As the flying boat glided through the air, Kai stood at the bow, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The wind whipped through his hair, carrying the scent of mountain air and something else—something mystical. In the distance, a magnificent structure began to take shape, growing larger with each passing moment.

So this is the Azure Sky Sect, it’s everything I imagined it to be.

The sect sprawled across a series of mountain peaks, connected by impossibly thin bridges that seemed to defy gravity. Pagodas with curved roofs of deep blue tiles reached towards the sky, their eaves adorned with carvings of blue and white dragons. Waterfalls cascaded down the mountainsides, their mist creating rainbows in the sunlight. At the highest peak stood a grand palace, its golden roof gleaming like a beacon.

It really does seem like something out of a fantasy novel.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Elder Feng's voice broke through Kai's thoughts.

Kai nodded, not taking his eyes off the sight before him. "It's... magnificent."

Liu Wei stumbled to the railing, his eyes wide. "I've never seen anything like it! Master, is this what all sects look like?"

Kai chuckled. "I wouldn't know, Liu Wei. This is my first time seeing one too."

Though I've seen plenty in games and anime, he added silently. But nothing quite compares to the real thing.

Zhi-Zhi, perched on Liu Wei's head, puffed out his chest. "Bah! You should have seen the Celestial Tortoise Palace in the Heavenly Realms. Now that was impressive. This is... adequate, I suppose."

Kai raised an eyebrow at the spirit beast. "Oh? And when exactly did you visit this Celestial Tortoise Palace?"

Zhi-Zhi's eyes darted back and forth. "Well, you see... it was... a very long time ago. Yes, that's it! So long ago that the details are a bit fuzzy. But trust me, it was magnificent!"

As they drew closer, Kai noticed formations etched into the mountains. Defensive arrays, he realized. Probably designed to keep out intruders and contain the sect's qi.

The boat began its descent, aiming for a large plateau near the base of the central mountain. As they approached, Kai's eyes widened at the sight before him. The plateau was teeming with people - a sea of faces and colorful robes stretching as far as he could see.

"Ah, there are the other Outer Elders with their recruits," Elder Feng said, a note of tension in his voice. "We're... a bit late."

Late to an important event with this many people? That's never good in these kinds of stories, Kai thought.

As their boat touched down on the edge of the plateau, Kai did a quick headcount. There had to be at least a few hundred potential recruits, if not more, each accompanied by their respective Outer Elders. The chatter of the crowd washed over them, a mix of excited whispers and nervous murmurs.

From within the crowd, several voices rose above the rest, directed at Elder Feng:

"Well, well, look who finally decided to join us!"

"If you were any later, Feng, we might have started without you!"

Elder Feng straightened his robes, putting on a dignified air as he stepped off the boat. "My apologies for the delay, fellow Elders. We encountered some... unexpected challenges on our journey."

A bald elder with a thick black beard and black eyes scoffed. "Challenges? What kind of challenges could possibly delay an Outer Elder of the Azure Sky Sect?"

Elder Feng's expression tightened slightly. "We were attacked by a group of Thunderwing Drakes."

"Thunderwing Drakes?" another elder, a woman with gray hair, asked incredulously. "And all your recruits survived?"

Elder Feng nodded, a hint of pride creeping into his voice. "Indeed. Thanks in no small part to the quick thinking of one of my recruits."

Here we go, Kai thought, bracing himself for the attention he knew was coming.

As if on cue, the other Outer Elders began boasting about their own recruits.

"Well, that's certainly impressive," said the bald elder. "But let me introduce you to Xu Na." He gestured to a girl with long black hair and pale skin. "She's already reached the third stage of Qi Refining, and she's only fifteen!"

Third stage at fifteen? Not bad, Kai mused. But not exactly earth-shattering either.

The gray-haired woman stepped forward. "And this is Zhao Jian," she said, pointing to a muscular young man. "He may be a mortal, but he's already mastered three different martial arts styles. I expect great things from him once he begins cultivating."

Martial arts prodigy, huh? Classic trope. Wonder how he'll stack up once qi gets involved.

As the introductions continued, Kai noticed a pattern. Most of the recruits were either mortals or in the early stages of Qi Refining. The highest he heard mentioned was a boy named Wu Feng, who had reached the fifth stage.

Interesting, Kai thought. I'm already ahead of the curve. But this can’t be all of it, for a sect as big as the Azure Sky Sect, there should be some geniuses. Where are the arrogant young masters?

Finally, Elder Feng cleared his throat. "Allow me to introduce my own recruits. This is Liu Wei, he’s at the third stage of Qi Refining."

Liu Wei bowed nervously, his face flushed with embarrassment at the sudden attention.

"And this," Elder Feng continued, a hint of smugness in his voice, "is Kai Thorn. He's the one who devised the strategy that saved us from the Thunderwing Drakes. Kai has already reached the eighth stage of Qi Refining."

A shocked silence fell over the gathered elders and recruits. Kai could feel dozens of eyes boring into him, filled with disbelief, suspicion, and in some cases, fear.

"Eighth stage?" the bald elder sputtered. "That's... that's impossible! How could a mere mortal reach such a level without joining a sect?"

The gray-haired woman narrowed her eyes. "Did you perhaps acquire some sort of treasure, young man? A cultivation manual or a rare herb, perhaps?"

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"No, Elder," Kai replied. "I simply... practiced a lot."

Great answer, he chided himself. Very convincing. They'll definitely believe that.

The other recruits were whispering among themselves now, casting furtive glances in Kai's direction. He could see the uncertainty and worry in their eyes.

They're probably wondering how they can compete with someone like me, Kai realized. I need to be careful. Making enemies before the trials even begin would be a bad move.

Elder Feng cleared his throat, continuing his introductions. "And lastly, this is Shen Yu." He gestured to the calm-faced boy. "A remarkable talent who broke through to Qi Refining on his first attempt."

The other Outer Elders' eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"On his first attempt?" the bald elder asked. "That's quite…unusual."

The gray-haired woman peered at Shen Yu closely. "Indeed. Almost as unusual as reaching the eighth stage of Qi Refining without a sect." Her gaze flicked between Shen Yu and Kai, suspicion evident in her eyes.

Shen Yu merely bowed politely, his face betraying no emotion. "I was fortunate to receive good guidance," he said simply.

Just then, another Outer Elder, a portly man with a jovial face, spoke up. "Well, Feng, you've certainly brought an interesting group this year." His eyes twinkled mischievously. "But tell me, have you picked up another spirit beast?"

Elder Feng's smile tightened almost imperceptibly. "Ah, you must be referring to—"

Before he could finish, Zhi-Zhi's voice rang out. "Another spirit beast? I'll have you know, I am no mere beast! I am Zhi-Zhi, the great and powerful spirit tortoise of the Celestial—"

"The spirit beast is with the boy," Elder Feng interrupted hastily, gesturing towards Kai.

Kai nodded, trying to keep a straight face. "Yes, Zhi-Zhi is... my companion."

The portly elder chuckled. "A spirited little thing, isn't he? And quite rare too, if I'm not mistaken."

Zhi-Zhi puffed up with pride. "Of course I'm rare! I'm one of a kind, I'll have you know!"

Kai could see the other Outer Elders eyeing Zhi-Zhi. He already felt the start of a headache coming on. Looks like Elder Feng isn’t the only one interesting in ‘acquiring’.

The gray-haired woman's gaze lingered on Zhi-Zhi for a moment before returning to Kai. "First an eighth-stage Qi Refining cultivator, and now a rare spirit beast. You've certainly found some... interesting recruits this time, Feng."

Elder Feng's smile remained fixed in place, but Kai could sense a hint of tension in his voice as he replied, "Indeed. The Misty Waterfall Village proved to be quite the source of talent this year."

As the introductions continued, Kai noticed several of the Outer Elders casting envious glances at Elder Feng. Their eyes darted between Kai, Shen Yu, and Zhi-Zhi, a mix of jealousy and calculation in their gazes.

The portly elder chuckled, elbowing Elder Feng playfully. "Well, well, Feng. Looks like you might be up for the big reward this year, eh? The Sect Leader will be impressed with this batch."

Of course there's a reward system, Kai thought. It's the perfect way to motivate Outer Elders to scout for talent. And let's be honest, it explains why Elder Feng was so keen on protecting us. To him, we're basically valuable merchandise.

Elder Feng tried to look modest, but Kai could see the gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. "Now, now," he said. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. The trials haven't even begun yet."

The bald elder shook his head, a sly grin on his face. "I wouldn't count your spirit stones just yet, Feng. I've heard that Elder Zhou managed to recruit the young masters from the Sun and Moon clans this year."

A ripple of excitement passed through the crowd at this news.

Ah, there it is, Kai thought, suppressing a smirk. I was wondering when the young master archetypes would show up.

As if summoned by the mention of their names, the crowd suddenly parted. A tall elder strode through the gap, flanked by two young men. Even at a glance, Kai could tell these were the "young master" types he'd read about in countless stories.

The first young man swaggered forward, his head held high and a cocky grin on his face. His robes were made of the finest silk, embroidered with golden suns. He scanned the crowd with an air of superiority, as if daring anyone to meet his gaze.

Great, Kai thought. The brash, hot-headed type. Bet he's got a short temper to match that ego.

The second young man moved with a more measured grace. His robes, adorned with silver crescent moons, were just as fine as his companion's. But where the first young man's eyes blazed with barely contained arrogance, this one's gaze was cool and calculating.

And there's the calm, cunning one, Kai noted. Probably thinks he's three steps ahead of everyone else.

Elder Zhou stepped forward, his voice booming across the plateau. "Ah Elder Feng, you’ve finally arrived. Let me introduce you to my recruits: Young Master Sun Jun of the Sun Clan, and Young Master Lu Chen of the Moon Clan. Both these boys have reached the eighth stage of Qi Refining!”

The elder paused, clearly expecting gasps of amazement or murmurs of awe. Instead, he was met with an awkward silence. The crowd shifted uncomfortably, glancing between the new arrivals and Kai.

Sun Jun’s cocky grin faltered slightly. "What's wrong with you people?" he demanded. "Didn't you hear? We're at the eighth stage of Qi Refining!"

Lu Chen remained silent, but his eyes narrowed as he scanned the crowd, sensing that something was off.

The gray-haired woman cleared her throat. "Ah, yes. Most impressive, Young Masters. However... it seems you're not the only ones to reach such a level. Elder Feng’s recruit, Kai Thorn, he too has reached the eighth stage of Qi Refining."

Sun Jun’s jaw dropped. "What?! That's impossible! He looks like some nobody from a backwater village, how can he be at the same level as us?"

Before Kai could respond, Zhi-Zhi's voice rang out. "Nobody? Backwater village? How dare you insult my disciple, you arrogant pup!"

Oh no, Kai thought, inwardly facepalming. Zhi-Zhi, please don't...

But the spirit tortoise was just getting started. "Let me tell you something, you silk-robed peacock! My disciple Kai is a once-in-a-millennium talent! He's mastered techniques that would make your ancestors weep with envy!"

Kai tried to keep his face neutral, but he could feel a headache coming on. Zhi-Zhi, we talked about this. You're not my master, and I definitely haven't mastered any ancient, envious techniques.

Zhi-Zhi, oblivious to Kai's internal distress, continued his tirade. "Why, in my younger days, I trained countless prodigies who went on to become immortals! And let me tell you, none of them showed half the potential of my dear disciple Kai!"

Sun Jun's face turned an interesting shade of purple. "You... you dare? Do you know who I am?"

"A loud-mouthed braggart with more pride than sense, that's who you are!" Zhi-Zhi retorted.

Lu Chen's calm facade cracked slightly, a flicker of amusement crossing his face before he quickly suppressed it. "How... interesting," he said, his voice tight. "And how did this village boy manage such a feat?"

"Hard work and determination, Young Master Lu. Nothing more," Kai smiled as he stepped forward, trying to salvage the situation. He gently patted Zhi-Zhi's shell. "And perhaps a bit of... enthusiastic encouragement from my spirited companion here."

Sun Jun’s face turned red with anger. "Hard work? Don't make me laugh! You must have cheated somehow. There's no way a commoner could match us!"

Lu Chen placed a hand on Sun Jun’s shoulder, restraining him. "Calm yourself, brother," he said softly. But Kai could see the calculation in Lu Chen's eyes as he studied him. "We'll have plenty of time to... test... this village prodigy during the trials."

Elder Zhou looked like he had swallowed something sour. His eyes darted between Kai and his prized recruits, clearly recalculating his chances for that reward.

"Yes, well," Elder Zhou said, forcing a smile. "The more talented recruits, the better for Azure Sky Sect, wouldn't you agree, Feng?"

Elder Feng nodded, but Kai could see the smugness in his eyes. "Indeed, Zhou. May the best recruits win."

As the crowd began to disperse, Kai caught Liu Wei's worried glance. "Master Kai," Liu Wei whispered. "I think you might have made some powerful enemies."

Kai sighed, watching as Sun Jun shot him a venomous glare while Lu Chen whispered something to Elder Zhou. "Yeah," he said. "Somehow, I'm not surprised. Welcome to the Azure Sky Sect, I guess."

He glanced at Shen Yu, wondering how the mysterious boy was reacting to all this. To his surprise, Shen Yu caught his eye and gave him the slightest of nods, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Great, Kai thought sarcastically. The calm, mysterious one finds this amusing. That's never a good sign. Well, at least things are starting to feel more like a proper xianxia story. Arrogant young masters, check. Deadly rivalries before the trials even begin, check. Now all we need is a hidden big bad and maybe a love interest or two, and we'll have the full set.

"Now, now, my dear disciple," Zhi-Zhi said, misinterpreting Kai's expression, "there's no need to worry. With my guidance and your talent, we'll have this sect eating out of our hands in no time! Why, I remember when I advised the Jade Emperor himself on matters of cultivation. It all started when..."