Chapter 60: Some Elders?!
Without waiting for a response, the elder took off at a brisk pace, leaving Dao Wei standing there, momentarily bewildered by the abruptness of it all. 'Is it that easy to get registered? This is weird,' Dao Wei mused as he followed the elder through the throng of disciples.
Leaving the registration tab led him toward a large, ornate gate at the far end of the piazza. As they walked, Dao Wei couldn't help but notice the grandeur of the surroundings. The piazza was filled with statues of legendary swordsmen, their forms frozen in poses of battle and triumph. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings depicting epic battles and the history of the sect, from its founding to its rise as one of the most powerful forces on the Qishu Continent.
The Sword God Sect had a long and storied history, dating back thousands of years to the Age of the Gods. It was founded by the Grand Sword Ancestor, a legendary figure whose mastery of the Sword Dao was unmatched. He was said to have forged the sect from the remnants of the old world, carving out a place of power and prestige that would stand the test of time. Over the centuries, the sect had grown in strength and influence, becoming the second-largest sect on the continent, rivaled only by the Divine Blade Sect.
The sect was renowned for its rigorous training and the extraordinary talents it produced. Its disciples were among the most skilled swordsmen in the world, and the sect's influence extended far beyond the borders of the Qishu Continent. The Sword God Sect was not just a place of learning; it was a beacon of power, a place where the strongest came to hone their skills and forge their destinies.
As he approached the gate, Dao Wei noticed that the disciples entering the sect were presenting some sort of token to the guards at the entrance. These tokens were made of a dark, gleaming material and bore the emblem of the Sword God Sect.
"Wait... What are those Tokens, and where do I get one?" Dao Wei muttered to himself as he got closer to the entrance.
Just as he was about to step forward, a tall, handsome young man in yellow robes sneered at him. "What? You don't even have the Sword Token?" the man taunted. "Only registered disciples can enter the Sect. Go away and stop wasting my time."
"Wait, what about the registration?" Dao Wei asked, his confusion growing. Liu Mingxia had told him that the registrations were closing soon, and he had made it just in time.
"What registration? The Sect only admits new disciples once a year, and that's at the beginning of the year," the young man replied, his tone condescending. "You can come back next year, now leave!"
Dao Wei frowned, holding his chin as he absorbed this new information. "What are you even proud of? After I enroll, I'm pretty sure we'll be at the same level."
"Hmpf! Inner disciple? Keep dreaming!" the young man scoffed.
"But wait, is there no other way for me to get registered?" Dao Wei asked, undeterred by the man's arrogance.
The young woman standing beside the sneering disciple suddenly chimed in, her voice lilting with amusement. "Well... actually, there is..." she said, her tone playful and mischievous. She was a beautiful young woman, not older than eighteen, with flowing red hair tied neatly in a ponytail.
"What?! Really?" Dao Wei's excitement was palpable. The Sword God Sect had been his dream since day one—or at least, it had been the old man's wish...
"Mhmm," the girl nodded, turning to face a gloomy-looking mountain in the distance. It wasn't as tall as the other peaks, but it gave off an eerie vibe. "If you can pass the five levels of the Sword Peak, you would be granted access to become an inner disciple. Or even a direct disciple," she explained, giggling again and looking at Dao Wei with a seductive glint in her eyes.
"What?!" The tall handsome man seemed to want to say something, but Dao Wei ignored him and focused on the girl.
"So I just climb the mountain and that's it?" Dao Wei asked, his gaze fixed on the distant peak.
"Exactly!" the girl confirmed, a playful smile on her lips. "I'll be waiting for you, handsome." She winked at him and bit her lip, clearly enjoying the interaction.
Whoosh!
Before the tall handsome guy could protest further, Dao Wei had already leaped off, heading straight for the Sword Peak.
As soon as Dao Wei left, the atmosphere at the entrance shifted.
The young man turned his gaze back to the girl, his expression annoyed. "Really? He's going to die if he goes there!"
"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport, Hong Chen," the girl replied, rolling her eyes. "If he passes the Sword Peak trials, he'll be a valuable addition to the Sect. If not, he wasn't meant to join anyway."
"Well, if you're really interested in him, why didn't you tell him that no one below the Soul Creation Realm has ever reached the fifth level?"
The girl's smile widened. "Because that would ruin the fun, now wouldn't it?"
The Sword Peak loomed over the Sword God Sect, its jagged edges reaching toward the heavens as if challenging the gods themselves. This ancient mountain, steeped in legend, had been the final test for countless warriors over the millennia. Only a few had ever reached the summit, and fewer still had done so without being marked by the journey.
Today, however, a new name was being carved into the annals of the Sword God Sect's history. Dao Wei, a figure shrouded in mystery and speculation, had not only entered the Sword Peak trials but was now ascending at an unprecedented pace.
As soon as Dao Wei had left the registration hall, the air had grown tense with anticipation. The two elders who arrived at the entrance—one wearing a loose gold robe with purple Taichi marks and the other in a white robe with the same markings—immediately attracted attention. Purple symbolized authority within the Sect, and those who donned robes with such marks were of the highest status.
The urgency in their steps was palpable, their expressions a mix of concern and determination. They had come as soon as they received the news, only to find confusion among the disciples who were now gathering at the base of the Sword Peak.
"Where's the young master?" The Second Grand Elder demanded as soon as he appeared, his voice laced with urgency.
"W-What?! What young master?" The tall, handsome disciple standing nearby asked, his face a mask of shock.
"Father, who is this young master you are talking about?" A young, beautiful girl stepped closer to the Second Grand Elder, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"Elder Mo Lin, didn't you just report that His Highness, the young Prince, is here? Why can't I see him?" The Second Grand Elder's impatience grew by the minute.
"G-Grand Elder, the young man did say his name was Dao Wei. I left everything to come and call you. Could it be some silly prank?" Elder Mo Lin stammered, his confusion evident.
"Wait, is it the cute guy who came to register? Father, is he the one we've been waiting for?" The young girl interjected, her voice trembling as realization dawned upon her. "H-he went to the Sword Peak."
"What?! Xiao'er, did... did you just say the Sword Peak?" The Second Grand Elder's anger quickly turned to shock and fear, his stern expression softening into one of concern.
Dong!!!
Before the Second Grand Elder and the Pavilion Elder could react, the first bell rang, signaling that Dao Wei had already passed the first level of the trials. The reverberation of the bell echoed through the Sect, drawing the attention of every disciple and elder.
———
Elsewhere in a secluded chamber, two elderly men stood before a cloud-like mirror hovering in midair. The mirror reflected the Sword Peak, revealing Dao Wei's progress. The man in a completely purple robe with golden Taichi marks was the Supreme Elder, while the other, dressed like the Second Grand Elder, was the First Grand Elder.
"Supreme Elder, do you really think it's a good idea to let His Highness go through with the trials?" The First Grand Elder's voice was filled with concern. No one in their right mind would want to provoke the wrath of the old man who had sent Dao Wei, especially now that the young master was enduring one of the most grueling trials of the Sword God Sect.
"If he can't even make it past the Sword Peak, then he doesn't deserve special treatment at all. The old man didn't ask us to be lenient with the young master; he asked us to help him grow. If we were to always save him from danger, how is he supposed to grow?" Supreme Elder Jiang Feng's voice was calm and reverent, exuding absolute faith in Dao Wei.
"But... But..." The First Grand Elder hesitated, wanting to object.
"Elder Duang, don't tell me you have little faith in the only person who grew under that old man?" Supreme Elder Jiang Feng interrupted, his gaze steady and unwavering.
"No, of course not," the First Grand Elder quickly replied. "It's just that I wouldn't want us to anger that old man by putting his young master in unnecessary danger."
"Hahaha! Unnecessary, you say? Aren't the Sword Peak trials supposed to test the Sect's Heir? How is that unnecessary?" Supreme Elder Jiang Feng laughed mischievously, his eyes twinkling with a hidden purpose.
The First Grand Elder was left even more perplexed, unsure of what the Supreme Elder had planned. Did he want to make Dao Wei the Sect's Heir? Or was there something else at play?
Dong!!!
Dong!!!
Dong!!!
In a lush, tranquil garden filled with exotic flowers and plants, two young women stood amidst the serenity. The first was a beautiful, petite girl with long, flowing hair the color of midnight, her yellow robe accentuating her delicate features.
"What? Someone is breaking through the Sword Peak?" A young, beautiful girl in yellow exclaimed to her companion, who stood beside her in a serene garden filled with exotic flowers and plants. The garden was part of a royal-looking mansion, a place of importance within the Sect.