The central pavilion of the Twilight Flame Sect was much grander than Jiang Tao had expected. It had green sloping roofs and red-painted wood. The pillars were adorned with sculptures of golden dragons that coiled around them like lanky snakes.

Jiang Tao noticed that Li Hua had also arrived at the sect, as did Xinyu, who shot him with a small smile when their eyes met. A couple of other female disciples he didn't know were also there.

I wonder what this is about, he thought, looking around.

They had been standing for thirty or so minutes, and none of the elders had appeared. Tao was starting to understand Yuhan’s frustration, and he had only been here a couple of hours.

“If I wanted to cultivate the Dao of Inaction, I would have found better success in my parents’ estate. Do they wish to spend our meager longevity with these senseless waits? This sect is trash.” a voice muttered.

Jiang Tao turned to see who had spoken—it was Liu Yang, the scripture thief. Though Tao still held a grudge, he found himself agreeing.

Before he could respond, a deep, resonant chime echoed through the pavilion, silencing the murmurs and drawing all eyes to the dais. At the same time, a heavy coercion settled over them.

The pressure was equal to that of Master Yao when they had first met. The assembled disciples all let out a startled cry at the sudden assault.

“Who dares!” Zhang Yue roared, resisting the urge to fall to his knees.

Jiang Tao gritted his teeth, struggling against the pressure. Yixing, beside him, buckled and fell to his knees. All around, he could hear the sound of knees hitting the wooden floor as disciples succumbed.

From the sides of his eyes, he could tell that only a few remained standing. Li Hua and Zhang Yue were the ones he could make out, his vision swimming from the sheer strain of trying to stay upright.

Eventually, the pressure became too much, and his knees gave out, hitting the floor with a painful thud.

What the hell?! Tao thought as his heart raced. He couldn’t even raise his head from the ground.

Then, the coercion vanished, receding as if it had never been there. When he looked up, Elder Chen and the Twilight Flame disciple who had summoned them were on the dais.

All of this had happened within a minute, but it felt much longer.

“Ah, Luo Han. There was no need for such a spectacle; the boy meant no disrespect,” Elder Chen said calmly.

“Forgive my impertinence, Elder, but as Prime Disciple, I must stamp out any disrespect, regardless of who they are,” Luo Han replied.

Jiang Tao turned to look at the subject of the discussion—Liu Yang, who was wiping his bloody mouth with the sleeve of his robe, glaring at Luo Han.

He couldn’t help but feel a flicker of sympathy for Liu Yang, even though he still harbored resentment towards the scripture thief.

Liu Yang had been foolish for voicing his displeasure, but the display of power Luo Han had just unleashed felt excessive. Tao glanced at the prime disciple, who stood calmly beside Elder Chen Zhiyuan, his robes pristine and unruffled, as if the exertion of suppressing dozens of disciples had not affected him in the slightest.

Luo Han’s presence was overwhelming. He was tall, with Long flowing dark hair, sharp, imperious features, and hawkish eyes that dared them to retaliate. Even the Zhang siblings stayed silent.

“Disrespect is a poison,” Luo Han continued, his voice smooth and commanding, “and it festers quickly if not excised.”

A couple of disciples bristled, at the remark. Elder Chen Zhiyuan nodded a small smile playing on his lips. He was enjoying seeing them humbled. “Indeed, Welcome disciples to the Twilight Flame sect, I trust your journey here was fruitful?”

After you dumped us over a forest and gave us cryptic instructions? Yeah. He thought sarcastically.

“I’m pleased to see so many of you made your way here, though a few are missing,” the Elder continued.

“As such I find it prudent to reveal the next course of action,” Elder Chen paused, letting his words hang in the air. The assembled disciples remained silent, still reeling from the sudden display of power.

“You are to stay here and cultivate with the outer disciples of the twilight flame sect. We shall return to five lights peak when every single one of you is in core formation,”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Jiang Tao’s heart sank at Elder Chen’s words. He can’t be serious! Who knew how long that would take, some of the others weren't even here. Their return depended on the slowest of them. I'm starting to hate this guy.

He could feel the unease ripple through the group; even the most stoic among them couldn’t hide their dismay.

Luo Han’s gaze swept over them like a predator assessing his prey, lingering on those he thought might speak out. “I expect you to integrate, like true disciples of the sect. Do not expect special treatment as a result of your bloodline or what clan you are a part of,”

Seemingly unbothered by the tension, Elder Chen continued with an air of casual authority. “You will find that our methods here at the Twilight Flame Sect are rigorous but rewarding. Obtain a sect emblem from the grand hall. Lectures are at first light,”

The disciples just stared in disbelief, the whole situation had them shocked. A hand went up. “Asking Elder, was this sanctioned by the court?” Zhang Shen asked.

Elder Chen answered. “This arrangement has the approval of all involved parties, including your esteemed families. Your radiant father, the Emperor himself endorsed this enthusiastically.”

The idea of being stuck in the Twilight Flame Sect’s outer halls, cultivating alongside outer disciples who had likely been there for years, was far from the illustrious return to Five Lights peak Tao had envisioned.

“Endorsed?” Zhang Shen echoed incredulously. “Does this mean we have no say in the matter? No chance to—”

“—To complain or voice dissatisfaction?” Luo Han interrupted with a cold, steely gaze. Zhang Shen bristled clearly unused to being talked to in such a manner. “No, you do not. The decisions are final. Your task now is to adapt and excel.”

“And excel we will, we’re members of the Celestial Illumination Sect for a reason,” Li Hua's voice cut through. Her gaze was unwavering as she stared Luo Han down.

Luo Han’s eyes narrowed as he regarded Li Hua with a mingled look of interest and disdain. “As you say.”

Ballsy. Tao couldn’t help but admire her audacity. Luo Han was vastly above them in terms of cultivation and she was standing up to him. He preferred to avoid trouble.

“Now, enough of this discussion,” Elder Chen said, his tone signaling the end of the matter. “Proceed to the grand hall to receive your sect emblems and settle into your quarters. Be ready by first light tomorrow.”

Then another chime and both of them were gone. It took a few moments before the silence broke.

Jiang Tao turned to Yixing, “It looks like five lights peak is further away than we expected,”

Yuhan who was beside Yixing snorted, “I feel sorry for the poor true outer disciples of this sect. I understand the intention to teach us humility and have their disciples make connections with the prospective Emperor but how shameless. I am certain there will be inner disciples masquerading as outer disciples,”

Tao nodded slowly understanding blooming in his mind. Oh, forced networking? How strangely mundane.

He had expected something else. They shuffled out of the pavilion, their minds abuzz with the implications of their new situation.

The grand hall was their next destination, and despite the lingering tension, they needed to get their sect emblems. As they approached the grand hall, Tao took in the sheer size and majesty of the building. Tall bronze pillars adorned with random spirals supported a high, vaulted ceiling.

A wizened matronly elder tasked with distributing the emblems handed out small, intricately designed tokens to the newcomers. Each emblem was a round metal token with the sect’s flame insignia emblazoned on it.

He thought back to Lord Bai’s plaque that lay in the depths of his storage ring, was he supposed to give it back? The gate guard hadn’t taken a second look at it. So he assumed they likely did not care much.

“Third sister, no! That is not allowed!” Yuhan’s voice cut through the silence of the evening, filled with irritation. Jiang Tao turned to see Yuhan arguing with his sister. She had joined them on their stroll through the twilight flame sect grounds.

“Says who?” she retorted.

“Decorum! You just can’t decide to move into our dormitories with us!” Yuhan replied.

“But Li Hua abandoned me at the sight of First Brother and it’s so very lonely in the girl's dormitories. Plus our friends are here, please Yuhan” she pleaded

“My friends. Not yours!”

“I’m sure Jiang Tao would disagree,” she said before turning in his direction. He stiffened as Xinyu’s gaze locked onto him. He had no idea how he had been dragged into this sibling squabble, but it was clear that there was no escape.

“Third sister don’t you dare,” Yuhan warned.

“But he’s right here,” Xinyu said with a playful tilt of her head. “Surely, Jiang Tao wouldn’t mind if I joined you all. Isn’t that right, Tao~”

“Uh, well…” Jiang Tao stammered, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks. He wasn’t sure how to navigate the situation. “I mean, if Xinyu wants to join us…”

Yuhan’s eyes narrowed, clearly unimpressed. “This is not about what she or you wants, Brother Tao. This is about propriety.”

“We’re cultivators, not mortals Yuhan. Who cares, propriety is a mere suggestion.”

“You’re a princess! Our father would and your mother most certainly would.” Yuhan shot back.

“Enough!” Li Hua's authoritative voice cut through the bickering like a blade. “You. Come. Stop being scandalous, I did not abandon you,” She said, her eyes narrowing as she approached Xinyu.

Tao looked around, wondering where she had appeared from, before noting the distant forms of Zhang Shen and a few others of that group.

“Oh, Lady Li you finally remember my existence! Done entertaining first brother?” Xinyu said dramatically.

Li Hua let out a long suffering sigh as she calmly dragged the other girl away from them. Jiang Tao watched as Li Hua guided her away, shaking his head slightly.

I didn't know they were friends. He thought in wry amusement

Yuhan turned to him with a glare “No,”

He put his hands in the air in confused surrender, “I didn't do anything?”

“Just no.”

Yixing who had been silently watching the spectacle could only laugh at the scene.