The main hall of the Qinglan Sword Sect was magnificent and solemn, with jade pillars towering toward the heavens and spiritual light flowing throughout.
Inside the hall, the Peak Masters and Deputy Peak Masters of all eleven main peaks had gathered, standing in order along both sides.
Every single one of them had an undisguisable look of joy in their eyes. Their gazes were collectively fixed on the entrance of the grand hall as they quietly waited for the arrivals.
Before long, two streaks of green light cut through the sky and landed before the gates of the main hall.
Leng Zhiwei stood at the front, with the slender Ye Ling following close by her side.
“Greetings, Sect Master!”
All the Peak Masters in the hall bowed in unison, their voices echoing in perfect harmony throughout the entire main hall.
The moment they finished their salutations, dozens of gazes instantly focused on Ye Ling, filled with curiosity, high regard, and eagerness.
Suddenly becoming the focus of so many high-ranking sect members, even Ye Ling, whose mental fortitude far exceeded that of ordinary people, could not help but feel a bit uncomfortable, her body stiffening slightly.
Leng Zhiwei noticed her uneasiness and spoke up calmly to ease the tension.
“There is no need to stare. You will have plenty of time to get to know each other in the days to come. Everyone, please take your seats.”
The crowd withdrew their gazes and took their seats in order of their rank within the sect.
Leng Zhiwei walked forward with measured steps and sat on the main seat of the Sect Master. Her gaze swept over the crowd below as she spoke slowly.
“Everyone, this is Ye Ling, who successfully climbed nine thousand steps in the Heavenly Spirit Stairs assessment in Heishui Commandery.”
The people in the hall secretly laughed to themselves.
Who in the entire cultivation world of the Qingyun Kingdom did not know of this young girl's illustrious reputation by now?
A peerless genius who had reached the summit of nine thousand steps, the first person to do so in three hundred years since Su Qingyue—they had already learned the entire story on the day the assessment ended.
At this moment, the same eager thought occupied everyone's mind: which main peak would this once-in-a-millennium genius join, and under which Peak Master would she study?
Leng Zhiwei saw the eagerness in the eyes of the Peak Masters below and understood their thoughts completely.
She chuckled inwardly, content to let these old folks squabble and put on a show. After all, none of them would be able to snatch her away in the end.
On the surface, her expression remained unchanged. She merely raised her eyes calmly, giving everyone a look of silent permission.
The moment she gave the nod, the entire hall erupted.
Having received the Sect Master's permission, the Peak Masters in the hall could no longer maintain their dignified, elder-like composure and began to fight over her on the spot.
The first to speak was the Peak Master of the First Sword Peak, Liu Qinghan. Clad in a moon-white sword robe, she stood tall with her hands behind her back, speaking with the utmost confidence.
“Little Friend Ye Ling reached the summit of nine thousand steps. Her sword intent and talent surpass all of her peers; she is a natural swordplay genius.”
“She should naturally join my First Sword Peak to cultivate the orthodox, fundamental sword Dao of our sect and tread the ultimate path of slaughter.”
“Only my peak is worthy of your talent.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Lingyi, the Peak Master of the Beast-Taming Peak who wore beast-patterned martial arts attire, immediately voiced her disagreement.
“That is where you are wrong. Who says a sword genius can only practice swordsmanship blindly? If she joins my Beast-Taming Peak, she can contract spirit pets and exotic beasts to cultivate both humanity and beast. Her sword can slay enemies, while her beasts assist in battle. This path is far broader than that of a pure sword cultivator.”
“My Beast-Taming Peak will definitely fight for this disciple.”
Before the Peak Master of the Beast-Taming Peak could even finish, Zhao Lin, the wild and rebellious Peak Master of the Second Sword Peak with thick eyebrows and a bushy beard, sneered on the spot.
“What an absolute joke! An auxiliary Peak Master who raises beasts and tames pets actually has the nerve to compete for a top-tier sword cultivator genius?”
“She is a natural sword seed. What do you know about the true meaning of the sword path?”
Hearing this, Bai Lingyi's face darkened, and she retorted immediately.
“Peak Master Zhao, your words are biased. Why can't a sword cultivator tame beasts?”
“With the sword as the primary attack and beasts as support, one's combat power far surpasses that of an ordinary sword cultivator. You old fogeys who only know how to obsess over swordsmanship have far too narrow a vision.”
As the two argued endlessly and the atmosphere grew tense, Lu Chongshan, the steady and composed Peak Master of the Third Sword Peak who wore heavy, dark-colored Daoist robes, took the opportunity to chime in.
“Stop arguing, you two. The First and Second Sword Peaks each have their own shortcomings.”
“My Third Sword Peak focuses on the heavy sword Dao, advancing steadily. It is the most suitable for forging the foundation of a top genius. Joining my peak is her best choice.”
Before he could finish, Chu Yuling, the sharp and formidable Peak Master of the Fourth Sword Peak, quickly cut in.
“A solid foundation is useless; cultivation must prioritize offensive power.”
“My Fourth Sword Peak's absolute-kill sword Dao is unrivaled in the sect, possessing matchless lethality. It is the premier choice for a peerless genius.”
Jiang Zhufeng, the Peak Master of the Fifth Sword Peak, and Qin Pozhen, the Peak Master of the Sixth Sword Peak, also spoke up one after another, bickering and undermining each other.
The six major sword peaks fell into chaos first, refusing to yield to one another.
Taking advantage of the infighting among the six major sword peaks, the five special peaks joined the fray one after another.
Wen Ningshuang, the gentle Peak Master of the Spirit Medicine Peak, chimed in with a smile.
“Fellow sword peaks, do not be in such a hurry to argue. For a genius's cultivation, resources and foundation are the true fundamentals.”
“If she joins my Spirit Medicine Peak, endless pills and thousand-year medicinal marrow will be hers to use as she pleases.”
Ji Rongyue, the bold and generous Peak Master of the Artifact-Refining Peak, spoke up right after.
“No matter how good the medicinal herbs are, they cannot compare to having a divine weapon in hand. Come to my Artifact-Refining Peak, and we will custom-tailor a lifebound spirit sword for you, with an unlimited supply of high-grade spiritual materials. A sword cultivator paired with a divine weapon will instantly double their combat power.”
Even Shen Hanzhen, the usually cold and reticent Peak Master of the Discipline Peak, made an exception and spoke up, her tone chilly.
“If she joins my Discipline Peak, she will be exempt from all sect prohibitions, granted priority access to all secret realms, and allowed to cultivate as she pleases.”
Finally, even Zhou Xianyun, the easygoing and carefree Peak Master of the Miscellaneous Affairs Peak, chimed in with a smile.
“My peak has stockpiled countless rare resources, formation discs, and talismans. Come to my Miscellaneous Affairs Peak, and I will give them all to you, little friend, as a gift of destiny.”
In an instant, the entire main hall descended into utter chaos.
The six major sword peaks traded sharp words, while the five auxiliary peaks tried to intercept them one by one. They refuted and ridiculed each other, and not a single person was willing to back down.
The gazes of the Peak Masters burned with intensity, firmly locked onto Ye Ling in the center of the hall.
Everyone hoped to take this peerless genius, only the second person to reach the summit of nine thousand steps in three hundred years, as their disciple.
Standing in the hall, Ye Ling listened as the generous promises of the Peak Masters echoed in her ears one after another.
Every single offer was incredibly enticing, causing her heart to stir slightly.
To be honest, she wanted all of it.
The sword Dao heritage was her foundation, spirit pets could assist in battle, pills could temper her body, divine weapons could boost her power, and the privileges in secret realms were highly coveted.
If she could have everything, her path of cultivation would undoubtedly be a hundred times smoother.
But she knew this was unrealistic. Trying to get everything often resulted in getting nothing at all.
Just as her thoughts wavered, Leng Zhiwei's words from before they entered the hall surfaced in her mind.
“Once we enter the hall, the Peak Masters will surely scramble to recruit you, each offering more enticing terms than the last.”
“Just listen and do not respond. No matter what they promise, you only need to say one thing at the end.”
She took a deep breath, suppressing the ripples in her heart. Stepping forward, she bowed slightly to the crowd in the hall, her voice clear and steady.
“I am deeply grateful for the Peak Masters' kindness. However, regarding joining a peak and taking a master, this disciple will leave all arrangements to the Sect Master.”
The moment those words fell, the main hall, which had been in a heated uproar just a second ago, suddenly became quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
The smiles on the Peak Masters' faces froze, and the fervor of their bidding war instantly evaporated.
Their gazes shifted in unison, locked onto Leng Zhiwei in the center with intense wariness and reluctance.
Their hearts sank simultaneously. Could it be that this peerless genius who had scaled nine thousand steps had already been snatched away by the Sect Master beforehand?
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