Disciple Selection Begins

The next set of stalls sold magical artifacts and spiritual treasures.

Now this was worth browsing!

Zhu Xing’er’s eyes sparkled.

Her gaze locked onto a stall selling magical garments and artifacts—too dazzling to ignore.

She’d never seen such treasures.

Before the selection, she’d been preparing for marriage at home.

Her parents had skilled craftsmen make her many ornaments, but mortal trinkets paled against these radiant immortal artifacts.

Especially the row of spiritual jade hairpins in a case, glowing with halos under the sunlight.

They had jade’s texture and gemstone’s brilliance, so stunning she couldn’t look away.

The vendor introduced: “These spiritual jade hairpins are crafted from fine spiritual jade ore, rich in spiritual energy. Not only beautiful, they’re practical—able to block up to three attacks from a mid-Qi Refining cultivator in a crisis!”

“Really?” someone asked eagerly. “How much for one?”

The vendor spread his hands. “Normally, nothing less than a hundred spirit seeds. But I’m in a rush to settle matters and can’t linger. For the right buyer, fifty spirit seeds will do.”

Fifty spirit seeds—fifty taels of silver!

Zhu Xing’er curled her fingers.

Her mother had said the dowry headpiece cost fifty taels.

It wasn’t unaffordable, but should she spend that much on a single hairpin?

A dowry headpiece could be kept at home, passed down, or sold in hard times.

This spiritual jade hairpin didn’t seem as practical—the math didn’t add up.

Su Qing also thought it pricey. “Who knows if it’s real? What if it’s just pretty but useless?”

Zhu Xing’er stared at the crystal-like hairpin, reluctant to look away.

But she weighed it: fifty taels could open another shop in town.

A shop generates profit; a hairpin doesn’t.

She thought hard, then gritted her teeth, ready to give up.

As they hesitated, Su Qing suddenly heard a faint, ethereal bell chime.

It sounded so close, as if ringing by her ear, silencing the world around.

She blinked, catching glimpses of glowing specks falling before her eyes.

Where did these sparkles come from?

Moments later, someone shouted excitedly: “Look at the sky—”

“Phoenixes!”

Su Qing instinctively looked up.

A flock of vermilion birds pulled dozens of ornate carriages gliding lightly overhead.

At their center, one carriage was drawn by two exquisitely elegant white phoenixes.

These divine birds swept across the sky, their grand wings scattering shimmering light.

The carriages were delicate, draped in white gauze that rippled like water, faintly revealing a snowy figure within.

Golden bells hung at the front, swaying rhythmically with the wind, casting waves of ancient, refined chimes.

The white phoenixes let out long, melodious cries, blending with the bells like an ancient, splendid symphony echoing through the heavens.

Su Qing stared, neck craned, unable to look away even after the birds vanished.

This was the fabled cultivation world?

If those were phoenixes, they were true divine beasts.

Who had the clout to have divine beasts pull their carriage?!

This cultivation stuff was the real deal!

The phoenixes’ appearance dimmed everything else, even from afar.

Su Qing couldn’t snap out of it until Zhu Xing’er’s crisp voice broke through: “How much for this hairpin? Fifty taels? You sold one for forty just now—I know that girl bought three at once. Tomorrow’s the selection. If you don’t sell today, you’ll have to pack up and lug it along. Too much hassle. I’m sincere—how about thirty taels?”

The vendor refused. “That’s a lion’s bargain! How do I profit?”

“Uncle, we’re both in business. We know the margins,” Zhu Xing’er smiled lightly. “I’m here to support you. Let me have it, take a smaller cut.”

The vendor shook his head. “I’m not worried about selling.”

Zhu Xing’er’s smile grew sweeter. “I know your goods are fine, never short of buyers. But I’m just a girl out here with limited coin. My sisters are here for the selection too. If I buy, I’ll show them what a good hairpin is.”

Su Qing admired her haggling, back-and-forth with the vendor.

Her own bargaining was limited to asking for rounded-off prices.

She envied master hagglers—they’d be worshipped in her dorm.

The vendor held firm.

Zhu Xing’er, unfazed, deployed the “walk away” tactic.

“Uncle, I get your trouble. It’s good stuff, but if I can’t afford it, what’s the use?” She sighed. “My sisters won’t get to see it either. Guess I’ll look elsewhere for my fate. It won’t be as good as yours, but it’ll do.”

She pulled Xiu Fu and Su Qing to leave.

One step.

Two steps.

Before the third, the vendor called out: “Fine, fine, call it a good deed. Come pick!”

Zhu Xing’er inwardly cursed herself for not bargaining harder but kept a sweet face, calling him “Uncle” and coaxing him to toss in a pretty brocade pouch.

In the end, she snagged the spiritual jade hairpin for thirty taels.

Xiu Fu, smiling, whispered to Su Qing: “Xing’er’s cut out for big business.”

Her family’s merchant roots ran deep.

Su Qing didn’t linger, returning to the inn with Xiu Fu and Zhu Xing’er to rest.

But she wondered why Zhu Xing’er, having bought her coveted hairpin, seemed unhappier.

She didn’t even respond to Su Qing’s awe over the phoenixes, just staring at the hairpin, lost in thought.

Su Qing realized something.

Back at the inn, people were abuzz about the phoenix parade.

Su Qing caught snippets: “It’s the Qi family’s heirs heading out. They’re joining the Tianxia Sword Sect selection.”

“The Qi family, top of the great clans! No wonder the Guan and Kan families are here too.”

“I heard the Guan family rode thousand-mile gale colts, and the Kan family used a teleportation array!”

“Goodness, how many spirit stones did that cost? Truly the wealth of the four great clans!”

“Odd, though. These clans have deep legacies and usually scorn other sects. Why join our Sword Sect’s selection?”

“Can’t you see? Where does the world’s greatest come from?”

Su Qing understood, telling Xiu Fu and Zhu Xing’er: “This selection has lots of second-generation elites. We can’t afford to offend them—keep a low profile.”

Perhaps stirred by the phoenixes, Su Qing couldn’t sleep that night.

Closing her eyes, she saw the cascading starlight, the ethereal white-robed figure, the chime after chime of golden bells.

Was this the life of immortals?

She fell asleep marveling, dreamless.

The next day, selection day, Su Qing rose without prompting.

After changing, she tucked the sharpened knife shard away, tied several loops of thin hemp rope around her waist, and donned an outer robe.

With her hair braided, she was an unremarkable ancient girl.

Li Xiu Fu dressed as usual, just tightening her braid.

Zhu Xing’er swapped her fine clothes for practical ones, the spiritual jade hairpin not in her hair but carefully tucked in her bosom.

They ate breakfast in the bustling dining hall.

Today, it was packed, shoulders bumping.

With the big test looming, talk was scarce—everyone focused on eating, fueling up for strength.

Su Qing didn’t know what the selection entailed, feeling uncertain.

Usually, it tested spiritual roots and bone structure, right?

She hadn’t had her appendix out—maybe she could scrape by with a five-element spiritual root?

No time to dwell—the stewards called from outside, using amplification stones to shout names.

“Assemble—! Yangbo City, gather!”

“Dalong Mountain, gather!”

“Baixia City—here!”

“Shu City, over here!”

Little Shu Village was under Shu City.

Xiu Fu quickly pulled Su Qing and Zhu Xing’er to join Steward Chen Yu.

The children from the four cities housed at the inn assembled swiftly.

After a headcount, the stewards led them to the city gate.

At the familiar Tianque City gate, Su Qing saw nothing but a sea of people.

People upon people, a dark, endless wave.

But there were exceptions.

Dozens of teams stood out, their children in splendid clothes, radiant and ethereal, like disciples before Guanyin’s throne.

Su Qing didn’t need to see their clan crests to know they were scions of great families.

These teams had not only stewards but clan elders, all poised and otherworldly.

Their sharp senses caught Su Qing’s brief stare, several gazes piercing back.

Zhu Xing’er grabbed her hand, hissing: “Didn’t your parents teach you manners? Head down—don’t stare at elders!”

Su Qing sheepishly lowered her gaze.

They’re just people—what’s wrong with looking? A glance doesn’t cost flesh.

A moment later, a vigorous elder in black stepped forward, his gaze calmly sweeping the crowd. “I am Elder Qingfeng of Tianxia Sword Sect, presiding over this disciple selection.”

Without an amplifier, his voice boomed like a deep bell, clear and forceful in Su Qing’s ears.

“Tianxia Sword Sect was founded by the world’s greatest, Immortal Xiaoyao. Entering our sect makes you our students, students of Immortal Xiaoyao. As selection participants, you share a bond as sect siblings. No killing or scheming against each other. Violators will have their sword hearts shattered, their bodies fallen, their paths ended!”

His tone was stern, laced with a storm’s edge, commanding awe without anger.

Elder Qingfeng’s gaze fell pointedly on the clan teams—a clear warning.

He then outlined the selection rules:

“From Tianque City to Tianxia Sword Mountain is 300 li, with 2,000 disciple jade tokens hidden along the way.”

“The journey has two trials: first, find a disciple jade token—one per person.”

“Second, those with tokens must climb Tianxia Sword Mountain and register their token at the Trial Sword Stone at the mountain’s gate.”

“Completing both trials means passing our sect’s entry selection. But remember, all must be done within two weeks.”

“Are the rules clear?”