The bronze incense burner had toppled over, its ash mixed with still-wet bloodstains splattered across the smooth stone tiles, forming a sordid mess.
The once bustling square was now deathly silent, so quiet one could hear the drip of water. Plip, plip—each drop striking the tense nerves of everyone present.
Hmm, it probably wasn’t water.
Lin Nan took a deep breath and, together with Shen Yuer, squeezed through the crowd to where Shen Qingmei lay.
After several days of seclusion in the Disciplinary Hall, coupled with her fragile mental state, Shen Qingmei had already become somewhat emaciated.
But now, “emaciated” wasn’t even the right word.
That skeletal figure lay motionless on the ground, black blood uncontrollably dripping from her mouth.
Plip, plip…
It really wasn’t water.
Shen Yuer followed behind Lin Nan, carefully tugging on her sleeve.
Her movements were gentle, as if afraid to disturb the suffocating silence.
The white-haired girl lowered her gaze, letting Shen Yuer tug at her, her cyan eyes reflecting the chaotic scene on the ground calm like a deep autumn lake, yet hiding unfathomable undercurrents.
“Silence!”
Xuan Chenzi’s voice cut through the square, filled with unquestionable authority.
With a wave of his broad sleeve, several Disciplinary Hall disciples immediately stepped forward, silently and swiftly clearing away the last traces of Shen Qingmei.
The glaring black blood was washed away by talisman water, purifying the stain along with her brief and twisted existence, vanishing into the crevices of the bluestone slabs.
“The initiation trial is complete, and the seekers’ hearts have been revealed.”
Xuan Chenzi’s gaze swept across the new disciples below, their expressions varied, lingering briefly on the pale-faced Shen Yuer and the indifferent Lin Nan.
“Due to the suddenness of events, we will keep today’s proceedings simple. You will now choose your peak to cultivate upon; the path will prove itself.”
Seven streaks of light flew from his sleeve, hovering midair in the hall, transforming into seven jade tablets, each shaped differently and representing the seven peaks of Qingyun Sect: the Sword Peak, sharp as a drawn cold blade; Beast-Taming Peak, coiled with the phantom of a strange beast; Five Arts Peak, shimmering with intertwined water ripples and flames… each jade piece emanated a unique Dao resonance, drawing the new disciples’ gazes.
Shen Yuer took a deep breath, releasing her grip on Lin Nan’s sleeve, her fingertips still cool from the touch.
She straightened her back and, facing the scrutinizing eyes around her, stepped forward to the center of the hall.
There, she deeply bowed toward the jade tablet flowing with water waves and the vitality of plants—the Five Arts Peak.
“Disciple Shen Yuer,” her clear voice carried a faint tremor but unwavering resolve, “humbly requests to join Elder Zhuolian’s tutelage of Five Arts Peak!”
A few light chuckles echoed from the direction of the Artifact Peak’s attending disciples.
“Five Arts Peak?” An elder from Artifact Peak stroked his beard, his voice low but distinctly heard by all, “Miss Shen of the fifth branch, choosing Five Arts Peak over Beast-Taming Peak… Hmph. Truly childish, giving up the righteous path just because of Shen Qingmei.”
Elder Zhuolian sat cross-legged on a mat, releasing the lotus she had been toying with, her sleeves still damp with fresh water stains.
Upon hearing the remark, she merely raised her eyelids and glanced over at the Artifact Peak elder, her throat producing a vague laugh, “Better than some who turn their life sword into mere embroidery needles.”
Laughter erupted immediately, the Artifact Peak elder’s face reddened like raw liver.
Shen Yuer, however, seemed unaffected by the noise.
She stubbornly raised her head and looked intently at Elder Zhuolian.
“If not for Elder’s gift of the Water Classics Supplementary Notes, I might not have passed today’s trial! I wish to study the Water Arts under your guidance, to help the world, to protect those I want to protect!”
At the end, her eyes quickly glanced at Lin Nan beside her, her ears faintly flushed.
A subtle smile flickered in Elder Zhuolian’s eyes before she nodded calmly, “Your heart is acceptable. Come forward.”
Shen Yuer looked as if she had been granted a great pardon, hurrying to stand behind Elder Zhuolian, her tense shoulders finally relaxing as she secretly winked at Lin Nan.
The line of new disciples shifted forward slowly, each stepping up to select their favored peak.
Some choices were smooth, others sparked a few whispers.
Though the hall’s atmosphere was stifled by the effort to ignore Shen Qingmei’s death, a trace of restless new life stirred beneath it.
Finally, it was Lin Nan’s turn.
She stepped forward, her white hair gleaming with a cold radiance under the light.
All eyes focused on her the white-haired girl who had excelled during the mountain ascent and displayed astonishing strength and an eerie Monster aura on the martial arts platform.
Which peak would she choose? Sword Peak? Beast-Taming Peak? Or perhaps…
Lin Nan’s gaze calmly swept over the seven floating jade tablets but ultimately passed beyond them.
It landed beyond the seven Peak Masters.
There, Elder Xunlin sat alone on a chair, her bluish-gray Dao robe blending into the shadows as if she had never existed.
Lin Nan did not approach any of the jade tablets.
Instead, she strode directly through the crowd, drawing countless astonished and puzzled gazes.
Stopping three steps from the wooden chair, she then bowed deeply.
“Disciple Lin Nan,” her voice was low but clearly heard by Elder Xunlin, “does not seek to choose a peak, but humbly requests to serve as the meal-delivering attendant for Elder Xunlin on Reflection Cliff.”
“Wha—!”
A sudden uproar filled the hall!
Meal-delivering attendant? What was that?
For the countless millennia since Qingyun Sect’s founding, no such absurd request had ever been made!
At the initiation ceremony just moments ago, Elder Xunlin had taken the initiative to clarify Lin Nan’s connection to the Qingyun Heart Sutra and Summon Demon Art.
Everyone had assumed Lin Nan would freely select a main peak, but it turned out she wished to serve at Reflection Cliff.
No one expected her to openly declare it!
Yet, after the noise settled, the crowd slowly grasped the implications.
According to Qingyun Sect Rules, although there are seven peaks and four halls, new disciples may only choose from the seven main peaks.
Only the Sect Leader may exceptionally take disciples into Qingyun Peak itself.
But the Supreme Elder… cannot take disciples.
At least, history showed no record of the Supreme Elder ever doing so.
So Lin Nan had found a backdoor by applying for a meal-delivering position…
Xuan Chenzi furrowed his brows, and the Beast-Taming Peak Master couldn’t help but snort coldly.
Even the Sword Peak Master, who had been quietly meditating with eyes closed, opened them sharply, his gaze piercing Lin Nan like a sword.
In the shadows, Elder Xunlin’s fingertips, resting on the armrest, curled ever so slightly.
Her black eyes were bottomless, revealing no emotion.
Her voice was cold and utterly unyielding, like a frozen winter lake.
“I have entered fasting; I do not require a meal-delivering attendant.”
Shuying actually did not wish to be so cold.
But whenever she pictured the little girl snuggling into Lin Nan’s embrace without resistance, her heart burned with jealousy.
Even if this Lin Nan might not be the one she remembered.
Still, the ache in her heart remained.
Lin Nan lifted her head, meeting those abyssal eyes.
For some reason, she sensed a faint trace of jealousy and tilted her head in defiance, teasing, “But Elder, didn’t you enjoy the meals I brought before?”
“Boom!”
An invisible pressure erupted suddenly from the wooden chair, like a colossal boulder crashing down.
The disciples closest staggered back, faces pale.
Lin Nan also groaned, her white hair whipped wildly by the invisible gust, yet she stood tall, her cyan eyes locked on the cold woman with black hair and black eyes.
The air seemed to freeze, the heavy pressure suffocating all breath.
Xuan Chenzi’s eyes flickered, seemingly weighing his options.
At last, he spoke slowly, his voice resolute and authoritative.
“Elder Xunlin has served as guardian of the Dao for Qingyun Sect, a meritorious feat for the ages.
“Today, I will make an exception.
“You shall no longer be called a meal-delivering attendant.
“By my command, Elder Xunlin is permitted to take Lin Nan as her… personal disciple.”
Personal disciple!
Not a meal-delivering attendant!
The sudden turn stunned everyone once again.
The Beast-Taming Peak Master’s face turned ashen, his lips twitching but silenced.
The terrifying aura around Elder Xunlin receded like a tide, vanishing so quickly it was as if it had never appeared.
She only gave a slight nod, acknowledging the Sect Leader’s decree.
“Thank you, Sect Leader. Thank you… Teacher,” Lin Nan lowered her eyes, her voice calm and even.
Hearing the word “Teacher,” a faint smile had just begun to curve Elder Xunlin’s lips—but then suddenly faltered, like the unexpected downpour of a heavy rain.