A short while later, Tian Shaou, his face a mask of serene authority, raised his hand.
Immediately, a hush fell over the courtyard, the bustling disciples falling silent as if an invisible force had gripped them. Eyes turned towards him in unison, their movements stilled, breaths held in anticipation. His subtle gesture alone commanded their unwavering attention.
He withdrew a small, intricately carved jade pendant from his robes, its surface shimmering with a faint, ethereal light.
As he held it aloft, the pendant pulsed with a vibrant energy, the air around them crackling with anticipation. The jade warmed, the light intensifying, expanding outwards until it enveloped the entire courtyard in a soft, golden glow. The disciples gasped, their eyes wide with awe as a magnificent vessel materialized before them, its form shimmering like a mirage before solidifying into a grand, celestial ship, its sleek hull crafted from polished jade and gleaming hardwoods, its sails woven from moonlight and shadow.
Tian Shou gestured towards the ship, his voice ringing out over the assembled disciples. "Behold, the Lotus Wind! Crafted from the finest jade and blessed woods, it is a symbol of our sect's skill and spiritual strength." He paused, allowing the disciples a moment to take in the vessel. Its decks were adorned with the carvings of blooming lotuses, symbols of prosperity, and what looked like protective charms. Every inch of this ship spoke to the legacy of the Skyward Lotus Sect.
Streamers of colored silk, woven with protective formations, fluttered from the masts, their vibrant greens and blues a splash of color against the azure sky. The air around the ship hummed with a gentle energy, a subtle vibration that resonated deep within the disciples' cores, and as they watched, a hush fell over the sect members, all other sounds fading into the background as if in deference to the majestic vessel.
The lower-stage disciples, Tian Hao among them, stared in openmouthed wonder, their earlier excitement replaced by a sense of awe, the sight far more impressive than anything they had ever witnesed, their usual chatter replaced by hushed whispers of admiration, each detail a testament to the sect's power and prestige—a power they were now part of. Even Yu Xian and Wei Lo, seasoned Core Disciples, couldn't help but admire the Lotus Wind, its grandeur a symbol of the heights they aspired to reach.
Jiuwei, however, perched precariously on Tian Hao's shoulder, let out a small, dismissive snort, her tiny nose twitching with disdain. "Is this it?" she quipped, her voice laced with sarcasm. "I've seen grander vessels crafted from starlight and propelled by the breath of celestial dragons. This… is merely adequate." She flicked her tail irritably. "Though I suppose it's better than walking."
Tian Hao chuckled, rolling his eyes at her ever-present arrogance despite her current diminutive form. "Easy for you to say, Your Majesty."
With a final gesture from Tian Shou, a shimmering ramp extended from the Lotus Wind, connecting the vessel to the courtyard.
The disciples, their earlier awe giving way to a range of excitement and nervous anticipation, began to board, their footsteps echoing softly on the polished wooden decks.
Tian Hao, Lin Mei, Fatty Wu, and Jiuwei found themselves near the bow, the wind whipping through their hair as the ship slowly ascended, the ground falling away beneath them, the sect buildings shrinking into the distance.
The Lotus Wind itself was a marvel of cultivation ingenuity. It moved with an effortless grace that defied its size. Runes, carved into the wooden decks, pulsed with a gentle light, a subtle hum of energy resonating through the vessel, a constant reminder of the power that held them aloft.
As the Lotus Wind reached its full height, a shimmering, almost imperceptible barrier began to form along the edges of the ship. It started as a faint glimmer, like the first light of dawn catching the morning mist, before gradually thickening into a dome of crystal-clear energy. The protective barrier wrapped itself snugly around the ship, sealing them away from the raw force of the wind. With a low hum, the barrier solidified, and the turbulence vanished, leaving only the sound of the ship's gentle creaking and the rhythmic pulse of the runes.
The Lotus Wind surged forward, accelerating smoothly towards the East, slicing through the air as if carried on invisible currents, propelled by an unseen yet undeniable force.
Tian Hao, finally able to get a clear picture of the local area from this vantage point, was amazed. The sect appeared to be situated on a rough plateau surrounded by forested hills, which stretched out in all directions. A shimmering lake, like a fallen shard of the sky, glistened in the distance. All this he had seen from the ground, but from up here, the scale of it was breathtaking.
"Well, this is… something," Fatty Wu remarked, his round face beaming with delight as he gazed at the landscape unfolding beneath them, a patchwork of green and brown dotted with the occasional shimmer of a lake or river.
The world stretched out below, a carpet woven with forests, mountains, and winding rivers, each detail becoming clearer as they climbed higher and higher into the azure expanse. "I've never flown on a spirit-powered vessel before. It's far more luxurious than I expected. Especially compared to walking." He gave Tian Hao a pointed look, a playful jab at his recent arduous journey.
Tian Hao chuckled, nudging Fatty Wu playfully. "Indeed, Fatty Wu. Perhaps I should request a spirit-powered palanquin for our next… training expedition."
His gaze looked back over the landscape, drawn to the largest features in sight.
"The Jade Serpent Mountains," he murmured, pointing west towards the jagged peaks visible in the distance, a shiver running down his spine as he remembered his ordeal. "I'm never going back there again."
Lin Mei, following his gaze, nodded. "Indeed. The Jade Serpent Outpost lies hidden amongst those peaks, a strategic location for gathering rare herbs and monitoring the western border. Beyond those mountains," she added, her voice dropping slightly, "lies the territory of the Iron Talon Sect. Their influence stretches far, spanning the western ranges from the southern foothills to the northern sea. They are a formidable force, known for their… pragmatic approach to cultivation. Let's just say, they're not as concerned with honor and tradition as we are."
Tian Hao shivered again, but now the trepidation he felt was not about the spirit beasts and warped rabbits he'd faced, but something far more unsettling. He remembered the strange tension between Lin Mei and Baihu. Could it be connected?
He turned to her, his voice filled with curiosity, "And what about the other sects? Where are they located?"
Lin Mei gave a small, noncommittal nod, her gaze distant for a moment. "Indeed," she murmured, then quickly changed the subject. "To the southeast, beyond the Whispering Woods and across the Golden Plains, lies the territory of the Golden Feather Sect." She pointed towards a distant cluster of shimmering golden pagodas, barely visible on the horizon, glinting in the sunlight like miniature beacons.
"Ah, the Golden Feather Sect. Known for their… extravagant displays of wealth and power," Tian Hao remarked, recalling the arrogant disciples he'd encountered at the feast.
Lin Mei nodded. "And to the southwest, nestled amidst the Volcanic Peaks, lies the domain of the Blazing Sun Sect." She gestured towards a distant range of mountains, their peaks wreathed in smoke, the air above them shimmering with heat.
Tian Hao recalled the intensity in Elder Fang's eyes. "Fire cultivators," he muttered. "Intense. Not my cup of tea."
"So, we're surrounded," Tian Hao muttered, a hint of unease creeping into his voice. He pointed north. "What's that glimmer in the far distance? Is that water?"
Lin Mei nodded. "Indeed. To the north, across the Azure Sea, lies the Azure Mist Sect," Lin Mei continued, pointing towards a vast expanse of shimmering blue that stretched as far as the eye could see, its surface dotted with small islands, each one crowned with a cluster of elegant, mist-shrouded pavilions. "Their cultivation techniques are said to be as elegant and refined as their surroundings. We know you've had a taste of that." She laughed lightly.
Tian Hao, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, felt a surge of excitement. The world, once confined to the narrow boundaries of the Skyward Lotus Sect, now stretched out before him, vast and full of possibilities. Somewhere to the North, on one of those little dots of islands, was Zhao Fei. He briefly wondered how she was, and if she had been punished as well for that night of pleasure.
"And to the east?" he asked, his voice filled with a sense of wonder, "What lies beyond those rolling hills?"
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the landscape. "That, Tian Hao," she said, her voice carrying a hint of warmth, "is where we're headed. Skyveil City. A bustling metropolis, a hub of trade and cultivation, a melting pot of cultures and traditions. It's a place where fortunes are made and broken, where alliances are forged and betrayals whispered in the shadows."
She turned to Tian Hao, a playful glint in her eyes. "It's a place where a young master like you could either thrive… or get himself into a lot of trouble."
Tian Hao grinned, the thrill of the unknown outweighing his apprehension. He looked towards Skyveil City. "Trouble, you say? Now you're speaking my language."
He paused, looking out towards the vast landscape around them, a sudden realization hitting him—everything beyond these main sects, and even what lay between them, was unknown to him. The world, he was starting to understand, was far larger, and far more complex, than he had ever imagined. This was something he would have to fix.
His gaze returned to Skyveil City in the east, his heart filled with a strange amalgum of excitement and trepidation, a reminder of how much he had to learn, but also of how much there was to experience. This conclave, he decided, was not just an opportunity to prove himself; it was a chance to explore a world he barely knew—the next step on his own unique journey.
He glanced at Jiuwei, who now seemed less annoyed and more intrigued by the vastness before them. Her tiny paws tapped lightly on his shoulder, her golden eyes gleaming—as if she were already planning her own escapades.
He turned back to Lin Mei, a playful glint in his eyes.
"Well, Mei Mei," he began, his voice laced with a newfound confidence, "let's just hope this 'conclave' can live up to the hype. After all," he added, his gaze drifting towards the horizon, a world of possibilities opening before him, "I have a reputation to uphold."
"Just imagine the feasts we'll have in Skyveil City, Young Master!" Fatty interjected, clearly having been thinking of this for some time.
"They say the markets there are overflowing with exotic ingredients – rare spirit herbs, celestial fruits, and meats from beasts whose power rivals even Baihu."
Lin Mei, however, her gaze fixed on the horizon, a flicker of worry in her eyes, couldn't share their carefree excitement. The weight of the Iron Talon Sect's demands, Baihu's cryptic warning, and Tian Hao's cluelessness—these burdens pressed heavily on her mind, overshadowing the majestic scenery with the growing dread of what might come.
"Don't get too comfortable," she said, her voice carrying a sharp edge, and an underlying tension that made the words more pointed than she'd intended.
"There are other dangers… besides bland rations and blisters." Her words, though aimed at Tian Hao and Fatty Wu, seemed directed more at herself, a quiet mantra against the fear that coiled within her heart.
Jiuwei, perched on the railing, narrowed her golden eyes slightly. Her tail swished back and forth in a measured cadence, as though she, too, sensed the unspoken anxieties lurking beneath the surface of their lighthearted banter.
"Danger? What kind of danger would possibly—," her dismissive tone was cut off by a sudden, violent shudder of the ship, her small body flung off the railing and against Tian Hao by the impact.