The Great Forest, also known as the Eastlands or Treelands is an enormous area covered in woods and sparse clearings that occupies almost a million square miles of what was known as the 'Sky Tear Plane'. Not that either of these names was original, simply taken from the powers that controlled the area and plane respectively.
Inside the borders of the Great Forest, there were several dozens of cities, hundreds of towns, and a practically uncountable amount of settlements, all under the control of the 'Great Forest Sect'. A sect that had risen from amongst thousands of others, and now was the overlord of the region, as well the third major power of the entire plane.
But different from other powers that managed to claim and sustain the position of an overlord, no one of the Great Sectmasters had tried to enforce absolute control over the lands. Granted, they were the overlord and so any smaller sect, martial school, city, or town were technically their subjects and were required to follow orders and pay tribute, but the system was lax. Allowing a whole plethora of city lords and sect masters, town heads and minor nobles, academies, and even groups of rogue cultivators to thrive, recruit, and grow the next generation of local cultivators.
It wasn't so peaceful as one could expect, sharing borders with both the group collectively known as Demon Worshippers, a loose group of powers that were ready to forsake all morals and even humanity in their conquest of power, as well being just a small inland sea away from the 'Beast Lands', the savage lands occupied by the six Saint Beast Kings. Still, the Great Forest continued to live on, and would probably continue to do so forever. But to do so, the Great Sect, as well as the powers and cities of this splendid area had to grow excellent disciples and cultivators, ones to push back evil and beast alike.
And who knows? Maybe someone from the new generation will surpass the feats of Zhao Ming, Chang Li, Lai Jingyi, Fu Jin, or Tian Jian, the most famous of the local cultivators over the last hundreds of years.
Such thoughts floated in the mind of Zan Lan, an elder of the small martial school 'Radiant Orb' as she slowly walked the streets of 'Shuomen', the free city.
Her daily walk around the city while preparing the best possible explanation about the surrounding location was a routine for the middle-aged looking, but actually, almost two hundred old woman. She had been recently, just for a few months, sent to the city to scout for potential recruits. And so, along with hundreds of similar small power elders and even disciples, she each day moved from the Forest district, the one where all local powers stayed in, to the Free district located near the Central one, where the Exhibition Square, as well the Astral Gate was located.
"Elder Zan! I trust you have been well?" A slightly chubby man with a head of short and messy grey hair called out to her, and as she turned her head to him, a mild smile crossed her face.
"If it's not Seven Strokes Hall's Instructor Jiao! Were you also sent here to recruit?"
"Mmm, that I was" The man nodded while quickly nearing before slowing down as to even his pace with hers.
"Isn't it a bit late for your Hall to just now send someone? The recruitment has been going for almost seven months now. Not to mention that all the good seeds were already recruited by the more famous powers, but even the leftovers are being bitterly fought upon"
"Ahh, don't think much of it. The Hall isn't truly trying to recruit a whole bunch of new apprentices"
"Hmm? Then why come to the Exhibition Square? Does your Hallmaster truly thinks that a genius of the level of Tian Jian would go unnoticed and reveal his or her powers after joining your hall?" Zan Lan did not try to mock her conversation partner with such remark, simply stating the truth.
And indeed, after the initial selection of the Great Forest Sect and its closest associates, namely the Burning, Flowing, Boulder, and Waving Forests, all the rejected or tardy applicants would gather in Shuomen city, in hopes of demonstrating their skills and finding a smaller power to cultivate in. Such a situation happened every tenth year, and as Zan Lan had said, it was just a bit from finishing, with seven months of the eight passed.
"Don't mistake the Hallmaster's intentions, he isn't naive enough as to believe in such a possibility. And even if it truly happened, how could we, a hall that hardly numbers five hundred people retain such a genius for long?"
"Hmm? May you tell me why then?"
"Oh it's not a big secret, and probably it's already known to others, so yes, I can share. Does Elder Zan remembers that my Hallmaster once participated in an expedition to the Fish Sea along with the Void-Gazing prophet, Half-Saint Lu Tian?"
"Yes, I do recall hearing about it, but wasn't it even before the Hall was founded?"
"Indeed, almost a hundred years ago"
"So what does that have to do with you coming here now?" Zan Lan did not want him to rub even more salt on the wounds that any minor power with no connections to such people, even if the connection was shallow as a teacup in comparison with the ocean, had.
"Oh, it does have everything to do! You see, the Esteemed Half-Saint visited Hallmaster Wong just three months ago. It was a courtesy visit on an inspection journey, but still, the Prophet graced our Hall with a premonition"
"The Void-Gazing Prophet did?!" Zan Lan almost shouted while losing her cool and calm facade. What kind of dogshit luck does the Hallmaster have for someone of the caliber of Lu Tian, a High Elder of the Great Forest Sect to not only remember the man but even use his skills for him?
"Hahahaha, yes he did. And his premonition was that if the Hall sends someone to Shuomen city on this day, we will have a great opportunity to recruit a unique apprentice. One that will bring great changes to our Hall, and even allow us to contend for the position of a 2nd tier power!"
Zan Lan could not believe her ears, but she was sure of what she heard. The Void-Gazing Prophet, a man that was said to be able to see the correct outcome of any event revealed to him by the void, and up to happen in the next six months, had prophetized something like that?
"But why did the esteemed Half-Saint even tell the Hall? I mean, if it's someone with such talent or so unique as to allow you to do so, why would not the Great Forest try to recruit him?"
"Hallmaster Wong asked the same thing, but the Prophet only said that we will know the reason when we met. And so I am here to try and find that person. After all, nothing except that it will be someone younger than twenty and with just the Spirit realm cultivation was revealed"
"Spirit realm? Why so low?"
"I don't know, but I suppose I will see the reason, don't I? Or at least that was what the Hallmaster said, to go and see if I can find this person, and if I can, then bring him or her into the Hall"
On a plane that the great powers did not consider anyone below the Sage realm a cultivator, and would have never accepted such a disciple if not for some kind of unique bloodline or power, Zan Lan got the reason why the prophet had done what he had. After all, if it was truly such a special cultivator, then as he or she advanced, the Great Forest would be able to observe. And with the Hall being the lowest level of subsidiaries, a 4th tier local power subject not even to the Sect itself but to another vassal, the 'River Tree City', they could simply later take the apprentice into their fold without even an explanation.
As for Zan Lan, the Head of her 'Radiant Orb' school simply asked her to find at least two dozen promising recruits. The requirements were lower than the major powers ones, but at the same time, the resources and manuals that they could provide were worse as well. Not that it would matter to a mid-level or superior Soul realm cultivator, after all, a 3rd tier power as their School was by far the best offer they would get. Still, Zan Lan had not found even a single one until now. It's not like there were fewer youngsters or their level was too low, no, it just that by some reason most of the 2nd tier powers like the Cities or even the famous 'Fish Gazing Sect' were crazily recruiting practically everyone who showed at least some promise.
Stolen novel; please report.
And now as Zan Lan saw the chariots and entourages of these 2nd tier vassals of the Great Forest overlord, she could only again wonder if they knew something that she or her Head did not.
"Hmm? It's pretty lively around the Astral Gate" Instructor Jiao's words interrupted her thoughts.
"Oh, that? It seems that the Gate Elder noticed another disturbance this night" Zan Lan updated the instructor about the news that had spread like wildfire in the Forest district at dawn.
"Hoh? More new arrivals? I wonder if there will be any youths amongst them"
"I doubt that you know as well as me that practically no young geniuses are sent to other planes. At least not without arranging a place for them beforehand. So it's either a few elders from a low-tier plane that had reached their peak or the end of their lifespan and want to try and breakthrough in a better environment or an unexpected visit from 'Watery Hell' or 'Ancestral Dragon Nest'. In the best case, it's someone who decided to come and trade resources, which would explain why all that jackals are gathering" As Zan Lan voiced her last thought she slightly inclined her head towards a group of richly-dressed people standing around the banner of the 'Trade Hall'.
"I would normally agree, but..."
"But what?"
"Look over there" Instructor Jiao pointed towards a group that was cutting through the currents of cultivators without even caring about whose way they crossed or feet they stepped upon. Not that any of the affected people even dared to voice their complaints, after all, the moving group was not comprised of humans, no, it was a group of Beastmen. And if that was not enough to scare any of the tiered powers of the area, then the Half-Tiger walking in front would. After all, who did not know about the Fire Tiger of the North? The strongest Chief below the three Man-Beast Kings that ruled over the Steel Fang region?
True to all rumors surrounding him, Huo Laohu towered over all the present cultivators, being over ten feet tall. The bright red fur, only slightly crossed with the black streaks of his race that covered his bare upper body and arms looked like if it could burn, and probably it would, with him not containing his aura and simply pushing away anyone who wasn't quick enough to disappear from his path.
"I know that Shuomen is a free city and all the overlords forbid any bloodshed in it, with an individual district claimed by each, but... How could they allow him here?!" Zan Lan could only exclaim. Huo Laohu wasn't a normal cultivator for the gods' sake, he was the leader of an army! One that was more often than not dispatched to destroy any power that even dared to show disrespect to the Kings.
"Well, it's not like he came here to fight the City Lord or any of the Great Forest powers, so I doubt someone would be brave enough as to risk an incident that could lead to war with the Steel Fang region. Plus, haven't you heard? The Great Headmaster has recently convened with the three Man-Beast Kings"
"Oh the heavens, spare us from having to deal with the Beastmen on top of the Demon Worshippers or the beasts" Zan Lan shuddered at the thought that the Great Forest Sect was even thinking of doing something along with Steel Fang.
***
The enormous Exhibition Square, an old, even older than the City plaza filled up with small arenas, both closed and open occupied at least a third of the Free District, the only one that any person or being could enter safely.
With four miles to each side, it could accommodate an enormous number of people, and no matter how close was the recruitment year to end, it was still packed up with people. Five or so thousands of young men and women, even with some demi-humans were tirelessly moving around and showing off their skills and prowess on the hundred arenas, all to catch the eyes of at least some of the thousand or so recruiters.
Regretfully by this point, most of the somehow talented had been already recruited, and so neither of the present sects, schools, halls, cities, or even free cultivator groups showed much interest. They did observe the mock combats or the showing of skills, techniques, auras, and special talents, but it was rare for someone to take any interest and call for any of the youngsters.
Elder Zan, as well Instructor Jiao who had not left her side did the same as the others, walking from one arena to another and observing the remaining candidates. Zan Lan did single a few cultivators as a last-moment measure and asked them to come in three days to one of the several big training buildings on the north side of the arena for a test, but she had no true expectancies for any of them. "But the Head said to bring at least someone to fill up the numbers, so if nothing else, some of these eight and the previous thirty should do" She tiredly thought.
Suddenly a clamor on the far east end of the square was heard, a clamor that quickly overtook the entire square.
"The Astral Gate is glowing!"
"Let's go look!"
And as soon as it was heard and repeated enough, the entire square began to move towards an equally grand, but practically empty square. One that surrounded the crystal arch of the Astral Gate, which as it was said, was brightly shining.
Zan Lan and Instructor Jiao also made their way towards the gate, on foot as the rest. Flying was expressly forbidden in either the Free or the Central District. Still, they had the advantage of being elders, minor power or not, they were the hope of many of the surrounding youngsters, and so they had no issue walking through the current and approaching the limit set up by the formation that was beginning to shine as well.
The process for any new visit, at least if it was not an expected one was always the same. As soon as the Gate Elder, one of the strongest cultivators present in the City sensed that the gate would activate, he notified the City Lord and the nearest overlord, the Great Forest Sect. From there, he would wait until the travelers appeared on the plane, trapping them with the containment formation around the gate. Afterward, an interrogation and look into their identities, cultivation, and motives would follow, and if everything looked correct, then the travelers would be moved to the second formation, the one that occupied most of the square.
And from there, they could state their intentions, or communicate freely with others until someone vouched for them, or the reason for their visit was fulfilled.
Such a system was a bit strange for most of the visitors, but for the Sky Tear Plane, it was the only one accepted by all the overlords. After all, most of them, except the 'Sky Tear Sect', were on the same level of strength, and so holding the gate under control would be impossible. So the city was given a special status and was considered the only neutral zone in the entire plane. Powers and Overlords met here to discuss or conclude deals, and so slowly, over the last four hundred years, Shuomen became the center of the plane, even though it was originally just a small city founded by a group that called themselves the protectors of the Gate - 'Luminous Gate Cult'.
"Look, someone is exiting!" As soon as someone exclaimed, both youngsters and elders turned all of their attention and senses towards the Arch. The formation would start almost immediately and would not allow anyone to see it through it. But during the few moments, before it actually did, everyone hoped to at least glean something about the travelers from another plane.
________________________________________________________________________
Nine figures could be seen in the hazy astral qi mist that followed any new arrival, and only a few details could be discerned. Still, a big amount of the public was comprised of Earth Realm cultivators, and so even the short moment before the formation was activated allowed them to find out a few things.
The group was comprised of young people, at least the seven that were not covered in cloaks looked so.
The first one to step out, and the only one who had his aura expanded right away, which showed either experience with using the gate or true talent was probably the youngest of all. The cultivation wasn't anything impressive, only the one of a Peak Soul realm one, but the aura was strong, far stronger than one could expect from a 15-16 years old with no true accumulation.
The others in the group had cultivations around or higher, with the strongest one to be seen a Warrior Lord, albeit one with a controlled savage air about him... One that immediately made a few heads turn towards Huo Laohu, after all, what if not a Saint beast could have one akin to that one?
***
"It seems that you were wrong, Elder Zan"
"It seems so, now I am getting interested in the reasons for an arrival of such a group"