Chương 35: Chapter 34: Heaven Grade Disciple

Nero walked out of the cottage alongside his roommates, thinking the elder had somehow figured out that it was this place from which the fireball had shot forward and struck the sect barrier. Only to see that other outer disciples too were being guided to the Grand Hall by senior outer disciples. Far to the left, he even saw Senior Chang guiding another group of five disciples. In front of him, Disciple Shen tried to approach the senior outer disciple.

"Senior, can you perhaps tell us why we are being taken to the Grand Hall?" he asked, keeping his usually smug voice at bay. The senior disciple just shrugged.

"As if I know. All we were told was to bring over all outer disciples to the Grand Hall. People were sent to fetch even the mountain-dwelling inner disciples over." Mountain-dwelling? They have mountains in this sect lying around somewhere? Nero was firmly confused. The mountains were to the far west and north, and even those were shared between the seventh and eighth circles. Except for those, there wasn't a single mountain in the whole seventh circle. Some cultivator nonsense? For him, that seemed likely.

Cultivators, the high-level ones, could supposedly do anything. It felt utterly bullshit to him, who hadn't seen such displays from any cultivators yet. But if rumors and legends were to be believed, they could very well have an entire separate dimension in their pockets and he wouldn't know. Setting the absurd, but maybe not-so-absurd thought aside, Nero focused on his current situation. Disciple Shen was giving him a strange look for some reason he wasn't aware of.

It wasn't exactly the usual disdainful look, but it wasn't anything good either. The lackeys behind him, however, were certainly continuing the tradition of casting that almost disgusted look his way. Whatever did I do to attract their ire? They stood at the third row of the gathering called to the Grand Hall. Nero's eyes widened increasingly as he saw more and more disciples stream through the gates from all directions. They all wore their disciple uniforms, with only him in his usual black adventuring clothes.

The people coming through gave him all sorts of looks—curious, odd, disdainful, and, most terrifyingly, furious. Like they'd skin him alive if they could get their hands on him in private. But contrary to his precarious situation, the elder in charge of the outer court—the guy who'd gotten him halfway into the sect, Elder Zhang, was smiling euphorically. Did he get a girlfriend or something?

"Ahem, ahem." An old voice came from above the hall. As Nero looked up, he saw an elder in fine black robes floating over them all. Almost immediately, every inner disciple on the second story of the Grand Hall bowed, followed by the outer disciples around Nero. He was slightly late to join them, mainly because of his confusion at the situation, but he too followed in their footsteps. The elder above finally spoke, after coughing to test his voice-enhancing art and finding it functional.

"Hmm, there are lots of fresh faces around here," he noted.

"And, as usual, the number of outer disciples hasn't increased much. Dare I say our elders are incompetent in raising the new generation?" The hall fell deathly silent at that. From the corner of his eyes, Nero could see elders on the third story gritting their teeth. And as if in response, a crushing pressure burst forth from above. Nero was immediately slammed down to the floor, alongside many other disciples.

Only Disciple Shen and a few experienced senior outer disciples could keep themselves somewhat elevated—though they too were just inches from kissing the floor like Nero. As for the situation on the second story, Nero couldn't tell. He was too busy studying the intricacies of the wooden flooring.

"Hmph. Know your place, worms. Just because you lot have been made elders of some small, no-name branch of our sect doesn't mean you get to grit your teeth at me." The elder breathed in, clearly trying to calm himself.

"Ahem. So, let me first introduce myself. My name is Earl Long, senior direct disciple of the Supreme Elder, Daoist Master Deva." Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The pressure lifted from their heads, but the rest didn't stand straight up right away. Instead, they kept their eyes fixed to the floor, rising just enough to give the Direct Disciple a respectful bow.

Internally, Nero felt he could've stood a bit straighter during the Direct Disciple's spiritual pressure if he'd used Pristine Aura. But he'd rather not reveal anything odd under the nose of a guy with an ocean-sized ego.

"Now, stand straight," the Direct Disciple ordered, which made everyone stand back up at once, backs straight. It was only then that he noticed the sweat pouring off Disciple Shen from the sheer effort he'd put into staying upright. Even the inner disciples on the second story were drenched in sweat. Senior Direct Disciple Earl Long's gaze swept through the hall.

"Now, let me reveal the news to you lot," he announced.

"Upon the direct order of our Sect Leader and the Supreme Elders, we've decided to send a large force toward the recently ascended spirit dungeon to the south." He opened his palm as a scroll manifested in his hand. He unrolled it, reading directly from it.

"Junior Sister Sylvia would lead this force, and exactly five hundred of the thousand outer disciples, along with twenty inner disciples, would join her." He closed the scroll and it vanished into thin air.

"The force will move out in exactly nine days. Elders, select the best of the best from the inner and outer courts. If the newly ascended Direct Disciple is needed to carry your lives during this mission…" The disciples' eyes shone with a red gleam, the aura around him making even Nero's back stiffen up. Although the words were left unsaid, the meaning carried through. The announcement continued as the leader of the upcoming expeditionary force was brought forth. Sylvia.

It was also the first time the sect was seeing her; previously she had been mostly confined to the most exclusive space of the inner court. She wore clear, flowing, rosy pink robes, with cuffs trimmed in fabric that shone like liquid gold. She was brought over by Senior Direct Disciple Earl Long, floating beside him above everyone. Her face was hidden behind a skull mask. Nero looked up at her, inwardly amazed at how much her situation had changed within just a few days.

She'd been a nobody villager just days ago, crying in her bed, grieving for her lost father. And now she was here, among the immortals, risen above even the elders who'd likely spent decades cultivating to reach their station. Disciple Earl Long gestured for her to say some words, casting a voice-amplifying spell on her.

"Umm," she hesitated at first, before clenching her fists.

"I'm Sylvia, Direct Disciple in training under Daoist Master Asura, daughter of former Direct Disciple Zyran of the Ancient Seed!" Nero smiled as her voice grew more confident with each word.

"The new Dungeon Spirit's ascension has formed a higher, multi-layered dungeon deep within the Forest of Hira to the west." She breathed before continuing.

"As you know, they've been spreading suffering and death across many villages. So, to stop this vile stampede, we will depart for the Hira Forest soon. Prepare well, for none shall fall without taking down at least one of those fiends!" As her speech ended, the whole hall erupted with claps and roars of battle-fervor. Even Disciple Shen looked excited.

"She's really something, huh."

"Thought she'd be super timid and weak, like many newcomers often are, but she's different."

"Hmph! Of course, us girls aren't always timid! Our Martial Aunt is a great example of that! Even though it's only been a few days, look at her already matching the demeanor of Great Martial Uncle Earl Long!"

"She's a heaven-grade talent, alright. Her growth of character alone is astonishing. When she first came, she looked so scared and weak."

"I wish Martial Aunt would look at me, I believe from her gaze alone I'd achieve a breakthrough in my cultivation."

"Hmph! Bold of you to assume she'd look at a low class noble like yourself, if she hadn't even glanced at a high noble born like me! Courting death!"

"Eeek!" Nero heard even the inner disciples speaking well of her. The announcement and Sylvia's introduction ceremony soon ended, as she and Earl Long left the Grand Hall. Nero could see her scanning the hall, as if looking for something. Her eyes landed on Nero, conspicuous as always in his different attire. Finding him, her lips widened into a warm smile. Nero smiled back before she was called away and hurried off by Earl Long.

The elders on the third story were the second to leave, followed by the inner disciples of the second story. The outer disciples left one by one at last, with some given the duty of cleaning up the hall. Nero was one of those kept behind to clean, while the senior outer disciples left, handing them the job. Only Senior Disciple Chang remained in the hall, instructing everyone on the cleaning. Nero didn't mind. He got to cleaning while gossiping with Senior Chang and the others.

"Say, Senior Chang, you think I'd be picked for the expedition?" he asked.

"Impossible. You haven't even awakened your core yet. What good would it do the sect to bring you along?" He looked left and right.

"Also, that geezer really doesn't like you, does he? Not even giving you an official uniform yet." Nero smiled awkwardly, and after getting back to the house, he resumed his cultivation. As a few hours passed, Nero finally made another breakthrough in his cultivation! He opened [The Endless Path]'s progression panel immediately to check.