Today is a great day; everything I wish for can come true...

Chu Xinghe swept away the previous gloom and bounced all the way back to his residence.

"Looks like Junior Brother has gotten what he wanted, he's in such a good mood," Feng Fei said with a smile, looking at Chu Xinghe.

"Senior Brother is right!" Chu Xinghe nodded and smiled.

"Make sure not to let the Great Elder's efforts go to waste."

Feng Fei clearly misunderstood, thinking that Chu Xinghe was happy because he had obtained the method to acquire the Divine Sword. But what truly made Chu Xinghe happy was not just that, but also the news brought by Shen Chun.

However, when the topic of the Divine Sword came up, Chu Xinghe quickly opened it to take a look.

Among the five swords, the Great Elder knew the locations of four: Falling Star, Marquis of Xinting, Lone Swan, and Spirit Severing.

The fifth sword, named Moon Concealment, had only a vague location known to the Great Elder, without any precise details, so it wasn't written down.

Among the remaining four swords, except for Spirit Severing, which didn't have a specific method, the methods to obtain Falling Star, Marquis of Xinting, and Lone Swan were clearly written, including the most suitable paths for each Divine Sword.

It was evident that the Great Elder was truly going all out for Chu Xinghe!

Feng Fei was stunned for a moment after reading it.

"The Great Elder really put in a lot of effort; this might be the first time such detailed records have appeared."

Feng Fei wasn't wrong at all.

As the number one sect in the world, the Grand Sky Sect was not only powerful but also fair in many aspects.

Usually, when the Spirit Tomb opens, the elders of each family would try to take care of their own disciples, but typically, they would only tell you that a certain place or method might suit you...

That's about it.

Those who receive such information are usually treated like the elders' own children.

But what the Great Elder wrote for Chu Xinghe... damn... this was more than just a hint; it was as if the Great Elder was going to personally retrieve the Divine Sword from the Spirit Tomb and lay it out in front of Chu Xinghe to let him choose.

While others were secretly feeding hints, the Great Elder was practically prying open Chu Xinghe's mouth, stuffing the food in, and using fire tongs to push it down to his stomach, afraid that Chu Xinghe might have indigestion and even throwing in some digestive tablets at the end.

So Feng Fei was a bit shocked after reading it.

But Feng Fei didn't think the Great Elder was overdoing it at all, because in Feng Fei's view, Chu Xinghe was destined to walk a path that would lead him to eventually take charge of the Spirit Crane Palace, so the Great Elder would spare no effort to pave the way for Chu Xinghe.

"Senior Brother is right, the Great Elder might be afraid I wouldn't understand," Chu Xinghe could tell from Feng Fei's expression just how deep the Great Elder's involvement was.

"Remember to burn these after memorizing them," Feng Fei reminded from the side.

"Alright!"

After carefully memorizing every word, Chu Xinghe burned the paper clean in front of Feng Fei.

"Junior Brother, remember to keep a low profile; these things are for your knowledge only, don't go around giving random guidance to others," Feng Fei also reminded.

"Rest assured, Senior Brother!"

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***

That night was filled with beautiful dreams.

In the morning, Chu Xinghe continued to contemplate his next steps while observing the towering peaks.

By afternoon, Chu Xinghe received news that the Spirit Tomb would open early the next morning. Due to the Sect Master's seclusion, the Great Elder would personally preside over this Spirit Tomb gathering.

Once the news was out, disciples from all sides had mixed feelings.

Although some had received insider information in advance, it was still nerve-wracking, as you couldn't be sure if others had received the same information as you.

After all, the elders from different factions couldn't very well sit down and have a meeting to discuss where each disciple should go.

So, duplicate information wasn't entirely impossible, and if that happened, it would be a race to see who got there first.

Of course, someone like Chu Xinghe was unique in the entire Grand Sky Sect. The locations of the Divine Swords were usually not disclosed to disciples unless there was an exceptionally suitable disciple; otherwise, they wouldn't have access.

Besides these few, the majority were ordinary inner disciples of the Grand Sky Sect. Outer disciples weren't eligible to enter the Spirit Tomb; only those who transitioned from outer to inner disciples could enter with the next batch.

This Spirit Tomb gathering would determine the future fate of many, as obtaining a good Spirit Weapon would smooth the path ahead, while failing to do so would make it incredibly rough.

So, after the news was released, disciples from various palaces gathered in groups to discuss the Spirit Tomb gathering, but it was mostly futile, as the situation inside the Spirit Tomb was largely unknown, except for some tidbits from senior brothers.

Which Spirit Weapon was good and which suited them? Who knew?

Amidst the tension for many and the excitement for a few, the Spirit Tomb gathering arrived as scheduled.

Three thousand inner disciples gathered at the martial arts arena outside the Grand Sky Palace, the central location of the Grand Sky Sect. Although Chu Xinghe stood at the edge, he was still the focal point for everyone.

"The guy who became a core disciple in the shortest time in history..."

"His black disciple robe looks so cool..."

"The gold embroidery is even cooler; too bad it’s not on me."

"Core disciple... I wonder when I'll become a core disciple!"

"Stop dreaming. To become an elite disciple, you need at least the cultivation level of a Grand Martial Master and have achievements. As for core disciples, even if you work your whole life, it's useless. Each core disciple is personally selected by the elders and is destined to be someone significant in the sect."

Voices of discussion came from all directions, both positive and negative, but Chu Xinghe didn't mind at all.

"Silence!"

With a commanding shout, the Great Elder stepped onto the high platform, his gaze sweeping over the many disciples below as he began to speak.

First, he praised the sect.

Then, he told the disciples that entering the Grand Sky Sect was a blessing from their ancestors and that they should cherish the opportunity.

Finally, he briefly introduced the rules of the Spirit Tomb.

The rules were simple: once inside, you could go wherever you wanted, but each person only had half a day. If you couldn't select a suitable Spirit Weapon within the allotted time, the sect would forcibly give you the lowest-grade Spirit Weapon.

This was also a warning to those with unrealistic ambitions to take a good look at themselves and not aim too high, lest they end up with nothing.

The Great Elder's words, though harsh, were true.

After the Great Elder finished speaking, the platform behind him descended, revealing a path leading to the back of the Grand Sky Palace.

This was the path to the Spirit Tomb.

Under the guidance of the sect disciples, everyone began to enter the Spirit Tomb in an orderly fashion.

Chu Xinghe noticed that the Great Elder nodded at him before he entered the Spirit Tomb, a gesture of encouragement.

***

Chu Xinghe followed the group through the underground passage of the Spirit Tomb, eventually passing through a foggy gate into the Spirit Tomb itself.

What lay before him was a world resembling an underground cavern, with countless massive stones standing unevenly before everyone.

On these massive stones, various Spirit Weapons were embedded, but they all appeared dusty and indistinguishable in quality.

While Chu Xinghe was assessing the terrain, some people had already set off, clearly those who had received insider information, heading towards their desired Spirit Weapons.

But more stood there, bewildered, as the paths and stones were countless, and the Spirit Weapons atop them even more so. How to choose? It was entirely up to luck.

As Chu Xinghe pondered his plan, a clear voice came from behind.

"Excuse me, are you Senior Brother Chu Xinghe?" A sweet girl approached Chu Xinghe.

Chu Xinghe glanced at the girl's chest... whoa... so big... no, wait... it's the Hill Forest Palace emblem... Chu Xinghe was just trying to see where she was from, not concerned about the size.

"Hello, Junior Sister, I am Chu Xinghe."

"Senior Brother Xinghe, my name is Wan Lin. As a core disciple, you must know more than us. I wonder if you could help us..."

The others behind her also looked at Chu Xinghe, but the girl was prepared for rejection, knowing that the Spirit Tomb was about personal gain, and it was rare for someone to spare their precious time to help others.

But just as the girl was ready for rejection, Chu Xinghe spoke, "Junior Sister Wan Lin, no need to be polite. Although I'm a core disciple, I know about as much as you do, but I'm duty-bound to help fellow disciples. If you don't mind, you can follow me, and I'll try to guide you."

"Ah! Thank you, Senior Brother Xinghe!" Wan Lin and the disciples behind her were so excited they almost jumped.

Wan Lin's eyes sparkled as she looked at Chu Xinghe. She had heard rumors that Chu Xinghe was righteous, willing to risk himself to protect his fellow townspeople, and was praised by many in the Spirit Crane Palace. Wan Lin thought it was just rumors, but she never expected that Chu Xinghe, a core disciple, would be so approachable, making her believe that sometimes rumors can be true.

"To all other fellow disciples, if you're unsure where to go, you can also follow me. I'll do my best to guide you," Chu Xinghe called out, immediately receiving cheers from many confused disciples.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Xinghe!"

"I'm truly impressed; no wonder Senior Brother Xinghe became a core disciple!"

"Exactly... you wouldn't believe it, but I met a core disciple the other day, and when I called him Senior Brother, he didn't even acknowledge me!"

"How can there be such a big difference between core disciples!"

Countless people praised Senior Brother Xinghe's virtue and followed in Chu Xinghe's footsteps.

***

However, what Chu Xinghe didn't know was that at this moment, a group of elders in the Grand Sky Palace was silently observing everything in the Spirit Tomb through the Grand Sky Mirror.

The Great Elder stood at the forefront, feeling both gratified and helpless when he saw Chu Xinghe willing to guide his fellow disciples.

He was gratified because Chu Xinghe had such a good disposition, willing to help any fellow disciple of the Grand Sky Sect, not just those from the Spirit Crane Palace.

But he was also helpless because Chu Xinghe's actions might delay him, possibly preventing him from obtaining the Divine Sword.

Apart from the Great Elder, the other elders nodded in agreement as they watched. They all understood the concept of favoritism, but it couldn't be openly discussed.

Their own disciples rushed to the places they had received information about, afraid of missing out on good items. But when they looked at Chu Xinghe, everyone knew he must have received guidance from the Great Elder, even more detailed than what they had given.

Yet, Chu Xinghe?

Faced with requests for help from fellow disciples, he didn't hesitate at all. This alone won over more than half of the elders present.

As always, when evaluating disciples, it's not just about talent but also about disposition.