Some time later, when everything had calmed down, Jin remained seated at the edge of the ship, watching the landscape rush past far too quickly to truly appreciate.
The vessel had resumed its journey and was now moving even faster than before, as if the encounter with the beast had been nothing more than a minor interruption. The wind struck harder, and mountains, forests, and rivers shrank into fleeting shadows beneath his feet.
Jin would have liked to see a little more of the power of a Golden Core cultivator.
However, Elder Zhao had returned to his cabin with the same natural ease with which he had left, as if erasing a demonic beast from the sky were a routine task unworthy of reflection.
What had changed, though, was the atmosphere.
There was much more noise now.
The disciples spoke among themselves in low voices, trying to maintain their composure. They feigned calm, but the excitement was evident in their gestures, in how quickly they interrupted one another, and in the way their gazes kept drifting back to the sky.
Among the children, the commotion was even greater.
They wouldn't stop talking. They commented on the bird's size, the purple of its feathers, the lightning that seemed to split the sky in two. They repeated over and over how Elder Zhao had needed only a single gesture to make it disappear.
Some had eyes shining with admiration.
Others reenacted the scene with exaggerated movements, full of energy.
Jin listened in silence.
Many seemed convinced that one day they would reach that level. That all it took was entering the sect, training a little, and power would come on its own.
He shifted his gaze toward the horizon and let out an almost imperceptible sigh.
He thought about how harsh reality would be for many of them. About the talent, time, luck, and the price required to advance even a single step on the path of cultivation. About how many would be left behind long before brushing against something like the Golden Core.
The ship continued slicing through the clouds, carrying with it newly born illusions… and a future that would not be kind to everyone.
Jin pulled himself out of his thoughts with a faint, self-mocking smile.
There he was again, getting ahead of himself.
He couldn't change what awaited them, nor was there any point in resenting it in advance. He exhaled calmly and focused his attention on what was beside him: a little lotus flower who would not stop talking.
"Senior Brother Jin," Xiao Lian said with bright eyes, "did you see how Elder Zhao was flying? Are all immortals like that? When will I be able to do something like that?"
She didn't wait for an answer.
"That bird was really scary… but you and Brother Wei were so calm. Why did it attack us? And even so… it was beautiful. It's a shame it disappeared."
The words poured out one after another, mixing excitement, delayed fear, and pure childish curiosity.
Jin listened patiently. He nodded from time to time, answered with short phrases, and let his smile do the rest. He didn't try to explain anything complicated or dampen her enthusiasm.
"You'll understand when you're older," he said at last. "Everything in its time."
She seemed satisfied and continued talking.
A little farther away, Wei was doing what he did best: meditating as if the world did not exist. Back straight, eyes closed, breathing steady. Neither the noise nor the wind seemed to affect him.
Jin looked at him and shook his head slightly.
Seriously… this guy is hopeless.
The journey continued.
When the sun began to rise the next day, the sky was just starting to brighten and orange hues painted the horizon. The dawn light filtered through the clouds surrounding the ship, creating a soft golden glow.
Jin lay on his side, his head propped up on one hand, watching the birth of the day.
A night had already passed.
He recalled the information he had pried from one of the disciples: the journey would normally last three days, but with the flight system at full capacity, it would take only one.
Beside him, Xiao Lian slept deeply, breathing lightly. One of her hands still clutched the edge of his robe, as if afraid he might disappear. Jin carefully adjusted the fabric so it wouldn't slip and avoided waking her.
Farther away, Wei remained exactly the same.
He had meditated all night.
Literally.
He hadn't moved even once. Back straight, eyes closed, breathing so steady that, for a moment, Jin wondered if he was still alive.
Curiosity won in the end.
Carefully, he stretched out a finger and gently touched Wei's cheek.
Nothing happened.
He frowned and pressed a little harder.
Wei's eyes snapped open.
"What are you trying to do?"
The voice was calm… but sudden enough to make him flinch.
Jin withdrew his hand immediately.
"Damn it. I was just checking if you were still alive."
Wei stared at him for a full second without expression.
"I am alive. And there's no need to check like that."
Jin let out a low chuckle.
"With you, you never know."
Wei closed his eyes again and resumed his meditation as if nothing had happened.
The sun was already rising clearly when Jin noticed something in the distance.
At first, they were just dots in the sky. Then they began to grow larger. Not one or two, but several, scattered at different heights.
Curiosity made him sit up carefully, causing Xiao Lian to stir and half-open her eyes.
"Are we there already…?" she murmured sleepily.
"Not yet," he replied softly, patting her head. "Sleep a little longer."
She nodded without thinking much and lay back down, once again clutching his robe.
Jin moved closer to the edge.
Then he understood.
They were other flying ships, almost identical to his own, with the symbol of eight great mountains wrapped in clouds engraved on their sides. All kept a certain distance but followed similar routes.
At lower altitudes, other figures moved.
Cultivators flying atop artifacts.
Giant swords gliding naturally through the sky.
Jin's eyes gleamed.
Now that's cool.
Much better than traveling inside this enormous ship.
Even lower, he made out figures riding flying beasts, moving freely. All were heading in the same direction.
The invisible routes of the sky converged toward a single point.
Without anyone needing to say it, he knew they were close.
Carefully freeing Xiao Lian's hand, he walked toward Ma Jun, the outer disciple he had spoken with earlier.
He performed the usual martial salute.
"Senior Brother."
Ma Jun recognized him immediately and, although his expression tightened for just a moment, replied with a polite smile.
"Another question?"
"Are we almost at the sect?"
Ma Jun looked at him as if he had heard something obvious… or naïve.
"Not yet. We're not going to the main sect. This is one of the four outer bases that protect the cardinal points of the Eight Celestial Peaks Sect."
Jin understood instantly.
Of course.
This is just the entrance.
"All candidates must pass trials before accessing the true sect," Ma Jun added.
Jin remained silent for a few seconds.
So this wasn't the arrival.
It was the beginning.
When he returned to his place, he lifted his gaze toward the mountain range stretching before them. Endless peaks rose one after another, disappearing into clouds and mist, forming an imposing natural barrier.
A perfect wall.
The ship began to descend.
The disciples woke the children and told them to prepare. Xiao Lian ran toward him as soon as she saw him stand up.
"Senior Brother Jin…"
"I'm here," he replied, patting her head.
Wei walked behind them, observing the mountains with an analytical gaze.
When the ship descended low enough, Jin saw the complex.
Multi-level pagodas. Great halls with towering roofs. Perfectly laid stone paths connecting structures. Platforms, courtyards, buildings he could not immediately identify.
It was enormous.
Far too enormous to be merely an "outer base."
Everything spoke of resources, power, and a long-established history.
If this is only the entrance…
He didn't want to imagine the heart of the sect.
The ship landed smoothly, and the disciples began organizing the twenty-nine children who had traveled with them. Jin disembarked alongside Wei and Xiao Lian, observing every detail.
He saw Elder Zhao hand something to one of the senior disciples. He didn't hear everything, but he caught fragments: responsibility, necessary, inform.
Shortly after, the elder rose into the air and disappeared toward one of the mountains.
As if he had never been there.
More ships landed on nearby platforms. More children descended. Some arrived on flying swords, others mounted on beasts.
Jin watched carefully.
And he noticed the pattern.
Those who had arrived by ship wore simple clothes. Sons and daughters of villagers, farmers, ordinary families.
In contrast, those who arrived by other means wore finer fabrics, better-chosen colors, subtle ornaments that revealed their status.
It wasn't only about talent.
It was about the starting point.
Noble families. Cultivation clans. Lineages with resources.
Some began the path several steps ahead even before setting foot in the sect.
Jin walked forward in silence, Xiao Lian at his side and Wei behind him, as the magnitude of the place became ever clearer.
This wasn't simply a trial.
It was a filter.