The Questioning Immortal Sect!

The next morning Ling Feng's grandfather roused him before dawn so that he could prepare for the arrival of the Questioning Immortal Sect's outer sect elder.

"Feng'er, the expert from the Questioning Immortal Sect will be here soon. You have to hurry up and get ready – comb your hair and wash your face! If everything goes as planned, you'll be able to pay your respects and join the Questioning Immortal Sect," Ling Kun said, humming with excitement.

Ling Feng wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. But this was a desire that was doomed to go unfulfilled. His grandfather had called on many of his old connections and paid a steep price to contact an outer sect elder of the Questioning Immortal Sect. He wouldn't let himself be the reason his grandfather's efforts went to waste.

"I understand," he finally replied through a heavy yawn. After rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes, he placed the Transcendent Acupuncture Technique down beside his bed and began bustling about.

A short time after Ling Feng was ready, a middle-aged man appeared in the inn he and his grandfather had been recovering in. The man possessed a square face, long, slender eyebrows, and was dressed in great, flowing robes.

"Old Ling!" the dignified man greeted.

"Exalted Immortal Wang!" Ling Kun arrived in front of the man and kowtowed. Then he beckoned Ling Feng over with a laugh. "Quickly now, Feng'er, come and greet Exalted Immortal Wang!"

Understanding that he needed to show this man the proper respect if he wanted to reach the Questioning Immortal Sect safely, Ling Feng approached the middle-aged man surnamed Wang with hands clasped.

"I, Ling Feng, pay you my sincere homage, Exalted Immortal Wang," he said as humbly as possible.

Wang Danfeng laughed and looked to Ling Kun. "Old Ling, if it hadn't been for Old Master Ling's treatment so long ago, my arm would've been abandoned. There's no need for you or Ling Feng to be so courteous to me. We're all on the same side."

Ling Kun bowed in respect once more. "In this day and age, it's unusual to find someone who is so affectionate and righteous. But it is even rarer for such a person to honor past friendships as well. This insignificant old man would like to thank you in advance and ask that you watch over Feng'er once he joins the sect."

"Since he is Old Master Ling's descendant, it's only natural that I look after him," Wang Danfeng answered, sizing up Ling Feng with a smile. "Now, you must be Ling Feng. Em… you share your grandfather's extraordinary bearing!"

Ling Feng slightly dipped his head. "You flatter me too much, Exalted Immortal Wang."

"What's with this Exalted Immortal Wang stuff? I owe your grandfather the greatest kindness. Since you're his grandson, I want you to call me Uncle Wang."

"Uncle Wang!" Ling Feng shouted with a respectful voice.

Ling Kun, who was staring at Ling Feng, had to take a long, calming breath to hold back the tears that were now welling in his eyes.

"Exalted Immortal Wang, I leave Feng'er in your care now," he said.

"Rest easy, Old Ling, I'll make sure this kid makes it to the inner sect without any problems." Wang Danfeng smiled and nodded. Before this moment, Ling Kun had done much for him and provided him with many advantages. It would be wrong for him not to pay the old man back in any small way he could.

Feeling a fraction of reassurance, Ling Kun gazed back at his grandson's face and said, "Feng'er, always remember what your grandfather has taught you!"

"I don't dare forget!" Ling Feng deeply lowered his head. Though Ling Kun's expectations weighed heavy on his shoulders, he would do his best not to let the old man down.

"Feng'er, once you enter the Questioning Immortal Sect, I want you to focus on your training. Don't worry about your grandfather. I'm a clever old man. I'll be fine on my own!"

Ling Kun took another deep breath. It was getting harder to hold back the tears. Ling Feng had been in his care since he was barely old enough to walk. After spending all this time raising the youth as if he were his own flesh and blood, he was finding it hard to let him go.

Ling Feng bowed deeply to Ling Kun. He knew what his grandfather was feeling.

"Goodbye, grandfather!" He barely got these words out without trembling fiercely.

Wang Danfeng shook his head with a sigh and patted Ling Feng's shoulder. "Let's go, child. It's better to get the pain over with, rather than prolong the agony of separation."

Ling Feng nodded. Then with one last look at Ling Kun, he and Wang Danfeng's form quickly disappeared from view.

Not long after saying goodbye to Ling Kun, Wang Danfeng and Ling Feng reached an area well beyond the inn and the small town it was in.

Ling Feng couldn't help but kowtow in Ling Kun's direction. Tears flashed in his eyes, but he suppressed them.

Wang Danfeng patted his shoulder. "Little friend, the immortal path of cultivation is a lonely one. But since you've decided to step onto it, you must learn quickly not to be fettered by worldly attachments."

Then, not waiting to see if his words had provided the youth with any comfort, he said, "Okay, brace yourself now. I will be carrying you the rest of the way."

Before Ling Feng could make sense of his words, true Qi burst out of Wang Danfeng's body and formed into two wings of light behind him. Afterward, Wang Danfeng grabbed him and lifted him into the sky.

Ling Feng secretly sucked in a startled breath at Wang Danfeng's method.

Wang Danfeng smiled.

"Little friend, this need not surprise you," he said, particularly amused by Ling Feng's expression. "Changing true Qi into wings is an ability every martial artist gains after entering the Coagulating Vessels Boundary. If I were stronger, I could even fly without them."

Ling Feng nodded and secretly opened his deva eye. For a moment, a mysterious divine rune rotated in his right pupil before it quickly dissipated and he shook his head with disappointment.

Though he had mastered the principle of how to form the wings, his body seriously lacked the amount of true Qi necessary to use them. Regarding this issue, there was simply nothing he could do until he grew several times stronger than he was now.

As Ling Feng began to indulge in flights of fancy, Wang Danfeng's voice cut near his ear.

"Little friend, there's something I should warn you about."

Ling Feng slightly raised his head.

"When you enter the Questioning Immortal Sect, remember to be cautious in your every word and deed. Never be fooled into thinking that the sect is different from any other place. If you carelessly offend someone, especially an inner disciple whose position exceeds your own, I won't be able to save you from their wrath."

"Many thanks, Uncle Wang. I'll take your words to heart." Ling Feng replied only half-heartedly though as he dropped his head again and began to dream about the day he too could fly through the skies and escape through the earth.

Wang Danfeng flew with Ling Feng for two days before arriving at the Mountain of the Nine Immortals. This was the home of one of the topmost sects among the Tianbai Empire's seven northern counties – the Questioning Immortal Sect.

According to legend, the sect master had already surpassed the Coagulating Vessels Boundary and begun refining his true Qi into original Qi in the Transforming Origin Boundary.

As Wang Danfeng quietly descended to the ground with Ling Feng, the blackness of utter exhaustion spread over the elder like crashing waves. Even for a martial artist of the Coagulating Vessels Boundary, the journey had been long and hard enough to drain him of his energy.

He took a minute to catch his breath before saying, "Little friend, this is the Mountain of the Nine Immortals. Follow me and I'll lead you the inner sect."

With Wang Danfeng carrying the burden of guide, Ling Feng grabbed the chance to take stock of his new surroundings. Upon first glance, he had to concede that the Mountain of the Nine Immortals was truly worthy of its name. Every blade of grass and every rock his eyes fell upon seemed part of some grander, more beautiful landscape painting. Overhead, immortal clouds like jade drifted across grand mountains and voluminous rivers. It was if he had ascended into paradise.

Ling Feng's heart immediately gave birth to joy. In his mind, there simply couldn't be a better place for him to start cultivating martial arts.

As his eyes brightened with anticipation for the future, outer disciples began to go forward, one after another, to bow down and salute Wang Danfeng.

Wang Danfeng's status was very high in the outer sect. It was the reason why he'd been able to recommend a disciple to enter the inner sect directly. Even now, Ling Feng was unaware of the great price his grandfather had paid for that same recommendation quota.

Wang Danfeng waved to the greeting outer disciples, and as he led Ling Feng past them to the summit, a few stopped what they were doing and sighed.

"I really envy people like him who can enter the inner sect directly."

"Come now, there's no need to feel that way. If you do your duties well, one day you too will find yourselves among the ranks of the inner sect!"

"Yeah, I hope so…"