ARK SPIRIT

The two remained by the stream for a while longer before finally getting up. By the time they returned to the outer sect area, night had fully fallen.

In contrast to the quiet by the stream, the Tieu Dao Sect now resembled a military camp on the eve of deployment. Spirit stone lamps illuminated the stone paths, forming ribbons of light between the cave dwellings. Disciples moved constantly through the area, some checking their artifacts, some exchanging for pills, others redistributing supplies within their storage pouches. Footsteps, the faint clink of metal, and low voices giving last minute reminders blended together. Nothing was chaotic, but the urgency was unmistakable.

As Hao Nhien passed one cave dwelling, he happened to see a male disciple accepting a talisman from the person standing opposite him.

“Keep it. If you run into danger, use it immediately.”

The disciple closed his hand tightly around the talisman.

“You have to come back alive too.”

Along another path, someone sat beneath a lamp polishing a longsword one final time. Two fellow disciples embraced briefly before separating, each giving the other a firm pat on the shoulder in place of a long farewell.

“Come back alive.”

“I will.”

Walking through these scenes, Hao Nhien felt the reality of tomorrow’s departure settling more firmly into place. This was no longer a trial arranged merely to temper disciples, nor was it a secret realm with protective jade tokens providing an escape route. Everyone around him was preparing to enter a real defensive line.

The atmosphere grew even busier as they approached Medicine Peak.

Disciples constantly entered and left the main hall carrying medicine chests, pill cases, and various supplies. The scent of medicinal herbs mingled with pill fragrance and the lingering heat from alchemy furnaces, sharply contrasting with the cool night wind outside.

“Three Qi Recovery Pills still aren’t enough. Take two more as reserve.”

“Have you checked the Hemostatic Powder and antidotes?”

“Do not carry too many useless things. The Western Wastes leave very little room for mistakes.”

Short exchanges continued to drift from inside.

Hao Nhien listened for a moment, then reached into his storage pouch. He pulled out several bundles of medicinal herbs, followed by a few smaller pouches, and placed all of them into Tieu Lan’s hands.

“Help me sort these. Keep anything useful and take out whatever is not worth bringing.”

Tieu Lan accepted them.

“Young Master does not know what you have?”

Hao Nhien cleared his throat.

“I remember most of it.”

She looked at the pile of herbs in her hands, then back at him.

He quickly added,

“But definitely not as well as you do.”

Tieu Lan said nothing more and began checking the contents one by one.

At that moment, an elderly voice came from the entrance of the hall.

“Champion of the outer sect examination, and you stepped straight into Foundation Establishment as soon as you left the secret realm. Brat, you really do know how to keep people from having any peace of mind.”

Hao Nhien turned.

Phong Van Tu walked out of the hall. He still wore his somewhat worn Daoist robes, with his silver hair loosely tied behind him, but much of his usual laziness was absent tonight.

Tieu Lan immediately bowed.

“Master.”

Hao Nhien cupped his hands as well.

“Senior Phong.”

Phong Van Tu looked him over from head to toe before nodding.

“Your realm is more stable than I expected. It seems you did not completely waste the past two days.”

“Elder Bai gave me very clear instructions. This junior did not dare act recklessly.”

Phong Van Tu gave a dry chuckle.

“It would be good if you truly knew how to listen.”

His gaze shifted toward Tieu Lan.

“I have reviewed the preliminary assignments. Both of you are being sent to Third City. Tieu Lan has been assigned to the military medical and medicinal supply group, while your duties will be determined according to the needs of the defensive forces. You will, however, have some time at the beginning to familiarize yourselves with the Western Wastes behind the main defensive line.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“This junior understands.”

Phong Van Tu looked at Tieu Lan once more before taking a pale red jade slip from his storage ring. Fire cloud patterns covered its surface, and although the spiritual power fluctuations were not strong, they were remarkably stable.

He handed it to Hao Nhien.

“This is the basic Fire Cloud Flame Control Art.”

Hao Nhien was slightly surprised.

“Flame control?”

“Do not assume I am trying to turn you into a Fire affinity cultivator.”

Phong Van Tu glanced at him.

“This art only teaches you how to use spiritual power to regulate the formation patterns of an alchemy furnace and guide an external spiritual flame. You do not need Fire affinity to use it. Tieu Lan understands medicinal materials well, but her true qi is still weak. Some processing steps require more stable power. If you ever find yourselves short handed, you can assist her.”

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Hao Nhien accepted the jade slip.

“Thank you, Senior.”

“Learn it if you have time. There is no need to start refining pills immediately. First learn how to control temperature and assist with processing medicinal materials. On a battlefield, being able to do one more useful thing can sometimes mean one more chance to survive.”

Hao Nhien nodded seriously.

Phong Van Tu waved a hand.

“One more thing.”

He glanced at Tieu Lan, then looked back at Hao Nhien.

“The girl does not speak much, but that does not mean she should only stand behind others and wait to be protected. If you are going to let her go, then let her do what she is good at.”

Hao Nhien paused.

The words happened to strike directly at something he had only just realized beside the stream.

“This junior understands.”

Phong Van Tu nodded.

“Good.”

He patted Hao Nhien on the shoulder and stepped back.

“Finish your preparations. You must be at the plaza before the Chen hour tomorrow morning.”

Then he turned toward Tieu Lan.

“I have already told you everything that needs saying.”

Tieu Lan bowed deeply.

“This disciple will return.”

Phong Van Tu looked at her for a moment before giving a single nod.

“Good. Come back, and we will talk then.”

There was no lengthy farewell.

Hao Nhien cupped his hands once more before leaving Medicine Peak with Tieu Lan.

Behind them, the main hall remained brightly lit. Voices checking medicines and supplies continued to echo long after the two had walked away.

And so the night before their departure passed.

The next morning, shortly after daylight had spread across the mountains, the main plaza of the Tieu Dao Sect was already packed with people.

Nearly a thousand inner sect disciples had gathered into designated areas according to the jade tokens issued beforehand. Most had changed into lighter clothing suited for travel, while artifacts and storage pouches had been checked repeatedly. The atmosphere was tense but orderly, entirely unlike the excitement of an ordinary examination.

Hao Nhien quickly found Lam Phong and Tieu Van.

The two were checking their supplies. As soon as Tieu Van saw him, he walked over.

“Captain, you finally made it.”

Lam Phong glanced around.

“We are still all going to Third City?”

“Yes. My token says Third City as well.”

Hao Nhien checked the markings on their tokens.

“But we may not be assigned the same duties once we arrive. For now, we will at least go through the formations together.”

Tieu Van nodded.

“As long as we are in the same city, that is enough.”

Lam Phong had no objection.

Before long, ten large banners were raised around the plaza, each representing one of the cities along the Western Wastes defensive line. Disciples began moving toward the areas corresponding to the markings on their jade tokens.

Not long before the Chen hour, Quan Nha returned.

Hao Nhien recognized her the moment the pink robed figure appeared among the crowd. A trace of road dust still clung to her hair, but her pace had not slowed in the slightest. She headed directly toward the Third City group.

Seeing her arrive on time finally eased the concern that had remained quietly in the back of Hao Nhien’s mind.

Quan Nha stopped in front of him.

“I’m back.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“Good. You made it.”

Her gaze shifted toward Tieu Lan and then settled on the storage pouch packed with supplies at her waist.

“You are going too?”

Tieu Lan nodded.

“Yes. Master gave me permission.”

Quan Nha studied her for another moment.

“Military medical?”

“Yes.”

A hint of a smile touched Quan Nha’s lips.

“That suits you.”

Tieu Lan looked at her.

Quan Nha suddenly said,

“I still remember that day at the tea pavilion.”

Hao Nhien turned toward her as well.

She glanced at him before continuing.

“Back then, I once thought that if he ever truly became one of the brightest figures in the Tieu Dao Sect, perhaps I would want to follow him too, the way you do.”

Tieu Lan looked slightly surprised.

Then she glanced toward Hao Nhien and smiled.

“Young Master already ranked first in the examination.”

“Not enough.”

Quan Nha answered naturally.

“But I think he will go much farther.”

She looked back at Tieu Lan.

“You take care of the medicine. As long as we are in the same city, whenever he tries to charge somewhere he should not, I will help you drag him back.”

Hao Nhien frowned as soon as he heard that.

“I am standing right here.”

Quan Nha looked at him.

“I know.”

Tieu Lan could not help laughing.

“Then I’ll leave that to Sister Quan Nha.”

“All right.”

It was only a brief exchange, yet the atmosphere between the three of them felt more natural than Hao Nhien had expected.

He said nothing more.

Perhaps Tieu Lan had been right. The road ahead was far too long. Not everything needed an answer today.

A bell rang from the main peak.

The entire plaza quickly fell silent.

Van Du Tu appeared on the platform in his familiar pale blue Daoist robes. His gaze swept over the assembled groups before he spoke only two words.

“Set out.”

Behind the platform, a massive formation gate slowly opened.

Silver light swirled within it as rings of spiritual patterns appeared and sank away one after another. The spatial fluctuations spreading from the gate were strong enough to make even Hao Nhien uncomfortable.

“The ten groups will enter in order. Your first destination is the transfer formation platform. From there, you will be sent to your assigned cities.”

Van Du Tu looked down at the disciples.

“Once you arrive, obey the personnel receiving you. The Western Wastes are not a place for acting on your own.”

The first group began entering.

Silver light flashed, and the line of disciples vanished from the plaza.

Then came the second group, followed by the third.

Hao Nhien stood with the Third City contingent, watching the formation gate remain open as one group after another passed through. From the moment it had appeared, Van Du Tu had remained motionless on the platform, yet with the spiritual awareness that had expanded after Foundation Establishment, Hao Nhien could faintly sense an immensely deep and stable current of spiritual power continuously sustaining the gate.

There was no violent eruption and no obvious fluctuation.

The power simply remained steady, as though maintaining a spatial passage for hundreds of people was not enough to make the man on the platform show the slightest strain.

Hao Nhien recalled what he had tested over the past two days. Merely controlling the Tieu Dao Sword from a distance or maintaining the Spirit Wings for an extended period had already made the drain on his Foundation Establishment spiritual power obvious.

Van Du Tu, however, still stood in the same place, his aura so stable that Hao Nhien could barely detect any change at all.

For the first time since his breakthrough, the gulf separating him from the higher realms became tangible in a way no description could match.

Soon, it was Third City’s turn.

Hao Nhien took Tieu Lan’s hand and looked toward Quan Nha, Lam Phong, and Tieu Van.

“Let’s go.”

The group stepped into the light.

Space twisted around him at once. The sensation of weightlessness lasted only a few breaths before solid ground returned beneath his feet.

When Hao Nhien opened his eyes, he found himself standing on a broad plateau atop a high mountain. The wind here was far stronger than at the Tieu Dao Sect. Mountain ranges stretched into the distance, while ten teleportation formations stood in a row across the plateau, each marked with dark red spiritual symbols.

A gray robed guide beside the formation platform checked their jade tokens and pointed ahead.

“Formation Three. Third City.”

He paused briefly.

“Good luck.”

No one asked questions.

Nearly a hundred disciples assigned to Third City entered the third formation in succession.

Light flared again.

This time, when space stabilized, the first thing Hao Nhien noticed was the dry heat carrying the smell of sand and cold metal.

He opened his eyes.

A heavy gray-red sky stretched overhead. It was not the red of sunset, but light stained by thick layers of dust and sand suspended in the air.

Beneath their feet lay a broad stone courtyard surrounded by towering city walls. Layers of defensive spiritual patterns slowly flowed across the stone surfaces.

Through the gaps between the watchtowers, Hao Nhien could see desert stretching all the way to the horizon.

Strong winds drove yellow sand against the barrier outside the walls, creating a constant whispering scrape.

Inside the city, armored cultivators moved about in haste. Some carried chests of pills, others bore scarred spears, while a few walked past tightening bandages around arms that were still seeping blood.

The atmosphere here was completely different from the Tieu Dao Sect.

There was none of the quiet serenity of mountain peaks or the ethereal air surrounding cultivation halls.

There was only dry heat, hurried footsteps, and the unmistakable signs of a defensive line already in motion.

Hao Nhien had barely begun to take in his surroundings when a loud shout suddenly came from the city gate, cutting through every remaining thought in his mind.