Inner Mountains Sect.
Alex gazed upon a sight never before witnessed by his eyes: a towering mountain that seemingly cleaved the heavens, cascading waterfalls spilling down from its peak, and graceful cranes gliding through the air.
This mountain, perhaps reaching a height of 15,000 meters or more, left him utterly captivated.
"Isn't it mesmerizing? I, too, had a similar reaction during my first visit," remarked Old Chang, the venerable guide leading the disciples.
"But Elder, when were you once a disciple here?" inquired someone from the crowd.
"Haha, that was in the distant past, ages ago," Old Chang replied, his gaze fixated on the mountain with a hint of nostalgia.
"Now, let us proceed. Obtain your talismans, marking you as inner disciples," Old Chang announced, as an energy surged from him and...
BOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The disciples soared upwards like ethereal lights piercing through space, leaving onlookers astonished by the breathtaking spectacle and their newfound ability to soar.
Amidst the spectacle, Alex remained composed, having flown in jets previously, rendering him unperturbed by the experience. However, his mind wrestled with a puzzle: "(We've ascended nearly 10,000 meters into the sky. The Sky remain largely unchanged, save for the elongated clouds. How expansive is this world, and why is gravity seemingly absent?)"
Gazing at the obscured sun above, he quietly pondered, "(Indeed, something is peculiar here.)" Since his arrival in this realm, celestial bodies felt inexplicably anomalous, a sensation he struggled to articulate but yearned to explore further.
"I shall delve into this enigma in due time," Alex murmured under his breath.
"Did you say something, Big Brother Li?" Chang Li inquired.
Alex grinned and dismissed it, saying, "Nah, take in the beauty around us. I wonder when we'll acquire the ability to fly."
"When we achieve the Soul Awakening Realm, Big Brother Li. It appears your memories have yet to fully return. Please dedicate more time to studying the scriptures," Chang Li quipped with a chuckle, relishing his role as the knowledgeable informant.
"Heh, you're right," Alex mused, gazing upwards while contemplating the heights.
---
At the zenith of the mountain...
"We've arrived," Old Chang proclaimed.
The disciples glanced around, only to behold an elaborately adorned pavilion adorned with mythical beasts.
Curiously, each of them appeared entranced, as if encountering pavilions for the first time, even though they bore striking resemblance to those they'd seen before.
However, Alex's reaction was markedly different he was used to this pavillions already.
They entered the pavillion.
"(What a space-consuming extravagance)," he Alex small mused inwardly.
A thousand-meter pavilion was devoid of content save for a cushion and an elderly man seated upon it, deeply engrossed in cultivation.
"Elder Zhao..." Old Chang called.
No response.
"Elder Zhao..." Old Chang repeated.
Still no reaction.
"Elder Zhao..." Old Chang persisted...
Until a resounding...
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A surge of aura that he released accompanied his call.
"Aaaghhh!" a feminine shriek echoed within the chamber.
The elderly Zhao, surprisingly possessing a youthful voice, turned abruptly.
"Oh goodness, y-y-y-you're here, Elder Chang..." he stammered, resembling a flustered scholar dropping his papers in surprise, an amusing image that Alex conjured in his mind.
The scene bordered on the comical.
"Elder Zhang, we need 100 Inner Sect talismans, please," Old Chang requested.
"Y-y-y-yes, of c-c-c-course," Zhao Wuji responded, standing up.
Thud!
He tripped over his robes, resulting in another fall.
"Y-y-y-you're so clumsy, Zhao," he muttered, rapping his head as if knocking a melon. "Ouch." He winced, then made his way to a nearby door.
Suppressing laughter, the disciples marveled at this unfamiliar sight, their revered Elder now an embodiment of slapstick comedy.
Elder Chang's gaze, however, quelled their mirth. "It seems you'll be undergoing intense training beyond what I had planned," he remarked cryptically before shifting his focus.
Baffled, a bold disciple questioned, "Why, Elder?"
Elder Chang directed a warm smile at the audacious youth. "I admire your courage," he replied, then refocused on the scene before them, leaving the puzzled disciple mystified.
"Elder Zhao, or Zhao Wuji," Elder Chang continued.
A collective gasp swept through the disciples.
"His name is Wuji?"
"Unbelievable."
"Impossible."
Amid their astonishment, Alex puzzled over the significance of "Wuji." Was it a title or a concept he couldn't grasp?
"Silence," Elder Chang thundered, releasing a trace of his aura, quelling the crowd.
"He is a legendary figure spanning two continents, a miracle worker, the sole Heaven-level Talisman Master across the land. Both the Central and Eastern Continents vied for his allegiance, with the Central Continent nearly securing him, only for him to choose our sect. He stands as one of our strongest members, yet you dare mock him," Old Chang divulged.
Once more, the disciples erupted in shocked disbelief.
Abruptly, the door creaked open, and Elder Zhao returned, arms laden with 100 talismans.
His appearance bordered on comical.
"H-h-here you go..." he stammered, before stumbling once more, releasing the talismans in a glittering cascade onto the polished floor.
Elder Chang's warm smile softened Zhao's embarrassment, and he assisted him to his feet.
With a wave of his energy, the talismans were distributed among the disciples.
"These tokens signify your status as sect members. Enjoy city discounts and enhanced mission rewards in the future," Elder Chang explained, observing their fascination with the badges.
"And now, let us proceed to your lodgings. Many thanks, Elder Zhao," Elder Chang acknowledged, turning towards the entrance.
"Ha-ha-ha, no t-t-t-trouble, Elder... Chang. Seek m-m-m-my aid if n-n-n-needed," Elder Zhao stuttered, settling onto his plush cushion.
Old Chang nodded and released his energy flying in the sky.
---
Ten minutes later...
Landing amidst their respective mountainside dwellings
, Alex surveyed his surroundings with glee.
A cluster of mountains stretched before him, each adorned with residences, forming a picturesque panorama.
Alighting on his designated peak, Elder Chang spoke, "This is your domain, Mountain 420. This number carries significance; remember it, as you will eventually fight in its name. Explore your lodgings, numbered in correspondence with your talismans. Until we meet again, farewell."
"I shall visit my abode now, Big Brother Li. My house bears the number 35," Chang Li announced.
"Mine is 38. It seems we're neighbors, Junior Brother. We'll meet again soon," Alex responded, setting off toward his own dwelling.
"Very well," Chang Li agreed, heading toward his residence.
---
"Remarkable...," Alex marveled at his opulent dwelling, adorned with paintings, lavish wooden furniture, and a bamboo-shrouded courtyard.
His curiosity piqued by an object on a nearby piece of furniture, he ventured closer.
Atop the cushioned seat...
Chapter's End.