Law Enforcement Passed Down with Warmth

The Skill Transmission Pavilion, located in the Dihui Quarter on the southern side of the island, was a place almost every Saint Water Palace disciple visited when they began their cultivation journey.

As a crucial site for discovering and nurturing exceptional disciples, the Skill Transmission Pavilion consistently received the highest budget allocation among all the quarters.

The Skill Transmission Pavilion, as its name suggested, was where cultivation techniques were imparted. However, only the most fundamental methods were taught within its walls.

Not everyone who entered the Skill Transmission Pavilion was automatically considered a disciple of the Saint Water Palace.

Across the continent, all sects considered only two crucial criteria when recruiting disciples.

These were spiritual roots and comprehension. The Saint Water Palace, naturally, was no exception.

Spiritual roots were an indispensable prerequisite for cultivation. For any disciple entering the Skill Transmission Pavilion, whether they were mortals who had traveled thousands of miles to seek tutelage, inheritors from other sects seeking advanced training, or descendants of rogue cultivators from various regions, the absence of spiritual roots meant they lacked the qualification for instruction.

However, possessing spiritual roots did not guarantee acceptance by the Saint Water Palace. The level of one’s comprehension determined the ultimate limits of their cultivation.

For instance, if a cultivator could not form a Golden Core or extend their lifespan during their lifetime, even the strongest spiritual roots would be rendered useless.

Consequently, the Skill Transmission Pavilion had always maintained an established rule: if a cultivator failed to reach the required cultivation realm after a certain period, they were highly likely to be advised to leave.

Yet, even if advised to leave, those with enough confidence to continue cultivating were granted the title of “Outer Sect Disciple,” allowing them to remain on the island. However, becoming an “Outer Sect Disciple” meant that all the sect’s miscellaneous tasks, both great and small, would fall upon their shoulders.

This was the price of stubborn persistence, but who among them did not harbor a dream of immortal cultivation?

Conversely, cultivators whose spiritual roots and comprehension surpassed those of ordinary people naturally became “Inner Sect Disciples.” Upon becoming an “Inner Sect Disciple,” various “pavilions” and “halls” would typically seek out individuals from the Skill Transmission Pavilion. Only then were the chosen disciples considered true Saint Water Palace disciples. As such, when Saint Water Palace disciples introduced themselves during external trials, they often referred to themselves as “Saint Water Palace [X] Pavilion disciple” or “Saint Water Palace [X] Hall disciple.”

The Skill Transmission Pavilion teemed with people, making it the liveliest place on the island, second only to the Dijie Quarter’s midday canteen.

After the previous Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall, Zhu Manzhi, passed his position to his personal disciple, Ning Jing, he had continuously served as the Skill Transmission Elder here.

“Master, this is the list of new probationary disciples for this month. There are over three hundred of them.” Zhu Youji respectfully handed the roster to Zhu Manzhi, who was currently reclining in a grand master’s chair.

Zhu Youji was the orphaned son of a rogue cultivator couple whose parents had tragically perished after inadvertently stumbling into an ancient formation during an exploration of an ancient ruin. He had subsequently wandered across the continent, enduring immense hardship, until he was fortunate enough to be taken in by Zhu Manzhi.

Upon reaching adulthood, to repay his benefactor’s kindness, he adopted the surname Zhu, became Zhu Manzhi’s disciple, and vowed to serve him for the rest of his life.

Ever since Zhu Manzhi stepped down as the Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall, Zhu Youji had accompanied him to the Skill Transmission Pavilion, assisting with various daily chores.

Due to his childhood experiences, despite his youth and exceptional talent—having already achieved the Golden Core realm by age twenty-five—he remained consistently humble and conducted himself with remarkable maturity.

Zhu Manzhi often urged him to socialize more with his peers, always remarking, “Young people should act their age.” Yet, Zhu Youji would merely smile and brush it off. In his heart, his life’s objective had long been set: to care for his master.

As Zhu Manzhi took the roster, he grumbled, “Another bunch of people haphazardly shoved into the Skill Transmission Pavilion. I’ve told them countless times, just leave the ‘Spirit Testing Stone’ at the main entrance of the Saint Water Palace! If it glows brightly when they touch it, let them in. If not, tell them to scram! How much simpler would that be? Instead, every month, I have to watch a bunch of brats performing scenes of parting and death in front of me. It’s infuriating!”

Zhu Youji couldn’t help but offer a wry smile. “Master, the Spirit Testing Stone is far too precious. Even if our Saint Water Palace were to lose just one, it would be incredibly painful. Naturally, we can’t place it at the main entrance. You seem weary, Master; why don’t I oversee the selection process today?”

“Heh heh, only you, my boy, care for your master so much. However, since this old man has taken on the position, I cannot simply accept offerings for nothing.” With that, Zhu Manzhi began to peruse the roster.

Seeing his master finally show some vigor, Zhu Youji smiled and said, “Master, ever since Palace Master Luo displayed her prowess in Tianliu City eight years ago, many renowned sects and prominent families across the continent have begun sending their inheritors to the island for cultivation.”

“Everyone knows Palace Master Luo has never taken a disciple. Do we even need to guess what intentions they harbor?” Zhu Manzhi let out a light chuckle, yet he did not take the matter to heart.

As he meticulously reviewed the roster, he noticed the name “Wugou” at the very end. “Is ‘Wugou’ a person’s name? Why is there no surname, and no origin noted? Even the handwriting is different from the other names. Who added this?” he inquired.

“Replying to Master, it was Senior Sister who wrote it,” Zhu Youji said with a knowing smile. Having entered the sect quite early, Ning Jing was the only one he referred to as Senior Sister.

His Senior Sister was bold in her actions, often performing astonishing feats; among all their master’s disciples, she was the one most capable of provoking his anger, yet also the one who brought him the most joy. When he first joined, Ning Jing had also looked after him considerably, and for this Senior Sister, Zhu Youji harbored a deep admiration.

“That scoundrel girl! As the Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall herself, she always messes around with these trivial matters. Doesn’t she fear the other elders catching her shortcomings?” Though Zhu Manzhi’s mouth was full of reprimands, his face remained alight with a full smile.

“Just what is the background of this Wugou, that he could make that girl personally pull strings for him? He must have quite the influential connections,” Zhu Manzhi couldn’t help but ask.

Zhu Youji suppressed a laugh. “Master, according to rumors among the disciples in the quarter, this Wugou seems to be Senior Sister’s illegitimate child.”

Smack!

Enraged, Zhu Manzhi slapped the armrest, shattering the chair. His entire body, buoyed by spiritual energy, stood ramrod straight. “Nonsense, that wretched girl! I knew I shouldn’t have spoiled her. This old man hasn’t inquired about her private life for only half a year, and she’s already produced a child! It infuriates me!”

The words had barely left his mouth when he sensed something was amiss. Only upon seeing Zhu Youji’s strenuous efforts to suppress his laughter beside him did he realize. “You little rascal! You conspired with your mischievous Senior Sister to play a trick on me? You’ve grown quite bold, haven’t you!”

Half a year prior, Zhu Manzhi had visited Ning Jing at the Enforcement Hall. At that time, Ning Jing was still an unmarried maiden; naturally, it was impossible for her to have a child.

Seeing his master’s anger, Zhu Youji couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. ‘As expected of Senior Sister, she can provoke Master’s anger even when she’s not present. Truly remarkable.’

“Master, please don’t be angry. It would be best to ask her directly about the reasons behind this. After all, these rumors have persisted for over a year, yet Senior Sister has never come forward to clarify the situation. She must have her reasons,” Zhu Youji advised.

“Hmph! Do I need you to tell me that? Both you and I know that wretched girl’s temperament very well. Ever since that great calamity eight hundred years ago, when the top male cultivators were almost entirely wiped out, the entire continent has seen a decline in masculine energy and a rise in feminine influence.

“The trend of ‘grinding mirrors and lilies’ has become prevalent, and your Senior Sister is no exception; her sly eyes are fixed on Palace Master Luo all day long. Does she think this old man doesn’t know what she’s hiding? If she truly had a child, this old man would be overjoyed!”

“Oh, old man, you said it yourself! How about tomorrow I just grab a man off the street and bring you back a baby to play with in a year?”

Ning Jing, entrusted by Luo Bingyan to bring Wugou to report to the Skill Transmission Pavilion, heard Zhu Manzhi’s grumbling the moment she entered. She couldn’t resist talking back.

Zhu Manzhi’s disciples, both senior and junior, treated each other like siblings and revered their master as a father. However, regarding etiquette, influenced by their eldest Senior Sister Ning Jing, almost all of them enjoyed playfully arguing with Zhu Manzhi and found joy in it. Zhu Manzhi, for his part, always turned a blind eye, seemingly enjoying the banter himself.

The moment Zhu Manzhi saw Ning Jing, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and the frown that had creased his brow from anger immediately softened. But he quickly remembered he needed to maintain the dignity of a master. Suppressing the joy in his heart, he let out a cough and said, “Wretched girl, you finally decided to visit this old man?”

“Old man, you just dumped the Enforcement Hall on me and came here to the Skill Transmission Pavilion to enjoy your leisure. Don’t you have any sense of proportion? I’m busy jumping around all day; where would I find the free time to visit you? If you miss me, come to the Enforcement Hall yourself, hmph hmph~” Ning Jing was as blunt with her master as ever, her chin held high, though her eyes subtly darted to observe Zhu Manzhi’s reaction.

As the former Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall, Zhu Manzhi naturally understood the hardships involved; otherwise, he wouldn’t have personally visited her half a year ago. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for his beloved disciple. However, as a master, he had to maintain his dignity and found it awkward to offer comfort at that moment. Just then, he noticed the small boy behind Ning Jing and asked, “Is this child Wugou?”

Ning Jing turned to look at Wugou, only to find him gazing around, seemingly distracted. She lightly tapped his small head. “You rascal, aren’t you going to greet your elder?”