CHAPTER 557: 554, ZI RAN JOINS THE SECT

At the same time, Luan Yue and Hei Shan found themselves standing at the foot of Yunlan Mountain, dumbfounded. Turning their heads, they saw the Sword Stele of the Immortal Sect behind them, stunned once again! Then Luan Yue hurriedly pinched Hei Yu’s face.

"Ah—ouch! What are you doing?" Hei Yu quickly rubbed his face.

Luan Yue said, "We weren’t asleep, right? How did we end up back at the foot of the mountain? Weren’t we just at the top of the Immortal Sect?"

Hei Yu asked, "What should we do now?"

Luan Yue turned around and headed towards the Thousand Layers, "Let’s go up!"

The two immediately rushed into the Thousand Layers, but after a few breaths, they walked back down again.

Still standing next to the Sword Stele.

"What’s going on? Weren’t we going upwards?"

"How did going upwards lead us out of the sect?"

Both were bewildered!

Just then, the Red-eyed Giant Ape appeared beside the Thousand Layers, blocked them, and said, "Enough, you two fools. The surroundings of the Immortal Sect are filled with maze arrays, and with just the two of you, if you get trapped, you’ll never walk away. Go about your business, stop giving yourself a hard time... Never seen someone so foolish."

After saying this, the Red-eyed Giant Ape carried its hoe and walked up the mountain.

Luan Yue was furious and chased after it, "You!"

But she stopped at the edge of the mountain, not daring to take a few more steps forward because she was somewhat afraid of the maze array.

If they really got trapped, what would they do?

After a period of silence, she could only choose to turn and leave.

...

Kitchen.

Wen Ping took Zi Ran to the kitchen, and after Bainian Xiang brought Sea Thought Strong Tea, he went to eat the Spirit Rice he hadn’t finished. Following that, the second floor of the kitchen was filled with laughter and joy once again.

During this time, Zi Ran said nothing, slowly shedding her proud demeanor and began to seriously observe the Immortal Sect. Only then did she realize that the Immortal Sect was extraordinary in every way, astonishing at every turn.

Even the ground beneath her feet, the grass along the road, and the trees in the forest were all completely different.

Thinking of the exquisite maze array and the upper realm Mountain Suppression experts, her heart was stirred in a different way.

The more she felt, the more she lamented her preconceived notions; it turned out she had always been a frog at the bottom of a well.

Wen Ping appeared to lack the maturity of those Sect Leaders and didn’t understand the gestures of respect, but he commanded an extraordinary sect like this and had upper realm Mountain Suppression experts as support. Plus, he had the grace to share meals with disciples at the same table, which was something no other sect leader could claim.

Moreover, although this sect had the distinction between Elders and disciples, it seemed more like a family.

The Elders were not high above.

The disciples did not squeeze each other out.

This feeling was very different.

No wonder Bainian Xiang hadn’t complained about being unaccustomed even once since arriving today.

To know that when she first arrived at Sea Dragon Mountain, she had kept a long face for half a month until she slowly adapted.

When Wen Ping came down from the kitchen, Zi Ran stood up from the stone table and said, "Sect Leader Wen, I have made up my mind."

"What?"

Wen Ping looked at Zi Ran, somewhat puzzled, because Zi Ran seemed like a different person now.

Previously, no matter what, Zi Ran had always appeared as a big shot with a sense of superiority even in her amicability. But now it was different, she was more like a kind elder.

The sense of distance between the two was gone.

Zi Ran said, "I have thought it through. In the future, I will follow Sect Leader Wen. If Sect Leader Wen finds me useful, just ask. If the sect needs me, feel free to assign tasks."

Hearing this, Wen Ping was overjoyed and said with a smile, "Master Zi Ran... no, Elder Zi Ran, welcome to the Immortal Sect."

Meanwhile, Wen Ping quickly asked the system in his mind, "System, does the Vortex Divine Artisan need to pay an entry fee to join?"

The system replied, "Of course, the host should charge according to the realm. Zi Ran’s realm is Half-Step Mountain Suppression, just charge the entry fee according to the Lower Realm of Mountain Suppression standard."

"Alright."

Wen Ping nodded and then said to Zi Ran, "Elder Zi Ran, let me tell you, we have a rule in the Immortal Sect: joining requires an entry fee. To join, you need to pay 100 pieces of White Crystal!"

Zi Ran was taken aback, "Why?"

Wen Ping said, "No why!"

Bainian Xiang explained from the side, "Master, you don’t understand. I didn’t get it when I first came either, but the senior brothers enlightened me. The Sect Leader does this to teach us to cherish it. If the Immortal Sect were like other forces, allowing easy entry and casual learning of Vein Techniques, who would value this opportunity?"

Zi Ran nodded with understanding, looking at Wen Ping, she couldn’t help but admire him in her heart. A seemingly absurd rule had such profound intentions. Some doubted it, yet he didn’t bother to explain, making the intention even deeper.

No wonder even though it’s a sect, it has a family-like feel. Wen Ping’s management of the sect has such clever tricks.

"Sect Leader!"

Zi Ran took out a hundred pieces of White Crystal from her Storage Ring and handed them over.

Wen Ping received the White Crystal, took out the Infinite Cup from his Storage Ring, and handed it over, "Elder Zi Ran, now that you’re in the Immortal Sect, you can cultivate on your own. The sect has no administrative needs at the moment. This Sea Thought Strong Tea, you drink two cups a day. After finishing it, your hand will be healed."

Zi Ran nodded in acceptance of the Infinite Cup, "Thank you, Sect Leader!"

At this moment, standing to the side, Hei Yu felt a bitter taste in his heart. Bainian Xiang joined the Immortal Sect, and now Zi Ran had also joined. Everything they didn’t want to see was happening right now.

After nightfall, Hei Yu descended the mountain alone.

He was a member of the Hidden Dragon Sect; his life and current achievements were all granted by the Hidden Dragon Sect. No matter how much Bainian Xiang invited him, he could only remain loyal to the Hidden Dragon Sect.

Not yet reaching the inn, he sensed the anger emanating from inside. As he stepped into the inn, it was empty, with only the owner and the servant cowering behind the counter, casting a pleading look at Hei Yu.

Three Meridian Gate practitioners were in a fury; even the City Lord’s people didn’t dare to dissuade them. Fortunately, neither of them endangered the people of Cangwu City, so Huan Cheng didn’t pay much heed, merely sending someone to observe from afar.

As soon as Hei Yu entered, the door on the second floor of the inn burst open, and Luan Yue stormed out, placing both hands on the railing and shouted down to Hei Yu, "Hei Yu, how did it go?"

Hei Yu was silent for a moment, a hint of hesitation flickering in his eyes as he thought about how to put it so Luan Yue wouldn’t be so angry, and said, "Things aren’t going so well, we should probably invite the Sect Leader to come personally."

An upper realm Mountain Suppression expert at the Immortal Sect.

And a maze array that even the Mountain Suppression Realm fears.

If the Sect Leader doesn’t come, this matter is bound to end poorly.

Luan Yue said, "Invite what Sect Leader! Explain clearly first."

Hei Shan followed with angry urgency, "What exactly happened, hurry up and tell us!"

Hei Yu had no choice but to tell the truth, "After you two were relocated by the maze array, an upper realm Mountain Suppression expert appeared in the Immortal Sect, a woman, looking very young. Then, Master Zi Ran also chose to join the Immortal Sect."

"What!"

"Upper Realm Mountain Suppression?"

The two exclaimed in surprise simultaneously.

Luan Yue said, "How is that possible? Why would Master Zi Ran suddenly choose to join the Immortal Sect? And how can a mere force from East Lake have such a top-tier expert as an upper realm Mountain Suppression?"

Hei Shan immediately looked at Hei Yu, asking, "You’re sure your eyes didn’t deceive you?"

Hei Yu replied, "No. The aura of the three Meridian Gates was similar to when the Sect Leader opened the Meridian Gate."

He dared only to say it was similar. If he said he thought the Sect Leader’s aura was not as strong as that woman’s, wouldn’t Luan Yue and Hei Shan accuse him of boosting others’ pride while diminishing his own side? So, after careful consideration, he chose not to mention this.

Upon hearing Hei Yu’s firm answer, Luan Yue fell into silence, her teeth involuntarily gnawing her lips, "Then what should we do now?"

Hei Shan pondered for a while and said, "We should report back to the sect first, inform the Sect Leader of this. With that maze array, we’re helpless, let alone now that there’s an upper realm Mountain Suppression expert."

Luan Yue said, "Go to the nearest Hundred Sects Alliance branch first, borrow their message falcon, send a message back to Hidden Dragon Sect. Our messenger bird is too slow, a round trip would take at least ten days."

Hei Shan nodded, "Let’s go!"