For the Sect, Who Else but Me?

In the past, when Xu Xian was about to depart for his mission in Yecheng, Wen Qingxue had said something rather intriguing to him.

She told him that when he was away from home, he should protect himself well.

At the time, Xu Xian hadn't understood.

Now, he finally did.

It was the rule of the Wendao Sword Sect. When one person cultivates, the whole family escapes poverty; three generations of direct descendants are supported and protected by the sect...

So, if you know, you know.

Xu Xian thought that this must be one of the invisible benefits of the Wendao Sword Sect that his senior sister had mentioned.

Fortunately, the disciple selection process for the Wendao Sword Sect included the First Inquiry of the Heart, which tested compassion, responsibility, kindness, and honesty. Only those who passed could be selected into the sect, so there were no truly bad people among his comrades.

However, Xu Xian was different. He hadn't passed the test of the Heart Inquiry formation; he was an outlier.

He continued south, traveling day and night without rest.

Two days later, in the early morning, Xu Xian finally returned to the Wendao Sword Sect he had been longing for.

At this time, the sect's quinquennial recruitment assembly was about to begin. The woods and fields outside the Longevity Bridge of the Wendao Sword Sect were a clamor of activity.

Many teenagers of the appropriate age from across the Northern Borders had already arrived ahead of schedule. They had set up tents, waiting for the examinations to start.

Disciple recruitment was a rare and grand event for the entire Wendao Sword Sect and even the whole of the Northern Borders.

Every time this happened, the Personnel Hall would send out disciples more than a month in advance to carry out promotional work in the one hundred and eight cities. At the same time, missions would be synchronized in the Mission Hall to encourage disciples outside the Personnel Hall to participate as well, conducting a comprehensive, targeted search for potential recruits across the Northern Borders.

As long as you were in the Northern Borders, were of the right age, and wished to cultivate, you could come to participate in the testing.

Those who passed joined the sect. Those without spirit roots were sent back to where they came from. Those who had spirit roots but failed the inquiries could be recommended to other sects if they wished.

No one came for nothing. If someone was unfortunately eliminated, the sect provided travel expenses for their return. Apparently, the amount was quite generous.

Every five years, the Wendao Sword Sect would distribute its wealth in this way. After all, the number of children eliminated each time was massive, and the costs were significant. Fortunately, the Wendao Sword Sect never lacked mortal currency and could easily afford it.

Of course, those with connections and backgrounds—like Zhang Yang and Lin Qianqian—didn't need the sect's people to ferry them back and forth. Their families had planned everything for them long ago.

This also included children who had traveled thousands of miles from the Central Province. Xu Xian didn't understand it all that well, but the atmosphere seemed even more bustling than when he had arrived five years ago.

Upon entering the territory of the Wendao Sword Sect, Xu Xian pulled a black robe from his storage bag and wrapped himself up tightly, as if he were deathly afraid of being recognized.

He didn't use the 'Wait' sword either. Instead, utilizing his core formation cultivation, he slowly made his way toward the Ancestral Peak.

Along the way, he frequently heard the passing disciples discussing various things. Nine out of ten sentences were about the recruitment assembly.

"If I remember correctly, the recruitment assembly isn't supposed to start for another three days. Why are there so many people this year?"

"Exactly. Looking at this crowd, there's at least a third more than last time."

"It’s not that strange! It's all because two months ago, the Sect Master led the Sword Suppression Hall to hang their swords over the Central Plains, crushed Cangwu, and sent the saints of the Three Sects home in defeat. I heard from a senior brother in the Merchant Hall that this matter has gone viral in the Central Plains. Every famous family and sect is scrambling to send their juniors to our sect. Hahaha, I reckon we'll get a lot of good seedlings this time."

"Hahaha, that battle happened at the perfect time. What a great advertisement!"

"Indeed. Truth only lies within the reach of a sword's edge. Those fellows in the Central Province are sycophants; they're spineless to the core. The more they fear you, the more they want to be near you. The harder you hit them, the more obedient they become..."

"Junior Sister, you hit the nail on the head!"

Xu Xian listened and felt an inexplicable sense of worry.

'Sigh—'

As the saying goes, a tall tree catches the wind; excellence invites envy. The Wendao Sword Sect had returned victorious from the battle at Cangwu, causing a global sensation. But the more this was the case, the easier it was to incite the jealousy of others.

Jealousy could make a person unrecognizable. This saying applied not only to relationships between people but also between sects and nations.

Lately, Xu Xian had also heard rumors about that battle. The saints of the Three Sects had been frightened off by his Seventh Senior Brother. It was because of fear. But the more they feared, the more they hated. Moreover, with this matter being so widely publicized, the Wendao Sword Sect had taken all the glory while the Three Sects had lost face entirely.

To say they held no hatred or resentment would be a lie.

And precisely at this time, it coincided with the Wendao Sword Sect's recruitment. All the geniuses of the world were flocking here. The Three Sects' eyes were likely turning blood-red with envy.

The future would be a long and difficult road.

As the Little Grand-Uncle of the Wendao Sword Sect, Xu Xian felt a great deal of pressure. Therefore...

"For the rise of the sect, what does my personal honor or disgrace matter? Everything is for the sect, for this home... if not me, then who?"

Xu Xian vowed to become stronger, to hold his sword and protect the sect, to build a towering Sword Tower, and to become invincible throughout the world.

And so... he arrived at the Mission Hall and walked inside.

Then, he accepted the mission with the highest bounty in the entire hall.

[Mission: Find the Little Grand-Uncle]

[Mission Requirement: Find Xu Xian. Any disciple of the Wendao Sword Sect can accept this.]

[Mission Reward: 631,123 merit points.]

"Why is the number so specific?"

"But man, that is a lot..."

Over six hundred thousand. Xu Xian couldn't even imagine how long it would take to earn that by doing regular missions.

He glanced around. Although the sect was busy preparing for the recruitment assembly, the Mission Hall was still bustling with people. He felt somewhat guilty.

He had asked Hao Ren if he didn't want his face anymore. Hao Ren had said he did. But Xu Xian decided he could do without his.

"Whatever."

"It's all for the sect. How much is pride worth? I'm earning this money."

Xu Xian didn't forget to do some mental gymnastics; it seemed to make him feel a bit more comfortable.

He crept toward the consultation desk in the Mission Hall, specifically looking for a more secluded counter. He slapped the mission scroll onto the desk and said in a low voice:

"Hello, I'm here to turn in a mission."

The person in charge of registration was a female disciple with a striking appearance and an exceptional temperament. Her eyes, in particular, were exceptionally captivating.

She looked at Xu Xian, who was wrapped tightly from head to toe, with a mix of curiosity and scrutiny. Taking the brand-new mission scroll from the desk, she suddenly froze and said in surprise:

"Senior Brother, did you take the wrong one?"

"No."

Her large eyes blinked. She said, "This is the mission to find the Little Grand-Uncle?"

"I know!" Xu Xian said.

The female disciple was skeptical. "Are you saying you found the Little Grand-Uncle?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?" the girl asked, her wide eyes searching.

Xu Xian reached up, silently removed his bamboo hat, and slowly pulled down his veil. The corners of his mouth curled into a slight, roguish smile as he said:

"That would be me."

The female disciple froze, her pupils shrinking and her face stiffening. After several seconds...

She opened her mouth to scream.

"Ah!—Mmph!"

Xu Xian was quick, covering her mouth with his hand and making a shushing gesture.

"Shh!"

"Don't scream!"

The female disciple's eyes darted around, and then she nodded vigorously.

"Mmph!"