Bloodline Tree – [Clan Building]

“Why is it taking so long? Doesn’t our master want us?” Xinxi asked worriedly.

‘Haven’t we just waited for a few minutes?’ Bian Fenglin thought to himself.

‘Leaving them to Jiandan Peak was definitely the right choice.’

Bian Fenglin had thought about keeping the twins, having them join his own Peak. But after seeing their Sword Bones he had completely given up that thought. There would be no changing their sword intent to align with his Peak.

He turned to look at the boy, Xinmo. His temperament might suit his Peak, but unfortunately, his talent was insufficient. 

“I’m here. What do you want?” Elder Renmeng questioned as soon as she entered the room. She looked to the children and added, “What’s with the kids?”

“Giid afternoon to you too, Elder Renmeng. It’s been a while,” Bian Fenglin greeted leisurely, staying seated.

Elder Renmeng walked over and took a seat opposite him and the kids. “Cut to the chase. I’m busy.”

Bian Fenglin rolled his eyes. He still couldn’t tell if she was just being performative, or if she actually was as impatient as she let on. 

“I asked for old Jiansu. Where is he?”

Elder Renmeng frowned, “Master is in seclusion. You can talk to me.”

‘Seclusion?’ 

Bian Fenglin could feel the fearsome sword intent unleashed from all the way up the mountain. Who else could it be than old Jiansu?

“Fine. I brought you a gift,” Bian Fenglin said, gesturing to the girls.

Elder Renmeng looked to the children, a little curious. “Why are they a gift?”

“They have Sword Bones,” Bian Fenglin answered. He then turned to the girls. “Unleash your sword intent for Elder Renmeng to see.”

“Inside?”

“Here?” The girls questioned.

“It’s fine. Go ahead,” Bian Fenglin answered. “Cut that wall over there.”

He lifted his hand and made a small shield of sword qi over Xinmo, in case the girls lost control.

With two swift swings of their swords, the girls attacked the wall on the other side of the room. Just as expected, it didn’t even make a small cut.

“Ah! It didn’t work,” Xinjiang exclaimed. She then eagerly tried once again, failing once more.

“It’s fine,” Bian Fenglin said, placing his hands on their swords. He never expected their weak sword intent to be able to damage this building.

“What do you think?” Bian Fenglin turned to Elder Renmeng and asked.

Elder Renmeng’s eyes lit up slightly. “Very good. Very direct.”

She rose from her seat and pinched the girls’ arms. “But it’s only a Sword Bone at the Founding stage. Master won’t be interested.”

“Probably not,” Bian Fenglin admitted.

Elder Renmeng frowned in thought for a moment. “What are your names?”

“I’m Shu Xinxi!”

“I’m Shu Xinjiang, Great Elder.”

“Right, right. Great Elder.”

Bian Fenglin actually saw a small smile make its way to Elder Renmeng’s face. 

“I like them. I’ll take them on as my disciples,” She said, looking at Bian Fenglin.

Bian Fenglin smiled. That was a better outcome than he had expected. 

‘Deciding on something so important just like that? I guess that temperament of hers isn’t all bad.’

“Good. I trust you’ll take good care of them.”

“Of course,” Elder Renmeng said.

‘No going back once you find out they lack spirit roots.’ Bian Fenglin thought smugly.

“Then I believe that is it,” Bian Fenglin said , rising to his feet. “Xinmo, you remember the way here right? This is where your sisters will stay in the future.”

“Yes,” Xinmo said, nodding.

“This is their older brother,” Bian Fenglin explained to Elder Renmeng, “I’ll go register him as an outer disciple. Can you give him a token so he can come visit?”

Elder Renmeng didn’t argue, throwing a token at Xinmo. “Don’t abuse it. You can only use it to visit here. Do you understand?”

“I understand. Thank you, True Person Renmeng,” Xinmo said, bowing.

“You know I’m a Golden Core cultivator?” Elder Renmeng asked.

Xinmo hesitated slightly before answering, “I guessed.”

“He’s a clever kid,” Bian Fenglin said with a laugh.

“Right. Anyway, what do you want for the girls?” Elder Renmeng asked.

“It’s all for the prosperity of the Sword Sect,” Bian Fenglin said, waving the matter off, “Just take good care of them.”

Elder Renmeng frowned slightly. “Alright then. Don’t come asking for favors later.”

“Of course,” Bian Fenglin said. He called over Xinmo, looking forward to return to his abode and finally tackling the Golden Core stage.

“Did you really find that Golden Core opportunity?” Elder Renmeng asked.

‘So even you feel curious at times, huh?’

“Naturally,” Bian Fenglin answered with a smile.

“You shouldn’t have,” Elder Renmeng said, “Things are bound to get more complicated now.”

“Xiujian Peak have kept causing trouble?” Bian Fenglin asked. He had come over to Jiandan Peak as soon as he arrived, so he wasn’t really up to date.

“Trouble for you is not trouble for everyone. Many Peaks have started to feel the same way about your family,” Elder Renmeng answered.

“And how do you feel?” Bian Fenglin asked.

“What do I care one way or another,” Elder Renmeng said with a shrug, “If it’s a problem, cut through it. If you can’t, practice more. What use is complaining?”

“Right,” Bian Fenglin said, nodding slowly. “I’ll see you around. Let’s go Xinmo.”

‘What are those guys trying to accomplish? Aren’t they a bit too childish?’

‘I didn’t even take any resources for my advancement from the sect, and they’re still complaining.’

He could already hear it. Accusations that his aunt shouldn’t use her abilities to favor her nephew.

‘Ridiculous.’

Xinmo stood with his back straight, completely unmoving at the place Bian Fenglin had asked him to wait.

He couldn’t keep his eyes still, though, curiously watching the people who walked past him, entering the Outer Admission Hall.

‘They all have their robes. Looks like entering the sect outside the annual recruitment is a bit rare.’

‘I just hope no one will come looking for trouble because of it.’

Xinmo was confident he could make his way up the ladder of power within the Sect as long as he was given enough time. But that was only if he didn’t get targeted by someone. He knew he didn’t have any backing in this place, and he couldn’t go bother his family over those things. He had already been given this opportunity over his cousins, he didn’t have the right to complain.

He took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. It was quiet nervewrecking, suddenly entering the famous Sword Sect like this. He had tried his best not to show it, but he had been really nervous all morning.

Thankfully, his sisters had managed to become accepted as disciples by an Elder, and a Golden Core Elder at that. His parents would surely be ecstatic once they found out about that.

That thought calmed him down slightly. He thought that True Person Renmeng seemed like a good person.

“Everything is taken care of. You are now officially a disciple of the Sword Sect. How does it feel?” Bian Fenglin asked as he appeared out of nowhere, handing a storage pouch to Xinmo.

Xinmo didn’t open the storage pouch to look, he assumed it had his identity token and robes inside.

“Thank you for your help. It feels great. I will remember the favor,” Xinmo said, bowing in gratitude.

He truly was grateful. The favor he had received from Bian Fenglin would probably be the greatest opportunity of his life. He couldn’t waste it.

“Good,” Bian Fenglin said, nodding. “I called out an Outer Elder for you. Elder Yiwen. You have been placed in the group of disciples he’s in charge of, so if there is anything you need in the future, you should go to him. Alright?”

“I understand,” Xinmo said, nodding. His parents had asked a lot of questions on his and his sisters behalf on the way over, so he wasn’t completely clueless.

“Is this the one?” An old man stepped forward and asked. Xinmo assumed it was Elder Yiwen.

“Right. Shu Xinmo. I’ll leave him to you,” Bian Fenglin said.

“Alright, he’ll be under my care in the future, don’t worry. Off you go,” Elder Yiwen assured and waved Bian Fenglin off.

Xinmo was shocked at the disrespect, but he tried his best not to show it. “Greetings, Master.”

“I’m not your master,” Elder Yiwen said with a frown.

‘Right.’ Xinmo was a bit confused about the relationship. 

“Greetings, Elder Yiwen,” Xinmo tried again.

“That’s better,” Elder Yiwen said with a nod.

“Xinmo,” Bian Fenglin called out to him. He grabbed the storage pouch back from his hands, opened it, and pulled out his identity token. “You’re an Outer Disciple now. I doubt you can ever become an Inner Disciple, to be honest. But stranger things have happened. 

“Core Disciple is impossible, though. It’s frankly a miracle that your sisters managed to gain Elder Renmeng’s approval. As for becoming a True Disciple, don’t even dream about it.”

After speaking, he returned the storage pouch and token. With a slight smile, he added, “Prove me wrong, yeah?”

Xinmo smiled slightly and nodded, “Yeah.”

Bian Fenglin didn’t say anything else. He unsheathed his sword, threw it into the air, jumped on top of it, and soared into the sky.

Elder Yiwen shook his head. “Don’t get your hopes up. The brutal truth is if not for Young Master Fenglin, you would have never even been able to become an Outer Disciple.”

“I know,” Xinmo said.

“You don’t,” Elder Yiwen said with a sigh. “Come with me, I’ll take you to where you’ll stay.”

Xinmo nodded, and at Elder Yiwen’s invitation, stepped onto his sword, soon taking flight into the sky.

‘This is amazing. Not like a flying ship at all.’

‘I wonder if Grandpa can do this? What kind of strength does it require?’

It took almost an hour before they reached the outer reaches of the sect where Xinmo would be staying. 

He was taken to an empty cave abode. But as they arrived, Elder Yiwen stopped and rubbed his head. “I forgot that you don’t have spirit roots. What a mess.”

“Is there an issue, Elder Yiwen?” Xinmo asked.

“Can you use this?” Elder Yiwen asked, throwing some kind of plate into his hands. It looked a bit like the one he had seen in Bian Fenglin’s hands on the flying ship.

‘A formation plate? I don’t think I can use it, right?’

“Of course you can’t,” Elder Yiwen said, answering his own question, and snatching the plate back, “So how will you be able to use the formations in the cave? Can you even seal it?”

“Do I have to?” Xinmo asked.

“Yes,” Elder Yiwen answered. “So you can’t stay here. I’ll take you down the mountain. You can stay with the menial disciples.”

Xinmo thought the old man was far too quick to anger. He hadn’t even let Xinmo try before making the decision.

‘I’ll see if I can get my hands on one of those plates later so I can practice.’

“I’m sure you’ll like it better with the menial disciples anyway,” Elder Yiwen said as they made their way down the mountain path. “It’s where you would have been placed, if not for Bian Fenglin. If that. Those guys might not be very talented, but at least they have spirit roots.”

Xinmo didn’t answer. He would just lay low, don’t cause trouble, and slowly build his strength. Once he had comprehended sword intent, it wasn’t too late to start asking for some better treatment.

Elder Yiwen suddenly stopped walking, turning to look at Xinmo. 

Xinmo stopped as well, patiently waiting for Elder Yiwen to speak.

“Never mind,” Elder Yiwen muttered, and continued to walk.

Xinmo didn’t really understand why they were walking instead of taking that flying sword again, but he didn’t ask about it.

An hour or two later, they arrived by a cluster of buildings, almost looking like a small town. But all the people there wore robes that differed slightly from the ones he had seen earlier.

‘So these are menial disciples.’

“There should be plenty of space. You’ll have to share a room with a few people, though,” Elder Wimeng said as they arrived in front of a large wooden house.

“Okay. Thank you for your help, Elder Yiwen,” Xinmo said, bowing.

Elder Yiwen looked at him carefully for a moment and then spoke, his voice not quite so harsh anymore. “At least you know what to say, and more importantly, when not to say anything at all. A rare trait. You can help me with a few tasks in the future. Come see me at the Outer Admission Hall at first light tomorrow. Don’t be late.”

Xinmo raised his brows slightly in surprise. He wasn’t really looking forward to running tasks for the old man, but it was an absolute necessity to stay on his good side, so he was quite happy for the change of attitude.

“Thank you. I’ll be there,” Xinmo answered.

Elder Yiwen looked at him closely once more, then shook his head and walked away. 

Xinmo watched him leave, taking a deep breath. 

‘Alright. Time to work hard.’