Chapter 5: Come Here and Beg Me on Your Knees!
Three days later.
In the depths of the forest, within the tranquil emerald pond, a figure clad in sleek black attire suddenly appeared.
It was none other than Lu Changfeng.
Over the past three days, to evade the Lu family’s relentless pursuit, he had moved through three different locations.
At the same time, his wounds had fully healed.
“I need a place that is well-informed and relatively stable to cultivate,” he murmured quietly.
Lu Changfeng had severed ties with the Lu family.
Since Lu Tianyun had been gravely wounded by him, the Lu family patriarch would never easily give up the search.
During these three days in hiding, Lu Changfeng noticed that the number of Lu family emissaries searching for him was increasing.
On several occasions, a few cultivators had even passed right by the entrance to his hidden cave dwelling.
He needed to find a safe place to cultivate as soon as possible.
According to the memories of his original body, this area was known as the Tianyuan Domain, dominated by three great sects:
The Shengyuan Sect.
The Daoyan Sect.
The Ice Lotus Cult.
“This place should lie to the northwest of the Lu family. The Tianyuan Domain stretches for a million miles, and the closest to me is the Daoyan Sect,” Lu Changfeng said, lifting his gaze toward the distance, quietly reflecting.
“First, I must raise my cultivation level. I’m still too weak.”
The Dao Ancestor Divine Art was a rare and precious technique.
Given enough time and resources, Lu Changfeng’s cultivation could steadily improve.
As a lone cultivator, resources would be scarce, and it would be far too easy for the Lu family to track him down.
After much consideration, entering a sect was indeed the safest choice.
…
The next day.
Amid the endless verdant mountains, a mountain hung inverted in midair.
The vast range stretched beyond the eye’s reach.
Mist curled around the mid-mountain, and cranes cried aloud.
Surrounding the suspended mountain was a towering stone stele reaching to the heavens.
Carved upon it were nine unlit stars.
Thick iron chains tethered it to the inverted mountain.
This was the Daoyan Sect.
At the foot of the mountain, crowds came and went, many with eyes full of longing.
Today was the sect’s day of new recruit intake.
Those who came were seekers of the path of cultivation from nearby cities.
In the long queue, Lu Changfeng stood quietly in black robes, waiting.
The first step to entering the Daoyan Sect was to test one’s aptitude.
The test was performed by infusing a trace of spiritual energy into the heavenly stele surrounding the mountain.
The stele would then reveal one’s aptitude level.
—
On the square at the foot of the mountain, an elder robed in dark black addressed the gathered crowd:
“I am the Elder in charge of the main peak.”
“The path of cultivation lies beneath your feet!”
“If your Dao Yan Heavenly Stele displays a two-star conjunction, you may become a miscellaneous disciple!”
“A four-star conjunction grants entry as an outer disciple!”
“A six-star conjunction, an inner disciple!”
“…”
“What about nine stars? My aptitude must be the strongest!” a proud young man called out amid the murmurs below.
The elder in the dark robe glanced at the youth with a faint smile and said lightly:
“Since the founding of the Daoyan Sect, only one has ever achieved a nine-star conjunction.”
“That is our sect’s founding ancestor!”
“You…” the youth lowered his head, and the elder added coolly, “Don’t even think about it.”
As the testing began, the heavenly stele rarely illuminated.
Among dozens of candidates, perhaps one would display a two-star conjunction.
The elder on the main peak sighed softly and murmured:
“In recent years, the aptitude of disciples has grown increasingly poor.”
At that moment—
A hum resonated—
Before him, a radiant beam flickered from the heavenly stele, stretching a hundred feet.
Immediately, a six-star conjunction phenomenon appeared above the Daoyan Sect.
The surrounding spiritual energy seemed to be guided and stirred into motion.
The elder, who had just looked despondent, suddenly changed expression and smiled toward the young man below.
“Not bad, not bad!”
“You may enter the inner discipleship!”
At these words, the crowd erupted in astonished cheers.
“Six stars? Incredible, this youth’s aptitude is terrifying!”
“Such power! The first six-star aptitude today!”
“This child will surely become someone we look up to!”
Their eyes brimmed with envy.
Lu Changfeng’s expression remained unchanged.
The young man scowled, unleashing a surge of vigorous blood energy.
In an instant, the six-star conjunction radiance flared brightly once more.
In a blink, the seventh star on the stele lit up.
“Hiss… this youth has even tempered his body?”
“Most likely, the peak master will select him as a core disciple!”
To become an inner disciple was already the swiftest path for an ordinary cultivator.
If the peak master chose him, his future was boundless.
A core disciple was someone even the clan elders had to regard with respect.
“Ha ha ha!”
A loud roar echoed from atop the suspended mountain.
Then—
A broad-shouldered bald man with bronze skin appeared abruptly before the youth.
He studied the young man, nodding with satisfaction shining in his eyes.
“Not bad at all!”
“I am the peak master of the Body Tempering Peak. Will you train under me?”
The youth glanced around at the envious gazes surrounding him, his heart swelling with pride.
“Master!”
He knelt down crisply.
The bald man laughed heartily and patted the youth’s shoulder.
“Well done, well done!”
“Then come with me to the peak!”
With a grand wave of his hand, a cool breeze wrapped around them, gently lifting them toward the suspended mountain.
The youth looked back proudly at the crowd but suddenly caught sight of a figure dressed in black with an indifferent expression.
In an instant, his good mood vanished.
“You lot will never reach my heights in a lifetime!”
“There’s even one here who doesn’t flatter me?”
“Looks like I’ll have to teach him a lesson!”
The youth frowned and snapped coldly down below:
“I’m a seven-star conjunction! Why do you look at me like that?”
“Look down on me?”
Lu Changfeng remained indifferent, paying him no mind.
When the youth’s aptitude was revealed as six stars, Lu Changfeng had remained calm, as if none of it concerned him.
This only bred a trace of resentment in the youth’s heart.
He forced his blood energy to surge again, pushing the radiance higher.
Lu Changfeng still did not react.
This drew a flicker of anger from the youth.
“Master!” he whispered to the Body Tempering Peak master, “As a core disciple, may I bring my servant into the sect?”
The peak master was momentarily surprised but then replied softly:
“Of course!”
The youth smiled and turned to Lu Changfeng below arrogantly.
“Hey! Pretending to be so deep and mysterious!”
“Now that you’re kneeling before me, I can bring you straight into the Body Tempering Peak!”
“How about that?”
Upon hearing this, many in the crowd looked at Lu Changfeng with envy.
They knew their own aptitude and that they would never have the chance to enter the Daoyan Sect in their lifetime.
Hearing such an opportunity, they wished the youth’s target had been them instead.
They would have been grateful beyond words.
Lu Changfeng ignored the youth entirely and walked directly to the Daoyan Heavenly Stele.
The youth gritted his teeth and whispered:
“Fine, fine!”
“How dare he ignore me like this!”
“When you shatter your illusions, let’s see if you’ll come begging me on your knees!”