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The grand bell of the Seven Valley Sect tolled nine times, echoing across mountain peaks like thunder rolling through the heavens. The sound stirred the morning mist that clung to the valleys, and from all corners of the sect, disciples in neatly pressed robes made their way toward the Central Courtyard.
Su Yang walked silently among them, his steps calm but measured. Clad in the gray-blue uniform of the outer disciples, he stood out not for his appearance but for the quiet determination in his eyes. He carried no sword on his back, no badge of noble lineage. Only the weight of ambition and a mysterious fire that pulsed gently within his chest—a flame even he hadn't fully understood yet.
Today was the day of the Sect Assembly. Once every season, disciples were summoned to receive their training assignments. It was the sect's way of cultivating strength, wisdom, and loyalty in equal measure. Many hoped for light duties in libraries or peaceful jobs guarding herb gardens. Others dreamed of being selected by inner court elders or skilled masters. Su Yang? He had no such expectations—only the will to walk forward.
The Central Courtyard was massive, large enough to fit thousands. It stood in a wide basin of white stone, flanked by pavilions and waterfalls that glistened under the rising sun. Stone statues of the Seven Founders loomed at the edges, watching in eternal silence as generations passed beneath their gaze.
Rows of disciples stood in formation as the elders filed in. Bright robes shimmered—fiery red for the Valley of Harmonious Flames, pale silver for the Ice Orchid Ravine, green-blue for the Thunder Gale Cliffs, and more. Each valley had its own lineage, focus, and traditions. Su Yang had entered through the Valley of Harmonious Flames, but he hadn't seen its true depths yet. Today might change that.
At the head of the stage stood a raised platform wrapped in spirit formations. A tall figure emerged through the fog—Sect Master Wei Jun, clad in layered robes of black and gold. His long beard moved with the breeze, and his presence was like a mountain, calm but immovable.
When he raised his hand, silence fell like a curtain.
"Young cultivators of the Seven Valley Sect," Sect Master Wei Jun said, his voice echoing without force. "Today, the heavens witness your first steps beyond the comfort of walls. This assembly is not merely to distribute tasks—but to mark your growth, your choices, and your fate."
The disciples bowed in unison, their voices ringing like a tide. "We receive the Sect Master's words."
The Sect Master continued. "In our world, strength is not gained in silence but through trial. This sect stands not to shelter cowards but to raise pillars. Today, you will be sent across the continent—to border towns, spirit herb fields, law enforcement squads, and yes… even the shadowed corners where danger lurks."
Murmurs rippled through the ranks. Some faces paled. Others lit with excitement.
"Your allocations will be announced shortly," he said, stepping aside.
A refined woman in red robes walked up next—Valley Master Mei Yuling. Su Yang straightened unconsciously when he saw her. Though they had met once already, no one around him knew. She appeared calm and dignified, her face unreadable beneath long black hair tied with a fire-shaped jade pin.
"All disciples of the Valley of Harmonious Flames," she said softly, yet her voice carried through the field like a whisper carried on fire, "report to the west podium for mission scrolls and instructions."
Su Yang moved with the others, heart steady but mind alert.
At the western podium, instructors handed out jade slips glowing with soft runes. Each slip held a mission—guarding a city gate, assisting in alchemy experiments, patrolling wilderness paths.
Then came a moment that made Su Yang pause.
A cloaked elder walked toward him directly, a scroll wrapped in golden seals in his hand. Without a word, the man placed it into Su Yang's palm. It was warm—unnaturally so.
"The Valley Master sends this," the elder said softly, then walked away before anyone else could notice.
Su Yang blinked but remained expressionless. He slipped the sealed jade scroll into his inner robe and continued forward.
> "What kind of mission needs to be delivered like this?" he wondered. "And why me?"
The rest of the assignments passed in a blur. Disciples either celebrated their postings or sighed with frustration. Some were chosen by famous elders; others were bound to common errands. Su Yang, meanwhile, now held something far more mysterious.
He remained silent through the closing remarks, feeling the scroll's warmth pulse faintly against his chest like a second heartbeat.
By late morning, the assembly concluded. Disciples dispersed, forming small groups as they prepared for departure. Many laughed or bickered among friends, others rushed to pack essentials.
Su Yang walked alone.
> "This sect… it does not hand out kindness without reason. That jade scroll is no reward—it's a test."
As he crossed back through the courtyard, his eyes were drawn to the statues of the Seven Founders once more. Their stone gazes seemed to pierce through time.
He exhaled slowly and clenched his hand.
Whatever came next—be it trial or danger—he would face it. Not as someone chasing titles. But as someone who had chosen his own path.
And the path had only just begun.
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