Two mornings later, the flying vessel sailed into the territory of the Golden Spirit Sect.
The newly accepted disciples stepped out of their cabins and gathered on the deck, forming small circles of chatter.
Before them stretched rolling green mountains, cloaked in verdant pines and cypress, their peaks wreathed in drifting mists.
Mountain streams wound like silver ribbons around the slopes, finally converging in a vast lake nestled within a valley.
Ancient halls and pavilions stood among the sea of greenery, their blue-tiled roofs and upturned eaves exuding a timeless, mysterious charm.
Some cultivators rode immortal cranes, soaring with elegance. Others stood proudly upon flying swords, their laughter echoing as they pierced the clouds, transcending the mortal world.
Ji An gazed at this earthly paradise, his heart surging with excitement.
By entering the sect, he had already taken his first true step onto the path of cultivation, his starting point far higher than that of a wandering rogue cultivator.
In his former world, a hundred years of life flashed by like a fleeting shadow, ending inevitably as a handful of dust.
But here, a cultivator with sufficient achievement could live for a thousand years as though it were nothing.
To see the blue seas at dawn, and the dark ridges by dusk; to behold the heavens, and reach for the sun itself.
For cultivators, such words were no dream. He, too, yearned to ride the winds, soar into the Nine Heavens, and pluck the moon with his own hand.
Zhang Yuanshan cleared his throat softly and spoke in a calm, steady voice:
"Fellow disciples, as I understand, once we disembark, we will all be separated, assigned to different halls. In the future, the chances of meeting again will be few.
Cultivation relies on techniques, companions, resources, and land. We all came from the same Dao Academy, and today we are fortunate enough to enter the sect together. It is only right that we support one another.
Why not make a pact today that every six months, we gather once to exchange news and lend each other aid? What say you?"
Chu He immediately nodded.
"Senior Brother Zhang speaks true. It should be so."
The others also voiced their agreement.
A single thread cannot form a line; a lone tree cannot make a forest. Cultivation was not achieved in isolation; exchange and mutual support were always beneficial.
Coming from the same place, they naturally felt a sense of kinship.
Ji An nodded along, though inwardly he disagreed.
This was no different from graduation in his previous life. Everyone swore they would meet often, but over time, for one reason or another, those gatherings would dwindle, until the group split into smaller, closer circles.
After another hour of travel, the flying vessel slowly descended onto the open square before a grand hall built halfway up the mountain.
The three Foundation Establishment cultivators emerged from the upper deck and disembarked. The disciples followed in an orderly stream.
The white-haired cultivator stepped forward, cupping his hands toward a round-faced cultivator who approached to greet them.
"Senior Brother Tian, this year we have accepted three hundred and sixty disciples. Here are their records."
The round-faced cultivator accepted the gray cloth pouch with a smile.
It was a storage pouch, a pocket of space beyond the ordinary world, used by cultivators to store items.
"Many thanks, junior brothers, for your hard work," he said warmly.
Then his expression hardened. Turning to face the gathered new disciples, he spoke in a firm voice:
"I am Tian Qingbai, Vice Hall Master of the Administrative Hall.
You will wait here. No one is to leave without permission."
...
One hour later
Only two people remained standing in the square.
Ji An glanced sideways at his lone companion, trying to gauge the situation.
Sensing his gaze, the other man lifted his head and met his eyes, offering a gentle smile and a polite nod.
Seems like someone easy to get along with, Ji An thought.
He shouldered his small bundle, stepped forward with a smile, and cupped his hands.
"This senior brother, I am Ji An. An honor to meet you."
The other returned the salute.
"You are too courteous, junior brother. My name is Liu Yu."
He sighed lightly. "I can't help but feel uneasy, not knowing what mountain we'll be assigned to."
Liu Yu replied slowly, his manner calm and unhurried:
"We'll find out when the time comes. No sense worrying now."
Ji An studied him in silence. The man wore a fine Daoist robe, clearly woven with spirit-silk threads. With such a background, how had he ended up in the same uncertain predicament?
Earlier, senior brothers from various halls had come to collect disciples from the Artifact Hall, the Beast-Taming Hall, and other prestigious branches.
So-called "random assignment"? Ji An didn't believe it for a second.
The best placements were always chosen first. Whatever was left over was inevitably the least desirable.
At that moment, a pudgy youth came hurrying out of the Administrative Hall, smiling broadly as he called:
"Are you Liu Yu and Ji An, junior brothers?"
The two of them bowed together.
"Greetings, senior brother."
"My apologies, I was delayed. I am Wei Songnian.
You two have been assigned to Bihai Lake to cultivate spirit grain. Here are your identity tokens."
He held out two white jade plaques.
Ji An and Liu Yu each accepted one, bowing again in thanks.
After confirming their names, Wei Songnian retrieved two jade slips from his storage pouch and handed them over.
"These are the basic techniques for outer disciples. Each hall provides different methods.
For you two, it's the Clear Source Sutra, the Minor Rain Technique, and the Thick Earth Formula.
The Clear Source Sutra is your foundational cultivation method, used to draw in spiritual qi and raise your realm. It will serve you until the mid-stages of Qi Refining.
The Minor Rain Technique and Thick Earth Formula are elemental spells that must be learned for spiritual farmers. You'll only have the first two layers, enough to support you in cultivating them to the third stage.
The jade slips also contain the sect's rules and regulations. You can study them at leisure once you're settled."
Spells were classified into five stages: Initiation, Proficiency, Minor Attainment, Major Attainment, and Perfection.
Ji An accepted the jade slip in silence, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
Assigned as a spiritual farmer and not a single combat technique among the spells he had received.
Still, he cupped his hands respectfully and asked:
"Senior brother, if we wish to learn new techniques or spells in the future, where should we go?"
Wei Songnian waved casually, speaking in a friendly tone:
"No need to stand on ceremony, we're all brothers here.
What you ask is written clearly in the jade slip."
Then he pointed toward the sky.
"I'll escort you to your new quarters now. Best we arrive before nightfall."
As he spoke, Wei Songnian pulled three folded slips of paper from his storage pouch.
The talismans were the size of a palm, pale yellow like origami cranes, inscribed with blue spiritual runes.
"Paper cranes infused with spiritual power," he explained. "Channel qi into them, and they'll take flight."
Liu Yu waved his hand with a gentle smile.
"Many thanks, Senior Brother, but I already have a talisman mount."
From his robes, he produced a red-and-white paper crane. After channeling spiritual power into it, the crane swelled rapidly.
It became a great white crane, far larger than the real creature, lifelike in every detail.
"A fine talisman bird," Wei Songnian praised, his eyes shifting toward Ji An.
So this is what it means to come from a wealthy family… Ji An felt a twinge of envy, though he maintained a composed smile.
"I'll need Senior Brother's assistance. I've only just stepped into Qi Refining and haven't refined my spiritual power yet."
"Haha! Then you're a fortunate one, so it was only these past few days that you opened your immortal vein!" Wei Songnian's smile remained warm as he infused power into two of the paper cranes, demonstrating their method of control. Ji An memorized everything carefully.
The three of them mounted the cranes, taking off in a triangular formation toward the east.
Though the flight speed was not fast, Ji An's heart raced more wildly than it had even aboard the great flying vessel. He couldn't hold back a long, exultant shout.
Wei Songnian turned back with a grin, remembering his own first time riding a talisman bird, and gave Ji An an encouraging smile.
Beneath the setting sun, the boundless waters of the lake shimmered in orange-red.
Pointing toward a valley beside the great lake, Wei Songnian called out loudly:
"We're nearly there! That's your assigned station, Bihai Lake, Spirit Field No. Guiwei!"