Elder Li swept his profound gaze over the battered Black-robed Man, letting out a cold snort. "Speak! Who sent you, and what is your purpose?"
Knowing that escaping with his life today was impossible, the Black-robed Man simply kept his mouth shut. Vicious glints flickered in his eyes as he glared fiercely at Zhong Yun.
"Stubborn fool!" Elder Li dismissed him, forming a hand seal that unleashed a fierce sword qi, cutting the Black-robed Man down on the spot.
After dealing with everything, Elder Li turned to Zhong Yun, a trace of appreciation in his eyes. "Zhong Yun, you've rendered a great service this time. Tell me, what reward do you want?"
Zhong Yun had already made up his mind. Neither humble nor pushy, he said, "This disciple only hopes to enter the inner sect to cultivate, enhance my strength, and serve the sect sooner."
Elder Li nodded in satisfaction. The kid was neither arrogant nor impatient; he was indeed a moldable talent. "Very well, I promise you! From this day forth, you are an inner sect disciple!"
As soon as these words were spoken, a chorus of gasps erupted all around. One had to understand that inner sect disciples were the future backbone of the sect, and only disciples with outstanding aptitude and formidable strength could enter.
For Zhong Yun, a mere menial disciple, to leap straight into becoming an inner sect disciple—how could it not invite envy, jealousy, and hatred?
In the crowd, Fatty Wang's face was flushed red with excitement, and his gaze towards Zhong Yun was filled with worship and admiration.
He knew that Zhong Yun's success was no accident, but something earned through his own hard work and wisdom.
Meanwhile, the usually ice-cold Shen Yao felt ripples stir within her beautiful eyes.
Watching the dazzling youth amidst the crowd, the inexplicable sentiment in her heart grew even more intense.
After becoming an inner sect disciple, Zhong Yun's life underwent a heaven-shaking transformation.
He no longer needed to perform those grueling menial tasks; instead, he possessed an independent cave dwelling and abundant cultivation resources.
He poured all his time into cultivation, and his realm advanced by leaps and bounds.
His extraordinary talent and comprehension gradually came to light, attracting the attention of quite a few inner sect elders.
Of course, Zhong Yun did not forget his friend. He frequently visited Fatty Wang, guiding his cultivation, and their bond grew even closer.
As for Shen Yao, Zhong Yun gradually developed different feelings in his heart as well.
He discovered that this seemingly aloof goddess actually had a gentle and kind side to her.
Through spending time together again and again, the distance between them narrowed, and their affection steadily grew warmer.
Finally, on a night when the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, Zhong Yun mustered up the courage to confess his feelings to Shen Yao.
Shen Yao did not speak; she simply looked quietly at Zhong Yun, a blush blooming across her cool, delicate face.
"I..."
Just as she was about to speak, Fatty Wang suddenly came running over in a breathless rush, a mix of anxiety and excitement on his face...
"Zhong Yun! Zhong Yun! Great news! Huge news!" Fatty Wang's voice arrived before he did, shattering the tranquil atmosphere.
Puffing and panting, he rushed up to Zhong Yun, his face flushed red with excitement, making him look just like a boiled crayfish.
"What is it? What could possibly make you this happy?" Seeing him in such a state, Zhong Yun couldn't help but smile warmly.
"Elder Li! Elder Li is..." Fatty Wang was so excited he was practically incoherent, taking a deep breath before continuing, "Elder Li said he wants to take me as his disciple! He's making me his personal disciple!"
"What?!" Zhong Yun and Shen Yao cried out in unison. They both knew that Elder Li was a renowned and formidable powerhouse within the sect; becoming his personal disciple was something countless people dreamed of.
"It's true! Elder Li said I fought bravely in this battle and have good talent, so he decided to make an exception and take me in!" Fatty Wang danced around in excitement, as if he could already foresee his future as a generation's powerhouse.
Zhong Yun felt genuinely happy for Fatty Wang. He knew Fatty Wang had always worked extremely hard, and now that he had finally won recognition, it was well deserved.
He patted Fatty Wang on the shoulder and smiled. "Fatty, congratulations! I knew you could do it!"
"Hehe, this is all thanks to you, Zhong Yun! If not for you, how would I have ever had the chance to shine?" Fatty Wang scratched his head and gave a simple, honest laugh.
Shen Yao also stepped forward to offer her congratulations. Receiving the goddess's blessing left Fatty Wang grinning from ear to ear.
From then on, Fatty Wang's life also underwent a drastic transformation.
He moved out of the menial disciples' quarters and into Elder Li's cave dwelling, beginning to receive orthodox cultivation guidance.
Elder Li paid close attention to this newly accepted disciple, not only imparting profound cultivation techniques but also constantly supervising his practice, causing Fatty Wang's cultivation realm to soar rapidly.
As for Zhong Yun, Elder Li poured even more effort into his nurturing.
Knowing that Zhong Yun's talent far surpassed Fatty Wang's, he believed the boy would undoubtedly become a pillar of the sect given time.
He passed on everything he had learned in his lifetime, teaching Zhong Yun more advanced cultivation techniques and skills while guiding him through various obstacles he encountered in his practice.
Under Elder Li's meticulous guidance, Zhong Yun's strength advanced by leaps and bounds, quickly surpassing his peers and even drawing the attention of several elders.
However, Zhong Yun did not grow arrogant or complacent because of this. He knew very well that the achievements he had attained now were merely an insignificant beginning—he still had a long way to go, and even more powerful enemies to face...
A year passed as swiftly as a white horse leaping past a crevice.
The once obscure menial disciple Zhong Yun had now risen to fame within the sect.
Not only was his cultivation talent startling, but what was even rarer was his extraordinary wisdom and strategic acumen.
There were often tricky problems within the sect that left even the elders at their wits' end.
Yet whenever such occasions arose, Zhong Yun always managed to offer brilliant, breath-taking solutions with his unique perspective and methods.
For instance, the spirit fields responsible for cultivating spiritual herbs for the sect had, for unknown reasons, experienced a daily dwindling of Spiritual Qi, causing the herbs to grow slowly and drop in quality, driving the elders frantic with anxiety.
After careful observation, Zhong Yun discovered the problem lay in the spirit field's formation. It turned out that the formation had fallen into disrepair over time, developing tiny cracks that caused Spiritual Qi to leak.
He cleverly improved the formation, not only sealing the Spiritual Qi leak but also enhancing the spirit field's efficiency in gathering Spiritual Qi, restoring the herbs to vitality and yielding a harvest greater than ever before.
Another example: the inner sect disciple examinations were imminent, but the elder in charge of the evaluations suddenly suffered an accident and could not preside over the grand event.
With the examination date drawing near, the entire sect fell into chaos. At that crucial moment, Zhong Yun stepped forward again. He volunteered himself and took on the heavy responsibility of presiding over the exams.
He formulated a fair, impartial, novel, and efficient examination plan, and relying on his own formidable strength and prestige, successfully completed the evaluation tasks, winning unanimous praise throughout the sect.
Following a series of events, Zhong Yun's status within the sect underwent a heaven-shaking transformation.
The elders looked at him in a brand-new light, regarding him as the rising star of the sect and placing high hopes on him.
The disciples were filled with admiration, viewing him as a role model and eagerly emulating his diligence and wisdom.
Yet Zhong Yun was not intoxicated by his immediate achievements. He understood that the path of cultivation was long and fraught with challenges, and he needed to keep striving to establish a foothold in this world where the strong ruled.
On this day, Zhong Yun came to the Scripture Pavilion as usual to peruse various ancient texts, hoping to draw more knowledge from them and elevate his cultivation.
Suddenly, his gaze was caught by an old, battered book in the corner. Its cover was severely damaged, and the title was heavily blurred, as if it had weathered countless years of baptism.
Curiosity drove Zhong Yun to open the ancient text. The pages were yellowed and the writing mottled, but he could faintly make out that it recorded information regarding an ancient ruin.
According to the descriptions in the book, hidden somewhere on this continent was a ruin left behind by an ancient mighty figure, containing countless treasures and powerful cultivation techniques, and perhaps even the legendary immortal artifacts!
Zhong Yun's heart pounded violently, and a strong premonition welled up in his mind. He knew his destiny would change because of this ancient book...
Zhong Yun closed the ancient book and took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.
An ancient ruin meant opportunity, but it also meant danger.
Knowing the gravity of the matter, he did not dare to be the least bit careless.
Returning to his quarters, Zhong Yun immediately summoned Fatty Wang and shared his discovery.
"What? An ancient ruin?" Fatty Wang's round face was plastered with shock. "Brother Zhong, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! When do we set off?"
Watching Fatty Wang's eager expression, Zhong Yun couldn't help but shake his head with a chuckle. "Fatty, do you think an ancient ruin is that easy to find? We need to plan this carefully."
"Right, right, right. Brother Zhong, you're right. We need to discuss this thoroughly." Fatty Wang scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.
Pondering for a moment, Zhong Yun said, "I plan to go consult Elder Li first. He knows more about these things and might be able to provide some help."
"Good, we'll listen to Brother Zhong." Fatty Wang nodded in agreement.
And so, Zhong Yun found Elder Li and told him about the ancient book. After listening, Elder Li furrowed his brow, fell deep into thought for a long time, and finally said slowly, "An ancient ruin is of great importance and cannot be approached rashly. How about this, I'll go ask the Sect Master and see what he says."
A few days later, Elder Li brought back the Sect Master's reply: permission was granted for Zhong Yun to go explore, but he had to bring elite disciples from the sect to ensure safety.
Zhong Yun had anticipated this and readily accepted the sect's arrangement. After some selection, five disciples were ultimately chosen to accompany him, including Shen Yao.
Before departing, Zhong Yun thoroughly studied the contents of the ancient book and drew a map based on the clues within.
"According to the ancient records, the ruin is located deep within the Sunset Forest. It is extremely perilous there, so we must proceed with utmost caution," Zhong Yun said solemnly, pointing at the map.
The others nodded in acknowledgment, indicating they understood.
And thus, the group of six led by Zhong Yun embarked on their journey toward the Sunset Forest.
True to its name, the Sunset Forest was perpetually shrouded in a faint red glow, giving off an eerie and mysterious vibe.
Clearing a path through thorns and brambles all the way, Zhong Yun and his companions slaughtered quite a few fierce beasts, finally locating the ancient ruin recorded in the book half a month later.
At the entrance of the ruin stood an ancient stone gate covered in profound, arcane runes.
"This is the entrance to the ancient ruin." Zhong Yun took a deep breath, a glimmer of excitement flashing in his eyes.
"Let's go in," Shen Yao said indifferently, stepping through first.
Zhong Yun and the others closely followed, entering the interior of the ruin.
Inside the ruin, a whole new world unfolded.
Ancient palaces stood tall and imposing, emanating a magnificent aura.
Paved bluestone paths crisscrossed, leading toward unknown distances.
Zhong Yun and the others explored the ruin cautiously, terrified of triggering any protective arrays.
Along the way, they encountered all sorts of trials—mechanism traps and guardian beasts emerged endlessly.
Yet relying on Zhong Yun's wisdom and the strength of Shen Yao and the others, they resolved them one by one, finally reaching the deepest part of the ruin.
In the center of a massive palace, a crystal-clear pearl hovered in the air, emitting a dazzling radiance.
"This is the legendary Ancient Divine Artifact—the Qiankun Bead!" Zhong Yun stared at the pearl before him, his eyes filled with excitement.
At that very moment, a sudden change occurred!
A formidable wave of power erupted from the Qiankun Bead, blasting Zhong Yun and the others flying backward...