Li Xun looked over in surprise, only to find Ming Ji meeting his gaze like it was the most natural thing in the world. The moment their eyes met, he felt a little awkward.
He'd just been lost in thought and completely forgot who he was supposed to be right now. As a disciple who'd been lucky enough to gain the guidance of so many senior immortal masters and be part of something this important, he should've been brimming with energy and resolve. So how could he let that kind of expression slip?
The shock snapped him out of it, and he quickly put on a look of startled joy. "Your disciple will follow orders without question!"
But as soon as the words left his mouth, that graceful figure, like a flame dancing in his mind, suddenly came to him. For some reason, the right side of his face started to burn with pain. His cheek twitched involuntarily, and his expression faltered completely.
The two people in the room weren't just anyone. They noticed the change in an instant. But apparently, one of them misunderstood.
Ming Ji smiled. "What are you so scared of? If we really run into something as dangerous as the Demon Phoenix, it's not like they'd send you in first."
She was smiling, but there was a sharp, unyielding edge in her eyes, like a blade cutting through the air above her. Clearly, there was more to her words than she let on.
Li Xun knew she wasn't targeting him, but he couldn't help feeling a chill run through him.
He said nothing, just lowered his head to block the others from seeing his face. In that moment, his gaze turned dark and deep as a bottomless pool.
They wouldn't send me in first?
Not necessarily…
For the Mingxin Sword Sect, this was no small event: it was the first time since the Great Forty-Nine Tribulation a century ago that Qingming had personally descended the mountain. That alone spoke volumes about how critical the matter at the North Pole was. Not just to the sect, but to the entire Tongxuan Realm.
Although most cultivators paid little mind to formal displays or outward ceremony, things were different when it came to a sect leader. As Qingming prepared to leave with his disciples, nearly all the sect's senior figures came to see him off at Zhiguan Peak, with only Zhong Yin and Qingyin absent.
In the broader Tongxuan Realm, whenever a sect leader travels, they're always accompanied by a symbolic mode of transport that signifies their status.
These devices, much like flying magical artifacts, are often marked with elaborate insignias and constructed with extraordinary craftsmanship. From a distance, they unmistakably convey the dignity and authority of a sect master. Collectively, such conveyances are known as Sect Cloud Chariots.
The Mingxin Sword Sect, hailed as the number one sect in the East, was especially renowned throughout the Tongxuan Realm for its Sect Cloud Chariot.
This magical treasure, called the "Cloud Tower Moon-Grasping Chariot," was no bigger than a palm-sized jade pendant when folded. But when activated, it unfolded into a cloud mass nearly half a li across, with areas of varying density.
At the center hovered a palanquin made of jade-white mist, its curtains gently hanging down. Surrounded by swirling clouds, it drifted ethereally, unlike any ordinary object. Hanging from its walls were seven or eight extraordinary treasures—such as the sect leader's official seal, a dragon-engraved sword, and a Pure Heart whisk: all symbols of the sect master's authority and the sect's supreme power.
Seven steps out from the palanquin, there were 36 misty cloud platforms arranged like the stars in the sky, scattered unevenly to surround and protect the palanquin. Beyond them lie 108 floating spiritual steps, symbolizing the rotation of the cosmos, forming the outermost barrier.
A cold wind blew through the high skies, causing the cloud platforms and spiritual steps to drift gently. At the slightest external movement, the hidden qi mechanisms linking them would naturally awaken, activating the intricate formation concealed within. Instantly, this subtle formation would rise with the wind, enveloping the entire massive cloud mass in a protective shield.
Of course, for this journey, Qingming wouldn't mobilize all of the sect's top elites. So, only thirty-three cultivators were seated atop the cloud platforms. With just 144 spirit-grade platforms available, less than forty percent were in use. At a glance, the formation still looked impressive, but a closer look revealed how thin it really was.
There may have been few people, but their strength was undeniable.
Below the sect master, three elders—Qingxu, Qingyang, and Qingyue—were traveling with the group. Among the second-generation disciples, six of the famed "Seven Swords of Lianxia" were still active. Aside from Luo Nanchuan, who had stayed behind to manage the sect's daily affairs, the other five were all present. Four collateral disciples had also joined the party, each one a well-known cultivator in the Tongxuan Realm.
There were twenty third-generation disciples, most of them having reached the peak of the Transformation of Spirit stage and just starting to explore the mysteries of the Transformation of Infant stage. Among them, Wenhai, who was the most outstanding of the third generation, stood out alongside his Dao companion Qi Bi. Also present was Wu Lingquan, known as one of the sect's "Three Spirits." All three had already progressed their Wood Spirit cultivation into the Void Infant-Transformation stage and had earned quite a reputation across the Tongxuan Realm.
Li Xun stood quietly on one of the spiritual steps, arms by his side, waiting for the ceremony on the peak to conclude. In his mind, he couldn't help comparing the strength of the two sects he knew best.
One was the top righteous sect of the East. The other, once the number-one demonic sect. Their reputations were equally fearsome. Their strength and future potential were closely matched. If the two ever clashed, it would be a dead-even fight.
But… the Mingxin Sword Sect had Zhong Yin.
And for some reason, that thought made him let out a quiet sigh.
Suddenly, the sounds from below swelled. Those staying behind on the mountain began chanting their respectful farewells in unison, sending off their sect master. Bells and chimes echoed across the skies.
Watching hundreds of people bow in perfect harmony, Li Xun couldn't help the rush of emotion in his chest; his blood stirred with excitement.
More than a dozen streams of light streaked across the sky. On the inner circle of cloud platforms, twelve accompanying immortal masters took their seats. A moment later, a swirl of pure aura gathered. The Qingming Sect Master, holding a jade ruyi in hand, stepped lightly into the air and slowly ascended. He settled onto the palanquin, and the cloud curtains gently fell, hiding his figure behind layer upon layer of mist.
After a short pause, Qingming spoke calmly. "Junior Brother Qingxu, you'll oversee everything related to the cloud platforms. Ming Song will assist you."
Qingxu responded immediately with a bow. Mingsong stood as well and silently followed suit.
One was a highly respected elder, the other the senior-most among the second-generation disciples making the journey. It was no surprise they were chosen to manage the 36 cloud platforms.
Qingming continued, "Wenhai, you'll oversee the spiritual steps. Li Xun will be your assistant."
Wenhai paused for a moment in surprise before bowing and accepting the task.
Li Xun, on the other hand, felt his heart skip a beat when he heard his name. He hadn't expected to be named. Luckily, Wenhai's brief hesitation gave him just enough time to recover. Forcing down the wave of emotion in his chest, he slowly rose and bowed in silence, just as Mingsong had done.
Before he'd even fully straightened, the spiritual step beneath his feet, formed from condensed clouds, quietly shifted, sliding into a new position.
With everything assigned, Qingxu let out a long, low chant. Primordial qi from all directions began to gather, flowing along preset qi mechanisms pathways connected to the cloud palanquin. A faint green light shimmered briefly around the palanquin, and then clouds began to rise in thick billows, carrying it straight into the clear sky.
Once they were airborne, the atmosphere aboard relaxed. It was a stark contrast to the solemnity back at the sect, but it felt perfectly natural.
Li Xun, still unfamiliar with how things operated within the sect, found himself a little lost in the moment. Just then, Wenhai's spiritual step moved closer. His expression was already back to his usual calm and collected self.
"Junior Brother Li," he said with a smile, "ready to get to work? We'll need to organize the whole layout of the spirit steps, and assign positions to the rest of the disciples. There's a lot to do."
Li Xun was no fool. He knew that in a situation like this, the worst thing he could do was pretend to understand what he didn't. So he quickly put on a smile, scratched his head a little awkwardly, and said, "Then I'll be counting on you to show me the ropes, Senior Brother Wenhai."
He glanced around and lowered his voice. "Brother… isn't it a little strange? With so many senior brothers and sisters around, why would the Sect Master name me? I've got no experience with any of this…"
His expression was pure unease; he looked like a nervous, wide-eyed junior completely out of his depth. Wenhai couldn't help but smile again.
"Don't worry. Everyone goes through this at some point. Wu Lingquan and the others all had their first time, too. We were all just as anxious at the beginning. But look how well they've done."
He gave Li Xun a friendly pat. "Honestly, Junior Brother, you've only been in the sect a little over ten years, and you're already getting direct assignments from the Sect Master. Most of us didn't get that kind of treatment. You're doing better than you think."
Li Xun chuckled awkwardly but was still uneasy. That said, the reactions from the disciples around them were mostly mild. A few looked surprised, but no one seemed envious or hostile.
If this were some cushy job, he thought, they wouldn't be reacting like this. He quietly shook his head.
Maybe this kind of assignment really is just a common way for the Sect Master to test and train disciples?
That thought left him a little disappointed. So much for being "specially favored" by Qingming; it seemed there were limits to that after all.
But in truth, Li Xun was underestimating the importance of this task.
The Mingxin Sword Sect wasn't like the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect, where inner competition was brutal and life-or-death trials were used to force out a disciple's potential. Here, the elders and immortal masters nurtured their disciples in a steady, methodical way. They rarely relied on dangerous or extreme methods.
The immortal masters all had a clear grasp of their disciples' cultivation and capabilities. They knew exactly what each disciple could and couldn't handle, and rarely would they assign tasks that were beyond someone's ability.
So, when Qingming called out Li Xun by name, it was actually a sign of trust in his competence. After all, not every disciple had the ability to manage and oversee the big picture like this.
In that sense, it was less of a "job" and more like a placement test. The subject? The arrangement and integration of all 108 spiritual steps.
Li Xun's task was to embed each step into the greater formation according to restrictive arts, turning them into key points for offense and defense within the sect's formation. And in the event of an attack, he'd need to manage the entire formation, adjusting tactics and creating variations on the fly. That meant the person doing this job needed a solid understanding of the sect's formation techniques and restrictive arts.
And every move he made was being watched, dozens of experienced eyes tracking his actions. If he messed up, he could easily become the butt of jokes, and it would certainly leave a bad impression on the immortal elders. Of course, if he pulled it off and did exceptionally well, the result would be quite different.
Li Xun, unaware of all the implications, hadn't thought that far ahead. But he did understand this was a rare chance to stand out. At the very least, showing the right attitude in front of the immortal masters couldn't hurt. So he pulled himself together and, under Wenhai's guidance, flew back and forth, using his true breath to guide and adjust the spiritual steps.
But after moving just two of them, something started to feel off.
He scratched his head and flew back. "Senior Brother Wenhai… something doesn't feel right."