The ancient bronze gates slowly opened. Rumble... A wave of rich spiritual qi surged outward, causing every youth standing outside to instinctively take a deep breath. "What dense spiritual qi..." "So this is a cultivation sect..." "I feel like I could cultivate just by standing here!" Excited whispers spread through the crowd. Di Tian lazily yawned. "So this is spiritual qi..." Even without a cultivation technique, he could already feel the difference between this place and the Di Family. The qi here was several times richer, making the air itself feel refreshing. An old man wearing azure robes stepped forward. His white beard reached his chest, and an invisible pressure radiated from his body. Although he wasn't trying to intimidate anyone, the gathered youths unconsciously lowered their heads. The old man swept his gaze over the crowd before speaking calmly. "Welcome to the Azure Cloud Sect." "I am Elder Zhou." "You have either passed the entrance examination or entered through recommendations." His eyes briefly rested on Di Tian before moving on. "Once you enter these gates, your backgrounds mean little." "The sect values strength above all." "The weak remain Outer Disciples." "The strong become Inner Disciples." "The talented become Core Disciples." "And those with heaven-defying talent may one day inherit the sect." His voice echoed across the mountain. "Our sect is protected by the Nascent Soul Patriarch. Beneath him are the Peak Masters and Golden Core Elders." "You are insignificant." "Do not let your family status inflate your ego." Several disciples lowered their heads in embarrassment. Di Tian simply nodded. "Makes sense." After a brief pause, Elder Zhou continued. "Follow me." The group entered the sect. The further they walked, the more magnificent the scenery became. Towering spirit trees lined the roads. Crystal-clear rivers carried fish that shimmered with spiritual light. Cranes landed peacefully beside disciples reading cultivation manuals. Everywhere Di Tian looked, someone was cultivating. Some meditated beneath waterfalls. Others practiced sword techniques. Several disciples sparred with fists powerful enough to split stone. "This place really is different..." Before long, they arrived at a large square. Thousands of young disciples trained under the watchful eyes of instructors. Every punch. Every kick. Every swing of a sword. Was precise. "This is the Outer Sect." Elder Zhou spoke without turning around. "The Azure Cloud Sect currently has over eight thousand Outer Disciples." "Resources are limited." "You must earn contribution points to exchange for pills, weapons, cultivation techniques and martial arts." "If you are lazy..." "You will fall behind." "If you are weak..." "You will be bullied." "If you refuse to improve..." "You may spend your entire life as an Outer Disciple." Many of the newcomers swallowed nervously. Di Tian scratched his cheek. "...Sounds troublesome." Elder Zhou continued as if he hadn't heard him. "Every six months the sect holds an Inner Sect Promotion Tournament." "The top disciples who satisfy the cultivation requirements may become Inner Disciples." "From that point onward, your treatment improves significantly." One disciple immediately raised his hand. "Elder, what cultivation level is required?" "The minimum requirement is the Ninth Stage of Qi Gathering." A wave of shocked gasps spread through the crowd. "Ninth Stage?" "That's impossible!" "It takes ordinary cultivators years!" The elder remained expressionless. "If you cannot reach it..." "You do not deserve to become an Inner Disciple." Di Tian quietly memorized the information. Ninth Stage Qi Gathering... "So that's my first goal." The system suddenly spoke. 【Detected suitable cultivation environment.】【Waiting for cultivation technique...】 Di Tian's eyes brightened slightly. "So it really can't start without one." Not long afterward, the group reached a large hall. Above the entrance were three ancient characters. Outer Affairs Hall. Inside, several disciples sat behind long counters. One by one, the newcomers stepped forward to receive their belongings. When Di Tian's turn arrived, the disciple behind the counter glanced at a jade slip. "You are..." "Di Tian." "The disciple who entered through Elder Di Feng's recommendation?" "That's me." The disciple nodded before handing over several items. "Outer Disciple Token." "Three sets of disciple robes." "A storage pouch." "Ten low-grade spirit stones." "One basic cultivation manual." "One introductory martial technique." "One introductory movement technique." "The rules of the sect." Di Tian accepted everything with a smile. "Thank you." The disciple looked at him curiously. "You seem... calmer than the others." Di Tian shrugged. "Worrying won't make me stronger." The disciple chuckled. "Fair enough." After everyone received their supplies, another elder led them toward the residential area. Rows upon rows of small courtyards stretched across the mountainside. "Each courtyard houses four Outer Disciples." "Maintain harmony." "If disputes arise..." "Settle them on the Arena." "The sect does not interfere in personal grudges unless rules are broken." The elder handed Di Tian a wooden key. "Courtyard Thirty-Seven." He nodded. "Understood." A few minutes later, Di Tian pushed open the courtyard gate. Three young men were already inside. One was meditating. One polished his sword. The last was eating roasted meat. All three looked toward the newcomer. "So..." "The connected disciple finally arrived." None of them sounded particularly friendly. Di Tian merely smiled. "Looks like we'll be roommates." No one replied. The atmosphere became awkward. "..." "..." "..." Finally, Di Tian broke the silence. "I'm taking the room near the tree." Without waiting for permission, he casually walked away. The three roommates exchanged confused looks. "...That's it?" "I thought he'd throw his family around." "He doesn't seem like a spoiled young master." Inside his room, Di Tian closed the wooden door. The room was simple. A bed. A table. A chair. Nothing more. Perfect. He sat cross-legged on the bed and took out the jade slip labeled Basic Qi Gathering Art. The moment spiritual sense touched it, countless words entered his mind. At the same time... The familiar mechanical voice echoed again. 【Cultivation Technique Detected.】【Basic Qi Gathering Art recorded successfully.】【Beginning automatic cultivation...】 For the first time since arriving in this world... Di Tian didn't need to do anything. A warm current began circulating through his meridians on its own. The system had started cultivating. He blinked. "...Already?" He wasn't even trying. His body naturally entered the perfect cultivation state. A smile slowly spread across his face. He lay back on the bed. Placed both hands behind his head. Closed his eyes. "...Guess I'll take a nap." Outside his room, thousands of disciples were diligently cultivating. Inside Courtyard Thirty-Seven... One disciple quietly fell asleep. Yet with every passing breath... He was growing stronger.

Chapter 2: Entering the Azure Cloud Sect