Chapter 1: Outer Sect Disciple
Night. A full moon hung high, dotted with countless stars.
But amid the river of stars, nine-colored lightning lingered, exceptionally dazzling.
"A celestial anomaly appears—surely a divine body is descending."
Atop the imperial city of the Nine Provinces Continent, a golden-robed old man stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the night sky.
Behind him, tens of thousands of imperial city experts knelt neatly in half-kneel, as if awaiting some command.
"Buzz"
Suddenly, the lightning condensed, transforming into a nine-colored divine thunderbolt that crashed down from the nine heavens' starry river.
In an instant, night turned to day. Before the divine thunder even landed, the earth began to rumble and tremble violently.
Yet when that nine-colored divine thunder touched the continent, it did not cause terrible destruction—it vanished into thin air.
At the same time, the land was once again shrouded in night. The once brilliant sky also dimmed considerably, as if some essence had been drawn away, returning to its usual calm.
But at this moment, the old man's eyes were exceptionally bright, and his body even trembled with excitement. He pointed to where the thunder had fallen: "Within Qingzhou territory, all children born tonight—bring them all back to the imperial city!"
"As you command!"
A reply like thunderclaps resounded across the sky. Tens of thousands of imperial city experts headed toward Qingzhou, vowing to find the divine body for the empire's use.
Time flowed, and five years passed in the blink of an eye. Though people still remembered that shocking scene from years ago, no one knew what the imperial court had done.
On the Nine Provinces Continent, within Qingzhou, sects stood like a forest, and the Azure Dragon Sect was one of them.
Today marked the Azure Dragon Sect's annual day for recruiting disciples. Outside the sect, there was a sea of people.
However, at this time, the busiest were the outer sect disciples—all reception duties for the sect fell on their shoulders.
Being an outer sect disciple was a thankless task. Not only did they have low status within the sect, even outsiders looked down on them.
The reason was simple: anyone who was an outer sect disciple was deemed to have poor aptitude, unlikely to achieve much in life, and naturally despised.
"Hey, what attitude is that? Do you know who I am?" A richly dressed woman, leading a boy, pointed at a young man and shouted loudly.
"My sincerest apologies. It's getting late, and the sect is about to close. Please come back tomorrow." The young man's handsome face still showed youthfulness, but between his brows there was a touch of valor.
His name was Chu Feng. He was fifteen years old, one of tens of thousands of outer sect disciples of the Azure Dragon Sect.
But among the outer sect disciples, this Chu Feng was different. He had no inferiority complex, no self-abandonment. He faced everyone without fear, calm and composed.
"Come back tomorrow? Do you take me for a fool? In these deep mountains and wild forests, where are my son and I supposed to stay?"
"You must arrange lodging for me, or else I'll go find your elder to argue!" The woman refused to let go and even grabbed Chu Feng by the collar.
"Brother Chu Feng, in trouble?" But just then, a sweet voice suddenly rang out.
Looking up, a purple-clad girl was walking over. Though a smile hung on her lips, her sharp eyes locked onto the woman.
Seeing the girl, the woman's expression changed drastically. A thick fear surged forth.
For no other reason than the girl's purple robe—that was the insignia of an inner sect disciple.
The woman inwardly cried out in dismay. She had thought her status could bully the young man before her.
Who would have thought that this unremarkable youth had an inner sect disciple backing him? That was someone she couldn't afford to provoke.
"It's nothing, nothing. I was just asking this young brother a few questions." The woman explained with a smile.
The girl first glared at her, then said only one word: "Scram."
At that moment, the woman's body trembled involuntarily, her face turning ashen.
But without a moment's hesitation, she took the boy and quickly hurried away. In her panic, she even stumbled and fell—utterly pathetic.
Seeing this, Chu Feng helplessly shook his head, then bowed to the girl beside him: "Thank you, Senior Sister Chu Yue."
"There's no need to be polite with me. We're family." Chu Yue looked somewhat displeased.
She spoke the truth: Chu Feng and she were indeed from the same family—the Chu Clan.
This Chu Yue was his second uncle's daughter, only one year older than Chu Feng.
However, Chu Yue had passed the inner sect exam three years ago and become an inner sect disciple. She was now a Spiritual Martial fourth level expert.
"Sect rules must still be followed." Chu Feng said with a bright smile.
"Ah." But looking at Chu Feng like this, Chu Yue felt a pang in her heart. "Brother Chu Feng, aren't you going to participate in this year's inner sect exam? Could it be… you still haven't reached Spiritual Martial third level?"
Chu Feng did not answer. A smile still hung on his face. No one knew what he meant.
Seeing this, Chu Yue took a small brocade pouch from her waist and placed it in Chu Feng's hand. "Refine this; it might help you break through to the third level."
Chu Feng opened the pouch. A compelling spiritual energy emanated. A finger-sized, crystal-clear Spirit Herb lay inside.
"Senior Sister Chu Yue, this is too precious. I can't accept it." Chu Feng quickly returned it to Chu Yue.
A Spirit Herb was a sacred medicine for martial cultivation, extremely valuable. For martial cultivators within the Spiritual Martial realm, it had boundless effects.
And the Chu Clan subsidized each of them with one Spirit Herb every year to help them quickly improve their cultivation.
This Spirit Herb of Chu Yue's must have been from the clan's subsidy. But instead of using it herself, she had given it to him. This moved Chu Feng, and he could not bear to accept it.
"I said I'm giving it to you, so take it. Aren't you my younger brother?" Chu Yue looked somewhat displeased.
"Oh, Senior Sister Chu Yue, when did you become so generous? Even a Spirit Herb you'd give away?"
"Look, I'm also your younger brother. And I'm about to break through to Spiritual Martial fourth level. How about giving this Spirit Herb to me instead?"
A youth about the same age as Chu Feng walked over, also wearing inner sect disciple robes.
His name was Chu Zhen, also from the Chu Clan. Five years ago, he and Chu Feng had joined the Azure Dragon Sect together, but he had become an inner sect disciple two years ago.
"Chu Zhen, you've already broken through to Spiritual Martial third level and successfully condensed spiritual energy. Even without this Spirit Herb, you can soar upward."
"But Brother Chu Feng has yet to condense spiritual energy. This Spirit Herb is more important to him." Chu Yue forcefully stuffed the Spirit Herb into Chu Feng's hand.
"Yeah, you're right. Too bad he doesn't appreciate it." Chu Zhen spread his hands and sneered.
"Who said I don't want it?" But Chu Feng smiled slightly and unceremoniously tucked the Spirit Herb into his bosom. Then he said, "Senior Sister Chu Yue, consider this Spirit Herb as a loan from you. I will repay double in the future."
"Mm, good." Seeing Chu Feng accept it, Chu Yue was overjoyed. She just casually agreed, never expecting Chu Feng to repay her.
"What will you repay with? Using this Spirit Herb on you is a waste." But Chu Zhen's face turned ugly.
Chu Feng smiled and ignored him. He said to Chu Yue, "Senior Sister Chu Yue, I will participate in this year's inner sect exam."
"Hmph, you? If you can pass the inner sect exam, then this year's clan subsidy Spirit Herb will be yours." Chu Zhen looked at Chu Feng with contempt.
"Are you serious?" Chu Feng didn't believe him.
"Senior Sister Chu Yue can be the witness. But what if you can't pass?"
"Then this year's Spirit Herb goes to you." Leaving this remark, Chu Feng continued with his outer sect disciple duties.
"Chu Zhen, we're all family. Why do you always make things difficult for Chu Feng?" Chu Yue looked at Chu Zhen unhappily.
"Family? Senior Sister Chu Yue, you should know that this Chu Feng is not even a member of our Chu Clan."
"Five years in the sect and he still can't pass the inner sect exam—he's a disgrace to the Chu Clan."
"Who in the entire Chu Clan likes him? Only you treat him so well, even giving him your own Spirit Herb." Chu Zhen was very puzzled.
"You are truly obstinate." Chu Yue was somewhat angry. Glaring at him, she walked away.
But Chu Zhen stood there laughing. He was very pleased. Though he hadn't gotten Chu Yue's Spirit Herb, he knew that this year, Chu Feng's Spirit Herb would definitely be his.
Late at night, the resting area for outer sect disciples was pitch black.
After a busy day, everyone was exhausted and went to bed early. Only Chu Feng's room still had a light on.
He sat cross-legged on the bed, took out the Spirit Herb Chu Yue had given him, and said softly, "I hope this Spirit Herb can fill you up."
With that, Chu Feng closed his eyes, placed the Spirit Herb between his palms, and formed a strange hand seal.
At that moment, the spiritual energy within the Spirit Herb began to flow along Chu Feng's palms into his body, eventually gathering in his dantian.
At the same time, a chewing sound came from his dantian, as if something was eating.
If one could see through his skin, they would discover that deep within Chu Feng's dantian coiled a mass of lightning.
This mass of lightning was divided into nine colors, each color like a lightning beast, emitting a terrifying aura that did not belong to this world.