Chapter 166. Fangcun Sect
Early the next morning, when the sky had only just begun to brighten,
The convoy was already packed and ready to depart.
When Xu Yuan walked out of the inn, he found Cai Kun squatting by the entrance. The man had dark bags under his eyes and a worried expression, looking as though he had not slept well at all.
“What’s wrong with you?” Xu Yuan asked.
Cai Kun raised his head and said bitterly, “I only found out clearly last night that the Sword-Nurturing Pavilion is actually right here in this commandery city. What if they come straight to our door?”
“Why didn’t I see you being this cautious yesterday?”
Speechless, Xu Yuan patted him on the shoulder. “Relax. Since they did not come all day yesterday, they are even less likely to come today. Besides, isn’t the Eldest Miss still here?”
Cai Kun thought about it and felt that made sense. Only then did he calm down a little. He immediately waggled his brows and said, “Still, you have to admit it—stomping on that woman yesterday felt unbelievably satisfying!”
Xu Yuan shook his head with a laugh and exchanged a few casual words with him.
Not long afterward, Shangyang Qingyu walked out of the inn with several attendants following behind her.
She swept her gaze across the group and said flatly, “The sect is only a few dozen li from here. We should arrive by this afternoon. Let’s go.”
The convoy slowly rolled out through the city gates and headed north along the official road.
They passed field after field and village after village, gradually leaving behind the prosperity and noise of the commandery city.
Xu Yuan leaned against the carriage wall and closed his eyes to rest, but his mind was already calculating the road ahead.
Fangcun Sect… Ziqing Peak…
He thought to himself that since Shangyang Qingyu was a true disciple, this trip essentially made them her followers, people working on her behalf.
With that connection, obtaining a cultivation method related to the Organ Nourishment realm should not be difficult. But if he wanted to acquire even more profound martial arts, he would probably have to put in a fair amount of effort.
At that thought, Xu Yuan felt a little more at ease.
The carriage kept moving until the afternoon, when it finally stopped at the foot of a mountain.
“We’re here,” Shangyang Qingyu’s voice came from the front.
A moment later, startled exclamations from Yan Wuguan and the others sounded from outside.
Xu Yuan lifted the carriage curtain and looked ahead. Even he could not help but sigh in admiration. What a magnificent sight.
Before them stretched an endless chain of mountains, layer upon layer of verdant peaks, with mist curling through them. Birds wheeled through the air, making the whole scene look like an immortal realm, filled with an otherworldly and elegant spiritual aura.
And halfway up the tallest mountain, a cluster of buildings could be vaguely seen, though the drifting mist made them impossible to make out clearly.
This was Fangcun Sect!
The core area of the entire sect had actually been built directly into the middle of a giant peak.
Below it ran a broad and level road of bluestone, winding upward all the way to the main gate.
By the time the group made their way along the road to the mountainside, the view became even clearer.
Ahead of them, hundreds of bridges, plank paths, and covered corridors formed an intricate network, linking one peak to another and creating something like a small city growing out of the cliff face itself.
The architecture was ancient and imposing, built mostly from massive dark stone and old timber, with soaring eaves and grand, majestic structures.
Between the pavilions, white egrets fluttered through the air, lotus leaves spread thick across the water, and mist coiled all around.
The carriage stopped before an enormous mountain gate.
The gate was formed by two dark stone pillars, with a massive jade plaque hanging between them. On it were written three large characters:
“Fangcun Sect.”
When the gatekeeping disciples saw Shangyang Qingyu bringing people over, they immediately stepped forward and cupped their hands. “Senior Sister Shangyang.”
Shangyang Qingyu gave a slight nod. She left more than a dozen menial workers behind to guard the carriages, then led the rest toward the bustling central plaza.
After passing through the mountain gate, Yan Wuguan, Cai Kun, and the others all looked excited, as though they had completed a transformation in life.
From this day onward, they were disciples of a great sect!
Xu Yuan, however, did not react much. He was merely quite curious as he looked at the surrounding buildings.
The plaza was exceptionally spacious, and quite a few people had already gathered there. Most of them were young, and their expressions carried both tension and anticipation.
Pointing at the group ahead, Shangyang Qingyu explained, “These are all outer disciples selected from the surrounding regions. But they still have to undergo inspection by the elders. Only if they pass can they enter the mountain gate.”
It was actually this strict?
Hearing that, Cai Kun and the others silently felt even more fortunate.
If they had not followed the Eldest Miss here, they probably would not even have been able to touch the threshold of this place.
On one side of the plaza were several rooms used specifically for reception and registration.
The man stationed there was a stern-faced middle-aged man. When he saw Shangyang Qingyu approach, he immediately rose with a smile.
“Qingyu, you’re back?”
Shangyang Qingyu cupped her hands and said, “Elder Ma, please register these people for me.”
“Of course, of course.”
Elder Ma’s face split into a broad smile. Though he was an elder, when it came to status, he could only throw his weight around among the outer sect. He was far inferior to a true disciple, and under normal circumstances it was difficult for him even to build a relationship with people like her.
This time, he could barely count it as an opportunity, so he handled the registration for Xu Yuan’s group of five quickly and cheerfully.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan could not help sighing inwardly. The disciples beside them had no idea how long they would have to queue before it was their turn to register and be inspected, and even then, there was no guarantee they would be accepted.
As for Xu Yuan’s group, a single sentence from Shangyang Qingyu had settled everything.
‘This place is somewhat different from the Shangyang Residence, yet not different at all,’ Xu Yuan thought, shaking his head.
After finishing their registration, the group returned to the carriages, and Shangyang Qingyu led them down the avenue to the left.
Ahead of them stood a tall, slender peak covered in purple-blue flowers, grasses, and trees. Under the setting sun, it gave off a vague and ghostly radiance.
When they reached the entrance to the peak, Shangyang Qingyu swept her gaze over the group before finally speaking slowly.
“Although all of you are people I brought here from the family, there are some things I need to make clear beforehand.”
“I only advanced not long ago, so I need some manpower. But the sect also has its rules. At the very least, you must reach the first stage of the Organ Nourishment realm before you can enter a true disciple’s cave abode and enjoy some of the benefits there.”
“Now that I’ve brought you into the sect, you should each work hard on your own. If any of you becomes a Grandmaster, you may come straight to my cave abode… Also, I need to enter seclusion often. If there is nothing necessary, do not come looking for me.”
As she spoke, Shangyang Qingyu glanced at Xu Yuan. “All right. Not far ahead is the Peak Master Hall. Go there first and pay your respects to the Peak Master. Someone will naturally explain the sect’s affairs to you.”
At that moment, Xu Yuan suddenly spoke up. “Eldest Miss, if people ask about our background in the future, may we mention your name?”
Shangyang Qingyu froze for a moment, then carefully looked Xu Yuan over. Smiling, she said, “Just do not disgrace me outside.”
With that, she took the dozen or so servants beside her, boarded a carriage, and headed off into the distance.
Hearing that, Xu Yuan’s eyes lit up. In an unfamiliar environment, there would absolutely be no shortage of suppression and infighting. Having a powerful banner to hide behind was always better than having none at all.
Besides, she was a true disciple. Presumably, within Fangcun Sect, there were not many people who could outrank her.
“I thought we’d be able to follow the Eldest Miss directly and work under her,” Cai Kun said with a sigh.
“Since we’re here, we should make peace with it. The Eldest Miss has already given us a road to the heavens. Naturally, she cannot personally handle everything for us,” Yan Wuguan said coldly.
“Let’s enter the Organ Nourishment realm first,” Xu Yuan said. He had not expected all these twists and turns either, but as long as he could obtain a path into the Organ Nourishment realm, that would be enough.
Once he spoke, the others had little more to say.
Among those present, two were in the Extraordinary Meridians realm, and three were eight-meridian martial artists. Xu Yuan’s combat strength was the most outstanding of all. On top of that, he was often able to speak directly with the Eldest Miss, so they had all faintly begun treating him as their leader.
After collecting themselves, the group headed straight for the Peak Master Hall.
…