At the top of Heaven's Gate Peak, in the Innate Hall, Lu Yang stood straight and respectfully waited for his master to arrive. Inside the hall, it was cool and quiet, spotless, with wisps of incense smoke rising, calming the heart.
Lu Yang noticed three memorial tablets in the hall, dedicated to the Innate Daoist, the Returning Origin Celestial Master, and the Vast Sea Dao Lord. He recognized all three; they held significant meaning in the Ask the Dao Sect.
Over 120,000 years ago, the Innate Daoist left the temple to establish his own sect, creating the Ask the Dao Sect. At that time, he was just an ordinary cultivator. There were thousands of cultivators with similar skills in the Central Continent, so the Ask the Dao Sect started as a small sect.
A hundred thousand years ago, chaos erupted in the world, and the sect produced a remarkable genius. Although he wasn't among the top fifty in terms of talent, he was smart, made friends easily, and had a mysterious luck that helped him rise during the turmoil. He became a leader of his time, with unmatched cultivation skills, earning the title of Returning Origin Celestial Master.
Under the Returning Origin Celestial Master, the Ask the Dao Sect flourished and became one of the top sects. During its 20,000-year anniversary, many close friends came to celebrate. He took this opportunity to establish the title of the Five Great Sects alongside four other top cultivators, gaining recognition from the world.
But nothing lasts forever. After another 50,000 years, the Ask the Dao Sect weakened. Many elders were nearing the end of their lives or had died unexpectedly, leaving few capable of holding things together. The younger disciples were not impressive, leading to an awkward situation where the sect faced rumors of falling out of the Five Great Sects.
Perhaps due to some lingering luck, one day an elder of the sect went out to slay demons and rescued a child from the ruins. To everyone's surprise, this child turned out to be an exceptionally rare talent. He quickly advanced in cultivation and soon became the strongest during the Crossing Tribulation stage. This child was known as the Vast Sea Dao Lord and is called the ancestor of the sect's revival, continuing the glory of the Ask the Dao Sect for another 50,000 years, up to the present day.
"Senior Sister, where is our master?" Lu Yang asked, pulling his gaze away after waiting for a long time with only his senior sister present.
"Master is currently in seclusion, focusing on an important stage of his training. I’m here to take you as a disciple and teach you cultivation," she replied.
"Before we start your training, let me briefly introduce our sect. Master has very few rules; as long as you don’t go too far or violate basic ethics, he won’t interfere. However, I have a slightly higher standard than him, so I will manage what he doesn’t."
"There are four disciples under Master. Besides you and me, there’s an elder brother and an elder sister. One is in the Western Buddhist Kingdom, and the other is in the Southern Demon Region, so it’s hard to meet them."
"When you become more skilled and travel around, you might get a chance to see them. As for now…" Yun Zhi paused and took out three ink paintings, laying them out. They were portraits of Master, the second elder brother, and the third elder sister, whom Lu Yang had never met.
The three people in the paintings looked very happy. Master had white hair, and his eyes were clear, resembling a carefree immortal who enjoyed life. The second elder brother had a gentle smile, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, looking as warm as jade. The third elder sister was stunningly beautiful, with a charm that could cause chaos in the world.
"Master specifically instructed that since there are five of us in total, it would feel too lonely with just you and me. So, he prepared these portraits to represent their presence," Yun Zhi explained.
Lu Yang glanced at his senior sister and then at the lifelike black-and-white paintings, feeling an inexplicable chill run down his spine. It seemed like there were only the two of them left in the sect.
Three sticks of incense appeared in front of Lu Yang, handed to him by Yun Zhi. "This is the Faith Incense. It can convey your thoughts. Light three sticks for Master to show your gratitude and respect."
He lit the incense and placed it in front of Master’s portrait. "Ancestor as witness, Master above, please accept this bow from your disciple."
That felt more real.
After the bow, Lu Yang hesitated and asked, "Senior Sister, I hope this doesn’t sound disrespectful, but Master is still alive, right?"
He feared that Yun Zhi might smirk and reveal some secret like "Master has fallen, and the higher-ups are hiding it," which would be dangerous for him to know.
Yun Zhi looked confused, not understanding why Lu Yang asked that. "Of course, he’s alive."
"I’ve seen your exam results at the Yan Chuan Peak. You remember the human body’s acupoints and meridian locations very accurately, and you can recite the basic heart methods. You’re doing well; your eagerness to learn is commendable."
"Now, let’s start your formal training."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yang’s face lit up with excitement; he listened intently. He was finally about to begin his cultivation.
As the formal training started, Yun Zhi said, "This is my first time teaching a disciple, and it’s your first time being one, so let’s be accommodating with each other."
"But you don’t need to worry too much; I’ve prepared well for today."
Yun Zhi laid out various small jars, labeling them with the names of the pills. Lu Yang recognized some of them:
The Bone Pill, which can revive the dead and restore flesh and bones.
The Level Seven Pagoda Pill, created in the Buddhist Kingdom, which is said to save a life and earn great merit.
The Nine Turns Reincarnation Pill, which is known in the cultivation world for its saying that it takes nine lives to gain one.
With these pills, it would be hard for Lu Yang to even think about dying.
"To cultivate Qi, we first need to refine the body. Even if you haven’t done any body refining training, we’ll start from scratch."
Yun Zhi casually tore through the space and took out two large water barrels. When the barrels hit the ground with a dull thud, Lu Yang felt a jolt of unease.
"The sword cultivators focus on sword intent and arm strength, so we’ll start with arm strength in body refining. I’ll demonstrate once; just watch closely."
Yun Zhi stepped onto the edge of the barrel as if it were solid ground. Then, she single-handedly lifted the edge of the other barrel, letting go as she raised it, smoothly switching hands before the barrel hit the ground. She repeated the motion, making it look effortless and graceful.
If one didn’t consider the strain on their arms, this method could indeed build arm strength.
"This level of skill is enough," she said, setting down the barrel casually.
Lu Yang swallowed hard; he could see that the barrel was taller than him. If he were stuffed inside and buried in the ground, it would be more than enough.
Playing with such a big barrel felt like a matter of life and death.
Lu Yang stepped forward, holding his breath, and tried to lift the barrel with one hand, trying to make the motion smooth.
But he couldn’t lift it.
He used both hands with all his strength, and the barrel only wobbled slightly, showing that he was indeed trying hard.
(End of Chapter)