"Gui Lan, it's all up to you now. You must ensure our Gui Family survives this crisis. If you can join the Profound Sword Sect, then even Duan Li and the Witherwood Gate Sect behind him won't dare to lay a finger on us!"
The low but firm voice came from an old man standing just behind Gui Yiyi. His eyes, though aged, glinted with solemn authority. This was the Second Elder of the Gui Family, a respected figure second only to the clan's patriarch and grand elder. A cultivator at the peak of the fourth level of the Soul Condensation Realm, he was responsible for escorting the Gui clan disciples all the way from Half Moon City to the Profound Sword Sect.
But notably, the old man's words were not addressed to Gui Yiyi. They were meant for the blue-robed youth standing confidently nearby.
His name was Gui Lan, son of the Gui Family's grand elder—and their number one genius.
Even though Gui Yiyi held the highest status among the younger generation as the patriarch's daughter, when it came to talent, she was not the Gui family's best. She couldn't even rank among the top three.
Gui Lan, in contrast, was hailed as the brightest star in Half Moon City, both inside and outside the Gui Family. His confidence was palpable as he responded with a smile.
"Second Elder, don't worry. I'll enter the Profound Sword Sect without issue."
He spoke with natural arrogance, as if it was a given.
And to some extent, he wasn't wrong.
Hearing Gui Lan's words, Gui Yiyi gently bit her lip, a trace of loneliness flickering in her eyes.
She couldn't deny it. He was the most likely to be accepted into the sect.
She had always pushed herself, trained harder than anyone, and never dared to slack. Yet despite all her effort, the gap created by talent remained a mountain she couldn't cross.
Her cultivation road had been slow and arduous. Unlike Gui Lan, whose growth seemed effortless, hers was a battle at every step.
Just then, a sneering voice sliced through the crowd, full of disdain.
"Entering the Profound Sword Sect? Hah! Gui Lan, you? Are you even worthy?"
The crowd turned. Even before they saw the speaker, many of the Gui clan members already recognized the voice.
It was Wang Fei.
He wore black robes, and a confident smirk played on his lips. As the leading youth of the Wang Family—one of the other three great clans of Half Moon City—his name was well-known.
In the past, Wang Fei had been number one among the city's younger generation. That was, until Gui Lan rose to fame and gradually overshadowed him.
The two were now bitter rivals, with strength and talent nearly equal.
Gui Lan narrowed his eyes and stepped forward.
"Wang Fei, if I'm not worthy, what about you? You think you are? Fool."
But Wang Fei remained calm, even amused.
"Heh. Gui Lan, you're too proud. Let me tell you something—when I enter the Profound Sword Sect, I'll leave you in the dust. At next year's Half Moon City Grand Competition, I'll show you what true power is."
"Being ahead for a moment means nothing. Whoever has the last laugh… wins."
The two glared at each other, their long-standing rivalry on full display.
But Wang Fei wasn't finished.
His eyes drifted over to Gui Yiyi, and he smiled again, this time with a more familiar tone.
"Yiyi, how about it? As long as you agree to marry me, we'll be family. When I become a disciple of the Profound Sword Sect, I'll personally guarantee your Gui Family's safety."
The proposal wasn't surprising—Wang Fei's feelings for Gui Yiyi were no secret. He had gone to the Gui family multiple times to propose, only to be rejected each time by Gui Yiyi's father.
Though Gui Yiyi's mother had passed away when she was young, her father cherished her deeply. He never once forced her into anything she didn't want, especially not marriage.
At that moment, Gui Yiyi's expression turned cold.
She didn't respond to Wang Fei's offer. Instead, she turned her gaze away from the two arguing youths and looked toward the ceremonial platform, where the elders of the Profound Sword Sect had assembled.
Suddenly, she noticed someone unfamiliar.
"Who… is that?"
A young man had just walked up to the stage—a figure none of the disciples had seen before.
His presence, however, sent ripples through the crowd.
"Whoa… who's that guy?"
"He's so handsome! I've never seen him before…"
"Wait—why is he standing next to Sect Master Jian Nantian?!"
Gasps spread through the square like wildfire.
The young man stood calmly beside Jian Nantian, confident and composed. His face was striking—refined features, deep eyes, and a serene aura that made hearts tremble.
It was Xuan Yi.
Countless girls in the crowd blushed, their eyes sparkling as they stared. Though his appearance was breathtaking, that wasn't what truly shocked people.
It was his position.
Jian Nantian, the Sect Master of the Profound Sword Sect, did not casually share the stage. Before Xuan Yi's arrival, only the two Vice Sect Masters had the right to stand beside him.
Now, a mysterious young man—who looked barely older than the new disciples—stood beside them, equal in stature.
"Who is he? The Sect Master's son?"
"No way! Even the Sect Master's son wouldn't have the right to stand there!"
Finally, someone in the crowd scoffed.
"You really don't know? That's Elder Xuan Yi!"
"He's a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator! The youngest elder in the history of the Profound Sword Sect!"
Shock rippled through the crowd again.
"Nascent Soul Realm? But he looks so young…"
"Believe it. My older brother is an inner disciple, and he told me everything. Elder Xuan Yi is the only Nascent Soul Elder in the sect right now."
"He's the youngest… and one of the strongest!"
The speaker puffed out his chest with pride. Being related to an inner disciple gave him serious bragging rights here.
Within the Profound Sword Sect, disciples were ranked in three tiers—Outer, Inner, and Personal.
To become an inner disciple was already a great honor.
And to become a personal disciple of someone like Elder Xuan Yi? That would be nothing short of a miracle.
As admiration spread through the crowd, many disciples—both male and female—began whispering hopeful prayers under their breath.
"Please… let Elder Xuan pick me."
"Even if I can't become his personal disciple, a word of guidance would be worth years of training!"
Gui Yiyi's gaze lingered on Xuan Yi, her heart pounding just a little harder than before.
"Could this man… be my chance?"
Unbeknownst to her, Xuan Yi was also scanning the crowd, calmly observing each candidate.
A hint of curiosity flickered in his eyes as they passed over Gui Lan… then Wang Fei… and finally, paused ever so briefly—
—on Gui Yiyi.