The sky was just dawning, a faint gray light spreading across the horizon.
Jiang Ling stood before a pile of ruins, dark circles under his eyes. He looked at his Senior Brother, a trace of embarrassment on his face as he explained:
"Ahem, disciple."
He rubbed his hands together, trying to justify the accident from last night. "Last night, this master's divine art finally took shape. I couldn't control my power for a moment, and this hall... Well, out with the old, in with the new!"
Jincancan glanced sideways at him, scratched at the gravel on the ground with its claw, and let out a chirp filled with disdain.
"Cheep!"
Trying to fool me again? Divine art taking shape, my foot! Who in the world reaches Nascent Soul in the blink of an eye? Clearly, he's pretending to be weak while hiding his true strength. This emperor saw through it long ago!
Jiang Ling's face turned red with embarrassment. He was about to retort when the loud commotion coming from the foot of the mountain instantly caught his attention.
"What's going on?"
He picked up Jincancan in one hand, walked confusedly to the mountain gate archway, and leaned out to look. He almost stumbled back in shock at the sight before him.
At the foot of Primordial Beginning Mountain, a dense crowd surged forward like a tide—men and women, young and old, cultivators and mortals, ragged refugees, wealthy households in fine clothes, and even a few sneaky figures who looked up to no good.
All their eyes were fixed on the dilapidated mountain gate archway, filled with reverence and longing.
At a rough glance, there were no fewer than fifty or sixty people!
Each of them looked haggard, as if they had been tormented by monsters countless times—even more miserable than Jiang Ling had been a few days earlier.
When they saw Jiang Ling appear, everyone's eyes instantly lit up with enthusiasm. They knelt down before the "supreme expert" looking stunned behind the gate, tears streaming down their faces as they shouted:
"Merciful Immortal Master! Please take us in!"
"Supreme Expert! Save us! Monsters run amok outside—we can't go on living!"
"Begging for your kindness, Immortal Master! Accept us as your disciples! We are willing to be your lackeys and serve you faithfully!"
"Immortal Master! I'll offer all my wealth, just for the sect's protection!"
The voices merged into a buzzing roar that made Jiang Ling's head ache.
What's going on here? Did these people take the wrong medicine?
As he listened carefully to their words, a strange look crossed Jiang Ling's face.
The system had just issued the quest, and these people had come right to his door. It saved him the trouble of going down the mountain to trick... ahem, saved him a lot of effort.
Thinking this, Jiang Ling perked up, straightening his back instantly.
"Silence!"
He cleared his throat. His voice was not loud, but it sounded like thunder, instantly suppressing the noise from the foot of the mountain.
Everyone felt a heavy weight in their chests, as if an invisible force was choking their throats. They all looked up at the figure standing with his hands behind his back at the gate, filled with awe.
"Today marks the day my Primordial Beginning Sect reopens its gates and recruits talented disciples from all walks of life!"
Jiang Ling swept his gaze over the crowd below, trying to mimic the demeanor of the old sect master he remembered, his tone carrying a hint of unfathomable mystery.
"Anyone under fifty, regardless of birth or the quality of their spiritual root, as long as they are sincere in seeking the Dao, may enter my sect and strive for a chance at immortality!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted in commotion.
They accept people up to fifty? Did they hear that right?
And they don't care about spiritual root quality—where in the world could one find such a good opportunity!
Many young cultivators who prided themselves on having some talent smiled with joy.
But more people, especially the ragged refugees and older mortals, had a glimmer of unprecedented hope in their eyes!
"Merciful Immortal Master!"
"The Primordial Beginning Sect is benevolent! Giving mortals a chance!"
"Father! Mother! I have hope now!"
The crowd scrambled toward the mountain gate.
Watching the surging crowd, Jiang Ling grinned from ear to ear. "Hehe, the more people there are, the more chances for ten-thousandfold reimbursements!"
However, ideals were full, but reality was harsh.
Not a single genius disciple he imagined appeared.
Those who came to register were either emaciated mortal teenagers who looked malnourished, or down-and-out scattered cultivators with mottled spiritual roots and turbid auras.
There were also a few shifty-looking guys who were clearly here to mooch food or spy on the sect's true strength.
Gritting his teeth, Jiang Ling relied on the experience he had gained from eight hundred years of hiding to barely select nine passable candidates as outer disciples.
"One more to go. I'll continue tomorrow."
Just as Jiang Ling sighed at the scarcity of geniuses and was about to call it a day, another commotion broke out.
A group of people was climbing up the mountain path step by step.
Leading them was a wealthy-looking middle-aged fat man wearing silk robes, with two thin mustaches curving downwards.
Behind him were several strong servants carrying heavy loads, and a teenage boy dressed in a brocade long gown, around fifteen or sixteen years old.
The boy had a handsome face, but his brows carried a coldness and estrangement beyond his years. His eyes were sharp, as if he regarded everything with scrutiny and a hint of imperceptible contempt.
His steps were steady, and his aura was restrained—he had already reached the Third Layer of Qi Refining, a rare talent in this mortal land.
"It's Master Hua from the town! He brought his son!"
The crowd stirred, automatically making way for them.
Clearly, Master Hua was quite prestigious in Qingfeng Town.
Master Hua walked to the mountain gate, glanced around, and put on a smooth, businessman-like smile. He bowed deeply to Jiang Ling, who was pretending to meditate with his eyes closed.
"This humble Hua Fugui, along with my son Hua Yuntian, specially comes to pay homage to Sect Master Jiang! Congratulations on the reopening of the Primordial Beginning Sect and the prosperity of its immortal path!"
His voice was loud and full of energy.
Jiang Ling didn't even lift his eyelids, only stroking Jincancan's feathers casually.
He knew the Hua family—they had been in business for generations and were quite wealthy.
A hundred years ago, he had tried to work as a servant in the Hua family under an alias, but he had been chased away.
Hmph!
Just because he had lived a long time didn't mean he had forgotten these things.
He, Jiang Ling, had only two strengths in his life—and one of them was holding a grudge!
You chased me away back then; don't blame me for ignoring you now.
True to his businessman's nature, Hua Fugui was flexible and not embarrassed by the snub. He continued smiling:
"I've heard that Sect Master Jiang possesses unparalleled divine power, slaying the Demon King with a single hand and protecting this region. This humble one admires you deeply!
"My son Yuntian has admired the immortal path since childhood. He has decent talent—a Three-Spiritual-Root physique.
"Today, I've prepared a small gift, begging Sect Master Jiang to take him as your disciple and accept him into the sect. Yuntian, hurry and pay homage to your master!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the servants behind him stepped forward, put down their loads, and lifted the red cloth covering them.
Whoosh!
The light dazzled everyone's eyes instantly!
One load was neatly stacked, cut low-grade spirit stones—at least a thousand of them! They emanated a gentle spiritual glow, shimmering softly.
The other load contained various brocade boxes. When the lids were opened, they revealed mature spiritual herbs such as ginseng, ganoderma lucidum, and polygonum multiflorum, their fragrance filling the air.
There were also several bolts of glowing silk that clearly contained spiritual silk threads!
This "small gift" was a fortune for some scattered cultivators—enough to support a non-ranked sect!
The onlookers stared wide-eyed, gasping in amazement one after another.
Truly worthy of Master Hua—what a generous gesture!
Jiang Ling's ears perked up instantly when he heard the words "spirit stones" and "spiritual herbs."
He猛地 opened his eyes!
When he saw the pile of gleaming spirit stones and the aura-rich spiritual herbs, his eyes instantly burst with a light brighter than Jincancan's feathers!