The moment the news spread—that Li Qiye, a boy of mortal flesh, had become the Chief Disciple of the Cleansing Dust Sect—chaos erupted across every mountain peak.
The elders, bound by the ancient decree of the Cleansing Dust Order, could do nothing but grit their teeth in silence. Yet that silence only fueled the anger of the younger disciples.
The Sect in Uproar
"Who does that mortal think he is?"
"A mortal Chief Disciple — a disgrace to our lineage!"
"He violates the sect's honor!"
The voices rose like fire through the mountains.
Others, colder and older in temperament, replied indifferently,
"What choice do we have? The Order of Cleansing Dust overrides all. Even the Grand Elder bows to it."
But the proud prodigies, third‑generation disciples whose talents could move mountains, sneered.
"A worthless token and a worthless boy. When he steps into the training field, I'll show him what real talent looks like."
To them, Li Qiye's very existence was an insult — a stain on their generation.
"Wasn't that Order with Three Smiles Elder?"
"Apparently this kid fooled the old drunk into liking him. When the elders sent someone to check, the old fool was still in the Emerald Red Pavilion—"
"—ha! Birds of a feather! No wonder they get along!"
Laughter and mockery rolled through the peaks like thunder.
None took the new Chief Disciple seriously.
A Message from the Beast Lands
Three days later, just as the sect's gossip reached its fever, a fire‑bound talisman streaked across the sky and broke in the elders' hall.
Its seal bore the nine‑clawed mark of the Nine Saint Demon Gate.
"What?" an elder said sharply. "A trial summons from the Demon Gate?"
Everyone glanced at one another, the same chill in their eyes.
"Their timing is too convenient," one muttered. "They must've heard of our new Chief Disciple — and come to mock us."
Another snorted. "They're backing out of the ancient pact! That boy couldn't pass their test if he had ten lifetimes. They mean to break the marriage alliance."
The Grand Elder was silent for a long moment. When he spoke, his voice was weary.
"Demon Gate rules the Beast Kingdom now. Their influence rivals empires. We no longer have the glory we once did. Who are we, to negotiate?"
The hall fell into somber quiet.
Once, the Cleansing Dust Sect had marched beside emperors, its name revered through nine heavens. Now even a single state was hard to hold.
"What choice remains?" one elder asked softly.
"Hope and prayer," another said bitterly. "If by a miracle the trial succeeds, our alliance with the Demon Gate will shield us again. No kingdom would dare tread on our lands."
Hopeless words, spoken like a reflex of pride long lost.
The Summons to the Ancestral Hall
Atop the Lonely Peak, Li Qiye had barely begun his quiet cultivation when Nan Huairen arrived, bowing deeply.
"Senior Brother, the elders summon you to the Ancestral Hall."
Li Qiye opened his eyes, a slight smile on his face. "Trouble?"
Nan Huairen hesitated. "News came from the Nine Saint Demon Gate. They've called for a trial."
A pause. "Your… fiancée will oversee it personally."
Li Qiye raised an eyebrow. "Fiancée?"
Nan Huairen, half nervous, half embarrassed, explained quickly.
"The Demon Gate is one of the strongest sects of the Central Domains, rulers of the Beast Kingdom. Their founder, the Nine Saint Sage, once served our ancestor, Emperor Mingren, as his first general.
In that era, they owed everything to us."
He paused, continuing in a lower tone. "When Mingren ascended, the Nine Saint Sage made a pact: if his descendant were ever a woman, she would marry our Chief Disciple—to bind our sects forever."
Li Qiye laughed softly. "So the old soldier kept his word after all."
When he had taught Mingren to walk the Dao, he had spent a great deal of effort taming that proud beast—the Nine Saint Sage himself. And now, that line had the audacity to test him?
"Her name is Li Shuangyan," Huairen added. "They say she was born with a Royal Constitution — a body suited for emperors."
At that, Li Qiye understood at once.
The Cleansing Dust Sect had fallen; the Demon Gate had risen. They would never honor such a marriage unless forced.
This 'trial' was a humiliation in disguise.
Amusement touched his features. "Interesting."
Huairen stared at him in silent awe.
Though the boy looked barely thirteen, his presence filled the air—calm, unyielding, an ancient mountain reawakening in human form.
Any other man would have been shaken by such news.
But he — he looked as though he had been waiting for it.
The Elders' Decision
The Ancestral Hall was lit by a hundred smoking lamps.
The six elders stood in rows beneath the colossal statue of Emperor Mingren.
"You've heard the summons?" the Grand Elder asked, his tone rigid.
Li Qiye bowed slightly. "I understand."
"Good." The elder nodded. "If you can pass the Demon Gate's trial, the sect will reward you heavily."
Li Qiye's gaze remained level. "I'll go," he said quietly. "But first—I have three conditions."
A murmur rippled through the hall.
One of the elders slammed his hand against the arm of his chair.
"Insolence! You stand before elders, and you negotiate terms?"
The air tightened, aura crackling through the hall.
But Li Qiye did not flinch. His eyes were steady, his tone smooth.
"I'll take the trial," he said simply, "but if I am to carry the sect's name to the Demon Gate — then let me decide how I'll carry it."