The moment Xu Qing disappeared down the mountain path, a heavy silence settled over Heavenly Peak.
Lin Xuanji rubbed his face.
"…Alright. No one panic."
Kai Yun raised her hand.
"I'm panicking."
"DON'T—!"
Feng Xiao folded her arms.
"I'm not panicking. I'm annoyed. I thought we had more time before the outside world showed up."
Tian Wen exhaled slowly.
"No one can remain hidden after such spiritual disturbances."
Mu Xiaofan nodded softly.
"The mountain was humming very loudly…"
Lin Xuanji glared at the ground.
"Yes. Yes it was. THANK YOU, MOUNTAIN."
HUMMMMM.
Lin Xuanji cursed under his breath.
Ling Xueyin stepped forward, voice calm and steady.
"We have ten days to prepare. That is enough."
Kai Yun burst into excitement again.
"PREPARE FOR WHAT? FIGHTING? DUELS? SWORD COMPETITIONS? IS THERE A BEAR DIVISION?!"
Feng Xiao flicked her forehead.
"First of all, stop screaming. Second, why would there be a bear division?"
"Because we have a bear!"
The giant bear grumbled happily in agreement.
Ruolan stared nervously at the horizon.
"I-I've never left the mountain before… will it be scary?"
Lin Xuanji placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It'll be fine. We're just going to… be judged by dozens of sects… in public… with no idea what we're doing…"
Ruolan fainted.
Feng Xiao hit Lin Xuanji on the head.
"WHY WOULD YOU SAY IT LIKE THAT?!"
"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO REASSURE PEOPLE!"
Tian Wen lifted Ruolan gently and placed him on a bench.
"He will recover."
Mu Xiaofan sat beside him, petting his hair soothingly.
"He was scared."
Lin Xuanji glared at the sky.
"System."
(Host?)
"Do we get anything for attending this ceremony? Points? Rewards? Stability to my crumbling sense of self?"
(Reward: Sect Recognition.
Reward: Access to Alliance Resource Tree.
Reward: Unlockable Missions.)
Lin Xuanji froze.
"…Alliance Resource Tree?"
(Yes.)
"With… cultivation manuals? Pills? Armors?"
(Yes.)
"And weapons?"
(Yes.)
"And maybe something to stop Kai Yun from destroying my mountain?"
(No.)
Lin Xuanji fell to his knees.
"Why do you hate me?"
(Host is fun to bully.)
His pupils shrank.
"…WHAT DID YOU JUST—"
(Nothing.)
Kai Yun leaned over him.
"Sect Master, are you okay? Should I punch the air again?"
"No! Nobody punch anything!"
Stonewall stepped forward, expression carved in stone.
"Sect Master. We must prepare the disciples. All five require proper evaluation."
Lin Xuanji nodded weakly.
"Right. Right. That's important…"
Ling Xueyin added gently:
"They also need new clothes."
Everyone froze.
Kai Yun gasped.
"NEW UNIFORMS?!"
Feng Xiao smiled slightly.
"That's not a bad idea."
Ruolan mumbled from the bench,
"S-So many people will stare at us…"
Tian Wen nodded.
"Proper attire is customary for sect appearances."
Mu Xiaofan raised his hand.
"Can mine have pockets for berries?"
Lin Xuanji's head throbbed.
"Everyone calm down. We'll get clothes later. First—training."
Stonewall pointed at the disciples.
"You five. Line up."
Kai Yun sprinted to the front.
"YES!"
Feng Xiao walked forward coolly.
"Let's just get this over with."
Tian Wen stepped quietly.
Mu Xiaofan followed with the fox in his arms.
Ruolan wobbled but stood bravely.
Stonewall inspected each one with a stare so intense that even the dragonling cracked an eye open.
Kai Yun grinned.
"Judge me, stone man!"
"You are reckless."
"I KNOW!"
"Loud."
"YEP!"
"Chaotic."
"ABSOLUTELY!"
Stonewall turned away.
"Untrainable."
Kai Yun collapsed dramatically.
"Tian Wen, carry me. I have been slain."
"No," Tian Wen said immediately.
Stonewall faced Feng Xiao.
"You rely on flame too much."
Feng Xiao clicked her tongue.
"That's my specialty."
"Overconfidence dulls skill."
Feng Xiao rolled her eyes but didn't argue.
He looked at Ruolan.
"You fear everything."
Ruolan trembled.
"I-I know…"
"But you still stand. That is strength."
Ruolan's eyes widened.
Feng Xiao smiled proudly.
Tian Wen nodded in approval.
Kai Yun clapped enthusiastically.
Stonewall moved to Mu Xiaofan.
"You cannot fight."
Mu Xiaofan tilted his head innocently.
"I don't want to."
Stonewall's tone shifted—gentle, almost rare.
"Then your path is empathy. You will not strike, but you will protect."
Mu Xiaofan nodded happily.
Finally, Stonewall stood before Tian Wen.
"You. You walk a path carved from pain."
Tian Wen didn't flinch.
"It is mine to walk."
Stonewall nodded.
"And you walk it well."
Lin Xuanji watched the evaluations with growing pride.
Maybe…
Just maybe…
He was building something real here.
Then Kai Yun ruined the moment.
"OKAY BUT WHEN DO WE FIGHT?!"
Lin Xuanji screamed.
"WE ARE GOING TO A CEREMONY, NOT A WAR!"
She grinned.
"Everything is a war if you believe hard enough."
"No it's not!" Lin Xuanji yelled.
The mountain hummed.
Kai Yun pointed upward.
"SEE?! EVEN THE MOUNTAIN AGREES!"
Lin Xuanji shouted at the peak,
"STOP HUMMING FOR HER!"
HUMMMMMMMM.
Lin Xuanji gave up on life.
Stonewall placed a steady hand on his shoulder.
"Sect Master. We must prepare."
Lin Xuanji looked at his disciples—
his chaotic, insane, lovable troublemakers—
and exhaled.
"…Then let's get ready for the outside world."