C45 Enter the Fang Sect.

After uttering those words, Murong Fu felt a shiver run down his spine, realizing he might have misspoken. He hastily clamped a hand over his mouth and stole a glance at Tang Tian from behind Min Zhenkang.

As expected, Tang Tian's face was on the verge of eruption, prompting Murong Fu to quickly duck behind Min Zhenkang for cover.

Murong Lin was well aware that his brother had slipped up again, as Tang Tian's breaths grew labored beside him.

"Min, here's a Wind Thunder Talisman. It can withstand a full-force strike from a fifth-level Martial Warrior. Should trouble arise, channel your Profound Qi into this talisman to unleash a powerful force that can fend off enemy attacks. Keep it with you, just to be safe."

Murong Lin retrieved a talisman from his Storage Ring and handed it to Min Zhenkang.

"Little Long, make sure you don't cause any trouble for Min Zhenkang!" Once Min Zhenkang accepted the Wind Thunder Talisman, Murong Lin quickly whisked the seething Tang Tian away.

Had they lingered any longer, Murong Lin would have been in for an inevitable thrashing!

Though Tang Tian wouldn't really inflict grave harm on Murong Lin, the ordeal would still be painfully unpleasant.

With Murong Lin and Tang Tian out of sight, Min Zhenkang called out to Murong Fu.

"Come on out, they're gone now."

"Are you sure?" Murong Fu emerged cautiously, still visibly shaken.

"She's really left? Dodged a bullet there!" Murong Fu said, relieved, as he stepped out from hiding.

"She's that terrifying?" Min Zhenkang asked with a smile, eyeing Murong Fu.

"You don't know the half of it, tough guy. When she blows her top, it's like heaven and earth are splitting apart. Not even my big brother Lin can hold her back!"

Murong Fu continued to glance nervously around, paranoid that Tang Tian might overhear his comments.

"It's not that she's frightening; you're just too much of a scoundrel. I'm tempted to slap you myself, so I can only imagine how Tang Tian feels!"

Seeing Murong Fu's ignoble demeanor, Min Zhenkang felt an urge to give him a slap as well.

"Heh, I knew you wouldn't let me down, Brother Fierce!"

In just a short time, Murong Lin was back to his usual self.

"Achoo!" Tang Tian, who was being tugged by Murong Lin, suddenly sneezed.

"That must be your little brother gossiping about me again. Next time I see him, he's going to be bedridden for months, I swear! Hmph."

Tang Tian clenched her fists with resolve.

"Junior Sister Tang, you know Xiaolong's temperament. Don't stoop to his level. Let it go; anger is bad for your health!"

Murong Lin felt helpless when it came to the ongoing feud between his brother and Tang Tian.

One was his actual brother, and although the other wasn't his sister by blood, they'd grown up together and their families were old friends. He couldn't bring himself to be harsh with Tang Tian.

Stuck in the middle, he found it tough, so he always tried to mediate whenever conflicts arose, hoping to spare Murong Fu from some of the hardship.

"Don't bother making excuses for him. It's not like I can do much anyway. The worst I'd do is confine him to bed for a few months, which might actually teach him a lesson. That should give you a break too, right?"

Tang Tian was determined, paying no heed to Murong Lin's words, set on teaching Xiaolong a lesson.

At a loss for words, all Murong Lin could do was silently hope his brother wouldn't cross paths with Tang Tian too soon.

If Tang Tian cooled off, maybe Murong Fu could dodge a thrashing. If not, at least the punishment might be a bit less severe.

Five days later.

A youth and a teenager began their ascent up the steps toward the Fang Sect's gate, the latter carrying an object shrouded in black cloth.

This marked the first time outsiders had climbed these steps since the Fang Sect had sealed its gates.

The pair was none other than Min Zhenkang and Murong Fu.

"We've finally made it. That journey was mind-numbingly dull. I can't wait to explore the Fang Sect thoroughly once we're inside."

Murong Fu gazed at the distant entrance to the Fang Sect and declared with enthusiasm.

"Let's get moving," Min Zhenkang said, feeling indifferent toward the Fang Sect.

The sect he had founded dwarfed this one in strength by countless measures, with guards whose power matched that of the Martial Emperors in Suanikos.

With such formidable protectors, who would dare cause trouble?

Besides, in his past life, Min Zhenkang had already stood at the pinnacle of the world. No foolhardy soul would have dared to disrupt his sect!

"Brother Fierce, wait up for me!"

Murong Fu, realizing Min Zhenkang had swiftly outpaced him, quickly followed suit.

Min Zhenkang had just stowed his spiritual weapon in the Bag of Heaven and Earth, shedding the significant weight and boosting his speed exponentially.

Even without tapping into Profound Qi, Min Zhenkang's pace was on par with a full-speed sprint of a cultivator at the first level of the Martial Spirit Stage.

"Halt, the sect's gates are closed, and we're not accepting new disciples. If you wish to join, please return in five years for the Fang Sect's recruitment examination," the gatekeeper informed Min Zhenkang and Murong Fu.

"Could you please announce that Min Zhenkang and Murong Fu are here to seek mentorship?" Min Zhenkang retrieved Murong Lin's token from the Bag of Heaven and Earth and handed it to the guard.

The guard inspected Murong Lin's token, verified its authenticity, and respectfully returned it to Min Zhenkang.

"Follow me, please. Senior Brother Murong has already ordered that I take you directly to his mountain peak," said the guard, leading the way.

"Hey, my big brother has his own mountain peak? Which one is it?" Murong Fu, thrilled to learn of his brother's personal peak, looked around at the numerous mountains and inquired of the guide.

"Senior Brother, the peak ahead is where Senior Brother Murong cultivates," the guide replied, pointing to a mountain peak ahead.

"Oh, that's quite impressive! Wait, did you just call me Senior Brother? I haven't even formally become a disciple yet, so how can you refer to me as Senior Brother? Besides, even if I did join the sect, I'd be the one teaching you, right?"

Murong Fu felt a surge of joy when he was addressed as Senior Brother, but he modestly replied.

"Senior Brother, you've got it wrong. The Fang Sect doesn't rank disciples by their order of entry. Instead, it's based on their level. Only among disciples of the same level do we consider the length of time they've been in the sect to determine seniority."

"In the Fang Sect, the lowest rank belongs to the menial disciples. No matter how long they've been here, they must respectfully address a newly inducted outer sect disciple as 'Senior Brother.'"

"Next come the outer sect disciples, followed by the inner sect disciples, with the core disciples being the most esteemed. Even inner sect elders must show respect to core disciples, not to mention the outer sect elders."

"Core disciples are contenders for the next Sect Master. Even if they don't succeed, they become Sect Protectors, with a status only below the Sect Master and the Grand Elder."

"Since you're Senior Brother Murong's sibling, you'll be at least an inner sect disciple upon entering the sect, whereas I'm merely an outer sect disciple. Naturally, I must address you as Senior Brother."

"Oh, I see! I had no idea my big brother was such a big deal—a future contender for Sect Master!"

Murong Fu swelled with pride upon learning of his big brother's formidable reputation.

"Your big brother's prowess is his own, not yours. It doesn't affect you. Even if he does become the Sect Master, if you don't make something of yourself, you can't expect to be elevated."

Min Zhenkang's blunt words jolted Murong Fu back to reality.

Min Zhenkang could tell that Murong Fu had potential, but like Chang Tai, his penchant for frivolity was holding him back. Otherwise, his accomplishments could have been far greater.

Upon hearing Min Zhenkang's words, the guide looked at him with newfound respect.

Such insight and awareness indicated that Min was no ordinary individual.

Murong Fu trailed behind, occasionally taking in the surrounding vistas with appreciation.

They encountered numerous Fang Sect disciples along the way, from both the inner and outer sects, as well as several hardworking servants.

All eyes were on Min Zhenkang and Huangfu Changlong with the same curious intensity.

Typically, the Fang Sect did not permit outsiders, yet following the recent conclusion of their recruitment, two strangers had emerged within the sect's boundaries.

This sparked curiosity among the members about the identities of these two individuals and the reason for their presence at such a time.

Min Zhenkang chose to disregard the surrounding stares. Murong Fu, engrossed in the landscape, remained oblivious to the attention they were attracting. The guide, for his part, focused solely on leading the way, ignoring any other distractions.

"Halt, who are these two, and why are they here?"

While most onlookers were merely curious about Min Zhenkang and Huangfu Changlong, not all were content to simply watch.

A young man approached with a group in tow, blocking the path of Min Zhenkang and his companions.

"Senior Brother, these two are the brother and friend of Senior Brother Murong. He instructed me to escort them to his mountain peak should they visit the Fang Sect," explained the guide.

"Oh, it's Senior Brother Murong's brother, is it? My apologies for the oversight!" The young man's tone dripped with sarcasm rather than the respect one might expect upon learning of the connection to Murong Lin.

"But how can you prove you're truly Senior Brother Murong's brother? What if you're an impostor?" The challenger's intentions were clear.

His demeanor had been somewhat agreeable before learning of Murong Fu's relation to Murong Lin, but afterward, his skepticism only intensified, suggesting a rift with Murong Lin.

Judging by his appearance, this young man was certainly not among the core disciples; his attire was far more lavish than that of the outer sect disciples, marking him as a member of the inner sect.

An inner sect disciple clearly wouldn't dare to cross a core disciple, so this individual must have the backing of another core disciple.

It appears that the core disciples of the Fang Sect aren't exactly on friendly terms with one another!

In a flash, Min Zhenkang had figured out the lay of the land. The Fang Sect was far from a tranquil place.

Min Zhenkang couldn't help but wonder whether his arrival at the Fang Sect would prove to be a boon or a bane.

"Senior Brother, they possess Senior Brother Murong's token. I've verified its authenticity," one disciple asserted.

"Hmph, you think you're capable of discerning a real token from a fake? If it were that simple, counterfeit tokens wouldn't exist," the skeptic retorted, relentless in his doubt.

"You..." The outer sect disciple guiding them was seething with anger, yet he bit his tongue, unable to retort.

Where there's drama, there's always an audience. Passersby halted in their tracks; some watched in silence, while others murmured amongst themselves.

"Isn't that Jee Xiang? What's he gotten himself into with these two?"

​