The Grand Hall gradually fell silent once more.
Ling Tianhe slowly raised a hand.
*Hum—*
Four jade tokens resting upon a nearby tray gently rose into the air.
Each token shimmered with a pale azure glow.
Elegant sword patterns had been intricately carved across their surfaces.
At the very center—
a single character had been engraved.
**Cloud.**
The four tokens drifted forward.
One stopped before Ling Jianfei.
Another floated toward Ling Yufei.
The remaining two came to rest before Ling Wei and Ling Yue.
Ling Tianhe spoke calmly.
"...These are your recommendation tokens."
"They grant each of you the opportunity to participate in the Cloud Sword Sect's entrance examination."
His gaze slowly swept across the four youths.
"...Do not misunderstand."
"They are merely recommendations."
"They do not guarantee your acceptance."
"Whether you enter the sect or not..."
"...will depend entirely upon your own ability."
One after another—
the four youths reached out.
Each accepted their respective jade token.
The instant their fingers made contact—
the tokens emitted a faint azure glow before gradually falling silent once more.
At that moment—
a figure quietly appeared beside the entrance.
No one had noticed his arrival.
An elderly man dressed in plain blue robes stood with both hands tucked inside his sleeves.
His aura was tranquil.
Completely restrained.
Yet every elder within the hall instinctively acknowledged his presence.
Ling Tianhe inclined his head slightly.
"...Elder Zuo."
The old man returned the gesture with a faint nod.
The Clan Head then turned back toward the four youths.
"Elder Zuo, together with the elders from the other major clans, will escort all recommended disciples to the Cloud Sword Sect."
"He will ensure that everyone arrives safely."
The four youths bowed respectfully.
"This junior greets Elder Zuo."
The elderly man smiled faintly.
"...There's no need for such formality."
His calm gaze briefly swept across each of them.
Then he turned toward the doorway.
"...Come along."
Without another word—
he stepped outside.
The four youths immediately followed behind him.
---
After leaving the Grand Hall—
they quietly made their way through the Ling Clan estate.
No one spoke.
Only the soft sound of footsteps echoed along the stone pathways.
Ling Jianfei remained at the rear.
From time to time, his gaze drifted toward Ling Wei and Ling Yue.
His thoughts churned relentlessly.
*Something isn't right...*
*The two of them have changed.*
Not merely their cultivation.
Their demeanor.
Their confidence.
Even the way they carried themselves.
Everything felt different.
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
*And then...*
*The Golden Lotus Pavilion.*
According to the information he had gathered—
the siblings had spent an unusually long time there before returning.
Naturally—
he had ordered people to investigate.
Yet the results had been...
Entirely ordinary.
Nothing suspicious had been reported.
No mysterious visitors.
No secret meetings.
Nothing worthy of attention.
At the time—
he had dismissed it.
But now...
His gaze lingered on the siblings' backs.
*Both of them advanced.*
*Both returned completely different.*
*And no one knows why.*
His expression darkened almost imperceptibly.
*The Golden Lotus Pavilion...*
*They must have hidden something.*
*Either someone deliberately concealed the truth...*
*Or my investigation never reached the people who truly knew what happened.*
Neither possibility pleased him.
Silently—
he committed the matter to memory.
*Once the entrance examination is over...*
*I'll investigate the Golden Lotus Pavilion myself.*
Ahead—
Ling Wei and Ling Yue walked as though completely unaware of the gaze fixed upon their backs.
Above Ling Yue's head—
hidden beneath flawless concealment—
the tiny white-scaled lizard remained perfectly still.
His golden eyes stayed half-closed.
He never spared Ling Jianfei so much as a glance.
To him...
The young man's suspicions were no more significant than a passing breeze.
The streets gradually gave way to the eastern district of Lotus City.
The scent of fresh water drifted through the air.
Before long—
the group emerged onto the city's expansive river docks.
Countless wooden piers stretched far across the broad river.
Merchant vessels drifted peacefully atop the gentle current.
Smaller fishing boats weaved effortlessly between them.
Further ahead—
several enormous spirit ships floated quietly above the river's surface.
Complex runes glowed beneath their massive hulls, allowing the colossal vessels to hover several feet above the water.
Ling Yue looked toward the ships with visible curiosity.
"...So we're traveling by river?"
Elder Zuo nodded.
"...The Cloud Sword Sect lies several thousand li from here."
"The fastest—and safest—route is by spirit vessel."
Just then—
a familiar voice echoed across the docks.
"...Ling Wei!"
"...Ling Yue!"
The siblings paused.
They turned toward the source.
One of the massive spirit ships had already docked nearby.
Standing along its railing—
a young man waved enthusiastically.
Chi Bai.
"...Over here!"
Ling Wei's expression relaxed into a faint smile.
"...Bai."
His gaze shifted toward those standing beside him.
"...Gu Su."
"...Duan Shen."
"...Song Qin."
Each of the young men nodded back with smiles of their own.
Ling Yue's eyes brightened.
"...And Fu Yao!"
Standing beside the others—
the young woman smiled warmly before offering a small wave.
"...Looks like everyone's here."
Chi Bai laughed heartily.
"...Of course!"
"What did you think?"
"We were going to miss the Cloud Sword Sect's entrance examination?"
Before the conversation could continue—
Elder Zuo calmly stepped forward.
"...If your reunion is over..."
"...board the ship."
"The disciples from the other clans have already arrived."
Without further delay—
the group crossed the boarding bridge.
One after another—
Ling Wei.
Ling Yue.
Ling Jianfei.
Ling Yufei.
Each stepped aboard the massive spirit vessel.
The broad wooden deck was spacious enough to accommodate several hundred cultivators.
Intricate formation patterns had been engraved into every plank.
Numerous young cultivators had already gathered aboard.
Some wore the robes of neighboring clans.
Others stood alone, quietly observing the newcomers.
As the Ling Clan disciples boarded—
many curious gazes shifted toward them.
The atmosphere remained calm.
Yet beneath that calm surface—
everyone understood.
The journey had only just begun.
Soon...
Every young cultivator aboard this vessel would become a competitor, striving for the very same opportunity.
Time passed.
The last of the passengers finished boarding.
Several elders exchanged brief nods.
One of them stepped toward the center of the deck before gently placing his palm against a formation plate.
*Hum—*
The engraved formations throughout the spirit ship awakened one after another.
Lines of radiant light spread beneath the deck.
The surrounding spiritual qi rapidly gathered toward the vessel.
A deep vibration echoed throughout the entire ship.
*Rumble...*
The enormous spirit vessel slowly rose above the river.
Soft gasps immediately erupted from the docks below.
Countless mortals looked upward in astonishment.
"...It's flying!"
"A spirit ship!"
"Look!"
Children pointed excitedly toward the sky.
Merchants paused in the middle of their work.
Even seasoned travelers couldn't help but stop and admire the magnificent vessel as it ascended.
The river beneath churned with rippling waves as the massive ship continued climbing.
Higher.
Higher still.
Before long—
it sailed above the clouds.
The city below steadily shrank into the distance.
Lotus City gradually disappeared from sight.
Soon—
nothing remained beneath them except endless mountain ranges and drifting seas of clouds.
---
On the deck—
the atmosphere had grown considerably livelier.
The tension from earlier had largely faded.
Groups of young cultivators naturally gathered together.
Some discussed the upcoming entrance examination.
Others exchanged cultivation experiences.
Chi Bai leaned casually against the railing before flashing Ling Wei a grin.
"...I heard you disappeared for several days."
"What were you two doing?"
Ling Wei smiled faintly.
"...Cultivating."
Chi Bai blinked.
"...That's it?"
Ling Yue nodded with complete seriousness.
"...That's it."
Chi Bai stared at the siblings for several long seconds.
Then suddenly burst into laughter.
"...You actually expect me to believe that?"
Gu Su chuckled softly.
"...Knowing those two..."
"...it's honestly believable."
Song Qin nodded in agreement.
"They've always been like that."
Duan Shen folded his arms across his chest.
"...Speaking of cultivation..."
His gaze swept over Ling Wei.
"...You've broken through again."
Ling Wei gave a small nod.
"...A few days ago."
Chi Bai's eyes widened.
"...Seriously?"
He slapped Ling Wei on the shoulder.
"You used to be behind me!"
"...Now you've already caught up!"
Ling Yue smiled proudly.
"...Brother worked very hard."
Chi Bai turned toward her.
"...And what about you?"
"What realm are you at now?"
Ling Yue scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"...Fourth Stage."
Fu Yao smiled warmly.
"...Congratulations."
"It seems your trip before the examination wasn't wasted after all."
Ling Yue laughed awkwardly.
"...You could say that."
Nearby—
Ling Jianfei silently observed the lively conversation.
His expression remained indifferent.
Yet his gaze occasionally drifted toward the siblings.
His thoughts had not changed.
*They're hiding something.*
Not far away—
Ling Yufei quietly leaned against another section of the railing.
She glanced toward the cheerful group.
Then looked away with a soft click of her tongue.
"...Still as noisy as ever."
Above everyone's heads—
hidden beneath flawless concealment—
the tiny white-scaled lizard rested atop Ling Yue's head.
His golden eyes remained half-closed.
He paid no attention to the conversation unfolding below.
Instead—
his soul perception quietly spread across the entirety of the spirit vessel.
Observing.
Listening.
Learning.
Without anyone realizing it...
The smallest passenger aboard the ship...
was also the one who noticed the most.