(Mount Xilean- Holy Sword Sect)
(Lower Mountain Range- Central square)
The air buzzed with excitement as thousands of young men and women flooded the square below the shadow of a great mountain range.
These men and women were the newest batch of hopeful cultivators trying to enter one of the greatest cultivation sects on the continent.
The Holy Sword Sect.
This was a day that could change the course of their lives forever.
The sheer number of weapons, techniques, pills, and other resources that the sect offered to its disciples were enough to allow even a dog to ascend to heaven.
Of course, that was a bit of an exaggeration, but it contained a kernel of truth.
Cultivators without a sect would find it quite difficult to gain resources and survive without the protection of a large organization.
Excited whispers, nervous mutterings and quiet conversations could be heard coming from the crowd.
"Where are the elders?"
"My father belongs to the alchemy hall... he told me that..."
"Do you think that we will see a glimpse of the saintess?"
"No... I spoke to my brother... he's an outer disciple and he told me that the saintess has only come down from her mountain peak a handful of times."
"Deng Xun... how are you feeling? Your hands are shaking..."
"I'm going to be sick... my stomach is just... fuck... don't let me throw up..."
Not everyone could be chosen.
The Holy Sword Sect valued talent, cultivation level and combat experience. Of the three aspects it was talent that was the greatest deciding factor.
Cultivation level and combat experience could be learnt over time while talent was a trait that was usually fixed.
That was not to say that it was impossible for someone with little talent to ascend to the higher stages, but it would be far more difficult for them.
Some more cultivators continued to trickle into the central square until finally the large wooden doors that led to the square were closed.
There was a brief moment of silence as the young cultivators inside the square waited patiently to see what would happen next.
They were not disappointed.
A brilliant white flash of light illuminated the sky and when the harsh glow faded dozens of finely dressed men and women appeared.
Each floated silently in the air above the young cultivators and resembled gods looking down at their flock.
In the middle of the group was an elderly man who seemed slightly out of place.
While his companions were all breathtakingly beautiful men and women... he bore a striking similarity to a lazy grandfather.
Heavy wrinkles could be seen on his forehead and his hair had turned a dull grey colour.
His body appeared to be ravaged by the passage of time and not a trace of cultivation aura could be felt coming from him.
"Greetings and welcome..." the elderly man gently spoke. His voice was no louder than a whisper and yet every person could hear him clearly.
"I would like to thank you all for attempting to join the Holy Sword Sect. I am the sect leader, and it is my responsibility to ensure that you will be fairly judged."
"I am joined today by a group of extremely talented elders and my dear junior sister who will take over the proceedings."
The elderly man stepped back and allowed a woman to take centre stage. She stepped lightly on the clouds and floated in the air without a care in the world.
She was beautiful.
The female cultivator had an ethereal beauty that stood out even among the sea of attractive people standing next to her.
Light surrounded her body and painted her in a golden glow. She wore a plain white robe with flower patterns printed on the lower areas.
A golden bell was attached to her ankle by a red string, and it jingled ever so slightly as the wind brushed against it.
"My name is Lei Ying, and I am the head of the Fifth Peak," the female cultivator introduced herself using a voice that was melodic and gentle.
Quite a few men in the audience could not take their eyes off her body and even some of the women were affected by her charm.
They were not just attracted to her looks but also the powerful aura and air of mystery that surrounded her.
Most of the well-informed cultivators knew who this woman was.
She was the master of the saintess and one of the most powerful cultivators of the younger generation.
"The first stage of the test will begin by climbing the stairs of penance. Those who reach the top of the stairs will move on to the next round," Lei Ying charmingly spoke.
She clapped her hands and the area in front of the central square shimmered slightly. A magnificent stone staircase appeared out of thin air.
The staircase was quite wide and could easily handle over two hundred people climbing upwards at the same time.
However, there were only around fifty steps.
The test at least at first glance seemed very easy and some cultivators in the crowd already imagined themselves climbing up the stairs and moving on to the next stage.
"Now we can begin when... oh there she is! My dear apprentice! Please come over here!" Lei Ying's voice changed immediately, and one could hear the clear affection in her voice.
Apprentice?
The crowd looked in the direction where Lei Ying was staring and saw a woman quietly walking along the rooftops surrounding the square.
A silvery grey mask covered her face, and she wore simple white robes with no extra decorations or adornments.
Her body was completely concealed by the robe, but one could briefly see her long slender arms and flashes of fair skin.
A plain long sword was attached to her hip, and she moved with a sense of grace and elegance that was almost inhuman.
Xu Lu tried her best to ignore the stares as she unsheathed her sword and lightly stepped on its cold surface.
She didn't want to be here.
The wooden ship had arrived at the sect two days ago and she had run into her master while returning to the fifth peak.
Lei Ying 'suggested' that she attend the disciple selection ceremony.
Apparently, her reputation as the saintess of the Holy Sword Sect had taken quite the hit after failing two missions in a row and it was beginning to reflect badly on her master.
Xu Lu honestly couldn't care less about what other people thought about her, but she was not strong enough to disobey a direct command from her master.
And the 'suggestion' contained a warning undertone that if she refused then bad things would happen to her pet.
Fuck! That bitch!
The saintess let no hint of her inner turmoil appear in her gaze as she flew up in the air using her sword to fly.
She approached her master who stretched out her arms and embraced her in a tight hug.
Xu Lu could see a small trace of disgust appear on Lei Ying's face as she touched her, but her master hid her emotions quite well.
"Why don't you introduce yourself my dear apprentice," Lei Ying finally broke the hug and spoke in a sickly-sweet tone.
Xu Lu nodded and then turned to face the crowd. She saw a sea of hopeful, nervous and exited faces staring back at her.
They had all come to the Holy Sword Sect with dreams of continuing their cultivation journeys and becoming immortals.
Dreams that for many... would never come true.
Still, as Xu Lu took in a deep breath and thought about what to say her mind inevitably went to the scenes of cultivators wantonly slaughtering mortals just because they could.
"I am Xu Lu... the saintess of the Holy Sword Sect," Xu Lu calmly spoke with no hint of emotion in her voice.
"Your cultivation journey will not be easy. You will encounter trials, tribulations, victories, and defeats."
"But most importantly... always remember that power is not meant to be misused. Cultivators should always strive for the betterment of themselves."
"We may be long lived... but we are not gods. All of us were born as mortals... remember that."
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