Zanxing followed everyone up the white jade steps.

After stepping over the last step, the view ahead opened up.

This was a temple hall, with a statue of the founding sect master Yushan Shengren enshrined at the front. The statue of Yushan Shengren was cast in gold, appearing immortal and ethereal, holding a long sword, gazing down benevolently and serenely at the vast mortal world.

In the great hall, hundreds of bright lamps were lit, candlelight dancing with human shadows, the entire tone revealing a profound magnificence.

Passing through the great hall was an outer courtyard, which was completely different from the splendor of the great hall, exceptionally quiet and pure. In the distance, a cluster of waterfalls fell from the cliff face, scattering silver pearls. Thin mist shrouded the mountains, and when the wind passed through, green waves rolled like a delicate fairyland.

Just then, a group of people walked by from outside – they should be disciples of the Taiyan Sect. Most wore light gray gauze robes with narrow sleeves and fitted waists. Men wore gray wooden hairpins, while women tied gray gauze bands. These gauze robes were made of some unknown material, their color light and elegant, not dull at all. When they moved, it was like flowing clouds and mist, ethereally immortal.

Zanxing muttered to herself: “It’s all premium gray…” It seemed the cultivation world favored the minimalist aesthetic.

A female cultivator beside her asked Zi Luo, “Senior Sister Zi Luo, why are some of their clothes gray, some green, and yours is purple?”

Indeed, among this group of disciples, several people wore different colored clothes, but even the greens and purples carried a hazy gray tone with very low saturation – standard Morandi colors.

Zi Luo answered: “Outer sect disciples all wear uniform gauze robes, while inner sect disciples can choose their robe styles without many restrictions.”

“Inner sect disciples and outer sect disciples?” Tian Fangfang asked: “So are we inner sect disciples or outer sect disciples?”

Zi Luo smiled: “Currently, you are all outer sect disciples. However, after the sect assessment in half a month, those ranked in the top thirty can become inner sect disciples.”

These cultivators hadn’t expected that entering the sect wasn’t the end – there would be further assessments. Someone asked: “Then what’s the difference between inner sect disciples and outer sect disciples?”

“Naturally, there are differences,” Zi Luo explained. “Inner sect disciples are personally taught by various masters. The cultivation techniques and manuals they can access, the Spirit Stones and pills they receive monthly, are all incomparable to outer sect disciples.”

Zanxing thought to herself, this was just the difference between advanced classes and regular classes – top students naturally deserved the best teaching resources.

“Let me take you to the dormitory quarters first.” Zi Luo continued walking forward: “After you’re settled, someone will deliver your gauze robes and tomorrow’s schedule later.”

Honestly, Taiyan Sect’s accommodation conditions were really excellent. Originally, Zanxing thought the riverside room Wang Shao had stayed in before was already quite good, but she didn’t expect Taiyan Sect’s student dormitories to be even better. The dormitories housed two people per room, located behind the back mountain, all individual small wooden buildings with three floors each. The first floor was a reception hall with floor cushions and low tables where one could sit and drink tea and chat. The second floor contained bedrooms, with the two bedrooms separated by wooden walls to ensure privacy. The third floor was a rooftop terrace, the open-air kind, where one could look at the moon and discuss life ideals at night.

It could be said to be very resort-style.

She heard that inner sect disciples had even better accommodation – one villa per person, very luxurious. Zanxing never expected that the housing freedom she couldn’t achieve in modern times would be accomplished so unexpectedly in a book.

After Zi Luo delivered everyone to their assigned dormitories one by one, she was about to leave. Zanxing called out to stop her: “Senior Sister Zi Luo.”

“Is there something else?”

“My face was previously injured by a demon beast.” Zanxing pointed to her face: “Is there any solution?”

With so many cultivators present today, Zi Luo hadn’t paid attention to Zanxing. Now seeing her face, she was first startled, then said: “This is… were you injured by a ‘Yu’?”

Zanxing nodded: “That’s right.”

Zi Luo extended her hand and covered Zanxing’s face. A warm feeling spread across her face. After a moment, she said to Zanxing: “There’s still residual demonic energy on your face. I’ve used the Poison Purification Technique to extract the residual demonic energy from your face, but,” she paused before continuing, “the scars left on your face may require high-grade spiritual medicine to fully heal.”

“Senior Sister, do you have…”

“I’m sorry,” Zi Luo smiled apologetically at her. “High-grade spiritual medicines are rare. Even inner sect disciples can only receive their monthly allotment. My monthly portion has already been used up.”

Zanxing remained silent. Seeing her like this, Zi Luo thought she was dejected and comforted her: “You don’t need to worry. Once you become an inner sect disciple, even if you don’t receive high-grade spiritual medicine, your master will find a way for you. As long as you can break into the top thirty in the assessment in half a month, everything will be resolved.”

She patted Zanxing’s shoulder before turning to leave.

Zanxing watched Zi Luo’s retreating figure. Before she could organize her thoughts, she heard a familiar voice behind her: “This is troublesome. Only inner sect disciples are qualified to receive high-grade spiritual medicine. It seems Miss Yang can only carry the scars on her face for life.”

Zanxing turned around. Not far away, Duan Xiangrao wore begonia-colored gauze robes, standing out particularly in this cold and ethereal fairyland.

Zanxing asked: “Why are you here?”

“I live here.” Duan Xiangrao sat down with a smile. During the Mountain Chain Flower trial, Duan Xiangrao had joined forces with Wang Shao to snatch the flowers from Zanxing’s hands. Wang Shao was driven away by Zanxing, leaving Duan Xiangrao who barely made it in time, keeping the twelve Mountain Chain Flowers in her basket and squeaking into the sect.

This would have been bad enough, but she even became Zanxing’s roommate.

What could be more painful than being assigned to the same dormitory as a classmate you disliked? Zanxing felt this book wasn’t very friendly to her.

The small terrace on the third floor would have been perfect for heart-to-heart talks with close friends, drinking, and watching shows, but now it would probably remain unused.

“You don’t think you can become an inner sect disciple, do you?” Duan Xiangrao unhurriedly poured herself a cup of tea. Even this simple action, when performed by her, carried a seductive frivolity. She said, “I told you long ago that the path of cultivation is lonely and bitter. With your talent and comprehension, among the disciples selected in today’s trial, you can only be considered mediocre. And that’s relying on luck. If you were as beautiful as I am,” she smoothed her temple hair, “you could still find someone to rely on in this sect. But you’re disfigured. Tell me, who in this sect would want you? Who would want to help you?”

Upon hearing this, Zanxing thought for a moment, then walked over to sit beside the low couch, looking directly into Duan Xiangrao’s eyes: “You’re wrong.”

Duan Xiangrao was stunned.

“When I entered the sect, I wasn’t thinking about coming here to find a husband or seek someone to depend on.” Zanxing smiled: “If the young lady wants to use her beauty to take shortcuts, please go ahead. However, please don’t assume everyone else is as short-sighted as you.”

“Nine Heaven Summit” was a male-oriented power fantasy novel. All the male characters in it either existed to enlighten the male protagonist or to be face-slapped by him. Female characters either existed to fall in love with the male protagonist or were accessories and playthings of villains.

But now it was different.

Zanxing said: “I want to become an inner sect disciple, but not by relying on men-by relying on myself.”