Chapter Seven: The Bearded Senior Brother

Inside the Hall of Purple Radiance, a burly man with a full beard broke into hearty laughter upon seeing Ren An bring Yang Nan in. "So this must be the new junior brother, Yang? I am Hu Yuan," he declared.

Yang Nan glanced up. Despite Hu Yuan’s age—well past fifty—his complexion was vibrant, his eyes sharp and spirited, clearly a man of great cultivation. Yang Nan nodded respectfully in response.

Ren An smiled warmly at the bearded man, evidently familiar and friendly. "Senior Brother Hu, I’ll leave Junior Brother Yang in your care. I need to take his Soul Stone and report back to the Sect Leader."

Hu Yuan, clearly robust in both build and temperament, grabbed Ren An’s hand and chuckled, "Junior Brother Ren, it’s rare for you to visit Purple Radiance Peak. Since we have a new junior brother today, and I’ve just received some Monkey Wine brewed by the spirit apes in the mountains, why don’t the three of us drink our fill? That Soul Stone can wait a while longer."

Ren An had already explained what the Soul Stone was on the way: each inner disciple must imprint a wisp of their divine consciousness onto a special spiritual stone, leaving a unique mark of their spirit and power. As long as the disciple lives, the stone remains unbroken. Only upon death or ascension does the stone shatter, and it is then enshrined forever in the Hall of Souls at Kunlun.

This served both as a means of monitoring disciples and as a pioneering tool in the cultivation world. In the turbulent rivers, dragon spirits feared killing a young Daoist lest a swarm of elder Daoists descend in vengeance—because if an inner disciple died, their Soul Stone would break, prompting dedicated disciples to report to the Sect Leader, who would then send forces for retribution.

Hu Yuan’s talk of wine caused Ren An to grimace; Hu Yuan was already an eighth-rank master, yet had not achieved perfection, and he was notorious for his love of drink. Ren An managed a wry smile. "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother Hu, but I dare not disobey the Sect Leader’s command—better to report back sooner."

With the mention of the Sect Leader, Hu Yuan could only relent. He sighed, "Very well, follow me, both of you."

In the Hall of Purple Radiance, many Soul Stones awaited their owners. Hu Yuan selected a stone shimmering with spiritual light and handed it to Yang Nan. "Do you know how to imprint your consciousness, Junior Brother Yang?"

Yang Nan nodded, took the stone, and infused it with a wisp of his shadowy energy. The stone absorbed the power he had painstakingly cultivated, transforming from radiant to dark, with a thread of consciousness embedded as easily as leaving a thought in his soul.

Upon withdrawing his energy, Yang Nan sensed a mysterious connection between himself and the stone. He smiled faintly; the Soul Stone truly was wondrous—such a simple stone could serve such a unique purpose. Kunlun, indeed, deserved its reputation as the foremost sect, the true inheritor of the Martial School.

Ren An took Yang Nan’s Soul Stone and bid them farewell. "Junior Brother Yang, should you have any questions, ask Senior Brother Hu. I must be off, but will visit again when time allows."

Though Ren An had seemed aloof at first, he was ultimately amicable. Yang Nan expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Senior Brother, for your care along the journey. I am most grateful."

Ren An smiled warmly. "We are brothers in the same sect; no need for formality. We must grow closer in the future."

Hu Yuan and Yang Nan watched Ren An depart in a flash of light. "Junior Brother Yang, what do you make of Senior Brother Ren?"

Yang Nan turned to see Hu Yuan’s meaningful expression. He hesitated, then replied, "Senior Brother Ren is a little reserved, but he has shown me much kindness—a truly responsible brother."

In truth, Ren An was haughty and arrogant, his nose nearly pointing to the heavens—not at all the 'responsible' figure Yang Nan described. Yet as a new disciple, Yang Nan could only answer as he did.

Hu Yuan shook his head, then burst into laughter. "Responsible? Perhaps only to you, Junior Brother Yang. It seems you have quite an extraordinary background."

Hu Yuan clearly recognized that Ren An was trying to curry favor with Yang Nan. Seeing Hu Yuan’s candid manner, Yang Nan spoke honestly. "I was only admitted through a stroke of luck—with the Xuan Yan Sword and Master Bu Xu’s recommendation. I dare not claim any exceptional background. Now that I’m in Kunlun, I must tread carefully, lest I invite ridicule."

Hu Yuan appreciated Yang Nan’s openness about how his martial prowess gained him entry to the inner sect, and his favor grew. "I’ve heard of the Xuan Yan Sword. Hundreds of years ago, it was a famous Mad Dao divine weapon. The previous Sect Leader, Master Qing Feng, dominated the world with it. Lost for centuries, you managed to recover it—a rare fortune indeed."

Yang Nan was surprised. "What is a Mad Dao divine weapon?"

Hu Yuan explained, "The world has many miraculous artifacts, each with its own name. In our Martial School, we call them divine weapons. The Martial School values divine weapons above all. There are about a dozen famous ones: the Saintly Sky, Kingly Heaven Opener, Divine Kunlun, Mad Dao Xuan Yan, and Tyrant Black Yellow. Each has unique form and power, all of immense might. The Mad Dao Xuan Yan Sword in Master Qing Feng’s hands could transform into an infernal blaze—any opponent below master level, touched by the hellfire, would see their soul destroyed. Truly formidable."

Yang Nan had already witnessed the Xuan Yan Sword’s terrifying power. Even dormant, its infernal blaze was dreadful; in the hands of a cultivator of great strength, it would be like a storm of fire. If one divine weapon was so powerful, how much more so were the others?

He listened, enraptured, and was intrigued to hear a divine weapon named after Kunlun Mountain. "What is the Divine Kunlun? Is it the Kunlun Sect’s treasured artifact?"

Hu Yuan nodded. "Legend has it that the Divine Kunlun was the creation sword of the primordial ancestor Pan Xi, containing the powers to open the heavens, split chaos, and is one of the few innate treasures in this world. Yet, no descendant has managed to wield its power. It is passed down as the token of the Sect Leader."

An artifact capable of opening the heavens?

The Kunlun Sect possessed a treasure of innate power usually found only in the celestial realms. Yang Nan was astonished, but considering Kunlun’s ancient legacy, it was not surprising they had one or two such treasures. Still, wielding an innate treasure was no easy feat; at most, it surpassed ordinary divine weapons by several degrees.

Yang Nan refocused, uncertain about his next steps, and sought guidance. "I am new to the sect and know little of what to do. Please instruct me, Senior Brother."

Kunlun’s disciples—whether registered, outer, or inner—were not formally assigned masters; most cultivated on their own, consulting uncles or senior brothers when needed. This was a hallmark of the Kunlun Sect.

Hu Yuan, pleased by Yang Nan’s respectful and humble demeanor, considered for a moment before saying, "Since the Sect Leader has given no command, you are likely to be sent to various branches for training. You are new and unfamiliar with many things—once you receive your identity token, robe, and residence, you’ll have freedom to come and go."

Yang Nan wanted to familiarize himself with the Kunlun Sect, so he followed Hu Yuan, listening as he explained the distinctions, functions, and taboos among the various peaks. The identity token was akin to the jade plaque Master Bu Xu had given him—a proof of identity for a Kunlun disciple. Someone of Bu Xu’s level could travel freely without such a token, but for a new disciple like Yang Nan, it was essential.

After Hu Yuan led him to collect his token, robe, and assigned cave residence, he brought him to the entrance and advised, "You can cultivate freely here, or go out to explore. If you have the skill, you may set a ward at your cave entrance or recruit spirit beasts to guard it. I know you need time to settle in, so I won’t linger. Every inner disciple may go to the Hidden Arts Peak to select two first-class techniques to practice. If you need anything, come find me at the Hall of Purple Radiance."

Yang Nan was grateful for Hu Yuan’s guidance, which had helped him understand the divisions among the Kunlun peaks. Moved by his kindness, he replied, "Thank you, Senior Brother. If I have any questions, I’ll come to you for answers."

Hu Yuan laughed heartily. "I’ve been longing for someone to drink with. Next time you come, you must share a few cups with me. I’ll be off now."

Yang Nan clasped his hands in farewell. "Safe travels, Senior Brother."

Hu Yuan soared off in a streak of light toward Purple Radiance Peak. Yang Nan finally took a moment to examine his new home. The cave residence, awarded only to inner disciples, was situated between Purple Radiance Peak and Black Cloud Peak. It was rich in spiritual energy, exquisitely built, connected to other peaks by rainbow bridges. A waterfall cascaded from Black Cloud Peak, splashing into a deep pool, filling the air with mist and radiant light. The palace-like pavilions made it a truly superior cave residence.

Few sects besides Kunlun could offer inner disciples such a spiritual mountain home.

Yang Nan pushed open the door and entered. The residence was vast, with a medicinal garden, pill chamber, artifact room, training hall, main hall, and bedrooms—everything a cultivator could need, save for some rare treasures.

His strength was still weak; he couldn’t set up any wards, nor could he capture strong spirit beasts to guard his cave. He left the door open, but fortunately there were no thieves or bandits in Kunlun, and all his possessions were on his person—he had no need to worry about security.

After so many twists and turns, Yang Nan finally settled in. He entered his bedroom, sat on the couch, and became lost in thought. The benefits gained through the Xuan Yan Sword had been delivered. Now, he had to prove himself in Kunlun—otherwise, as a martial disciple among master-level brothers, he’d be little more than a joke.

But Yang Nan couldn't even fly on a magical weapon yet. If he ventured outside, even an outer disciple’s cultivation would outstrip his own—how humiliating!

Being an inner disciple had other perks besides the cave residence. Tomorrow, Yang Nan could go to Hidden Arts Peak to select his desired techniques, and he would also receive a batch of demon soldiers to help manage his cave and medicinal garden. Once a Kunlun disciple reached the inner level, they were truly elevated; the sect provided every convenience so they could focus on cultivation, hoping to produce more experts to awe their rivals.

Thinking of demon soldiers, Yang Nan summoned the hundred or so personal guards from his River and Mountain Ring. The first to emerge was the Shrimp Commander; upon seeing the magnificent immortal cave, his eyes sparkled. "Young master, is this our new home?"

Since following Yang Nan, the Shrimp Commander had both been subdued by his methods and sought a promising future. Seeing the Kunlun cave, he understood his young master had truly risen.

Yang Nan nodded. "Shrimp Commander, take your brothers and tidy the cave. In a few days, I’ll go down the mountain to bring up Old Crab and Fish Lady. The spiritual energy here is abundant; you can use it to cultivate." Yang Nan planned to let his aquatic followers reside in the waterfall pool at the entrance—both to guard the cave and to absorb the spiritual energy, enhancing their cultivation. It was the best of both worlds.

The Shrimp Commander, once a minor river spirit, was dazzled by the rich spiritual energy and first-rate cave. Hearing his master’s instructions, he nodded eagerly, "Rest assured, young master. With me here, the cave will be managed perfectly."

Yang Nan secretly smiled. The Shrimp Commander was good for rough work, but managing the cave was another matter. Still, lacking manpower, he had to make do for now.

Seeing the Shrimp Commander’s enthusiasm, Yang Nan let him go about his business.

With a cave residence secured, Yang Nan began his closed-door cultivation, not stepping outside even once. Even within Kunlun Mountain, without strength, he could not protect himself. His first priority was to cultivate, not seek techniques or friends.

Becoming an inner disciple upon entry was like ascending to heaven in a single step. Yang Nan understood the dangers hidden in this privilege; the benefits from the Xuan Yan Sword and Master Bu Xu had reached their limit—what happened next depended on his own abilities.

To stand firm in the talent-rich Kunlun Sect, effort alone would never be enough!