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墨書 Inktalez
Human Sacrifice
In the training hall of the Azure Cloud Sect's Outer Sect, a group of people stared at me in disbelief, while beside me sat Qi Shaoyu with disheveled hair.
I turned to the Aged Steward and said, "Elder, does this mean I have won?"
The Aged Steward came back to his senses and nodded, saying, "Now follow my disciple to the Outer Sect Steward's hall. He will register your name, arrange your accommodation, and distribute the items you are entitled to. From now on, you are an Outer Sect Disciple."
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, I followed the Dao Child up the mountain towards the Outer Hall. I glanced at the two Managers from the Miscellaneous Room in the crowd, their faces showing signs of pain as if they wished they could kill me.
"Wait." A child's voice called out; it was Brother Ma. I looked at him and asked, "What instructions do you have, Brother Ma?"
Brother Ma replied, "Your cultivation level is definitely beyond the Entry-Level Realm. While many know how to hide their strength, such a thing should not happen to you. What is your true power now?"
I responded, "Brother Ma, my real strength is at the Late Stage of Qi Entry Realm. After becoming the Manager of the Water Storage Room, I discovered that Huang Laohu's residence concealed over a hundred Qi Gathering Pills. I spent a month in seclusion and consumed all those pills before seeing any improvement."
"I see." Brother Ma hesitated for a moment before looking at another Dao Child. "After you finish leading him to collect his Outer Sect items, take him to see my master."
"Yes, Brother Ma," the Dao Child replied. It was clear that Elder Hong held a prominent position in the Outer Sect, and this Dao Child also had an exceptional status among the Outer Sect Disciples.
Upon arriving at the storage room of the Manager's hall with the Dao Child, I received two official Daoist Robes from the Outer Sect, a wooden plaque identifying me as an Outer Sect Disciple, an Iron Sword, and a key to my room.
The Taoist responsible for registration in the Outer Hall informed me that once my name was entered into the Outer Sect Disciple roster, I would be a formal disciple of the Outer Sect. From then on, I would share both honor and disgrace with Azure Cloud Sect; our fates intertwined. The Azure Cloud Sect would protect every disciple's safety; likewise, when danger befell Azure Cloud Sect, every disciple must risk their lives to defend it.
Within the Outer Sect, to encourage disciples to improve their cultivation levels, disciples could challenge each other freely. In principle, killing was not allowed; one could not severely injure or cripple another unless a life-and-death agreement had been signed. Otherwise, killing a fellow disciple required retribution in kind—no exceptions.
Among eight thousand Outer Sect Disciples, each person could receive two high-grade Qi Gathering Pills monthly for cultivating Qi. There was a ranking list among Outer Sect Disciples that only listed the top one hundred. Those who made it into the top 100 could each receive ten Qi Gathering Pills monthly. Since I had challenged Qi Shaoyu—who happened to be ranked within that top hundred—if I maintained this rank next month, I would be eligible for ten Qi Gathering Pills.
Qi Gathering Pills were among the sect's most consumed elixirs; they were needed by everyone from elders to laborers. Thus, there was significant strain on medicinal resources within the sect. Every month, arrangements were made for Outer Sect Disciples to venture deep into Qinling Mountains to gather herbs. If one could procure high-quality herbs or rumored Holy Medicine, Inner Sect elders would personally bestow Daoist Sect treasures as rewards.
The registrar Taoist handed me a booklet, which was the manual of the Azure Cloud Sect. The first rule stated that those who betray their masters and ancestors shall be killed without mercy.
Seeing this rule reminded me of Mr. Chang. He was usually quite a humorous person, but when it came to discussing the first rule of the Daoist Sect, he became very serious, repeatedly warning me not to betray my master or ancestors. In the Daoist world, nine out of ten practitioners are solitary; what they fear most is having their own disciples turn against them.
After receiving my entry items, I hadn’t even had a chance to check out my Disciples' Quarters before I was led by a Dao Child to Elder Hong’s courtyard. Elder Hong’s residence was located on a flat area behind the Manager Hall. The courtyard was quite impressive, featuring pavilions, towers, rockeries, and lotus ponds. The Dao Child guided me directly into the courtyard and respectfully said at a door, “Brother Ma, I’ve brought Yang Hao.”
Brother Ma opened the door and seeing me still holding the Daoist Robe, he said to the Dao Child behind me, “You can go back now; I’ll take him to the Disciples' Quarters later.”
“Yes, Brother Ma,” the Dao Child replied and turned to leave.
After the Dao Child left, Brother Ma led me into the room where Elder Hong was sitting at a table drinking tea. Upon seeing me enter, he asked, “Are you Yang Hao?”
“Yes, Elder Hong. I am indeed Yang Hao.”
Elder Hong nodded and said, “You haven’t reached your new Disciples' Quarters yet, have you?”
“Not yet.” A sense of unease began to creep in as I wondered about Elder Hong’s unexpected concern.
Elder Hong glanced at Brother Ma and nodded. Brother Ma approached me and instructed me not to move. He then began to search my body; aside from finding the Outer Sect Disciple wooden token I had just received, he didn’t uncover anything else.
Brother Ma shook his head at Elder Hong, who looked puzzled. I noticed a stream of energy extending from his hand, enveloping my entire body. I asked, “What does this mean, Elder Hong?”
“You don’t need to be nervous,” Elder Hong replied. “I’m just checking if there’s anything on you that could be harmful.”
Elder Hong withdrew his Dao Qi and continued, “By the way, why has your appearance changed from being in your thirties to looking so young?”
I responded, “Elder, this is how I originally looked. When I entered the Qinling Mountains, I was attacked and injured. Traveling here while enduring harsh conditions for months caused my body to age rapidly. I've been eating wild fruits and herbs, which is why when you saw me I appeared weak and aged with white hair. After two months of body refining and Qi training in the Water Storage Room, my health gradually improved. I've always wanted to find an opportunity to thank you for accepting me as a disciple.”
Elder Hong said, “Not at all; it’s your own effort combined with some luck that allowed you to enter the Outer Sect. Now let me ask you again: where did you learn your method of concealing your strength?”
"The old man guarding the Scripture Repository pointed out that both the Lingfeng Step and the Mountain Split Technique, which I used during my duel with Qi Shaoyu, can be found on the last shelf of the first floor of the Outer Sect's Scripture Repository. Qi Shaoyu's skills are superior to mine, but he was angered by me and felt it was beneath him to fight with me. In his eagerness to kill me, he exposed many flaws, which allowed me to win by sheer luck," I said.
At that moment, the door creaked open, and another Dao Child beside Elder Hong rushed back, panting. He shook his head at Elder Hong, who smiled and said, "When I took you in as a disciple, I knew you were no ordinary person. The last incident in the Water Storage Room gave you a chance to become its head. I didn't expect you to perform so well; within just two months, you've made it into the Outer Sect. Truly impressive!"
"Elder Hong is too kind. In the future, I will still rely on your support in the Outer Sect," I replied.
"Of course! It's only natural for me to take care of my chosen disciple. Now, I have some matters to attend to here, so you should head back. Since you've just entered the Outer Sect, I'm sure you have plenty to deal with," Elder Hong said with a smile.
"I take my leave," I said to Elder Hong before stepping out of the room.
As I walked out into the courtyard, I let out a long sigh of relief. Thankfully, I had taken the Seven-Colored Elixir before my duel with Qi Shaoyu, opening up my Qi Sea and storing all my belongings within it. Otherwise, if Elder Hong had discovered anything, even if I unleashed the power of the Book of Life and Death to kill them, it would surely attract attention from the higher-ups in the sect. At that point, surrounded by everyone else, I would undoubtedly be doomed.
"This Elder Hong is truly shameless for openly searching me," I cursed inwardly. Brother Ma didn't accompany me to the Disciples' Quarters; I had no choice but to follow the signs on the mountain and ask some larger Outer Sect disciples along the way until I finally found my new residence.
What I didn't know was that in the courtyard behind me, Elder Hong frowned and said, "There’s no sign of him at the Water Storage Room or on his person. Could it really be as he claims? After practicing Dao Qi, his bodily functions have recovered and he has regained his youth?"
Brother Ma replied, "Unless he has encountered some extraordinary fortune or possesses some rare treasure, it's impossible for him to raise his power so quickly in such a short time. Moreover, I feel he is not merely at the Late Stage of Qi Entry Realm; when he faced Qi Shaoyu, he seemed completely at ease. Why not ask the elder guarding the Scripture Repository what he thinks?"
Elder Hong waved his hand dismissively. "No need for that; my relationship with that old man isn't good. Asking him would be pointless. Yang Hao suddenly becoming so youthful must be suspicious; his power is secondary—the key is his rejuvenation. If such a treasure truly exists in this world, whether it's handed over to the sect or to the Five Great Supremes—an unparalleled cultivation method or a rare treasure—anyone would want it."
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