As everything in the world stirred to life, the strongman raised his fist, intending to smash it down on Jiang Wen. He merely furrowed his brow slightly, preparing to meet the blow.
But then, a voice as gentle as the evening breeze sounded: "Stop!"
"The sect entrusted you with the task of recruiting disciples, yet you engage in such disgraceful acts?"
Hearing this, Jiang Wen opened his eyes and saw a woman in white and blue robes standing before him.
She possessed a refined and aloof air, clad in a white silk gown. Her temples were adorned with垂髫, and a ribbon tied the ends of her hair. She resembled an eternal glacier, standing apart from the world.
"Are you alright?"
Her voice echoed in Jiang Wen's ears as her stunningly beautiful face turned to him.
"My name is Ziyun, and I am the senior disciple of the Sword Dao lineage of the Jingxu Palace. I saw everything that just happened. This disciple's misconduct caused all the trouble, and I will definitely report it to the Sect Leader. Do you have any requests?" The woman said to him with indifference.
Ziyun? Jiang Wen looked at the woman before him, pondered for a moment, and then said, "I only wish to join the Jingxu Palace."
Through what had just happened, Jiang Wen understood how this so-called dream existed. It was like an illusion, the dream was based on what he knew. Ziyun had a refined and aloof temperament, so he subconsciously felt that Ziyun was suitable to be the senior disciple of the Immortal Sect's Sword Dao.
The old Taoist's greed was also an impression of the Immortal Sect in his mind. After all, after experiencing so many things, Jiang Wen knew that the hundreds of Immortal Sects were not as noble and righteous as the world said.
But now the important thing was to escape from this dream. Perhaps he could leave the endless grasslands through this dream.
"The previous dreams all ended with sudden death, without beginning or end. That's why the grassland is endless. So, if I have a beginning and an end in this dream, will things be different?" Jiang Wen compared his previous dreams and found that all the endings ended with sudden death. The dream came and went quickly, and he was forever stuck on that grassland.
Perhaps the endless dream was what kept him trapped in that grassland. Otherwise, with his current strength, it was impossible for him to be trapped by a dream.
Listening to Jiang Wen's words, Ziyun fell into deep thought. After a moment, she agreed to Jiang Wen's request.
"It's not impossible for you to join the sect. The matter of entering the sect was delayed just now. Do you still want to enter Ganshan or Kunshan?"
"I want to become a disciple under Senior Sister."
Ziyun was slightly stunned, staring at him for a long time. It wasn't until the bell rang at dusk that she nodded.
"Since you want to join my Sword Dao lineage, you need to abide by the rules of the sect. Are you willing?"
"This disciple is willing," Jiang Wen said sincerely.
"Then come with me." Ziyun walked ahead, leading Jiang Wen into the Jingxu Palace.
Looking at the layout of the Jingxu Palace, it was no different from the Jingxu Temple, except that there were a few more palaces among the mountain clouds.
When they arrived at the Sword Dao lineage, Ziyun stood in front of a stone statue and looked at him. The stone statue was Yan Gongli, but it was carved to look like an adult.
"This is our Sword Peak's founder. If you worship her, it's equivalent to joining Sword Peak. From now on, we will address each other as senior sister and junior brother," Ziyun said.
Looking at Yan Gongli's stone statue, even Jiang Wen had a hard time holding back. This dream was too strange. He didn't expect Yan Gongli to become the founder of Jingxu Palace's Sword Peak, and he was about to worship the founder's stone statue and then enter this Jingxu Palace.
"When you enter my Sword Peak, you should know good and evil, and distinguish right from wrong. Do what is right and cultivate noble righteousness."
"Do not deceive your master or disrespect your elders, do not kill your fellow disciples, and do not do anything that harms the common people. You must guard your heart, restrain yourself, and cultivate your character."
In front of the founder's stone statue, Ziyun looked at Jiang Wen, who looked sincere.
→
"Do not be greedy, extravagant, lustful, or evil, do not…"
Jiang Wen listened carefully to Ziyun's words. After she finished speaking, he bowed three times.
Jiang Wen had indirectly experienced the coldness and warmth of this world. He seemed to have suddenly appeared in this world, without the memories of his previous life, struggling to survive in this society.
If he hadn't suddenly awakened his intelligence and regained all his memories, he would have had no hope of entering the sect this time, and he would have died halfway.
Since Ziyun saved him in the dream, he would repay this kindness. He was a grateful person, even in the dream. He remembered the old Taoist's hatred in his heart, and he also remembered Ziyun's great kindness in his heart.
If there was a time to repay her in the future, he would go through mountains of knives and seas of fire.
"Cultivators are also people, and they also have emotions and desires. There are evil people like the old Taoist, and there are also cultivators like Senior Sister Ziyun. Good and evil always have two sides. Even the Xianxia novels of the modern world don't have every righteous path character being black-hearted. Perhaps that's why I'm having such a strange dream."
Just as Jiang Wen was thinking, Ziyun's voice came from his ear.
"Did you understand?"
"Junior Brother understands," Jiang Wen raised his head and bowed sincerely to Ziyun.
"Very good, offer tea." Ziyun nodded with satisfaction, feeling secretly happy in her heart. She nodded to the girl in white beside her, signaling her to continue.
"Offer this cup of tea, and from now on, you will be a disciple of Sword Peak. If anyone dares to bully you again, you can tell your senior sister."
The girl in white brought a cup of clear tea and placed it in front of Jiang Wen, with a gentle smile on her face.
Jiang Wen picked up the teacup, slowly walked towards Ziyun, and then respectfully handed it to her.
"Good junior brother," Ziyun said with a gentle smile, taking the tea and taking a light sip. Her eyes scanned Jiang Wen, and a strange feeling arose in her heart. "Have we met before?"
Ziyun's words surprised Jiang Wen, and then he adjusted his mentality.
"Reporting to Senior Sister, we have never met."
Hearing this, Ziyun didn't say anything, but thoughts surged into her mind, and she frowned slightly.
Ziyun was lost in thought, and Jiang Wen suddenly had a feeling that he seemed to hear a trace of emotional charm in her aloof voice.
Emotions? I must have misheard. Jiang Wen was a little puzzled in his heart.
Listening carefully to Ziyun's words again, they didn't carry any emotion.
"Now that you are already a disciple of my Sword Peak, you should also know some of the taboos of the peak. I will have your senior sister teach you, and you must remember them."
"If you violate them in the future, you will come here to receive punishment on your own."
"Yes, Master," Jiang Wen responded.
"Good." Ziyun nodded. "Of course, although you must abide by the rules of the sect, if you are bullied, you can tell me, your senior sister."
"If it's not your fault, even if the elders of the sect come to question you, I will protect you."
"Thank you for your support, Senior Sister," Jiang Wen said gratefully. "Junior Brother is extremely grateful and will have to trouble Senior Sister from now on."
"Go down and let your two senior sisters take you to get to know the way around," Ziyun called two young girls and asked them to take Jiang Wen to see Sword Peak.
