Promotion to True Disciple

Countless disciples rushed toward Spring Thunder Courtyard. Among them, seven arrived first, riding Magic Tools that came to a stop outside the courtyard.

Through the courtyard gate, the seven saw Wang Ding standing leisurely inside, and all their expressions changed, because from Wang Ding they sensed the kind of pressure that only Qi Gathering Stage cultivators possessed.

The seven immediately knew that Wang Ding had already broken through the Innate Stage and stepped across the gate of longevity. One had to know that within a sect, only cultivators who entered the Qi Gathering Stage could be considered the foundation of the sect, figures capable of carrying on its Daoist inheritance. All of it was because once one stepped into the Qi Gathering Stage, one would have eight hundred years of lifespan; such long life ensured that they could preserve the sect's spark.

Seeing that Wang Ding had reached the Qi Gathering Stage, the seven could not help revealing countless emotions—envy, jealousy, dejection, killing intent, and more—gazing at Wang Ding with looks complicated to the extreme.

In less than fifteen minutes, Wang Ding's Spring Thunder Courtyard was already surrounded by countless disciples, packed so tightly that not even water could seep through.

At this moment, the outside was in an uproar, countless people asking around about what exactly had happened.

"Brother Zhang, do you know what happened? Just now, countless illusory heavenly dragons appeared. Could it be that some true disciple was practicing a technique here?"

"Actually, I don't know either. But Junior Brother Lian, look—the seven standing at the entrance to Spring Thunder Courtyard. Those seven are the seven experts on the inner sect Moon Ranking, and now they're all obediently standing outside. I'm afraid there really is a true disciple here."

At this moment, someone else said, "Could it be that someone advanced to the Qi Gathering Stage?"

The moment those words were heard, someone immediately retorted, "Didn't you see the scene of ninety flying dragons soaring into the sky just now? That was definitely power only a Pill Gestation cultivator could unleash. A cultivator who had just entered the Qi Gathering Stage absolutely couldn't produce such terrifying power. That's common sense."

The person who had been refuted immediately shouted, "Who are you saying has no common sense? Say that again and see if I don't beat you to death."

A conflict was about to erupt at once. Just then, a grand voice rang out from the sky. "Silence." It instantly pressed down every human voice.

Terrifying pressure descended. Snowflakes began drifting through the sky, and a snow-white figure appeared in midair. This person's beard and hair were completely white, his skin crystalline as snow, and his whole body carried an icy aura. He had the appearance of a youth.

He drifted lightly down and landed directly within Spring Thunder Courtyard, looking at Wang Ding as he said, "I am Tianhanzi, an elder of the Wongchuan Sect's Elder Hall. Come with me. Now that you have stepped into the Qi Gathering Stage, you may enter the ranks of my Wongchuan Sect's true disciples. The sect master has ordered me to bring you to Sovereign Hall for an audience."

Seeing this, Wang Ding did not dare be negligent. He respectfully came before Tianhanzi and bowed. "I will trouble Elder Tianhanzi."

Tianhanzi gave a noncommittal "Mm." Then Wang Ding saw Tianhanzi flick his sleeve, and a stream of deep-blue cold air rushed toward him, directly wrapping him up and lifting him into the air. They flew toward the Wongchuan Sect's main base, Nine Nether Island. At this time, how could the disciples outside Spring Thunder Courtyard not know that someone had broken through to the Qi Gathering Stage and advanced to true disciple status? One by one, they looked at Wang Ding, who was being taken away by Tianhanzi, with eyes full of envy and jealousy. Among them, Long Lingyu, Dongfang Riyue, and Huang Tutian all watched the departing Wang Ding with resolute expressions, each making up their mind to return and enter closed-door cultivation, never coming out until they reached the Qi Gathering Stage.

Fifteen minutes later, under Tianhanzi's lead, Wang Ding arrived above a sea island. Wang Ding cast his gaze out and saw that this island spanned several hundred square kilometers. On the island, a great mountain of black jade radiated waves of deep black light, appearing hazy and magical under the sunlight. At the mountain peak, Wang Ding could clearly see a pillar of light piercing straight into the heavens. His heart shook, and he thought inwardly, Fortune. This is the Wongchuan Sect's fortune. With so much fortune, if I can get even a little, I can cultivate the first layer of the Mysterious Yellow Undying Great Art. Looks like I'll have to plan this carefully.

The entire island was covered in jagged, strange rocks, rare herbs and exotic grasses grew everywhere, and countless spirit veins manifested outwardly. Celestial maidens, immortal blossoms, and void spirit realms were constantly shifting in the sky above. Wang Ding sighed inwardly, This is the sight of a great sect. A blessed spirit mountain, a sacred grotto-heaven realm—this is probably what they look like.

Before Wang Ding could admire it for long, Tianhanzi had already brought him flying toward the palace atop the black-jade treasure mountain on the island.

They flew swiftly all the way. Fifteen minutes later, the two of them landed on the palace square. Tianhanzi waved his hand, and the cold air wrapped around Wang Ding automatically dispersed without a trace. Wang Ding regained the ability to move, looked around, then followed Tianhanzi, who was walking ahead, toward that palace gleaming black.

As Wang Ding walked, he looked all around. He saw that on this square stood nine times nine, eighty-one jade-colored round pillars. On each pillar appeared the image of an ancient demonic beast, radiating dense water-attributed origin qi that shrouded the entire square. The ground beneath his feet was also paved with black jade, the same color and material as the palace. Countless points of light appeared on it from time to time, like a universe of stars, exceedingly wondrous.

Before long, the two arrived at the palace entrance. Facing the main doors of the palace, Tianhanzi bowed and called out loudly, "Tianhanzi has brought the newly advanced Qi Gathering Stage disciple Wang Ding here to report back."

Before long, a voice came from within the palace, mysterious to the extreme and filled with strange power. "Come in."

The instant that voice sounded, Wang Ding forgot everything, even who he himself was. But at this moment, the benefits of Wang Ding having been washed by the River of Fate revealed themselves. Wang Ding instinctively sensed that something was wrong and bit through the tip of his tongue. The stimulation of pain awakened him, but his heart was filled with great shock. What kind of illusory divine ability is this? So powerful—just one voice nearly made me forget who I was.

Looking at Tianhanzi ahead of him, who had sensed nothing and was walking into the palace, Wang Ding did not dare think too much and followed closely behind him.

Wang Ding looked at the palace before him and saw three large black characters written on the plaque above the hall doors: Sovereign Hall.

Entering Sovereign Hall, Wang Ding raised his eyes and looked over. The palace was a hundred zhang in circumference. In the center stood a glazed screen, upon which countless ever-changing scenes were reflected, radiating a scorching aura.

Before the screen was a sky-blue throne, radiating a pale-blue brilliance that transformed the entire great hall into something like the dragon palace of the sea. The person seated upon it, set off by that blue radiance, was as majestic and immeasurable as a god of the ocean.

At this time, Tianhanzi led Wang Ding to a point a hundred meters away from the blue throne, then bowed and saluted. "Greetings, Sect Master True Person. May Sect Master True Person prove the Dao of longevity and endure forever through the ages."

Wang Ding carefully sized up the person on the throne at this moment. He saw that the man's entire body was shrouded in a mist of water. No matter how Wang Ding looked, he could not see his features clearly.

Wang Ding knew that looking any further was useless, so he no longer continued and lowered his head to avoid provoking the sect master's displeasure.

At this time, the sect master waved his hand, and Tianhanzi automatically stood to one side, leaving only Wang Ding standing before the Sect Master True Person. Wang Ding then heard the sect master speak. "Wang Ding, you are someone who joined my Wongchuan Sect this year. Yet in just over a month, you were able to enter the Qi Gathering Stage. You can be called outstanding in talent. From now on, you are a true disciple of my sect."