Three Origins Sect, Outer Sect.
A clear mountain stream cascaded down from the steep green cliff, the misty spray reflecting the high, distant autumn sky and the ancient, verdant pines clinging to the cliff face.
Today, Green Cliff Bay was far more bustling than usual.
Before the Spirit Ferry dock at Cloud Bay, a considerable number of elders and outer sect disciples, dressed in robes of various colors, had gathered. They clustered in small groups, some conversing in low voices, others standing quietly and gazing into the distance, their eyes mostly fixed on the leisurely sea of clouds over the dock.
Today was the day the newly appointed Outer Sect Elder would officially take up his post at the Green Cliff Hall.
According to sect tradition, whenever a new elder assumed office, especially a Foundation Establishment cultivator recruited from outside, the sect would hold a simple yet respectful welcoming ceremony. This was both a show of importance and an opportunity for disciples to catch a glimpse of the new elder's demeanor.
It was said this person was named Guo Dong, a cultivator hailing from the bitter, frigid lands of Northern Chaotian. Although he originated as a loose cultivator with no sect or school, he had ultimately forged his Dao Foundation. After deliberation by the sect's upper echelons, it was decided to retain him in the Outer Sect, appointing him to the position of Green Cliff Hall Elder.
The outer sect disciples gathered at Green Cliff Bay whispered and discussed in low tones as they awaited the new elder's arrival.
"Northern Chaotian... that's a famously harsh and bitter place," an older disciple remarked with feeling. "I hear it's covered in wind and snow year-round, with sparse spiritual energy, few cultivators, and cultivation resources are extremely scarce. Anyone who can emerge from such a place and successfully reach Foundation Establishment... they are all individuals with wills of iron and Dao hearts as solid as mountains."
Everyone knew that when a new elder took office, especially one who seemed "promising," within a year or two, they would most likely open their mountain gate to recruit disciples. If one could make a favorable impression, leave some memory at this time, perhaps they could establish a connection with the elder, opening up an additional path for the future.
However, Shao Qingsong still harbored some internal confusion. He clasped his hands in a salute and humbly inquired of the two senior brothers chatting beside him, "This junior is Shao Qingsong. May I ask you two senior brothers, I've heard the Green Cliff Hall is merely a leisurely post overseeing the green cliff and disciplining disciples in seclusion, with little real authority or power. Why then is it said that the sect assigning him here signifies 'considerable importance'?"
The two men turned their heads to look at him, sizing up Shao Qingsong. Seeing his clear eyes and sincere tone, not appearing to be someone probing with ulterior motives, they adjusted their sleeves. One of them began to 'expound eloquently' in explanation:
"Junior brother, you may not know. While the Green Cliff Hall appears to be a leisurely, nominal position only overseeing the cliff and supervising disciples in seclusion, its salary and benefits are, by regulation, not reduced and are aligned with those of the Enforcement Hall."
"Typically, elders are only around a hundred years old, full of vigor and eager to achieve something. Naturally, they dislike idleness and are unwilling to go to such a retirement-like place."
"But Elder Guo Dong is different," the other man took over. "He is a cultivator from Northern Chaotian. The sect, after all, doesn't know his roots thoroughly and cannot immediately entrust him with heavy responsibilities, letting him manage important halls or handle core affairs."
"For elders like him who join the sect only after reaching Foundation Establishment, initially, they are usually assigned to the Small Bamboo Hall. That's the sect's truly leisurely, marginal place. Generally, they need to remain stationed there for ten years, undergoing observation, before promotion or transfer becomes possible."
The senior brother who spoke first lowered his voice. "But the Green Cliff Hall is actually under the jurisdiction of the Enforcement Hall. Although its affairs are few, it already allows contact with much of the Outer Sect's daily management and disciple punishment business. It counts as half a substantive position."
"Moreover, because the salary is good and it's sufficiently leisurely, providing ample time for quiet cultivation and Dao comprehension... outside-recruited elders stationed here often, within a few years, successfully adapt to the sect's cultivation methods, gain some insights, and may even see progress in their cultivation. It appears leisurely but is actually a place for profound contemplation and Dao realization."
"One radish, one hole. This Green Cliff Hall Elder position is reserved precisely for those elders with great potential who still need time to adapt to the sect and temper their minds. This is the true form of importance and cultivation."
Shao Qingsong's heart stirred, and he asked further, "I imagine that Elder Guo Dong must still be in the prime of his life, right?"
If he was not yet thirty and had forged his Dao Foundation, that could indeed be called genius.
Moreover, this Elder Guo Dong was a loose cultivator who emerged from a place like Northern Chaotian. If he were mediocre, there would be absolutely no possibility of him reaching Foundation Establishment.
One man smiled without speaking. The other senior brother finally couldn't resist and revealed the answer: "Rumors say he attained Foundation Establishment approaching the age of forty, but opinions vary; it's not necessarily reliable."
"So... around thirty-something?!" Complex emotions surged within Shao Qingsong, unable to calm for a long time.
He was also a man in his thirties, still busily toiling without notable achievement, while a loose cultivator from Northern Chaotian had already reached Foundation Establishment. This suddenly made him feel a wave of shame and inadequacy.
After a long while, he finally took a deep breath, suppressing that churning feeling.
Everyone has their own path to walk, with different opportunities and destinies.
Having cultivated for over a decade, he had long understood that the first hurdle on the cultivation path was to recognize one's own limitations.
If one couldn't even see oneself clearly, constantly aiming beyond one's reach with unrealistic ambitions, how could one achieve a clear spiritual platform and a steadfast, unwavering Dao heart?
Envious? To be honest, not being envious would be a lie.
But within his heart, there wasn't much indignation or jealousy. Matters of innate talent were decreed by heaven, not something to be forced. He couldn't spend his days depressed and resentful, full of cynicism, only to hinder his own already difficult cultivation path.
Moreover... hadn't he already encountered his own opportunity?
Recalling his mysterious junior brother Chen Yu, Shao Qingsong's heart relaxed, and the corner of his mouth even involuntarily curled up into a slight smile.
With his usual meticulous observation, how could he not know that Junior Brother Chen Yu was shrouded in mystery? His conduct, demeanor, speech, and knowledge were completely unlike an ordinary low-level cultivator. He was most likely an extraordinary individual hiding his talents.
But he and his junior brother had a tacit understanding. He had never brought up the matter, never asked why he concealed his innate gifts, and had never even spoken of it to outsiders.
If the junior brother ate the meat, he would drink the broth. Even if that was all, it had allowed him to eat until his mouth was greasy and his heart content.
This was Shao Qingsong's cleverness.
As a loyal follower, one must have the awareness of a loyal follower. Don't pry, don't ask too many questions, just do one's part well. The benefits that should come would naturally not be lacking.
He observed that Junior Brother Chen Yu didn't seem like a cold, detached type. Even if the junior brother's talent was sky-high and his future achievements immense, that would still be his backing.
That was enough.
He even optimistically thought, if he could casually mention this matter of the Green Cliff Elder in front of Junior Brother Chen Yu, perhaps it might spark an interest in seeking a master?
With the junior brother's hidden talent, if he could be noticed by this Elder Guo Dong and taken as a disciple, wouldn't that be a wonderful thing? The junior brother's future would be even brighter, and he himself might get to bask in some reflected glory.
"Hmm... the junior brother has a placid nature and might not be interested in seeking a master, but mentioning it can't hurt. What if he suddenly changes his mind?" Shao Qingsong muttered softly to himself.
He stood with the crowd of onlookers before the Spirit Ferry dock. Though it seemed crowded, order was maintained. Without any enforcement elder needing to speak up, the disciples consciously kept a certain distance, conversing in low voices. No one was noisy, and certainly no one pushed or jostled.
No one wanted to leave a terrible impression in front of the new elder and numerous fellow disciples due to a momentary lapse in manners.
Most disciples held the mentality that—being able to meet the new elder once, observe his demeanor from afar, and offer a word of congratulations would be quite good enough.
If they couldn't meet him, joining the bustle, soaking in the atmosphere of the sect welcoming new blood, and broadening their horizons was also not bad.
It had to be said, the mindset of this generation of disciples was excellent.
"Ahem, everyone, quiet."
An old man at the front, dressed in the deep blue robes of the Enforcement Hall, with a lean face and bright, piercing eyes, gave a light cough.
The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly spread throughout Green Cliff Bay dock, carrying a convincing air of authority.
The disciples immediately fell silent, their gazes uniformly shifting towards the old man.
Shao Qingsong recognized this elder—Hong Changtian of the Enforcement Hall, Elder Hong.
He had served in the Outer Sect for decades, diligent and conscientious, handling affairs impartially, and held extremely high prestige.
It was said the Enforcement Hall's "Little Black Room" meal provision rule was something he personally promoted. Rumor had it it was a compromise he devised to preserve the dignity of truly impoverished disciples.
If anyone genuinely couldn't afford food, they could quietly mention it to the on-duty enforcement disciples. Meals were definitely provided, and they could even secure some laborious positions like cleaning or organizing, earning meager stipends to subsidize their cultivation.
Although Junior Brother Chen Yu often joked about going to the Enforcement Hall's Little Black Room to "mooch meals," this was actually feasible.
Recalling Chen Yu's occasional playful remarks, Shao Qingsong felt added respect for this Elder Hong.
However, for such a figure to personally come to welcome him was enough to show how much importance the sect placed on this newly arrived "prodigy" elder.
As Shao Qingsong was lost in these random thoughts, Elder Hong's hearty and resonant laughter sounded from the front, his tone sincere.
"Fellow Daoist Guo, you've come a long way. The journey must have been arduous."
He's here.
Shao Qingsong instinctively looked up, following the crowd's gaze towards the depths of the sea of clouds.
In the distant sky where cloud waves churned, a pale cyan streak of light, like a bird cleaving through the vast sky, was speeding from far to near. The light streak was fast yet exceptionally steady, as if merging with the surrounding cloud qi.
As it drew closer, the crowd could finally see clearly—it was a person riding a sword.
The man wore a set of plain blue cloth clothes, standing atop a gray, stone-like flying sword. His face appeared quite young, roughly in his early thirties, with regular features, clear and bright eyes and brows. Though not breathtakingly handsome, he possessed a clean, neat, and untainted-by-dust aura.
His presence was extremely well-contained. Standing on the flying sword, he seemed like an ordinary traveling scholar, utterly unremarkable.
But when he rode his sword through the sea of clouds, gracefully skimming past several slowly sailing sect spirit boats, that effortless, weightless, and ethereal posture made every disciple present feel an involuntary tremor in their hearts.
It was an indescribable feeling—as if he inherently belonged within that sea of clouds, traveling with the wind, dancing with the clouds.
"What kind of treasure is that sword? It looks plain and unadorned, but to carry a sword rider so effortlessly through the clouds, it might be some ancient treasure returned to simplicity," a sharp-eyed disciple whispered in admiration.
"I think those Cloud-Treading Boots are the true treasure. Spiritual light contained within, steps generating clouds—definitely extraordinary," another retorted.
"You're mistaken, junior brothers," an older senior brother shook his head, his gaze burning as it fixed on that blue-clad figure. "Haven't you noticed? That seemingly ordinary blue cloth garment is the most formidable treasure. During sword flight, not even the hem showed the slightest flutter, as if forming its own realm, isolating wind pressure..."
Chen Yu, who had just landed on the green stone ground of the dock, couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth slightly.
Since when did he know his entire outfit was composed of treasures... He felt speechless internally.
That's right, this newly joined sect Elder Guo Dong was precisely Chen Yu.
In fact, to play the role of a loose cultivator from the bitter, frigid lands of Northern Chaotian, he had specially prepared this set of utterly ordinary clothing. Even the flying sword under his feet was casually fashioned from ordinary stone—aside from being hard and capable of flight, it had no special characteristics whatsoever.
When he first arrived at the mountain gate seeking entry, the group of sect elders who came to welcome him all felt a pang of heartache, secretly lamenting how difficult this child's life must have been. To emerge from a place like Northern Chaotian and reach Foundation Establishment relying solely on himself... not easy, truly not easy.
In reality, the person "Guo Dong" did not exist. He was merely a new identity Chen Yu had meticulously fabricated to reasonably reveal his Foundation Establishment cultivation and join the Three Origins Sect with a suitable status.
As for why go to such trouble—he absolutely did not want people to discover that a minor cultivator who was only at the Qi Training stage not long ago had suddenly, inexplicably, broken through to Foundation Establishment.
Anyone looking at that would know there must be a huge secret hidden within, potentially attracting unnecessary prying and trouble.
But it had to be said, the Slime's Gel Mimicry was truly formidable. It could completely alter him from the inside out, from physical body to aura, transforming him into another entirely different person.
Even if examined carefully with spiritual sense, no abnormalities could be detected.
At Cloud Depth Small Lodge, he had only left behind a gel doppelganger disguised as 'Chen Yu' to handle daily life, while he himself joined the Three Origins Sect with a brand-new identity.
Now he could finally, openly and honorably, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, freely peruse those cultivation manuals and ancient texts in the library repository he previously had no right to access, and also come into contact with higher-level sect information and resources.
Of course, to obtain sufficient status and importance, he had not hesitated to reveal his increased spiritual root aptitude due to the "Elemental Affinity" bonus, as well as his young bone age.
Naturally, this bone age was also fake. After all, his actual age was much younger, but saying that would be too shocking and would instead easily arouse suspicion.
After exchanging a few more polite pleasantries with Elder Hong who welcomed him and accepting congratulations from several other elders who came to witness the ceremony, Chen Yu, under Elder Hong's guidance, prepared to head to the Green Cliff Hall to complete the formal onboarding procedures and familiarize himself with his future work environment.
Just as he turned, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the crowd of quiet and curious outer sect disciples behind him, his line of sight met a familiar pair of eyes within the crowd.
Shao Qingsong.
His senior brother was currently looking at him, his gaze enthusiastic, but he had not recognized his identity.
Their eyes met for a fleeting moment before parting.
Chen Yu appeared to have merely randomly glanced over these unfamiliar outer sect disciples, his gaze calm and unrippled. He then naturally turned his head back, continuing his conversation with Elder Hong as they walked towards the direction of the Green Cliff Hall.
After Chen Yu's gaze shifted away, a trace of doubt arose within Shao Qingsong's heart.
Did Elder Guo just glance at him a moment ago?