"Changshou, gather your things. It is time for us to depart!"

Xu Changshou had barely stepped into the yard when he spotted Zhang Zhengyuan waiting.

"Are we departing for the Green Immortal Sect?"

Xu Changshou's pulse quickened with excitement.

"Indeed!" Zhang Zhengyuan gave a firm nod.

"I'll fetch my things!"

Xu Changshou dashed into the house, emerging a moment later with a small, battered cloth bundle slung across his chest.

He owned exactly two sets of rough-spun clothes: the one on his back and the one in the bag. There was nothing else to pack.

"Hurry, husband! The Supreme Immortal is leaving. Stop him!"

"Move, move!"

Landlord Wang dragged Wang Xushi over, throwing himself at Zhang Zhengyuan's feet to kowtow. "Please, Supreme Immortal, bestow an immortal opportunity upon me!"

"Boundless Heavenly Lord!"

Zhang Zhengyuan intoned the Daoist chant, then flicked his finger. A single yellow talisman fluttered down into Landlord Wang's trembling palm.

"Is this it.."

Landlord Wang and Wang Xushi stared at the paper, faces flashing with obvious discontent.

They had seen these yellow slips before; they merely turned into fireballs.

The man had gorged on their food and occupied their finest room for months, and all he offered in return was a single fireball? It was a blatant insult.

The greedy couple looked ready to weep from the perceived injustice.

"This is a Fireball Talisman. It can save your miserable lives in a critical moment. To use it, simply tear the paper. Farewell!"

With a flick of his sleeves, Zhang Zhengyuan turned and strode away rapidly, bringing Xu Changshou along.

"Thank you, Supreme Immortal, thank you.."

Despite their seething dissatisfaction, Landlord Wang and his wife dared not voice a single complaint, repeatedly kowtowing toward Zhang Zhengyuan's retreating back.

Watching the wealthy couple grovel in the dirt, Xu Changshou felt a fleeting pang of pity, immediately eclipsed by a deeply satisfying, cold vindication.

Before long, the master and disciple had left Xu Family Village far behind in the dust.

Zhang Zhengyuan paused in the desolate wilderness, pointing a finger toward the northwest. "Three thousand li from here lies the Green Immortal Sect."

Three thousand li? That's over a thousand miles!

Xu Changshou sucked in a cold breath. Such a staggering distance completely shattered the boundaries of his comprehension.

In his entire grueling life, he had never stepped more than thirty miles past the borders of Xu Family Village.

"Master, please summon your flying sword. Let us use Sword Riding to reach the Green Immortal Sect."

Xu Changshou looked up at Zhang Zhengyuan with sparkling, expectant eyes. He had heard the village tales; all true immortals possessed flying swords. A senior expert with an aura as ethereal and profound as his master was surely a grand elder of the Green Immortal Sect. He absolutely had a flying sword.

"Ah.."

A brief, painfully awkward spasm crossed Zhang Zhengyuan's face. He hurriedly flicked his wide sleeve, adopting a stern, imposing facade. "The path of Cultivation is choked with thorns. Seeking the Great Dao is difficult, harder than ascending to the highest heavens! Although I possess a flying sword, I cannot simply carry you through the skies back to the sect."

Xu Changshou scratched the back of his head in confusion. "Why not?"

Zhang Zhengyuan spoke with grave solemnity: "You are still young and unpolished. I fear that exposing you to the majesty of a flying sword so early would disrupt your mortal Dao Heart, breeding laziness that would prove detrimental to your future Cultivation."

"Master's words contain profound wisdom. This disciple has been taught."

Xu Changshou respectfully cupped his hands, utterly convinced. So that's how it is. Master is deliberately tempering my willpower through physical hardship.

Seeing the boy drop the issue of the flying sword, Zhang Zhengyuan visibly exhaled a breath of relief. "Let us march!"

Zhang Zhengyuan strode forward with long, sweeping steps. His pace was demanding, forcing Xu Changshou into a light jog just to keep up.

Half a month later, they finally arrived at the foot of the Green Immortal Sect's mountain range. The master and disciple had braved the harsh elements, sleeping under the open sky. They drank from crisp mountain springs when thirsty and hunted wild beasts when hunger struck. Since both were technically cultivators with Spiritual Qi reinforcing their bodies, the grueling trek didn't break them.

"Disciple, we have arrived. Behold, the Green Immortal Sect."

"This is the Green Immortal Sect?"

Xu Changshou furrowed his brow, tilting his head up. A colossal, heaven-piercing peak loomed like a titan before them. The mountain was unimaginably tall, a thick belt of clouds completely encircling its waist. The vast majority of its immense bulk was shrouded in an impenetrable layer of white mist.

"Where is the Sect itself? I don't see any buildings."

"Up there!"

Zhang Zhengyuan pointed toward the densest cluster of swirling clouds near the mountain's waist. Xu Changshou nodded in slow realization. "So the Green Immortal Sect rests within the clouds themselves. Truly worthy of a sacred land of Cultivation."

"This entire region is the Green Immortal Mountain Range. The colossal peak standing before you is merely the Front Gate Peak. It acts as the outermost threshold of our Sect."

Good heavens!

A mountain that massive is just the front door? Exactly how gargantuan is this Green Immortal Sect?!

Xu Changshou's jaw practically hit the dirt.

"Come. I shall guide you through the Formation."

Zhang Zhengyuan led the way as they began their ascent. The winding mountain path was incredibly steep and treacherous, but with Qi reinforcing their limbs, they scaled it like mountain goats.

Soon, they reached the cloud layer at the mountain's waist. Zhang Zhengyuan grabbed Xu Changshou's arm in a vice grip and stepped directly into the swirling fog.

The moment they crossed the threshold, the world vanished. Thick, milky white mist smothered Xu Changshou's vision, rendering him completely blind.

He could only trust the grip on his arm, allowing Zhang Zhengyuan to drag him through a dizzying sequence of twists and turns.

"We have passed through!"

The instant Zhang Zhengyuan spoke, the blinding fog shattered, revealing a world of breathtaking scale.

Xu Changshou stared in awe. They had stepped out completely above the cloud layer. A vast, flat sea of pure white clouds stretched out infinitely in every direction, totally obscuring the mortal world below.

Piercing through this sea of clouds were countless overlapping mountain peaks, radiating with brilliant, multicolored spiritual light and steaming rosy clouds of ambient Qi.

Intricate architectural marvels clung to every peak. Palaces nested halfway up sheer cliffs, grand pavilions sat perfectly atop sheer-cut summits, and some structures even floated freely within the cloud sea itself.

The sheer density of ornate pavilions, pagodas, and immortal towers was staggering, overlapping like dragon scales.

Streaking through the air between the grand peaks were glowing green flying boats, trailing tails of vibrant spiritual light. Some ferries carried a modest three or five passengers, while larger vessels transported dozens of cultivators at a time.

"Master, look! Ships that sail the sky! It's incredible!"

Xu Changshou gaped, thoroughly mesmerized by the majestic display of power.

Zhang Zhengyuan's expression remained indifferent. "Those are merely the Sect's public ferries. They are provided as basic transportation for Qi Condensation disciples. They cost no Spirit Stones to ride."

Well, isn't that incredibly convenient!

Xu Changshou nodded inwardly. With these aerial vessels, sect disciples could effortlessly bypass the treacherous terrain. Otherwise, hiking from one towering peak to another, descending to the valleys and climbing back up, would take a full day for the closest neighbors, and up to five days of grueling travel for the more distant peaks.

"Changshou, listen closely. I shall give you a brief overview of the Green Immortal Sect's layout.

Our Sect is anchored by seven main peaks:

Taiyi Peak.

Danxia Peak.

Chihuo Peak.

Green Ink Peak.

Tianji Peak.

Bagua Peak.

Fengdu Peak."

"The core foundation and the most prominent figures of the Sect reside upon these seven summits. Among them, Taiyi Peak serves as the absolute sanctum for the Sect's grand elders and hierarchy.

Danxia Peak is the sacred ground for Pill Alchemists.

Chihuo Peak is the grand forge for Artifact Refiners.

Green Ink Peak is the domain of Talisman Masters.

Tianji Peak houses the Puppet Masters.

Bagua Peak is the central hub for Formation Masters.

And Fengdu Peak is the gloomy domain of the Corpse Refining lineage."

"Master, you must hail from Taiyi Peak, correct?"

Xu Changshou asked with bright eyes, having already cemented the idea in his head that his master was an untouchable elite within the Green Immortal Sect.

"Ahem!"

Zhang Zhengyuan coughed dryly, thoroughly ignoring the boy's question, and loudly plowed forward: "Of the seven summits, the concentration of Spiritual Qi is highest at Taiyi Peak, followed closely by Danxia Peak, and then evenly distributed among the remaining five."

"Surrounding the core seven are over a dozen subsidiary peaks, including Lingxiu Peak, Zhishi Peak, and Chuxiu Peak."

"Our current destination is Zhishi Peak. It acts as the grand administrative hall for the entire Sect. Processing Novice disciples, managing the retirement of elders, distributing monthly Supplies, and the purchasing of Cultivation manuals-everything is handled through their halls."

"Understood."

Xu Changshou nodded obediently. His master was taking him to officially register his entry as a Novice disciple.

"Master, are we going to ride one of the public flying boats?" Xu Changshou asked, a thrill of anticipation in his voice.

"Indeed."

Zhang Zhengyuan nodded, but his posture suddenly shrank. He glanced around nervously and lowered his voice to a cautious whisper. "Changshou, listen closely. Once we cross into the inner sectors, we can no longer address each other as master and disciple. From now on, you must only call me Senior Brother."

"Ah? Why?"

Xu Changshou blinked in stark confusion. He acutely felt the shift in Zhang Zhengyuan's demeanor. The unshakeable, ethereal confidence of the 'Supreme Immortal' had evaporated the moment they stepped foot on the mountain, entirely replaced by the nervous, groveling posture of a lowly subordinate.

"You will understand later."

"I understand, Master."

"Are you still calling me Master?"

"Zhang.. Zhang.. Senior Brother Zhang."

"That is much better. Now hurry, Junior Brother Xu. The ferry is docking. Get on!"