C19 Become a Sky Cracking Sword Sect Disciple!

"If you're willing to stay with the Sky-splitting Sword Sect, I have no objections. Given my status as an elder, it's not difficult for me to accept you as a disciple of the sect. However, associating with me may make your life here quite challenging."

Jiang Ren heaved a deep sigh. The contents of the letter made it clear how much Ling Dao meant to Jiang Zhong. Yet, Jiang Zhong was unaware of his predicament. Despite being a Tenth Power, the Sky-splitting Sword Sect was rife with conflict.

"Listen to everything I have to say before you decide. I may be an elder of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect, but my talents are lacking. To this day, I've only reached the peak of the Genuine Qi Stage. Among all the elders, I'm the only one at this level; the rest have surpassed the Genuine Qi Stage!"

This was precisely why those four disciples of the Sky Cracking Sword Sect showed no respect for Jiang Ren. Had it been any other elder, they wouldn't have dared to be so insolent. Jiang Ren's realm was the same as those four disciples, and it was clear that his future prospects wouldn't match theirs.

Jiang Ren had once saved the life of the sect master when he was younger, which earned him the position of elder. Without that act, his peak Genuine Qi Stage abilities would never have qualified him for eldership. This very fact made him the target of exclusion by the other elders.

Jiang Ren had disciples in the past, but they were miserably tormented by the disciples of other elders. Some switched allegiances to other masters, some were driven out of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect, and some even met their deaths in the outside world, their killers unknown. Now, Jiang Ren was without a single disciple, unlike his fellow elders whose disciples were numerous.

"If you choose to stay, you can indeed become a disciple of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect. But I won't take you on as my disciple; you're free to seek another master."

In Jiang Ren's eyes, Ling Dao's aptitude must be quite poor; otherwise, he wouldn't have failed to reach the Genuine Qi Stage by the age of fifteen. Considering he's the Crown Prince Xiao Yao, the resources at his disposal for cultivation would certainly be substantial. Even someone with average talent would likely have become a Zhenqi realm martial artist by that age.

"Senior, I am eager to join the Sky-splitting Sword Sect. Should you decline to take me on as your disciple, I vow not to accept any other as my Master within the Sect!"

Jiang Ren and Jiang Zhong are brothers, and if Jiang Ren is willing to be his Master, Ling Dao would honor him as such, even if Jiang Ren is merely at the Zhenqi Stage. No one else is deemed worthy; it's not arrogance on Ling Dao's part, but rather that their understanding of martial arts pales in comparison to his own.

In the realm of the Tenth Power, even the mightiest warriors cannot match his strength from his past life. Before being subdued beneath Immortal Sword Mountain, his own cultivation was already significant, albeit not when measured against the vastness of the Purple Vine Holy Land.

"Very well, since you wish to become a disciple of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect, I will certainly assist you. As you are at the Physical Body Stage, you'll start as an outer sect disciple. Should you rise to become the foremost among them, you'll be awarded a Qi Condensation Pill, which will greatly increase your chances of advancing to the Zhenqi Stage upon consumption."

As an elder of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect, facilitating Ling Dao's entry is straightforward. With Ling Dao's resolve firm, Jiang Ren sees no need for further dissuasion. Without taking Ling Dao as his disciple, it's likely that fewer disciples will challenge him.

"Allow me to give you a tour. To the east lies the Cracked Sky Palace, home to the Sect Master and some of our most influential elders. The Law Enforcement Hall to the west is where disciples who breach sect rules are summoned. The Tibetan Meridian Pavilion to the south houses our Sect's array of cultivation techniques and martial arts; you'll gain access once you're an outer sect disciple. The residential area to the north is where outer sect disciples, internal portal disciples, and less influential elders like myself reside. That will be your domain as well."

The heart of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect was its martial arts arena, where disciples could engage in both sword fighting and training. While it was strictly forbidden for disciples to kill one another, regular sparring was allowed. "If you get hurt, it's your own fault for not mastering your skills," was the prevailing attitude. Jiang Ren's face darkened as he spoke; he had seen his own disciple suffer a brutal defeat in the past. The elders, as well as the sect's genius disciples, had little regard for him.

The Cracked Sky Palace, Law Enforcement Hall, Tibetan Meridian Pavilion, residential quarters, and the martial arts arena comprised the five main areas of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect. Ling Dao committed this to memory, knowing he would likely spend a considerable amount of time within the sect's walls.

"In the Sky-splitting Sword Sect, those in the Physical Body Stage are outer sect disciples, while those in the Zhenqi Stage are inner sect disciples," Jiang Ren explained. "As for what comes after the Zhenqi Stage, there's no point discussing it now. You'll find out in due course."

As they conversed, Jiang Ren led Ling Dao into a pavilion for disciple registration. Ling Dao hadn't undergone any formal entrance assessment, and it wasn't the recruitment period for the sect.

"Elders, I've brought a young man here who wishes to join as a Sky-splitting Sword Sect disciple. Would you consider him?" Jiang Ren inquired, standing before two venerable elders with white hair and ruddy complexions that hinted at their high cultivation levels. They looked up slowly, first at Jiang Ren and then at Ling Dao.

The Ling Dao of the past, with his pale complexion, might have been dismissed as a sickly youth, unworthy of their attention. But the Ling Dao who stood before them now, though slightly frail, bore no other signs of weakness.

"Name, age, and realm," one of the elders asked, his tone detached. They could easily discern Ling Dao's age and cultivation stage, but the question was a formality. Meanwhile, the other elder had departed to fetch the items for the outer sect disciples.

"Ling Dao, 15 years old, in the Physical Body Stage," came the reply.

Ling Dao's response didn't sit well with the elder. Previously, disciples would typically butter him up or offer gifts as a sign of respect. But Ling Dao's aloof demeanor left the elder with little interest in engaging with him.

"Elder, should we test his aptitude?"

In the sect, there were standard methods to assess a disciple's cultivation potential. Low-grade aptitude was considered poor, middle-grade was average, high-grade indicated a genius, and super-grade was the mark of a rare genius. The Sky-splitting Sword Sect had never seen a disciple with super-grade talent.

"There's no need. He's just fifteen and at the Bone Tempering Realm; clearly, he's of low-grade aptitude. Testing him would be a waste of time!"

The elder, in charge of distributing the outer sect disciple's attire, token, and keys, gave Ling Dao a sidelong glance and tossed the items to him. Had Ling Dao shown high-grade aptitude, the elder's enthusiasm would have been palpable. Unfortunately, he deemed Ling Dao to be of low-grade aptitude.

Ling Dao touched his nose, knowing full well his aptitude was far from low-grade. Yet, he saw no point in correcting the elders' misjudgment. They were entitled to their opinion, and it hardly mattered to him.

"Thank you, elders. We'll be on our way now."

Jiang Ren, with a furrowed brow, led Ling Dao away. He had noticed that many disciples were aware that he was responsible for bringing Ling Dao into the sect, and he feared that Ling Dao's path ahead might be fraught with challenges.