The dawn broke over the Azure Sky Sect like a blade of golden flame cutting across a serene canvas. A wave of fresh spiritual energy bathed the sect's mountain ranges as elders and disciples gathered at the outer sect's main plaza.
Today marked the Sect's Seasonal Disciple Selection Ceremony—a tradition held every twenty years.
Standing among the crowd were hundreds of hopeful mortals and low-ranked cultivators, each with dreams of soaring toward the heavens. Among them, fate stirred.
---
Li Xuan, wearing his usual plain robes, stood silently at the very edge of the crowd, leaning beneath a willow tree. His presence was still as stone, eyes closed—yet he heard everything.
> "These new brats better not be arrogant. Our outer sect has standards."
"Hey, did you see that red-haired girl? She looks like a war orphan from the Burning River Province..."
"Tch. What's the point? With Elder Fang overseeing the ceremony, only connections will pass."
Li Xuan ignored them all. His mind was focused elsewhere.
> [System Notice: Minor interference detected.] [Cultivation Presence Deduced: 2 Instances within last 3 days.] [Potential Threat Levels: Low. No countermeasures required.] [System Suggestion: Keep cultivation at or below Peak Core Formation for the next 5 years.]
He nodded slightly.
> "So, even beneath layers of Dao Concealment… traces still remain. I'll need to refine my spiritual core again under the Stellar Vein Art."
His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.
> "Senior Brother Li!"
Li Xuan opened his eyes slowly.
A young girl with silvery eyes and jade-green robes dashed toward him—Lan Yue, one of the previous batch's outer disciples. Quick-witted, inquisitive, and already in the late Qi Condensation stage, she often came to him with questions.
> "The sect has asked senior disciples to help test the talent of the newcomers. I begged Elder Mo to let me assist you!"
He gave her a soft, unreadable look.
> "Then don't speak too loudly, or someone might mistake me for a proper senior."
She blinked. "But you are…"
> "Exactly," he said. "A mistake."
---
Later at the Testing Pavilion
One by one, the disciples tested their potential. Each was examined under the Dao Mirror of Origins, which revealed talent grade, spiritual root quality, and hidden destiny patterns.
Then she appeared.
A barefoot girl with moon-white hair and red threads wrapped around her fingers like fate's chains. Her clothes were ragged, but her eyes… deep, ancient, and sorrowful.
She stepped forward.
The Dao Mirror trembled.
> "Unknown Root Type—?"
"Destiny Interference—Cannot read."
Elders murmured.
Elder Fang's brow twitched. "Throw her out. We can't risk unknown entities in the sect."
Before they moved, Li Xuan stepped forward and placed a hand on the mirror.
In an instant, the mirror calmed.
> "[Divine Seclusion System: Karma Identified.]"
[Potential Dao Companion Detected.]
[Favorability: Dormant – 0%]
[Talent: Mythic Reincarnation Vessel – Sealed]
[Recommended Action: Accept and Guide.]
Li Xuan turned to Elder Fang. "I'll take her under my name."
The elder raised an eyebrow. "You? Li Xuan? The quiet one?"
Li Xuan simply smiled. "Even trash deserves a chance to grow."
---
By Day's End
Li Xuan had silently chosen three disciples:
1. Mo Qingyi – The barefoot girl with moonlight hair and sealed fate.
2. Zhen Rou – A fire-rooted rogue with unmatched combat instinct.
3. Bai Lianhua – A timid girl with perfect water-affinity and celestial spiritual bones.
Each had a hidden destiny that stirred the system. Each, unknowingly, now walked beneath the wings of the Hidden Sovereign.
And with their arrival…
> "[System Upgrade Available.]"
[New Feature Unlocked: Disciple Fate Threads Monitoring.]
> "Hmph," Li Xuan mused. "They say teaching is a burden… let's see what I reap instead."