Chapter 28: What Has Disrupted the Heavenly Dao?

As the first rays of dawn emerged from the eastern horizon, a majestic flying boat appeared, cutting through the vibrant colors of the morning sky like a celestial vessel. Its arrival was both stunning and awe-inspiring, a display of grandeur befitting a major sect.

Xie Jiuniang’s mouth twitched in amusement. The sect’s recruitment department always had to make a grand spectacle once every ten years, claiming such ostentation was a necessary display of the Tianxu Sect’s prestige.

The flying boat only needed to travel a mere ten miles to retrieve the candidates, yet they insisted on making it appear as if it had journeyed for thousands of miles.

Led by a stern-faced Nascent Soul elder, a group of disciples clad in crisp, brand-new sect attire gracefully descended from the flying boat, floating down like celestial beings as they landed on the high platform that dominated the plaza.

The Nascent Soul elder’s voice rang out with authority, “Tianxu Sect is recruiting new disciples here today. Those not involved, leave the venue promptly.”

He paused, his piercing gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd before continuing, “Additionally, those between the ages of five and fifteen with dual spiritual roots or special physiques, step forward for testing.”

His tone brooked no argument as he issued the final warning, “Those who pass will board the flying boat. Anyone attempting to sneak through will face death.”

Under the scrutinizing spiritual sense of a Nascent Soul cultivator, there was nowhere to hide.

Some anxious parents who had accompanied their children had no choice but to reluctantly retreat outside the plaza, their faces etched with concern for their offspring.

With a nonchalant wave of his hand, the elder summoned a purple spirit wood armchair and a tea table onto the high platform. He leisurely poured himself a small cup of wine and began sipping it, leaving the rest of the proceedings to his subordinates.

Xie Siniang cautiously transmitted her voice to her sister, “Xiao Jiu, I saw Eldest Brother.”

Xie Haoran? Xie Jiuniang’s gaze followed her sister’s line of sight, and indeed, she spotted their eldest brother standing on the high platform.

In her previous life, he hadn’t come for the recruitment…

Why had it changed this time?

Was it due to the rippling effects of her rebirth? So far, the fates of her parents and her Fourth Sister had changed because of her.

Oh, and there was also Song Bao’er.

In this life, Song Bao’er’s family had found her early and brought her back to the Northern Domain. It was highly likely that she would join the esteemed Sword Sect, given her family’s connections within that sect’s ranks. The Sword Sect wouldn’t want to see a genius like her join another sect.

At this moment, Xie Siniang mysteriously transmitted her voice again, “Xiao Jiu, do you see the child Eldest Brother is holding?”

Xie Jiuniang’s gaze shifted, and she was surprised to see an exquisitely beautiful little boy who bore a striking resemblance to Xie Haoran.

Her eldest uncle’s child from a concubine?

Wasn’t he sent to the Northern Domain’s Sword Sect in her previous life?

Unable to contain her curiosity, Xie Jiuniang asked, “Fourth Sister, what’s going on?”

“The day before we left, Grandfather brought him back to the manor, saying he was Eldest Uncle’s child…” Xie Siniang proceeded to explain the whole story. “I heard Father say that the female cultivator only became Eldest Uncle’s concubine for cultivation resources. There was no love between them, and she wasn’t willing to remain a concubine. Grandfather gave her enough resources to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage and only brought the child back…”

The fact that Patriarch Xie knew about the existence of the concubine’s child in advance had a little to do with Xie Jiuniang’s actions. With the Patriarch’s direct intervention, events had unfolded differently from her previous life’s timeline.

Xie Jiuniang found the situation perplexing. “Did Eldest Aunt made a fuss about this?”

“She obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill from somewhere and went into seclusion early,” Xie Siniang replied, implying that their Eldest Aunt had been ignorant of the situation.

It was a perfect avoidance tactic, one that Xie Jiuniang reasonably suspected was orchestrated by her shrewd grandfather’s machinations.

The disciple conducting the tests approached the child, carefully examining his spiritual roots. “Water and wood dual spiritual roots, bone age seven. Congratulations, Senior Brother Xie, he has passed the preliminary assessment.”

“Much obliged,” Xie Haoran replied with a solemn nod, gathering his younger half-brother into his arms as he brought the child onto the flying boat.

Many people nearby witnessed this scene unfold with bated breath.

Someone sighed in awe, “The Xie family of Yunmu City is truly incredible this year.”

“What do you mean?” A bystander, unfamiliar with the situation, asked with furrowed brows.

The man stroked his graying beard sagely. “A fire-attributed heavenly spiritual root emerged from the Eastern Domain this year, and rumor has it that it comes from the Xie family of Yunmu City. Additionally, Venerable Chongzhen, the number one sword cultivator in the Southeast, accepted a closed-door disciple who is also a young member of the Xie family. Now there’s another dual spiritual root among their ranks…”

Even the Nascent Soul elder was secretly amazed by the Xie family’s bounty of talents this year. As far as he knew, the illustrious clan was hiding yet another dual spiritual root genius in their midst.

He calculated with his fingers, gazing up at the azure sky with a contemplative expression…

What had disrupted the Heavenly Dao?

The heavens of the Eastern Domain were in chaos…

The sect disciples conducted the remaining tests swiftly and efficiently. There were almost no fraudulent attempts to deceive the examiners, except for one unlucky fellow who harbored a grave misunderstanding about the nature of his supposed “special physique.”

Next, over a hundred tables were swiftly set up, and the sect disciples ushered everyone into orderly lines to register and receive their assessment jade tokens.

After queuing for nearly half an hour, it was finally Xie Jiuniang’s turn to step forward.

Xie Siniang was in front. “Xie Zhi, fifteen years old, Qi Refining fifth level, wood, metal, and earth triple spiritual roots, from Yunmu City.”

“Alright, next,” the registering disciple acknowledged, handing Xie Siniang her jade token after recording her information.

It was Xie Jiuniang’s turn to provide her details.

Xie Jiuniang directly stated, “Xie Jiuniang, twelve years old, Qi Refining seventh level, metal, wood, and fire triple spiritual roots, from Yunmu City.”

The registering disciple looked up at Xie Jiuniang in surprise, his eyes widening. “Little Junior Sister, your cultivation is truly impressive for one so young.”

Xie Jiuniang smiled sheepishly. “My father was fortunate enough to obtain some rare spirit liquid, and he generously gave almost all of it to aid my cultivation.”

“A stroke of good fortune, indeed,” the disciple marveled, swiftly recording the information before handing Xie Jiuniang her jade token. “The jade token must not leave your person. Once lost, it means you automatically fail the assessment,” he cautioned sternly.

“Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother,” Xie Jiuniang replied, her expression solemn as she accepted the weighty implications of his words.

This matter served as a wake-up call for Xie Jiuniang. Her cultivation had advanced too rapidly, easily attracting unwanted attention. She urgently needed a way to conceal her formidable level of attainment if she hoped to blend in among her peers.

Clutching the jade token tightly, Xie Jiuniang took her leave and reunited with her Fourth Sister.

Xie Siniang greeted her happily, her eyes alight with excitement. “Xiao Jiu, I want to change to a new name. Before coming here, Father helped me choose the name Zhi. Does it sound nice? From now on, I’ll be called Xie Zhi. Don’t forget, okay?”

“Okay,” Xie Jiuniang nodded with a warm smile, understanding her sister’s desire for a fresh start.

With their eldest brother and eldest sister being like two towering mountains overshadowing them, the two younger sisters had never received much attention or consideration since childhood. It was evident from the way they were carelessly named on the family registry. The clan elders hadn’t even consulted their parents, directly writing “Fourth Daughter” and “Ninth Daughter” according to their birth order, devoid of any deeper meaning or sentiment.

Xie Siniang had always harbored resentment towards her impersonal moniker, so the opportunity to choose a new name was a welcome change for her.

Over a dozen clan members finished registering and gathered together, their expressions a mix of anticipation and trepidation for the challenges that lay ahead.

One of them approached Xie Jiuniang, his brows furrowed in disbelief. “Xiao Jiu, Qi Refining seventh level? How is that even possible?”

“My father helped the Rongsheng Trading Company with a small favor, and they rewarded him with some precious spirit liquid. He couldn’t bear to use it himself, so he diluted it with water for me to aid my cultivation,” Xie Jiuniang explained, providing a plausible justification for her exceptional level of attainment.

The matter with the Song family wasn’t a closely guarded secret, and it conveniently provided a reasonable explanation for her impressive cultivation base.

What an unimaginable waste!

Those secretly observing them felt pangs of envy. The spirit liquid potent enough to be used for Foundation Establishment was an exceedingly rare and valuable commodity. A small bottle could easily cost seventy to eighty thousand spirit stones on the open market. For Xie Shen to have diluted such a priceless resource with water, simply to aid his daughter’s cultivation, was an act of generosity that bordered on absurdity in the eyes of the onlookers.

Once everyone had completed the registration process, they boarded the majestic flying boat, which swiftly transported them to a vast, rolling grassland situated ten miles outside the boundaries of Xian City.

“Listen well, everyone,” a stern voice called out from above. “Apart from relying on your own strength and capabilities, there are no shortcuts on this path.”

With those ominous words echoing in the air, the flying boat abruptly took flight, leaving behind tens of thousands of candidates stranded on the grassy plains, their fates now entirely in their own hands.

Some candidates immediately came to their senses and rushed towards the looming mountains in droves, driven by a sense of urgency and determination.

The thirteen members of the Xie family looked at one another, their gazes finally converging on a single individual among their ranks.

It was a young man named Xie Xu.

Twenty years old, with triple spiritual roots and a cultivation base at the Qi Refining ninth level. The youngest son of the Second Granduncle Xie, born into the main lineage of the clan, he held the highest seniority and the most advanced cultivation among their group.

He was Xie Jiuniang and Xie Siniang’s young uncle.

Xie Jiuniang had paid little attention to him until this moment, but she suddenly recalled a pivotal event from her previous life’s timeline.

Back then, Xie Xu had possessed the personal strength to enter the sect, but he had been severely injured while attempting to save a clan member midway through the assessment, ultimately failing to reach the mountain gate within the allotted time.

Xie Xu spoke slowly, his voice carrying a tone of solemn wisdom beyond his years. “Whether to stick together as a group or split up and forge our own paths is a decision each of you must make for yourselves. I believe everyone should have a basic understanding of the challenges that lie ahead before agreeing to come here. There have been instances of teams being formed, but various unforeseen circumstances always seem to lead to separation in the end.”

Everyone present was intelligent enough to immediately grasp the underlying reason behind Xie Xu’s words.

There was a catch to this.

Xie Jiuniang raised her hand, her expression resolute. “I won’t join a team.”

“Xiao Jiu, I…” Xie Siniang began, her eyes pleading as she expressed her desire to team up with her.

Xie Jiuniang’s face turned serious. “I advise all of you not to form teams. The Nascent Soul elder said something before departing; rely on your own strength, no shortcuts… Does teaming up not count as a shortcut, in essence?”

When she encountered her Fourth Sister’s concerned gaze, Xie Jiuniang had no choice but to transmit her voice, offering a reassuring explanation. “According to my deductions, a person won’t be attacked by demonic beasts when traveling alone on this journey.”

Instantly, Xie Siniang’s eyes lit up.

She then asked Xie Jiuniang if she could tell the other clan members.

Xie Jiuniang nodded.

Before long, everyone decided not to form teams.

However, to look out for each other, those with similar strength could maintain a one-mile pace while advancing. If an emergency occurred, they could rush to assist each other in time.

As long as they coordinated their efforts well, there was no need to worry about failing to qualify for entry into the sect.

Xie Jiuniang felt a twinge of concern for her Fourth Sister’s safety, but she knew it would be far too dangerous for Xie Siniang to remain by her side.

With no other choice, she transmitted her voice to Xie Xu.

She disclosed to him the details of a safe route to take, on the condition that he would protect Xie Siniang and ensure her well-being throughout the journey.

If Xie Siniang followed this path, as long as everything proceeded smoothly, she could complete the assessment within ten days’ time.

As the clan members gradually dispersed in different directions…

Xie Siniang held onto Xie Jiuniang’s hand, blinking up at her with a mix of reluctance and determination. “Xiao Jiu, you go ahead of me first. Take the route we studied together last night.”

“Oh, I’ll go first then…” Xie Jiuniang slapped an Agility Talisman on each foot and disappeared in a flash.

Xie Xu said faintly, “Xiao Si^[1]Lil’ Fourth, don’t be in a daze. With your Qi Refining fifth level, you can’t catch up to Xiao Jiu.” 

The stark truth of his words was disheartening, prompting Xie Siniang to stomp her feet in frustration.

Once she entered the sect, she would definitely work hard to surpass Xiao Jiu!

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