“So impressive!” Su Lingling couldn’t help but exclaim.
Seeing how shocked everyone was, Su Qianqian couldn’t help but feel a bit proud inside.
Lin Muxue hadn’t exaggerated what she said, but wasn’t it true that she herself had managed to steal the immortal herb?
Right now, Su Qianqian was having a hard time hiding her emotions.
She didn’t realize that her proud little expression was completely caught by Lin Muxue…
After they landed, Lin Muxue immediately found a disciple on duty to arrange housing for them.
“A few days from now will be the Sect’s Foundational Ceremony. You’ll officially take your masters there. For now, spend a few days getting used to things here. I need to go prepare for the ceremony.”
With that, Lin Muxue flew toward the mountain gate without looking back.
“Please, follow me. I’ll arrange your accommodations.”
The disciple who had just been called over by Lin Muxue respectfully led the group ahead.
Usually, he held a bit of pride as a cultivator, but these people had been personally brought by that person! He wouldn’t dare be disrespectful even if he had ten thousand lives!
He anxiously and respectfully led Su Qianqian’s group to the most exquisite and best-located house in the town at the foot of the immortal sect’s mountain.
Seeing these “ancestors” satisfied, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
“I’ll leave your things here. When the Admission Ceremony comes, I’ll come fetch you.” After setting down the Su Family’s luggage, the disciple left in a reserved manner.
“The senior brothers and sisters here are so nice. They’re already cultivating immortality, but they’re still so polite to us,” Su Lingling said happily.
“I think their politeness is mostly thanks to your new master…” Su Changfeng commented, something he could easily tell.
Still, this made him feel much more at ease. It seemed the girls’ master had a very high status in the sect. He needn’t worry about them being bullied.
The Su Family entered the house and looked around.
Of course, it couldn’t compare to the Su Family’s manor, but it wasn’t bad at all—in fact, it was much better than they had imagined.
“Alright, let’s get the place in order. We’ll be living here for a long time!”
……
A few days later, the Su Family had already settled in and gotten to know the other residents.
Some of these people were relatives of disciples who’d joined in previous years.
Their backgrounds varied widely—some were nobles or royalty, some had been servants, and some had even been beggars.
But here, worldly status and wealth meant nothing; what truly mattered was their children’s achievements.
Some families were poor, but if their child had extraordinary talent and was taken in by an Elder, they could quickly advance in cultivation, and their families would be greatly respected.
Knowing this, Su Lingling resolved deep down to cultivate diligently and not bring shame to her parents!
And today, it was finally the day of the Foundational Ceremony.
The group, including the Su sisters, were escorted away by an intake disciple.
Su Changfeng and Liu Qingyao had thought they wouldn’t be able to witness their daughters joining the sect, but then—
“Families of the new disciples, please follow me. The Sect Leader has said that this important moment should be witnessed by the family!”
Liu Qingyao and Su Changfeng, together with many other disciples’ families, were led to a newly built viewing platform.
There, they saw a great number of new disciples standing on a broad training field, while more than a dozen people with immortal airs stood on floating platforms around the field.
The number of disciples far exceeded the number of family members present.
Most disciples came from other cultivation families or small sects, having passed the entrance tests.
The mortal-born disciples brought in by the sect usually had outstanding talent—otherwise, the Sword Sect was never short on disciples, and there was no need to recruit from ordinary mortals.
The one presiding over this Admission Ceremony was an old man who looked quite advanced in age, currently giving some encouraging, somewhat cliché words.
It turned out that even high-level cultivators liked to give these kinds of speeches.
Just then, a lady dressed in ornate clothes turned to Liu Qingyao and spoke in a haughty tone: “Oh, I see my son! He’s right at the front. He was taken in as a disciple by an Elder ahead of time~”
Liu Qingyao gave a polite but awkward smile, well-practiced in dealing with such people, and responded with a couple of formulaic compliments.
At that moment, she saw Su Qianqian smiling and waving at her from the field.
Su Lingling, following her sister’s gaze, also spotted them and excitedly waved.
Liu Qingyao and Su Changfeng smiled and waved back, gesturing for the girls to behave and listen to the Immortal Masters’ speeches.
“Those are your daughters? They’re really quite beautiful. Once they’ve joined, let my son look after them, hmm~” The noble lady beside them brought up their daughters again.
This time, however, Liu Qingyao wasn’t going to play along and retorted bluntly:
“No need. The kind of sons raised by people like you aren’t worth our attention.”
Maybe no one had ever talked back to her before, but just that one line made the noble lady flush red with anger:
“You, you! I—you’ll regret this! When you humble folks come crawling to me crying, don’t say I didn’t warn you!”
Liu Qingyao and Su Changfeng paid no mind to this little incident, focusing instead on the ceremony’s real start…
After a few more uninspiring words of encouragement, the ceremony truly began!
An Elder gave a gentle wave, and all the disciples floated upward, stopping at the same height as the floating platforms.
The disciples felt like they were standing on air—how magical!
Then, streams of light flew from another Elder’s hand, landing in every disciple’s grasp.
These were the basic resources for joining the sect: a hundred Spirit Stones, a set of disciple robes, some Jade Slips with basic knowledge, and a Storage Pouch.
Before everyone had fully reacted, another Elder cast a spell. Each disciple heard a stern voice by their ear, and all recited the oath together:
“Heaven and Earth bear witness. Here, we inherit the sect’s legacy and safeguard its glory for ten thousand generations.
With compassion in our hearts, we cast aside arrogance and might, never wielding the sword to humiliate others, cultivating stillness of mind, pursuing the ultimate Dao!
Abide by the sect’s rules, correct our own conduct, shoulder the righteous path, sweep away evil from the world, point our swords at demons, and protect all living beings!
Once this oath is spoken, we will never regret it, not even unto death!”
After swearing the oath, each disciple felt an intangible constraint settle upon them. This was the sect oath, the Dao Heart Oath!
Of course, Su Qianqian recited the oath as well.
In her previous life, she’d done the same, but with her powerful cultivation and a secret technique she’d invented specifically for this, the oath had little effect on her.
As for now, with her cultivation gone, it was a bit troublesome—but she hadn’t come to the Sword Sect to do anything bad, so it didn’t matter…
After the oath, the Elders would normally choose their disciples, but at that moment, a Luanniao radiating mysterious light and wreathed in cyan smoke flew down from the sky.
Upon its back was a stunningly beautiful woman in a pale blue Daoist robe, a scene that drew gasps from the crowd.
When the Luanniao landed, all the Elders bowed deeply:
“Sect Leader!”
Lin Muxue nodded slightly in greeting, then turned to the disciples and spoke: “I’ve come to take disciples.”
“Sect Leader, you’re finally taking in disciples again?”
“Yes. On this journey, I encountered some exceptionally gifted disciples.”
Lin Muxue gazed at the crowd of disciples.
Now, all the disciples and their families were burning with curiosity—who among them had caught the eye of this obviously formidable and high-status Sect Leader?
Lin Muxue spoke softly. Her tone was light, but everyone could hear her clearly: “Su Qianqian, Su Lingling, step forward.”
Under the envious eyes of the others, the Su sisters walked out from the line, treading on invisible steps.
Su Qianqian led the nervous Su Lingling by the hand and came before Lin Muxue.
Su Qianqian bowed deeply and formally to Lin Muxue, and Su Lingling hurriedly followed suit.
“Master.”
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Lin Muxue’s mouth as she reached out, lightly brushing their heads.
Then the two felt a gentle force lift them to their feet:
“From today onward, you are my last disciples. You are True Inheritors of the Sword Sect. For this occasion, I have prepared your gifts of apprenticeship.”
As she finished speaking, two ancient-looking sword embryos radiating mysterious energy appeared before Lin Muxue:
“Qingyun Sword Embryos. In the Sword Sect’s Sword Tomb, it takes a thousand years to birth even one. They are the rarest and finest materials for one’s life-bound magic sword. These are twin sword embryos born thirty years ago, never before finding suitable owners. The appearance of you sisters is the will of Heaven—refine them diligently.”
Su Qianqian and Su Lingling respectfully reached out for the sword embryos, but the embryos merged straight into their foreheads! If not for the solemn occasion, Su Lingling might have cried out in surprise.
Seeing the sword embryos successfully fuse, Lin Muxue nodded lightly and, with another thought, conjured two simple yet radiantly glowing dresses into the air:
“Nishang Treasure Robes, refined with sect secret techniques. They are among the sect’s treasured artifacts, mysterious and wondrous.”
With those words, the two shining robes drifted onto Su Qianqian and Su Lingling, merging into their current clothes and adding intricate new patterns.
Next, Lin Muxue nodded to the Luanniao behind her. The bird bent down, and two newly-hatched chicks were handed to the girls.
“Luan Bird Chicks. The Luanniao clan is attuned to our Sword Sect’s true inheritance techniques. In the future, they will be your powerful companions. You are very fortunate—just as I returned to the sect, my own Luanniao’s children hatched.”
The huge Luanniao looked at Su Lingling and Su Qianqian, and a gentle woman’s voice sounded in their ears:
“My children are entrusted to you. Do not let down my hopes and Muxue’s expectations…”
The girls quickly made their promises. Then Su Lingling, unable to resist, gently played with the chick in her arms.
This was her favorite gift. Would it someday grow as big as its mother…?
With the gifts bestowed, the disciples below were filled with envy and jealousy.
The Elders who knew the value of these items were even more shocked.
The Sect Leader valued these two disciples so highly?
Then again, Lin Muxue had always doted on her disciples…
A hundred years ago, when Lin Muxue had still been an Elder, she took in a disciple.
Lin Muxue poured her heart and soul into that disciple, nurturing them with all she had—but in the end, she raised a traitor…
At this point, the Grand Elder couldn’t help but admonish the Su sisters:
“Your master gives you her utmost care—do not ever let her down. In the past—”
Before he could finish, Lin Muxue interrupted: “Enough. The past is past, and he has already paid the price.”
“Sigh… As long as you know.”
Listening to their conversation, Su Qianqian broke out in a cold sweat.
The one who had already been punished, the one who’d hurt Lin Muxue…was standing right here!
With that, the apprenticeship ceremony for Su Qianqian and Su Lingling came to a close.
The two followed Lin Muxue onto the Luanniao and soared to the mountain peak.
Before leaving, Su Qianqian and Su Lingling waved goodbye to their parents once more.
On the viewing platform, Su Changfeng and Liu Qingyao waved back with pride.
They hadn’t expected this Immortal Master to have such a distinguished status!
Meanwhile, the noble lady who had been so arrogant moments before now had a stormy look on her face, as Liu Qingyao’s voice sounded in her ear:
“See? Those are our daughters!”