Chapter 4

"Foolish girl!"

"Don't say things like that again. Even if I leave, I'll only be returning to Clearwater Town."

"When your cultivation succeeds, just come back to see me. Perhaps once you become powerful, you'll find some heavenly treasures capable of improving one's aptitude and let me walk the immortal path too?"

Lin Xuan smiled at Yu Bing.

Hearing his words, Yu Bing's eyes suddenly lit up. "Right, there must be heavenly treasures that can improve aptitude. I know what to do now. Brother Lin Xuan, don't worry. Xiao Yu'er will definitely help you."

Never before had Yu Bing desired strength so desperately.

Even Liu Ruyan could not help glancing sideways, gaining the faintest bit of goodwill toward Lin Xuan.

However, in the Azure Cloud Realm, changing one's aptitude was harder than ascending to heaven.

Naturally, she did not expose that fact at this moment. Leaving the girl with a hope was better than allowing such peerless talent to go to waste.

The two spoke for over ten minutes, talking about many things, while Liu Ruyan simply waited quietly.

This showed just how much she doted on her newly accepted disciple.

"Let's go!"

At last, Liu Ruyan transformed into a streak of light and departed with Yu Bing.

With Yu Bing's peerless aptitude, she naturally could not remain in the outer sect. As a personal disciple of a peak master, she began as an Inner Sect Disciple.

Within the Divine Firmament Holy Land, there were distinctions between servants, outer sect disciples, inner sect disciples, and core disciples.

The higher one's status, the more resources one could obtain.

Of course, one also needed sufficient contributions and strength to reach a corresponding position.

"Soul Suppressing Pagoda, I hope you won't disappoint me. Including Zhang Tao's guard, you've now stored a full thirty years of time."

"If I still can't step onto the immortal path after spending those thirty years, then there's no point cultivating at all."

Lin Xuan stared in the direction Yu Bing and Liu Ruyan had left for a long while before finally coming back to his senses.

An hour passed quietly. Lin Xuan heard movement behind him and turned to see the Outer Sect Elder approaching grandly with a large group of people.

Lin Xuan's pupils contracted sharply. There had been at least ten thousand people at the Floating Training Grounds, yet fewer than a thousand remained now. The elimination rate was terrifyingly high.

He really had been fortunate.

The Divine Firmament Holy Land was one of the Southern Region's foremost great sects. Even servants required third- or fourth-grade aptitude; those with first- or second-grade aptitude were rejected outright.

This showed what an enormous stroke of fortune it was for Lin Xuan, a mere crippled body, to enter such a supreme immortal sect.

"Follow me!"

While Lin Xuan was thinking, the group had already arrived before him. The Outer Sect Elder gave a casual order.

"Yes!"

Lin Xuan answered and followed the group.

"Lin Xuan, dogshit luck won't stay with you forever. Once you enter the holy land, I have a hundred ways to play you to death."

"This is the difference in status, and the difference between you and me."

Three people suddenly appeared beside Lin Xuan: Zhang Tao and two youths from Clearwater Town.

Of the dozen or so people from Clearwater Town, three quarters had also been eliminated.

"One word from my wife would be enough to kill you. But don't worry, I won't let my wife act. I'll personally send you on your way."

Lin Xuan glanced at Zhang Tao.

The instant his words left his mouth, Zhang Tao's expression changed. Yet upon hearing the rest, he immediately sneered in disdain.

"Trash who lives off a woman, remember what you said. Let's see who plays the other to death first."

"Useless trash! You don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth."

"Young Master Zhang, why would you need to do it? The two of us can take his dog life."

The other two youths from Clearwater Town joined in as well. Zhang Tao was an outer sect disciple, and with their shared hometown as a connection, they naturally had to curry favor with him.

"Oh, I forgot to mention—you two as well. Don't worry, the three of you will have company on Yellow Springs Road."

Lin Xuan looked at the two of them.

The three of them scoffed at his words.

But they said nothing more, because they had already arrived at the place where robes were distributed.

Under the guidance of the Outer Sect Elder and numerous disciples, those whose aptitude qualified them to enter the outer sect directly received Black Martial Uniforms, while the servants all received Azure Martial Uniforms.

The Xuanhuan World had rigid hierarchies, and this was even more so within immortal sects.

After receiving their martial uniforms, everyone was given a Disciple Token matching the color of their robes.

Afterward, they went to the pill distribution area and received the medicinal pills available to all upon entering the sect.

Outer sect disciples received Body Forging Pills. A single pill could allow an ordinary person to enter the first of the four mortal realms, the Body Forging Realm.

Of course, this had strict aptitude requirements. One needed at least fifth-grade aptitude to completely absorb the Body Forging Pill's medicinal power.

Giving a Body Forging Pill to someone below fifth-grade aptitude would be a waste, and one could only take one of these pills in a lifetime.

Servants with aptitude below fifth grade all received the weaker Body Strengthening Pill. This was already the Divine Firmament Holy Land's lowest-grade pill, but it could still greatly enhance one's constitution, and likewise could only be taken once in a lifetime.

The person distributing the pills was a servant in green robes. When it was Zhang Tao's turn to receive his pill, a fawning smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Greetings, Senior Brother. Senior Brother's talent is unmatched; this junior admires you greatly. This junior is Niu Fang, late-stage Body Forging Realm, servant steward. I hope Senior Brother will look after me in the future."

"You're calling me Senior Brother?"

Zhang Tao was slightly stunned. This Niu Fang looked at least twenty years old—had he gotten it wrong?

"Haha... Senior Brother is too modest. Senior Brother entered the outer sect directly, and your talent is unparalleled."

"On the path of cultivation, the accomplished are the masters. Before long, Senior Brother will naturally surpass me."

Niu Fang said with a smile.

Zhang Tao understood. At that moment, his vanity received immense satisfaction.

He could not help glancing at Lin Xuan, curling his lips. "Niu Fang, can I trouble you with something?"

"Please speak, Senior Brother! Niu Fang would not hesitate to die ten thousand deaths." Niu Fang's expression immediately turned solemn.

Lin Xuan's expression changed slightly, and his gaze grew colder.

The smile at Zhang Tao's lips deepened. He pointed at Lin Xuan. "That servant has an innate crippled body. I don't think there's any need to give him this pill, is there?"

"An innate crippled body? How did he enter the sect?" Niu Fang was startled, but the next moment, he did not dare think too much about it. He hurriedly said, "Senior Brother, I can't decide this matter. The holy land has rules—every disciple must receive their allotment. Otherwise, tomorrow the elder will cripple my cultivation and expel me from the holy land."

Hearing this, Zhang Tao inwardly lamented the pity of it.

Lin Xuan, on the other hand, heaved a slight sigh of relief.

Yet the killing intent in his heart could no longer be concealed, no matter what.

Zhang Tao, you have already earned your death.

"Does Senior Brother have a grudge against him?" Niu Fang asked again at this moment.

"He killed my guard." Zhang Tao nodded.

"That's simple. I'll be in charge of assigning servant duties afterward. I'll definitely give Senior Brother a satisfactory explanation."

Niu Fang completely ignored Lin Xuan.

Zhang Tao's eyes suddenly lit up. "Good. Then I'll thank you in advance. My name is Zhang Tao. If anything comes up in the future, feel free to find me."

"Yes, thank you, Senior Brother Zhang."

Niu Fang was overjoyed, then continued distributing the pills.

When it was Lin Xuan's turn, Niu Fang looked at him with pity.

Lin Xuan lowered his head, the killing intent in his eyes so dense it was terrifying.