Nestled deep within the towering mountains of the northwestern wilderness, the Longyin Temple lay shrouded in mystery. Encircled by rugged peaks and veiled by powerful enchantments, the temple was completely cut off from the mundane world. Its seclusion had allowed it to maintain an untouched serenity that few in the cultivation world had ever glimpsed.
Within its sacred walls, the disciples of Longyin Temple dedicated their days to Buddhist rituals and meditation, rarely stepping into the world of cultivators. However, when significant events rocked the cultivation world, Longyin Temple would always dispatch envoys to serve as impartial arbiters. Owing to its unwavering neutrality and deep spiritual authority, the temple held a position of immense influence, and its reputation across the cultivation realm was unmatched.
On this particular day, Zhao Rui, Dunchen, and Sun Xiaolan stood at the edge of the temple's vast boundary array. Having just passed through the barrier, they now found themselves before the unassuming main gate of Longyin Temple.
The entrance, modest in its design, bore none of the grandeur one might expect from a sanctuary of such prestige. In fact, it appeared no different from that of an ordinary monastic retreat. A long flight of ancient stone steps stretched endlessly upward from the gate to the main temple complex, winding toward the heavens—thousands upon thousands of steps, the end of which was lost in mist.
As the trio crossed the threshold, their presence stirred the protective array, and moments later, two monks appeared, seemingly floating out from within the temple. Both looked to be in their thirties, dressed in simple robes and radiating a calm, welcoming aura.
"Amitabha. May I ask who the three of you are?" one of the monks greeted them with a respectful bow.
Sun Xiaolan returned the gesture and replied, "I am Sun Xiaolan, newly accepted disciple of Li Lingfeng, Sect Master of the Shushan Sword Sect. At my master's command, I have come to attend the abdication ceremony of Master Tianyin. These two are my companions, Zhao Rui and Dunchen."
At the mention of Li Lingfeng, the monks' expressions immediately shifted to one of deference, and they quickly invited the group to proceed up the mountain steps.
They passed the stone stairway, ascended to a wide-open plaza, and continued until they reached the grand hall—Mahavira Hall—at the heart of the temple.
As they stepped inside, the scent of sandalwood incense embraced them. Their eyes were immediately drawn to a colossal golden statue of the Buddha, twenty meters tall, radiating both peace and awe. The statue's features were benevolent yet majestic, evoking reverence in all who beheld it.
The hall was already filled with more than twenty figures, each seated cross-legged on their meditation cushions. At the head of the assembly sat an elderly monk clad in bright yellow robes. His eyebrows and beard were snow white, and though his face wore a gentle smile, there was a sacred solemnity in his bearing that commanded respect. This could only be Tianyin, the esteemed abbot of Longyin Temple.
Many of the others were unfamiliar to Zhao Rui, but their calm auras and powerful presence suggested that they, too, were cultivators of considerable standing—perhaps at the Integration Stage or beyond. Despite their power, every one of them carried themselves with utmost humility within this hall, their voices hushed and their movements reverent.
The two monks stepped forward and whispered the newcomers' identities to Master Tianyin. The old monk nodded slowly, stood up, and smiled warmly.
"Amitabha. So, disciples of the Shushan Sect have arrived. I apologize for not greeting you personally," he said.
Sun Xiaolan hastily bowed in return. "Master Tianyin, you are too kind. I am not worthy of such courtesy. My teacher had originally wished to attend himself, but his obligations were too numerous, and he could not leave. He sends me in his place and begs your forgiveness."
Tianyin's smile deepened with understanding. "Li Lingfeng is the master of a grand sect—naturally, his responsibilities are many. The fact that he sent his disciple to attend is already a great honor for our Longyin Temple. I must congratulate him on accepting such a fine student."
With that, he turned to introduce Sun Xiaolan to the other gathered cultivators, listing off names that were legendary in the cultivation world—Master Qixu of the Hengshan Sword Sect, Master Guangpu of the Putuo Guanghua Monastery, and Daoist Yueling of the Huashan One Qi Sect.
Each of them was a master of their own domain, the heads of influential sects whose names carried great weight. Though Sun Xiaolan had only been training under Li Lingfeng for a few months, she had heard all these names before. Now that she was suddenly seated among them, she couldn't help but feel a deep pressure weighing down on her. What if she made a mistake? What if she brought disgrace upon her sect? What if she offended these mighty figures?
Sensing her unease, Master Tianyin gently placed a hand on her shoulder. The touch was light, yet seemed to carry a calming energy that soothed the storm inside her. The tension dissolved from her body, and she felt a serene clarity replace the anxiety.
"Come," he said kindly, pointing toward three empty cushions. "Sun benefactor, please take a seat."
She bowed again in gratitude and sat where directed, while Zhao Rui and Dunchen quietly chose cushions beside her.
Meanwhile, murmurs of surprise rippled through the gathered cultivators. Many had caught wind of her identity as Li Lingfeng's new disciple, and were visibly perplexed. Sun Xiaolan's cultivation was astonishingly weak—barely beyond that of an ordinary mortal. Her spiritual roots were also unremarkable. How had a proud and discerning figure like Li Lingfeng accepted such a disciple?
Had the master of Shushan gone senile in his later years?
Their doubts only grew when they turned their spiritual senses toward her two companions. What they sensed sent shockwaves through their minds.
Zhao Rui and Dunchen were both in the Tribulation Transcendence Stage!
This was a realm reached by only a handful of cultivators across the entire cultivation world. Aside from a few known individuals like Huayang Zhenjun, most of them were currently seated within this very hall. And yet, these two—who had arrived unnoticed—possessed such overwhelming cultivation?
Where had they come from? Why had no one heard of them before?
Then a possibility surfaced—a startling one. Could these be the very same Zhao Rui and Dunchen who had recently slain Huayang Zhenjun?
The room grew still as the implications sank in. Bits of rumors and hearsay began to align with what they now saw before them.
Master Tianyin, of course, had noticed Zhao Rui and Dunchen from the start. Turning to Sun Xiaolan, he asked in a composed yet knowing tone, "Sun benefactor, the two companions beside you seem to have reached quite extraordinary realms. Could they be the Zhao Rui and Dunchen that the cultivation world has been so abuzz about lately?"
Sun Xiaolan blinked in surprise. "Yes, they are my friends—Zhao Rui and Dunchen," she replied. She glanced at the two men beside her, puzzled. What exactly had they done to cause such a stir? Zhao Rui had never mentioned anything, and even her master had remained silent on the matter.
Master Tianyin's smile broadened as he studied the pair. "So it truly is you two. To think the fifth-strongest cultivator in the realm would be so young. And for both of you to attend my retirement ceremony—this old monk is honored indeed."
Zhao Rui chuckled softly. "You're too modest, Master Tianyin. It is we who should be honored."
Tianyin nodded thoughtfully. Observing the interaction between Zhao Rui and Sun Xiaolan, he seemed to understand something deeper about their bond.
And suddenly, it all made sense—why the famously aloof Li Lingfeng would accept a seemingly ordinary disciple like Sun Xiaolan. It was not merely her potential he had seen, but the power of the company she kept.
So it wasn't about the wine—it was about the tavern.
Li Lingfeng, for all his pride, knew when to humble himself. And Master Tianyin respected that. Zhao Rui was an anomaly in the cultivation world—no one knew how old he really was, but it was clear that his rise had been meteoric, his power fearsome. And beside him, Dunchen, a rare and powerful spirit beast in human form, was no less impressive.
With such formidable allies, the future of the Shushan Sword Sect was not just secure—it could very well ascend to unprecedented heights.