"Venerable Master Serenity’s disciples?"

She nearly squeezed out these words through gritted teeth, her hand under her wide sleeve clenched tight.

No wonder this Little Golden Dragon could slip so easily from her grasp, making her chase for three whole days and nights, bringing utter disgrace.

So it was because of that old iceberg Serenity—no, Venerable Master Serenity.

He is the undisputed number one in the Cultivation Realm, his strength unfathomable, his temper infamous for being fiercely protective and unpredictable.

Though her Sect of a Hundred Flowers is formidable, before the Ruins of Kaelum and that one, they aren’t even worth a fart.

Mael Valerius naturally noticed her, his dark gold eyes sweeping over coldly, not even pausing for an instant, simply walking past with Corbin Crowley and the others.

That sheer disregard stung Vienna Paxton more than any mocking words.

She could only watch as Mael Valerius passed by her side, gradually fading into the crowd, and she could do nothing about it, her expression turning ashen.

She stomped her foot in spite, and could only leave, full of indignation and defeat.

To provoke that old iceberg Serenity’s disciples—unless she was courting death.

...

To be accepted as disciples under Venerable Master Serenity—for Corbin Crowley and the others, it was both a shackle, and a heavenly fortune as well as a life-saving talisman.

However, Venerable Master Serenity’s methods of instruction were harsh to the extreme.

Every day at 7:00 AM, they practiced sword, Sword Qi flying everywhere—one misstep and you’d end up battered and bruised, covered in dust and shame.

Even someone like Zeke Veridian, a self-taught prodigy of the Immortal Way, could not escape Serenity’s nitpicking; when he scolded, his tongue was even more venomous than Zeke’s, and the words stung as much as possible, always striking straight at the heart.

Zeke considered his own tongue sharp enough, but before Venerable Master Serenity, he could only concede defeat.

On this day, Zeke was practicing sword atop Mystral, the Sword Qi as brilliant as a rainbow—all who saw would sigh in awe: What a once-in-ten-thousand-years Sword Dao genius!

But in Venerable Master Serenity’s mouth, it was reduced to a dry, "Your swordplay is as limp as noodles."

Zeke’s emerald eyes instantly grew frosty with anger, and he struck out in reverse, cleaving a trench three zhang deep.

Venerable Master Serenity flicked his snow-white sleeve, and the trench closed in an instant. He added, "Your temper’s harder than your sword. If you can cleave that mountain with one strike, you’ll barely pass in my book."

Zeke furtively glanced at the distant, towering peak that pierced the clouds, his face turning black as a burnt pot’s bottom.

"Master, this disciple is only at Golden Core Stage."

His green eyes grew even colder, the Green Jade Ancient Sword in his hand humming in protest.

It seemed the sword itself was indignant for its master.

Venerable Master Serenity’s broad sleeve swept in a snowy arc, "When I was your age, I could split a river in one strike."

Luna Sutton just stood by, watching, and nearly burst out laughing at those words.

Zeke, usually the master of snark, finally met his match today.

In an instant, Venerable Master Serenity shot her a sidelong glance, scaring her enough to immediately straighten her little face, feigning severity, eyes lowered, acting as though her gaze was glued to her toes.

Corbin Crowley quietly shifted to stand in front of her protectively.

Venerable Master Serenity glanced at him, half-smiling, and with a flick of his fingertip, sent a ray of spirit light his way. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Bang!"

Corbin Crowley was sent flying backward, blood roiling in his chest, a burning pain spreading inside him.

His silver eyes narrowed; just this seemingly casual blow left him utterly defenseless.

"Defending your own before your master?"

Venerable Master Serenity flicked his snowy sleeves and said coldly, "Go to the Cliff of Repentance behind the mountain and meditate facing the wall for three days. Contemplate what it means to respect your master and honor the Way."

Luna Sutton sensed things were taking a bad turn, and hurried over to help Corbin up, signaling with her eyes for him not to be rash.

Corbin understood, immediately dropping to one knee, "Disciple admits his fault."

Only then was Venerable Master Serenity satisfied. His gaze swept to the others, "From today on, you must each complete three tasks daily: Sword practice, mental method, and one chosen from array techniques, alchemy, or talisman painting. Eighth..."

She shuddered, knowing he meant her, and quickly replied, "Disciple here!"

"You will supervise their completion of the daily lessons."

Venerable Master Serenity’s lips curled slightly, his gaze sweeping across the disciples, "If any one fails to complete them, the entire peak is punished."

Seven pairs of resentful eyes instantly shot toward Luna Sutton.

She forced a dry laugh and, bracing herself, replied, "I shall heed Master’s command."

...

Time slipped by like water; in a flash, a hundred years had passed.

Venerable Master Serenity’s teaching methods were simple, rude, and harsh beyond measure, but they proved extremely effective.

After Corbin Crowley, Rhys Blackwood, Kian Sterling, Zeke Veridian, Malachi Arcanus, Soren Phoenix, and Mael Valerius all reached a certain level in swordsmanship,

Venerable Master Serenity swept a majestic sleeve and directly tossed the seven of them into Glaivewrack—where sword energy ran rampant and myriad weapons were born from illusion—grandly naming it, "Comprehending the true essence of sword-intent."

Even Luna Sutton was thrown in without a bit of gentleness or mercy.

When they emerged, every one of them wore tattered clothing, faces pale as death, but their eyes were sharper than freshly forged divine weapons.

Even Luna Sutton had shed her gentleness, a hidden murderous aura clinging to her.

Zeke shone most in this forged trial; his Green Jade Ancient Sword in hand grew ever more agile, its sword-light seeming to destroy all in its path.

During this time, Venerable Master Serenity dispatched Kian Sterling and Soren Phoenix to the world of mortals—the place most bustling and rife with treachery—to manage an inn.

He said it was to test their discernment and hearts,

But in truth, the main purpose was heart-forging.

Of all his eight disciples, these two had the most complicated minds. If they weren’t properly tempered, what then?

Kian Sterling and Soren Phoenix, though unaware of their master’s full intentions, could guess nine-tenths of it. The two soon arrived in the mortal world, in a place called the Ancient Kingdom of Aeridor,

and within a month, opened an inn in the Royal Capital—naming it The Convergence Pavilion.

Kian’s scheming and depth of thought melded seamlessly with Soren’s charming skills. The inn’s business boomed, gaining remarkable renown.

Not only that, the two wove a massive intelligence web, collecting all manner of information.

Kian Sterling’s Illusion Technique, refined amidst the world’s dust, reached the realm of transformation; with a single thought it birthed myriad forms, and his mind became ever purer—like jade polished in water.

The Convergence Pavilion they operated became the preeminent refined gathering place in the Royal Capital, and the dark hub where information converged.

Soren Phoenix’s dashing means restrained their sharpness, while his thoughts grew ever more meticulous; the frivolity of old faded, replaced by a deeper, unfathomable composure.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the ever-changing human heart, the two advanced in cultivation with astonishing speed.

Venerable Master Serenity’s divine sense swept across the mortal world; satisfied with the result, he waved his wide sleeve, signaling the end of the Red Dust Heart Refining.

Kian Sterling and Soren Phoenix were instantly transported back to Mystral.

Awaiting them were Zeke’s mountain-cleaving, peak-shattering sword energy and Corbin Crowley’s silver moonlight piercing heaven and earth.

A century of life-and-death tempering had long forged Corbin Crowley, Rhys Blackwood, Zeke Veridian, Malachi Arcanus, Mael Valerius, and Luna Sutton into paragons of the Cultivation Realm.

Under Venerable Master Serenity’s careful guidance, their skills soared to new heights, each comprehending their own divine arts and paths.

"Not bad."

Venerable Master Serenity, rarely, nodded, his gaze sweeping the eight disciples—calm auras, their sharpness contained, "Your foundations are solid; it’s time you sought your own Dao."

He tapped his fingertip, sending eight streams of light into each disciple’s sea of consciousness. These were eight supreme cultivation inheritances tailored to their bloodlines and paths, along with a detailed map of the Cultivation Realm.

"The Cultivation Realm is vast and boundless, its fortunes and dangers interwoven. Go forth. In a thousand years, I will await you in the Immortal Realm."

As his words fell, thunderclouds rolled across the sky, darkness and lightning clashed in fury.

Venerable Master Serenity’s form dissolved into mist atop Mystral, appearing under the Heavenly Tribulation.

It turned out his chance had come; after passing the tribulation, he would break the realm and ascend directly.

Only a towering mark of sword-intent remained at the peak, a sign to all of his path and departure.

The eight looked to one another, eyes filled with a mixture of reluctant farewell and burning ambition.

There was no need for words; understanding sprang naturally between them.

Luna Sutton, Corbin Crowley, and Rhys Blackwood ventured alone into the deadly land of Malignor.

Zeke Veridian journeyed alone, pursuing the ultimate Sword Dao.

Kian Sterling and Soren Phoenix set out together, seeking out Ancient Phantom Realms and Secret Realms across the lands.

Malachi Arcanus returned to the Myriad Beast Mountains, honing himself through battle after battle.

Mael Valerius roamed the four seas, searching for ancient Dragon Clan relics.

Though the eight went their separate ways, they all left ways to stay in touch.