Within My Sect, All Realms Unite

As three days slowly passed, most disciples had already stepped out one after another, testing their improvement with visible excitement and restless energy. Only Yan Feng and Tian Jian Zun remained seated, their figures unmoving as the hall gradually grew quiet around them.

The final shard of the enlightenment stick dimmed before burning away completely, its last trace fading as the suppressed sword intent within both finally stirred. Tian Jian Zun’s aura rose for a brief moment before collapsing inward with absolute control, his presence returning to an almost ordinary state as he calmly stood up.

Beside him, Yan Feng’s aura did not settle so easily, instead continuing to build layer after layer as sword qi leaked out uncontrollably. Lin Xiao Tian’s gaze shifted slightly, but his attention was not on Yan Feng, rather it was fixed on Tian Jian Zun with a faint, unreadable smile.

So he suppressed even that much and still chose to fold it back without effort, how troublesome, this old fellow is far deeper than he lets on.

Yan Feng’s momentum continued to rise, his sword intent sharpening as if breaking through invisible restraints, yet compared to the silent stillness around Tian Jian Zun, it felt incomplete. Tian Jian Zun glanced at him briefly, his expression calm yet carrying a hint of mild surprise at the progress.

"At this age, reaching the third layer is not bad at all," he said lightly before shifting his gaze toward Lin Xiao Tian, his tone turning casually suggestive. "Since you seem to have raised him well, why not let me guide him personally for a while."

Lin Xiao Tian immediately stepped sideways, positioning himself in front of Yan Feng with an exaggerated movement that looked almost defensive. "Keep your thoughts in check, Elder Zun, this one is not up for discussion," he said quickly before pausing and correcting his tone. "I mean, he is already under my personal guidance, so there is no need to trouble you."

Tian Jian Zun clicked his tongue softly, clearly unconvinced yet not pressing further, his gaze returning to Yan Feng with idle interest. "I was merely asking, not taking him away, and talent like this tends to seek its own path eventually."

Lin Xiao Tian’s smile remained steady, though his thoughts turned sharper beneath the surface. Seek his own path, my foot, if I let you touch him once you would refine him into your sword and call it guidance.

Yan Feng’s aura surged once more, compressing before erupting outward in waves of refined sword qi that spread across the hall. Before the force could reach anything, Lin Xiao Tian casually raised his hand and formed a qi barrier that absorbed everything without leaving a trace.

Yan Feng slowly opened his eyes and stood up, his aura stabilizing as the sharpness around him condensed into something far more controlled.

Though his sword intent had improved significantly, the difference between him and the elder beside him remained like the gap between a stream and a boundless sea.

Lin Xiao Tian glanced toward Han Leu before speaking in a calm, decisive tone. "Elder Han, prepare immediately, we will depart for the Hundred Sects Tournament without delay."

He then turned toward Tian Jian Zun, his expression relaxed yet carrying an unmistakable intent behind it. "Elder Zun, I will have to trouble you to remain here and watch over the sect along with the other disciples, I believe this task suits you best."

Tian Jian Zun stretched lazily, clearly satisfied with the arrangement as if it aligned perfectly with his own thoughts. "Since you have already arranged it so neatly, I suppose I can remain here and ensure nothing collapses, though do not expect me to be very diligent about it."

Around them, the remaining disciples began to gather one after another, the lingering aura of enlightenment slowly fading as movement returned to the hall. The stillness of cultivation ended there, and what followed would unfold beyond the sect’s quiet walls.

As everyone gathered, Lin Xiao Tian waved his sleeve and shifted the space itself, transporting the entire group onto the flying peak in a single, seamless motion. The familiar ship still stood where it had been left, silent and intact, yet the moment they stepped closer an overwhelming stench of decay crashed into them without warning.

Several of the younger disciples staggered back immediately, their expressions twisting as they struggled to endure the suffocating rot, while a few of the female disciples nearly lost control entirely. Even for cultivators accustomed to blood and death, the foulness lingering in the air was excessive, clinging to the senses like something that refused to disperse.

The instant the smell reached him, Lin Xiao Tian’s expression darkened, though what followed struck him even harder than the stench itself. His gaze snapped toward Han Leu, who was quietly edging backward with suspicious timing, clearly intending to disappear before being noticed.

"Han Leu!" Lin Xiao Tian’s voice thundered sharply, stopping him mid-step as the pressure in the air tightened. "Why is that useless corpse still on the ship, did you think it would clean itself after rotting for days!"

Han Leu froze in place, his expression stiffening as he realized there was no escape this time, while Lin Xiao Tian’s irritation only grew as he continued. "Yan Chuan died there, and now he has turned the entire ship into a nest of decay, maggots, and filth, and you thought leaving it like this was acceptable!"

Lin Xiao Tian turned his head away slightly, his brows twitching as he resisted the urge to even glance toward the ship’s interior. I am not stepping inside that thing even if someone pays me with a mountain of spirit stones, that is no longer a ship, that is a moving disaster.

For a brief moment, his eyes drifted toward the edge of the peak, a dangerous thought surfacing naturally. Should I just push it off and pretend it never existed, no one would question it anyway.

He paused, then immediately dismissed the idea with a sharp inward scoff. Throw it away, are you insane, something this valuable can still be sold, let someone else deal with the consequences.

Without another word, he turned around decisively and stepped back into the formation array, forcing himself to ignore the lingering smell as if it did not exist. The space distorted once more, and in the next instant everyone reappeared within the underground dock beneath the sect. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Lin Xiao Tian let out a slow breath as his gaze swept across the empty docking area, a trace of dissatisfaction flashing through his eyes. That was the only mini ship available, and now it has turned into a cursed relic soaked in death.

Just then, Han Leu cautiously approached from the side, his posture noticeably more restrained than before as he spoke with careful timing. "Sect Master, there is something I forgot to report earlier, during the disciple recruitment I sold a portion of the goods we obtained from the previous Beast Forest hunt."

Lin Xiao Tian’s expression shifted slightly, his attention returning fully as Han Leu continued. "They were received quite well, and the final price was far beyond expectation, it seems the market demand is stronger than we anticipated."

For a brief second, silence lingered before a faint light flickered within Lin Xiao Tian’s eyes, his earlier irritation quietly dissolving into calculation as he thought yah this work’s...