With the aid of the Enlightenment Tea, out of the fifty-five candidates, thirty-two ultimately passed the final trial. These thirty-two would become the very first disciples admitted under Wushuang Sect's own authority.
Whether Wushuang Sect's name could resound across the cultivation world now depended on the future achievements of these thirty-two. If they could truly transform within Wushuang Sect, shedding the shell of mediocrity to rise as peerless talents, then the next time the Sect opened its doors for recruitment, it would surely be flooded with aspiring cultivators.
When that time came, the requirements for admission would no longer be as lenient as this round.
This first batch had indeed benefited from Yun Jin's shortage of manpower. In the future, entering Wushuang Sect would only become more difficult.
Both Gao Jingxuan and Su Lingling were among the final thirty-two.
Yun Jin was not the least surprised.
After all, both carried remarkable Luck, and Luck often determined one's true potential. In Yun Jin's view, no matter if it was innate talent, bone structure, or comprehension ability, none of those were as reliable a measure as Luck.
But was it that the other sects simply did not wish to recruit disciples by measuring their Luck?
The truth was, they could not.
Luck was an unseen, untouchable existence. Unless an Immortal Artifact forcibly locked it down, cultivators had no way of grasping such a thing.
Only Yun Jin, through the Insight Eye granted by her system, could directly perceive a person's Luck.
That was the golden finger her system had bestowed upon her. In earlier days, neither Yang Yun nor Ye Danxia's Luck had shifted much, and Yun Jin's Insight Eye remained at its earlier stage.
At present, she could only check the Luck of ten people a day.
Over the last few days, she had gradually examined several, and today she once again observed the Luck of ten more.
To her satisfaction, the Luck of this batch of disciples was overall quite promising. She guessed that the will of the Heavenly Dao themselves might have subtly pushed matters along. Aside from Gao Jingxuan and Su Lingling, three other disciples' Luck stood out as extraordinary.
Two were women, one was a man.
Yun Jin glanced over them and quietly noted their situations.
For Wushuang Sect to truly make its name known, her own strength alone was not enough. She needed disciples who could rapidly grow into pillars of the sect. These three, without a doubt, would be her primary focus.
Not that Luck decided everything.
If Wushuang Sect had already reached a stage of steady growth, Yun Jin would have time to slowly cultivate her disciples, patiently drawing out their hidden brilliance.
But right now…
The Grand Sect Ranking Conclave was approaching.
Every tier of disciples would be required to compete.
Yun Jin did not have the luxury of time. She had to prioritize those with the strongest Luck first.
Lin Xiao glanced over the thirty-two and sneered. "Sect Master Yun, among these thirty-two, only four are at Divine Transformation, seven are at Nascent Soul, and seven at Golden Core. You even count a five-year-old child among them. Are you certain this is your entire disciple force?"
His tone carried open mockery.
Judging from this lineup, Wushuang Sect would not even meet the standards of a low-tier sect.
So this was why Yun Jin delayed three days? He had thought she was preparing some grand maneuver, but it turned out she was just stalling.
No sooner had his words fallen than another voice rang out.
"My Tianxing Sect applies to become a subordinate sect of Wushuang Sect!"
Lin Ya and the group from Tianxing Sect arrived in full formality.
Lin Xiao's expression shifted slightly.
When they drew near, he asked coldly, "And who might you be?"
"Lin Ya, Sect Master of Tianxing Sect." Lin Ya's voice was steady, neither humble nor arrogant. "By unanimous decision, Tianxing Sect wishes to become a subordinate sect of Wushuang Sect."
Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes, then turned toward the others at Lin Ya's side. His voice grew harsher. "And the rest of you? Is this truly your will as well?"
Fairy Yinjun smiled softly and confirmed, "This is the decision of our entire sect."
Of course they knew.
By making this choice, they were openly defying Qingxiao Pavilion. But in this world, when had blessings ever fallen from the sky without risk?
Yun Jin had opened Wushuang Sect's library to them, helping their disciples grow stronger. Did they really think they could reap such benefits without daring to take on risk? If they were that timid, then they did not deserve such fortune.
Lin Xiao's voice turned frigid. "You should be aware, this territory falls under Qingxiao Pavilion's jurisdiction. By rights, every sect here is a subordinate of Qingxiao Pavilion."
Lin Ya replied evenly, "But there has never been a rule stating that a sect can only be subordinate to Qingxiao Pavilion."
Lin Xiao's gaze turned sharp as a blade.
When the Four Holy Lands had divided the world into four domains, it had been understood that all sects within those territories were under the corresponding Holy Land's administration.
Yet it was true there had never been an explicit rule forbidding a sect from pledging allegiance elsewhere.
For countless millennia, no sect had dared try.
Because doing so was akin to slapping the Holy Land in the face.
Who would dare defy the will of Heaven itself and attempt such madness?
The destiny of any sect was to struggle up from a low-tier, advancing step by step through the ranks until at last they were chosen by a Holy Land.
To attach themselves to a non-Holy Land sect—was that not sheer lunacy?
Lin Xiao had never imagined such a thing could happen.
Now, seeing Lin Ya's resolute expression, his voice sharpened in menace. "Have you truly thought this through? Wushuang Sect is nothing but an empty shell. Can it really give you what you seek?"
A faintly dangerous light flickered in his eyes.
Lin Ya only smiled. "When Tianxing Sect was besieged by demons and on the brink of destruction, it was Sect Master Yun and Wushuang Sect who saved us. Qingxiao Pavilion may be strong, but the demon race runs rampant here under your watch.
Even within human lands, they gather their forces unchecked. This region is perilous, and we must find a sect we can truly rely on. Wushuang Sect gave us new life. Why should it be wrong for us to pledge allegiance to them?" Though Lin Ya's tone was calm, every word cut with irony.
Indeed.
This was Qingxiao Pavilion's jurisdiction, yet for so many years they had done nothing. Evil sects thrived, demons spread unchecked, and the region had long been corrupted from within. Since Qingxiao Pavilion could not safeguard the land, who could fault Tianxing Sect for seeking protection elsewhere?
Lin Xiao's face grew uglier by the moment.
Yun Jin's insolence was one thing. But now even Lin Ya dared throw veiled barbs at him?
Grinding his teeth, Lin Xiao forced out, "Do you all truly agree to this?"
Fairy Yinjun and the others nodded with calm conviction.
They had made their decision long ago.
After witnessing the depth of Wushuang Sect's foundations during this trip to the secret realm, they would not waver.
So what if Qingxiao Pavilion was stronger, loftier?
If they could not defend their own lands, if they could not help their sects advance, then what use was such lofty status?
The Holy Land might frown upon them, might target them in secret.
So be it.
Only by braving wind and storm alongside Wushuang Sect could they claim a true place in the cultivation world.
To sit idle and reap benefits without effort was never the way to become the core of anything.
They had already gained that awareness.