Every year, the three sects each undertake a single task assigned by the mayor. These tasks vary from escorting missions to eliminating threats and even expeditions, all requiring strong hands.
In return for these favors, the mayor exempts all sect members from the three sects from taxes. This exemption has become one of the reasons why people frequently seek to join a sect.
Sky Sword Hall bustled with activity as elders, including the sect master, assembled.
“As you all know, the mayor has sent a letter regarding a secret task,” the sect master addressed the gathering.
“Is it concerning that rumored high-ranked beast core?” inquired one elder.
The sect master nodded from his seat of authority. “Indeed. This time, our disciples are tasked with safely escorting those goods to the mainland.”
“To the mainland?!” gasped another elder.
“Yes. If its value is as high as the mayor described, then it can only be auctioned on the mainland,” the sect master explained.
“If its value is so high, then why did he ask us? I’m sure he would have gone to the other two sects,” said one elder.
Among the three sects, the Sky Sword Sect had the lowest reputation, as people believed the other two to be superior due to the number of disciples and martial arts they practiced.
“The mayor indeed went to the other two, but it seems they rejected, as all of their senior disciples are in seclusion.”
“I knew it, that pudgy guy,” the hall filled with laughter at that elder’s remark.
“That being said, we must now decide whom we are sending,” the sect master declared.
After multiple discussions, they successfully selected five candidates—some were personal disciples, while others were regular inner disciples. However, they had one more spot left.
“If Lina were not in seclusion, I would have chosen her,” the sect master remarked regretfully.
They all harbored a desire for their personal disciples to venture into the outside world, but they were keenly aware that opportunities often came hand in hand with dangers.
The rumor of the mayor possessing a high-ranked beast core had spread rapidly, attracting many eyes to him. Consequently, the trip would undoubtedly be perilous for the disciples.
An attendee leaned close to the sect master’s ear and whispered a message. His eyes gleamed with anticipation, and he struck his armrest like a hammer.
“So, he has fully recovered from his injuries,” Sect Master Wen exclaimed with a hearty laugh. “The last candidate has been decided.”
The other elders didn’t understand the sect master’s enthusiasm. They exchanged puzzled glances, uncertain of the significance of this shock0.
…
The day of departure,
The air resonated with the sound of metal slicing through the air—swish, swish, swish—followed by a resounding pang as a sword fell to the ground.
“Only ten swings,” Lin Mo sighed, his brow glistening with sweat.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Over the past weeks, he had dedicated himself to mastering the proper swing, the fundamental technique of sword art. Though he hadn’t noticed any drastic changes, the sword seemed to have become lighter to swing, and he managed to perform a few swings with just one arm.
“We’ll be departing today. I should pack my things,” Lin Mo murmured to himself. “If Brother Wu could join, it would’ve been fun.”
Lin Mo knew that Wu Di hadn’t returned to the sect and was unlikely to do so until his training was complete. Wu Di was a persistent guy, and Lin Mo respected his dedication.
In the Sky Sword Sect hall, six disciples, including Lin Mo, gathered before the elders, attentively listening to their advice and cautions for the journey towards the mainland.
This marked Lin Mo’s first time traveling to a city beyond Sword City, and his heart thumped with excitement at the thought.
From the details provided, Lin Mo realized that the place they were traveling to was the mainland—the expansive plain land beyond the forest. In other words, it was a place outside of this forest, marking a significant departure from their familiar surroundings.
“It will be a week-long journey, that is if everything goes smoothly,” stated an elder with a serious look.
“If you have any questions, ask away,” said the elder.
A disciple raised his arm and asked, “Is the first layer of the forest really that vast for us to take a week?”
“If it were just the six of you, with your speed, it would only take 2 days,” the elder continued. “However, there will be others joining.”
Another disciple raised their arm. “Isn’t the first layer relatively safe even for martial artists? Why do we need so many of us?”
Everyone knew that the first layer contained weaker beasts with limited intelligence, which even mortal martial artists could fend off. Sending six of them seemed like overkill.
“Beasts aren’t the only danger factor in the first layer,” the elder continued. “Bandits and criminals roam every corner, hiding away from their pursuers.”
“Some of them possess powerful cultivation, and an ordinary martial artist would only be jumping to their death that's why we are sending you six.”
‘Bandits?’ Lin Mo had only heard of bandits in stories; he had never met one.
Lin Mo raised his arm and asked, “What should we do if we capture bandits?”
“Of course, there’s only one answer: Kil* them!”
The color drained from Lin Mo’s face upon hearing the elder’s reply. Being a human himself, no matter what kind of conflict occurred, he hadn’t killed anyone. He believed there would always be a way to remedy and reason; there was no need to go after each other’s throats.
Seeing no one else raising their arm, the elder announced, “It’s time. Follow me.”
Without the knowledge of other disciples or common folks, the elders had selected the six disciples. The elder and the group of six disciples left the sect hall in secrecy, making their way to one of the hills surrounding the city.
On the way, Lin Mo noticed that except for one person, all the others were new faces to him.
“You’ve recovered, Junior brother,” a chubby-looking disciple wrapped his arms around Lin Mo’s shoulder.
“Yes, Senior Brow,” Lin Mo replied.
“Again with that naming,” the senior disciple’s brows knitted together in a furrow.
The chubby disciple was the personal disciple of the third elder and one of the senior disciples.
Since the first time they met, Lin Mo couldn’t help but notice that this senior brother’s brows were uncommonly thick, which was the reason for his nickname. He wondered if this shared physical trait above their eyes was the reason the third elder had taken him as a personal disciple.
“Where did your other half go? Why didn’t he come?” asked Senior Brow, shaking his thoughts from the previous remark.
The other half he spoke of was none other than Wu Di, as the two apprentice brothers traveled together everywhere. It would be unusual for one of them to be seen alone.
“Brother Wu is not in the sect at the moment,” replied Lin Mo with a wry smile.
“That’s unfortunate,” sighed the senior brow.
This senior’s interest in Wu Di stemmed from the fact that the martial arts they practiced complemented each other. Whenever he met Wu Di, he would eagerly jump at the chance to test himself, but Wu Di always managed to evade him, disappearing before he could engage.
With Lin Mo being the only person to entertain, this senior brow kept showering him with questions, one after another. Without realizing it, they had reached their meeting point.