Promotion to Outer Sect Disciple

The old man's hair was graying and his face was lean, but his steps were light, his breathing deep and steady, and his eyes bright.

At the sight of him, the Outer Sect Disciples immediately cupped their fists and bowed. "Greetings, Elder Bai Lie!"

The old man was Bai Lie, the elder in charge of the Qi Sensing Pavilion for Azure Cloud Peak's outer sect.

The Qi Sensing Pavilion disciple conducting the test spoke up as soon as he saw Elder Bai Lie. "Elder, you've come at just the right time. We've run into a problem!"

Elder Bai Lie's gaze sharpened. "What problem?"

The disciple hurriedly explained, "When I tested him just now, his cultivation met the requirement. He's reached the first layer of the Qi Refining Realm, but the test couldn't detect a spiritual root. This is his servant identification token. No spiritual root was detected when he first joined the sect, either!"

The disciple handed Fang Chen's identification token to Elder Bai Lie.

"No spiritual root, yet he broke through to the Qi Refining Realm?"

Elder Bai Lie paused, finding the matter strange. He took Fang Chen's token and swept it with his Spiritual Sense.

After reading the information on it, he walked up to Fang Chen. "I'm going to examine your body. Relax."

"All right!"

Fang Chen nodded, took a deep breath, and relaxed his body.

Elder Bai Lie pressed a hand to the crown of Fang Chen's head. Fang Chen felt a scorching current pour in, travel along his meridians, and surge toward his dantian.

A short while later, Elder Bai Lie withdrew his hand, his brow faintly furrowed. He had examined Fang Chen carefully and found that Fang Chen truly had no spiritual root.

He looked at Fang Chen and said, "You really don't have a spiritual root."

Xu Yi turned to Elder Bai Lie. "Elder, how is that possible? Without a spiritual root, how did he break through to the Qi Refining Realm?"

"That's right, Elder. Could you have made a mistake?"

The Outer Sect Disciples nearby could not help asking too.

Elder Bai Lie shook his head slightly. "There's no mistake. This young man has no spiritual root, and he's already past the age when one can awaken."

"Then how did his cultivation reach the Qi Refining Realm?"

The surrounding disciples all looked to Elder Bai Lie.

Elder Bai Lie smiled. "The world is vast, and there is no shortage of strange things. Others without spiritual roots have broken through to the Qi Refining Realm before. They did so under particular circumstances—perhaps they consumed a rare natural treasure, or perhaps they had a special constitution. But even after breaking through, their lack of spiritual roots makes further cultivation extremely slow. Barring an unforeseen turn, they'll struggle to reach the third layer of the Qi Refining Realm in their entire lives."

"So that's how it is!"

Understanding dawned on the faces of those around him. When they looked at Fang Chen, their expressions filled with pity.

The Qi Sensing Pavilion disciple who had tested Fang Chen asked Elder Bai Lie, "Elder, how should we assess Fang Chen? His cultivation has reached the first layer of the Qi Refining Realm, but he has no spiritual root. Can he become an Outer Sect Disciple?"

Elder Bai Lie nodded. "Of course he can. The Glazed Sword Sect's rules say that anyone who reaches the first layer of the Qi Refining Realm can become an Outer Sect Disciple. They say nothing about requiring a spiritual root!"

"Understood."

The disciple nodded slowly.

Fang Chen bowed slightly to Elder Bai Lie and said respectfully, "Thank you, Elder Bai Lie!"

Elder Bai Lie smiled at Fang Chen. "No need to thank me. I'm only following the sect's rules."

With that, Elder Bai Lie walked into the hall.

The disciple in charge of testing said to Fang Chen, "Fang Chen, you've passed. Wait over there while I have someone make your identification token."

"Thank you, senior brother!"

Fang Chen bowed slightly to the disciple.

Half an hour later, Fang Chen received his Outer Sect Disciple identification token. It was jet-black and cool to the touch. The words "Azure Cloud" were carved on the front alongside many mysterious runes, while the back was smooth as a mirror.

When the token was issued, a Qi Sensing Pavilion disciple taught him how to use it.

Within the sect, the token could receive all kinds of messages sent by the sect.

Fang Chen and Xu Yi left the Qi Sensing Pavilion together. Fang Chen now wore a brand-new gray robe with pale green cloud patterns on its collar and cuffs, and a small azure sword embroidered on the chest.

The pale green cloud patterns marked Fang Chen as an Outer Sect Disciple. The azure sword on his chest was the emblem of Azure Cloud Peak.

On an Inner Disciple's robe, the cloud patterns on the collar were blue.

On the robes of a Direct Disciple under an inner sect elder, the cloud patterns on the collar and cuffs were red.

On the robes of Holy Sons and Holy Daughters, the cloud patterns on the collar and cuffs were purple.

On sect elders' robes, the cloud patterns on the collar and cuffs were silver.

On the peak masters' robes, the cloud patterns on the collar and cuffs were gold.

As for the Supreme Elders and the sect master, they needed nothing to proclaim their status.

The Glazed Sword Sect's hierarchy was strict, and its members' clothing made that plain.

Outside the Qi Sensing Pavilion, Xu Yi looked at Fang Chen and said, "Junior Brother Fang Chen, congratulations on officially becoming an Outer Sect Disciple!"

"Thank you, Senior Brother Xu Yi!"

Fang Chen smiled at Xu Yi.

Xu Yi looked at him with regret. "It's a pity you have no spiritual root. It'll be almost impossible for you to improve your cultivation from here on."

Fang Chen smiled. "That's all right. Without a spiritual root, reaching the first layer of the Qi Refining Realm was already a stroke of great fortune. I'm better off than many ordinary people. Even many people with spiritual roots never break through to the Qi Refining Realm. I'm satisfied."

Xu Yi nodded. "That's true. Contentment brings happiness. You are better off than many people. Come on, let's go to the Enforcement Hall!"

Although Fang Chen had become an Outer Sect Disciple, he had taken lives and had to face judgment at the Enforcement Hall.

A short while later, Xu Yi brought Fang Chen to the entrance of the Enforcement Hall.

Standing at the entrance, Xu Yi said, "Junior Brother Fang Chen, come inside with me."

Fang Chen asked, "Senior Brother Xu Yi, in your opinion, how will the Enforcement Hall punish someone in my situation?"

Xu Yi smiled at him. "Don't worry, junior brother. You've broken through to the Qi Refining Realm and can become an Outer Sect Disciple. The Enforcement Hall won't punish you too harshly. Usually, they settle matters like this with a fine!"

With that, Xu Yi stepped into the Enforcement Hall.

If it's only a fine, that's not so bad!

Fang Chen let out a slow breath. Any problem money could solve was no problem at all. Now that he had broken through to the Qi Refining Realm, the Floating Immortal Sword would help him grow stronger and make money more easily.

After entering the Enforcement Hall's building, Xu Yi led Fang Chen into a spacious hall. A portly old man sat inside.

Xu Yi said to Fang Chen, "Fang Chen, this is Elder Hu Yi!"

Fang Chen immediately bowed to the portly old man and said respectfully, "Greetings, Elder Hu Yi!"

The portly old man regarded Fang Chen with an indifferent expression. "Fang Chen, you killed Tian Hu, a senior servant of Dragon Tiger Mountain, and Zhang Tieniu, a junior servant. The Enforcement Hall hereby fines you a total of one thousand and ten stones. If you refuse to accept the judgment, your cultivation will be abolished and you will be expelled from the sect!"