The behavior of An Tong and the Tian Po Sword had already made everything obvious.
Yun Jin was in no hurry to ask.
She waited by the River of Enlightenment for three more days and nights.
Finally, exactly two hundred disciples reached the far bank. There were still some disciples struggling within the river, but this round of Wushuang Sect's recruitment had reached its end.
Of course, being able to reach the final trial was already proof of their excellence. Though they could not enter the Wushuang Sect headquarters, it would be an easy matter for them to join one of Wushuang Sect's affiliated branches.
Yun Jin waved her hand.
Those still in the river were drawn back to the shore.
"This entrance trial is concluded," Yun Jin said warmly. "You may try again next time. Every year, Wushuang Sect grants promotion slots to affiliated sects. You will have another chance."
The disciples who had been dejected suddenly lit up with renewed hope at her words. After ordering that those disciples be escorted away, Yun Jin turned to face the two hundred who had successfully passed the final selection.
Among them were well-known prodigies who had already made names for themselves.
Among them were bewildered newcomers who had just set foot upon the path of cultivation.
But from now on, they were all disciples of Wushuang Sect.
Li Xiaoran had also ceased cultivating, standing solemnly among the new disciples as she awaited Yun Jin's words.
Yun Jin smiled. "Welcome to Wushuang Sect."
Such a simple sentence, yet it make Ji Heng's eyes grew moist with emotion. For him, this had been a desperate gamble. Thankfully, he had won.
"Wushuang Sect is different from other sects. Here, you will open the door to an entirely new world." Yun Jin's smile deepened. "The details I will not speak of—you will discover them for yourselves in time.
Today, I will only emphasize three things.
First, Wushuang Sect disciples are strictly forbidden from killing one another. Once discovered, death without pardon.
Second, Wushuang Sect disciples are forbidden from bullying the weak. Once discovered, death without pardon.
Third, Wushuang Sect disciples must never consort with the demonic race or those of the crooked path. Once discovered, death without pardon."
Three consecutive declarations of death without pardon made every new disciple's heart tremble.
"Other than these," Yun Jin suddenly smiled again, "remember this. Wushuang Sect will be the greatest sect of this world. You are disciples of the strongest sect. As long as you walk the righteous path, you will always have an entire sect standing as your shield.
Disciples of Wushuang Sect need not fear any so-called authority, for Wushuang Sect itself is supreme."
With just a few words, the eyes of the new disciples burned with fervor.
"Enough. Arrange for their entry into the sect," Yun Jin instructed the recruitment overseers.
"Let them first select their initial cultivation manuals and rest a while. In three days, bring them to Jian Ling Mountain. Once they pass Jian Ling Mountain, then guide them elsewhere."
Jian Ling Mountain?
Qin Ping and the others were puzzled.
Within Wushuang Sect's secret realms, there was indeed a mountain so named, for a sword spirit had long dwelt there, endlessly practicing sword arts. Disciples affectionately called it Jian Ling Mountain.
But aside from the Jian Ling, the mountain should have nothing else, should it not?
Though doubt lingered in their hearts, none dared ask further since Yun Jin did not explain.
The new disciples were quickly led toward the Scripture Pavilion. Watching their retreating figures, Yun Jin chuckled softly.
Three days' time.
That should be more than enough for Zhu Zhu and Yuan Yuan to prepare a marvelous game.
It was time to give these new disciples a little shock.
"See you in three days," Yun Jin murmured, before vanishing from the spot.
—
In the Sect Master's Residence.
Yun Jin summoned An Tong and the Tian Po Sword.
She sighed. "Speak. What is the matter with Li Xiaoran?"
An Tong and the Tian Po Sword exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss for words.
"Is she the reincarnation of some senior of Wushuang Sect?" Yun Jin asked directly.
Judging by the reaction of this spirit and sword, she had already formed her own guess.
Since Yun Jin had spoken it aloud, An Tong no longer hesitated. He spoke cautiously. "Judging from Li Xiaoran's situation, there is an immense likelihood that she is the reincarnation of the Fairy Mie Jue from a thousand years ago."
Fairy Mie Jue?
What kind of ridiculous dao title was that?
Why not just call her the Grandmaster Mie Jue!
Even Yun Jin was startled.
"Young Master, you should have heard of her as well. When you inherited the position of Sect Master, you used the Parent-Child Talisman that she invented. Fairy Mie Jue cultivated every moment of her life, despising idleness above all else. That talisman was originally created to supervise Wushuang Sect disciples, to force them to train diligently."
The Tian Po Sword glanced at An Tong. "Not only disciples—even all living beings within Wushuang Sect were under her supervision."
An Tong involuntarily shivered.
"In those days...
No. Best not to think of it. The memories were too painful."
"In that great calamity a thousand years ago," Yun Jin asked curiously, "was this fairy not present?"
"No, she was," the Tian Po Sword replied softly. "At the time, the Old Master was Sect Master. He and seven others were as siblings, their bond deep beyond words. Among them, Fairy Mie Jue was second in rank, her strength second only to the Old Master himself, incomparably formidable.
Later, when Wushuang Sect was destroyed, many disciples perished before we were even sent away. But when the Old Master's avatar sent me back, all eight of them were still alive."
The room fell into silence.
Alive then.
Now...
Li Xiaoran stood before them.
Which meant...
Fairy Mie Jue had perished.
In truth—after so many years, Wan Dao Saint and the others should already have fallen. Both the Tian Po Sword and An Tong had long accepted this bitter reality. But to truly behold the reincarnation of Fairy Mie Jue now made the grief surge like a tide, overwhelming.
Cultivators valued reincarnation greatly.
There was a saying.
If one day, a being could master the laws of time and space, attaining supreme heights...
They could gather all the scattered fragments of their past reincarnations into themselves, thus achieving a truly complete Primordial Soul.
But...
To master the laws of time and space.
To become supreme above all.
Since the beginning of time, no such person had ever appeared.
Only then, with all lifetimes united as one, could true great perfection be achieved.
Yet for the vast majority of people?
Death was simply death.
Even if reincarnation occurred...
It was no longer the same person.
Fairy Mie Jue had truly fallen.
The current Li Xiaoran was a new being. Even if she carried fragments of temperament or habits from her past life...
That was all it would ever be.
"If the Old Master also reincarnated, perhaps by fate he would return to Wushuang Sect. When that day comes, I will recognize him in an instant." The Tian Po Sword's voice drifted, half lost in memories.
Yun Jin sighed softly. She could understand his longing. But matters of reincarnation were unfathomable.
A peerless genius in a past life could reincarnate as nothing more than a bird or a beast.
Or perhaps, countless lifetimes later, such genius would bloom again.
There was no pattern to follow.
No...
Perhaps one who mastered the Law of Reincarnation could glimpse a few secrets.
But Yun Jin...
She was far from that realm.
She only knew this much: If Wan Dao Saints and the others had indeed fallen, for them to be reborn as humans again, to once more possess cultivation aptitude, and to somehow return to Wushuang Sect...
That probability was far too small.
The existence of Li Xiaoran alone was already a gift of fate.
As for the others...
Yun Jin dared not think further.
She spoke softly in comfort. "There are rumors that under certain conditions, one may awaken fragments of their past-life memories. If Li Xiaoran gains such an opportunity, perhaps we can learn what transpired within that dimensional space. Who knows—perhaps Master and the others still live."
===
剑灵 (Jiàn Líng) or Sword Spirit. I decide to use the Chinese name as it name, just like tower spirit as Ta Ling.
灭绝 (Mièjué) means "to wipe out," "exterminate," or "bring to extinction."
灭绝师太 (Mièjué shī tài) or Grandmaster Mie Jue is a famously ruthless character from the classic wuxia novel "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" by Jin Yong.