Chapter 1: The Mysterious Arrival on the Floating Island
The girl soared through the sky, her sword carrying her through the wind as the three Golden Core cultivators pursued. She was bleeding, her body trembling with every step. Her breathing was shallow, and her vision blurred from the blood loss.
One of the pursuers laughed, "You can't escape! We'll catch you eventually!"
Her heart pounded in her chest, her thoughts frantic. I can't die here... She gasped, forcing herself to push forward. But her body was slowing down.
Suddenly, before she could react, a strange rip in space appeared ahead of her. It swirled, distorting the surroundings. One moment she was flying across the vast ocean, and the next, the ocean disappeared, replaced by an endless sky, and a massive floating island in the distance.
The girl's heart skipped a beat, but she had no time to think. The last thing she saw before she collided with the trees was the enormous island, hidden from the world's eyes.
She crashed through the branches and tumbled to the ground, her body wracked with pain. With her remaining strength, she forced her eyes to stay open, but everything around her was a blur. Then, a group of thirty-six figures surrounded her, their powerful presences radiating through the air.
One of them, a tall man, knelt down and spoke in a calm but authoritative voice. "Who is she?"
"She's badly injured. She must have been fleeing from someone," another said, his voice full of concern.
The girl opened her mouth to speak, but her voice came out weak and strained. "I... I was running... from them."
"Who?" a woman in the group asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
"They... were too strong," the girl whispered, pain overwhelming her. "I couldn't... escape."
A man stepped forward, his aura radiating a powerful presence. "She's not one of us. She appeared out of nowhere."
---
In the grand hall of the Supreme Celestial Sect, Zhang Xian, the Sect Master, sat on his elevated seat, his eyes gazing at the disciples who brought the injured girl to him. His mind was focused, yet there was a hint of curiosity as he looked at the newcomer.
"Master, we found her near the borders of the island. She says she was being chased by Golden Core cultivators," one of his disciples reported, kneeling respectfully.
Zhang Xian rose from his seat, his robes flowing with the motion, and his expression calm but commanding. "Bring her before me."
The girl, still unconscious, was gently carried into the hall. The disciples laid her down before Zhang Xian, who studied her with a deep, thoughtful gaze. She was a young woman, perhaps in her early twenties, with delicate features, but her body was marked by the toll of her flight and injuries.
"Tell me, how did you enter my sect?" Zhang Xian asked, his voice low and steady.
The girl stirred, slowly regaining consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw the thirty-seven cultivators standing around her, all radiating immense power. She winced as pain coursed through her body but managed to sit up. She glanced at Zhang Xian, confusion in her eyes.
"I... I don't know," she said weakly. "It just... happened."
Zhang Xian's eyes gleamed with a mixture of intrigue and amusement. His lips curled into a faint smile. "You're safe now. But your arrival is no coincidence."
One of the disciples nearby spoke up, "Master, what should we do with her?"
Zhang Xian walked around her, his footsteps echoing through the hall. "We'll find out what brought her here. For now, she's under our protection. Treat her injuries."
The girl could only nod, her head spinning. She had no idea where she was, and the presence of these cultivators was overwhelming. She had never seen anyone so powerful before, and she instinctively knew that they were far beyond her cultivation level.
As Zhang Xian turned to leave, he paused for a moment and glanced back at the girl. His voice, soft yet firm, reached her ears.
"Welcome to the Supreme Celestial Sect."
(End of Chapter 1)