The Administration Hall was built right at the foot of Laojun Peak. After landing, Li Wu Yi gathered up his flying device before beckoning Li Yan to follow him toward the great entrance of the hall.
Outside the Administration Hall, many people were coming and going. As soon as some of them spotted Li Wu Yi, they either bowed in respectful salutation or simply smiled and nodded in greeting. Depending on who they were, some addressed him as "Master Uncle" or "Senior Brother," while others said "Teacher" or "Junior Brother." Their gazes then often shifted curiously toward Li Yan trailing behind. At that moment, Li Yan's appearance could only be described as somewhat "miserable." Although his face had been recently washed with clear water and even the injury to his leg had long since healed, his once-pristine black robe—in which he'd perhaps barely looked out of place among ordinary folk—now appeared ragged and tattered, splattered with unsightly bloodstains and dirt. It looked as though Li Wu Yi had rescued him from some dire predicament.
Nevertheless, Li Yan's heart remained calm. He felt no shame at all, and so he simply followed Li Wu Yi step by step without a word.
After climbing a dozen or so steps, they arrived at the great entrance. Standing there, two disciples clad in dark-green robes caught Li Yan's attention. Judging solely by the spiritual energy radiating from them, Li Yan could tell they far surpassed his own modest level—even if he couldn't yet discern precisely what stage they were at.
One of the men, seemingly in his early thirties and with a dignified air, stepped forward and bowed politely. "Greetings, Master Li. May I ask what business brings you here today so that we might be of service?" His eyes briefly flicked over at Li Yan as he spoke.
Li Wu Yi smiled gently and replied, "Ah, is it today that Senior Brother Lin is on duty?" He spoke in a tone that was both warm and measured, clearly at ease with the situation.
Every day at the Administration Hall, high-level disciples—those who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage from the five peaks—would take turns on duty. Naturally, the Foundation Establishment disciples handling these affairs were usually those with relatively short lifespans; after all, if one never managed to condense one's Golden Core in this lifetime, there was little need to push one's cultivation relentlessly. For them, serving on duty was a way to while away the time, to relish the privileges reserved even for ordinary mortals, and to earn rewards from the sect. Why wouldn't they gladly take the role?
"Reporting to you, Master Li," the middle-aged disciple replied respectfully, "today it is Senior Brother Lin from Si Xiang Peak who is on duty."
"Ah, so that must be Brother Lin. Is he inside the hall now?" Li Wu Yi chuckled lightly.
Though the Wang Liang Sect had over a hundred budding cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage, only a mere twenty or so took turns on duty each day. Those belonging to the same clan were few and far between, and Li Wu Yi could immediately tell exactly whom they were referring to.
"One moment—indeed, he is in there. I'll go and inform him, Senior Brother Lin," the man said in a steady tone.
At that moment, Li Wu Yi's eyes briefly flicked toward Li Yan as if trying to guess something about him. He didn't dare to be too certain, however, since this wasn't an occasion for inducting new disciples. Typically, only those chosen by the subordinate immortality halls—a group no larger than two or three at a time—would be sent in together. A lone arrival was rare.
"Actually, no need. I'll find Brother Lin myself," Li Wu Yi declared as he strode inside. Without delay, Li Yan silently trailed behind him.
The two disciples on duty did not dare to block their progress. It was clear they had accompanied Master Li Wu Yi.
Inside the hall was a vast, brightly lit chamber—truly spacious, spanning several dozen zhang in area. The central area of the hall was left completely bare, while numerous smaller rooms were arranged around the perimeter, with people still coming and going.
Knowing the place like the back of his hand, Li Wu Yi led them to the far left corner room.
Within that room, a lean, middle-aged man sporting a short goatee sat behind a desk. Judging by his appearance, he was in his forties. His eyes had been half-closed as he leaned back in his chair, exuding an air of calm composure. When he heard someone enter, he opened his eyes fully—and upon recognizing Li Wu Yi, he spoke without much ado.
"Ah, so it is Junior Brother Li. What matter brings you here today?" The lean man said in a placid tone.
Not minding the casual attitude, Li Wu Yi offered a respectful bow and said, "Greetings, Brother Lin. I have brought along this junior brother for the purpose of collecting his introductory belongings." As he spoke, he gestured toward Li Yan standing behind him.
Brother Lin had undoubtedly already noticed Li Yan's presence. However, seeing that Li Yan looked disheveled and dirty, he wasn't quite sure what to make of him.
"Oh? A junior brother? Has Master Wei taken in another disciple? Hmm… He appears to still be at the Condensation Period?" Brother Lin was taken aback, and his questions tumbled out one after another in surprise.
Matters regarding Li Yan were not common knowledge—even among the most influential members of the Wang Liang Sect. Only a select few were aware of a new disciple's future prospects; after all, the higher-ups rarely spread details about one's innate affinity to everyone. In this case, Brother Lin's astonishment stemmed from two things. First, he was unaware of the matter, and second, he was amazed at Li Yan's cultivation level. For a man whose current power would normally warrant recruitment as a disciple by a Golden Core cultivator, Li Yan seemed to be markedly inferior. Even though Li Yan was, indeed, a cultivator, being at only the second tier of the Condensation Period was far below what was expected—even compared to the periodic groups of new entrants from the subordinate halls, who typically came in at later stages.
The Wang Liang Sect only recruited disciples with exceptionally rare spiritual roots—such as the Saint Spirit or Celestial Spirit types—on the spot. Otherwise, elite disciples were generally sent in periodically, only from those subordinate immortality halls. Those disciples normally would have reached at least the fifth or sixth tier of the Condensation Period.
And now was not the proper time for a subordinate hall to deliver a disciple. Naturally, Brother Lin assumed that Li Yan must be a prodigy of the highest caliber.
Li Wu Yi, having sensed Brother Lin's line of thought, deliberately chose his words carefully. "Indeed, Brother Lin," he affirmed, "this Li Yan is the very registered disciple recently accepted by our Master. Please pardon the trouble, Brother Lin. Junior Brother Li, please come forward and greet Brother Lin. In the future, you may well need to rely on him."
Li Yan listened intently to the conversation between the two senior masters. He felt that his admission into the sect was somehow unusual. As soon as Brother Lin turned his attention back and called to him, Li Yan quickly stepped forward, offering a deep, respectful bow. "Greetings, Brother Lin."
Brother Lin looked him over once more before speaking. There was a fleeting expression of hesitation on his face as he regarded Li Yan—then his countenance seemed to return to normal. He knew there were some things one simply did not ask about. In his memory, Xiao Zhu Peak had taken in a disciple only six years ago; before that, it might have been only one or two disciples every few decades. Now was not the time for a subordinate hall to deliver someone on their own. Li Wu Yi's silence on the matter was natural then. Li Yan was likely to possess some secrets.
Without further ado, Brother Lin extended his hand toward the empty air. In the next moment, several items materialized in his palm. With a smooth motion, he placed them one by one onto the table in front of him. Then, summoning a small incantation once more, he gestured toward the air and more items appeared on the table.
Li Yan stared in awe. He had never witnessed such a display of immortal technique—objects appearing out of thin air in what seemed like the blink of an eye. On the table lay two sets of sect robes along with other clothing, a small black token that looked neither quite like iron nor exactly like gold, several pieces of stone, bottles, sacks, talisman papers, and the like.
"Here are two sets of sect-determined outfits and two sets of undergarments, a pair of Wind-Step Boots… and here is the sect's waist token. Once you spill a bit of your blood and formally swear fealty, you will use this token to enter and leave the sect without being harmed by the protective formations. Of course, if any peak sets up its own array, then you will have to approach that peak and obtain their token—once you affix yours, it will grant you safe passage."
Brother Lin explained each item with great responsibility, pointing first to the garments and that peculiar, black token. Then he pointed to a small three-inch sword and a long, slender item, continuing his explanation.
"Now, this is our standard sectal treasure sword. Over here is a flying spirit device—the one that's used by disciples prior to Foundation Establishment when they're still reliant on external methods for flight. Then there are three low-grade spirit stones, a bottle of 'Recovery Powder,' and three sets of 'Fiery Iron Wall Talismans.' All of these items are given once during a new disciple's induction. After today, you won't receive any more. But…"
At this point, Brother Lin hesitated as he gestured toward the final two items. He glanced over at Li Wu Yi.
"Junior Brother Li, you are rather unique compared to previous new inductees. In the past, those arriving to receive their initial items were generally at least at the fifth tier of the Condensation Period—they could even project their spiritual sense outward. For such disciples, the Storage Sack and the Jade Scroll are naturally usable immediately. But you…" He looked meaningfully at Li Wu Yi.
Li Wu Yi smiled subtly. Even before arriving today, he'd already decided, "This one isn't yet prepared for external defense. I'll load all of these items into his storage sack for now. When we return, I'll help him retrieve them. With your cultivation, Junior Brother, you won't be long in mastering their use. As for the contents of that entrance Jade Scroll, I will explain them to you directly once we're back. It basically outlines the sect's rules and various notices. I'll be more detailed than what is written in the scroll."
Standing by the table, Li Yan listened as Brother Lin pointed at the final two items. In the brief conversation that followed, much of what was said drifted like a haze into his mind. He understood only that one was a Jade Scroll and the other was some kind of storage sack. He recognized the Jade Scroll—its form much resembled one that Military Strategist Ji often brandished. Such scrolls required one to use one's spiritual sense to view their contents. But what could that tiny sack be used for? It was so small that, at most, it could only contain the little bottle and three pieces of stone that sat on the table.
At that moment, Li Yan felt perplexed as he surveyed the pile of objects. To him, only the clothing, the treasure sword, and that waist token were familiar. The rest he could only hazard a guess: perhaps the small bottle was an alchemical pill? For the other items, he was completely at a loss.
Before he could reflect further, as if someone had swooped in to either scoop the items up or bag them, a long, slender hand reached out from beside him and grabbed the sack. Startled, Li Yan quickly turned his head—and found that it was Master Brother himself.
Li Yan didn't know what his senior intended to do with the sack. When he glanced back at the table, he was astonished to see that every item had vanished; all that remained was the sack clutched in his senior's hand, a cheerful smile on his face as he extended it toward Li Yan.
"These…" Li Yan stammered. He wasn't sure what had just happened. In the blink of an eye he had seen a whole array of items disappear, and only this sack was now before him. Although his mind shot a preliminary thought—perhaps Master Brother had magically packed everything into this sack—it still seemed almost inconceivable. And then Li Wu Yi's words further dismissed any doubt in his mind.
"Junior Brother, just hold on to this Storage Sack for now. When we return, I'll explain everything in detail," Li Wu Yi said with a gentle laugh.
Hearing this, Li Yan mumbled to himself, "Incredible—a storage sack so small yet with a belly that seems impossibly vast." He reached out to take it. However, when he grasped the sack, his hand jerked upward suddenly. His heart skipped a beat; he had applied far too much force. In his mind he reasoned that since these items had been magically placed inside, the sack's weight ought to reflect the cumulative weight of everything within. Thus, when the sack landed in his palm, it should have felt heavy. Instead, it felt as light as if it were empty.
Instantly, Li Yan realized that he'd made a great foolish mistake—and his face flushed with embarrassment. He was painfully aware of how little he truly knew about the ways of the immortal world. There was so much yet for him to learn.
Observing the situation, Brother Lin shook his head in mild disbelief. "Where exactly did you find this fellow? He can't even tell the difference between a storage sack and, say, a bag. Has he never eaten pork? Or perhaps he's come from some remote subordinate hall where not even a single pig runs free?" Li Yan's face grew even more flushed as he listened to Brother Lin's chiding remark.
Li Wu Yi smiled lightly and patted Li Yan on the shoulder. "Junior Brother, let's go back. I'm sure our Master must be waiting impatiently."
This marks the end of the passage. In this segment, Li Wu Yi and Li Yan arrive at the Administration Hall at the foot of Laojun Peak. The atmosphere is bustling and filled with subtle hierarchies—the courteous greetings of fellow disciples, the scrutiny of newcomers, and the meticulously organized system for inducting new disciples into the Wang Liang Sect. Although Li Yan's appearance was far from refined due to his recent hardships, his inner calm remained unshaken as he quietly followed his senior.
Inside, Brother Lin, a lean and seasoned disciple, receives them with a mixture of curiosity and reserved surprise—especially upon observing Li Yan's less-than-ideal state. As Brother Lin carefully presents the introductory items—the set of clothing, symbolic tokens, and assorted magical tools—the inherent mystique of the sect's practices, from items that seemingly appear from thin air to the intricate spiritual requirements behind each piece, becomes apparent. Li Yan, though still a novice in both cultivation and the ways of sectal etiquette, begins to grasp that his induction is not an everyday affair. In fact, his very presence and the quality of the items designated for him hint at an unusual destiny, one that even the senior disciples regard with quiet astonishment.
When a sudden magical trick leaves Li Yan with a storage sack that defies all expectations of weight and capacity, his internal confusion gives way to embarrassment. Yet even in this moment, as Brother Lin teases him for his inexperience, Li Yan's journey into the arcane and the mysterious is only just beginning. With Li Wu Yi's gentle guidance and the tacit expectations of his new superiors, Li Yan is poised to learn that in the realm of immortal cultivation, even the smallest item might harbor secrets that far exceed its apparent simplicity.
This entire episode not only highlights the strict hierarchy and unusual customs of the Wang Liang Sect but also offers Li Yan—and the reader—a glimpse into the complexities of his new world. As he accepts the storage sack with a mixture of awe, trepidation, and determination, Li Yan is reminded that the path to true cultivation is paved with both miraculous talents and endless lessons. The journey ahead promises to be one of profound transformation, where every artifact, every greeting, and every subtle glance carries the weight of destiny.
In the days to come, Li Yan will have plenty of time to ponder the mysteries behind each item—the significance of the Jade Scroll carrying the inner rules of the sect, the purpose of the seemingly minuscule storage sack with an almost bottomless capacity, and the various enchanted treasures that have been entrusted to him. For now, though, guided by Li Wu Yi's steady hand, he must learn to navigate this intricate world of immortal arts, where even embarrassment is but a stepping stone on the arduous climb toward becoming something far greater than he had ever dared imagine.