The day new disciples began lining up to enter the Xu Shen Dian Sect finally arrived.
The newcomers were brimming with excitement, their eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Most of them were outer disciples. A few were accepted directly as inner disciples, though unfortunately, they could be counted on one hand.
None of this had anything to do with Lin Yue.
She had no connection to them at all.
Her focus lay elsewhere. Information about cultivation.
Lin Yue still didn't fully understand how the learning system in this world worked. While waiting for the new disciples to finish their guided tour, she decided to return the token belonging to Young Master Hu to the Second Elder first.
That token no longer served any purpose for her.
Soon, Lin Yue arrived at the familiar chamber of the elder. As usual, she carried herself casually, but this time her attitude was noticeably more restrained.
She chose her words carefully, unwilling to act rashly. Even so, the pressure of superiority in her demeanor had not completely faded.
This was a world that respected etiquette as much as strength, and she would adapt accordingly.
The elder sat before her, his face appearing even more wrinkled than before, though for what reason, she neither knew nor cared.
She was here only to return the token.
"Are there any specific restrictions while I remain here?" she asked, gently placing the elite token onto the table.
The elder accepted it with a satisfied expression. He noticed the shift in her attitude, though it did nothing to dispel his dislike of her.
"Nothing specific. You may use the sect's facilities as usual. However, you must acquire your own resources. The sect will not provide them."
"So I can still take on certain missions?" As long as her access to information wasn't restricted, that was enough.
"Correct. But you will not receive regular assignments."
Lin Yue understood immediately. In short, she could only apply for missions, unlike official disciples who were assigned tasks directly.
With her business concluded, she had no reason to remain in the presence of the Second Elder any longer.
As usual, Lin Yue intended to carry out her daily training before pursuing any cultivation-related information.
The sect was still in its introductory phase. There was no need to rush.
Paths and training grounds that were normally quiet were now crowded with people. Lin Yue chose to take a detour, searching for a more secluded place.
Eventually, she arrived at an area of green grass, bordered by scattered walls and irregularly spaced trees.
It lacked the extravagance and splendor found elsewhere in the sect, but she preferred it.
Quiet. Simple.
That was her thought until..
"Crash!"
A loud noise erupted from a building near one of the trees.
Lin Yue nearly jumped, instantly alert. She hesitated. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.
She could have left. But the sound was followed by harsh curses, crude and unpleasant, enough to make her want to take a peek.
From behind the wall, she heard the rough voices of men. No–several of them.
"Get up," one of them scoffed.
The others looked down at the target of their abuse with open disgust. It was inhuman.
"Do you really need us seniors to teach you some basic lessons?"
The person being addressed lay sprawled on the ground, her head pinned beneath someone's foot.
"Just leave! I never asked to be taught!" she shouted. Only then did it become clear. the victim was a girl.
"Oh?" Their expressions darkened at her resistance. The pressure on her head increased, merciless, as if they intended to crush it outright.
"A new disciple with locked potential. Remember your place," someone sneered, before kicking her body away.
From her hiding place, Lin Yue shuddered in disbelief.
Wasn't this bullying?
She had thought the sect upheld etiquette and propriety. Apparently, some people wore polite masks to hide rotten faces underneath.
Now she faced a choice. If she intervened, she risked being dragged into the same fate. If she walked away, her conscience would never let it go.
Borrowing someone else's hands was the best option.
She remembered that patrol disciples were stationed nearby. All she needed was to bring them here and expose the bullies.
Lin Yue hurried toward the patrol.
"I want to report something," she said, adopting a serious expression. "There are wild beasts around here."
"Wild beasts?" One of the patrol disciples frowned. The Xu Shen Dian Sect was rarely infiltrated by such creatures.
The kraken Lin Yue had defeated was an exception.
Still, her expression convinced them. Without hesitation, the patrol rushed toward the reported location.
They were trained cultivators. Lin Yue struggled to keep up.
No matter how much she trained, it couldn't bridge that gap yet. The difference between a cultivator and a non-cultivator was stark.
When they arrived, the patrol disciples heard screams, but not from beasts. It was the cry of a girl in pain!
As they drew closer, they found three men and two women standing over a figure on the ground, bruised and bloodied.
Violence was not uncommon in the sect. Usually, it was done discreetly. Scenes this blatant were rare.
The bullies froze, their faces turning pale. They hadn't expected witnesses.
"Stop," a patrol disciple commanded.
The group hesitated, unsure how to respond, until one stammered, "W-We were just teaching her."
"Yes! That's right."
"She asked to be taught through sparring."
The patrol disciples were displeased. The lie was obvious.
"Enough. All of you, come with us."
That was enough to shatter them. Their reputations were finished.
They were all outer disciples. Status here depended solely on cultivation level.
The patrol disciples were clearly stronger. Resistance was impossible.
They also assisted the injured girl. Incidents like this had to be reported and handled seriously.
From a tree near the building, Lin Yue watched from afar, letting out a quiet breath of relief.
She was about to continue on her way when something struck her head.
A peach.
Thanks to her training, she caught it instinctively.
But something was off.
As far as she knew, this tree didn't bear peaches