Chapter 102: Is the Burning Heaven Sect Recruiting Disciples?

The young man spoke with utmost seriousness, devoid of any of his usual frivolity, revealing just how much this matter weighed on his mind.

The elder was momentarily taken aback, then a strange expression flickered across his eyes. "Actually, you need not concern yourself with this question at all. No matter the talent of that boy just now, your brother’s position within the sect will remain unshaken."

“Why?” The young man blinked, somewhat puzzled.

“Because this is Nan County, and the Burning Heaven Sect is the strongest sect in all of Nan County…”

………

In the woods, Liu Kuang swiftly changed his clothes. After a brief hesitation, he chose not to flee but obediently stepped out of the trees.

“Senior,” Liu Kuang bowed respectfully.

“Hm,” the elder nodded with a gentle expression and asked, “What is your name?”

“Respectfully, junior Liu Kuang, a disciple of the Yunliu Sect,” Liu Kuang replied courteously.

“Liu Kuang?” The elder smiled. “What a bold name. But with your talent, you truly deserve to be bold in the future.”

“You flatter me, senior.”

“Just consider it a joke,” the elder smiled, “My name is Zhang Zu, a person of some standing within the Burning Heaven Sect. I am here to invite you to join our sect. What do you say?”

Liu Kuang was stunned; he had never expected this Zhang Zu to speak with such a tone of negotiation. As for the Burning Heaven Sect, he had never even heard of it, but he guessed it was no small sect.

“Senior’s invitation is naturally not something I would dare refuse. However, I have already joined a sect—the Yunliu Sect—thousands of miles from here. Would it be improper to join the Burning Heaven Sect now?” Liu Kuang hesitated.

“You must have never heard of the Burning Heaven Sect, or you wouldn’t say that,” Zhang Zu’s smile grew wider upon hearing Liu Kuang did not refuse. “Rest assured, there is nothing improper. As for that Yunliu Sect, they will likely be grateful you are joining the Burning Heaven Sect now.”

Liu Kuang was at a loss.

“Don’t overthink it. The Burning Heaven Sect is the strongest sect in Nan County. The strongest! There is no other! In Nan County, all disciples with exceptional talent ultimately aim to join the Burning Heaven Sect. With your talent, joining the Burning Heaven Sect is merely a matter of time,” said the young man standing beside the elder.

After Zhang Zu assured Liu Kuang that joining the Burning Heaven Sect would not affect anyone’s position in his old sect, the young man resumed his usual frivolous demeanor, having sized Liu Kuang up thoroughly. Hearing that Liu Kuang had never even heard of the Burning Heaven Sect, he couldn’t help but look down on him, though pride also tinged his words.

Liu Kuang was genuinely shocked. Although he had guessed that the Burning Heaven Sect was no minor sect, he never imagined it was the strongest in all of Nan County. This was simply…

At the root, Liu Kuang had initially intended to quickly understand the current state of the Tianfeng Continent. After all, his knowledge was outdated—his memories of the Tianfeng Continent were from ten thousand years ago and no longer applicable.

But time was tight, and all his efforts were devoted to study and cultivation, leaving him no opportunity to learn more. Hence, he was utterly unaware even of the Burning Heaven Sect, the strongest sect in Nan County.

Yet now, he was about to enter the strongest sect in Nan County?

Liu Kuang was truly bewildered. He had heard some information about the Tianfeng Continent from Yan, albeit from ten thousand years ago, but some things—such as the geographical divisions across the continent—hardly changed over time.

Nan County was one of the five main regions of the Tianfeng Continent. Although it lagged far behind the Central Plains in many respects, it was undeniably a colossal domain. Being the strongest sect within it meant something beyond words.

Liu Kuang’s eyes flickered. At that moment, he pondered deeply and quickly exchanged thoughts with Yan in his mind before making a firm decision: he would join the Burning Heaven Sect. Ultimately, he had no other choice.

Though Zhang Zu now wore a kindly expression, inviting him to join, who knew what he truly harbored in his heart?

After all, this was an invitation from the strongest sect in Nan County. No invitation came without reason. It would be best to accept, but if he refused, Zhang Zu might fly into a rage or, fearing complications, simply kill him outright—that would be a tragedy beyond words.

However, although he had resolved to join, he could not simply leave immediately.

“Senior, I agree to join the Burning Heaven Sect,” Liu Kuang said, a touch excited, bowing again. Then, he shifted tone, “But I still have some unresolved grievances in the Yunliu Sect. To leave just like this would feel regretful. Could you wait for a year or half a year, so I may report to the Burning Heaven Sect myself?”

“A year or half a year is a waste of time. What grievances? Tell me now, and I’ll help you settle them,” Zhang Zu said, briefly frowning but then waving dismissively.

How could Zhang Zu, who recognized Liu Kuang as a once-in-a-millennium talent, wait that long?

Moreover, just days ago, he had sent a message back to the sect, reporting possible evil cultivators here. The Burning Heaven Sect would likely dispatch forces soon to investigate.

If Liu Kuang remained and was discovered by others who then brought him back, Zhang Zu’s interests might be jeopardized.

He could never afford to let such an opportunity slip to another.

Zhang Zu’s response was both expected and unexpected. Expected in that he would help resolve the grievances; unexpected in how agreeable he was.

“What are you dazing for? If you have grievances, speak up quickly—we’re busy,” the young man beside Zhang Zu urged impatiently.

“It’s like this, senior. I have a friend who was betrayed within the Yunliu Sect. I promised to avenge him. But though I’ve been a Yunliu disciple for some time, my cultivation still lags far behind his…” Liu Kuang began.

“Enough. We’re going to the Yunliu Sect now,” Zhang Zu interrupted. Near the border of Nan County, matters solvable by force were trivial to him—especially as a member of the Burning Heaven Sect, whose mere name could crush opposition.

Three days later, four figures left the Yunliu Sect on flying artifacts: Zhang Zu, the young man, Liu Kuang, and a newly admitted disciple of the Yunliu Sect with the highest talent, Xiao Hanyi.

Liu Kuang’s light departure would leave Liu Pan dumbfounded upon his return to the Yunliu Sect—he would never have dreamed this could happen.

A delayed tribulation had propelled Liu Kuang directly into the strongest sect in Nan County. The matter the elder requested at the Baiyang Sect’s Scripture Tower had also been “hastily” resolved by Liu Kuang.

All previously useful information about the Yunliu Sect in the book was now utterly irrelevant.

Liu Kuang had become a disciple of the Burning Heaven Sect. This would surely bewilder Liu Pan the most, for in the book, when Liu Kuang first faced the Burning Heaven Sect, he was nothing but a mouse before a cat…

………

Time passed, and a month slipped by. During this time, Liu Pan remained in a small mountain village thousands of miles from the Yunliu Sect, recuperating his body. Though his injuries had greatly improved over the past half month, he had not yet returned to the sect.

Now that he had broken through to the Martial Master realm, condensed his Primordial Core, and awakened his divine sense, Liu Pan’s perception had risen to a new level. Because of this, he noticed things in himself previously unseen, filling him with wonder and confusion. He had come to understand some truths, yet they only deepened his perplexity.

A month and a half later, waves of cultivators passed overhead on flying artifacts, rousing Liu Pan from his reverie.

“What’s going on?” Liu Pan looked up at the figures flying past, puzzled. This was the first time since arriving that he had seen cultivators on flying devices over the village.

If it had been one or two, he might not have cared. But so many in succession—he could hardly ignore them. Clearly, something major was underway.

“What just flew by? Xiao Pan, did you see clearly?” a middle-aged man asked, looking up while gazing at Liu Pan with suspicion.

Having stayed in the village over a month, Liu Pan had done much to help the place, barely lifting the village from poverty. Many villagers felt grateful toward him, and this middle-aged man, having spent the most time with Liu Pan, believed he was no ordinary person.

Liu Pan did not answer immediately. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Uncle Zhao, I’m leaving.”

In the end, Liu Pan quietly left some gold coins for the village before departing.

At a nearby town, Liu Pan bought an ordinary refined steel longsword at the blacksmith’s. After planting his divine sense and spiritual mark on the blade, he left town and flew his sword toward the direction of the cultivators who had passed over the village.

About half an hour later, Liu Pan encountered several young cultivators also traveling by sword. After some polite exchanges, he received astonishing news: the Burning Heaven Sect would hold a disciple recruitment assembly in Tianyang City seven days from now. All disciples with cultivation of Martial Master or above could attend the examination!

Burning Heaven Sect? The number one sect in Nan County? Holding a recruitment assembly near the border region of Nan County? What was going on?

Liu Pan looked up at the sky and thought, “Either the sun rose from the west today, or from the south—definitely not from the east…”

(To be continued.)