Vermilion Bird coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment, transformed into an enormous scarlet bird, and stood imposingly before Tang Yao. "Let's go. How was I supposed to know you were this poor?"
"This is only temporary!" Tang Yao gave Vermilion Bird a smack on his bird head.
Once she found time to sell talismans or trade them for pills outside the Luo River Sect, then came back to sell the pills outside the Azure Cloud Sect, wouldn't Spirit Stones come pouring in!
After Tang Yao climbed onto Vermilion Bird, he shrank to the size of a crane to avoid attracting attention and flew toward the Azure Cloud Sect.
On the way, Tang Yao asked Vermilion Bird in some confusion, "Where do you think Taotie is?"
Vermilion Bird's feathers instantly bristled. "?!" he said indignantly. "Mention him again and you're getting off! Have him carry you to the Azure Cloud Sect right now!"
Was having him alone not enough! She was actually thinking about other beasts while squeezing labor out of him!
Tang Yao hurriedly soothed the bristling beast. "I mean, he should have recovered his memories by now, right? After all, he's a ferocious beast from the Devil Race's side."
"Don't worry about that. He signed that Master-Servant Contract through a lucky accident, and who knows where he's crying over it now. That means he wants you alive more than anyone," Vermilion Bird snorted softly before continuing. "If you die, he could lose thousands of years of cultivation."
Half a day later, they reached the foot of the Azure Cloud Sect's mountain, surrounded by mountains and overlapping peaks.
The Azure Cloud Sect's main gate was built from bluestone and carved with sword patterns, with faint cracks left upon it by the passage of time. Several outer disciples guarded either side, standing ramrod straight with solemn expressions.
Vermilion Bird took the opportunity to return to her Divine Sense. Tang Yao walked up to the gate, where several disciples stopped her.
"Halt! No unauthorized persons allowed!" Seeing that Tang Yao was not dressed in sect robes, one disciple spoke rather rudely.
Another disciple had a little more discernment. Judging by Tang Yao's attire, she had to be a young master from a wealthy household, so he said somewhat more politely, "Please show your token. Or tell us who you're looking for, and we'll announce your arrival."
Tang Yao said, "I don't have a token."
She paused, then added something.
"I'm here to report in."
At her words, the disciples looked at Tang Yao with contempt, as though they had heard a joke.
Who was this now, trying to get in through the back door just because his family had a little money?
New disciple registration had ended three months ago!
"Go on, get moving! Go back wherever you came from!"
"...If you don't leave, we won't be polite."
"You didn't even find out the registration date before trying to use the back door."
The disciples exchanged glances and were about to drive Tang Yao away.
Tang Yao looked somewhat impatient. "Go announce that Tang Yao of the Tang Household has come to report to the Azure Cloud Sect today."
The disciples laughed out of habit.
Even the Heavenly King himself wouldn't help you!
Wait.
Tang Yao?!!
That wastrel from the Tang Household with the Innate Sword Bone??
One disciple was the first to react and announce, "Um, um, I'll go report this first! This is important. I'll be off, I'll be off!"
The three remaining disciples stood in the wind, utterly disheveled.
They silently watched the disciple who had already fled the scene, their teeth itching with hatred.
Damn it, you were the only one quick enough to react, leaving us here!!
They could only steel themselves, lower their heads, and cup their hands politely. "Senior... Senior Brother Tang! Please wait a moment!"
Wasn't Tang Yao supposed to be a frivolous wastrel!
Why did she look so handsome and dignified? How were they supposed to recognize her?
Besides, everyone said Tang Yao was extremely sinister and would avenge even the slightest grievance. He wouldn't hold a grudge, would he...
One disciple spoke tremulously. "Senior Brother... Tang, the sect's individual competition for new disciples has been postponed for three months for your sake. Please prepare in advance."
He knew that although Tang Yao possessed the Innate Sword Bone, her strength was mediocre. He hoped that by giving Tang Yao a reminder, she would not bear a grudge against him.
Tang Yao said thoughtfully, "Understood."
Making all the new disciples wait for her alone would probably leave many of them feeling resentful toward her...
Half an incense stick later.
An old man in elder's robes came rushing over on a flying sword, a trace of fervor in his eyes. A living bearer of the Innate Sword Bone!
The elder raced along like wind and lightning, traveling extremely fast. Too excited to use a Law Technique, he had let the wind blow his hair into something resembling a chicken's nest.
Before he reached the gate, a slightly urgent cry rang out from the sky. "Tang Yao!!"
After landing, the elder looked around before finally fixing his sights on a handsome youth.
He looked at her as though she were a precious treasure. "Look! How handsome! Just what you'd expect of our sword cultivators' Innate Sword Bone!"
The disciples: "???"
This was too surreal.
Who could understand that this was their most unsmiling law enforcement elder, Elder Yun Feng, who oversaw the Punishment Division!
Someone tell them this wasn't real...
The outer disciples' idealized image of their sect's inner elders shattered all over the ground.
Tang Yao blinked at the old man before her, whose smiling face had blossomed like a chrysanthemum. She was just about to speak when, with a swish, Elder Yun pulled her onto his bonded sword.
Tang Yao: "?" What happened?
Chuckling, Elder Yun stroked his beard and flew back toward the main peak with Tang Yao.
Yet deep worry filled his eyes. After a moment's thought, he said, "At present, the other elders don't really approve of you. They think your character is poor and your cultivation low, and that you cannot serve as the Azure Cloud Sect's head disciple..."
"But what the hell do they know! This is the Innate Sword Bone! Don't worry when we reach the main hall. I'll handle everything!" Elder Yun cursed with a frown.
After giving a hum of acknowledgment, Tang Yao clutched Elder Yun's sleeve tightly.
Wait, wasn't this elder flying his sword far too fast! Even faster than Vermilion Bird!
She felt as though she was going to throw up...
An unwelcome thought suddenly occurred to Tang Yao. Surely I, a proper sword cultivator, don't get sword-sick... Wouldn't that mean I'd still have to rely on Vermilion Bird to carry me in the future?
Meanwhile, Vermilion Bird sneezed within her mind and muttered with a frown, "Who's talking about this young master!"
Before long, Tang Yao was brought before the main hall.
The hall's entrance was magnificent, with two dragon pillars standing majestically and a plaque inscribed with "Sect Main Hall."
Upon entering, she found old men seated in orderly rows, unsmiling, all staring at Tang Yao with scrutinizing gazes.
The man seated at the very top held himself straight, a little kindness showing through his imposing demeanor. He was probably the Azure Cloud Sect's sect master-Ren Linfeng.
Sect Master Ren shook his head, utterly helpless.
"Tang Yao, was it? Have you had enough fun these past few months? You finally remembered to come back."
Tang Yao lowered her head, neither servile nor overbearing. "I gained a great deal during my travels these past days. Thank you for your concern, Sect Master."
A discordant voice rang out. "Glib-tongued! You can even call fooling around traveling!" The expression of the elder seated below Sect Master Ren to his right abruptly darkened.
"Old Qing, don't frighten the child! If Tang Yao leaves, I'll never let you hear the end of it!" Elder Yun snorted, looking indignant.
Who knew that as soon as Elder Yun said this, half the elders in the hall would speak up in rebuttal.
"True Person Yun Feng, how can you say that? If we keep him, he might ruin the sect's reputation someday!"
"Tang Yao's poor character and unsuitability to be head disciple are simply facts. Making an exception to admit her as a direct disciple is generous enough. As for head disciple, I firmly oppose it!"
"Exactly. You call it traveling, but has your cultivation improved?"
Sect Master Ren looked troubled for a moment as well. After all, support from him and Elder Yun alone could hardly convince everyone.
He hesitated, then finally sighed. "Tang Yao, what is your current cultivation?"
For some reason, he could not see through Tang Yao's cultivation. Could she be carrying a Law Artifact that concealed it?
Elder Qing likewise could not see through Tang Yao, and a thin veil of anger began to settle over his face. "Why bother asking him! Someone, bring the Spirit Testing Stone!" As his words fell, a young attendant at the side hurried out of the hall.