The day of the new disciple selection had finally arrived.
The entire sect bustled with activity—elders preparing the grounds, disciples gathering in anticipation, and candidates lining up with nervous excitement. Yet amidst all this urgency, one person was conspicuously absent.
Chen Zoe.
The moment Rui noticed, a bad feeling crept into his chest. Without wasting another second, he set off to find him. Fortunately, he already had a strong suspicion of where his senior might be.
And, as expected—he was right.
While the whole sect was in a frenzy, Chen Zoe lay sprawled comfortably in his quarters, fast asleep, as if the world outside held no importance whatsoever.
"This man…" Rui muttered under his breath, exasperation slipping out before he could stop it.
He strode forward and flung open all the windows. Sunlight poured into the room, flooding it with warmth. Without hesitation, he yanked the blanket off Zoe's body.
The sudden light fell directly across Zoe's face.
Still unwilling to wake, Zoe merely frowned, his hands lazily searching for the missing blanket. When he couldn't find it, he simply covered his face with his arm, trying to block out the light.
"Senior!" Rui snapped, his voice sharp with frustration.
Startled, Zoe's eyes flew open. He blinked a few times, clearly disoriented, before turning to Rui. "What happened?"
Rui crossed his arms, his patience already wearing thin. "Do you have any idea what day it is?"
Zoe frowned slightly, thinking. "Monday… right?"
Rui's eyebrow twitched. Thinking it might not correct, Zoe continued with uncertainty. "No... wait. Tuesday?"
"Eehh—!" Rui stomped his foot hard against the ground, barely holding back his anger.
Zoe looked at him, confused. "What?"
"Today is the candidate selection day!" Rui burst out. "It's about to start—and you're sleeping like a log here!"
Zoe blinked once… then relaxed.
"Oh… that's it?" he said casually. "I thought something serious happened. Let me sleep a little longer…"
He was just about to lie back down when Rui grabbed him.
"You can't!"
Without giving him another chance to escape, Rui dragged Zoe up and forced him to get ready. Soon after, the two of them rushed toward the selection grounds.
They arrived just in time.
Rui quickly left Zoe standing beside Xi Shen before hurrying off to attend to his duties.
"You should at least try to be punctual for occasions like this," Xi Shen said quietly, his tone calm but edged with disapproval.
Zoe turned his head slightly, surprised that Xi Shen was addressing him.
"You not only embarrass yourself," Xi Shen continued, "but your actions also affect the Sect Leader's reputation. If you carry on like this, no one will support you as the next leader."
Zoe's gaze drifted toward the crowd of new candidates below, his expression indifferent.
"You still don't understand this sect," he replied lazily. "Here, strength is everything. The strong rule… and the weak obey."
A faint, confident smile tugged at his lips.
"As for supporters…" he added, "there's no one who would dare stand in my way."
In the Chen Long Sect, nothing was permanent—not even the position of Sect Leader. When someone stronger appeared, the weaker had no choice but to step aside.
That was the law of this place.
Xi Shen studied him for a moment before asking, his voice carrying a subtle meaning, "And what if someone does stand against you?"
Zoe's eyes sharpened slightly.
"My sword doesn't care whether the one before it is friend or foe," he said coldly. "It only knows how to cut down anything that stands in its path." Not like the past, this time, Zoe was determined to claim the leader's seat.
Before their conversation could continue, the deep, resonant sound of a gong echoed across the grounds.
The selection had begun.
The first round of selection began swiftly.
Participants were required to battle one another, securing at least three victories to advance. The arena filled with the clash of blades and bursts of spiritual energy as disciples of varying ages stepped forward, each determined to prove their worth.
One after another, victors emerged.
Those who passed moved on to the second round—where strength alone was no longer enough.
This time, their willpower was tested.
Facing opponents far stronger than themselves, the candidates had to endure pressure that bore down on both body and mind. Some faltered within moments, collapsing under the sheer force. Others gritted their teeth, refusing to yield, their determination burning brighter than their fear.
When the trials finally came to an end, silence settled over the grounds.
Then, the announcement echoed clearly—
"First place… Chen Ling."
A faint pause followed.
In the past, that name would have been Yuzhen.
The thought surfaced uninvited in Chen Zoe's mind, leaving behind a trace of quiet disappointment. But before it could linger, he noticed the proud, shining gaze directed at him.
His sister.
The heaviness in his heart vanished almost instantly. For her… he was genuinely happy.
...
"It's time," an elder announced. "Let's move to the stadium to choose your disciples."
The gathered elders and junior masters began moving toward the central arena.
A few junior masters exchanged hushed complaints as they walked.
"Isn't this just an abuse of power?" one muttered. "The senior masters pick the most talented ones, and we're left with scraps."
"Keep your voice down," another warned, though his expression showed the same dissatisfaction.
None of them, however, dared to challenge the system openly.
"Leader, please make your selection."
As tradition dictated, the Sect Leader would choose first, followed by the senior masters, and finally the juniors.
But this time—
Chen Zeng raised his hand, halting the process.
"This year," he said calmly, "we will do things differently."
A ripple of confusion spread through the crowd.
"The choice," he continued, "will be left to the disciples themselves."
Murmurs broke out immediately.
At his signal, a wooden box was brought forward. Inside were slips of paper—each bearing the name of a master present in the arena.
"The rules are simple," Chen Zeng explained. "Each of you will draw a name. That person will become your master."
The unexpected decision stirred mixed reactions.
The junior masters looked visibly pleased, their earlier resentment easing at once. The senior masters, however, could not hide their disappointment.
Even so, no one dared to oppose the Sect Leader.
As the top-ranked candidate, Chen Ling was given the first draw.
Without hesitation, she reached into the box and picked a slip.
"Master Ming." A satisfied smile appeared on her face. He was one of the greatest talents of the Chen Long Sect. Being his disciple it's truly a luck.
The other disciples stepped forward, one by one they choose their masters, and finally one got Chen Zoe as his master. But seeing him, even Chen Zoe got surprised, he was someone that never appeared in the sect in the past life.
"Yichen." A boy of about fourteen approached quietly. His appearance was unusual.
He didn't resemble a noble disciple, nor did he look like a commoner from Longwei Peak. A piece of tiger skin was tied around his waist, marking him as someone from a tribal background.
His frame was thin—almost fragile. Zoe narrowed his eyes slightly. 'With a body like that… how did he pass both rounds?'
Yichen stopped before him and bowed.
From that moment on, he became Chen Zoe's only disciple.
Yichen was soon led to Zoe's residence.
As Zoe's sole disciple, he would be staying there from now on.
The room prepared for him was simple yet comfortable—neither too large nor too small, just enough for one person to live in peace.
He had very little to unpack.
A few sets of clothes… and a lion-shaped dagger.
The weapon looked old, yet finely crafted. Embedded in its hilt was a deep red ruby that gleamed faintly under the light—quiet, but impossible to ignore.
The next morning, Yichen woke before dawn.
Eager to meet his master properly, he made his way to Zoe's chamber. However, not wanting to disturb him, he chose to wait outside instead.
Time passed.
The sun climbed higher in the sky. Yet Yichen remained there—silent and patient.
A few hours later, Rui as usual came to meet Zoe and saw Yichen sitting outside Zoe's chamber. Seeing Rui, Yichen quickly stood up and bowed respectfully.
"How long have you been waiting?" Rui asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Almost… two hours."
Rui froze for a moment. "…You've been waiting here for two hours?" Before Yichen could say anything more, Rui's expression darkened. "Stay here. I'll wake your master right now."
He pushed the door open and strode inside.
"No need—" Yichen tried to stop him, but Rui didn't listen. Feeling uneasy, Yichen followed behind.
...
The loud sound of the door was enough to wake Zoe.
Before Rui could even speak, Zoe's voice rang out lazily, "What's with all the noise this early in the morning…?" His gaze shifted—and landed on Yichen. "…And who's he?"
Rui turned to him, clearly displeased.
"Senior, isn't this a bit too much? How can you treat your own disciple like this?"
Zoe blinked once, his mind slowly clearing. Then he remembered. The boy from yesterday.
He never wanted another disciple in the position of Yuzhen but now someone is here, he couldn't turn his back.
"Hey," Rui said, turning to Yichen. "Kowtow three times. It's your first day as an official disciple."
Yichen hesitated for a second and glanced at Zoe.
Receiving a faint, silent approval, he knelt and completed the formal bows without question.
"Yichen," Zoe began, his tone calm but distant, "there are a few things you need to understand."
"In this sect… the law of the jungle applies. The strong rule. The weak obey.
In front of true strength, status and wealth mean nothing." He paused slightly before continuing, "So if you have a goal… it should be to become strong."
Yichen's eyes lit up. "So that I can protect others?" he asked earnestly.
Zoe's reply came without hesitation.
"No."
His voice was blunt—almost cold. "You need to become someone who can protect yourself." The words hung heavily in the air.
"You're free to move anywhere within my residence," Zoe continued. "Except for my room. That is my personal space.
There are no fixed class hours. Train whenever you want—martial arts, swordplay… anything.
I'll give you manuals and guidance from time to time. And if you face any problems… come to me."
Yichen nodded without hesitation. "Yes, Master."
Zoe waved his hand dismissively.
"Then don't just stand there. Go."
As Yichen turned to leave, his gaze unintentionally fell upon a painting of Yuzhen and Yuan on the wall.
Something about them felt… familiar.
He stared at it for a moment longer than he should have.
"Aren't you leaving?" Zoe's voice cut in again, colder this time.
Startled, Yichen quickly looked away.
"Yes, Master."
He left without another word.
...
With nothing else to do, Yichen began exploring the residence.
Eventually, he wandered into the kitchen.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" an elderly woman's voice called out, startling him.
Yichen turned quickly.
"My name is Yichen. I'm Master Zoe's disciple," he said politely. "I was just wondering… is there anything to eat? I'm a bit hungry."
The old woman's expression softened.
"Ah… can you wait a few minutes? I'll prepare something for you right away." She began preparing food. "Breakfast here is usually at ten. That's why nothing has been made yet."
Yichen nodded with a small smile. "I can wait."
As he stood there quietly, his thoughts drifted back to the painting.
'That child… Why did he feel so familiar? Where did I see him before…?'