Chapter 278 - 267: Reception
Zhao Lin stared at the talisman in Senior Brother Sun’s hand, marveling that such a small piece of "paper" could traverse two worlds. This method of communication was simply unthinkable.
’No wonder the Cultivation Realm is full of so many talented and extraordinary individuals, yet they never developed what you’d call modern high-tech. The biggest reason probably isn’t that they couldn’t, but that they didn’t need to!’
Senior Brother Sun said nothing more. He gently placed the talisman in the air before him, where it seemed to be held in place by an invisible force, trembling slightly up and down without falling.
"Escape Light!"
Senior Brother Sun cried out. His Daoist robes billowed without a breeze as a cyan light shot from his palm, striking the talisman forcefully.
With a brilliant flash, the talisman lit up. As if possessing a powerful suction, it drew every last wisp of the cyan light from Senior Brother Sun’s palm.
Seeing this, Zhao Lin thought, ’It seems talismans require Spiritual Qi to be activated. Ordinary people can’t use them.’
The youths all stared wide-eyed at the incredible scene, not daring to even blink.
Sated with Spiritual Qi, the runes on the talisman began to twist and squirm as if they had come to life.
Then, with a WHOOSH, it transformed into a streak of light, shooting into the sky at incredible speed and vanishing in an instant.
The sky was as black as ink, and a bright moon was rising over the sea.
Everyone waited in silence, the only sound the crash of waves against the coastal reefs.
A sea breeze began to pick up, whining softly. Suddenly, a low RUMBLE echoed as a clap of muffled thunder rolled across the sky.
Everyone looked up in unison, shocked to discover that at some unknown point, massive dark clouds had gathered over the island, forming a towering peak like a small mountain.
The wind blew with increasing ferocity, and the clouds grew ever thicker, gradually forming a vortex that covered the entire island.
Bolts of lightning constantly tore through the wall of clouds, rending the empty air. Silver serpents danced wildly, bathing the island in a flickering, ghastly light that shifted between cyan and black.
The vortex spun faster and faster. The silver light from the lightning converged into an arcane and intricate pattern that flickered in and out of view within the clouds.
It was like dew and lightning, a phantasmal, dreamlike illusion.
A moment later, a sound like tearing silk erupted from the center of the vortex. Space itself rippled, and a bottomless black hole appeared.
’So this is the power of a Space Array...’
Zhao Lin stared up at the black hole, the hair on his arms standing on end as he felt the overwhelming power of the heavens and earth.
Immediately after, countless cyan orbs of light shot out from the black hole, bursting like fireworks. They streaked across the night sky before dissipating into wisps of cyan smoke and vanishing.
’These cyan orbs... The Spiritual Qi is so dense!’
Zhao Lin felt the Spiritual Qi around him thicken and immediately understood that the Chenghua Sect was infusing this world with Spiritual Qi.
As the Spiritual Qi entered this world, it was diluted into Primordial Qi.
It was the nourishment of this Primordial Qi that allowed so many people to be born with a Spiritual Root, and which had enabled him to cultivate to the Innate Realm.
Although the other disciples also possessed Spiritual Roots, they had not yet had their meridians opened, so they couldn’t sense the fluctuations in Spiritual Qi. They could only stare blankly at the scene unfolding before them, their faces filled with shock.
The black hole spat out tens of thousands of "Spirit Balls" before gradually coming to a stop. The entire sky fell silent once more.
Under everyone’s watchful gaze, a massive, entirely black vessel, over fifty zhang long and ten-odd zhang wide, slowly emerged from the black hole.
The giant vessel was surrounded by a faint cyan Spiritual Light. It descended steadily from the clouds, finally coming to a smooth stop in the clearing on the mountaintop.
Seven or eight figures flashed out of the Flying Vessel. At their head was a middle-aged cultivator in a dark Daoist robe. He had a pale, beardless face and a dignified air.
"Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle Wu."
The three stationed cultivators—Sun, Xun, and Qian—hurried forward and bowed respectfully.
’A Foundation Establishment cultivator?’
Zhao Lin’s heart skipped a beat when he heard their form of address.
This Junior Martial Uncle Wu looked to be only in his thirties, appearing much younger than Senior Brother Sun. However, his actual age was likely far greater. Besides, seniority in the Cultivation Realm wasn’t based on age.
While they were waiting earlier, the three stationed cultivators had briefly explained the matter of seniority in the Cultivation Realm to the group.
It could be summarized in one phrase: skill, not seniority, determines precedence.
To put it more bluntly, seniority was determined by one’s cultivation realm.
A cultivator of a lower realm would address a cultivator of a higher realm as "senior." This applied to the major realms, such as Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Purple Mansion.
However, this was not an absolute rule. If a master-disciple relationship or a blood relation was involved, the convention based on realm had to yield.
The Chenghua Sect highly valued etiquette and tradition. Just as the mortal world revered heaven, earth, sovereign, parent, and teacher, the Cultivation Realm held to similar principles.
But since the Cultivation Realm had no sovereign, the order was modified to heaven, earth, sect, parent, and teacher.
"Sect" in this context referred to both one’s sect and one’s ancestors.
If a father was in the Qi Refining Realm, even if his son reached the Golden Core Realm, the son would still have to acknowledge his father. There was no logic in him calling himself "senior."
The relationship between master and disciple was like that of father and son, so the same logic applied.
"Is everyone here?"
Cultivator Wu gave a slight nod and asked nonchalantly. His gaze swept over the faces of the youths, lingering for an extra moment on Zhao Lin.
Zhao Lin chuckled inwardly. ’My "advanced age" for starting cultivation seems to be quite conspicuous.’
"All twenty prospective disciples with lower-grade Spiritual Roots or better are here."
Senior Brother Sun answered respectfully. He then turned to Zhao Lin and the other youths. "This is Junior Martial Uncle Wu, a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. He is responsible for escorting you into the sect."
"Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle Wu."
Everyone bowed in unison.
Once the greetings were concluded, the seven cultivators who had disembarked with Junior Martial Uncle Wu walked over and cupped their fists toward Senior Brother Sun and the other two.
The eldest of them said, "Junior Brothers, we’ve returned to visit family and our time is short, so we won’t linger. Farewell!"
"Farewell," replied Senior Brother Sun and the other two, also cupping their fists.
The seven cultivators leaped into the air and flew down toward the dense forest below, quickly disappearing into the night.
Zhao Lin’s expression shifted slightly. ’So, when the Space Array is opened, it’s also used to ferry cultivators "home to visit family,"’ he thought.
Like him, these seven cultivators hadn’t brought their families to the Xuanyuan Continent, choosing instead to visit them periodically.
’That means in a year, I’ll be able to return to this world in the same way.’
Senior Brother Sun took a slip of paper from his robes and presented it to Junior Martial Uncle Wu with both hands.
"This is the list of disciples with notes on their Spiritual Roots."
Junior Martial Uncle Wu took the paper and glanced over it, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
"An Earth Spirit Root and a Martial Cultivator? This year is certainly a little different."
He said, looking toward the prospective young disciples, "Come forward, all of you, and state your names."
"Disciple Lin Chaoran."
While the others were still hesitating, Lin Chaoran was the first to stride forward.
Junior Martial Uncle Wu gave him an approving glance, formed a spell with his hand, and pressed it to his shoulder.
Zhao Lin could tell at a glance that he was verifying the disciple’s Spiritual Root—not with a Spiritual Bamboo Staff or a Spirit Pearl, but by using Magic directly.
A chill ran through him. ’My Spirit Beast Scroll couldn’t be detected by anyone in the world of martial arts,’ he thought, ’but can it remain hidden from a cultivator with such vast and mysterious powers?’
The youths came forward one by one to have their Spiritual Roots tested. When it was Zhao Lin’s turn, Junior Martial Uncle Wu likewise placed a hand on his shoulder.
Zhao Lin instantly felt a cool sensation pass through his chest and deep into his spine. It swept back and forth near the node of his Spiritual Root, feeling somewhat similar to the Jade Illumination Skill used to test a person’s age in the martial world.
"Done."
As Junior Martial Uncle Wu’s voice sounded in his ear, Zhao Lin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
After checking everyone, Junior Martial Uncle Wu looked satisfied. He waved his hand and said, "All of you, board the vessel."