"Looks like my time hasn't come yet," Han Xuhan muttered, stepping out on his porch and feeling the warmth of sunlight on his face. The sight of dawn made him appreciate life and its beauty in all sorts of new ways after spending a sleepless night inside his hut.
Since nobody was coming—
"Screw hiding at home. I'll just pretend everything is normal. Otherwise, my behavior might give it away to any careful observers."
Xuhan went back inside and prepared for the day while ordering his minions around to do his chores and take care of his hut. He got ready for the classes in the morning, a welcome change after cultivating by himself for so long. Since Elder Kong Ye was in charge of their class for now, he'd get to meet the guy and discuss their progression with recruiting apprentices for him. Surely, he would not mind the 'small tricks' Xuhan had pulled in order to convince his peers to join him as the elder's apprentice....ahem.
The only other disciple in the hit-list he had not contacted yet was martial sister Zhou. He'd have to find a way to convince her too. She could possibly turn out to be too cunning to fall for the traps that had convinced Mu Ran and Xiao Wu. But as their relationship was heavily dependent on monetary benefits and not some sort of shallow friendship, she would definitely put some weight on his recommendations.
Hardly had he taken a step outside the hut when the sound of bells rang through the numerous mountains belonging to the sect exclusively. How, or where the bells were located, Xuhan had no idea. He had never seen them even though he had heard their chimes a handful of times since coming here. And to his knowledge, none of the outer court disciples did either. All they knew was that different numbers of rings signified different types of public declarations. And the current one was a command for all the outer court disciples to assemble together at the plains nearby.
His heart brimming with curiosity, suspicion, and a spoonful of dread, Xuhan jogged toward the plains immediately. On his way down the mountain, he checked on all three of his martial siblings and set out from the foot of the mountain together with them. It would be unwise to let down his guard entirely just because one night had passed. Who knows if some expert was hiding in plain sight to catch him when he thought he was safe there? A bit of caution never hurts, although it did affect his mental health pretty negatively.
Xuhan made a mental note to check out how much the mental demon countering therapy project had progressed and whether there was any technique in the archives for treating schizophrenia as they reached the plains and stood at the corner of the vast field impatiently. The sunlight that had felt so warm and inviting was now starting to seem pretty unpleasant as time passed and more and more disciples arrived, with no sign of any of the elders or an authority representative.
By half an hour, the entire outer court disciple body was present in the field, and that's when the sect master himself made his appearance rather impressively.
In the span of a second, the sky was colored crimson and countless flags of the sect, rectangular pieces of cloth that contained a red snowflake outline surrounded by the color white, followed behind him, levitating hundreds of feet high in the sky.
The flags were being controlled by the elders behind them who followed sect master Xuan Zi in a line and placed themselves all around the disciple body in a perfect circle. The sect's flags above them were joined by more flags of distinct and unique designs. Each elder who stood in the circle appeared to represent a different mountain peak, something the disciples realized soon after a rough headcount. The unique flags for each elder represented their mountain peaks and schools of discipline.
The hubbub that had risen upon their grand entrance died down soon as sect master Xuan Zi waved his hand to them and made a coughing motion.
"Disciples! I assume everybody here knows me! Is there anybody who does not? Please raise your hand!" Sect master shouted loudly enough to make his voice echo back from the other side of the field.
Several disciples looked around hesitantly, their hands half raised, before they hurriedly put their hands down after realizing most of the disciple body hadn't responded.
It wasn't unexpected. Xuan Zi rarely went out of his residence, and even when he did, he didn't walk around flaunting his standing as the sect master.
"Ah, I see. You there," Xuan Zi pointed at a disciple who had just put his hand down and said, "What's your name? What's your cultivation level? And what have you been doing since entering this sect? How many friends do you have? Any ladies here you fancy?"
With a terribly embarrassed expression, the disciple tried his best not to have a breakdown as he said replied to the sect master. But due to the distance between them, few people actually heard him.
"Say it louder! I can't hear you, young man, and neither can your peers!" Xuan Zi answered, generating an eye-roll from a large portion of the disciples and all of the elders.
A cultivator that powerful couldn't hear a disciple speaking from fifty meters away? Hehehe....
Nearly reduced to tears, the disciple screamed his answer.
"MY NAME IS HEI MING. I'VE JUST REACHED THE SEVENTH LAYER OF THE PHYSIQUE TRANSFORMATION REALM LAST WEEK. SINCE COMING TO THIS SECT, I'VE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON CULTIVATION, CLASSES, AND THE DAILY TASKS. I'M NOT VERY WELL ACQUAINTED WITH MY PEERS AND I RARELY GO OUTSIDE MY HUT UNLESS NECESSARY. UNTIL I REACH THE SOUL REFORMATION REALM, I DO NOT WANT TO WASTE TIME ON ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN CULTIVATION ."
"That's more like it, child!" Xuan Zi nodded with satisfaction as a sense of dread mixed with vague schadenfreude rushed through the hearts of the entire outer court of the Crimson Snow sect.
While the disciple was busy trying not to cry, Xuan Zi pointed at one of the elders standing on the other side of the field as a part of the circle.
"Elder Shi, he'll fit in your mountain peak excellently. Disciple Hei Ming, I, master of the glorious Crimson Snow sect, hereby appoint you as an apprentice of the Silent Snow Mountain Peak, under the care of elder Shi Song who is famed for being the fastest and most dedicated cultivator among our elders! Good luck. May the heavens bless you!"
With a wave of his hand, he appeared to have cast a spell that made the dumbstruck disciple rise in the air on his own and hurtle toward Elder Shi at a breakneck speed.
The sect master had literally thrown him at the elder like a pebble.
The elder caught the screaming lad with a smooth leap and placed the heaving boy beside him where he threw up his breakfast. It looked homemade and terrible. Clearly, the boy hadn't been lying when he said he didn't get out much.
The commotion that arose upon witnessing this exchange was nothing short of deafening. It was an open secret that the elders chose their apprentices long before the apprenticeship ceremony is held. But as it seemed now, that wasn't entirely true. The sect master also had the power to appoint apprenticeships! This was a golden opportunity window!
Everybody was shouting excitedly. Many who were standing close to the sect master were trying to appeal to him in various ways. Xuhan and Co. managed to catch some of them as they were nearby.
"Sect master, I don't know who you are-uh no, never mind," said a disciple who instantly tried to hide his face by snatching a stylish fan from a girl standing beside him. The girl didn't even put up a fight for the fan as she gave him a sympathetic look and patted him on the back saying, "Yeah, I know that feeling, martial brother. Don't cry."
"Sect master, I have also done exactly the same thing as that disciple. Ever since I arrived here, I've cultivated single-mindedly, without any distractions such as forging friendships or relationships! Yesterday, I reached the seventh layer of the physique transformation realm as well. I believe I'm as qualified as him, if not more!"
This was another male disciple. Handsome and full of spirit, his face was solemn and serious as he lobbied for himself. However...
"Su Wei! I thought you loved me! What are you saying?" The girl who had been holding his hand the entire time anxiously shouted.
"What? I don't know you-" Su Wei, the handsome lad, tried to shake her hand off. However....
"Ling-ling! You told me you loved me! We even secretly exchanged our wedding vows back in our hometown! Were those all lies?" Shouted another male disciple who had just managed to push through the crowd and reach the two stunned lovebirds.
As the trio tried to figure out their complicated love triangle, Xuan Zi shouted again, loudly enough to silence the entire field. But he ignored the quarreling disciples and focused on an unsuspecting one.
"You, lass, what's your name?" He pointed at the girl who had lent her martial brother the stylish fan that he was still using to cover his face.
"I-My name is Ning Huang." The girl bowed at Xuan Zi hurriedly.
"I'm a disciple at the fifth layer. I don't have any friends other than my martial brother who grew up with me since childhood. If it is possible, please overlook his earlier words. He tends to become very impulsive when he gets excited about something. So he spoke without thinking-"
"Quit lobbying for that dumbass, lass. You must be a patient one if you've managed to put up with that musclehead since childhood. I hereby appoint you as an apprentice of the Heaven Grazing Snow Mountain Peak under the care of Elder Hui, whose fame for cultivating spirit herbs is unmatched in this continent. May the heavens bless you!"
Sect master Xuan Zi looked like he was having the time of his life as he happily launched the surprised girl toward an elder nearby with the same telekinesis spell.
Then he turned to focus on her martial brother who looked like an abandoned pet as he stared at the girl sitting beside Elder Hui far away.
"Hey kid, what's your cultivation level?" He asked the young man.
"Fiv-fifth layer, sect master," he responded nervously.
"Well, I'd have thrown you in that mountain peak with her had you not proved yourself to be unsuitable for a discipline as delicate as Spirit Herbology. And no, before you try to convince me that you're not that stupid, let me give you some advice; mistakes can be forgiven only when you learn a lesson from them. Since you seem intent on sticking with her, I'll give you another chance.
I, hereby, appoint you as an apprentice of the Unbreakable Frost Mountain Peak, under the care of Elder Mo who has continued to train the most excellent warriors for the sect and its safety . Protecting those who shall develop to be less combat-oriented disciples in future like your martial sister Ning Huang shall be your sacred duty. May the heavens bless you!"
After another excellent pitching that made the disciple land on the hands of a buff-looking elder, Xuan Zi pointed at the bickering trio near him.
"You're Su Wei, yes?"
"Yes, sect master!" The handsome disciple nodded while heroically pushing the other two disciples out of the way.
"Hmm, such a focused, bold and ruthless child...You'll be an excellent addition to the Cold Snow Mountain Peak where Elder Zhang will teach you how to sever all emotions and devote yourself entirely to the weapons you wield. Better prepare for a lifetime of celibacy, dear child! May the heavens bless you!"
"Whaaat? I'm more qualified than that Hei Ming! Why am I being forced to-"
"Exactly! Think about it, you disloyal youngster!"
The disciple didn't get to finish his sentence as Xuan Zi interrupted him and launched him extra hard at elder Zhang who grinned sadistically at his new apprentice. He didn't at all seem like a master who practiced severing emotions. He seemed more likely to be someone who got off on breaking his disciples' spirits in order to accomplish his title.
"And you, little girl. I must say, you sure were fast in ditching that dumbass beside you," Xuan Zi said to the remaining two of the trio with a dark smile on his face.
"Uh-uh, I've already decided your fate. There is no need to defend yourself or give me a self-introduction. You'll fit right in the Poison Frost Mountain Peak under the care of Elder Rong. May the heavens guide you!"
Ling Ling was launched even harder than Su Wei. A shady-looking elder caught her and almost lost his balance in the process. The short flight also seemed to have knocked her out. Briefly, Han Xuhan remembered Elder Mu, who had made him vomit on his first day in the sect by dragging him on top of a flying sword. He must have learned the art of flying from the sect master himself. No wonder!
"Aaaand, finally...young master green hat over there," Xuan Zi said as he singled out the last remaining disciple of the love triangle.
"I can see the pain in your heart, young man! This old man has seen such atrocities many times in this lifetime! Fear not! I have the perfect place for you too! I hereby appoint you as a disciple of the Silent Snowfall Mountain Peak, under the care of Elder Jun whose fame for cultivating mental discipline is known worldwide! May the heavens bless you...with better eyes! I mean, seriously, how did you not see her cheating on you?"
The event proceeded at an extremely fast pace afterward. Xuan Zi kept throwing disciples left and right with a wide smile on his face. Sometimes he didn't even mention why he thought the selected disciples would suit the apprenticeship he was appointing them to. He didn't even care whether the disciples agreed with his decision or not. Soon, all the disciples realized something strange as the number of remaining disciples dwindled to a bare handful.
It was common knowledge that only a handful of disciples get selected for apprenticeship every generation, provided that the elders chose them. But by now, only a few unremarkable disciples were left while the sect master was still choosing from them without any signs of stopping.
The number continued to go down as time passed. Ten, nine, eight....five...four.
Finally, Xuan Zi gazed at the only remaining disciples in front of him. The four disciples from the Black Sheep Mountain Peak faced him with rigid expressions.
"Looks like my time hasn't come yet," Han Xuhan muttered, stepping out on his porch and feeling the warmth of sunlight on his face. The sight of dawn made him appreciate life and its beauty in all sorts of new ways after spending a sleepless night inside his hut.
Since nobody was coming—
"Screw hiding at home. I'll just pretend everything is normal. Otherwise, my behavior might give it away to any careful observers."
Xuhan went back inside and prepared for the day while ordering his minions around to do his chores and take care of his hut. He got ready for the classes in the morning, a welcome change after cultivating by himself for so long. Since Elder Kong Ye was in charge of their class for now, he'd get to meet the guy and discuss their progression with recruiting apprentices for him. Surely, he would not mind the 'small tricks' Xuhan had pulled in order to convince his peers to join him as the elder's apprentice....ahem.
The only other disciple in the hit-list he had not contacted yet was martial sister Zhou. He'd have to find a way to convince her too. She could possibly turn out to be too cunning to fall for the traps that had convinced Mu Ran and Xiao Wu. But as their relationship was heavily dependent on monetary benefits and not some sort of shallow friendship, she would definitely put some weight on his recommendations.
Hardly had he taken a step outside the hut when the sound of bells rang through the numerous mountains belonging to the sect exclusively. How, or where the bells were located, Xuhan had no idea. He had never seen them even though he had heard their chimes a handful of times since coming here. And to his knowledge, none of the outer court disciples did either. All they knew was that different numbers of rings signified different types of public declarations. And the current one was a command for all the outer court disciples to assemble together at the plains nearby.
His heart brimming with curiosity, suspicion, and a spoonful of dread, Xuhan jogged toward the plains immediately. On his way down the mountain, he checked on all three of his martial siblings and set out from the foot of the mountain together with them. It would be unwise to let down his guard entirely just because one night had passed. Who knows if some expert was hiding in plain sight to catch him when he thought he was safe there? A bit of caution never hurts, although it did affect his mental health pretty negatively.
Xuhan made a mental note to check out how much the mental demon countering therapy project had progressed and whether there was any technique in the archives for treating schizophrenia as they reached the plains and stood at the corner of the vast field impatiently. The sunlight that had felt so warm and inviting was now starting to seem pretty unpleasant as time passed and more and more disciples arrived, with no sign of any of the elders or an authority representative.
By half an hour, the entire outer court disciple body was present in the field, and that's when the sect master himself made his appearance rather impressively.
In the span of a second, the sky was colored crimson and countless flags of the sect, rectangular pieces of cloth that contained a red snowflake outline surrounded by the color white, followed behind him, levitating hundreds of feet high in the sky.
The flags were being controlled by the elders behind them who followed sect master Xuan Zi in a line and placed themselves all around the disciple body in a perfect circle. The sect's flags above them were joined by more flags of distinct and unique designs. Each elder who stood in the circle appeared to represent a different mountain peak, something the disciples realized soon after a rough headcount. The unique flags for each elder represented their mountain peaks and schools of discipline.
The hubbub that had risen upon their grand entrance died down soon as sect master Xuan Zi waved his hand to them and made a coughing motion.
"Disciples! I assume everybody here knows me! Is there anybody who does not? Please raise your hand!" Sect master shouted loudly enough to make his voice echo back from the other side of the field.
Several disciples looked around hesitantly, their hands half raised, before they hurriedly put their hands down after realizing most of the disciple body hadn't responded.
It wasn't unexpected. Xuan Zi rarely went out of his residence, and even when he did, he didn't walk around flaunting his standing as the sect master.
"Ah, I see. You there," Xuan Zi pointed at a disciple who had just put his hand down and said, "What's your name? What's your cultivation level? And what have you been doing since entering this sect? How many friends do you have? Any ladies here you fancy?"
With a terribly embarrassed expression, the disciple tried his best not to have a breakdown as he said replied to the sect master. But due to the distance between them, few people actually heard him.
"Say it louder! I can't hear you, young man, and neither can your peers!" Xuan Zi answered, generating an eye-roll from a large portion of the disciples and all of the elders.
A cultivator that powerful couldn't hear a disciple speaking from fifty meters away? Hehehe....
Nearly reduced to tears, the disciple screamed his answer.
"MY NAME IS HEI MING. I'VE JUST REACHED THE SEVENTH LAYER OF THE PHYSIQUE TRANSFORMATION REALM LAST WEEK. SINCE COMING TO THIS SECT, I'VE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON CULTIVATION, CLASSES, AND THE DAILY TASKS. I'M NOT VERY WELL ACQUAINTED WITH MY PEERS AND I RARELY GO OUTSIDE MY HUT UNLESS NECESSARY. UNTIL I REACH THE SOUL REFORMATION REALM, I DO NOT WANT TO WASTE TIME ON ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN CULTIVATION ."
"That's more like it, child!" Xuan Zi nodded with satisfaction as a sense of dread mixed with vague schadenfreude rushed through the hearts of the entire outer court of the Crimson Snow sect.
While the disciple was busy trying not to cry, Xuan Zi pointed at one of the elders standing on the other side of the field as a part of the circle.
"Elder Shi, he'll fit in your mountain peak excellently. Disciple Hei Ming, I, master of the glorious Crimson Snow sect, hereby appoint you as an apprentice of the Silent Snow Mountain Peak, under the care of elder Shi Song who is famed for being the fastest and most dedicated cultivator among our elders! Good luck. May the heavens bless you!"
With a wave of his hand, he appeared to have cast a spell that made the dumbstruck disciple rise in the air on his own and hurtle toward Elder Shi at a breakneck speed.
The sect master had literally thrown him at the elder like a pebble.
The elder caught the screaming lad with a smooth leap and placed the heaving boy beside him where he threw up his breakfast. It looked homemade and terrible. Clearly, the boy hadn't been lying when he said he didn't get out much.
The commotion that arose upon witnessing this exchange was nothing short of deafening. It was an open secret that the elders chose their apprentices long before the apprenticeship ceremony is held. But as it seemed now, that wasn't entirely true. The sect master also had the power to appoint apprenticeships! This was a golden opportunity window!
Everybody was shouting excitedly. Many who were standing close to the sect master were trying to appeal to him in various ways. Xuhan and Co. managed to catch some of them as they were nearby.
"Sect master, I don't know who you are-uh no, never mind," said a disciple who instantly tried to hide his face by snatching a stylish fan from a girl standing beside him. The girl didn't even put up a fight for the fan as she gave him a sympathetic look and patted him on the back saying, "Yeah, I know that feeling, martial brother. Don't cry."
"Sect master, I have also done exactly the same thing as that disciple. Ever since I arrived here, I've cultivated single-mindedly, without any distractions such as forging friendships or relationships! Yesterday, I reached the seventh layer of the physique transformation realm as well. I believe I'm as qualified as him, if not more!"
This was another male disciple. Handsome and full of spirit, his face was solemn and serious as he lobbied for himself. However...
"Su Wei! I thought you loved me! What are you saying?" The girl who had been holding his hand the entire time anxiously shouted.
"What? I don't know you-" Su Wei, the handsome lad, tried to shake her hand off. However....
"Ling-ling! You told me you loved me! We even secretly exchanged our wedding vows back in our hometown! Were those all lies?" Shouted another male disciple who had just managed to push through the crowd and reach the two stunned lovebirds.
As the trio tried to figure out their complicated love triangle, Xuan Zi shouted again, loudly enough to silence the entire field. But he ignored the quarreling disciples and focused on an unsuspecting one.
"You, lass, what's your name?" He pointed at the girl who had lent her martial brother the stylish fan that he was still using to cover his face.
"I-My name is Ning Huang." The girl bowed at Xuan Zi hurriedly.
"I'm a disciple at the fifth layer. I don't have any friends other than my martial brother who grew up with me since childhood. If it is possible, please overlook his earlier words. He tends to become very impulsive when he gets excited about something. So he spoke without thinking-"
"Quit lobbying for that dumbass, lass. You must be a patient one if you've managed to put up with that musclehead since childhood. I hereby appoint you as an apprentice of the Heaven Grazing Snow Mountain Peak under the care of Elder Hui, whose fame for cultivating spirit herbs is unmatched in this continent. May the heavens bless you!"
Sect master Xuan Zi looked like he was having the time of his life as he happily launched the surprised girl toward an elder nearby with the same telekinesis spell.
Then he turned to focus on her martial brother who looked like an abandoned pet as he stared at the girl sitting beside Elder Hui far away.
"Hey kid, what's your cultivation level?" He asked the young man.
"Fiv-fifth layer, sect master," he responded nervously.
"Well, I'd have thrown you in that mountain peak with her had you not proved yourself to be unsuitable for a discipline as delicate as Spirit Herbology. And no, before you try to convince me that you're not that stupid, let me give you some advice; mistakes can be forgiven only when you learn a lesson from them. Since you seem intent on sticking with her, I'll give you another chance.
I, hereby, appoint you as an apprentice of the Unbreakable Frost Mountain Peak, under the care of Elder Mo who has continued to train the most excellent warriors for the sect and its safety . Protecting those who shall develop to be less combat-oriented disciples in future like your martial sister Ning Huang shall be your sacred duty. May the heavens bless you!"
After another excellent pitching that made the disciple land on the hands of a buff-looking elder, Xuan Zi pointed at the bickering trio near him.
"You're Su Wei, yes?"
"Yes, sect master!" The handsome disciple nodded while heroically pushing the other two disciples out of the way.
"Hmm, such a focused, bold and ruthless child...You'll be an excellent addition to the Cold Snow Mountain Peak where Elder Zhang will teach you how to sever all emotions and devote yourself entirely to the weapons you wield. Better prepare for a lifetime of celibacy, dear child! May the heavens bless you!"
"Whaaat? I'm more qualified than that Hei Ming! Why am I being forced to-"
"Exactly! Think about it, you disloyal youngster!"
The disciple didn't get to finish his sentence as Xuan Zi interrupted him and launched him extra hard at elder Zhang who grinned sadistically at his new apprentice. He didn't at all seem like a master who practiced severing emotions. He seemed more likely to be someone who got off on breaking his disciples' spirits in order to accomplish his title.
"And you, little girl. I must say, you sure were fast in ditching that dumbass beside you," Xuan Zi said to the remaining two of the trio with a dark smile on his face.
"Uh-uh, I've already decided your fate. There is no need to defend yourself or give me a self-introduction. You'll fit right in the Poison Frost Mountain Peak under the care of Elder Rong. May the heavens guide you!"
Ling Ling was launched even harder than Su Wei. A shady-looking elder caught her and almost lost his balance in the process. The short flight also seemed to have knocked her out. Briefly, Han Xuhan remembered Elder Mu, who had made him vomit on his first day in the sect by dragging him on top of a flying sword. He must have learned the art of flying from the sect master himself. No wonder!
"Aaaand, finally...young master green hat over there," Xuan Zi said as he singled out the last remaining disciple of the love triangle.
"I can see the pain in your heart, young man! This old man has seen such atrocities many times in this lifetime! Fear not! I have the perfect place for you too! I hereby appoint you as a disciple of the Silent Snowfall Mountain Peak, under the care of Elder Jun whose fame for cultivating mental discipline is known worldwide! May the heavens bless you...with better eyes! I mean, seriously, how did you not see her cheating on you?"
The event proceeded at an extremely fast pace afterward. Xuan Zi kept throwing disciples left and right with a wide smile on his face. Sometimes he didn't even mention why he thought the selected disciples would suit the apprenticeship he was appointing them to. He didn't even care whether the disciples agreed with his decision or not. Soon, all the disciples realized something strange as the number of remaining disciples dwindled to a bare handful.
It was common knowledge that only a handful of disciples get selected for apprenticeship every generation, provided that the elders chose them. But by now, only a few unremarkable disciples were left while the sect master was still choosing from them without any signs of stopping.
The number continued to go down as time passed. Ten, nine, eight....five...four.
Finally, Xuan Zi gazed at the only remaining disciples in front of him. The four disciples from the Black Sheep Mountain Peak faced him with rigid expressions.
