Back at the Black Paradise Sect, Matriarch Shi presided over one of her routine morning etings in the grand Matriarch's Hall. The Core Court Elders were slowly settling into their seats, exchanging the usual greetings and polite formalities. These etings typically dealt with sect logistics, minor disputes, and updates on cultivation progress. It was a ti for maintaining order—not shaking it.
Supre Elders, with their vast responsibilities and powerful influence, rarely attended. But when they did, their presence carried weight. They were granted the closest seats to the Matriarch, reserved for only the most revered within the sect.
Matriarch Shi's eyes shifted to one of those seats. "Supre Elder Song," she greeted with a calm smile. "I heard you paid a visit to Jadepeak City recently. How did it go?"
Supre Elder Song sat with perfect posture, her hands folded elegantly in her lap. "I went to find soone—a disciple by the na of Long Wang."
A flicker of interest crossed the Matriarch's face. "Long Wang… That na seems to echo through the halls more often these days. What business did you have with him?"
"I was inford he had co into possession of my Phoenix Jade Hairpin. I went to see if he was truly worthy of it."
"And?" Matriarch Shi asked.
"He was not," Song replied without hesitation.
The answer didn't surprise Matriarch Shi. Supre Elder Song was known for her ruthlessly high standards.
Song didn't stop there. "Matriarch, I've been inford by Supre Elder Quan that this sa disciple is slated to represent our sect in the upcoming provincial tournant. I believe that would be a mistake."
Matriarch Shi leaned back slightly in her seat, her expression unreadable. "We will be discussing the tournant today. You may share your views when the ti cos."
Her tone was even, but the tension in the hall subtly thickened.
Then she added with a trace of amusent, "I wouldn't dismiss him so quickly. He did place 9th on the Trial Pod test not long ago."
Supre Elder Song's brows twitched.
'9th?' She thought. 'Did she misspeak?'
…
When the topic of the provincial tournant finally surfaced, the room stirred.
"We must run background checks on all participants. We can't allow unknowns to represent us. The risk is too great."
"A background check on our disciples will only deter them from participating in the upcoming tournant! Our strongest disciples are not from this province, so they would not want their backgrounds being investigated."
"Our sect's reputation is at stake. If we're sending disciples to represent us on a province-wide level, we must know who they are. Their origins, their loyalties—everything. A hidden threat is worse than an open enemy."
"That's nonsense," another Core Court Elder added, her eyes flashing. "We're cultivators, not bureaucrats. What matters is strength, not paperwork."
"Strength without roots is a risk," another Elder added cautiously. "We've seen it before—rogue disciples with hidden agendas, spies planted by rival sects. Are we really willing to gamble our na on an unknown?"
"Spies? What spies? You speak of conspiracies. When have we ever had a spy from a rival sect?
The discussion quickly devolved into overlapping voices—so defending the integrity of strength and freedom, others demanding transparency and accountability. A few remained silent, watching the back-and-forth like a match between evenly matched beasts.
Thud.
The Matriarch gently tapped her armrest, and the room imdiately quieted.
"Supre Elder Song," she said evenly, "your thoughts?"
Supre Elder Song answered without delay. "We are cultivators. Strength should co first. But ensuring that those we send don't have questionable origins is a reasonable precaution. Background checks are standard among all the major sects in the country, it wouldn't be unreasonable for us to do the sa."
Supre Elder Quan suddenly spoke up. "What if we hold a tournant within the sect? Those who wish to participate must reveal their full na under a truth-seeking formation. That should be enough to confirm their backgrounds."
"Mn, that should work," Supre Elder Song agreed.
"Elder Xue, would you be able to provide a truth-seeking formation for us?" Matriarch Shi asked.
"I would," Supre Elder Xue replied.
"Then it's decided." Matriarch Shi glanced around. "Anyone object?"
The room remained silent.
"Good. Then begin compiling the nas of our most promising disciples under the age of twenty-five. Offer a generous incentive to encourage participation. Classes will resu once we've selected the eight best fighters among them."
"Eight? Don't we need ten?" Song asked, puzzled.
"The final two spots have already been claid—by my disciple and Supre Elder Yao's," the Matriarch said with a proud smile.
"Your disciple?"
"You've been away, so you wouldn't know. We've recently accepted two Spirit Attribute holders. My disciple is Li Lian, from the Li family clan. Yao Wu's disciple is Xun Wei, from a destroyed clan in the Gao region."
Song's expression tightened at that na.
'Xun Wei… so she's a real person,' Supre Elder Song thought, recalling Xiao Fang's words.
…
As the eting in the Matriarch's Hall drew to a close and the elders began filing out, murmuring among themselves, Supre Elder Quan lingered behind. She approached Supre Elder Song just as she rose from her seat.
"Song," Quan said with a subtle smile, "are you ready to head to the 7th floor of the Ancestral Training Grounds? That Cannibal Abnormal Beast won't kill itself."
Song gave a faint nod but didn't move. "There's sothing I need to do first."
Quan raised an eyebrow. "Sothing more important than completing a task given to us by the Matriarch?"
"Perhaps," Song replied cryptically. "Tell , what do you know about the disciple nad Xun Wei?"
"Xun Wei?" Quan thought for a mont. "Not much, honestly. She's nineteen. Body Core realm. Proficient with a sword… and she holds the [ Nine Winds of the Azure Dragon ] spirit attribute."
Song's eyes lit with interest. "That spirit attribute… it's rare."
"Extrely," Quan nodded. "It's one of the few natural spirit attributes with strong innate affinities for movent, wind-based attacks, and—most importantly—speed. She's sharp. The Matriarch and Yao Wu both seem confident in her."
Song fell silent, thoughts turning behind her eyes.
After a short pause, Quan gave her a side glance. "Actually, there's sothing I've been aning to ask you… Did you happen to see Fei Lin during your trip to Jadepeak City?"
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