Sect Leader Chu

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the disciple emerged from the hall.

He approached Xiao Yu, cupped his fists, and said, "Martial Uncle, the sect leader invites you in!"

Xiao Yu acknowledged him and walked into the grand hall.

A moment later, Xiao Yu reached the main chamber.

A white-haired old man of about seventy was sitting beside a tea table, sizing him up with a smile.

He was none other than Chu Yunfeng, the sect leader of the Giant Sword Sect!

Xiao Yu released a faint trace of spiritual sense and swept it over Sect Leader Chu, inwardly growing cautious.

As the rumors said, he was at late Foundation Establishment, though he had yet to reach its perfected stage! Xiao Yu had met the sect leader once six months ago, before entering the Forbidden Grounds, but back then, he had been unable to discern his exact cultivation.

Not daring to show any disrespect, he promptly approached Sect Leader Chu and cupped his fists. "Xiao Yu greets you, Senior Brother Sect Leader!"

Sect Leader Chu was puzzled as well when he saw Xiao Yu. He knew all the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the sect, so who was this ordinary-looking man? Why did he have no recollection of him whatsoever?

Nevertheless, he rose and cupped his fists toward Xiao Yu. "Forgive my presumption, Junior Brother, but you look rather unfamiliar! May I ask...?"

Xiao Yu smiled slightly at his words. "Senior Brother Sect Leader, I only recently entered the Foundation Establishment Stage. I came specifically to have my name registered! You are busy with sect affairs every day, so it is perfectly natural that you do not recognize me!"

"I see! To have reached the Foundation Establishment Stage at such a young age, you must possess exceptional aptitude! You have every hope of forming a Core Condensation Pill in the future!" Sect Leader Chu said with a nod.

At these words, Xiao Yu could only smile bitterly to himself.

His three spiritual roots gave him merely average aptitude. How could that be called exceptional? Had he not refined those Foundation Establishment Pills himself, his chances of succeeding with just a single pill would have been slim indeed!

But he did not want Sect Leader Chu to know his aptitude. Once he found suitable pill formulas and refined pills that advanced his cultivation, his progress would become extremely rapid. With three spiritual roots, cultivating too quickly would inevitably arouse suspicion.

He gave Sect Leader Chu a light smile and said, "You flatter me, Senior Brother Sect Leader. I was simply fortunate enough to succeed in Foundation Establishment. With your auspicious words, I will certainly cultivate diligently and strive to reach Core Formation!"

Sect Leader Chu smiled and nodded. "It is good that you have the drive to advance, Junior Brother Xiao. In that case, hand me your identity token!"

Xiao Yu tapped his Storage Bag, took out an ink-black token, and handed it to Sect Leader Chu.

Taking the token, Sect Leader Chu narrowed his eyes and began murmuring, his fingers forming a Spell Seal! White light then flickered over the ink-black token, alternately brightening and dimming!

A moment later, Sect Leader Chu slowly opened his eyes and returned the token to Xiao Yu. "Junior Brother Xiao, the information on your identity token has been updated, but you must also leave a drop of blood essence on the Sect Scroll!"

As he spoke, Sect Leader Chu tapped his waist, and a golden scroll roughly a foot long appeared in his hand.

"The Sect Scroll?" Xiao Yu asked in confusion, his eyes shifting slightly.

Seeing his bewilderment, Sect Leader Chu smiled and explained, "It is like this, Junior Brother Xiao! The Sect Scroll is a treasure that records the names of our disciples. Only cultivators at Foundation Establishment or above qualify to have their names entered on it. Leaving a drop of blood essence in the scroll merely allows it to bear your aura. It will not harm you in any way!"

"Very well. I will do as you say, Senior Brother Sect Leader." After a brief moment of consideration, Xiao Yu agreed. He circulated his cultivation technique, forced out a drop of blood essence, and let it seep into the scroll!

The moment Xiao Yu's blood essence fell onto it, the scroll suddenly shone with golden light! A moment later, it absorbed the blood essence without leaving a trace!

At that moment,

Sect Leader Chu formed a Spell Seal, and the name "Xiao Yu" suddenly appeared beneath the densely packed names on the scroll. The aura it emitted was identical to Xiao Yu's! Xiao Yu could not help silently marveling at it!

Then Sect Leader Chu turned his hand over, and the scroll vanished!

He tapped his waist again, and a brown beast hide several feet across appeared in his hand!

He laid the hide on the table and said to Xiao Yu, "Junior Brother Xiao, Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators may establish their own cave abodes anywhere within the sect's territory. This map shows the area under the Giant Sword Sect's jurisdiction, spanning nearly a thousand li. See if any place suits your liking! The white areas are already occupied by cultivators, while the black areas remain unclaimed!"

Xiao Yu was delighted to hear this.

He had never liked being constrained by others, and he carried secrets that could not bear the light of day. Now that he could freely choose a cave abode outside the sect grounds, it suited him perfectly.

Xiao Yu nodded to Sect Leader Chu, then approached the table and carefully examined the map on the beast hide!

Mountains and rivers were depicted on it in vivid, lifelike detail!

The map was densely dotted with white and black areas, with the Giant Sword Sect's main grounds at its very center!

Xiao Yu did not want to be too close to the sect, but being too far away would not be good either. If anything important happened, he might not make it back in time!

Shifting his gaze away from the center, he began examining the area within three hundred li of the Moon-Watching Sect's main grounds!

Seeing Xiao Yu's gaze roam over the map, Sect Leader Chu said nothing and simply waited beside him with a smile!

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Xiao Yu lifted his head, the corners of his mouth rising slightly. He cupped his fists toward Sect Leader Chu and said, "Senior Brother Sect Leader, I will choose this area!"

As he spoke, Xiao Yu pointed at a black area on the map.

Seeing that Xiao Yu had chosen the site of his cave abode, Sect Leader Chu glanced at it, formed a Spell Seal with one hand, and pointed at the selected area.

A streak of white spiritual light immediately emerged from Sect Leader Chu's fingertip and vanished into the area in a flash!

The black area then slowly turned white.

Sect Leader Chu smiled slightly at the sight and said to Xiao Yu, "This area now belongs to you, Junior Brother Xiao!"

Next, he took three mid-grade Spirit Stones and seven small azure flags from his Storage Bag and handed them to Xiao Yu. Before Xiao Yu could ask anything, Sect Leader Chu turned his hand over and passed him a jade slip as well, then explained:

"These Spirit Stones are a one-time reward given to every disciple who has just reached Foundation Establishment. From now on, you will also receive one mid-grade Spirit Stone each year, without having to perform any chores."

"As for these formation flags, they are essential for establishing a cave abode. Though the maze formation they create is only the simplest kind of small array formation, it is enough to keep mortals and wild beasts from intruding. Of course, if you are already proficient in array formations, you need not use these flags.

"In addition, this jade slip contains the essentials for setting up the formation and the methods for controlling it. I have also copied some matters you should bear in mind after reaching Foundation Establishment into it. You can study it carefully once you return."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Sect Leader! In that case, I will trouble you no further!" Xiao Yu said, his face bright with pleasure.

"Very well. If you need anything, Junior Brother Xiao, you may come to me at any time!" Sect Leader Chu replied, cupping his fists.

Xiao Yu acknowledged him, then walked out of the hall!

Once Xiao Yu had left, Sect Leader Chu narrowed his eyes toward the doorway and murmured to himself:

"I remember now. He was one of the disciples who entered the Forbidden Grounds six months ago. Tsk, tsk... to think he succeeded in Foundation Establishment within half a year with only a single Foundation Establishment Pill, and his spiritual root aptitude did not seem particularly good! He truly is blessed with good fortune-or did he have some other fortuitous encounter? Never mind. There is no use dwelling on it. Since he has already left his blood essence in the Sect Scroll, there is no need to worry about anything else!"

Then Sect Leader Chu sat down in his chair, closed his eyes, and rested!