Sat on his cushion, under the multiple candles' light, Ji-Yoon calmly circulated his All-in-One Foundation Cultivation Technique, but he wasn't increasing his cultivation base.
The end of the Trial Period had come. He would be free from the humiliating duties and will become an Outer Disciple, aka 'True Disciple' since Trial Disciples are more like servants and don't even have deacons or elders to teach them, how can they be called disciples?
The "Black-Armored Beauty" had already reached the Middle Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm, but "Miss Mu" was still at the peak of the Initial Layer, and so was Ji-Yoon.
He could break through at any time but wasn't in a hurry. After going to the outer sect, he wouldn't be as restricted as before and would have a lot of free time. His only duties would be to patrol the Trial Sect from time to time and do one mission per week.
Ji-Yoon already received his outer sect robes, which were pale blue, and a personal token. But he could only wear it when the next day when an Inner Disciple would guide the new Outer Disciples into the Outer Sect.
Opening his eyes slowly, he muttered, "It has been a year already..." and then opened a bottle of ethereal wine he bought a while ago from the "old geezer Li." It had a much stronger and bitter taste than the ones from before, but he liked it as long as it made him drunk.
Quickly, he got intoxicated. His face flushed and he started to lie flat on the ground.
'How are those guys there on Earth? My old caring parents, my cute adoptive little son, and my sweetheart who I never had to guts to confess...'
"Hahaha! Again, why did I transmigrate? Luck? Bullshit. I was already fully content with my life and death there. I'm lucky? Who decides it?"
The system, which generally would pop up in his mind at that kind of time, was strangely silent.
"I miss them... All of them. I wonder if I can go back when I'm strong enough. But, would they still be alive by then?"
"I need to hurry up, and not only become invincible but also go back to them..." Ji-Yoon's gaze grew serious amidst the reddish glow of his skin.
His eyes looked at the rocky ceiling, he wanted to shatter it and the void to find out who did it to him. Even if it was luck, he would still give it a beating.
Getting on his feet, he closed his eyes and cut his hair with a wave of his hand, it had grown a lot during the year. It wasn't that he liked short hair, but that he wanted to have at least it to always remember his origin, that he still had loved ones in a faraway land.
He was aware that it might attract some attention, but he was willing to bear the risks.
'This brings me some memories...'
.
.
"Congratulations on becoming an outer sect disciple. All of you worked hard and were much sharper than a year ago," shouted a disciple who wore an Inner Sect robe. Ji-Yoon recognized him, he was the same outer disciple from a year ago. He seemed to be doing well and got promoted from a dignified "cannon-folder soldier" to a "Seargent."
"I have an impression of some of you from a year ago, the martial artists from the mortal world. You guys did very well to be here today, I commend you!"
"Thank you, Senior Brother Jun!" The martial artists shouted, including Ji-Yoon.
"Alright, let's not waste our breaths on useless talk. All of you should have memorized the whole book by now, if you are smart, then you should know how the Outer Sect works.
"I will guide you to the Outer sect, follow me!" he shouted and started to fly away. Everyone followed him while flying too.
The scenery in the Stellar Mountain Range was truly unlike anything Ji-Yoon had seen before, with towering giant trees and sword-like peaks. All kinds of plants and Monster Beasts lived there. The fog wasn't formed just by water vapor, but also the mystical energy. It wasn't without a reason that the Sect was also called a Sacred Land, cultivation there was much faster than outside.
After passing by some mountains, they finally arrived at the Outer Sect. However, it couldn't be seen before they are admitted by the Great Guardian Formation protecting the Sect, except the Trial Sect.
By being admitted into the Outer Sect, everyone had the opportunity to get new equipment and they didn't need to return them to the sect. They could also choose a Dao Art from the Outer Sect 'Human Dao Pavilion,' which was many times bigger than the one at the Trial Sect.
They could live in better caves with denser mystical energy, they are much bigger and more decorated than the ones from before. However, it made Ji-Yoon wonder how many disciples the sect had and if they had enough space for them.
Finally, each new disciple had to choose one of the Four Great Sect Ways to follow for the rest of their lives.
Alchemy Way, Formation Way, Craft Way, and the Dao Art Way. They are the four pillars of the Sect, and each had headquarters within the Core Sect, temporarily inaccessible to them.
Ji-Yoon walked with others toward the mountain peak where the Alchemy Pavilion was located, ready to join this Way. He made many plans about it and was confident about his choice.
Many older disciples looked at them with curiosity and some seemed eager to guide their Junior Brothers and Sisters... 'Bah! Those bastards are looking at Miss Mu with hungry wolves' eyes, Ji-Yoon sneered, 'Had they never seen a beautiful woman before? What a bunch of simps!' he sneered again but kept a poker face.
He had to agree that Mu Lin was indeed beautiful, despite being just a teenager. They had a few dealings on the Trial Sect since both are outstanding newbies and he thought she was a very interesting kid. However, as a dignified adult, how could he lust after a kid? Perhaps after a decade or so, he would then be able to see her as a woman.
He liked the looks of the more mature Black-Armored Beauty and had a few small conversations with her while both cleaned a latrine or walls. Unfortunately, he already checked and was sure she was a magnet of troublesome sperm-heads young masters, and other troublesome characters, so he kept himself away from her.
What a joke, how can he risk his peace because of his long-suppressed lust? He wasn't in his puberty... No, he actually was, but his mature mind could deal with it.
Fortunately, the Black-Armored Beauty choose the Craft Way and wasn't in the group, which already had a troublesome sperm-heads magnet, Miss Mu, Mu Lin.
They arrived at the Alchemy Pavilion without much trouble, only needing some pointers on the way. There, they saw a hundred-meter tall pagoda, standing proudly above the mountain peak, seeming to pierce the sky.
After getting registered, each of them was assigned to different deacons or elders for lectures and sermons. They wouldn't be masters and disciples, but would still receive the teachings of more experienced cultivators.
Moreover, every week, the Pavilion Master will give a lecture in the main hall to all disciples.
Ji-Yoon was assigned to an outer elder surnamed Yang. He was a middle-aged man with white hair and cold bearing.
"Here, take it," Elder Yang said and gave a thick book to Ji-Yoon, "This is the 'Essentials on the Pure Alchemy Dao.' Memorize it in a week and come to my abode on the Outer Sect Elders Mountain. Ask other disciples and they will guide you."
Ji-Yoon cupped his fists and tanked him with a dignified expression, "Yes, sir! Thank you for the book, Elder Yang!" he seemed a soldier seeing his superior.
Elder Yang looked at him surprised, thinking he was a very disciplined kid to not complain about the size of the book. Moreover, his temperament seemed solid and as sharp as a sword.
'Moreover, it's extremely rare to see a short-haired youth cultivator,' Elder Yang thought but didn't think too much.
Afterward, Ji-Yoon proceeded to get a new Dao Art and a new gauntlet. He also got his weekly pills.
Already in his cave, which he found with some difficulty since he had to ask a few people for pointers, he took his favorite cushion and sat on the floor.
"Haaa... I finally can let loose a little now..." Ji-Yoon closed his eyes and circulated his cultivation technique.
Almost instantly, his cultivation base broke through to the middle layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm. His core-like Dantian expanded a lot while rotating faster and faster. His True Qi turned even denser and doubled in amount compared to before. His Ethereal Mind doubled it's range.
'Unfortunately, I have to make a breakthrough to the peak layer to be able to merge my internal energy with this core-like Dantian and then fundamentally transform my physique.'
[Ding! Dong! Host, it's time for the daily check-in.]
'Check-in.'
[Ding! Dong! Congratulations on receiving the Legendary-grade item: Mortal Dao Wonderful Book.]
Ji-Yoon almost jumped in fright. He wasn't expecting to receive such a precious item. The Legendary grade was just below the Myth Grade, and he was very familiar with how ridiculous this level of an item could be.
'Did I save a good person without noticing? Why is my luck so good today?' Ji-Yoon thought. He had realized a very peculiar pattern while on Trial Sect: If he helped a morally good person, his luck has a small chance of increasing considerably during his next check-in.
He already checked it over and over for several months and was sure it wasn't his imagination.
He doesn't know if it has something to do with good karma or if it was simply the system trying to motivate him to be a hero, though.
'System, scan the book'
A huge tide of information flowed into his Consciousness Sea, instantly integrating into it without any waves.
He silently entered into a state of deep comprehension. He saw many unknown facets of the Mortal Dao, which he was unable to see before.
"The Mortal Dao is everywhere..." Ji-Yoon awakened after a few hours.
"Sigh... I'm really unable to resist the temptation. System, use some of my resources to power the IQ booster for three hours with a hundred times boost."
[Ding! Dong!]
Instantly, he felt smart again. Many doubts he had got solved as easily as breathing.
He entered into a deep state of meditation again, using the time to also comprehend his new Dao Art: 'Phantom Footwork.'
After two hours, he had completely mastered his new Dao Art and also comprehended all the mysteries within the book.
It made his comprehension of the Mortal Dao increase exponentially. He even wondered if someone in this world had such a high level of attainment on this particular Dao since it generally is ignored and despised.
He circulated his cultivation technique again, but this time to change some things he saw as ineffective. It was possible since the technique involved so tome glimmers of the Mortal Dao.
After he spent the rest of the buff time doing it, his cultivation technique seemed much more suited to him than before. He suddenly wanted to comprehend more of the Life Dao to improve it further, but he had no opportunities to do it in a short time.
He released a breath full of bitterness and resentment. He immediately opened the bottle of wine and drank all of it.
'Alas, I need to make sure I learn Alchemy to the Master level to earn as much money as there are stars in the sky!'
[Ding! Dong! Congratulations host for achieving the entry-level comprehension of a Dao for the first time, you received the Myth-Grade item: Dao Mind Refining Technique.]
"...Did I accidentally save this Sect or something? Or is something bad going to happen and you are trying to help me?"