"I heard she’s incredibly gifted; Elder Dantai took her on as a direct disciple on the spot."
"That has to be a rumor. If her talent were truly that great, it’s impossible she wouldn't have obtained a single treasure from the Treasure Pavilion."
"Nianchu is very talented—better than I am," Liu Rushuang’s weak voice chimed in again.
It was precisely this attitude of hers that made the others even more skeptical.
"Master, they are slandering you. Aren't you going to do something about it?" The Phoenix, seeing its master being talked about in such a way, became anxious.
"I need these rumors to spread as quickly as possible," Song Nianchu replied, unfazed.
When she was tested, she had shown a three-element affinity. Such talent was considered quite impressive in any sect. If word of it got out, it was hard to say how other sects might react. Some might try to recruit her, but if she refused, they might choose to eliminate her instead. She didn't believe the Nine Stars Sect was without rivals. If they didn't want the Nine Stars Sect to have a three-element disciple, sending someone to assassinate her would be a perfectly logical move. This was exactly why she was letting Liu Rushuang act as she pleased for now.
"Master, tell me what this is all about," the Phoenix asked, feeling curious.
"Liu Rushuang doesn't want me to succeed, and she certainly doesn't want others to know about my talent. She tries to cover it up whenever she can, and I need her to do just that so I don't become a living target," Song Nianchu explained patiently to her spirit pet.
The Phoenix had only recently gained its intelligence. Although it possessed ancestral memories, they were only returning bit by bit. Hearing these words from her master, it slowly began to understand. Even so, seeing others continue to slander its master still left the Phoenix feeling bitter.
Song Nianchu had no intention of causing trouble for Liu Rushuang right now. She let her continue to jump around and stir the pot. She could already guess that Liu Rushuang would do her best to smear her reputation, trying to make it impossible for her to remain in the sect. Unfortunately for her, Liu Rushuang was destined to be disappointed.
Soon, a middle-aged man in white robes walked in.
"Everyone, I am your instructor for today. My surname is Cai, and you may call me Teacher Cai." After his introduction, he asked the disciples to stand up one by one and introduce themselves.
When Song Nianchu introduced herself, Teacher Cai gave her an extra glance. Since they were all direct disciples, the lecture would naturally cover the sect's structure and the most basic coursework. The sect consisted of various professional paths, such as alchemy, swordsmanship, talismans, and Formation, among others.
Today’s lecture focused on the fundamentals of swordsmanship and cultivation. Regardless of one’s chosen path, strength was always built through rigorous cultivation. However, those dedicated solely to swordsmanship put all their focus into their training, whereas those who studied other skills alongside it tended to be slightly weaker in raw power.
The teacher also covered the sect’s Forbidden Land, the Cultivation Rooms, and the rules for accessing them. Some direct disciples who had entered previously had failed to understand these rules and had been sent back to relearn them. They only had one chance; if they failed again, they would be demoted to Inner Disciples.
Direct disciples were subject to assessments. If they didn't meet the standards, they would be demoted. Being a direct disciple didn't mean they could just sit back and relax. Of course, there were some like Tantai Xu, who were extremely strict when taking on disciples, making the chance of them demoting their students to Inner Disciples very low. However, most elders, if their students showed no progress, were willing to demote them to protect their own reputations.
"Next, I will take you to visit the various lecture halls and cultivation sites within the sect..." Teacher Cai finished speaking and gestured for the direct disciples to follow him outside.
He diligently went over the sect's rules once more, including the requirement to participate in a sparring competition once every three months.
"Teacher Cai, what kind of content do these competitions involve?" Liu Rushuang’s soft voice asked.
"Swordsmanship, alchemy, and the others all have their own specific tests," Teacher Cai explained. "For swordsmanship, we check your cultivation progress every three months; for alchemy, it’s an examination based on what you’ve learned, and the same goes for other skills."
"Generally speaking, what are the rewards or punishments for these competitions?" another direct disciple asked. Song Nianchu noticed it was one of the disciples who had joined at the same time as them.
"The top three receive various rewards, while the bottom three, or those who fall far short of expectations, receive a minor demerit," Teacher Cai glanced at the group. "Three minor demerits, and you are sent back to relearn the basics."
Some of the disciples walking at the back blushed upon hearing this. They were the ones who had been demoted back for further study after receiving their demerits.
"What if we still can't pass after relearning?" a disciple asked.
"You will be demoted to Inner Disciples," Teacher Cai looked at them and sighed. "That is why I hope you will take your cultivation seriously."
Those who could become direct disciples were rarely lacking in talent, but many were not truly committed to their cultivation, and some were even quite lazy. The Nine Stars Sect had been in decline for years, and if the disciples didn't apply themselves, it boded poorly for the sect’s future. Teacher Cai genuinely hoped these students would put more focus into their training. At that moment, he could never have guessed that Song Nianchu, standing not far behind him, would eventually trigger a fierce wave of "work yourself to death" intensity throughout the sect.
"Teacher Cai, please don't worry, we will definitely cultivate diligently," Liu Rushuang jumped in to make her presence known, as the other disciples were already accustomed to her doing. After all, who wouldn't like such a beautiful and gentle junior sister? Even those who had joined with her and initially thought Liu Rushuang was malicious were now, after a single night, doubting if there had been some misunderstanding regarding what Song Nianchu had said.
Seeing the expressions on their faces, a flash of smugness rose in Liu Rushuang’s heart, and she looked provocatively at Song Nianchu.
Song Nianchu didn't even give her a glance.
Liu Rushuang’s expression stiffened slightly. Something was wrong—Song Nianchu was acting very strangely. Could that Forbidden Land really turn a fool into someone smart? And yet, was the current Song Nianchu not vastly different from the one she used to know?
"Next, I will have you recite the mental cultivation method to steady your mind," Teacher Cai said, leading the group into a secret chamber.
The walls of the chamber were inscribed with basic versions of the mental cultivation method. Song Nianchu casually found a spot to sit and turned her gaze toward the text. Her ability to excel in the medical field in her past life had been aided by her photographic memory. A faint glance was enough for the mental cultivation method to imprint itself into her mind.
As she reviewed the text, she suddenly felt her cultivation realm loosen. She was stunned for a moment, thinking it was an illusion, but as she went through the text again…
*Ding!*
The sound of a breakthrough echoed. Teacher Cai, standing in the chamber, reflexively looked toward Song Nianchu. He was momentarily stunned to see her achieve a breakthrough so quickly. Can reciting a mental cultivation method trigger a breakthrough? Especially a basic version? In all his years in the sect, he had never encountered such a situation. Because of this, Teacher Cai paid significantly more attention to Song Nianchu for the rest of the day.
Beside her, Liu Rushuang’s expression turned sour. She hadn't even grasped the basics, yet Song Nianchu had already broken through.