Within Xuanyuan Shrine stood a man in blue who said, "I, Jian Wuyi, will definitely carry out your will."
"Well said, Sect Master Jian," Fang Qingli said before turning to Feiling. "Your Eminence, this is the sect master of the Human Branch, which is a place suitable for Tianming to train within. Should we arrange for him to cultivate there?"
Feiling frowned slightly, having wanted to keep him by her side, but it would definitely be weird for a goddess like her to keep a sky saint disciple by her side within Soulburn Hall, a place forbidden to most. After this meeting, she knew better than anyone that she couldn't afford to let slip that she wasn't Xuanyuan Xi at all costs, or they would be in huge trouble.
As the memories she had were still rather jumbled, she didn't know too much about the sect yet, so keeping Tianming by her side would be dangerous. While it wasn't out of the question that she would want to reward him for saving her life after her 'rebirth', keeping him around during the most private of situations wasn't something a goddess would do. She felt that if she didn't follow her instincts and keep her desire suppressed, they would be in danger. "Very well. You’re called Jian Wuyi, is that right?"
"Yes, Your Eminence," he passionately answered.
"That youth is my benefactor and has helped me since my rebirth. I’ll leave him in your care. If anything happens to him, you will be held accountable for it."
"Understood!" Even though Jian Wuyi didn't know who they were talking about yet, he agreed.
"I’ve given him two treasures. Make sure that nobody else takes them from him. As for the rest, you don't need to pay too much heed to it. Give him some space to grow by himself," Feiling said.
"Understood!" Jian Wuyi nodded once more. Even though she didn't speak much today, half of what she said concerned that mysterious youth. It was obvious that she held him in very high regard.
In fact, Feiling also felt that she had said a little much, though it shouldn't surprise them that someone who had managed to ascend to godhood would have virtuous qualities such as gratitude. Even then, she still felt rather bad about them having a hard time meeting from now on. She wouldn't accept that, so she took a small risk. "Li Tianming has very impressive potential. Tell him that when he becomes the strongest disciple in the Archaion Sect, I’ll personally take him as my disciple. Before that happens, I’ll be giving him some guidance once per month."
"Your Eminence is taking a disciple?!" Jian Wuyi turned to Fang Qingli and saw that she was just as surprised, even though it wasn’t her first time hearing it. Becoming the disciple of an ascendant was a mere fantasy in the eyes of many.
Then again, Feiling was just using that as an excuse to see Tianming. She had wanted to set it once every ten days, but kept it at one month just in case, as much as it pained her to do so. She didn't care about cultivating in Soulburn Hall and would much rather hug him to sleep. Even though she seemed really calm now, she couldn't help but loathe Fang Qingli. If it weren’t for her, she wouldn't have to pretend to be Xuanyuan Xi and sneak around eggshells like that.
Similarly, Tianming was about to cough out blood from that. To think that their relationship would turn into a forbidden love after crossing into this new area. But for now, all they could do was to wait and see how the situation played out. Perhaps in time she would be able to summon Tianming often without raising many eyebrows.
Feiling resisted her urge to see him again and followed Fang Qingli to Soulburn Hall.
......
Outside Xuanyuan Shrine, someone suddenly said to Tianming, "I’m really curious where your ultimate talent is hidden."
Tianming turned and saw that it was Xuanyuan Yuheng. "Would you believe it if I said it was hidden here?" he said as he pointed at his private spot.
"Hmph." Xuanyuan Yuheng proceeded to ignore him.
"Are you holding a grudge against me because Her Eminence almost had your life after you almost killed me by giving me a ‘light push’?"
"You? I’m sorry to have to say this, but a sky saint like you isn't even worthy of that much. I was eight when I was at your level."
"Eight?" It was no wonder he was so arrogant. What kind of monster was that? Did he start cultivating in his mother's w.o.m.b?
"Li Tianming, work hard. I await the day you become the strongest disciple in the Archaion Sect."
"I think I hear a hint of jealousy there. Not happy that Her Eminence wants me as her disciple?" Tianming said with a smirk.
Xuanyuan Yuheng just ignored him and left.
"Her Eminence does indeed favor me. You can hold that anger in if you want. Next time, it'll be my turn to give you a ‘light push’," Tianming said.
Xuanyuan Yuheng's shoulders shook from the hilarity of that statement.
Soon after, a blue-robed man came to Tianming. He had an aquiline nose and stood as straight as a sword. His gaze was just as sharp, as if there were thousands of strands of sword ki contained within. Tianming felt that this man was even more terrifying than Fang Qingli, to the point that his stare could hurt.
"A sky saint?" the man said, taken aback by how promising the eminent had made it sound.
"Li Tianming greets you, Sect Master," Tianming said.
"Very well. You seem to have potential at your age. Shall I take you to the Human Branch, per Her Eminence's instructions?" Even though Jian Wuyi still had his doubts, he decided to not overthink it.
"Yes."
"Then follow me."
Tianming followed behind while trying to remember the way back, just in case he was summoned there.
"Li Tianming, where were you born?"
"I don't know. I don't have parents and was a vagabond during my childhood."
"Then you truly are fortunate. Most disciples of the sect like you don't even get a chance to see me throughout their entire life, let alone Her Eminence."
"I see."
"How did you help Her Eminence anyway?" Jian Wuyi inquired.
"It has something to do with her rebirth, and I’m forbidden from sharing it," Tianming answered.
"Oh, I see."
At that moment, a powerful, bloodthirsty aura instantly stained the skies red. Jian Wuyi furrowed his brow from the discomforting air.
"Sect Master, what’s that?"
"The Archaionfiend Eye at the Heaven Cauldron."
"Heaven Cauldron?" Since the sect was split into Human, Earth, and Heaven Branches, was the Heaven Cauldron in the Heaven Branch?
Jian Wuyi took him on another path toward the Human Branch, which was located in the outermost reaches of the sect's circular territory. That was the place with the most people and least resources.
"Do you wish to go to the Heaven Branch?" Jian Wuyi asked.
"A little."
"Heaven Branch disciples have all reached the Samsara stage, so you're still far from it. Even if you do manage to get in, you'd be overwhelmed by geniuses. Though I don't understand what talent Her Eminence sees in you, I believe there must've been a good reason for it. Take it one step at a time. For now, you belong in the Human Branch, and you’ll be in my care."
"Thank you, Sect Master." Hearing that only samsarans were allowed in the Heaven Branch didn't diminish his will at all. Instead, it bolstered it. Back in the Theocracy, his talent was through the roof and he had no competition at all. But now he was pumped for the challenge. He felt like it wouldn't take him that long to climb the ranks.
......
After he was brought to the Human Branch, Jian Wuyi handed him a seal. "If you run into any trouble you can't deal with, show this seal."
Tianming thanked him again, though Feiling was the one who had actually made it happen.
"Just familiarize yourself with the sect first. I’ll come a bit later and hand you some other things that you’ll need." Before he left, he gave Tianming three books: Sect Regulations, Annals of Nature, and Trinity Almanac. The first detailed the hundred sect rules that he had to memorize by heart, as its title suggested. The second was an encyclopedia containing entries on all kinds of treasures, landscapes, and beasts on the Flameyellow Continent. It was Feiling's favorite. The third was the most important to Tianming, and detailed everything about the Archaion Sect, from the rewards and punishments, secret techniques, cultivation stages, and rankings held by disciples of seniors. He would be fully familiar with the sect once he read it all.
Tianming calmed himself down and finished the three books within his assigned residence, fully naturalizing himself. All of his doubts had been cleared.
"It seems like I must become a samsaran to get the Archaionfiend Eye from the Heaven Branch." His path ahead was long and arduous.
Fang Qingli had a good reason not to let him enter the Heaven Branch from the start. He would only be bullied and dominated there. He felt that it would be really risky for him to get Feiling to help him obtain the Archaionfiend Eye at this point in time. After all, it was a fiend that had threatened all life before. She would be mad to hand it to him.
"I’ll take it one step at a time, but I'll quicken my pace." He finished the three books and got ready to cultivate. Right as he sat down on a large rock in the courtyard and was about to start, he heard a commotion nearby.
"Lin Xiaoxiao, how dare you steal Senior Brother Fu Bo's treasure? We’ll take you to the Judgment Hall now!"