Steep peaks towered into the clouds.
Led by Vina, Liu Yuan finally set foot on this land that was like sacred ground to Body Martial Soul masters.
It was not as resplendent and magnificent as he had imagined. Instead, it carried an ancient, desolate air.
The massive mountain gate had been built against the mountainside, as though it had been carved directly from the cliff face. It was rough and majestic.
Mist curled through the surroundings, strange rocks jutted everywhere, and the occasional roar of an unknown Soul Beast echoed from the deep mountains, adding even more mystery to the place.
"So this is the Body Sect..."
Liu Yuan looked around and silently nodded.
Compared to Shrek Academy's scholarly atmosphere and exquisite architecture, the Body Sect's wild, primitive environment seemed more fitting for the Body Martial Soul's trait of pursuing one's own limits without fussing over trivialities.
"Stop! Who dares trespass into the Body Sect?!"
They had just reached the mountain gate when several guards in tight-fitting uniforms, all radiating fierce auras, blocked their path.
Though they were merely gatekeepers, every one of them had sharp eyes and extraordinary bearing. Clearly, none of them lacked cultivation.
"It's me."
Vina stepped forward, casually removed the hood from her head, revealing her elegant and ethereal face, then presented a token engraved with special runes.
"Greetings, Miss Vina!"
Once the guards recognized her, their expressions changed instantly. Their originally fierce presence immediately subsided, and they all dropped to one knee in salute.
Vina held an exceptionally special status within the Body Sect. Not only was she a key disciple nurtured by the sect, but she was also a princess and an important bridge connecting the Body Sect with the royal family. Naturally, they did not dare show her any disrespect.
"At ease."
Vina waved her hand indifferently and pointed at Liu Yuan behind her. "This is Liu Yuan, a friend I brought back. He is also a Soul Master with a Body Martial Soul. I specifically brought him here to take the sect entry test."
"Since he was brought by Miss, there naturally won't be any problem."
The lead guard hastily stepped aside. Though his gaze held some curiosity and scrutiny when he looked at Liu Yuan, he did not obstruct him further.
After all, anyone personally brought back by Senior Sister Vina could not possibly be ordinary.
Once they passed through the mountain gate, the view inside suddenly opened up.
On the enormous Martial Drill Arena, disciples could be seen everywhere, sweating profusely as they tempered their bodies.
Some ran while carrying heavy loads, some sparred with one another, and some even bared their upper bodies and slammed into boulders with Iron Mountain Lean, producing dull booms.
That atmosphere of fists meeting flesh and pursuing ultimate strength made Liu Yuan's blood surge as well.
"Liu Yuan, don't be fooled by how hard they're training. This is only the foundation of our Body Sect." Vina led the way as she explained with a smile. "Our Body Sect focuses on developing one's own potential, so we have extremely high requirements for physical fitness."
"Next, we just need to go to the Elder Hall and find the elder responsible for recruitment. He'll briefly test your Martial Soul, potential, and current strength, then register you. After that, you'll officially become a member of our Body Sect."
"That doesn't sound too difficult." Liu Yuan nodded, already looking forward to this so-called "test."
With the quality of his Double Pupil, he would surely give those old fellows in the Body Sect quite a surprise.
However, just as the two headed toward the Elder Hall.
"Vina! You're back!"
A bright, pleasantly surprised voice suddenly came from the side.
Liu Yuan and Vina stopped and looked toward the voice.
Near the Martial Drill Arena, several youths dressed in Body Sect disciple uniforms were striding toward them.
The leader was tall and brawny. Though he appeared young, his entire body radiated an exceptionally powerful aura. His skin had a strange bronze hue, with a faint sheen flowing across it as though it were indestructible.
Three other youths followed behind him.
One had extraordinarily long Double Arms that hung past his knees, clearly unlike those of an ordinary person;
Another had thick, powerful Double Legs, and every step he took seemed to make the ground tremble slightly;
The last was relatively small and thin, but his eyes were especially lively, occasionally flashing with sharp light.
"Aotian! And Yan Feng, Chen Lü, Gu Tong—it's been so long!"
When Vina saw them, her smile immediately brightened. She had clearly run into old friends.
"Yeah! It really has been a long time."
The tall youth at the front strode over to Vina and looked her over with concern.
"How did it go? Was getting your Soul Ring this time smooth? You didn't run into any danger, did you?"
"It was a close call, but everything turned out fine." Vina stuck out her tongue, then seemed to recall something and quickly stepped aside to reveal Liu Yuan behind her. "Oh, right, let me introduce you."
"This is Liu Yuan, a friend I met on the way back. His Martial Soul is also a Body Martial Soul, and it's an Eye Martial Soul! I specifically brought him back to join the sect this time."
Then Vina turned to Liu Yuan and introduced them one by one.
"Liu Yuan, these are all my good friends in the sect, as well as the outstanding members of the younger generation."
"This is Long Aotian. His Martial Soul is his skin, and he's the young disciple the Sect Master values most." Vina pointed at the tall youth.
"Hello." Though Long Aotian was somewhat arrogant by nature, he remained fairly polite in front of Vina. He nodded at Liu Yuan in greeting. However, his gaze carried the scrutiny of a strong man, as if assessing just how capable this newcomer was.
"This is Wang Yanfeng. His Martial Soul is Double Arms."
"This is Chen Lü. His Martial Soul is Double Legs."
"And this is Gu Tong. His Martial Soul is the same as yours—his eyes."
As Vina introduced them, Liu Yuan smiled and nodded to each of them in greeting. He remembered all of them. They were the ones who had participated in the competition with Vina in the original story...
As for their attitude toward Liu Yuan...
Wang Yanfeng and Chen Lü reacted rather blandly, merely giving a simple "Mm."
After all, strength was king in the Body Sect. A newcomer who had not even entered the sect was not worth excessive enthusiasm.
Gu Tong, on the other hand, could not help giving Liu Yuan a few extra looks upon hearing that his Martial Soul was also eyes. A trace of curiosity and... fighting spirit flashed through his eyes?
After all, rivals were bound to arise in the same field. Since they both possessed Eye Martial Souls, it was only natural for them to want to compare themselves.
"Liu Yuan, right? Since Vina brought you back, work hard and strive to pass the test soon." Long Aotian spoke to Liu Yuan calmly.
Liu Yuan nodded, not taking issue with their attitude.
He understood very well that respect came from strength, not from others' charity.
Besides, they were not familiar with each other yet. It was only normal that they were not particularly warm toward him.
After the brief exchange, everyone's attention soon returned to Vina.
"By the way, Vina, what kind of Soul Beast did you get your Soul Ring from this time? And after absorbing it, what level are you now?" Wang Yanfeng asked curiously.
"Mm, it was a thousand-year Golden Silk Demon Ape." Vina spoke with a hint of pride. "I'm already a level twenty-two Soul Grandmaster now!"
"Hiss—level twenty-two!"
Chen Lü could not help sucking in a breath. "Vina, you're hitting us too hard! We're all a little older than you, yet we're still hovering at level nineteen. Other than Aotian, you're the only one among our generation to break through to Soul Grandmaster!"
"Yeah, Vina's talent really is beyond question. Among the younger generation of the entire sect, only Aotian can compete with you." Gu Tong chimed in, his tone full of envy.
Even Long Aotian, who was usually so proud, nodded approvingly. "Not bad. That really is fast. It looks like you'll catch up to me before long."
Everyone gathered around Vina, offering praise and marveling at her achievement. Their words were full of recognition for her talent. Reaching the Soul Grandmaster realm at her age was extraordinarily rare, even in a gathering place for geniuses like the Body Sect.
Liu Yuan stood quietly to one side the entire time, smiling as he listened. He did not interrupt, nor did he display impatience or jealousy.
They were this surprised over level twenty-two?
If they knew this "random passerby" was already above level twenty-two...
But Liu Yuan had no intention of showing off.
After all, they were merely chatting among friends and had not targeted him. If he suddenly jumped in to flaunt himself, what would that make him?
So he merely listened in silence.
Before long, they finally arrived at the Elder Hall.
After arriving, Vina finally turned her attention back to Liu Yuan.
It was not that she had intentionally neglected him. She simply had many friends, and she needed to consider their feelings as well.
Only now did she have the chance to speak to Liu Yuan.
"Liu Yuan, we're here. In a moment, I'll speak to the elder, and then you can take the tests for your abilities and potential according to his requirements. The process is actually very quick..."
Before you continue