Vol.2-Chapter 178 – Direct Disciple (1)

When these warm yet majestic words echoed across the square, Zhao Jiuge’s body trembled in excitement. He suppressed his nerves and looked excitedly at the crowded main hall.

Then they were led by Elder Li and the other two black-robed elders into the main hall. Stepping on the jade-like steps, Zhao Jiuge remembered the steps he walked on during the entrance exam to enter the sect. However, that was three years ago, and everything had changed.

He walked through the entrance of the main hall, and the situation inside the hall appeared before him. He noticed the ancestor’s portrait and the painting of the ancestor riding the cow while comprehending the sword.

Elder Li bowed slightly to show respect and loudly said, “Head Teacher, the 37 disciples have arrived.”

At this moment, everyone inside the main hall was observing the 37 disciples. They were all wondering if there was anyone worth taking as a disciple. Taking a disciple was a serious matter, and they would rather not accept any than to accept an unfit disciple. Talent wasn’t the only thing that mattered—one’s character was of grave importance as well. These disciples were being measured by those elders, and they all became even more nervous.

“Okay, the three of you move to the side. Let the disciple participate in taking their oaths.” Jian Wuxian’s voice was gentle yet majestic. His words echoed in the hearts of the disciples, and the gentle smile he had disappeared.

After hearing this, the nervous disciples and the disciples looking at the two paintings all looked toward Jian Wuxian, the source of the voice.

When they saw the young man in purple who gave off an extraordinary with a profound gaze that pierced their hearts, the disciples finally reacted. Who else could sit alone on top beside the Head Teacher?

“Greetings, Head Teacher.” In an instant, all the disciples bowed and paid their respects together. Their voices echoed through the main hall.

A gentle smile appeared, and Jian Wuxian stood up and looked at all the disciples below. It felt like he wanted to remember their slightly naive faces.

“I’m very happy you have passed the selection and came here. I believe that all of you are very loyal and are willing to die for the sect. You will become a new force for the sect in the future. Perhaps you will go very far and perhaps you will die before you begin, but after this oath, no matter what, you are part of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect. You have the countless people of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect behind you. No matter what danger you find yourselves in, the sect will have your back. I hope that if the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect is ever in danger, you will think about the sect like this.” Jian Wuxian’s passionate words caused the sense of belonging in each disciple to deepen.

The 37 youths all went from feeling nervous to feeling very proud.

They were proud that they could pass the test. They were proud that they had such a powerful sect backing them.

Seeing that his words had planted the seeds, Jian Wuxian turned to the portrait of the ancestor, Old Man Mysterious Heaven, and said, “Take the oath.”

Before coming here, Elder Li had already told them that after coming here, the first thing they would do was swear the Heavenly Oath. That way, in the future, they wouldn’t betray the sect and leak out information or cultivation methods of the sect. A sect’s cultivation method was its core, and if it was spread out carelessly, it would be a mess. The second thing was disciple selection, but this all depended on the elders. This relied on fate and couldn’t be forced. All those with powerful cultivation were a bit strange, and no one could force them.

Generally speaking, only a few people would be selected as disciples, while the rest would become inner sect disciples being taught by some elders. Those that were accepted as direct disciples were all heaven-defying geniuses and their status would soar.

The 37 disciples all looked at the portrait of the ancestor and took their oaths. Jian Wuxian nodded with satisfaction. At this moment, all of these disciples became inner disciples of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect and the future core of the sect.

He looked at the disciples with a smile and said, “You are now inner disciples of the sect. The people below me are the higher-ups of the sect. Whether or not you manage to catch their attention will depend on fate.”

After he finished speaking, he smiled and looked below. The disciples curiously looked at those elders with imposing auras.

Zhao Jiuge didn’t know if he was imagining it or not, but he felt that the Head Teacher was occasionally looking at him. However, he didn’t care. He curiously looked at these people and hoped that one of them would accept him as their disciple.

Zhao Jiuge was suddenly shocked. He had spotted a familiar figure. He saw Sha Sha standing behind a man with phoenix eyes, smiling at him.

Zhao Jiuge was suddenly filled with doubt. He had a good impression of the little girl who kept making him call her “Senior Sister,” though she was a bit naughty. However, after leaving the cliff, he had not seen her again. He hadn’t expected to see her here.

Looking at the man with phoenix eyes, Zhao Jiuge felt that this person was a higher-up of the sect and Sha Sha was his favorite disciple. That was why she would appear here. Sha Sha looked like she wanted to talk to him but couldn’t, so Zhao Jiuge simply decided to look at the other higher-ups that were here. Since he had entered the inner sect, they would be able to meet later.

Perhaps because there were only two women here, Zhao Jiuge’s gaze involuntarily shifted over.

The first one he saw was the beautiful middle-aged woman wearing a blue palace dress. The passage of time seemed to have left no trace on her. She had a warm smile on her face that made her look more amiable compared to the others here. Zhao Jiuge felt that it would be nice to be a disciple of someone so amiable. Perhaps it was because he had grown up without parents that he yearned for affection.

Then his gaze swept to the other side, to the woman who was only about 30 years old. Her black veil covered her face, creating a sense of mystery. However, she didn’t seem to be looking at the disciples at all. She seemed to be pondering something.

After looking for a moment, Zhao Jiuge had finished gauging all of them and waited with anticipation. He secretly wondered who among the 37 disciples here would be chosen.

On the way here, he had met up with Luo Xie and Cai Mengxuan. It seemed like those two had passed as well. Now all five of them were inner sect disciples. There were some others disciples from the Mysterious Heaven Peak that passed, but none of the disciples from influential families had. Mu Zijun, Bai Zimo, Scar, and the others had all failed. Zhao Jiuge had almost no impression of the two females and three male disciples from the Mysterious Heaven Peak that had passed.

What shocked Zhao Jiuge was that Luo Bowen and Chen Gang, who were disciples from influential families, had passed. Zhang Pingquan was the only person from the Mysterious Strange Peak that Zhao Jiuge knew.

Among these 37 disciples, only a few disciples were from influential families; the rest were all from poor families.

“Okay, that’s enough. Are there any you all are happy with?” Jian Wuxian finally spoke to the two rows of people before him. If there was anyone they had their eyes on, they would have already decided. Any more time was useless.

After Jian Wuxian’s words echoed, the entire temple became silent; even the sound of breathing could be heard. If a needle dropped on the ground, everyone would be able to hear it. All the disciples held their breaths, and their eyes were filled with expectation, hoping they would be selected.

The people that were standing on the side were also curious. Those that were chosen would likely rise up in status in the future.

The main hall was silent for a short moment.

“Haha, since no one is speaking up, I’ll pick first. Those that pick last won’t get anyone good.” The slightly cynical middle-aged man, Elder Xue Qingfeng, pointed toward the young man who had a similar smile to his. “I’ll take him. Although this brat’s talent is average, I like him.”

Zhao Jiuge looked and was stunned for a moment—it was Luo Xie. Not only Zhao Jiuge, even Leng Rufeng were stunned. It has to be said that Luo Xie was definitely not the most dazzling among all the disciples here. Sure enough, these experts were not selecting disciples according to strength. This made Zhao Jiuge even more nervous. He wasn’t sure anymore.

Xue Qingfeng rolled his eyes and said, “Silly brat, what are you doing? Come over here!”

Hearing this, Luo Xie finally walked over to Xue Qingfeng in confusion. It looked like he still couldn’t believe what was happening, like everything was a dream. After Xue Qingfeng spoke, he deliberately looked at Elder Piao Wu with a provoking gaze.

After Elder Piao Wu saw this, she smiled like she didn’t care and faintly said, “I’ll go second. It has been a long time since I have come out, and this is the first time I have participated in this. I should also choose a disciple; otherwise, there will be no one to inherit my legacy.”

Elder Piao Wu really had an amiable personality; even her smile was so warm. Everyone’s gazes were focused on Elder Piao Wu, and she pointed at the crowd. “Little girl, come here.”