Hun Lian and Liu Si Xing were travelling on a Tier-6 Snow Clockwork Owl.
It was a beautiful and terrifying beast capable of rivalling the cultivators of the Divine Illusion Realm.
It's snowy wings were cutting the air like paper, and there were four seats on it's back, with a transparent shield protecting the cultivators sitting inside from the extreme air currents.
There was no usual drama of them encountering some danger as few people had the guts to go against the Tier-6 elemental beast. And those who did dare, knew which family it belonged to, and hence within a week of continuous flight, they reached the Perpetuity Sect.
"That's our Sect" Said Liu Si Xing as a giant mountain covered in layers of blue shields stood majestically on the horizon.
There were several peaks on the giant mountain and extremely exquisite pagodas exuding magnificence and grandiose.
It was one of the oldest sects of the Rizedonia Empire, established just after 100 years of the Empire's foundation.
There were people in black robes with red armbands flying around the mountains, patrolling casually and as one of them saw Liu Si Xing's mount approach, he took out a token and made a hole in the shield, letting the Snow Clockwork Owl enter the sect and land on a platform specifically designed for perching the beasts.
"Liu Si Xing, Inner Court Disciple reporting. I have come back with a new disciple of the Outer Sect, Hun Lian from Neverkeep."
Liu Si Xing registered herself and then gestured for Hun Lian to follow, as she took him to meet the Elder of the Admission Hall.
Along the way, Liu Si Xing introduced many Pagodas, Mountain Peaks and Offices to Hun Lian, who was truly bedazzled by the sheer size of everything.
"This is the Outer Court of our sect and we are going to meet the Outer Sect's Chief Elder, Mao Tian."
Liu Si Xing was attracting all the attention even with her veil as she took him to the 9-layered pagoda.
She went up to the reception desk and asked for the elder post which they went into the meeting hall and waited.
"Since I am from the Inner Courtyard, I can go anywhere, but you would need to take permission to step into these offices."
Hun Lian was nodding at Liu Si Xing as she was telling him about the rules of the Outer Court and before long, the gate opened and in came an old man with a bald head and long moustache, wearing a pure white robe with 3 silver stars crested on his chest.
"Miss Liu. You have completed your task, I see."
The elder that came was Mao Tian, who had a very warm personality. Hun Lian remembered him from the novels as the one who helps him in the future, and so, had a good impression of him.
"Indeed, Chief Elder Mao. This orb has the details of Hun Lian; He has just turned 16 years old and is already in the 5th Layer of the Transcendent Realm."
"Hmm, He is indeed a good seedling. Hello Hun Lian. My name is Mao Tian, and you can call me Chief Elder."
"It's nice to meet you, Chief Elder."
Hun Lian finally greeted the elder and his admission formality was soon completed.
He was given 2 grey robes indicating that he was an Outer Court Disciple, and since the Sect believes that every cultivator has their own secrets which they don't want to share, everyone gets an individual house.
Hun Lian got a small house located in a colony of Outer Court Disciples.
"Remember, From now on, we can't meet that often. If anyone finds out about our relationship, people who want to court me would kill you.
There are so many powers who would go to any lengths to torture you, hence you need to become a Core Disciple soon.
Since I have broken through the Golden Core Realm, I will be promoted to Core Disciple soon."
Liu Si Xing wanted to hug Hun Lian but everywhere she went, she was the center of attention.
It was obvious though, one of the 2 flowers of the Perpertuity sect would obviously attract eyes.
Hun Lian had been mostly quiet all this time. He had this nagging feeling inside of his head that someone was watching him and it made him very uneasy.
He was trying to locate where the feeling was coming from but he was always unable to pinpoint it.
'Who is spying on me since day one? I can sense the disturbance in the Qi through my Mystical bone….I can't be mistaken.'
Hun Lian said his last goodbyes to Liu Si Xing, but not before getting his very own Relay Talisman from her which can allow them to talk with each other anytime, without actually going to each other.
Relay Talismans were not only extremely expensive, but also extremely rare.
Hun Lian went inside his new house and found it very simple.
There was one bedroom for those who want to sleep and waste their time; there was one bath for people who couldn't clean themselves with Qi, one extra room for your Special subject training like Arrays, Inscription, Alchemy, etc and one cultivation room.
The Rule for Outer Sect disciples was that they must complete at least one mission a month, and the currency here was not the Gold coins, but the Contribution points.
Hun Lian was also given a card which had all his details.
People were also able to exchange the contribution points with the Lower-grade Qi Crystals which were the currency cultivators mainly used.
'Let's take a bath first'
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An extremely seductive woman with slightly loose red robes tied up her hair with a jade hairpin as she was standing in the void, high up in the sky, looking at Hun Lian through the walls with a smile on her sultry red lips.
"My dear Si Xing has finally found herself a lover? How sweet! Is he the reason I can no longer feel her tumour? Is he the reason for her breakthrough as well? My…My….How scandalous."
If anyone from the empire saw this woman, they would immediately prostrate themselves in front of her.
Although many admired her secretly, but no one dared to even look at her eyes directly; as She was once known as the Blood Monarch, who once fought alongside the Empress Rizedonia, who founded this Empire.
She had spent all her life developing and nurturing the Empire, and now she is known by a different title, which is the Array Immortal of the Perpetuity Sect, Zhan Min.
Many people from the founding families also called her Ancestor Zhan, and her Array mastery was so incredible, that she could cast an array that could cover an entire battlefield in an instant and use the blood of her enemies to power it.
Zhan Min was waiting for her one and only Seed disciple that she had accepted in her long life as Liu Si Xing had messaged her that if she doesn't come back within 40 days, then she might be in trouble.
Zhan Min was wondering what could trouble the Princess of the Liu Family but looking at the young boy, who only had a slightly above-average talent but was still able to feel her gaze, she was intrigued.
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After bathing, Hun Lian felt that he was no longer being spied on, and he simply went to start cultivating.
'Ether Furnace. Smelt everything in this ring together and not separately'
Hun Lian was wearing 2 spatial rings, one was his while the other one was of the Xiao Patriarch.
It had quite a lot of pills and herbs which he wanted to fuse together to see what the result is, and after separating the money, some cultivation techniques and martial techniques from it, he brought up his [Ether Furnace] and commanded.
[5744 Stalks of individual herbs and 329 pills of different uses smelted together.:
A 3-Star Breakthrough Pill, which can increase the realm by one star under the Golden Core Realm.
Note: Much of the precious herbs were wasted in smelting. Kindly increase the quantity or increase the level of the furnace]
Hun Lian was satisfied with the yellow pill which was shining in his [Inventory] storage, and he immediately took it out and gulped it down.
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"So Si Xing, Want to tell the master what happened in Neverkeep?"
Zhan Min was sitting against a luxurious pillar of her own peak in the Perpetuity Sect, as she smiled playfully and looked at Liu Si Xing, who was sitting in front of her crosslegged with a blush on her face.
"My..my..Why is Si Xing blushing? Did she do something which she is ashamed of?"
Zhan Min's smile was very relaxed but Si Xing was very embarrassed to answer her.
Zhan Min was like a second mother to her, and her actual mother and Zhan Min even bickered with each other over who gets to teach Liu Si Xing, but ultimately Zhan Min wins every time.
"By the way, that kid Hun Lian is quite a handsome young man. While living alone for all my life, I think I should finally settle down and start a family; and I think Hun Lian is a very good candidate"
Liu Si Xing's eyes shot up as she looked at her Master who was staring at her with a raised eyebrow.
As soon as their eyes met, Liu Si Xing knew that she had been tricked into reacting and defeatedly lowered her gaze.
"Si Xing….You are like a daughter to me. I expect answers to my questions which might compromise my daughter's life"
This time, Zhan Min's tone was flat and even though it was low, it was enough to send shivers down Liu Si Xing's spine.
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Hun Lian broke through the 6th Layer of the Transcendent Realm and finally decided to go out and look around the market.
He got out of his house and started walking towards the market area, which he knew about thanks to Liu Si Xing, and upon reaching it, the sheer number of people there surprised him yet again.
The entire market was bustling with activity.
Many people in groups of four or five were buying essentials before going out for missions, while some were selling their elixirs, beast cores, etc to the shops.
"Hello Young Friend"
Hun Lian looked to his right to find a friendly man who was staring at him.
"Hi! My name is Fu Qing, and I am the leader of the First years."
Hun Xian acknowledged his presence with a nod and replied
"The Name's Hun Lian. Just arrived here"
"Well, Hello Hun Lian. I knew you had just arrived here and that's why I came straight to save you!
Don't understand?
So you see, there are many bullies in the Outer Court, and they always pray on the new disciples like you. They will snatch away your monthly quota of pills and Low-Grade Qi Crystals!
And this is where we come in. We only take a small fee, and protect you from the bullies."
Hun Lian chuckled while listening to Fu Qing.
According to the Qi fluctuations coming from Fu Qing, Hun Lian deduced that he was in the 4th Layer of the Transcendent Realm, and a person like that was assuring him to save himself from the cultivators who are stuck in the 9th layer of the Transcendent realm for years and are unable to get the promotion to the Inner Courtyard.
"Brother Fu Qing, I will think about your proposal at a different time. But right now, can you tell me the latest news of the Outer Court?"
"No Problem, Brother. When your first quota of resources are snatched away, then you yourself will come to me, so no pressure.
Anyways, the only news right now is that there will a competition in six months for the Outer Court Disciples…The prizes are lucrative and the first-place winner will even be promoted directly to the Inner Court without the need for their Cultivation to reach the Nascent Soul Realm which is the minimum requirement."
Hun Lian nodded at Fu Qing and asked a few other things.
It was a good thing to build a good rapport with his sect mates and by the time he was done asking his questions, it was already the evening.
"So that's how you can exchange your contribution points for anything."
Fu Qing was now regretting ever approaching Hun Lian.
Hun Lina had asked him so many questions that his voice was starting to get hoarse.
He excused himself and after he left, Hun Lian completed his exploration of the market.
He was disappointed that gold was not used in these markets as his [Midas Touch] would have been invaluable then.
'Still, there are a few places outside the sect where I can use gold to buy cultivation-related stuff.'
Hun Lian then left the market and approached a garden at the cliffside, near the resident colony of the Outer Court disciples.
Even though it was a beautiful place, no one was there and as Hun Lian went deeper and deeper into the garden, and approached the ledge of the cliff, a soul-numbing feeling captured his heart and started to hypnotize him.
'This level of illusion doesn't work on me. I have a very powerful spiritual strength'
As Hun Lian arrived at the ledge and looked down at the abyss which was calling out to him, a very sweet voice interrupted him.
"Hey! Please step back from the cliff. There have been numerous deaths of disciples falling from this cliff, and I would suggest you to come back here."
Tracking the voice to its source, Hun Lian turned around and found a voluptuous girl who looked to be around 20 years of age. She was wearing a normal grey robe which indicated that she was from the Outer Court while there was a red armband on her arm which indicated that she was from the disciplinary committee.
'Another extremely beautiful woman. Tsk tsk..This world is filled with them it seems. But no worries, she is just a beauty without benefits. An empty vase.'
Hun Lian slightly nodded to her while speaking
"Sorry, Miss -?"
"Cui Zan. I am Cui Zan of the disciplinary committee. It looks like you are new to the sect?"
"Yes, Miss Cui. My name is Hun Lian and I just arrived today. I found this garden soothing so I came here."
Cui Zan nodded and warned Hun Lian again before asking him to follow her out of the garden.
Hun Lian started following behind Cui Zan, but looked back at the cliff which was hiding a secret cave far underneath of it, and even far below resided a very dangerous, yet very rewarding opportunity for him in the future.
As Hun Lian was walking out of the garden while following behind the curvaceous beauty Cui Zan who he had no interest in due to her little to no usability, he suddenly saw a man around his age run up to her.
'WHAT!?'
Hun Lian's mind became numb as he saw the Qi of Heaven and Earth bend around the boy, just like it did to him!
The boy, under Hun Lian's astonished gaze, arrived in front of Cui Zan and said
"Sister Zan. I heard that you were injured while handling a fight in the market yesterday. Do you need help in treating your injury? I have learned this new technique which can easily resolve your pain!"
"No, Brother Han Yan. It was just a sprain which had healed yesterday itself after taking a recovery pill. You need not worry."
Seeing this interaction, Hun Lian's mind started running at a million miles per hour
'WHAT THE F#CK!!! How is there another protagonist!? Am I not the protagonist anymore? Are there other Protagniost in this world!? But they didn't exist in the original timeline!?
If..If any of them takes a treasure or woman meant for me, then…..No!'