Chapter 054: The Origin of the Two Sects

“Before I lost consciousness, I think I saw this junior brother…” Under Nie Han’s sharp, sword-like gaze, Xu Xuan’s heart skipped a beat, and the other disciples turned to look at him as well.

Among them, Le Feng’s body tensed slightly, anxiety flickering in his heart. Wan Fushan’s plump, greasy face revealed a trace of unwillingness: he had brought Xu Xuan along to eliminate the bandits, intending to deal with the boy when the chance arose, only to inadvertently give him the opportunity to become the outer disciple who killed the greatest number of Blood Spirit Bandits. Now, upon returning to the sect, Xu Xuan would certainly be promoted to an inner disciple.

Yang Xiaoqian’s bright eyes fell upon Xu Xuan, who lay weakly on the ground. She recalled his earlier display, when he slew the Blood Spirit Bandits with thunderous poison. This youth from a humble village, whom she had once disregarded, had created miracles time and again—would this be his last?

A strange silence hung over the scene. Since setting out to eliminate the bandits, this was the first time Xu Xuan had captured everyone’s attention.

“Ahem! Honored sword cultivator, could you be mistaken?” Xu Xuan drooped his head, looking dejected. “I awoke by accident in the middle of the battle, only to be sent flying by Bandit Chief Cao’s palm. Even now, I can barely move my bones.”

“Is that truly so?”

There was a hint of suspicion in Nie Han’s eyes. Before losing consciousness, he had clearly seen Xu Xuan fighting with Chief Cao. After being thrown, Xu Xuan had exhibited something akin to traversing space with his body, as if he had broken through to the seventh level of Body Refinement.

Could it all have been a hallucination?

After all, just before fainting, Nie Han’s wounds were excruciating, and he had been clinging to consciousness by sheer will. Even if he hadn’t passed out, his mind was already blurred.

“How could I lie? The reward for slaying Chief Cao is quite generous… Besides yourself, only Senior Brother Le among us possesses such ability. He was the first to awaken us all—the defeat of Chief Cao certainly falls to him,” Xu Xuan replied matter-of-factly, then turned to the others. “Don’t you all agree?”

At this, everyone voiced their support. Senior Brother Le’s expression eased, and he quietly let out a sigh of relief.

“Indeed, Senior Brother Le’s powers are formidable; only he could cause such devastating craters.”

“That’s right! Use your head—a mere Body Refinement cultivator wouldn’t even be able to harm Chief Cao’s hair. Surviving is already a miracle…”

The crowd looked at Senior Brother Le with reverent, admiring eyes.

Among them, Yang Xiaoqian’s gaze sparkled with gratitude as she bowed and said, “Senior Brother Le is our savior. Were it not for him, falling into the bandits’ hands would have been disastrous…”

“Yes, Senior Brother Le is our great benefactor; we all owe him our thanks.”

Everyone echoed her sentiment and bowed in unison.

“No need for such formality, Junior Sister. Please rise.” Le Feng helped Yang Xiaoqian up at once and waved at the others. “We are brothers and sisters of the same sect—this is only right.”

Only Nie Han and another surviving Sword Sect disciple remained unmoved. Nie Han’s cold, tense expression shifted between Xu Xuan and Le Feng.

Xu Xuan felt uneasy under Nie Han’s gaze, but the latter eventually appeared thoughtful, falling into silent contemplation.

Clearly, he was suspicious.

Fortunately, Nie Han was a cold, domineering sort, not one for idle gossip. He did not pursue the matter, sparing Xu Xuan further trouble.

“The elders will arrive soon. Let us first tend to the bodies of our fallen brothers—they must not be left exposed in the wild,” Le Feng began organizing the scene.

A headcount was conducted. Of the twenty-four who had set out from Windfeather Immortal Sect, only thirteen remained—over half lost, including an inner disciple.

Had the three from Starfall Sword Sect not arrived, Windfeather Immortal Sect would likely have been annihilated.

As the battlefield was cleared, the results of the campaign were tallied.

Wan Fushan, who had ambushed and slain a Blood Bandit leader, would receive a generous reward: a lower-grade magical artifact and a bottle of Spirit Qi Pills.

Xu Xuan, the outer disciple with the highest number of kills, and indeed the greatest tally among those present, was undoubtedly entitled to another reward: a bottle of Marrow-Washing Pills, a beginner’s scroll of Immortal Arts, and promotion to inner disciple status.

The reward for slaying the Blood Bandit Chief remained unclaimed, which Le Feng tacitly accepted.

Of course, these were just preliminary tallies—the official rewards would be bestowed by the elders upon their return.

Xu Xuan, having successfully “yielded” the reward for slaying Chief Cao, felt a weight lifted from his heart.

His memories of his previous life in the immortal sect had taught him the importance of keeping a low profile until one had sufficient strength. If he had boldly claimed the reward, he would have faced not just suspicion but endless trouble.

The reward for slaying Chief Cao was far too tempting—it would arouse envy, and if a mere mortal cultivator claimed it, it would surely attract covetous eyes. More importantly, Xu Xuan’s unremarkable talent and humble origins, combined with his sudden rapid progress, would only invite suspicion.

As some cleaned the battlefield and others meditated to heal, a sudden sound pierced the air—

Whoosh—whoosh—

Two beams of light, one white and one green, streaked across the sky above the valley, resonating with powerful spiritual energy.

“Look! It’s Elder Lu and Mistress He!” Wan Fushan was the first to react, exclaiming with delight.

The disciples looked up to see two figures descending from the sky.

The silver-haired elder riding a white crane was none other than Elder Lu, who had presided over the spiritual root test.

“Master…” Yu Qin’s cheeks flushed with joy.

Beside Elder Lu stood a serene, elegant woman in palace attire, appearing about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years of age. She alighted gracefully atop a verdant lotus leaf, her beauty exquisite as jade, her skin delicate as ivory. Her bearing was dignified and gentle, with a noble, ethereal grace that eclipsed all earthly charm.

The disciples’ gazes were drawn to her, but each showed the utmost respect—no one dared entertain a single improper thought.

Xu Xuan felt a rare moment of awe. The woman’s beauty and temperament surpassed any classical maiden he had seen in this life. He surmised she must be the famed “Mistress Lotus Moon” of Windfeather Immortal Sect.

“Greetings, Elder Lu! Greetings, Mistress He!” The disciples rose to pay their respects. Those gravely wounded, like Xu Xuan, struggled to their feet.

“No need for such ceremony. Those with serious internal injuries, come to me for medicine,” Mistress Lotus Moon replied with a gentle smile, producing a medicine gourd.

At once, some came forward to receive healing elixirs.

Normally, even when injured, they rarely had the chance to use such pills. It was said Mistress Lotus Moon was a Spirit Alchemist of the Spirit Refinement stage.

Xu Xuan tried to rise to receive his medicine, but the movement aggravated his wounds, making him gasp in pain.

“I… I’ll get it for you,” Yu Qin said timidly, approaching Mistress Lotus Moon for the elixir.

“Yu Qin, your injuries are not severe. For whom are you collecting medicine?” Mistress Lotus Moon handed her a pill with a gentle, curious smile.

At her words, Elder Lu glanced over as well.

“I’m getting it for Senior Brother Xu—he’s badly hurt!” Yu Qin lowered her head, her gaze shy, her hands nervously toying with her dress as she hurried back to deliver the pill to Xu Xuan.

“Thank you, Junior Sister Yu.” Xu Xuan was touched, smiling as he took the medicine. The girl’s kindness and shyness were rare in the sect, reminding him of Hui Lan at home—they must be about the same age.

“You saved me; it’s only right,” Yu Qin replied, her cheeks burning with happiness at being able to help him.

Mistress Lotus Moon and Elder Lu merely noted Yu Qin’s gesture, thinking nothing more of it.

“My disciple is gifted, but perhaps too innocent and kind. I brought her on this journey for experience, but never expected the Blood Spirit Bandits to be so formidable…” Elder Lu shook his head with a sigh.

After taking the elixir, Xu Xuan felt his injuries mending much faster.

“Disciple Nie Han greets Elder Lu and Mistress He,” the tall, proud young man in blue stepped forward with another sword cultivator to pay their respects.

“Nephew Nie Han, here are two healing pills for you both,” Mistress Lotus Moon said with a smile.

“How is your master, the Starlight Sword King, these days? Does he still bear such hostility toward our Windfeather Sect?” Elder Lu’s tone was cool, his attitude toward Nie Han distant.

Xu Xuan was surprised. Was Nie Han a disciple of Starfall Sword Sect? Why did Mistress Lotus Moon address him as nephew, and why had Nie Han called him “junior brother” earlier?

“Windfeather Immortal Sect and Starfall Sword Sect were once one, hundreds of years ago—the renowned ‘Starfeather Sect’ that dominated Yellow Dragon City. That’s the origin of ‘Starfeather Mountain,’” an outer disciple explained with a smile.

Xu Xuan suddenly understood. The names Starfall Sword Sect and Windfeather Immortal Sect, combined, formed “Starfeather Mountain.” These two sects shared deep roots, later splitting into the immortal and sword factions for reasons unknown.

That day, disciples from both sects returned to Starfeather Mountain together.

Upon returning to his quarters, Xu Xuan immediately sat to meditate and heal, letting the elixir’s power flow through his body.

Having advanced to the seventh level of Body Refinement, he could now unleash a force of a thousand pounds with one hand—strong enough to tear apart tigers and leopards. His strength had undergone a qualitative leap.

At this level, he was among the rarest of mortals in the Yangmu Village region, revered and admired by all.

Xu Xuan felt the surge of his power. Though this campaign to destroy the bandits had been perilous, the progress he had made was immense.

With his current cultivation, he could face Wan Fushan head-on without fear—perhaps even claim victory.

At the same time, his eyes gleamed: “Having reached the seventh level of Body Refinement, I’m now a quasi-immortal. The foundation to attempt the Qi Refinement stage is set…”

If he chose the path of immortal cultivation, he could abandon the “Nine Transformations of Dragon and Snake” and advance to the ranks of Qi Refinement immortals.

Xu Xuan hesitated.

(Today’s first update. Rolling on the ground, begging for recommendations.)