The next morning was bittersweet.
Old Widow Liu embraced Luo Chen at the orphanage gate, her eyes filled with tears. The other children had woken early to say goodbye, surrounding him with a mixture of emotions—sadness at his departure, excitement about his opportunity, and perhaps a hint of jealousy that he was being chosen for something greater than them.
"Luo Chen, you were always meant for great things," Old Widow Liu whispered, holding him tightly. "Go forth and become someone the world will remember. And perhaps, if you find success, you will remember those you left behind."
"I will, Widow Liu. I will remember all of you," Luo Chen promised, his voice thick with emotion.
As he climbed into the carriage that Elder Liu had arranged, Luo Chen watched the orphanage disappear behind him. He clutched the jade disk, now openly worn on a cord around his neck as his primary possession, and tried to imagine what life in the sect would be like.
The journey to the Azure Cloud Sect took five days by carriage, traveling along mountain roads that became progressively steeper as they ascended into the Skyreach Mountains. Elder Liu used the travel time to provide preliminary instruction in cultivation basics.
"The Azure Cloud Sect operates on a system of ranks," Elder Liu explained during one of their evening stops. "Outer disciples are the lowest rank, typically new recruits with limited training. Inner disciples have advanced to a higher level of cultivation and have greater access to the sect's resources. Core disciples are the elite, trained directly by the sect master and serving as representatives of the sect. And above all are the immortal realm cultivators—those who have transcended the limitations of mortality itself."
"How long does it take to advance from outer disciple to inner disciple?" Luo Chen asked.
"Typically, five to ten years of dedicated cultivation. Some exceptional disciples manage it in three to five years. Very few accomplish it faster than that." Elder Liu paused, then added, "Your celestial disturbance suggests exceptional potential. I would not be surprised if you advance faster than most."
Elder Liu also explained the sect's cultivation ranking system. There were nine major realms of cultivation:
Body Refinement—the foundation, where cultivators strengthened their physical bodies
Spiritual Awakening—where cultivators established their dantian and spiritual core
Qi Gathering—where cultivators expanded their spiritual reserves
Spatial Mastery—where cultivators began to manipulate space itself Temporal Sovereignty—where cultivators gained mastery over time
Immortal Ascension—where cultivators transcended mortal limitations Celestial Transcendence—where cultivators rivaled heavenly beings
Law Manifestation—where laws became physical aspects of reality
Cosmic Singularity—where cultivators approached the theoretical limit of power
Each realm was further divided into nine stages. A cultivator in the first stage of Body Refinement was a beginner, while a cultivator in the ninth stage of Body Refinement was at the peak of that realm and ready for breakthrough to Spiritual Awakening.
As Elder Liu explained these ranks, Luo Chen began to understand the scope of what lay before him. His breakthrough had only achieved the first stage of Spiritual Awakening—establishing his dantian. There were eight more stages within this realm alone, and then eight more entire realms beyond.
The path of cultivation was long indeed.