The Transition Between the Old and the New

Originally, Bai Lan had harbored some displeasure, but upon hearing Yun Yao explain that a fully realized Chaos Body was invincible throughout the world, he found himself eagerly anticipating the day his own Chaos Body would reach such a peak.

“Is that so? Does this mean a perfected Chaos Body has appeared in this world before?” Bai Lan pondered, quite perplexed.

However, Yun Yao regrettably shook her head.

“No, that has never happened. From the very inception of this world and the emergence of humanity, only a few million years have passed. In all that time, not a single Chaos Body has reached full realization,” Yun Yao replied.

Her words left Bai Lan thoroughly puzzled. Indeed, it wasn’t just the Chaos Body; even among the other Ten Great Divine Physiques, very few had ever ascended to the Upper Realm throughout history.

“Why is that?” Bai Lan inquired.

Noticing Bai Lan’s question, Yun Yao’s expression suddenly turned grave.

“There is no ‘why,’ because I do not permit it. The Ten Great Divine Physiques inherently seize the very essence of heaven and earth, carrying the world’s destiny within them. Should they depart, they would drain this world of its vital essence, leading to its rapid decline in a cyclical fashion,” Yun Yao explained.

Bai Lan was no fool; he understood her meaning instantly. It was no wonder that in his memories, it seemed only one Human King Physique had ever ascended to the Upper Realm.

“I see. Yet, to my knowledge, it seems some Divine Physique wielders have still managed to leave this world,” Bai Lan continued.

“That is true, but only on one condition: they must possess the ability to defeat the Heavenly Dao. This is precisely why human cultivators often say that cultivation is an act of defying the heavens; there is truth to it. It’s simply that ordinary cultivators lack the qualifications to contend with the Heavenly Dao,” Yun Yao responded.

Bai Lan had asked all he needed to. He knew when to stop, understanding that some matters were best left unprobed.

Three days later…

At the Outer Sect of the Luoshen Sect.

This particular day, the Isle of Ten Thousand Flowers was bustling with activity. Boats upon boats docked at its four harbors, disembarking numerous young women of striking beauty.

These women hailed from the Seven Nations, encompassing both nobility and commoners. For mortals, becoming an immortal cultivator was an absolutely heaven-sent opportunity.

The Luoshen Sect recruits disciples once every century, accepting only three thousand individuals. These three thousand would cultivate for a hundred years, and those who achieved the Foundation Establishment stage could then enter the Inner Sect as official disciples.

However, those unable to break through to Foundation Establishment within that century would be dismissed. Thus, while thousands of new disciples arrived on the island, thousands of older disciples also departed.

“Ah, another fresh batch of Outer Sect disciples. But there are so many people here for the entrance examination today, far more than in our generation!” remarked a female cultivator, dressed in the Disciple Attire of the Luoshen Sect’s Outer Sect, as she prepared to leave the Isle of Ten Thousand Flowers.

These were all disciples who hadn’t reached Foundation Establishment within a hundred years. Now, they were departing the Luoshen Sect to make room for the newcomers.

“Indeed? In our generation, out of three thousand, fewer than a hundred ultimately reached Foundation Establishment. Looking at the sheer scale of this year’s enrollment, with tens of thousands signing up, the elimination rate will be even higher,” another woman lamented.

“Alright, alright, enough talk. A hundred years passed in a flash. We can only say our aptitude wasn’t enough. Let’s go back and live our lives as we must. There’s still some time; who knows, perhaps we’ll still have a chance to reach Foundation Establishment. Even if hope is lost, we still have a hundred years ahead to ensure our later lives are comfortable.”

The women exchanged their thoughts, one after another, before boarding the boats departing the Isle of Ten Thousand Flowers. These disciples, though leaving the Luoshen Sect, still retained the nominal title of Outer Sect disciples.

In reality, their future endeavors would be entirely up to them. The Luoshen Sect would no longer oversee them, nor would its rules bind them. Whether they wished to marry or continue cultivating was now their own decision.

Incidentally, most of these departing Outer Sect disciples fared quite well in the secular world. Being exceptionally beautiful, they were considered peerless beauties among mortals. Consequently, many who chose not to pursue immortal cultivation further married into noble families or became imperial consorts.

Many of these women maintained ties with the Luoshen Sect, serving as its eyes and ears in the secular world. Those willing to continue assisting the sect after leaving could receive a small monthly stipend, though it was certainly not much.

By the way, where exactly was the Outer Sect? The Outer Sect comprised the entirety of the Isle of Ten Thousand Flowers. Outer Sect disciples were not permitted to enter the core areas, which in any case, could hardly accommodate three thousand people.

After all, with both Outer and Inner Sect disciples, there were at least five to six thousand individuals.

Outer Sect disciples merely needed to collect tasks from the mission point outside Luoshen Valley each month and then carry them out. The tasks varied widely, primarily involving the search for various materials, mainly medicinal herbs and refining components.

Some materials were found in the sea, others on different islands, and even on the bodies of demonic beasts. Thus, the tasks were far from simple. Completing missions earned sect contributions, which could be exchanged for various elixirs, cultivation techniques, and magical artifacts.

Outer Sect disciples had to strive for everything themselves; nothing was given freely. Only official Inner Sect disciples received a monthly stipend.

At this moment, Ximen Xue and Luo Yuyan, accompanied by Bai Lan, had left Luoshen Valley and arrived at one of the registration and assessment points on the Isle of Ten Thousand Flowers. Bai Lan had already changed out of his Disciple Attire of the Fallen Immortal Pavilion.

Ximen Xue and the others had found him a set of ordinary white women’s clothing.

“Junior Sister, the assessment point is just ahead. This year, our Luoshen Sect has expanded the number of Outer Sect disciples, intending to admit five thousand,” Ximen Xue said, pointing to the queuing crowd ahead.

Bai Lan paused in surprise.

“Five thousand people, that many? So, for the next few years, I’ll be living on the Isle of Ten Thousand Flowers with these five thousand?” Bai Lan asked, somewhat taken aback.

“Mm, don’t worry. This is just a formality. In three years, Master will find a reason to admit you into the Fallen Immortal Pavilion. Of course, while I say ‘don’t worry,’ you still need to be careful. The Outer Sect is quite chaotic, and conflicts arise easily. In every generation of our Luoshen Sect, at least several hundred Outer Sect disciples die in infighting, and even more perish during external missions,” Ximen Xue explained.

Though the cultivation world appears glamorous, in reality, it’s not much different from the secular world, and often far more brutal.

“Understood. I’ll head over now then,” Bai Lan said with a smile.

“Wait, take this.” Seeing Bai Lan about to leave, Ximen Xue quickly called out to him. At the same time, she subtly handed Bai Lan a communication token.

It was a token for direct, private contact with her. Luo Yuyan, observing this, also quickly offered him one.

Bai Lan recognized what they were and didn’t refuse, accepting them directly.

“If you encounter anything you can’t resolve, use these tokens to contact us. As direct disciples of the Inner Sect, we still hold some authority,” Ximen Xue smiled, a rare sight.

Her smile momentarily stunned Bai Lan.

“Eh? Senior Sister, you can smile? It looks really beautiful. Why don’t you smile more often?” Bai Lan couldn’t help but tease.

Ximen Xue froze, then quickly composed herself, her expression turning serious once more.

“Enough of your glib remarks. I’m not joking. Your time in the Outer Sect is merely a formality; your safety comes first. Don’t think anything is ‘shameful.’ Often, luck and connections are also part of a cultivator’s strength,” Ximen Xue admonished.

Ximen Xue was essentially telling Bai Lan that he was no ordinary Outer Sect disciple and that special situations called for special measures.