Chapter 13: The Azure Thunder Sword Formation of the Nine Heavens

Direct disciple!

Hearing the words of the Master of Slumber, Fang Wang quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Though he appeared to have ended the battle with dominance, the chaotic fight had drained nearly eighty percent of his spiritual energy. His composure was merely a facade.

The cultivators who had not yet lost consciousness looked at Fang Wang, each showing a complex expression. Their hearts were full of mixed feelings. They could hardly believe that anyone could fight fifty-one people alone, especially given how close their cultivation levels were, and considering they all hailed from prestigious families of cultivation.

"Fang Wang? Why have I never heard of him before?"

"The Fang family must be remarkable, but I wonder where they're from."

"He's too powerful. To become a direct disciple upon entry—I admit, I'm convinced. I couldn't block even one of his moves."

"His flames could have burned us to death; he deliberately held back."

Almost everyone accepted their defeat sincerely. Only those who fought Fang Wang firsthand understood the terrifying nature of his Xuan Yang spiritual power.

They even felt as if they were fighting not a Qi-Nurturing realm cultivator, but a master of the Spirit-Shaping realm!

Gu Li gazed at Fang Wang, whose posture was upright, and for the first time felt ordinary. No wonder her father wanted her to join the Great Abyss Sect; had she stayed within her clan, she would have continued believing herself a peerless genius.

Just then, a figure descended from the sky like an immortal from the heavens. He wore the Great Abyss Sect's robes, graceful and elegant, his temples white yet accentuating his ethereal aura. His face looked barely over thirty.

The Master of Slumber turned to look, smiling, "Brother, it's him. Take him upstairs."

He then looked at Fang Wang, introducing, "This is the Elder of Heritage, Zhao Chuanqian. Follow him to claim your reward as a direct disciple."

Fang Wang hurriedly saluted Zhao Chuanqian, who remained indifferent and only nodded slightly. Suddenly, he swept his sleeve, sending a gust of clear wind that whisked Fang Wang away. The two became a streak of rainbow light and vanished among the mountains.

This scene made all the entry-level cultivators gaze with envy. Zhou Xue watched with a smile, feeling delighted.

"In the future, he will surely become a figure of legend in the Great Abyss Sect, and even in the cultivation world of Great Qi. In a hundred years—no, fifty at most—you will be proud to have been his contemporary."

The Master of Slumber stroked his beard, his tone reminiscent of reflecting on the passage of time.

"Now, let's begin selecting the five Sword-Bearing Disciples."

He shifted his tone, looking at the cultivators with seriousness.

...

Fang Wang stood upon a flying sword behind Zhao Chuanqian. The sword beneath his feet was over three meters long, its blade shimmering with silver light, dazzling in its brilliance.

From high above, he looked down at the Great Abyss Sect. Amidst the peaks, a vast city sprawled, with disciples coming and going, flying artifacts and mounts everywhere, dazzling his eyes.

Zhao Chuanqian was taciturn, making Fang Wang reluctant to initiate conversation, so he simply admired the scenery along the way.

The Great Abyss Sect was immense, far beyond anything like South Hill City. Zhao Chuanqian was heading toward the highest mountain, whose grandeur could only truly be felt up close.

Soon, the two soared to the mountain, landing before a palace.

Fang Wang looked up. The palace, named the Hall of Origin Abyss, was imposing and majestic. In front stood two statues of ferocious beasts.

Behind him was a long white jade staircase with hundreds of steps, ending in a broad platform several acres wide, where three disciples were cleaning.

"Follow me," Zhao Chuanqian said, and stepped into the Hall of Origin Abyss. Fang Wang followed closely.

Inside, Fang Wang surveyed the spacious, bright hall—his first impression. There were no weapons, nor any ostentatious decorations.

---

Fang Wang's attention was drawn to a figure ahead: an elder in white robes, hair as white as snow, coiled under a jade crown. Though his stature was not tall, his back radiated a reassuring steadiness. With his hands behind his waist, he seemed capable of facing any calamity.

"Brother Sect Leader, he has arrived," Zhao Chuanqian said, stopping. Hearing the title "Sect Leader," Fang Wang couldn't help but feel nervous.

The Sect Leader turned, adjusting his sleeves. His face was not as aged as his back suggested; though not young, he embodied the look of a sage with white hair and youthful features.

Catching the Sect Leader's gaze, Fang Wang quickly bowed in salute.

Zhou Xue had previously mentioned that the Sect Leader of the Great Abyss Sect, Guang Qiuxian, possessed profound cultivation. Among the nine great sects, in terms of individual power, he ranked in the top five, and among those five, it was hard to determine who was strongest.

"I have seen your performance, and it is impressive. I have high hopes for you. As a direct disciple, you will be granted a superior magical artifact. However, before that, you must choose which lineage to join."

Guang Qiuxian smiled at Fang Wang, his expression kind and without pressure.

"I wish to join the Third Lineage," Fang Wang replied.

This was prearranged by Zhou Xue on the way; every member of the Fang household had to join a different lineage.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chuanqian glanced at Fang Wang, his look peculiar.

Guang Qiuxian stroked his beard and laughed, "Fang Wang, it seems you know something about the Great Abyss Sect. Still, let me clarify: the Third Lineage does indeed possess the deepest heritage among the nine, but its current situation is special; in terms of overall strength, it ranks eighth. A lineage's ranking affects its resources, so think carefully."

Hearing that its heritage was the deepest, Fang Wang nodded immediately, "I'll choose the Third Lineage."

Zhao Chuanqian shook his head slightly but said nothing.

Guang Qiuxian agreed, then raised his right hand. From his sleeve flew three beams of light, hovering in the hall: a green long sword, a jade flute, and a folding fan.

"All three are superior magical artifacts, quite similar in power. Choose whichever speaks to you," Guang Qiuxian said simply, waiting for Fang Wang's choice.

Without hesitation, Fang Wang chose the sword. After all, his forte was swordsmanship; later, he could learn other arts and cultivate different artifacts.

A cultivator cannot rely on just one artifact to stand firm.

Guang Qiuxian pointed, and the green long sword landed in Fang Wang's hands. The sword was entirely green, as if forged from jade. Its blade was not sharp, but holding it with both hands, Fang Wang felt a coolness, calming his heart.

He noticed two characters engraved on the hilt.

Qing Jun!

"Before reaching the Spirit-Shaping realm, do not use this artifact lightly—it can easily backfire," Guang Qiuxian warned.

Zhao Chuanqian turned, "Come, I'll take you to claim your reward as a direct disciple."

Fang Wang quickly stowed the sword, saluted Guang Qiuxian, and followed Zhao Chuanqian.

Watching Fang Wang's departing figure, Guang Qiuxian’s smile never faded. Once they left the Hall of Origin Abyss, he murmured, "Another genius emerges. It seems the Great Abyss Sect is destined to rise. A pity he entered too late to benefit from the blessings to come."

After leaving the Hall of Origin Abyss, Zhao Chuanqian led Fang Wang to the main peak’s affairs hall to receive the jade token of a direct disciple, then to the artifact hall to collect a storage pouch, a flying sword, a hundred talisman papers, and ten spirit stones. That was not all—they went to the pill hall, where Fang Wang received ten bottles of spiritual energy pills.

Zhao Chuanqian also explained the Third Lineage: it had over two thousand disciples, including outer sect members. Currently, there were four direct disciples; with Fang Wang, now five.

Above direct disciples are the Lineage Eldest Disciples; above them, the Grand Eldest Disciple of the Great Abyss Sect.

The Lineage Eldest Disciple has the right to inherit the position of peak master. The Grand Eldest Disciple is the next Sect Leader!

---

Fang Wang wasn’t particularly interested in the rise in status and rank. He asked what the deepest inheritance of the Third Lineage was.

Zhao Chuanqian looked at him deeply and answered, "The Nine Heavens Azure Thunder Sword Array. This array is considered the strongest formation of the Great Abyss Sect. It can be performed alone and is the most powerful spell, possessing world-shaking might. Yet no one has mastered it in the present day."

Fang Wang silently took note.

Afterward, Zhao Chuanqian took him flying to the mountain of the Third Lineage, where disciples meditated and cultivated everywhere. There were many stone gates on the mountain, their purpose unknown.

Led by Zhao Chuanqian, Fang Wang landed in a clearing where hundreds of disciples were practicing a sword technique.

At the front, a row of dignified disciples were observing the practitioners. When they saw Zhao Chuanqian, they turned and saluted him.

"Li Yu, this is your junior, Fang Wang. He entered today and has the Sect Leader's approval; take him to settle into his cave residence," Zhao Chuanqian instructed the foremost man before departing on his sword, leaving Fang Wang behind.

Li Yu, the Eldest Disciple of the Third Lineage, looked young but was actually over two hundred years old.

Hearing Zhao Chuanqian's words, Li Yu's eyes lit up, and the other disciples behind him became excited, gathering around.

"A direct disciple! Looks like you're the strongest among this batch of newcomers!"

"Good choice, joining the Third Lineage—you won't regret it."

"Hahaha, finally an exceptional talent joins the Third Lineage."

"Senior Brother Fang Wang, if you ever need anything, come to me. I’m a branch disciple—my name is Zhou Bo."

Within the Great Abyss Sect, disciples of higher rank are addressed as senior brother; only those of equal rank compare qualifications.

Fang Wang didn’t put on airs and exchanged pleasantries with them. After some time, Li Yu took Fang Wang to select a cave residence.

Along the way, Li Yu was enthusiastic, introducing the Third Lineage.

The peak master of the Third Lineage was Yang Yuanzi, who not only oversaw the lineage but also took direct disciples as students. Li Yu praised Yang Yuanzi heavily, as if he were the strongest peak master.

After half an hour, Fang Wang selected his cave residence. The stone gates on the mountain turned out to be entrances to the caves, which varied in grade. As a direct disciple, he enjoyed one of the best.

After Li Yu departed, Fang Wang entered his cave. From now on, he would use his identity token to enter and exit. To claim an unoccupied cave, one simply pressed their disciple token to the gate. Of course, this ownership wasn't unbreakable; the peak master could reclaim it by force.

Everything before Fang Wang made his eyes shine. From the outside, the cave seemed small, but inside, it was a world unto itself—about half the size of a football field, with a small lake at the deepest point. The cave was filled with dense spiritual energy, a single breath clearing his mind.

Inside were stone tables and benches, and a large white jade bed. After a brief tour, Fang Wang sat cross-legged on the jade bed to absorb spiritual energy and cultivate.

He had expended too much spiritual power today and needed to recover.

According to Li Yu, Yang Yuanzi would not emerge from seclusion to meet him for another five days. Direct disciples in the Great Abyss Sect were very free; normally, they had no duties, and even if they did nothing, they still received cultivation resources on schedule.

As he cultivated and absorbed spiritual energy, Fang Wang was full of resolve.

The Nine Heavens Azure Thunder Sword Array—he must obtain it!