Lingyun Sect was a Golden Core-level force under Anshun Prefecture in the Tianyan Domain.
The highest-ranked cultivator in the sect had reached the fifth layer of the Golden Core realm.
This entire domain had been seized by human cultivators during the wars several hundred years ago. Because of that, the sects here didn't have much historical depth or legacy.
Standing on the flying boat, Cheng Qian looked at the towering mountains ahead. Clouds drifted through the mountain slopes like a flowing belt.
In just a few hundred years, this place had turned into a spiritual haven for cultivators. At least within Anshun Prefecture, few sects could compare.
The flying boat he was on came to a stop in front of the sect gate. Other vessels were also landing, one after another. All of them carried chosen seedlings of cultivation from various marketplaces or mortal kingdoms.
Mu Qingling waved to an outer disciple by the gate, signaling for him to come over.
"You take him to the outer sect and find him a place to stay. Don't assign him any tasks."
"Yes, Senior Sister."
"You go with him for now and get settled. If you need anything, just speak to the outer sect steward and tell him I said so. I have to take Luoshui to the entry ceremony now. You'll have a chance to meet again once everything settles down."
After making arrangements for Cheng Qian, she led Xu Luoshui and Yu Dazhi up toward the main peak.
"May I ask how this Fellow Daoist is related to Senior Sister Qingling?" the outer disciple asked politely.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist. I'm not closely acquainted with the Senior Sister."
"Ah, then you must be related to one of the sect's new geniuses?"
"Something like that," Cheng Qian replied casually.
The disciple nodded knowingly, as if he understood everything.
Next, Cheng Qian was assigned to a low mountain on the outer sect. It wasn't tall, but it was peaceful.
After thanking the disciple, he opened his arms wide and took a deep breath on the stone platform outside his cave dwelling.
"I've finally got my own cave dwelling. The air here smells sweet. The spiritual energy is even denser than it was in Lingyun Market."
This was the remnant of a top-grade tier-three spiritual vein. Compared to the lower-grade tier-two vein at Lingyun Market, this was noticeably better.
He found a chair inside the cave and sat down on the platform outside, gazing at the mountain range in the distance. Bird calls and beast roars echoed from time to time.
"This is what real cultivation is supposed to be."
******
Back on the main peak, many disciples preparing for the entry ceremony were whispering to each other.
"Did you hear? Two single spiritual root talents came out of Lingyun Market."
"Yeah, I heard. One of them's a descendant of Grandmaster Yu. The Yu family sure is powerful."
"Heh, I heard the other one isn't from the Yu family. She's just a kid from a spiritual rice farming family."
"Damn, talk about luck."
"This is going to be interesting. The Yu family worked really hard to convince Ancestor Haoyu to take in a disciple."
"Yeah right. Everyone knows what the Yu family's up to. Three generations trying to reach the sect leader position and always failing. Now they're trying to earn some legitimacy."
As they reached halfway up the main peak, everyone fell silent. If one of the Golden Core elders overheard, things could turn ugly. Especially Grandmaster Yu, who had just broken through.
Dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong.
Six bell chimes echoed through the air.
A deep voice rang out from the stairs in front of the great hall.
"The entry ceremony begins. Disciples, greet the Grandmasters."
In front of the hall was a massive square. At the moment, it was packed with people.
"We greet the Grandmasters!" they all shouted in unison, their voices shaking the air.
On the white jade platform at the entrance of the great hall, five figures appeared. They were the five Golden Core cultivators of Lingyun Sect.
"Let's begin," said the white haired man seated in the center.
The sect leader, who was hosting the ceremony, bowed to the man and turned to face the square.
"Welcome the new Immortal seedlings."
Drums and music burst into motion. The disciples in the field stepped aside to form a path and stood neatly on either side.
Outside the square, Xu Luoshui stood alone in the first row.
After arriving at the sect, she had been taken by Mu Qingling to undergo another spiritual root test. Her score was 120, an earth-grade metal spiritual root.
The second row had just one person too, Yu Dazhi.
The third row had seven people.
Behind them was a short gap, followed by a dense crowd.
A disciple motioned for Xu Luoshui to step forward.
The people gathered in the square craned their necks, looking toward the entrance. A figure with pitch-black skin appeared there.
Slowly, as Xu Luoshui walked fully into view, everyone watching the ceremony all showed puzzled expressions.
'What the hell is this?'
The Lingyun Sect's entry ritual was a little different from what Cheng Qian had imagined.
Ancestor Haoyu had once been an outer disciple of a major sect. He had failed to become one of the top ten core disciples and later joined the wars in the Tianyan Domain.
He eventually settled here and founded Lingyun Sect. But deep down, he still took pride in having come from a major sect. So many of the ceremonial practices here were copied from major sects.
New disciples first had to appear in front of the whole sect based on their talent, one by one. Then they would change into official robes and re-enter the square for the formal ceremony, where they would acknowledge their masters. Those not chosen would automatically join the outer sect.
The meaning of the entire process was to shed one's mortal identity and begin the path to immortality. That's why the elders and disciples were now so surprised.
Xu Luoshui, looking like a beggar, had shown up in the grand ceremony like this. It caught everyone off guard.
Still, those qualified to stand here weren't ones to judge based on appearance alone. Being placed in the front row, even ahead of the Yu family's prodigy, already proved how gifted she was.
When it came to raw talent, many present couldn't compare.
Cheng Qian had seen plenty of grand occasions before. His consciousness was controlling the clone, so technically he shouldn't feel any nervousness being stared at by hundreds of eyes.
However, that wasn't how Xu Luoshui was supposed to act.
So at this moment, she appeared timid and cautious. She walked carefully across the center of the square and stopped in front of the stairway leading up to the main hall.
She stood there, unsure of what to do next.
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, as if she'd been overwhelmed by the grandeur of the ceremony.
"Is this a refugee beggar? What was Qingling thinking?" A voice drifted from the platform in front of the main hall, spreading across the entire square.
Some of the inner disciples exchanged glances. They all understood the meaning behind that voice.
Here comes the drama.
The speaker was none other than the newly advanced Golden Core cultivator from the Yu family.
Even the regular disciples knew not to judge someone by appearance. Would a powerhouse like not know that?
He just wanted to stir trouble.
The square went completely silent. Xu Luoshui's eyes welled up even more, her tears nearly falling.
"Continue." A deep voice, calm and firm, rang out.
It was Ancestor Haoyu.
"Bestow the robes. Leave the mundane. Enter the immortal path."
From among the top ten inner disciples, the chief disciple Xiao Wenchuan stepped forward. In his hands was a set of the sect's standard robes.
Xu Luoshui bit her lip and carefully took the clothes with both hands.
"Junior Sister, come with me," Xiao Wenchuan said gently.
Then he turned and led her toward one of the side halls, calling over a familiar female disciple along the way.
After all, he couldn't exactly go in with her to help change clothes. And this 'black ball' of a junior sister would probably need a few rounds of cleaning spells first.
The ceremony was still ongoing, but Xiao Wenchuan had to wait here for a while. He sighed.
'Women really are troublesome. The male disciples just needed one cleansing spell, put on the robe, and it was done.'
The side hall was protected by an array. He couldn't sense anything inside. He could only wait outside.
Creak.
The door opened behind him.
Xiao Wenchuan turned around and stiffened.
The robe was a bit too big, but Xu Luoshui barely managed to wear it properly.
Her skin was white and smooth. A light blush colored her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled with a faint glint, and her delicate features looked like they were sculpted.
Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail. Strands of loose hair framed her forehead and swayed in the breeze.
This look was personally designed by Cheng Qian. He had studied Mu Qingling closely and noticed that even without makeup, she was already considered a fairy by most people. But her beauty was more on the natural side. She still showed a large forehead and had no added touches or enhancements.
Most female cultivators weren't unattractive to begin with, so Cheng Qian had opted to go all-in on style and presence to maximize impact.
How could a woman leave the deepest impression on a man?
Contrast. The most extreme kind.
Like now, from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan—this transformation, amplified through the ceremony's ritualistic buildup, could have an explosive effect.
"J-Junior Sister?" Xiao Wenchuan's eyes were nearly blinded by the girl in front of him. He suddenly felt nervous for no reason.
He glanced at the female disciple who helped with the outfit and saw her nod, still looking shocked.
The transformation was incredible. A complete reversal.
Xu Luoshui spoke softly, "Senior Brother, I'm ready."
Her voice was like music, slipping into Xiao Wenchuan's ears and reaching his heart. Sweet. Way too sweet.
"O-oh, alright. Let's head back to the square."
He led her out.
As they passed the surrounding disciples, sounds of awe and gasps echoed all around.
"Holy... Look! Look! A fairy!"
An inner disciple heard the noise behind him, turned to look, and froze. He saw the most striking and unique beauty he'd ever laid eyes on.
Then he slapped his friend hard.
"Whoa, is that the same ugly girl from earlier?"
A corner of the square began to buzz with excitement. The growing chatter made more people turn toward that direction.
Xiao Wenchuan stepped out of the crowd, followed by Xu Luoshui.
Everyone compared her current look with what they had seen before. The sharp contrast left them speechless.
Her sweet, youthful charm, mixed with an exotic and otherworldly aura, instantly captivated the male disciples. Even the female disciples couldn't look away. They stared at her simple outfit, carefully taking in every detail.
Back on the platform outside his cave, Cheng Qian's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Next time, I'll give them a bit of the sweet-and-innocent look, maybe the spicy type, something classy, or even some uniforms. I've really got to thank my ex-girlfriends for all the inspiration."
"Get ready for a visual feast from another world."