Chapter 9: The World’s Number One Sword Cultivator – The Elder Is in Trouble

“Congratulations to all of you for successfully passing the entry test.”

As Lian Mu exited the illusion realm, all her injuries disappeared, but her clothes were still wet. She looked around and found herself in a spacious arena. The person who had ambushed her earlier was nowhere to be seen.

Those who passed were likely teleported to different locations.

That was it?

That was way too easy—she had only fought once.

Standing among the crowd, Lian Mu watched as the senior disciples on the platform verified the list. She felt an itch on her ear and reached up to touch it, only to find the little scorpion still there.

Lian Mu: “……”

Why couldn’t she shake it off?!

On the platform, Xu Wangxuan was observing the new disciples when the white-robed senior next to him handed him the roster.

When Xu Wangxuan opened it, the first name that stood out to him was two bold characters: Lian Mu.

His mouth twitched slightly. She had really snuck in again.

Looking into the crowd, he spotted Lian Mu staring down the scorpion. The scorpion had clamped onto her finger, and she flicked it away with two fingers, sending it flying, then looked rather pleased with herself.

She stood out completely among the other solemn and disciplined new disciples.

Xu Wangxuan: “……”

With mixed feelings, he placed a checkmark next to her name.

“Lian Mu, come get your jade tablet.”

Hearing her name, Lian Mu dashed up the platform in a few quick steps, grabbed the tablet engraved with her name, and prepared to leave.

Passing the entry test meant she could move directly into Ya Sui Peak. She didn’t even need to bring anything—Ya Sui Peak’s master would take care of everything.

“Qingzhu Courtyard, House Thirteen.” The white-robed senior, who clearly didn’t know Lian Mu, looked at Xu Wangxuan’s expression in confusion.

Lian Mu took the tablet and turned to leave, but Xu Wangxuan called her back. “Wait.”

Xu Wangxuan said, “Since you’ve made it in again, behave yourself and don’t cause trouble.”

Lian Mu looked sincere. “Don’t worry, Senior Brother! I will reform myself, turn over a new leaf, cultivate diligently, and become a model disciple of our sect!”

“…I hope you do.”

Xu Wangxuan only mentioned it in passing. After all, he had accepted over ten batches of new disciples by now. Just from Lian Mu’s spiritual roots, he knew she was destined to fail at the second threshold.

After collecting her things, Lian Mu slipped away. She couldn’t wait to see her new residence, completely forgetting that new disciples were supposed to swear an oath to the sect. She vanished in the blink of an eye.

Or rather, she had no idea about the oath in the first place.

The white-robed senior, who hadn’t had time to call her back: “……”

Xu Wangxuan continued counting the disciples. The remaining ones were unfamiliar to him. They quietly accepted their jade tablets and stood obediently, waiting for his next instructions.

The 499 successful candidates from the illusion realm were all sent to Xu Wangxuan’s location, while those who had slain the Flame Beast were sent directly to a higher level to choose their masters.

After handing out the last jade tablet, Xu Wangxuan frowned. He flipped through the roster again, deepening his frown.

“What’s wrong?”

Xu Wangxuan asked, “Did we miss someone?”

The white-robed senior took the roster and confirmed, “No one is missing. There are 499 here, and one is at the main peak.”

“What about the Bai Li twins?” Xu Wangxuan asked. “The Bai Li family registered two children this year. The one who slew the Flame Beast must be one of them. But I don’t see the other one’s name.”

The white-robed senior flipped through the detailed roster and said, “The one who killed the Flame Beast is the Bai Li family’s eldest son. The other one… might have been eliminated.”

Xu Wangxuan fell silent for a moment and then said, “So among this year’s disciples, someone was strong enough to defeat a Bai Li family child.”

They couldn’t see what happened inside the illusion realm, but it was unlikely that the Bai Li twins had attacked each other. That meant there was a hidden powerhouse among the new disciples.

During the jade tablet distribution, all the new disciples had looked serious and respectful, so he hadn’t paid much attention.

But true strength couldn’t be hidden. Sooner or later, he would find out who it was.

Xu Wangxuan put away the roster and said, “Take them to the Spirit Tower.”

—

Qingzhu Courtyard, House Thirteen was in a very remote location, with only a few houses spread out over several miles. Lian Mu’s house was in the farthest corner, backed by a bamboo forest.

Gui Xian Sect was located in Xuanwu North, one of the four great regions, where the climate was perpetually cold. New disciples hadn’t reached the level where they could ignore the weather yet. A bamboo house couldn’t block out the wind and snow, but the bamboo forest behind hers could.

Lian Mu tossed Green Bean into the house and planned to head to Ya Sui Peak for a meal first. Now that she was part of a major sect, food and lodging were covered—no more worrying about making a living. Life suddenly felt much easier.

The illusion realm had been exhausting—digging, climbing, fighting. Since Gui Xian Sect didn’t offer any compensation, she had to eat enough to make up for it at the dining hall.

But just as she stepped toward Ya Sui Peak’s dining hall, someone blocked her path.

It was the white-robed senior who had recorded names earlier.

“Where are you going?”

Lian Mu hesitated. “To eat. Why?”

“New disciples must swear their oath at the Spirit Tower. This is your second time entering the sect—don’t you know that?”

Lian Mu: “I forgot… Can I eat first? I’m a little hungry.”

White-robed senior: “You must take the oath first.”

Since he insisted, Lian Mu had no choice but to follow him.

The Spirit Tower wasn’t far; it was on the same mountain where they had registered.

Under a clear night sky, the towering Spirit Tower stood at the peak. The Star Ring Device floated above it, shimmering in the starlight. The new disciples stood before the Oath Stone, solemnly swearing their dedication to the peace of the world.

“Now, write down your original aspiration for joining Gui Xian Sect on the Oath Stone. It will remember your starting intention until the day you die,” Xu Wangxuan announced. “Whether or not you remain in Gui Xian Sect, I hope you never forget it.”

The white-robed senior watched as each new disciple wrote their vow. When it was Lian Mu’s turn, he glanced at her curiously.

Lian Mu held the cinnabar brush and thought for a moment. Nothing came to mind.

Cultivation? She had spent a whole lifetime cultivating before. Her current body wasn’t as good, but she could figure it out.

After a long pause, Lian Mu seriously wrote down one phrase:

“Devour everything in the Gui Xian Sect’s dining hall!”

The white-robed senior: “……”

He finally understood Xu Wangxuan’s subtle expression. This person did not look like she was here to become an apprentice and cultivate. She seemed more like someone passing by to join in the excitement and get a free meal.

And what was that about being a “model disciple”? It would already be good enough if she wasn’t just freeloading her way through life!

After a while, she started writing again. This time, she wrote: “Become the number one sword cultivator in the world!”

The white-robed senior brother: “…”

Even more unrealistic than the last one. The first one was at least slightly better.

Since she was just a child, he did not want to discourage her too harshly. Instead, he simply took away her cinnabar brush and handed it to the next person.

Lian Mu did not leave immediately. Instead, she paused for a moment and quietly asked the white-robed senior brother, “Senior brother, does the dining hall have any dishes that are both rich in spiritual energy and delicious?”

Her frail body needed to replenish itself with something filled with spiritual energy.

The white-robed senior brother replied expressionlessly, “I don’t know.”

He had never encountered a new disciple like this before. She did not seem like someone who was serious about cultivation. Instead, she gave off the impression of someone who was here just to stir up trouble.

He had a feeling that the elders in charge of this batch of disciples were in for a tough time.