Chapter 67: 67. Chapter 67

67. Chapter 67

Guan San was stroking the server, please complete your subscription to defeat him! Seeing him stand by the Sword Washing Pool with a calm and collected air, he said in an incredibly serious tone: "Our sect implements a task commission system. Any member can obtain rewards by completing tasks posted by others. To help you integrate into the sect as soon as possible, we are issuing introductory tasks starting now."

"First, you need a new set of clothes."

Following behind the Sword Attendant Boy and listening to the "tap-tap" of his footsteps, Atian was unexpectedly somewhat distracted. The scenery before her eyes was so different; whether it was the pavilions and towers amidst the swirling clouds or the Sword Cultivator disciples who occasionally cast curious glances, everything was clearly telling her—her life had already changed completely.

No, it should be said that her life had returned to the right track.

The corners of Atian's mouth curled into an arc, looking like mockery or perhaps a cold sneer. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her expression had returned to one of curiosity.

In all fairness, the Beihai Sword Sect could completely satisfy any ordinary person's imagination of an immortal sect. Whether it was the Martial Arts Arena floating in mid-air or the towering, majestic main hall, these were wonders not seen in the mortal world. Even she, someone who hadn't yet officially entered the sect, could feel the awe-inspiring Sword Intent contained within.

It's amazing, it's truly amazing.

This is the place where you should stay.

She felt the blood in her entire body flowing rapidly, and every bone in her body gave out a silent cheer. The nature she had suppressed for over ten years was quietly awakening, secretly letting out its first breath.

This is a bit troublesome.

Atian thought nonchalantly while pressing her hand to her heart, yet she didn't seem too bothered.

The living quarters specifically opened for disciples were located at the southernmost side of the Floating Island. From afar, one could see rows of yellow houses. They were not arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, but rather formed a "small mountain" in a somewhat crooked way, as if someone had randomly piled these houses together after getting drunk.

The Inner Affairs Hall, which distributed daily necessities and assigned houses, was located at the foot of this "small mountain." The cultivator in charge had a rather prosperous look, especially that round, bulging belly that made one want to pat it.

"Oh my, new people have come to the island again," the chubby cultivator said with a smile, sizing the two of them up. "I am Guo Huai, the Grand General Manager of the entire island. You can call me Uncle-Master Guo."

As he said this, he rummaged through the mountain of miscellaneous items behind him and handed one set of clothes to each of them.

Guo Huai claimed to be the Grand General Manager of the Beihai Sword Sect, but Bai Tian didn't dare to truly treat him as just a manager. Along the way, she had already figured out the general situation of this non-mainstream immortal sect from the Sword Attendant Boy's intermittent, erratic explanations.

Perhaps to restrain this group of lawless cultivators, the cultivation world was a place that placed great emphasis on seniority and qualifications. Every form of address was a symbol of status and could not be used carelessly. Since the Beihai Sword Sect had no Supreme Elder, the ranking of seniority followed the Sect Master. Before the current Sect Master achieved Ascension, all cultivators of the same generation served him as their Senior Brother, and disciples who entered during his tenure were all considered the next generation.

Therefore, the Beihai Sword Sect would always only have two generations existing at the same time. Meanwhile, because seniority could only be recalculated when the Sect Master achieved Ascension, it was not unusual for people of the same generation to have an age gap of several hundred years.

What? You ask what happens to the other Elders who haven't achieved Ascension if the Sect Master does?

No, that doesn't exist.

If the Sect Master, who is entangled in miscellaneous affairs all day, can achieve Ascension, and the Elders who can cultivate to their heart's content haven't, how useless would you say they are?

Such people, in the cultivation world with its astonishing elimination rate, generally don't live long enough to become Elders.

Guo Huai letting Atian and Song Zhicheng call him "Uncle-Master" indicated that he was of the same generation as the Sect Master and was indeed one of the Elders standing at the pinnacle of the Beihai Sword Sect's pyramid.

The Sword Attendant Boy's introduction also confirmed Atian's guess: "This is the sect's Deacon Elder, publicly acknowledged as the one who has the hardest time finding a partner."

"What?"

The last half of the sentence was too shocking, and Song Zhicheng couldn't help but exclaim, though his own second half wasn't much better.

"Does the sect not provide wives?! I heard that immortals are provided with wives!"

"Are you mentally challenged?"

Atian was momentarily startled, thinking she had spoken her inner thoughts aloud, only to hear the Sword Attendant Boy continue: "What kind of misunderstanding do you have about this sect full of old bachelors?"

"In the entire cultivation world, in terms of the number of bachelors, apart from that group of monks at Fahua Temple, it's right here!"

A bolt from the blue!

Having suffered a fatal blow, Song Zhicheng withered at a speed visible to the naked eye. When mortals yearn for immortals, they always harbor the most simple and beautiful dreams, such as being well-fed or warmly clothed. Although Song Zhicheng's dream was a bit different, it was still a simple dream after all.

Now, his simple dream had been ruthlessly shattered.

"Deceived..." he sat down on the ground powerlessly, "... I've been deceived!"

A grown man actually sat on the ground and cried, leaving Atian dumbfounded. She couldn't help but cast her gaze toward the one with the highest seniority present, and then she saw a chubby man who was equally heartbroken.

"Damn it... these words must have been taught by Junior Sister Luo," Guo Huai muttered while clutching his chest. "... Struck in the sore spot. Why hurt me like this? Clearly, the others are no better off; even Senior Brother Grandmaster is still single..."

Speaking of this, he suddenly raised his eyes to look at Atian, then immediately buried his head and wailed, "Wuwuwu... I also want a child bride..."

As the only person in the room who understood this reference, Atian patted his thick shoulder to show comfort.

As a cultivator with successful training, Guo Huai's ability to withstand blows was extremely outstanding. His withering lasted only a moment before he wiped away his tears to assign houses and other supplies to the two new junior disciples.

"There is an empty room in the northeast corner of the first floor, so that will be for Junior Nephew Song. As for Junior Niece Bai, go to the second room on the twentieth floor."

Once Song Zhicheng heard this, he stopped being depressed and even forgot his self-reference of "I": "Why is she on the twentieth floor and I'm on the first?"

Guo Huai looked world-weary, "Because the female cultivators of the Beihai Sword Sect don't even fill up the twentieth floor."

Looking up at the twentieth floor, which only had five rooms, and habitually scratching his foot, Song Zhicheng wisely kept silent.

However, he wanted peace, but someone insisted on not letting him have it. To be precise, it was a Sword Rack that wouldn't let him have peace.

"Since the two of you have been registered, you are officially members of the Beihai Sword Sect. The friendly guidance ends here; please execute the next task on your own."

What followed was simply horrific. The Sword Attendant Boy maintained an expressionless face while ordering Atian and Song Zhicheng around. The two of them ran across almost the entire Beihai Sword Sect on their own two feet. Even when they raised objections, they only received "I am just a Sword Rack, I cannot walk" or "Recognize yourself! I am the Sword Rack in the Sect Master's room!", the former specifically for Bai Tian, the latter aimed at Song Zhicheng; the differential treatment was very obvious.

Guo Huai comforted the bearded bandit who was about to smoke with anger like this: "Just endure it, female Sword Cultivators are the treasures of the entire cultivation world."

It was already evening when Atian arrived at Shengxian Town with Zhao Kuo. Even without counting the time spent at the Sword Washing Pool, after such a toss-up, it was already pitch black, which further increased the difficulty of finding the way. By the time she ran this circle and returned to the Sword Attendant Boy, she was almost drowned by the fatigue surging in like a tide.

Aside from her astonishing attack power, she considered herself no different from an ordinary young lady of a noble family. And a young lady who never stepped out of the house would certainly not have the opportunity to build up physical strength. Encountering the Beihai Sword Sect, which didn't play by the rules, she naturally had to admit defeat.

However, the benefits of the Beihai Sword Sect doing this were also obvious. At the very least, she felt that she would definitely not get lost on the Floating Island in the future. Although the introductory task had the suspicion of being a hassle, it really allowed them to understand this place in the fastest way possible.

Wiping away the sweat beads from her forehead, the somewhat physically exhausted Atian still gritted her teeth and walked to the Sword Attendant Boy and Guo Huai, who were waiting in place.

Facing the weary-looking girl, Guo Huai frowned, but in the end, he glanced at the Sword Attendant Boy, patted his round belly, and said nothing.

"The last item," the Sword Attendant Boy's emotionless voice rang out, "pay respects to the Senior Brother."

Pay respects to the Senior Brother?

Atian was stunned.

There was only one person in the entire Beihai Sword Sect who could be called Senior Brother, and that was the leader of this generation of disciples. As a newly joined disciple, paying respects on the first day of entry was a matter of course. However, this was not an easy thing for her.

The Senior Brother of the Beihai Sword Sect, Bai Xinli.

Her husband, whom she hadn't seen for fifteen years, Bai Xinli.

And now, she was going to pay respects to him.

To go and pay him a visit looking like this—reeking of sweat, hair disheveled, and face deathly pale.

As a young lady of a respectable family, Atian felt she was going to go insane.

"The last person?" Atian asked, puzzled.

"This old man cast a divination," the Daoist stroked his beard, "according to the hexagram, there are three thousand and one people participating in this Ascension Ceremony, and adding you, young lady, it makes for an even number."

As he spoke, he pulled a brass Token from his robe and handed it to Atian; the latter took it and saw the two characters "Sword Cleansing" engraved on it.

"This Token is the sole proof of participation in the Ascension Ceremony; you must take great care to keep it safe, young lady."

Proof? What does issuing a Token prove?

Atian's brows furrowed slightly.