“Thank you, Senior Brother Ling!”
Xiao Yan and Lin Feng instantly felt relief, the crushing pressure vanishing entirely.
They grew even more convinced of Ling Xiao’s mysterious strength, their admiration deepening.
“Hmph, all aimed at Ling Xiao, and he dares meddle!”
From somewhere in the inner sect, a cold snort rang out.
“Yes, Senior Brother!”
Over a dozen inner sect disciples, ranging from Mortal Realm first to second level, unleashed their soul force, targeting Ling Xiao.
“Courting death!”
Ling Xiao’s brows furrowed slightly as he countered with soul force several times stronger.
“Ah! Ah! Ah…”
*Thud! Thud! Thud…*
The dozen-plus disciples screamed, spitting blood and collapsing.
They were horrified to realize that their combined soul force was no match for Ling Xiao’s alone.
And they were all martial artists who’d advanced to the Mortal Realm through soul potential!
“Quick! Warn the Soul Faction—this Ling Xiao is untouchable!”
In the inner sect, forming cliques was common.
The Soul Faction was one such group, a small organization of disciples who’d advanced via soul potential, banding together for better benefits and mission rewards.
Before even stepping into the inner sect, Ling Xiao had given the Soul Faction a wake-up call, his terrifying soul force leaving them rattled.
When the soul attacks ceased, Ling Xiao didn’t pursue further.
It wasn’t an irreconcilable grudge—just a lesson. If they stopped, he was lenient.
The trio continued forward.
“Look! The Moonlight Pagoda’s getting clearer!” Xiao Yan exclaimed.
Ling Xiao looked up. Sure enough, the Moonlight Pagoda loomed closer, standing at the heart of the inner sect.
He sensed its ancient aura, which irritated the ancient Golden Dragon in his Mountains and Rivers World. The beast slowly opened its eyes.
It seemed primordial beasts and ancient humans were truly incompatible.
The Moonlight Pagoda stood at the inner sect’s center.
Strangely, whether day or night, its vicinity was always cloaked in starry darkness.
Now closer, Ling Xiao was stunned to see the sky seemingly revolving around the pagoda.
The stars felt within arm’s reach.
The pagoda exuded an ancient, majestic aura, commanding reverence.
“How powerful were ancient martial artists to alter day and night in this space and make stars orbit the pagoda?” Xiao Yan shouted, thrilled.
He wasn’t alone—Ling Xiao was equally excited and awestruck.
Compared to such mighty beings, his current strength was negligible.
The inner sect’s main hall, near the Moonlight Pagoda, was easy to find.
Though grand and luxurious, it paled beside the pagoda.
“Halt! What are you three doing?”
The question was clearly rhetorical.
Yuehua Sect’s inner and outer disciple robes were distinct, obvious at a glance.
The most telling sign was the moon emblem.
Outer disciples had a crescent moon.
Inner disciples had a half-moon.
Above them were the sect’s ten core disciples—true prodigies.
All were above Mortal Realm seventh heaven, under thirty years old.
Demonic Flame Heavenly Venerable had once been the top core disciple. Past thirty, he left the disciple ranks to become an inner sect deacon, then advanced to the Heavenly Human Realm, becoming an elder—a meteoric rise.
The ten core disciples were candidates for sect leader.
The top-ranked was called the “Young Sect Master.”
This was why Demonic Flame had been heavily groomed—he was the previous generation’s Young Sect Master.
Other sects might differ, but in the Yuehua Sect, even the sect leader’s children couldn’t claim that title.
It was just a title, though.
It could be replaced, or someone might relinquish it.
Not everyone coveted the sect leader’s position.
The higher one climbed, the vaster and more wondrous the world appeared. By then, the Yuehua Sect might seem insignificant.
Lan Yu’er, the second-ranked core disciple, had no interest in the sect leader’s role.
The main hall’s guards would likely grovel before core disciples, eager to please.
But for outer disciples like Ling Xiao, Xiao Yan, and Lin Feng, they were all sneers and scorn.
“We’re outer disciples here for joint training! I’m Ling Xiao!”
“I’m Xiao Yan!”
“I’m Lin Feng!”
The trio introduced themselves. No need to bicker with a gatekeeper, especially since, except for Ling Xiao, the other two were no match for him.
“Heh, so it’s you lot. Not bad, sturdy enough to take a few extra hits. Go in.”
The guard checked their invitation letters and Immaculate Token before letting them pass.
Though an inner sect disciple, he didn’t dare openly defy those bearing the Immaculate Token—angering Immaculate Heavenly Venerable could cost him his life.
His earlier taunts were just verbal jabs.
Inside the main hall, an inner sect deacon greeted them, issuing each a temporary inner sect token, to be returned after training.
Their robes remained unchanged, making them look like servants next to the inner disciples’ ornate attire.
“Alright, starting today, you’ll join the inner sect for joint training. But behave yourselves. You might rule the outer sect, but here, you’re worms crawling on the ground! Don’t offend or provoke anyone!”
The deacon looked at them impassively, already picturing their miserable fate.
Even former standouts like Wang Feng and Jin Ming had been humbled here.
You might beat one low-ranking inner disciple, but a second?
In the end, they’d be crushed, and crushed hard.
Xiao Yan, having been here before, wilted upon entering, like a flower deprived of water.
He’d likely been brutalized last time.
It was pitiful.
Outer disciples were like lambs thrown to wolves—utterly tragic.
