God Of Immortals

The next day, all the new disciples gathered in the main hall of the sect where they would be addressed by the grand elder. They had just finished exchanging greetings among themselves when the grand elder arrived.

"Good morning to you all. It's been around a week since you all became members of the Last Sages sect. It's our tradition at the Last Sages sect to warmly welcome new disciples into our midst a week after admissions with some gifts. We hope this will show you the Last Sages sect is the place to be. Since it's now a week after you're all admitted, each of you will be given one Heavenly Root spirit pill and two Golden Fountain medicinal pills a week after the admissions. This is to allow any new disciple with a change of mind, ample time to leave. Any disciple who stayed after a week has all the possibilities of staying, that's our belief. You are now Last Sages."

He signalled the elders of the paths who then directed the acolytes in distributing the pills accordingly. After they had finished with the distribution, the grand elder continued.

"These pills are some of the treasures of our sect for you to build a good foundation for your souls. And as you already knew, this is the reason we asked for our new disciples' levels to be from the Lianchi to the Ningchi stages. It is very important that you take the heavenly root spirit pill before you reach the Zhuji stage to help you form a strong foundation for your subsequent advancement. These gifts were just a sample of what we have in store for you all. And as you already know, more greater benefits await those who endeavour to carve true paths for themselves. Every step you take is on the path of your advancement. Hence, I ask you, are you ready to take the steps?"

"Yes, we are!"

The grand elder nodded in satisfaction after hearing their chorus answer and seeing their happy faces.

"Very well. Study hard and train harder. And everything will be in your hold."

He raised a finger to calm them down. He could see the anxiousness and eagerness in them. He had been there before as a young disciple. So, he knew the feeling quite well.

"Once every three months of sect resumption, there's a competition to determine new inner and core disciples of our sect. Don't get us wrong, there's no difference among our members. All our members are very important to us and unique in every way. This competition is only extra motivation for you to work harder and push yourself to the extreme if you can. Already, there are many great benefits of being a Last Sage, but if you want to go extra mile for yourselves and for the sect, then you should to be ready to participate."

He paused for a moment, then continued.

"And in general, as a sect, we will be assigning some tasks to you, and after their completion, you will be rewarded accordingly. As we prepare you in the study hall, we'll also prepare you in the outfield for the dangerous life outside the sect. Out there, is where you'll put all you've learned to the use. Remember, though these experiences may prove extremely difficult, there are many benefits you get from doing them. Thus, I say again, study hard and train harder."

After receiving a loud shout of acknowledgement, the grand elder concluded his speech.

"Your paths elders will take it from here. Now, go and enjoy the day."

As the grand elder finished with his words, Ju Feng became filled with greater purpose. Every words of the grand elder had gone straight into his memories. Looking around at the determined faces of the new disciples who were beginning to streak out of the massive main hall, Ju Feng came to a sudden realization.

Every disciple there had a reason, a purpose, of joining the sect. They all wanted to be better than they were. To become more powerful. He knew why he was there. From what he had seen and learned over the past few months, he knew if he didn't become stronger, he would simply die. And there was something about the thoughts of dying that didn't augur well with his soul. He simply didn't want to die. 

He was about to follow suit when he heard his name.

"Ju Feng!"

He turned to the source to see two of the new disciples of the path of light hurrying up to him. The Lin twins.

"Da Xia, Cheung."

"Hey, Feng."

The blue eyed Lin Da Xia said while giving Ju Feng a wink.

"Huh?"

Ju Feng exclaimed to the laughter of the twins. What was it with that wink? And nobody had called him Feng before. Even his family called him Ju Feng. Although he knew why they never used the ancestral name for him. Something to do with the prophecy of the old wandering diviner, long before he was born. But Feng? That sounded strange, but wouldn't mind it. Only the ancestral name he was not allowed to be called.

"We're going to the refectory, do you want to join us?"

Lin Cheung asked, still reeling from Ju Feng's expression.

Ju Feng wanted to kindly decline the offer and head straight to the training centre, but changed his mind. There was something about the twins tugging his soul. He couldn't place a hand on it, but could feel it somehow.

"I guess. I'm also feeling the bite of hunger." 

"Hmm, the bite of hunger. I like the sound of that."

Lin Da Xia voiced which incited a nervous smile from Ju Feng, making Lin Cheung laughed mildly before heading towards the refectory. 

Once there, they chose a spot at the corner, and quickly settled on their food. Ju Feng continued to glance at the twins who didn't seem to mind the people around them. They were like free spirits, Ju Feng thought. He was still thinking about their nature when the voice of Lin Da Xia reached his ears.

"We sensed your soul the very first day we got here, Feng."

"Huh?"

"Yes, Feng. There's something about your spirit that keeps drawing us to you. Strange, isn't it?"

"Yea. Very strange."

"But it's true, Feng. Innate ability. Soon, you'll see for yourselves."

"Ok."

Ju Feng nodded his head slowly as he looked from one twin to the other. He knew they could be telling the truth despite their strangeness. There was something he felt about them earlier. And it wasn't that of a danger alarm. He was about to ask something when Lin Cheung suddenly changed the conversation. 

"What do you think about the Heavenly Root spirit pill, Feng?"

"Well, I heard none on this continent could beat it."

"Yes. Enough reason for any young cultivator to join the Last Sages sect."

"I heard other sects have good pills for the foundation stage too, but the Last Sages sect have the best foundation pills as far as I know."

Lin Da Xia quipped in silently before continuing. 

"I also learned they have the pills for every stage of advancement."

"And if you become a core disciple, you'll have your own mortal cave."

Lin Cheung said, glancing at Ju Feng who nodded in return. Ever since his first day on the sect's premises, Ju Feng had learned about the caves. Mortal caves containing trapped spiritual energy. There were tens of the caves for the disciples at the valley of Rising Mortals. The elders had their caves at the Misty-Haze mountains and the acolytes at the Shroud River plain.

He could certainly use a personal cave, away from prying eyes. But the problem was becoming a core disciple. To be an inner disciple was already difficult enough. Only heavens knew the ridiculous power other cultivators would possess. 

"We've decided to participate in the competition. We want to enjoy all those benefits too."

Lin Cheung whispered, looking around the table with a knitted brow.

"What about you, Feng?"

Lin Da Xia asked expectantly.

"Maybe. After all, it's only a friendly competition."

Ju Feng replied with an easy smile before taking another bite off his food. He stared at the twins and smiled. It could only be fate for him to meet the twins at that point in time.

"No matter what life holds, there's always the friends we have."

They all smiled at that as they finished the remainder of their food. They bade farewell, and gladly departed to their different ways. 

Ju Feng left for his room with a happy heart. Finally, he had friends. Strange twins they were, but friends nonetheless. Once inside his room, he took out the white coloured Heavenly Root spirit pill, swallowed it and sat in lotus position to cultivate.

Within few minutes, different radiant colours began to emanate from his body as his dantian experienced a transformation. Heavenly spiritual energy stored in the spirit pill began to invade his dantian in large quantity. He continued to circle and gather the energy in his dantian using the Timeless Soul technique.

Then after several long hours, his dantian exploded outwards in a blinding light, forming a massive orb of condensed Chi.

The Ningchi stage.

Other disciples would be forming their first pillar of the Zhuji stage after taking the spirit pill, but for him, the Ningchi stage was the price he was paying for his cultivation technique. Slower advancement but with greater amount of Chi. 

He opened his eyes, and laughed happily.