Martial Saint with Passives

Taixu Peak, Taixu Hall.

This grand hall, located at the highest point of the Myriad Phenomena Dao Sect, was perpetually shrouded in a vast sea of clouds. Auspicious purple qi drifted from the east, and ethereal music seemed to linger in the air.

This was the nerve center of the Sect, the symbol of its highest authority.

At this moment, inside the hall, the central throne belonging to the Sect Leader was empty.

On the seats to either side sat four figures whose auras were as deep and vast as the ocean.

They were the Vein Masters of the four main peak veins of the Myriad Phenomena Dao Sect.

The Sect Leader had been in seclusion for decades, so the four Vein Masters were now primarily responsible for the Sect’s affairs.

Seated in the first position on the left was an old man in a fiery red Daoist Robe. His hair and beard bristled, and his entire being radiated a violent, murderous aura.

His eyes were wide and glaring, as if Sword Qi flickered in and out of existence within his pupils.

This was the Heaven-Slaying Peak’s Vein Master, Lei Wanjun.

In the second seat on the left sat a stout old man with a build as sturdy as a mountain and skin the color of bronze. Even seated silently, he gave off an impression of being as Unmoving as a Mountain, impervious to all techniques.

He was the Coiling Dragon Peak’s Vein Master, Gu Shan.

In the first seat on the right was an old Daoist holding a duster, a lazy smile on his face. He seemed the most approachable of them all.

This was the Spirit Void Peak’s Vein Master, Daoist Wu Wei, who had just returned from leading a team.

And in the second seat on the right was a blurry black shadow, within which one could faintly discern a masked woman with a graceful figure who exuded a chilling, grim aura.

She was the Shadow Killing Peak’s Vein Master, Moon Shadow.

At this moment, the four were discussing the Inner Sect selection, which was to be held in a year.

”Hmph. In my opinion, these so-called ’Celestial Strategy Guards’ the Court stuffed in here are nothing but a bunch of self-taught amateurs.”

Lei Wanjun was the first to speak, his voice booming like a great bell, causing the very air in the hall to hum. ”The Cultivation Techniques they originally practiced were a chaotic mess, and their foundations have long since set. Now, to switch halfway to our Sect’s Myriad Phenomena Infinite Dao, not only will they waste a huge amount of time converting their True Qi, but they’ll also risk severely damaging their foundations! Even if they were the geniuses of their respective states, after this conversion, they’d be lucky to retain fifty percent of their True Qi!”

He waved his hand dismissively and said decisively, ”Heaven-Slaying Peak has no interest in such defective goods! When the selection comes, don’t even think about pushing them on me!”

Gu Shan of Coiling Dragon Peak nodded slightly, his voice a low rumble like thunder. ”Senior Brother Lei has a point. With impure foundations, their future achievements will be limited. Converting one’s True Qi is harder than ascending to the heavens. Rather than waste effort training them, we should focus more on the Direct Disciples we’ve nurtured from a young age. They have pure lineages and are the true future of the Sect.”

Seeing that both of them were opposed, Daoist Wu Wei, who had been silent until now, chuckled softly and flicked his duster.

”My two senior brothers, I must disagree.”

”Oh?” Lei Wanjun shot him a glance. ”What brilliant insight does Junior Brother Wu Wei have?”

Daoist Wu Wei said slowly, ”There are ten thousand paths to the Great Dao, but all lead to the same destination. These children may have started late, but because they have struggled and clawed their way through the mortal world, their Temperament and combat experience are actually much stronger than that of the Direct Disciples we’ve sheltered in the Sect.”

He paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. ”What’s more, there are indeed two rare saplings in this group. The first is the successor from Penglai Island, Long Yu’er.”

”Long Yu’er? That little girl who ranked third?” Lei Wanjun frowned. ”She’s not bad, but that’s about it.”

”And the second?” Moon Shadow’s icy voice drifted from the black mist.

Daoist Wu Wei smiled slightly and spoke a name: ”Jiang Che.”

”Jiang Che?”

The other three were all taken aback.

Lei Wanjun was even more blunt. ”That kid who ranked fourteenth? Junior Brother Wu Wei, are your old eyes failing you? Liu Yunfei of the Central State Liu Family ranked tenth, and his Cultivation is at the Fourth Layer of the True Master Realm. You don’t mention him, but instead bring up this kid who’s only at the Second Layer of the True Master Realm?”

”Not at all, not at all.”

Daoist Wu Wei shook his head and explained, ”You only know his overall rank is fourteenth, but you don’t know the details. This boy ranked ninth in the second trial, the Comprehension assessment. In the third trial, the combat assessment, he overpowered all his rivals to rank third!”

”If his lower Realm hadn’t dragged down his score in the first trial, the Realm assessment, his overall rank would absolutely be in the top five!”

”What? Third in combat?!” A flicker of surprise showed in Lei Wanjun’s eyes.

Hearing of this achievement, the other two also grew pensive.

”Even so...”

After a long moment, Lei Wanjun still snorted coldly and said stubbornly, ”Combat strength doesn’t represent potential. If he can’t pass the trial of converting his Cultivation Technique, everything else is just empty talk. Anyway, I’ve said my piece: Heaven-Slaying Peak doesn’t want him!”

Gu Shan also shook his head. ”My Coiling Dragon Peak emphasizes steady and solid progress. Someone with such a wild style isn’t suitable for us either.”

The ever-silent Moon Shadow said lightly, ”We’ll see. If his performance is acceptable, and if he can adapt to Shadow Killing Peak’s combat methods, I might consider him.”

Seeing this, Daoist Wu Wei didn’t get angry. He simply said with a grin, ”Since it’s like that, let’s just wait and see. But let me be blunt: if these kids achieve the goal set for a year from now and none of you want them, my Spirit Void Peak will take them all!”

After they finished discussing the disciples, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly grew heavy.

”Alright, let’s talk about official business.”

Moon Shadow, who had been shrouded in black mist, suddenly spoke, her voice laced with gravity. ”The latest intelligence on the war with the northern rebels and the Great Yan Kingdom to the west has arrived.”

”What’s the situation?” Lei Wanjun asked.

Moon Shadow’s voice was somber. ”The rebellion by the True Mother Sect in the north has been barely contained for now, thanks to the Court mobilizing a large number of troops. It hasn’t worsened. On the western border, the Great Yan Kingdom’s army has also temporarily halted its advance, so the fighting has eased.”