The group of Peak Leaders had never anticipated this.

"Elder Yan hasn't taken on a disciple in hundreds of years—it's impossible!"

"She specifically sent a message for him to join Heavenly Sword Peak... Heavenly Sword Peak currently has no Peak Leader, not even a single instructor... Isn't it obvious that Elder Yan herself wants to take him?"

"But Elder Yan hasn't taught a disciple in many years... Can she still do it? Wang Mu's Cultivation path won't be easy..."

"Since Elder Yan herself has spoken, there's no need for us to contend for him any longer."

...

Jian Wuqing dispersed the golden light and communicated telepathically with the others, a wave of regret washing over them.

The golden light vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

The other disciples looked on, utterly bewildered.

Wang Mu had just decided which lineage he wanted to join and was about to look up to answer when he saw the expressions on the six Peak Leaders change.

"Ahem..." Jian Wuqing began, his voice stern, "Child, our respective Peaks have already filled their quotas for new disciples today. You can only choose another Peak. Hmm, it seems only Heavenly Sword Peak has yet to recruit anyone."

Wang Mu was bewildered. Full already? Good heavens, are they expecting me to just accept being reassigned? That can't be right. A moment ago, they were all treating me like a precious treasure, desperate for me to join them. How could things change so fast?

That golden messaging light was a special spell. In the grand hall, only a few Peak Leaders of the Sword Sect with profound cultivation levels could perceive its contents; the other disciples merely saw a flash of golden light and nothing more.

Nearby, Su Yu was initially stunned, then a strange expression crossed his face... This shouldn't be happening.

"Um..." Wang Mu pondered for a moment. "If I join Heavenly Sword Peak, can I also learn other things? For instance, I'd like to learn Alchemy."

"Of course," the slightly stout elder coughed. "However, you would have to teach yourself. The Sword Sect has a Sword Pavilion, which houses various texts on auxiliary arts that all disciples can borrow. But self-study is exceedingly difficult. Without guidance, progress is arduous. Unless you possess a natural talent for it and dedicate years to constant study and comprehension, you might achieve something."

"That's fine then," Wang Mu nodded. "In that case, I'll join Heavenly Sword Peak."

He had a few suspicions; it might be because of Yan Qingwu.

Jian Wuqing and the others, however, were somewhat surprised by Wang Mu's decisive response.

In the Cultivation World, having a mentor versus having no mentor were two completely different matters. Even with extraordinary talent, guidance from a predecessor could help one avoid countless detours. Especially on the path of Cultivation, a slight misstep or encountering a bottleneck could make having a skilled Master to offer guidance absolutely crucial.

The Peak Leaders looked like they wanted to say something more, but after exchanging glances, they all remained silent.

The other disciples, meanwhile, grew even more puzzled. They were generally aware of how the disciple recruitment assessment worked. Considering Wang Mu's performance, especially being the only one to overcome his opponent in the third trial of the Ancient Saint's Secret Treasure, and the clear intention of several Peak Leaders to recruit him, the sudden claim that all spots were full and he could only go to Heavenly Sword Peak... something was clearly amiss.

"Heavenly Sword Peak? I just asked. There's only Senior Brother Su Yu. It doesn't even have a Peak Leader right now... Who's going to teach anyone?"

"Senior Brother Su Yu has it rough, being the only one on the entire Peak. And now there's one more..."

"Could it be his Spirit Root? Wang Mu's assessment results should be the best in our batch, right? He was the only one who succeeded in the final trial..."

"Speaking of the third trial, those puppets were incredibly strong. I was knocked unconscious before I could even see them clearly. I don't know where they came from. I wanted to face that test again, at least to get a clear look..."

"Didn't you hear what the Peak Masters said? Even a poor Spirit Root doesn't matter... It's definitely not because of his Spirit Root."

"Could it be that he doesn't have a Spirit Root? I heard him ask that senior sister next to the Seeking Dao Rope what would happen if someone didn't have one..."

"Why are you so focused on him anyway?"

"Maybe because out of our batch, he's the best-looking..."

"? You're a guy..."

...

The disciples discussed quietly among themselves but were soon led away in groups by the various Peak Leaders to their respective Sword Peaks for the disciple initiation ceremony.

Wang Mu was also taken away.

By Su Yu.

"This is great!" Su Yu exclaimed excitedly on the way. "Our Heavenly Sword Peak finally has a new junior brother!"

Su Yu led Wang Mu outside. Wang Mu watched the other Peak Leaders.

The white-haired man from Yijian Peak, Master Cheng, waved his sleeve. A magically exquisite Immortal Boat materialized, a ladder automatically descending from it. The disciples who had just joined Yijian Peak, yet to begin their Cultivation, excitedly followed him onto the Immortal Boat.

The Immortal Boat was enormous. By Wang Mu's estimate, it seemed even larger than a commercial airliner from his previous life.

"This is Master Cheng's Sword Heart Mysterious Boat," Su Yu explained with admiration. "An Immortal Treasure personally crafted by Peak Leader Cheng Fengshou, unique in the entire Sword Sect. This Immortal Boat contains a small pocket dimension capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people; it's even more vast on the inside than it appears from the outside. It also combines offense and defense, with eighty-one profoundly mysterious Sword Restraints imbued within. I've ridden it a few times; it's quite something."

Wang Mu looked at the Immortal Boat, his spirit soaring. He thought that if he learned Artifact Refining in the future, he would also like to create something similar for fun.

The number of disciples joining Yijian Peak was small, mainly because few met the conditions. At this moment, the faces of the disciples boarding the Immortal Boat were brimming with excitement and pride.

Clouds and mist parted like waves before the Immortal Boat, which vanished in the blink of an eye.

Next was Wu Dayong, the Peak Leader of Dan Sword Peak.

He merely flicked his fingers, and several crimson sword lights rose from behind him, quickly assembling in mid-air into a giant Flying Sword.

"All aboard!" Wu Dayong waved his hand, and a current of air lifted, carrying numerous disciples onto the Flying Sword.

This Flying Sword was vast, radiating an immensely powerful, scorching aura. Mysterious patterns covered its surface, and five different types of Light Pearls were embedded in its center.

"Master Wu is the wealthiest in our Sword Sect," Su Yu said enviously, "because his skill in the Alchemy Dao is the highest in the history of our sect. This Immortal Treasure, the True Yang Fire Sword, can change its size and be inlaid with five different Top-grade Pill Beads. Its blade is engraved with thirty-two Fire Element Talismans. Master Wu rarely uses this Flying Sword; he probably wants to secretly compare it with Master Cheng's this time."

"Are those who practice Artifact Refining and Alchemy always so wealthy?" Wang Mu remarked with a sigh.

"Naturally."

"In the Cultivation World, which cultivator doesn't use Elixirs to aid their practice or Magic Artifacts for protection?" Su Yu coughed.

Next to act were Mo Fuxian, Peak Leader of Fu Sword Peak; Lu Youlian, Peak Leader of Hidden Sword Peak; and Zhong Xiao, Peak Leader of Alcohol Sword Peak. Each produced their respective Magic Treasures, leading their newly joined disciples back to their own Sword Peaks.

It had to be said, even after the displays of the first two, the Magic Treasures of the other Peak Leaders were by no means inferior.

Even the last to depart, Zhong Xiao, the Peak Leader of Alcohol Sword Peak—a middle-aged man who looked rather slovenly with a face full of stubble—simply tossed out a scroll imprinted with a vast landscape of mountains and rivers.

The scroll unfurled to cover the sky, coiling majestically. The depicted mountains and rivers were so lifelike they seemed tangible, as if truly existing.

He gathered a considerable number of disciples, who then flew onto the scroll with him, vanishing into the distant sky.

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