System, open the mall.
Wang Ping said to the system. Hearing his voice, the system opened the transparent system screen before his eyes. A glowing interface materialized in his field of vision, visible only to him, filled with rows upon rows of treasures, pills, weapons, and artifacts that would make any cultivator in the mortal world weep with desire.
Wang Ping searched for quite some time. The minutes ticked by slowly.
The Sect Leader stood along with the other elders, their robes rustling gently in the mountain breeze. They exchanged puzzled glances with one another, their brows furrowed in confusion. They could not fathom what this enigmatic senior was actually trying to do. The Sect Leader shifted his weight from one foot to the other, while the eldest among the elders stroked his white beard nervously.
But they did not dare to say anything. None of them tried to interrupt or stop him. The fear of offending this mysterious immortal figure kept their mouths tightly shut. They were afraid that answering the wrong question or making the wrong move would get them killed on the spot.
The sun climbed higher in the sky. Shadows shortened on the ground. The selected disciples who had passed the tests stood in neat rows off to the side, their young faces filled with confusion and curiosity. They whispered among themselves, wondering who this young man was who had made their Sect Leader bow like a servant.
The stewards who had been conducting the tests stood frozen like statues, not daring to move a single muscle.
After a few more minutes, Wang Ping's eyes suddenly brightened like stars igniting in the night sky.
He had found it in the system mall.
[Nine Dragons Chariot: This chariot is pulled by nine immortal dragons of the Immortal Realm. These dragons can also defend the chariot and are extremely loyal to the host. Price: Zero. Do you want to buy it?]
Seeing this description before him, Wang Ping's heart leaped with joy. He immediately said to the system, "System, buy it."
[Ding! The Nine Dragons Chariot is being purchased. Do you want to take it out of inventory?]
Wang Ping heard this and his excitement could no longer be contained. "System, take it out of inventory. Do it. Now!"
The Sect Leader and elders had been waiting patiently for Wang Ping's next order, their heads bowed respectfully. The atmosphere around them was calm and quiet, with only the sound of wind brushing through the grass.
Then everything changed.
High above the ground, directly in front of Wang Ping, the air suddenly cracked open like a shattered mirror. A terrifying aura exploded outward from the rift, stirring the hearts of everyone present. The Sect Leader's eyes went wide with horror. The elders stumbled backward, their faces turning pale as death. The stewards dropped to their knees unconsciously. The selected disciples cried out in fear, some of them collapsing where they stood.
The very sky seemed to tremble.
Then, emerging from the rift, nine colossal dragons appeared. Each dragon was larger than any beast these people had ever seen. Their scales shimmered with an otherworldly light, shifting between colors that did not exist in the mortal realm. Their eyes burned like miniature suns, ancient and knowing and utterly terrifying. Attached to these nine magnificent beasts was a chariot made of materials that no one could recognize, glowing with faint immortal runes that pulsed like a living heartbeat.
Each of these nine dragons radiated a terrifying aura that pressed down upon the land like the weight of an entire mountain range. The Sect Leader and elders did not dare to look at them for more than a breath. The mere act of gazing upon these beings for too long made their souls tremble in their bodies. Their cultivation bases screamed warnings of danger so profound that every instinct told them to run, to flee, to never look back.
On the ground, many of the younger disciples fainted outright from the terrifying aura emitted by the dragons. Their bodies crumpled to the earth like fallen leaves. Others staggered and clutched their heads, blood trickling from their noses, their faces twisted in pain. The stewards knelt with their heads pressed to the ground, not daring to raise their eyes.
Even the Sect Leader, a peak Nascent Soul realm cultivator, felt his knees grow weak. Cold sweat poured down his back, soaking through his blue sect robes. His heart pounded against his ribs like a trapped beast.
Wang Ping looked at the scene before him. The dragons hovered in the air, their massive forms blotting out the sun and casting enormous shadows across the recruitment ground. Their presence alone was enough to bring an entire army to its knees.
He then spoke in a calm, commanding voice, "Restrain your aura."
Hearing his command, the nine dragons immediately lowered their heads. The terrifying pressure that had been crushing everyone vanished as if it had never existed. The dragons' auras retracted into their bodies, leaving behind only their magnificent physical forms.
The Sect Leader gasped for breath, finally able to inhale properly. The elders clutched their chests, their faces still pale but slowly regaining color. They looked at the dragons, then at Wang Ping, and finally understood. These terrifying beings were not enemies. They were his subordinates.
The Sect Leader stepped forward hesitantly, his voice trembling. He was still deeply uncomfortable, the memory of that dreadful aura clinging to his mind like a shadow. "Senior... these... these beings... what are they for?"
Wang Ping heard the trembling in the Sect Leader's voice and saw the fear and awe written plainly on his face. A wave of satisfaction washed through him. He was quite pleased with the effect.
Hmph. Who told you to show off your ability to fly in front of me? he thought smugly, though he did not say it aloud.
Instead, he composed his face into an expression of calm indifference, as if summoning nine immortal dragons was the most ordinary thing in the world. As if he did this every day before breakfast.
"Of course, this is my chariot," Wang Ping said, his voice smooth and unhurried. "I am going to ride it. All of you will guide me to the sect."
The Sect Leader swallowed hard. He looked at the nine dragons, then at the glowing chariot, then back at Wang Ping. He bowed deeply, his voice filled with newfound reverence.
"Yes, Senior. This way, please."