"Elder, why are you taking them? They belong to the Unmoved Spirit Sect, do they not?"
A young disciple followed behind a mysterious elder with a puffy white beard. Mystical plants and animals surrounded them.
They were on a mountain.
"Tsk, tsk. Silly disciple, these two have already been through enough. The Unmoved Spirit Sect is under attack by the Demonic Sect, and the Council of the 5 Great Sects is already preparing to fight back.
"Every decade those demons wreak havoc around the world. In the chaos, many are forgotten. I doubt these two were even registered. So, let us help them; surely, they don't wish to travel to the Unmoved Spirit Sect's Headquarters, it's under attack! It will be much better if our Immortal Sect gets these children of fortune! They are a gift from the heavens!"
The disciple responded with a sense of shame, "Master, is our Immortal Sect going to steal two disciples from another Great Sect?"
"Nonsense! Do you wish to become an outer disciple again, silly boy!" The elder yelled.
Against the fury of the old elder, the disciple could do nothing but regret being chosen by such a master.
He could only sigh. "At least we saved them...."
The elder laughed, "Of course we did! Now, go check on them! They should be waking up now!"
The disciple hurriedly ran up the mountain while the elder gently stroked his beard.
"Haha! My Immortal Sect has gained two more geniuses! I'm glad we were in the vicinity! Who knew the compass left by my old Master worked? I thought the compass of fate was just a fake trinket he used to mess with me! Haha! My Immortal Sect will rise and prove our ways are superior to all others!"
The elder mischievously snickered while continuing his walk.
...
"Huh? Where am I?"
Cain woke up to the interior of what seemed to be a straw hut. The ground was made of dirt and there were only a few pieces of furniture in the small room.
"Ah! You're finally awake. I have already talked with your companion; she is training outside."
A young man was adding wood to the fire, boiling some sort of liquid in a pot. He had facial features that could only be said to be below average, but he gave off a peaceful and mature aura that negated any scornful thoughts of his appearance.
'A mixed-blood?'
Just by looking at him, Cain could tell the young man in front of him was of mixed blood. His skin was not tan at all, and his hair was blonde!
"You are a mixed-blood too?" Cain questioned, just to be sure.
The disciple looked up, "Ah, yes. Though I joined the sect at a young age, when I was brought to Master, he gave me the name Guang and let me keep my last name, Daniels."
"What a strange name."
Guang laughed, "I suppose so, but it's my name, so I like it. Anyway, follow me, and I'll bring you to your companion. She's currently cultivating; I already took the liberty to give her an improved Harnessing Technique."
Cain groaned as he sat up. He let his two feet press against the ground and pushed himself up. His fatigue remained.
Noticing this, Guang explained some things.
"You will still feel terrible; the medicine won't act for another hour. It's only been around half a day since we found you, so your body is still sore."
Cain nodded and followed Guang out of the hut.
As the animal hides that made the entrance were moved aside, Cain's eyes were filled with light. Before him was a mountain peak filled with life, clouds majestically called down the bright moon's glow and bathed the land with it. The wind brought along many strange creatures, and trees grew bountiful fruits monkeys would fight over.
He couldn't help but feel amazed. "We're on a mountain? The Head Disciple explained we were going to the Sect's headquarters, which is in a major city?"
"Oh....that.." Guang looked a bit embarrassed. "The thing is, your Sect is under attack by the Demonic Sect; this is pretty normal. It will be a few months before you can go there, but even if you do, you haven't been registered, so they might make you go through the recruitment again. During that time, you will still be considered a slave."
"One of the 5 Great Sects is under attack? Then which sect is this?"
Guang responded with pride, "This is also one of the Great 5 Sects, the Immortal Sect. We are currently on Blessings Peak. It is the Peak belonging to my Master."
Cain thoughtfully stared at the mountain before coming to a decision. "Can I meet your Master? He is the one who saved me and my companion, correct?"
Guang turned a little nervous. "He will meet you when the time is right. For now, let us meet your companion."
"Let us then." Cain was a bit disappointed.
...
At the edge of the mountain peak, Zoe inhaled and exhaled. She breathed in the air and exhaled black gas. Slowly, her Dantian glowed as the walls around it hardened and reinforced itself, allowing more Spiritual Qi to settle in it.
"Miss, I have brought your companion."
Opening her eyes, she looked behind her back to see the Disciple Guang and Cain approaching her.
"You've finally woke up. I didn't know you were so weak."
Sweat perspired on Cain's head, but he quickly regained his cool, coming up with a good excuse.
"Rest is always needed. I don't get to sleep much; I enjoy it a lot."
"Humph!"
She turned back to practicing her technique.
Guang saw this, and his mouth twitched.
"Uh...well, I suppose I should find Master? I don't know what to do now; I thought you two would have something to talk about...."
As Daniels started to panic, an aged lively voice echoed behind him. "Haha! No need, my apprentice, I am here. In addition, I have talked with the Sect Leader; these two can join if they wish!"
An old Elder with a white puffy beard flew down from the clouds on a giant leaf.
Cain glared at the Elder without fear. "Join? Aren't we a part of the Unmoved Spirit Sect? Are you poaching us?"
The Elder looked at Cain; he at first raised a brow before smiling.
"Haha! Poaching? My Immortal Sect would do no such thing! It is just you are not a part of the Unmoved Spirit Sect; the Disciple that was supposed to bring you in is dead, so you now have no prospecting sects!"
'This guy's twisting the truth; we're technically a part of the Unmoved Spirit Sect. That Jade the Head Disciple had not only had the purpose of alerting someone but I felt the Pure Energy ripple around me and Zoe. I'm pretty sure they marked us. Did this Elder remove the mark?'
Seeing the smug face of the Elder didn't change; Cain too adopted a wide grin.
"Is that so? Then why should we join your sect, mister? My companion and I are talents; we know as much. So unless you will give us great benefits, I'm sure the other sects would be glad to have us."
For a moment, the Elder's face froze. "Y-You.....boy, you're good at this! I like you already!
"I'll have you know my Immortal Sect is not only above the Unmoved Spirit Sect, but we have far more resources! I'll tell you now; my sect is very different from the others. We may cultivate the path of internal harnessing but also follow the path of immortals!"
"Immortals?" Cain asked.
The Elder enthusiastically shook his head. "Yes, we not only use our Spiritual Energy for holding Mystical Beasts and Spirits but also Immortal Techniques passed down since the beginning of time!
"And if it's resources and treasures you want, in our territory is the 500-mile mountain range! It is a place many Cultivators went to hide their inheritances before our sect took over that land. Now, our own Sect members go there when their times are up to leave their inheritances as well! Every few years we have Disciples who find remnants of some powerful master and soar!"
Mystical Beasts? Spirits? Inheritances? Immortal Techniques?
Cain's brain was overloaded! "Wait, wait! Slow down, old man. What is this Harnessing you speak of? And what are Immortal Techniques?"
The Elder snickered, "A frog at the bottom of a well! Let me expand your horizons, young one!
"Believe it or not, there are two paths of Harnessing, better known as Cultivation, Internal and External. Everyone uses them, but my Sect also has a great inheritance of our ancestors! Many old documents still exist; this is where our Immortal inheritance comes from! With such power, we can make the Earth shake and the Heavens cry!"