Feng Lun had mentioned that these three days were free for Jiang Yun and the others, and indeed, no one had come to disturb them. However, during this time, Jiang Yun spent most of his days practicing in his room and didn't venture out much.
This group of outer disciples were generally around twenty years old. Moving to a new environment naturally brought about some novel feelings. Even Li Dadan had abandoned his usual self-discipline and spent these three days running around all over the place.
But not everyone was like that. Wang Kaihai, for instance, was an individual with strong self-discipline. He maintained a regular routine: practicing swordsmanship for an hour in the morning, secluding himself in his room at noon, and emerging only at night, allowing himself only half an hour of rest.
Jiang Yun would encounter Wang Kaihai when he came out to practice his boxing in the morning. However, the two of them wouldn't converse; they practiced independently. After observing for three days, Jiang Yun deduced that Wang Kaihai's sword technique emphasized speed, quick but lacking a bit in technique. Of course, this assessment was made based on Jiang Yun's keen perception.
On this particular day, the group of outer disciples had already gathered early. Led by an inner disciple, they ascended the mountain to hold the initiation ceremony.
Tianjian Peak soared into the sky. Apart from specific training locations, ordinary people wouldn't ascend all the way to the peak. The sect's palace complex was constructed halfway up the mountain, and the initiation ceremony would take place on a square at that elevation.
The path from the mountain's base to the mid-mountain square was composed of layers of stone steps. Despite these outer disciples being martial artists, they were panting and red-faced by the time they reached the square, due to the thousands of steps' distance.
Only Jiang Yun and Wang Kaihai displayed no change in their expressions. Their breathing remained steady, contrasting with the others' gasping and hastened breaths.
Li Dadan and Zhou Ziyue, on the other hand, seemed slightly worse off in comparison. While their breathing remained regular, their faces had reddened, indicating they were feeling the strain.
As they reached the mid-mountain square, Jiang Yun couldn't help but admire Tianjian Sect's foresight. From the very beginning of initiation, the sect placed trials at every step. The three days of relaxation were intended to reveal the extent of their inertia. Regardless of being martial artists or swordsmen, a person's laziness would greatly hinder their progress.
The path of thousands of stone steps served as a trial for these individuals. Climbing a mountain was much like running long distances. Short bursts of energy were not difficult to achieve; the real challenge was in maintaining a steady pace based on one's physical condition. In the realm of swordsmanship, there were many who displayed astonishing talent and rapid progress, but not all of them would end up being the ones who laughed last. Only by progressing one step at a time could one truly stay on the right path.
The usual behavior of these individuals will determine the extent of Tianjian Sect's investment in their cultivation. However, most of them are not yet self-aware. Based on Jiang Yun's observations over the past few days, besides himself, Wang Kaihai appeared to be performing the best. Following him were Li Dadan, Zhou Ziyue, and Yang Jinyan.
After nearly an hour, the group finally arrived at the shimmering square. This wide expanse was divided by a grand archway beyond the square, bearing the three characters "Tian Jian Zong" (Heavenly Sword Sect) in bold, silvered lettering that exuded a commanding presence.
In the center of the square stood an incense burner, which divided the square into distinct high and low sections. At the highest point were the sect's headmaster and the other leading figures.
Below the stone steps were the core strength of Tianjian Sect—second-generation disciples serving as the main force. On the next tier were the third-generation disciples, the newly emerging strength. Among them were inner disciples and some core disciples.
Jiang Yun and his fellow outer disciples weren't yet considered official members of Tianjian Sect. Only after the Great Examination in a year's time could they formally become part of the sect, and be included in the sect's roster.
After three days of interaction, Zhou Ziyue had seemingly become the leader among the outer disciples. Besides Li Dadan, who resolutely stood by Jiang Yun, and Wang Kaihai, who showed disdain towards everyone, the others gathered around Zhou Ziyue.
The bell rang, and everyone fell silent. Then, the headmaster began to speak. These speeches weren't much different from those Jiang Yun had heard from leaders in his past life. In the end, the speeches were so soporific that even Jiang Yun hadn't retained much.
Once the headmaster finished speaking, the other leading figures began their speeches—more empty words. It wasn't until an hour later that all the leaders had finished speaking and the formal proceedings began.
They discussed how the time of the outer disciples would be arranged: second-generation disciples would teach every seven days, and there would be a lecture from a leading figure once a month. Apart from these arrangements, the rest of their practice schedule depended on self-discipline. Compared to Jiang Yun's previous university life, it was even more relaxed.
Apart from teaching, the sect also offered benefits to the outer disciples. They would receive a Body-Refining Pill every seven days and there would be a monthly assessment that also rewarded Body-Refining Pills.
Tianjian Sect's benefits were exhilarating to hear. Even in the mundane world, obtaining a Body-Refining Pill once a month was already the limit, even for someone as privileged as Zhou Ziyue. However, Tianjian Sect distributed them every seven days. It had to be said that Tianjian Sect was a grand and magnanimous institution.
Even Jiang Yun was a bit excited. With the aid of the Body-Refining Pills, he could undoubtedly shorten the time needed to cultivate the third stage of the Nine Li Divine Technique. This also meant that the seal on his sword power could be broken sooner.
Initially, Jiang Yun had planned to keep a low profile and hide his strength. However, hearing that the person who ranked first in each monthly assessment would be rewarded with three extra Qi-Refining Pills, he changed his mind.
After these announcements, the initiation ceremony was officially concluded. After the headmaster and the leading figures left, the second-generation disciples followed suit. Jiang Yun and the others were led to their future accommodations.
Compared to the simple lodgings at the base of the mountain, the lodgings arranged for the outer disciples halfway up were of better quality. Neat bedding and a set of furniture were provided—though not luxurious, they provided the essentials.
While Jiang Yun was tidying up his room, Lu Yao came to visit. However, upon seeing the current appearance of Lu Yao, Jiang Yun couldn't help but feel a bit dazed, because the Lu Yao at this moment was actually dressed in women's clothing.
Wearing a long skirt and with her hair cascading down, Lu Yao appeared slightly different from the spirited Lu Yao that Jiang Yun had met in Qingyang Cave. Now, she exuded a touch of the gentle femininity that was unique to women.
"Ha-ha!"
Seeing Jiang Yun's bewildered expression, Lu Yao burst into laughter. Unlike other girls who might use their hands to cover their laughter, she laughed openly, revealing her bright, white teeth.
"What's wrong? Don't recognize me?"
Jiang Yun snapped back to reality and looked at the present Lu Yao. Suddenly, he recalled the mural in Qingyang Cave and understood why Lu Yao had gone there.
Lu Yao bore a striking resemblance to the woman depicted in the Qingyang Cave mural. That mural was likely an image of the wife of the Qingyang Martial Ancestor. Previously, she had been dressed as a man, and Jiang Yun hadn't connected the two together. However, now that she was back in women's clothing, it all made sense to Jiang Yun. Lu Yao's visit to Qingyang Cave was likely just a way for her to pay her respects to her parents.