C5 Entering the Sunfire Order

The Sunfire Order was situated three hundred miles east of the Lin family's estate, nestled at the base of the Heaven Domain mountain range. The Order's influence extended for a thousand miles in every direction.

Numerous cultivation sects dotted the landscape, but only a handful could rival the Sunfire Order's might.

After three days of hard riding, Lin Feng finally reached the base of the mountain where the Sunfire Order resided. To gain entry to the sect, one had to pass through the main gate at the mountain's entrance, as the sect was protected by a powerful defensive array.

Upon reaching the gate, Lin Feng was met by two guards clad in white robes.

"Who goes there?" one of the guards inquired, eyeing Lin Feng's attire, which clearly wasn't that of the Sunfire Order, marking him as an outsider.

"I am Lin Feng, seeking to join the sect," he replied confidently, presenting a recommendation letter.

There were two primary ways to join the Sunfire Order: pass the annual entrance exam or secure a recommendation from one of the sect's elders or higher-ranking members.

With the entrance exam still four months away, Lin Feng had opted for the latter approach. Despite the Lin family's modest status, obtaining an elder's recommendation for the Sunfire Order was not an insurmountable task.

One of the guards, a portly man, glanced at the letter and saw it was endorsed by Elder Nanfeng. He scoffed with disdain. The Sunfire Order was home to many disciples and no less than eight hundred elders. Only those with renowned names were considered truly formidable, and this Elder Nanfeng was unknown to the fat guard, suggesting he was not of significant stature.

"Entry is permitted, but it will cost you a hundred spirit stones," the guard declared haughtily, tossing the letter back to Lin Feng.

Spirit stones were the universal currency of the cultivation world, essential not only for training but also for purchasing medicinal pills and weapons.

Lin Feng's brow furrowed. He had not been informed of any such toll required by the Sunfire Order. Furthermore, Lin Feng was not someone to be easily exploited.

"No," Lin Feng stated directly.

The fat man was visibly displeased. He stood to gain a hundred spirit stones in toll fees, which would go straight into the pockets of the gatekeepers. Naturally, Lin Feng's refusal to pay irked him.

He thought to himself, "This nobody can't even get in touch with a powerful elder, and yet he dares to be insolent in front of me. If he just hands over the spirit stones today, all will be well. If not, he'll regret it."

"If you don't have any spirit stones, then scram," the fat man barked, his face twisted into a menacing scowl. His status as a disciple of the Sunfire Order was on full display, and even as a mere gatekeeper, he exuded an air of superiority.

Typically, those seeking an elder's recommendation lacked the talent for cultivation and were relegated to the Outer Sect. The truly gifted would wait for the mountain assessment to try for the Inner Sect, where they could access greater cultivation resources.

Though it was possible to move from the Outer Sect to the Inner Sect, it involved many unnecessary detours, making it hardly worth the effort.

The fat man was convinced that Lin Feng was worthless and without any significant backing, which emboldened him to act so brazenly.

"What if I insist on entering today?" Lin Feng asked, eyeing the fat man with a hint of amusement. To him, this man was nothing more than a bothersome fool, incapable of provoking his ire, no matter how much he blustered.

"If you don't leave this instant, don't blame me for what happens next," the fat man growled, his long sword now drawn.

Lin Feng chuckled coldly and, rather than backing down, he strode toward the mountain gate.

"You're asking for it," the fat man fumed, charging at Lin Feng. Yet, he dared not wield his sword, opting instead for his fists. He knew that while obstructing Lin Feng was against the rules, he might get away with merely driving him off. However, if he were to kill someone, and the mountain gate conducted an investigation, he would be the one to suffer.

Releasing the full might of his Fourth Level Qi Sea, the fat man felt a surge of pride. Even among the Outer Sect, his strength was considered a cornerstone of the community.

Handling a naive newcomer who hadn't even joined the sect should be a breeze.

The guard next to him couldn't help but shake his head, internally lamenting that Lin Feng was a fool for not recognizing the danger of picking a fight with the burly man. Now, a beating seemed inevitable.

As the burly man's fist was about to connect with Lin Feng, Lin Feng simply looked up at him. The burly man shuddered, taken aback by the intensity in Lin Feng's eyes that inexplicably filled him with fear.

Before he could make sense of it...

Bang!

The burly man felt a crushing blow to his chest, as if struck by a massive iron rod, sending tremors through his body. Staggering backward, he ended up sitting on the ground with a thud.

"Today, I've just joined the Sunfire Order, and I'm in quite a good mood. Don't push me to take drastic measures," Lin Feng said coldly.

The nearby guard was taken aback, wondering when Lin Feng had even moved. How had he not seen it clearly? And the burly man, a Fourth Heaven Qi Sea expert, though merely a gatekeeper, was undoubtedly strong. In the Outer Sect of the Sunfire Order, he was respected as a senior brother. How then, could he be repelled by someone who hadn't even stepped foot into the mountain?

"Liu Feng, what are you waiting for? Let's take this kid down together," the defeated burly man said, his embarrassment turning to rage. Despite his surprise at Lin Feng's strength, he clung to the hope that by joining forces with the other guard, they could surely overpower Lin Feng.

Both Liu Feng and the burly man were Fourth Heaven Qi Sea experts, and their years of guarding the gate together had honed their teamwork. If they combined their efforts, they could even pose a challenge to a Fifth Heaven Qi Sea master.

At the call to action, Liu Feng grunted in agreement, fixing a menacing look on Lin Feng. He and the burly man had been close friends for years; he couldn't just stand by while his friend was attacked.

"Prepare to meet your end," the burly man bellowed, rising to his feet, his shame fueling his anger. Drawing the long sword from his back, he readied himself to strike with lethal intent.

Clang!

Lin Feng swiftly raised his hands and, with a single motion, severed the fatty's long sword before delivering a kick that sent Liu Feng flying.

"This…" The fatty's gaze was clouded with disbelief, his eyes wide with astonishment. Only someone at least at the eighth level of the Qi Sea could sever a long sword so effortlessly.

He instinctively stumbled backward, tripping over a stone and landing with a thud on the ground.

Yet, his eyes remained fixed on Lin Feng, filled with palpable fear.

"You brought this upon yourself," Lin Feng said, his eyes glinting with a chilling light. He had no desire to take a life, but the fatty's repeated provocations left him no choice. If he refrained from acting, what would become of an Immortal Reverent's dignity?

The fatty sat on the ground, shivering with fear; Lin Feng's gaze was too intimidating, as if he were a demon god.

Meanwhile, Liu Feng, who had been kicked aside, struggled to her feet. She intended to confront Lin Feng once more, but the sight of his murderous aura sent a shiver down her spine, and she hastily retreated.

Just as Lin Feng was about to finish off the fatty, a dark figure rushed toward him.

"Halt! Who dares to cause such a commotion in my Sunfire Order?"

A middle-aged man dressed in purple robes entered Lin Feng's view. Lin Feng withdrew his hand and turned his attention to the newcomer.

The fatty and Liu Feng on the ground, seeing their arrival, scrambled over to him as if he were their lifeline.

"Senior Uncle, save us! This brute forced his way into the sect and injured us. You must seek justice for us!"

The purple robes signified a high-ranking member of the sect, so they recognized immediately that this man was no ordinary disciple.

The man in purple scrutinized Lin Feng with a furrowed brow.

"Who might you be?"

Lin Feng regarded the man with indifference. Though the stranger was somewhat more powerful, his age did not command Lin Feng's respect.

"I am Lin Feng. These two blocked my entry and demanded a hundred spirit stones as a toll. I suspected they were up to no good," Lin Feng stated, his tone firm and unyielding.

Upon hearing this, the fatty inwardly groaned. If his Senior Uncle believed Lin Feng's words, he would be the one to suffer the consequences.

Immediately, he burst into loud sobs, pleading his case.

"Senior Uncle, it's a terrible misunderstanding! This rascal is falsely accusing us. He didn't even have a recommendation letter. In the Sunfire Order, we don't need such letters to gain entry. I was merely stopping him when he resorted to violence."

The fat man wept bitterly, his performance so convincing that an onlooker might truly believe he had been gravely wronged. Amidst his tears, he covertly signaled to Liu Feng.

Liu Feng quickly followed suit, dropping to her knees and echoing the fat man's claims with identical fervor.

Both thought to themselves, surely as fellow disciples of the Sunfire Order, our Senior Uncle wouldn't side with an outsider, would he?

As expected, upon hearing the fat man's story, the man in purple robes turned a shade of iron. Clenching his teeth, he declared,

"Such an incident has occurred? Rest assured, I will see justice done on your behalf."

The fat man inwardly smirked, pleased that his Martial Uncle seemed to be siding with them.

But his satisfaction was short-lived.

Smack!

The purple-robed man delivered a resounding slap to the fat man's cheek.

The fat man spun around three times, a vivid red handprint quickly emerging on his face, the pain so intense he clenched his teeth in agony.

With a look of utter injustice, he turned to the purple-robed man.

"Martial Uncle, surely... you've made a mistake in your target?"

The purple-robed man stared at the fat man, who still hadn't grasped the situation, and through gritted teeth, said,

"I am Nan Feng. Are you claiming Lin Feng doesn't possess my recommendation letter? How dare you make such baseless claims?"

At that moment, the fat man was utterly stunned.

He fell to his knees, shaking before Elder Nan Feng.

"I am deserving of the most severe punishment, Elder. Please, mete out your justice."

Without the backing of a formidable elder, newcomers to the Sunfire Order could often expect to be subjected to extortion—a tacit rule of the sect.

But one must never let the recommending elder catch wind of such extortion. Otherwise, it would be a blatant sign of disrespect.

How could we not realize the stature and power of this elder? Even within the sect, he holds the rank of elder. Dealing with a mere gatekeeper would be effortless for him.

Elder Nan Feng let out a cold snort. Had he not arrived just in time, that fool's blunder could have caused a serious mishap.

He had no interest in dealing with the fool; instead, his attention turned to Lin Feng, upon whom he bestowed a warm smile.

"Nephew Lin Feng, don't worry. I have some acquaintance with your father, and this situation doesn't concern you."

Elder Nanfeng's relationship with Lin Feng's father was casual, but upon learning that Lin Feng, despite his young age, was already a master at the Eighth Empyrean of the Qi Sea and required his endorsement, he was thrilled.

It was well-known that such talent was a shoo-in for the inner sect. If Elder Nanfeng could recommend a disciple for the inner sect, the Sunfire Order would surely reward him.

Lin Feng nodded, paying no mind to the two henchmen at the entrance, and followed Nan Feng through the mountain gate.

"You know, you could have waited for the entrance exam in four months. You might have gone straight into the inner sect. Entering now means starting as an Outer Sect disciple, and the difference in treatment is significant," Nan Feng advised with Lin Feng's best interests at heart.

"There's no need. The Outer Sect holds an exam every month for entry into the inner sect, right? This route is faster for me," Lin Feng replied with confidence, not willing to wait that long.

Nan Feng bit back his words. Although the Outer Sect's entrance exam was indeed monthly, it was notoriously tough, and even someone of Lin Feng's caliber might not pass on the first attempt.

But the decision was made, and he didn't want to belabor the point. Lin Feng had chosen his path, and there was no one else to blame.

"For now, settle into the Outer Sect. I'll have the steward take you to collect the sect's resources," Nan Feng said.

"And remember, nephew, every family has its rules, and so does every sect. You must not kill indiscriminately."

Elder Nanfeng felt it necessary to caution him, sensing Lin Feng's decisiveness in combat. Had he arrived a moment later, those two gatekeepers might not have been so lucky.