"Third Uncle, what exactly does the letter say?"
Lin Bai had been asking from last night until this morning.
Every time he asked what was written on the letter, Lin Yue merely gave him a mysterious smile and refused to answer.
"What does it say?" Lin Bai asked.
Lin Yue said impatiently, "Aren't you going to the Azure Cloud Terrace Palace to kill Lin Zier in a year?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with the letter?" Lin Bai asked strangely.
"Then stop asking so many questions. A year from now, when you go to the Azure Cloud Terrace Palace, you'll naturally know what the letter says." Lin Yue smiled as he spoke.
Lin Bai's brows furrowed into a deep crease. "So mysterious."
"Lin Bai, you must remember that Lin Zier has a Heaven-Rank Grade Five martial soul. Her cultivation speed is extremely fast. If you want to catch up to her within a year, you must work hard on your own, and you'll also have to rely on the cultivation plan Ling Tianzi arranged for you."
"As long as you can defeat Lin Zier, then no genius in the Azure Cloud Terrace Palace will be your opponent."
"Cultivate properly, understand? Otherwise, a year from now, you won't be Lin Zier's match."
Lin Yue gave another mysterious smile.
"Don't worry, Third Uncle. A year from now, I'll definitely defeat Lin Zier again." Lin Bai said firmly.
Lin Yue continued, "Let's go. It's time to head to the City Lord's Mansion."
Early that morning, many martial artists who had participated in the martial arts tournament and disciple selection gathered at the City Lord's Mansion.
The Spirit Rhino City Lord raised his voice from the high platform. "Yesterday's martial arts tournament and disciple selection results are out."
"Lin Bai, one hundred and twenty-three points, first place."
"Li Jianxing, thirty points, second place."
"Zhang Yao, ten points, third place."
"Bai Zhiyuan, three points, fourth place."
"Sun Chaoyang, two points, fifth place."
"Everyone else, one point."
As soon as the Spirit Rhino City Lord finished announcing the results, the entire venue erupted in an uproar.
"Lin Bai actually got one hundred and twenty-three points."
"He snatched all the demon beasts Lin Zier killed, of course he got the most points."
"Exactly. The demon beasts on the Northwest Mountain Range alone were worth more than a hundred points."
"Of course he got the highest score."
"But so what if his score is high? What future can a good-for-nothing have?"
"Exactly. No matter how high his score is, with his Yellow Rank One martial soul, he's still trash."
Many martial artists whispered disdainfully about Lin Bai.
A martial soul represented how far a martial artist could go in the future.
With Lin Bai's Yellow Rank One martial soul, he was destined to stop at the Martial Dao Ninth Level, completely unable to break through to the True Martial Realm.
That was fate.
Lin Bai stood on the tournament platform with the other disciples. Facing those who mocked him, he revealed a hint of disdain.
A bunch of frogs at the bottom of a well. How could they see the might of the Devouring Sword Soul? Lin Bai shook his head and laughed inwardly.
The Spirit Rhino City Lord called out, "Three elders, please choose your disciples."
At this moment, Xiao Tianchu, elder of the Blazing Fire Palace; Ling Han, elder of the Edgeless Sect; and Ji Bei, elder of the Spirit Sword Sect, stepped forward to the high platform.
"Everyone, then I won't stand on ceremony." Xiao Tianchu laughed loudly. "Li Jianxing, are you willing to become a disciple of the Blazing Fire Palace?"
Li Jianxing, second on the points ranking, received an invitation from the Blazing Fire Palace.
Li Jianxing hesitated for a moment before cupping his fists. "Thank you for the Blazing Fire Palace elder's goodwill. However, my elder sister joined the Spirit Sword Sect, so I wish to go to the Spirit Sword Sect to study martial arts."
"What! You mean to reject me? Do you know what will happen if you reject me?" Xiao Tianchu flew into a rage upon hearing this.
He was, after all, an elder of the Blazing Fire Palace. He had been the first to step forward and recruit a disciple, yet he had actually been rejected.
Wasn't this a slap in the face of the Blazing Fire Palace?
Li Jianxing's expression was bitter and ugly.
The Spirit Sword Sect elder Ji Bei said, "Li Jianxing, are you willing to become a disciple of the Spirit Sword Sect?"
"This disciple is willing." Li Jianxing answered immediately.
"Ji Bei, are you deliberately opposing me?" Xiao Tianchu shouted angrily.
"Xiao Tianchu, you heard him too. He wants to join the Spirit Sword Sect, not your Blazing Fire Palace." Ji Bei smiled faintly.
The Spirit Sword Sect could not contend with the Azure Cloud Terrace Palace, but against a mere Blazing Fire Palace, the Spirit Sword Sect still had some confidence.
"Hmph, just you wait." Xiao Tianchu snorted coldly, then continued calling out, "Zhang Yao, Bai Zhiyuan, Sun Chaoyang, are you willing to join my Blazing Fire Palace?"
Xiao Tianchu stared at the three relatively outstanding geniuses at the end.
The three spoke in delighted voices. "This disciple is willing."
Afterward, Li Jianxing joined the Spirit Sword Sect.
Sun Chaoyang, Bai Zhiyuan, and Zhang Yao joined the Blazing Fire Palace.
The Edgeless Sect casually chose several disciples and took them away.
The Three Great Sects had nearly finished making their selections, yet no one mentioned Lin Bai.
Only at the very end did Ji Bei's gaze fall upon Lin Bai.
"Lin Bai, are you willing to join the Spirit Sword Sect?" Ji Bei asked.
Lin Bai smiled faintly. "This disciple is willing."
Lin Yue had originally recommended the Spirit Sword Sect. Now that Ji Bei had extended an invitation, Lin Bai felt somewhat better.
"Ji Bei, I think your Spirit Sword Sect is truly nearing its end. This boy dared to injure King Zhao's Disciple. The Azure Sea Cloud Sky Palace will certainly come settle accounts with him. Your Spirit Sword Sect still dares to accept him as a disciple? Aren't you bringing disaster upon yourselves?" Xiao Tianchu sneered mockingly.
The Blazing Fire Palace and the Edgeless Sect both avoided Lin Bai like the plague.
Only Ji Bei of the Spirit Sword Sect still held some goodwill toward Lin Bai.
Ji Bei smiled. "Perhaps. But perhaps this is also an opportunity for the Spirit Sword Sect."
After everyone had finished taking disciples, the disciples were given time to return home and pack their luggage.
That afternoon, the Three Great Sects took their respective disciples back to their sects.
"Third Uncle, I'm leaving." Lin Bai said to Lin Yue.
"Go on. I should be leaving too. I'm going to find the Serpent God Sect." Lin Yue said.
"That's right. Your cultivation has recovered now, so you should go find Third Aunt and your children." Lin Bai smiled.
"Remember, Lin Bai, Ling Tianzi is the best master you could have. It would be best if you could become his disciple."
Before leaving, Lin Yue gave Lin Bai another earnest reminder.
Lin Bai nodded.
Lin Bai immediately followed Ji Bei back to the Spirit Sword Sect, while Lin Yue set off alone on the road to find his wife and children.
The Spirit Sword Sect had been established two thousand years ago. Spirit Sword Forefather discovered a mysterious cavern in Fallen Spirit Mountain, comprehended the will of Heaven and Earth within it, and created an unparalleled sword technique. He then struck while the iron was hot and founded the Spirit Sword Sect.
Unfortunately, a hundred years later, a traitor stole most of the sect's inherited martial techniques, causing the Spirit Sword Sect to plummet to the bottom.
Even though the Spirit Sword Sect had declined, it still had more than five thousand disciples.
Three thousand outer disciples.
Nine hundred inner disciples.
Nine Core Disciples.
One Young Sect Master.
Together with some elders and servants, it was a large sect of nearly five thousand people.
But compared to the Azure Cloud Terrace Palace, it was still far behind.
The Azure Cloud Terrace Palace alone had thirty thousand outer disciples.
After three days of travel, Ji Bei returned to the Spirit Sword Sect with several disciples.
At the same time, the elders who had gone to other cities to conduct martial arts tournaments and disciple selections also returned to the Spirit Sword Sect.
Bonus chapter! Please bookmark!