Once Cheng Heng had packed, he hurried to the Cloudpiercing Sect without stopping. After nearly half a day, he finally arrived.
The Cloudpiercing Sect stood atop a majestic peak some twenty-odd miles west of the prefectural city. At a glance, its grounds were several times larger than those of the Mountain-Shaking Sect.
Yet the foot of the mountain was sparsely populated, nowhere near as bustling as the Mountain-Shaking Sect. An air of decline hung over everything.
As he climbed, he saw weeds growing everywhere. Even the mountain path was overgrown, as though no one tended it.
At the mountain gate, he saw that the Cloudpiercing Sect was recruiting disciples, though the number of applicants fell far short of the Mountain-Shaking Sect's.
A tall female disciple at the gate spotted Cheng Heng and came over to ask:
"Junior Brother, what brings you to the Cloudpiercing Sect?"
Cheng Heng cupped his fists. "Senior Sister, I've come to join the Cloudpiercing Sect as a disciple. May I ask what the process is?"
At the words "join as a disciple," the tall woman smiled.
"Your timing is perfect, Junior Brother. Recruitment ends tomorrow, so you've caught the last day."
"Just give me your details. You'll have an answer soon."
Cheng Heng breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had arrived in time.
He told the tall disciple his age, aptitude, and cultivation level. After listening, she said:
"First, let me introduce myself. I'm Yang Tianzhen, an inner disciple of the Fire Vajra Court. Come with me. With your qualifications, as long as they check out, you're certain to enter the sect."
Led by Yang Tianzhen, Cheng Heng passed through the mountain gate and reached a desk where aptitude was assessed. The process was the same as at the Mountain-Shaking Sect. Once a middle-aged