Early morning. The sky was still dark.
In Qingzhou, the Qingyun Dao Sect.
It was a small sect, almost unknown.
It didn't even have an official ranking—a sect that could vanish at any moment.
And today, in the main hall…
Seven disciples of the Qingyun Dao Sect looked both tense and excited.
Three days ago, the Sect Leader had sent a letter informing them that an eighth disciple would soon arrive.
Yes, a new junior was coming.
For most sects, accepting a new disciple was normal.
But for the Qingyun Dao Sect, getting a new disciple was like reaching the sky.
The sect was like worldly power. Most cultivators wanted a strong sect as a backing.
Even without resources, a strong sect meant safety.
If disciples from a small sect were bullied, they could do nothing.
If disciples from a large sect were bullied, the sect would defend them.
That's why many new cultivators chose stronger sects.
And large sects never underestimated newcomers; they could even treat them better.
No one was foolish, and no sect was arrogant enough to refuse a new disciple.
So, strong sects got stronger, and weak ones got weaker.
For the Qingyun Dao Sect, years could pass without a new disciple arriving.
So now, hearing about a newcomer, how could the sect members not be excited?
---
In the main hall of the Qingyun Dao Sect.
Seven figures sat there—five men on the left, two women on the right.
Their faces showed a mix of nervousness and excitement.
Then, the first young man on the left broke the silence:
"Friends, this is a joyful moment. The Sect Leader is bringing us a new junior while traveling."
"But given past events, the Sect Leader repeatedly reminded us in the letter not to get too excited. Don't let them think we're useless, and don't let them think our sect is desperate for disciples."
"So we must remain calm and appear skilled and composed. As long as this junior stays in our sect for a full year, we can apply for the sect's promotion to the third level."
The young man was in his late twenties, with sharp eyebrows and star-like eyes. Despite wearing a simple robe, his aura was extraordinary, like a peerless sword cultivator.
This was Su Changyu, a senior disciple of the Qingyun Dao Sect.
After he finished speaking, the others nodded seriously.
"We understand," they said in unison.
After a brief silence, another voice broke the mood:
"Senior, staying calm is fine. But lying? How can we lie? With our cultivation level, it's easy for them to tell!"
The speaker was around twenty-four or twenty-five, with a gentle face and a frown as he spoke.
This was Xu Luocheng, the second senior disciple.
He seemed uneasy. Calm? Sure. But lying? Absolutely not.
The others also looked uncomfortable. They were still young and innocent. Deceiving someone was difficult—even as a joke or a trap, it was tricky.
After a pause, Su Changyu spoke again:
"You may have misunderstood. By 'lying,' I don't mean true deception. We just need to create the image of being experts. The Sect Leader mentioned in the letter that our new junior is a complete beginner. They know nothing about cultivation."
"We only need to exaggerate a little in our respective fields. For example, I'm skilled in swordsmanship, so I'll make them try techniques that are hard to understand. Luocheng, you specialize in alchemy; teach them methods that seem impossible."
"Even if they eventually find out, one year is more than enough. After that, the Qingyun Dao Sect can apply for promotion to the third level. Once we reach the third level, better days will come."
Xu Luocheng nodded with slight determination:
"Alright. Just one year of pretending. If they find out later and can't accept it, they can leave. If they accept it and the sect advances, they benefit too. Everyone wins, and we lose nothing."
The youngest female junior added:
"Maybe this junior is a rare genius. Whatever we teach, they can learn. In that case, we owe them nothing."
The disciples all smiled faintly. A rare genius? Honestly, which genius ends up joining the Qingyun Dao Sect?
Even in Qingzhou, there were many large sects. They sent disciples to recruit potential talent. Small sects like theirs had almost no chance to recruit a genius.
Su Changyu continued:
"Alright, if there's nothing else, our junior will arrive tomorrow afternoon. Last reminder: stay calm! Always appear indifferent. The more indifferent you seem, the more they will trust you. Whatever they do, downplay it. Even if they show talent, make it seem insignificant."
"And don't approach them first. Let them approach us. Meanwhile, just do what you normally do, understand?"
All the disciples nodded in agreement.
With that, the seven of them slowly left the main hall.
[TO BE CONTINUED]