Before long, Ye Jingyun arrived at the Sect Gate of the Divine Sword Sect.
When he saw the gate before him, he was so stunned that he could not close his mouth.
This Sect Gate... was far too grand and imposing, wasn't it? There was not the slightest sign of decline!
Especially the invisible pressure emanating from within the gate—it pressed down on him until he could barely breathe, and an uncontrollable urge to kneel in worship rose in his heart.
He subconsciously looked up and saw that the entire Divine Sword Sect was shrouded in drifting, misty spiritual vapors. Spiritual energy surged toward him, making the place seem extraordinary and divine!
Ye Jingyun could not help sighing in admiration. "What an immortal abode!"
"Eh? That's not right!"
His brows furrowed deeply. "I heard that the Divine Sword Sect had completely fallen into decline, that it was filled with crumbling walls and ruins, utterly desolate."
"But why is even a mere Sect Gate so grand and imposing? The pressure it emits actually makes people want to kneel in worship?"
Beyond his confusion, Ye Jingyun felt even deeper shock.
Over the past few years, he had visited quite a few great sects and seen no small number of Sect Gates.
But compared to the Sect Gate of the Divine Sword Sect before him, those gates could not even be called gates. They were plainly just broken doors.
The two were simply beyond comparison!
Ye Jingyun murmured, "It seems rumors truly cannot be trusted. Seeing is believing—that is the hard truth."
Wasn't this utter nonsense?
How was the Divine Sword Sect some fallen sect?
It was clearly a magnificent sect, like an immortal paradise!
Rumors misled people!
At that moment, Ye Jingyun's desire to join the Divine Sword Sect grew even stronger.
Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped through the Sect Gate.
"Th-this... what is going on?"
"Eh? Could this be the Sect Protecting Grand Array that only legendary super sects possess?"
The moment Ye Jingyun stepped through the Sect Gate, he felt space twist. All the scenery he had seen vanished in an instant, while all manner of strange phenomena abruptly filled his vision.
Forests of spears, rain of swords, savage beasts, raging floods, wild winds, and more. There were even graceful dancing beauties, mouthwatering Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, and the cultivation arts and martial skills he desired most...
Within the Divine Sword Sect, Xuanhuang Hall.
Hoo~
Lin Feng slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. Drawing in his aura, he gradually opened his eyes. Black and white gleams flashed through them before vanishing, and he rose to his feet.
"The Universe Divine Art truly deserves to be called immortal-tier. It is domineering and miraculous indeed!"
"In less than half an hour, it actually allowed me to break directly from the fourth tier of the Qi Control Realm to the peak of the seventh tier."
Feeling the vast energy stored within his Qi Sea, he could not help but sigh.
If he continued cultivating at this speed, it would not be long before he became a powerhouse in his own right. Revitalizing the sect was within reach.
"Ding! Friendly system reminder: although the Universe Divine Art is the number one cultivation art of chaos, Host must not advance rashly. Remember, a lone yang cannot endure."
Lin Feng froze for a moment. Just as he was about to ask a question, he suddenly sensed something. He opened the Divine Sword Sect map within the system.
On the map, a plainly dressed, burly youth had appeared at the Sect Gate of the Divine Sword Sect. At this moment, he was trapped within the Mountain Protecting Array.
The youth's features were twisted in a savage grimace, his complexion constantly changing. Fierce struggle filled his expression, while beads of sweat continuously slid down his cheeks to his neck...
It was as though he were suffering some terrifying torment.
"Tsk tsk, the system has only just finished upgrading the sect, and someone has already come to join the Divine Sword Sect?"
"This is getting interesting..."
Lin Feng smiled as he watched the youth in the Mountain Protecting Array with great interest.
This person was Ye Jingyun, who had stepped through the Sect Gate.
Within the Mountain Protecting Array.
Ye Jingyun struggled bitterly to hold on.
He rejected the enchanting beauty. To him, beauties were certainly good, but they would slow his punches and erode his powerful physique.
He rejected the wealth that made others' eyes burn with envy, the power within easy reach, and the opportunities he had dreamed of but that did not belong to him.
He passed through wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. He passed through forests of spears and rain of swords...
"Not bad! This child's Martial Path Heart is as firm as a rock, and he possesses great perseverance."
Within Xuanhuang Hall, Lin Feng nodded approvingly.
No one knew better than him how terrifying the Mountain Protecting Array was. Especially this kind of illusion array—even a martial artist who entered it would, nine times out of ten, become trapped within and be unable to extricate himself.
This youth was merely an ordinary person who had never cultivated, yet he had persisted in the illusion array for so long. It was clear that his resolve far surpassed that of ordinary people.
"The current Divine Sword Sect has only me. It is precisely the time to recruit disciples."
"You were the first to come here after the Divine Sword Sect was upgraded, which means we share a measure of fate. Very well, let me first see what your aptitude is like and whether you are qualified to become a disciple of the Divine Sword Sect."
With that, Lin Feng activated the Heavenly Secrets Art!
Very soon, lines of information appeared before him.
Name: Ye Jingyun.
Age: 17.
Realm: Mortal.
Constitution: None.
Fortune: 17000.
Loyalty: 30.
This was the wondrous aspect of the Heavenly Secrets Art. Not only could it reveal a person's basic information, it could also perceive their fortune.
At this moment, he could even clearly see a cluster of misty energy above Ye Jingyun's head, its value reaching an astonishing 17000—far beyond that of ordinary people!
That misty energy was fortune itself!
In other words, although Ye Jingyun was merely a mortal with ordinary natural talent and no outstanding constitution, he was a person blessed with immense fortune!
A genuine Son of Destiny!
He was just like the protagonist of those novels—this was a textbook underdog's rise to greatness!
At the beginning, he would be utterly unremarkable, perhaps even inferior to many ordinary people, unloved by grandmother and uncle alike.
But as long as he did not give up, he would surely awaken his immense fortune later through his own efforts and steadfast Martial Path Heart. Then, all kinds of fortuitous encounters would gather around him, and he would undoubtedly shine brilliantly upon the martial path.
Silent until the moment came, then astonishing the world with one cry!
A trace of delight appeared on Lin Feng's face. "Tsk, an underdog-rise disciple. Not bad, not bad."
He had not expected that someone casually stepping into the Divine Sword Sect would actually be such a rare Son of Destiny.
He grinned. "This disciple is accepted by this Sect Master."
As he spoke, he silently marveled, "The Fortune Golden Dragon truly deserves to be called the Fortune Golden Dragon. It had only descended upon the Divine Sword Sect a short while ago, yet it already drew in such a Son of Destiny. Impressive!"
A moment later, his figure flashed, and he vanished directly from Xuanhuang Hall.
Within the Mountain Protecting Array, Ye Jingyun was desperately resisting the pressure released by the array.
His eyes were tightly shut, his face flushed red, and veins bulged from his forehead. His trembling legs bent into the shape of a bow, while his entire body quivered uncontrollably. Cracking sounds rang out from his limbs and bones.
That terrifying pressure was as heavy as a mountain crushing down upon his head, as if it would forcibly grind him into powder.
Just as he could no longer hold on and was about to kneel, he suddenly felt the weight upon him lighten. The terrifying pressure vanished like receding tides.
His whole body was weak and sore. He staggered back three steps and nearly fell to the ground.
Huff~
Huff~
He panted heavily, wiped the sweat from before his eyes, and slowly opened them.
At the same time, he froze, rubbed the corners of his eyes, and confirmed that he was not hallucinating.
At some unknown time, a man with an ethereal, transcendent bearing had appeared before him.
The man wore a plain white fitted robe that fluttered without wind, like an exiled immortal descending into the world!
"Immortal!"
After coming back to his senses, Ye Jingyun was instantly overjoyed. "This disciple, Ye Jingyun, pays respects to the Immortal!"
With that, he dropped to his knees with a thud. "Immortal, I wish to join the Divine Sword Sect as a disciple!"
"I beg the Immortal to show great mercy and accept this disciple into the Divine Sword Sect!"
His expression was incomparably devout!
Everything he had seen and heard today had utterly shaken him!
Whether it was the grand and imposing Sect Gate or the unfathomably mighty Mountain Protecting Array, both had left an indelible impression upon Ye Jingyun!
In his heart, all those previous sects were nothing but dilapidated little temples. Only the Divine Sword Sect was a true great sect, one with limitless possibilities!
Therefore, no matter what, he had to seize this opportunity!
Join the Divine Sword Sect!
"Rise."
Lin Feng nodded slightly and raised a hand. "I agree. From this moment onward, you are a disciple of the Divine Sword Sect. However, for now, you can only be a Handyman Disciple."
"Of course, once your strength improves in the future, you will naturally have the chance to become an outer sect disciple, or even an elite inner sect disciple."
"Thank you, Immortal! Thank you, Immortal!" Upon hearing this, Ye Jingyun was beside himself with excitement. "May I ask the Immortal's esteemed name? This disciple will certainly engrave it upon his heart!"
Lin Feng said, "I am Lin Feng, Sect Master of the Divine Sword Sect."
"This disciple, Ye Jingyun, pays respects to the Sect Master!" Upon hearing this, Ye Jingyun's entire body trembled, and his expression instantly became incomparably respectful. "Thank you, Sect Master, for giving this disciple an opportunity. This disciple will certainly not disappoint the Sect Master's heavenly grace!"
Heaven had taken pity on him—he had finally fulfilled his wish of joining a sect, and it was even the extraordinary Divine Sword Sect!
At that moment, Lin Feng discovered that Ye Jingyun's loyalty had instantly risen to 90.
And in the Handyman Disciple section of the system interface, Ye Jingyun's name appeared as well.
"Ding! The system sees that Host has accepted a disciple and is delighted by Host's enterprising spirit. As encouragement, it voluntarily presents the Sect Disciple Advancement Gift Pack." "Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining Handyman Disciple Living Quarters and a martial training ground." "Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining a God-Tier Body Refining method." "Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining the martial skill Savage God Fist." "Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining a God-Tier Spiritual Vein."
Before you continue