Sky Gazing Mountain.
This was the place that Wu Yu would live and train hereon, as an immortal sect disciple.
The Bipo Mountain Range was endless. Each core disciple would have their own mountain, and they would own all the resources that came with the mountain.
Around 100 external disciples would share the same mountain.
Sky Gazing Mountain originally had about 50 disciples, and now another 30 had come. It was just about full.
Within the vast mountain range, from the foot to the peak, and a few shorter peaks around it, a palace had been built in the fairy mist. Every external disciple had a palace for living, training, and accommodating guests. There were even good fields for planting immortal essence. It was magnificent, and might even surpass Wu Yu's own prince's palace in the Dong Yue Wu Kingdom.
Besides, the Sky Gazing Mountain also had many places of trade, as well as libraries. There were many places where the disciples could interact. Normally, those on the same mountain were like family, and their relationships often ran deeper.
Wu Yu, Qing Mang, Zhao Danlong, Ju Huo, and the rest would abide at Sky Gazing Mountain from now on. Unless, of course, their power materialized and they graduated to become core disciples.
The Elder of Imparting Arts brought them to the Sky Gazing Platform, the highest point on Sky Gazing Mountain. It pierced through the cloud layer, and all you could see was an endless sea of clouds. Numerous cloud clusters floated around, and the place seemed to float like cotton between heaven and earth.
"From today onwards, you are official disciples of our Heavenly Sword Sect. As you live, you're men and women of our Heavenly Sword Sect. When you die, you'll become ghosts of our Heavenly Sword Sect.
"I await instruction in the sword. Banishing demons is my responsibility, and a heavenly duty."
The Elder of Imparting Arts began to read the ground rules. The Heavenly Sword Sect had five taboos and 10 commandments. And there were more detailed rules as well.
"This book is The Basics of the Sword. Take it with you and study it carefully. Memorize it. Moreover, you may not violate the laws, or the consequences will be severe. Minor violations will be punished with grounding. Major violations will see you banished from the sect, or even killed on the spot.
"The Records of the Bipo Mountain Range details the layout of our heavenly mountain. You must also know it thoroughly. You must know where to go when something happens, and which places are forbidden to external disciples. If you trespass on prohibited ground, you will definitely be punished.
"This is The Chronicles of the Dong Sheng Divine Continent. All disciples of our immortal sect must learn it thoroughly and develop basic knowledge of the entire Dong Sheng Divine Continent - the distribution of power, the geography, territories, the other sects, and demons."
Besides this, a martial arts book and a sword manual were given out. Both were middle-grade martial arts, not very useful to Wu Yu.
"External disciples, every month you can receive a strand of Flying Immortal Grass, and you may also choose a charm. The seniors in charge of the Sky Gazing Mountain will bring you to claim them. However, training requires nourishment for strength. Everything from now on will be achieved by your own strength.
"All that I have said is also represented in the sect's rules. However, there is something else that I must tell everybody. As an immortal sect disciple, the most important thing is to train. Forget all hatred, and free yourself of lust and other vices. Your greatest goal is to master the martial way and enter the Immortal Dao. Only then will you be a true martial cultivator. And you are far from it!
"However, condensing energy and training is not so easy. Out of 100 external disciples, only one succeeds. This means that our of the 30 of you present, it's very likely that none of you will succeed to become genuine martial cultivators. Do not be arrogant simply because you have become a disciple of the immortal sect. You must know that your journey has only just begun."
Mu Ge's words gave the impulsive disciples some warning about the difficulties of their journey ahead.
"The Sky Gazing Mountain has 53 more disciple residences that are vacant. You may each go and choose your own. Wu Yu, remain."
After hearing Mu Ge's words, everyone could not wait to get to it. Back when they were servants, their dream was to have their own immortal palace. And now their wish was finally being realized!
But Wu Yu's name had also made them remember: Spirit Concentration Pill, Demon Banishing Blade.
This was something that many coveted.
Under normal circumstances, these were treasures that only those who had mastered the martial way could obtain.
Mu Ge did not waste words; he walked to stand in front of Wu Yu. Firstly, he pulled out a jewel-encrusted box from an unknown place. Although the box was closed tightly, it still emitted wafts of fragrance.
"This is the Spirit Concentration Pill. It is only effective after you have mastered the martial way. Remember that you are not to open it before then."
"I understand."
Wu Yu accepted the Spirit Concentration Pill. This was a top-quality treasure, but it was of no use now.
Next, with a hiss, there was a sword in Mu Ge's hands. When the sword appeared, the intense aura compelled many disciples to step back inadvertently. It was a huge sword with the width of three fingers. It gleamed like snow and looked sharp enough to slice a falling feather. A scroll was carved on the edge of the blade, and there were all kinds of demons on the scroll.
On the hilt surfaced bold words that shook one's heart: Demon Banisher!
Demon-banishing blades, even outside the Heavenly Sword Sect, had a huge reputation. Even Wu Yu had heard of them when he was a prince, although he had not known that they came from Heavenly Sword Sect. And to his past self, the Demon Banishing Blade was the best mystical weapon in all of heaven and earth!
He had never thought that he would receive it just like that.
"A treasure needs to be treated properly."
Saying thus, the Elder of Imparting Arts left.
All the servants looked enviously at Wu Yu.
"Let's go, juniors. From now on, you are all part of our Sky Gazing Mountain's big family. I'll bring everyone to choose your own residence."
A middle-aged man walked forward.
Following him, Wu Yu chose a disciple's residence near the foot of the mountain.
"Wu Yu, are we friends?" Qing Mang asked, lifting her head.
"Of course."
"Then I'll come and find you often to play and fight." Before, Qing Mang had been a cold wench. Now she happily declared thus before she ran off. Looked like she was still just a kid.
Within the residence, all was brand new. Anything that they could ask for was provided, save for their own servants. The external disciples had a quota of ten servants.
"I'll return to Yanli Mountain first and beg a favor of Su Yanli, to let Uncle Sun accompany me in his late years. And then I'll go look for a few servants."
The external disciples' seniors would bring back a few servant disciples each day and let the external disciples choose from them. They seemed to be just at the mountain's door.
That was why right after Wu Yu had settled in, he would return to Yanli Mountain.
Within the disciple's residence, there was a huge, majestic Immortal Crane. From now on, it would belong to Wu Yu. Within the Bipo Mountain Range, an Immortal Crane steed would definitely make travel more convenient.
Situ Jin and his gang's Ling Er and Mei Er had been obtained this way as well.
Riding on his Immortal Crane, he was buffeted by the turbulence high in the air. It was an amazing feeling, with the entire vastness of the immortal sect world laid out on display before Wu Yu's eyes. Being an official disciple of the immortal sect was indeed different from being a servant...
...
Yanli Mountain.
Wu Yu had come on his Immortal Crane. By right, he had to land in Su Yanli Crane Garden. After becoming a disciple of the immortal sect, he was no longer in a subordinate relationship with Su Yanli.
"Descend."
The Immortal Crane was a sentient beast. Although it could not speak, it understood human speech. With a long cry, it landed in the Immortal Crane Garden. A servant hurried up to take care of the Immortal Crane, but the servant was not smiling. Instead, his face was ashen, saying, "Wu, Wu Yu, something has happened."
Something wrong!
Wu Yu was rooted in silence.
The servant lifted a shaking finger, pointing at the wooden house on the mountain.
Wu Yu immediately had a bad feeling. Could Sun Wudao have fallen when he returned to Yanli Mountain?
Whoosh!
Wu Yu's expression was dark. He was panicking inside, and he rushed over with all the speed he could muster. He was praying: please let nothing be wrong, please let nothing be wrong!
Approaching.
The wooden house!
The door was ajar, and there were many servants standing around inside. It was precisely those who had escorted Sun Wudao back.
Their faces were pale, and they were trembling all over.
Wu Yu was shaken by this, his mind blank.
When he entered the wooden hut, he saw a shriveled old man lying on the bed. His eyes were closed. Life had already left the corpse.
Bang!
His blood boiled, rushing to his brain. The veins in his eyes swelled, tinting his entire vision with blood.
Sun Wudao, dead.
"All of you!"
At this moment, all Wu Yu wanted to do was to cut these servants down where they stood.
But turning back, he saw two servants on the floor, their mouths covered in blood. Their eyes were popping wide, trying to talk to Wu Yu, but their tongues had been cut out.
"Wu... Heavenly Immortal Wu, not... not our fault, it was Situ Jin! We met Situ Jin on the road, and three others. It was they who caused Sun Wudao's death!"
Crash!
The remaining few servants fell to their knees.
"Gaolan and Qianfeng just said a couple of things about them, and they had their tongues cut out."
"Situ Jin attacked, and we could not stop him at all."
The servants wailed.
Situ Jin!
Wu Yu's eyes were red. His chest was roiling like a volcano!
Sun Wudao was still the person he respected the most at this moment. In this month, all his endeavors had been for his happiness and contentment. And now he had just become an External Disciple, and was about to take off. But Situ Jin had actually killed him!
Killed an old man who already had one foot in the grave, and without an inch of steel to defend himself!
Poor Wu Yu. He had wanted to escort Sun Wudao directly to Sky Gazing Mountain, for him to enjoy his last years.
"Seems like he really hates you. Seeing Sun Wudao, he just killed him out of hand. Situ Jin even said that killing a servant, in the eyes of the Heavenly Immortals, was an insignificant thing, no different from crushing an ant."
"Gaolan told them that you were already an external disciple, and the first as well. They laughed, and not only cut out Gaolan's tongue, but also said that you were nothing but a small fry who had turned his fortune. They were going to kill this old wretch, and what could you do about it?"
"It seems like immortal sect disciples cannot kill each other, or there would be grave consequences. That was why they had acted with impunity! Sun Wudao was already so old, but they would not let him be!"
The servants were shaking with anger and crying together in a heap.
"Sun Wudao."
Wu Yu knelt on the floor and gave a deep kowtow.
He would not forget. All that he had gained today was of Sun Wudao's making.
To him, this old man was like a father. Strict, but filled with a deep love.
Pity, pity, that heaven did not give him the chance to repay his kindness.
He would not blame himself. In this matter, he was not at fault. It was Situ Jin!
The person who, because of his Immortal Crane, had used his whip to beat his own man to death.
The person who wanted Sun Wudao to eat the feces of the Immortal Crane, just for a joke.
Who, because of jealousy, would kill a centenarian. A beast!
Wu Yu kowtowed deeply and gave a long, heart-rending lament. With a crack, the floor beneath his hands crumbled, and there was only dust underneath his palms.
What he hated about the whole matter was that he had not slaughtered this Situ Jin earlier.
Huo!
Wu Yu stood up, his body raging with bloodthirst, anger, and killing intent!
"If I don't cut down Situ Jin today, I, Wu Yu, am not worthy to live on!"