"Whoosh!"
When Lu Li stepped out of his room,
from the distant horizon, between the mountains and icy waters,
a streak of light sped toward him.
The Azure Pool Sect's methods of controlling its disciples are even stricter than I imagined.
These past few months... whenever a disciple broke through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, the outer sect found out.
Someone came to receive them right away...
Looking at it this way... outer sect disciples do carry some weight in the sect's eyes.
Watching the streak of light speed toward him, Lu Li pondered in silence.
A moment later, the streak of light arrived before him.
It was Bai Sheng.
"Menial disciple Lu Li broke through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer today."
"I report this to you, senior brother, and ask that you receive me into the outer sect."
Looking at Bai Sheng, who wore a white magic robe, Lu Li bowed and cupped his fists.
He deliberately put a look of delight on his face.
He did his best to make it seem as though he had broken through with great difficulty and a stroke of luck.
"Lu Li?"
"I didn't expect you to be the one who broke through."
Standing on his flying sword, Bai Sheng looked at Lu Li in some surprise.
He still had some impression of Lu Li.
But over the past six months, Lu Li had done nothing else out of the ordinary, so he had not paid him much attention.
Seeing Lu Li today and finding that he had already broken through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, he was naturally a little surprised.
This fellow was only lucky at first...
I never even expected him to survive, yet he's managed to advance...
Hmm... counting the time, it's only been a little over half a year. His talent is so-so, but he isn't completely useless.
Bai Sheng looked Lu Li up and down, as though evaluating something.
A few breaths later, his usual cold demeanor had vanished.
He spoke warmly.
"Since Junior Brother Lu has broken through to the Qi Refining Middle Stage, you should naturally be promoted to the outer sect."
"Come, get on my flying sword. I'll take you into the sect to have your name registered and your allotments assigned."
"Th-thank you, senior brother!"
Lu Li put on an excited expression and infused his feet with spiritual power.
He leaped forcefully onto the flying sword.
Inside, however, he was puzzled.
This Bai Sheng... why is he acting like a different person?
His attitude has improved so much. Could it be just because I've joined the outer sect... but even then, surely the difference wouldn't be this great...
Standing at the back of the flying sword, Lu Li could not make sense of it.
Bai Sheng piloted the flying sword straight toward the distant mountains and icy waters,
while explaining the affairs of the outer sect to Lu Li in detail.
"Now that Junior Brother Lu has joined the outer sect, there are some things you ought to know."
"Outer sect disciples each have their own cave abode. They must complete missions, accumulate contribution points, and compete to enter the inner sect."
"I can see that although your aptitude is not outstanding, Junior Brother Lu, your temperament is excellent, and you have fortune on your side... perhaps you may have a chance of entering the inner sect someday..."
"As it happens, my Bai Household holds one of the inner sect's four peaks. If you have the opportunity in the future, keep Upper White Peak in mind."
As Bai Sheng spoke, he reached into his Storage Bag and rummaged out a metal token.
A large character for "Bai" was engraved on its face.
He held it out to Lu Li.
This... I've only just broken through, and someone's already trying to recruit me?
What's going on...
Lu Li could not quite make sense of it.
Who knew what sort of place Upper White Peak, one of the inner sect's four peaks, was?
Bai Sheng had hardly seemed like a good person in the menial district...
As though he knew what Lu Li was thinking,
Bai Sheng did his best to rein in his temper and revealed a fairly gentle smile.
"Hehe... Junior Brother Lu, are you perhaps considering whether Upper White Peak would be a good place for you?"
"And wondering why I was so fierce in the past, yet have changed so much today?"
Bai Sheng answered his own questions, continuing without waiting for Lu Li to respond.
"Don't overthink it, junior brother."
"Since the founding of the Azure Pool Sect, many factions have formed within it."
"Those who enter as menials all have poor aptitude and no backing from a master or sect... it's only natural to knock them into line when they join."
"Once they reach the outer sect, they have some strength, can get things done and make contributions, and are worth recruiting by the various factions."
"It's not really a rule. It's always been this way, and you'll grow used to it in time, junior brother."
Having said that, Bai Sheng said no more.
The iron token was still held out in midair.
Lu Li fell silent and said nothing more. He took the token, his feelings complicated.
He had not understood before why the Azure Pool Sect treated its menial disciples so badly.
Now he had a rough idea...
Those who become menials... are expendable resources left over after everyone else has been picked...
Naturally, they can be beaten or killed at will...
Once they reach the outer sect, their aptitude may be ordinary, but at least they have some value...
There must be many factions like the Bai Household within the Azure Pool Sect. If you don't recruit them... someone else will...
As one wanes, the other waxes. Given enough time, that becomes a hidden danger...
In Lu Li's subconscious, the Azure Pool Sect had always been a Devil Dao Sect through and through.
The kind that devoured people without spitting out their bones.
But now it seemed... what Devil Dao Sect?
And what villain was Bai Sheng?
It was all nothing more than self-interest...
Menials were expendable resources, used and discarded.
Once they had strength, they could immediately become meritorious contributors to the sect, their treatment improving in an instant.
A once-hateful person could turn into a considerate senior brother, a guiding light...
As for whether it was the Azure Pool Devil Sect or the Azure Pool Sacred Sect, the benevolent would see benevolence, and the wise would see wisdom...
The flying sword cut through the air, and neither of them spoke.
The mountains grew larger, and the icy waters drew near.
More and more streaks of light appeared in the sky, coming from every direction.
The Spiritual Qi grew increasingly abundant as well.
Lu Li came back to his senses.
This... is the outer sect...
He raised his eyes and swept his gaze around.
The mountain peaks were covered in pavilions and towers, with entrances to cave abodes throughout.
A clear, icy river ran through the mountains.
On both banks, spiritual beasts, cranes, and sparrows flew and called, while fierce tigers and other beasts carried people and bore objects.
Atop the mountains were white jade plazas and towering halls.
Terraced fields covered the mountainsides, and medicinal gardens were in bloom.
What a grand sect's landscape it was!
And standing among the mountains, looking back toward the menial district they had come from,
he saw that it was nothing more than a tiny, dreary hollow...
Compared to the menial district, this outer sect really is a blessed land...
Lu Li stared without blinking, his throat bobbing.
He had to admit, the Azure Pool Sect's outer sect truly matched everything he had imagined a cultivation sect to be.
The sights and wonders dazzled him.
He still wanted to look around when the flying sword abruptly descended.
A hall of antique elegance appeared before him.
"Junior Brother Lu, you need only go and register your name."
"The disciples on duty will assign you a cave abode, robes, and other things."
"I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave for now. In the future..."
Bai Sheng paused, then continued.
"If you ever need help with anything in the sect, you can find me at Yi Five Cave."
"Farewell, senior brother."
Lu Li leaped off the flying sword and watched Bai Sheng depart, his eyes flickering.
He had not expected to become connected to Upper White Peak as soon as he joined the outer sect.
It seemed... the destinations of menials from all over were settled the moment they entered the outer sect...
Lu Li shook his head, unwilling to dwell on it.
Whether it was good or bad remained to be seen.
For now, he had a more pressing matter awaiting him.
It's time... to call Great Xia back!