him up. It ground away at his self-esteem, and no wonder he became more and more timid, indecisive, and incapable of handling responsibilities.

This time, it was said to be personal guidance, but it was actually for Zuo Qi to bring Lu Yao for some experience.

"You, young master."

His thoughts interrupted, Hua Che was taken aback and turned to look at the bean sprout beside him.

"I'm Lin Yan." Nervously rubbing his hands, Lin Yan's cheeks blushed slightly. "Thank, thank you."

Lin Yan was referring to the stories Hua Che had read aloud. Hua Che smiled knowingly, raised his hand, and patted Lin Yan on the shoulder. "No need to be polite. In the future, we'll be fellow disciples, and we should help each other."

"Hehe! Does this brother have such confidence in his selection?" The one speaking was the swordsman who people called Da Hu (NT: Big Tiger).

After saying this, Da Hu sneered disdainfully. "Yes, I just saw Senior Brother Lu from Shangqing seem to have something to tell you. Do you two know each other? That's right. With your extraordinary background and acquaintance with Senior Brother Lu, entering Shangqing Immortal Sect should be an effortless task, let alone Lingxiao Palacel!"

After saying this, he deliberately glanced at Wen Yuan.

Could this humiliation towards the sect be tolerated?

Unexpectedly, Wen Yuan didn't even blink, but instead, he smiled and expressed his agreement, "This young master is right. Lingxiao Palace is too declining. Not to mention you, even I find it shabby!"

Da Hu: "..."

As disciples of Lingxiao Palace, a sect that was only qualified to follow behind major immortal sects and compete for the last place in every grand event, its disciples were long accustomed to these sarcastic remarks!

Hua Che was a bit amused and helpless.

It was night, and everyone lit a bonfire and sat around it. Those who came to apprentice were not all cultivators; some were born in immortal sects, similar to Mu Rongsa and Chu Binghuan, with a privileged background from a young age. They had cultivation and spiritual treasures. There were also ordinary people like Lin Yan, born in a farming family, wielding an axe for self-defense.

Those with cultivation were not tired, but ordinary folks were exhausted after a day's journey. At this moment, they were scattered around, sleeping.

Mu Rongsa approached Lin Yan and said, "Why haven't you gone to sleep yet? Look at you, small and thin, but your stamina is good."

Suddenly being addressed, Lin Yan was somewhat nervous. After a pause, he said, "This distance isn't much. I used to work hard on the farm back home, much more exhausting than this."

"I'm Mu Rongsa. Since I find you quite pleasing, let's be friends."

Lin Yan hurriedly stood up and respectfully greeted him, "Master Murong."

Mu Rongsa chuckled, "No need for the title 'master.' My surname is Mu ."

Lin Yan was confused, "Ah?"

Hua Che intervened, "His surname is Mu , his given name is Rongsa, and his courtesy name is Zhaoyao."

Lin Yan's face turned red instantly. He even got the surname wrong; he felt incredibly impolite.

Mu Rongsa looked amused, "Hua Xiong (NT: brother Hua), you even know my courtesy name?"

Hua Che smiled, "Young Master Mu Rong of Fengming Valley, who in the world doesn't know?"

Mu Rongsa greatly enjoyed this compliment, "Indeed, my brother Hua is well-versed!"

Hua Che couldn't help but tease, "Did your father not consider the implications of using the name 'Mu Rong'? Wouldn't it cause misunderstandings?" (NT: Murong is a common surname)

Mu Rongsa shrugged, "How would I know? You should ask him."

Hua Che closed his eyes and sat for a while, feeling someone approaching. When he opened his eyes, he saw Chu Binghuan.

Chu Binghuan didn't speak but handed him a water bag.

Hua Che hesitated for a moment but accepted it, saying, "Thank you."

"I am surnamed Chu, given name Binghuan, courtesy name Tianyu."

Hua Che was taken aback. Why was he mentioning this?

Chu Binghuan said matter-of-factly, "You should remember the name of your fiancé."

"Huh?" Hua Che was dumbfounded.

Chu Binghuan turned and left.

Knowing Mu Rongsa's courtesy name, how could he not know his own?

Humph!

With Zhuang Tian's warning in mind, no one dared to really sleep, and besides, demonstrating prowess could leave a good impression on Wen Yuan, increasing the chances of passing the assessment.

While Hua Che was closing his eyes to rest, many people were quietly trying to please Lu Yao. After dealing with them, Lu Yao walked up to Hua Che.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're Hua Qingkong, right?"

Hua Che opened his eyes, and a figure covered in blood entered his sight. He resembled a frenzied, manic person, wielding his sword Bright Moon. Behind him were thousands of corpses, and the bloody scene mixed with his hoarse shouts, "Hua Qingkong! If you don't kill me today, I'll make you suffer a thousand cuts and turn your bones to ashes in the future!"

The memories of the youth in the vision merged and abruptly separated again. Hua Che blinked, feeling somewhat dazed, and responded in a stunned manner, "Yes."

"Indeed, it's you!" Lu Yao was pleasantly surprised. "We met in Hangzhou. Don't you remember me? I got lost in Hangzhou that year, abducted by two human traffickers. Thanks to you, I was saved and returned to my family."

"No way!" Hua Che put on a puzzled expression. "I don't remember. Is Master Lu mistaking someone else for me?"

"Definitely not. I'm sure," Lu Yao remained calm and smiled. "You do good deeds without expecting anything in return. Although you may not recall, I'll forever remember. If you ever need assistance in the future, just give the word, and I'll wholeheartedly help."

Before Hua Che could respond, a distant scream suddenly echoed!

Everyone woke up, only to see a bat the size of a basin flying towards them. With its claws, it grabbed a person's shoulder and lifted them into the air.

Lin Yan turned pale with fright, and Mu Rongsa swiftly stood up, exclaiming, "It's a Soul-Capturing Bat!"

Bats were increasing in number, densely filling the sky, numbering at least a dozen or more.

Hua Che's mouth twitched. "Playing big, huh..."

The Soul-Capturing Bat was considered a relatively low-level demon beast, afraid of fire. Casting a Fire Enchantment would be enough for self-defense.

However, the inexperienced newcomers in the cultivation world panicked on the spot. Cries of 'Oh my father' and 'Oh my mother' filled the air. Hua Che moved to the side, pulled the confused Lin Yan over, and said, "Stand by the fire pit."

The numerous bats opened their mouths, their sharp teeth aimed at people's necks. Instead of feeding on blood, they specialized in extracting souls.

After settling Lin Yan, Hua Che turned around and shouted into the chaotic crowd, "Little Ice Cube!" (NT: Bing 冰 from Binghuan means ice)

Chu Binghuan, who had maintained composure throughout, was on the verge of tears upon hearing this exclamation.

"You, oh you! You keep your expression so serious every day, and you're not much of a talker either. If you don't crack a smile, it's a shame for that handsome face of yours! Binghuan, Binghuan, hehe, aren't you just a Little Ice Cube!"

"Little Ice Cube, give me a smile!"

 

Translator : DarNan