Wang Ping heard the completion of the mission and nodded, secretly pleased by the reactions of the others around him. He gave orders to the dragons to escort him to the Azure Sword Sect. The massive creatures let out low rumbling sounds that vibrated through the air like distant thunder, then began to move, their powerful bodies cutting through the clouds with effortless grace.
The Sect Leader and the other elders also moved along with Wang Ping, their figures rising into the air as they flew alongside the magnificent chariot. Behind them, they left the newly selected disciples standing on the recruitment ground, watching with a mixture of awe, envy, and bewilderment.
Among the crowd of disciples, there was a young man who looked at the departing figures of Wang Ping and the sect's high level members. His eyes were locked onto the retreating chariot with an intensity that betrayed deep thought. From the outside, he did not look like anyone special. His robes were plain, his bearing ordinary. But on his finger, hidden partially beneath his sleeve, there was a simple looking ring that seemed to absorb the light around it.
His name was Lin Fan. He possessed a 4th grade high level spiritual root and had been selected during the recruitment process to join the sect. Now, watching the leaving figure of Wang Ping, a female voice rang in his ears.
"Fan'er, do not look at those dragons. They have terrifying cultivation levels. You, in front of those beings, are worse than an ant."
Lin Fan heard this voice in his ears and nodded subtly, not drawing any attention to himself. The other disciples around him were still chattering excitedly about the dragons, but Lin Fan kept his expression calm and neutral. He replied silently with his mind, "Master, how strong is their cultivation level? And how strong is the cultivation of the person sitting on their back? Is he really an immortal?"
Hearing the voice and question of Lin Fan, the female voice responded in his ears again. There was a hint of solemnity in her tone, a weight that Lin Fan had rarely heard before. "They are Immortal Master Realm dragons. As for the young man who sat upon them... I am afraid his cultivation was the same as mine when I was alive."
Hearing his master's voice, Lin Fan was stunned. His feet stopped moving for a brief moment before he forced himself to continue walking with the crowd. He had asked his master previously about her past, and she had told him that her cultivation at her peak was one of the strongest in the entire Immortal World. She had spoken of dominating battlefields, of making kings and emperors bow.
Yet now, out of nowhere, he heard that a random person who had come to a sect where the highest cultivation level was merely the Nascent Soul Realm was as strong as his master. Doubt crept into Lin Fan's heart like a cold shadow. He seriously wondered whether his master had previously been bluffing about her strength.
Feeling the thoughts of Lin Fan, his master spoke again, her voice dripping with disdain and a touch of wounded pride. "Brat, what are you thinking about? How dare you have such rebellious thoughts? Have you forgotten who helped you when your fiancé broke your engagement and everyone called you a waste? Hmph! How dare you."
Lin Fan heard his master's words and quickly forced a laugh. He scratched the back of his head in an exaggerated manner, playing the part of a foolish disciple. He replied telepathically, "Hehe, Master, why are you angry? I was just joking."
His master scoffed, the sound echoing sharply in his mind. "Hmph. Get lost, you brat. As for that person... even I do not know his purpose. But remember this well. Do not talk about my identity even by mistake. Otherwise, who knows what his thoughts might be? Both you and I will be in grave danger."
Lin Fan heard this and nodded seriously. The playful expression vanished from his face, replaced by a solemn understanding. He looked in the direction where Wang Ping had departed, his eyes following the fading silhouette of the nine dragons and the golden chariot.
Deep within his heart, he swore a silent oath. One day, he would reach such a cultivation level. One day, he would ride through the skies on creatures just as magnificent. One day, he would no longer be the one looking up from the ground.
He clenched his fists at his sides and walked forward, following the path that would lead him into the Azure Sword Sect. The ring on his finger glinted once in the sunlight, then faded back into obscurity.