Outer Sect Disciple

The flying boat journeyed for several days, crossing tens of thousands of li before its speed finally tapered off.

Song Wen had anticipated the long voyage and stored ample rations in his Storage Bag beforehand, saving himself from the pangs of hunger.

The four mortals, however, were in a pitiful state. Shi Shou had not bothered to feed them, leaving them to endure days of absolute starvation. By now, they were on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.

In contrast, the arrogant youth had consumed nothing but a single pill at the start of the trip. Yet, he remained brimming with vitality, completely unaffected by the grueling journey.

"Could that be an Inedia Pill?"

Song Wen mused silently. He made no move to share his food with the starving youths.

Since Shi Shou had ignored their plight and given no orders to feed them, Song Wen had no intention of playing the benevolent savior. Until he understood their true standing and Shi Shou's ultimate intent, remaining inconspicuous was the wisest course of action.

Song Wen leaned over the deck, training his gaze on the massive mountain range unfolding below. Amidst the endless peaks, one mountain stood out with overwhelming prominence.

Its colossal form pierced the heavens, its summit lost entirely within the clouds, while its base stretched out so wide it defied the horizon.

Grand palaces and intricate pavilions clung to every precipice. This was the principal peak of the Corpse Demon Sect-Corpse Demon Mountain. The vast majority of the sect's disciples lived and cultivated upon its slopes.

Figures darted between the cliffs, and a few powerful cultivators could even be seen riding swords or taming spiritual beasts, gliding majestically through the sky.

Were it not for the gruesome human skulls decorating every rooftop and the thick, suffocating shroud of corpse qi drifting through the valleys, one might truly have mistaken it for an immortal paradise.

"We have arrived," Shi Shou announced.

He turned his gaze toward Song Wen. "Ji Yin, fetch some rations and water from your Storage Bag and distribute them."

Song Wen complied without a word, retrieving dry provisions and water skins to hand over to the four youths.

As the starving teenagers tore into the food like wild animals, Shi Shou spoke again, his voice carrying a chilling weight.

"From this day forth, the six of you are official disciples of our Corpse Demon Sect. Our lineage commands terrifying prestige throughout the demonic path. I expect you to adhere strictly to the sect rules, cultivate with diligence, and never squander this magnificent fated chance. Do not bring shame to our sect's grand name."

Song Wen's eyes narrowed slightly. Six of them?

Excluding Shi Shou, there were clearly seven individuals standing on the deck.

"Is that mute, terrifying man truly not alive? Is he nothing but a corpse?"

Shi Shou pressed down on the helm, guiding the flying boat down toward a sprawling stone plaza nestled at the base of the mountain.

The moment they stepped onto the solid stone ground, a man hurried forward to greet them.

"Elder Shi Shou, you have returned from the recruitment trial! Was the journey fruitful?" the man asked respectfully.

"Reasonably so. I have brought back six new disciples, all possessing Middle Grade spiritual roots."

Shi Shou gestured toward the arrogant youth.

"This boy is Wu Sheng. He has already reached the third layer of Qi Refining and practices our outer sect's Corpse Fiend Art. He is a descendant of one of our late disciples. Though his ancestors' cultivation was modest, they spilled blood for the sect in their time. Du Qiu, see to it that he receives proper care. We cannot have those hypocritical righteous sects slandering us for being entirely heartless and ungrateful."

Hearing this, Du Qiu secretly sneered. You must have accepted a massive bribe from his family. In our demonic sect,profit dictates everything, and camaraderie is nonexistent. Do we really need the righteous paths to slander us for that?

On the surface, however, he bowed lower. "Please rest assured, Elder Shi Shou. I will certainly look after Junior Brother Wu Sheng."

Shi Shou then gestured toward Song Wen, his lips moving silently as he transmitted a message through divine sense.

Du Qiu shot a curious glance at Song Wen, though he masked his expression so quickly it was barely perceptible.

"These greenhorns are your responsibility now. This old man is leaving!"

Without waiting for a reply, Shi Shou leaped into the air, stepping onto empty space as he soared into the upper reaches of the mountain.

Du Qiu turned to inspect the six youths, raising his voice to address them.

"Your talents are acceptable, each of you blessed with Middle Grade spiritual roots. Effective today, you are granted entry as outer sect disciples of the Corpse Demon Sect. If you can break through to the late stage of Qi Refining within six years, you may ascend to become inner sect disciples like myself. As for becoming a personal disciple to an Elder... that will depend entirely on your own luck and fate."

With a casual flick of his wrist, Du Qiu summoned six gray pouches into the air.

They floated precisely in front of each new disciple.

"Inside these Storage Bags, you will find your primary cultivation manual, standard robes, Spirit Stones, pills, and the sect decree. I strongly advise you to memorize the sect decree thoroughly, lest you violate a taboo without even realizing it."

"Move out. I shall escort you to the outer sect quarters."

Following closely behind Du Qiu, the group soon arrived before a long row of cave dwellings carved into the base of the mountain.

"Your Storage Bags contain the restriction tokens for your quarters. Match your token to the corresponding dwelling, and you may enter."

"I am Du Qiu, your inner sect Senior Brother. For the next month, I will oversee your integration and basic training. My residence is Cave Dwelling Yi-36, located halfway up the mountain. If you encounter true bottlenecks in your cultivation, you may seek me out there."

Du Qiu pointed toward a cluster of dilapidated wooden shacks a short distance away.

"Those are the quarters for the menial disciples. A communal dining hall is located there; you may frequent it to handle your daily meals."

"The Corpse Demon Sect does not tolerate dead weight. In one month, you will be formally assigned to various working halls. Make absolute use of these thirty days. The introductory layer of your manual must be mastered by then. Anyone who fails will be refined into a Living Corpse, destined to be driven as a mindless puppet for eternity."

His warning delivered, Du Qiu channeled his spiritual arts power and executed a basic flight technique, rising toward the mid-mountain tracks.

Yet, after ascending only a few zhang, his momentum faltered, and he dropped back down to the ground. He stared blankly at the four mortal youths.

"Ah, I forgot. You four have yet to cultivate a single shred of qi; you cannot even open a Storage Bag."

With a flick of his fingers, he fired four consecutive streaks of white light. The techniques struck the pouches held tightly by the four mortals.

Clatter!

Since the Storage Bags lacked any spiritual imprints, the technique forced them open instantly, dumping their contents onto the dirt.

Small jade bottles, five sparkling Spirit Stones, and two bound manuals spilled across the ground.

Song Wen's sharp eyes instantly caught the titles of the texts. All four mortals had received the Corpse Fiend Art-the exact same manual Shi Shou claimed Wu Sheng was practicing.

Having resolved the oversight, Du Qiu enacted his flight technique once more, catching the wind as he drifted upward. His flight was somewhat unsteady, appearing functionally identical to the speed Song Wen achieved whenever he utilized a common flight talisman. It was light-years apart from the blistering speed and absolute control of Shi Shou's sword riding.

The four mortals scrambled in a panic, desperately gathering their cultivation materials from the dirt. These meager items held the key to their survival. If they failed to reach the novice stage within a month, their fate was to become mindless walking corpses.

Watching Du Qiu's form shrink into the distance, Song Wen could not help but mock the arrangement in his mind.

The vertical distance from the mountain base to the inner sect dwellings was thousands of zhang.

For a rookie who had yet to master flight, ascending that height meant tackling a treacherous, winding cliffside path. It would take a grueling half-day climb just to reach Du Qiu's doorstep.

For the four uninitiated mortals, attempting that climb would be tantamount to suicide. A single misstep meant plunging to a gruesome death.

It was painfully obvious that Du Qiu had no desire to be bothered. He was leaving them entirely to their own devices.

Song Wen slipped his divine sense into his own Storage Bag, retrieving a palm-sized jade token.

Bing-12!

Matching the inscription on the token, he walked down the path, scanning the entrances until he located his assigned cave dwelling.

It was an excellent spot, situated perfectly within the central cluster of the outer sect sector.

The ambient Spiritual Qi here was remarkably dense, easily ranking it among the premium locations available to outer sect disciples.

Just as Song Wen stepped forward to unlock his new sanctuary, a harsh voice barked out from behind him.

"Hey! Ji Yin, you and I are swapping caves."

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