Tianjian Sect is located in the Tianjian Mountain Range, three hundred kilometers away from Wuan City. Leading a group of inner disciples and these newly enrolled outer disciples, Feng Lun journeyed for two days before finally returning to the sect's entrance.
Tianjian Sect was nestled within the main peak of the Tianjian Mountain Range. The protective mountain formation was grand and imposing, as if a hundred-mile-long ribbon was draped outside the sect's gate, blocking the way like a formidable barrier. The thick mist lowered visibility, and at the cool pavilion near the sect's entrance, Feng Lun used a specific technique to ring the warning bell inside the pavilion.
After a cup of tea, the protective mountain formation of Tianjian Peak opened a ten-meter-wide opening. The mist gradually dispersed, leaving the group of outer disciples in awe.
Upon the formation's opening, the scene inside was a stark contrast to the desolate autumn colors outside the valley. Inside the formation, the foothills of Tianjian Peak were a vibrant spring scene.
Peach blossoms were in full bloom at the base of the mountain, and the scent of flowers wafted out from the formation, refreshing the senses. Jiang Yun couldn't help but marvel at the miraculous protective mountain formation.
Leading the group, Feng Lun guided them through the formation, officially stepping into Tianjian Peak. Only then did Jiang Yun get a full view of the scene at the foothills. Everywhere was covered in blossoming peach trees, and a babbling brook wound its way down from the mountaintop, presenting a somewhat idyllic paradise.
Behind the peach forest were rows of neatly arranged thatched houses. Feng Lun informed everyone, "Starting from today, you are all members of Tianjian Sect. The foothills are the residence of outer disciples. You can choose any room you like. In three days, you will undergo the initiation ceremony as directed by the elder of the sect."
"In other words, these three days are the last days you can enjoy freely. After the initiation ceremony, all outer disciples will receive unified guidance. This is crucial for whether you will become inner disciples six months later. As for the specific rules, you will find them in the books provided in your rooms."
Around thirty outer disciples listened respectfully to Feng Lun's instructions. He scanned all of them, pausing a little longer on a few individuals he paid closer attention to.
This batch of outer disciples generally had good aptitude. Besides Jiang Yun, there were four or five others who stood out.
Two of them were from the last group that went through the third assessment with Jiang Yun. One was a young man dressed in dark red silk who liked to lightly wave a folding fan. His name was Zhou Ziyue, the son of an official from Wuan City. Despite being raised in privilege, his talent was exceptional. At a young age, he was already a third-level martial artist in the Elemental Martial Realm.
The other was a cold and composed young man in white named Wang Kaihai. He came from a family of modest means, a merchant family. However, his talent was exceptionally high. Besides Jiang Yun, he was the one who displayed the deepest comprehension of swordsmanship among this batch. At the second level of the Elemental Martial Realm, he was undoubtedly not inferior to Zhou Ziyue.
Li Dadan was another person Feng Lun considered important. While his talent was slightly inferior to Zhou and Wang, he possessed a resolute character. He might be the type to make up for his shortcomings through diligence, making him a promising candidate.
Then, there were two individuals who were slightly less impressive than the three previously mentioned but better than the others. One was named Yang Jinyan, the other was Jin Hong. Both were young people in their twenties. This group could be said to be the most promising among the outer disciples. Of course, nothing in life is absolute, and whether they succeed ultimately depends on themselves.
Feng Lun looked on with satisfaction, feeling a bit proud as well. Even just with Jiang Yun alone, this batch of outer disciples could be considered a successful completion of his mission. Such a sword technique prodigy was truly worthy of cultivation by Tianjian Sect.
Not to mention, Zhou, Wang, and Li were also rarely seen promising talents. In short, the aptitude of this batch of outer disciples was much higher than previous years, and there were more candidates worth nurturing.
After conveying a few points of attention to Jiang Yun and the group, Feng Lun returned to report to the higher-ups on the mountain. Jiang Yun and the others began to search for suitable rooms for lodging.
Li Dadan goes without saying; among these people, Jiang Yun is relatively close to him in terms of relationships. Others look down on him due to the disparity in their social status and positions, which won't change easily for a while.
However, many witnessed the battle between Jiang Yun and Wan Yankun. These individuals didn't dare to provoke Jiang Yun. Initially, some wanted to establish a connection with him, but after seeing Jiang Yun's indifferent attitude, they all chose to keep their distance.
After selecting his room, Jiang Yun unexpectedly received a visit from Zhou Ziyue instead of Li Dadan. Zhou Ziyue entered the room and clasped his fists in salute, saying, "Brother Jiang, from now on, we are fellow disciples. I hope Brother Jiang can give me guidance in the future, and we can help each other."
Jiang Yun didn't have much patience for pleasantries with Zhou Ziyue. After entering that mysterious state last night, he had faintly discovered a way to unlock the seal on his sword power. With an impatient tone, he nodded and made a sound of agreement, then asked, "Do you have anything else?"
Zhou Ziyue's face turned awkward. He hadn't expected Jiang Yun to dismiss him so quickly. He could only laugh it off to cover his embarrassment. After exchanging a few casual words, he said, "Then I'll take my leave. I won't disturb you, Brother Jiang."
Jiang Yun still nodded without showing any intention of forming a connection with Zhou Ziyue. Zhou Ziyue had no choice but to exit Jiang Yun's room, feeling bitter as he closed the door. Once the door was shut, his humility disappeared entirely, replaced by a trace of resentment. Jiang Yun's refusal to give him face dealt a significant blow to his pride.
After Zhou Ziyue left, Li Dadan chatted with Jiang Yun for a few more sentences. However, Li Dadan was more tactful. Seeing that Jiang Yun wasn't inclined to engage in conversation, he quickly took his leave.
After seeing off Li Dadan, Jiang Yun closed the door, sat cross-legged on the bed, and furrowed his brows as he pondered for a long while before gradually calming his mind.
Activating the Nine Li Divine Technique, Jiang Yun entered an introspective state. After several cycles of energy circulation, as spiritual energy passed through his dantian, there was a slight response from the imprisoned sword power within his dantian. It made a minuscule impact on the imprisoned spiritual energy.
Jiang Yun felt a surge of joy. As long as his sword power was still active, it was a positive sign for him.
After a long while, Jiang Yun opened his eyes. He wasn't sure whether to feel happy or frustrated. He was happy because he had finally found a method to break the seal.
Ultimately, the root cause of Jiang Yun's initial possession was the imbalance of power within his body. His sword power was too overwhelming, and the physical strength of the Nine Li Divine Technique couldn't counteract it. The enigmatic middle-aged man had seen through this and used his own true essence to seal the sword power, pulling Jiang Yun out of his possession.
The method Jiang Yun wanted to use to break the seal was to achieve a balance between the power of the Nine Li Divine Technique and the sword power, allowing them to counteract each other. As long as the power of the Nine Li Divine Technique could match that of the sword power, the true essence left inside Jiang Yun's body would be broken open when they clashed. Of course, this was the original intention of the middle-aged man.
However, what frustrated Jiang Yun was that his sword power had already reached the strength of around the first level of the Elemental Martial Realm. If he wanted to break the seal on his sword power, he would need at least the cultivation level of the first level of the Elemental Martial Realm. In other words, he needed to reach the third stage of the Nine Li Divine Technique.
But currently, Jiang Yun was only at the second stage and the fifth level. To reach the third stage would take about a year of cultivation. This meant that for the upcoming year, Jiang Yun might not be able to use his sword power.
Fortunately, Jiang Yun had a proactive personality and embraced challenges. This situation only solidified his determination, and he clenched his fist, silently saying to himself, "Strive, struggle."