"Please refrain from uttering our true names, Daoist Twilight Moon. We don't know if our enemies are spying on us even as we speak."
The one that was referred to by the little girl as Hu Yin replied for the group. However, the three of them ignored the unreasonable request of this overbearing little girl.
There would come a time when they would take away with veils but that moment has yet to come.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You grow old and senile at this age but still you love to play hide and seek, Daoist... errr... What was your Daoist Title again, Hu Yin?"
Twilight Moon scratched her head in confusion.
She would have been very funny to watch in some other time and place but her outrageous behavior did not earn even a single curve of a smile from her three spectators.
Her fellow True Immortals were not amused at all. Alas, since they could also do nothing against the little girl, the best strategy was always to move on.
With or without this annoying Daoist Twilight Moon.
"Since we are already here, it's time for us to meet the boy." Hu Yin uttered in his usual beastly voice.
Although this was merely a facade and all but the effect it lent to any of his listeners could bring a string of unhealthy nightmares in their sleep.
"BLINK!" With no other word spoken, Hu Yin disintegrated in place.
No traces were seen of him and not even the eternal influence of fate and karma could associate him and the place to where he stood from before in any way, matter or form.
If anyone wished to pinpoint his exact location, they would see no traces whatsoever as his trail from all realms and its myriad mysteries was totally erased from ever existing.
"BLINK!" Shen Jing followed and did the same trick to escape from the wheel of time and the influence of space itself, marking his own passage as merely invisible to any prying eyes who may have been interested to know otherwise.
"BLINK!" A third disappeared next which only left behind a little girl in their wake.
"Hmmm... Hmmm... Hmmm... These people never change. Still so bland as usual!"
Twilight Moon sighed and the same as her counterparts, vanished in her spot but not as subtle as the three Immortals that had gone before her.
There was a rainbow of moons in different shapes and sizes that flowed gently towards the half buried giant sword of a forgotten World Traveler Expert.
* * *
"That's the boy! He was the one who slaughtered Yun Teng like a worthless trash!"
"Yun Teng could not even fight back! I've seen it with my own two eyes and I still could not believe it!"
"A 4th Stage Mortal Shedding Realm has mercilessly defeated an 8th Stage! What has this world come to?!"
"I only slept for one afternoon and I woke up with the world already upside down for my understanding!"
"Tell me this isn't true! Somebody slap me awake right this instant!"
"PAK!" The thousands of Outer Disciples gossiped amongst themselves and one particular man got a resounding slap for his efforts.
Nevertheless, every eye was concentrated entirely at the slow procession that was happening before them.
"Young Master Clark, this is the Outer Disciples Court. It will be in here that you will be taking your first steps towards the endless ways of cultivation.
You don't have to worry at all because cultivating is not as hard as everyone might h..."
Feng Lin led the way and even if Outer Disciple Wu Da had very much wanted to gain some nice points towards our good gamer but alas, he was not suicidal yet to interrupt when a Peak Stage Foundation Establishment Expert was speaking.
"Isn't that Elder Feng Lin and Elder Feng Ren?"
"HAHAHA! I think the Elders are going to punish that arrogant boy for his sins earlier!"
"Heaven really has eyes! It will never forsake those people who believe in its Divine Providence!"
Hushed laughter abounded in a particular spot and it was easy to tell that these men were those four friends of the recently departed Yun Teng.
"But... don't you think it's strange?" A voice interjected near them.
"What? What's so strange about it? A fresh fish doesn't have the right to kill anyone of us Outer Disciples.
He would have to undergo the test in the Assessment Pavilion first before he could become officially one of us!"
One of the four defended their unjust fixation on a verdict that they wanted to believe for themselves.
"Look! I think Elders Feng Lin and Feng Ren are acting as fine escorts towards Young Master Clark." The speaker noted how the Elders, particularly Elder Feng Lin, smiled kindly towards the boy.�
"WHAT?!" Yun Teng's friends exclaimed at the same time. In a group nearby, the jolly Outer Disciple from before could not help but comment...
"There must have been a mistake or something! I must still be dreaming!"
"PAK!" and a second slap landed directly on his face which clearly reminded him for the second time today that he was most definitely awake as one could be.
"Do you want some more assurance that you're not anymore sleeping, Bai Xiaochun?"
"No more, no more! I'm already awake! I am! I'm sure of it now!"
The newly arrived fresh fishes passed them by but the talk about Young Master Clark and the Heavenly Sign thereafter never stopped even until the break of dawn the next day.
* * *
In the biggest and most luxurious residence in the Outer Disciples Court.
"A token from Elder Tan Hai himself. Now that explains things more clearly." Elder Chang Tu muttered as he caressed the obsidian stone on his palm.
His eyes roamed on the boy in pink robes before quickly scanning the two Elders that had come with the boy today. This message was obvious enough.
'So this child, Young Master Clark, is the one that has the potential of becoming a True Immortal someday.
Quite understandable for Elder Tan Hai to take this many measures and boon in favor of this boy.' Chang Tu mused in silence.
It was normal for Mortal Shedding Realm to not know of the tenth and final cultivation realm, The True Immortal Realm.
But starting from Foundation Establishment Realm and onward, one could finally enter the second floor of the Demonic Sword Sect's Library and from there, most of their queries would be answered as they will be enlightened in more ways than one upon having been granted access on that particular floor.
"Return this token to Elder Tan Hai at once, Outer Disciple Wu Da. Kindly tell him that i have received his message, loud and clear."
Chang Tu said and passed the token once more into the sweaty hands of Wu Da.
It was never comfortable to hold something of utmost importance like a token from the great Elder Tan Hai himself.
"Yes, Elder Chang Tu!" Wu Da bowed stiffly and without further ado, left without even looking back to his stunned spectators.
The 21 boys and girls were especially curious on why the Outer Disciple acted the way he did in their soon to be Teacher's presence.
However, same as the last, every single one of them kept their questions unspoken. Least they invite the unwanted attention from this seemingly strict old man in their midst.
Elder Feng Lin and Elder Feng Ren did not even possess half of Elder Chang Tu's apparent distaste while looking at the lot of them 21 no ones.
Unfortunately for them, when the old goat would look at Young Master Clark, none of that toxicity would remain and only a kind smile would mirror his wrinkled face.
After the last echoes of Wu Da's footsteps disappeared from the huge archaic halls, Elder Chang Tu finally addressed our bored gamer for the first time since they had met.
"Welcome to the Demonic Sword Sect, Young Master Clark!"
"What are your requests?" The wise Elder went direct to the point and his practical nature surfaced amongst all his other qualities.
With 2 Peak Foundation Establishment Experts behind the boy and with himself standing only as a mere 1st Stage on the same realm as those two mentioned above, there was really no use in going against the river's flow at this time.
Although he may have served the sect for most of his life and has all but dedicated all that was precious to him unto the well being of the Demonic Sword Sect, but that alone did not mean that he was irreplaceable in the grand scheme of things.
Nobody was infallible within this evil sect. Perhaps not even the Sect Master himself.
"Thank you for your care, Elder Chang Tu." Clark smiled in abundance.
He was of course well aware of his value to the sect and thus, demanded a few comforts that coincided with this precise value.
"First, I want a grand dwelling that could accommodate me and my family. I want something a lot like your place, Elder Chang Tu.
But if you can't find any, maybe this residence will do just fine for me also." Clark explored the chambers with eyes full of appreciation.
"That is no problem, Young Master Clark. I'm sure that i can find you a suitable place befitting someone of your status!"
Elder Chang Tu nodded positively while thinking bad thoughts and some of the most creative curses in his mind against this cocky boy before him.
"Second, I want to visit the Lady Cultivators in the Inner Disciples Court. A woman or two amongst them is not bad for me, yes? Elder Chang Tu?"
"A trivial matter. The sect will surely arrange that for you, Young Master Clark!"
"Third, I wish to..." And our good protagonist listed off his desires and there was nothing Elder Chang Tu could do but to nod and say yes.
* * *
Somewhere inside the Demonic Sword Sect, an ugly old man sat in lotus position.
"A True Immortal Potential. I've finally found a better shell for me."