The night was deep.
In the dining hall of Qingyun Sect, Daoist Taihua sat in the main chair, while his seven disciples lined up on the left and right sides.
It was already three in the morning. The entire sect was so quiet that only the distant sound of insects could be heard.
A single candle burned on the long table, its light flickering and casting shadows on the hall's walls.
Daoist Taihua's face looked serious as he gazed at all of us, his disciples. He was the first to break the silence.
"You've all heard everything from Changyu, right?"
"The competition between sects in Qingzhou is getting more intense. There are rumors that in a few years, the Qingzhou Council will eliminate sects deemed unworthy. That's why, within the next two years, Qingyun Sect must rise to become a third-rank sect."
"The key lies in your new junior. To increase our rank, we need at least eight disciples. Now we finally have a new addition. You must take good care of him and never let him know the sect's true condition. If he finds out, just like before, he might turn, spread rumors, and tarnish Qingyun Sect's name. We've already had enough of raising ungrateful white-eyed wolves."
His voice was heavy, full of pressure.
"We understand," we replied quietly, all of us wearing serious expressions.
But one of us finally spoke.
"Master, even if we aim to reach third rank, it will take at least a year or two. Senior Brother can deceive our Junior Brother for a while, but paper can't cover fire. Once he starts training, he'll realize the sect's real situation."
Daoist Taihua just shook his head, his face remaining calm.
"I already have a plan," he said.
"You're right, paper can't cover fire. But we can delay it."
"Changyu has successfully convinced your junior. From my observation, he truly respects the cultivation path, so for now, he won't leave. As for his training, we'll postpone it as long as possible. He'll only be properly taught later."
"Starting tomorrow, Changyu, you'll teach him sword techniques. Teach him casually; it doesn't matter if it doesn't make sense. The important thing is to buy time. If he gets bored with the sword later, Luo Chen will teach him alchemy instead."
"I've calculated it. If you take turns teaching him every two months, a year will pass quickly. By that time, even if he learns the truth about our sect, it won't matter. Understood?"
His tone was full of confidence, and we all nodded.
Then a girl on the right finally spoke.
She was sweet, even younger than Ye Ping. Although she was senior in rank, she was the youngest disciple of the sect. Her name was Chen Lingrou.
"Master, this plan sounds good, but Junior Brother isn't stupid. Sooner or later, he'll ask about cultivation. If he directly asks one of us, what should we say?"
"That's easy," Daoist Taihua replied without hesitation. "Just teach him some basic techniques, but exaggerate a little. Tell him that even at the first stage of Qi Refining, our Qingyun Qi techniques are far stronger than other sects'."
"But also remind him that our method focuses on strengthening the body and foundation. Otherwise, he might misunderstand, thinking he's truly strong and start causing trouble. That could be dangerous."
Although it sounded strategic, Daoist Taihua still cared enough to warn us, so Ye Ping wouldn't get into trouble.
"I understand," Chen Lingrou nodded.
"Good. For now, don't interact too much with your junior. Keep a mysterious impression. If he doesn't seek you out, don't approach him. The sect's future rests in your hands."
His tone hardened, though he still spoke quietly so Ye Ping wouldn't wake.
"We understand!" we replied in unison, our voices restrained but full of determination.
"Alright, the meeting is over."
After saying that, Daoist Taihua stood and left. We immediately followed out of the hall.
---
Meanwhile, under the starry sky, Ye Ping lay on his bed. His eyes gazed at the sky through the window, his heart filled with curiosity and hope.
Three years ago, I crossed over to this world.
At first, I felt confused and lonely. But because of my optimistic nature, I quickly adapted.
And it turned out that this world was a cultivation world.
The thought made my heart flutter. Perhaps because I had always loved tales of gods and demons, cultivation felt full of charm and hope to me.
I didn't have grand ambitions—not seeking to conquer the world or become immortal. My wish was simple: to live a few hundred years longer, find someone I love, marry, have children, and live a happy life together.
Still, I knew the path of cultivation was long and dangerous, far beyond imagination.
That's why I resolved to be careful, endure, and not give up just because of hardship.
Living twice has made me much more mature. I may have lost the wild spirit of youth, but I gained a calmness and steadfastness few possess.
"I wonder… what my true talent is," I thought.
Even though the test results said I had no spiritual root, I didn't believe I was that bad. As long as I wasn't truly useless, I could still accept it.
With that thought, I fell asleep late that night.
---
The next morning, I woke up early. I didn't want to be lazy, even more diligent than when I was in school. Cultivation was clearly different from ordinary studying.
…Knock…knock.
Just after waking, there was a knock at the door.
"Who's there?" I asked reflexively.
Before I could open it, a familiar voice sounded.
"Junior Brother, by Master's order, I have come to teach you sword techniques. Meet me at the back cliff within the time it takes for one incense stick to burn."
It was Su Changyu's voice.
"Alright, thank you, Senior Brother," I replied quickly.
Su Changyu left, and I immediately washed my face and tidied my clothes. I wanted to leave a good impression.
My heart was full of excitement as I headed to the back cliff, though I was slightly nervous.
What if my talent was too poor and Senior Brother looked down on me? That would be embarrassing.
But I quickly calmed myself. Hidden sects usually liked to train "useless" disciples. Training a genius was ordinary; anyone could do it. But raising a failed disciple into greatness—that was truly valuable.
With that thought, I felt more at ease.
Soon, I arrived at the back cliff.
[TO BE CONTINUED]