"I think this handsome young man is very well suited for Snow Peak," Su Yao said, her phoenix eyes glinting with mischief as she looked at Mu Chen.
The outcome of the battle pleased her greatly. Lu Feng had been Lingtian's favoured disciple and seeing him humbled brought her no small satisfaction.
"Don't even think about taking him!" Peak Lord Wu Hong roared, his voice like muffled thunder. "He is clearly the future pillar of Hongya Peak!"
Throughout the battle, Wu Hong had grown increasingly fond of Mu Chen's raw physical strength. To a man devoted to tempering flesh and bone, Mu Chen was nothing less than a rare treasure.
"There are already enough sweaty brutes on your peak," Su Yao shot back, her tone playful yet sharp. "A refined young man like him would be wasted there. Even your own granddaughter refuses to join you."
"She simply doesn't understand the true power of external cultivation," Wu Hong replied with a confident grin. "When the body is pushed to its limits, every strike can tear space itself. Why pursue anything else?"
Despite his bluster, Wu Hong knew in his heart that he could not force a disciple of this caliber to join him, but he was certainly not going to let him go without a fight.
Amidst the bickering of the Peak Lords, Sect Master Qing Feng remained silent. He stood at the head of the clouds, his white hair fluttering in the spiritual wind. With a casual wave of his hand, a ripple of translucent energy spread outward from his fingers, washing over the entire pyramid of stone platforms.
The effect was instantaneous. Billions of brilliant lights descended upon the tired and wounded disciples, infusing them with a warmth that seemed to reach into their very marrow. In a breath, their depleted Source Qi was restored to its peak, and every bruise, cut, and broken bone was knitted back together.
The disciples looked at their own hands in shock; the feeling of power coursing through their bodies told them this was no illusion.
The power of a Soul Transcendence expert at the peak was truly terrifying—they could restore nearly ten thousand people to their optimal state in an instant, a feat that would normally take a practitioner half a day of meditation to achieve.
"From today onwards, you may officially enter the inner mountain to cultivate," the imposing voice of Sect Master Qing Feng resonated between heaven and earth.
The more than nine thousand disciples remaining on the stone platforms erupted into a sea of jubilation. They had persevered through the brutal selection, and their joy was palpable.
Below them, however, those who had been knocked off or failed to secure a platform could only sigh in bitter disappointment. The Sky Sect was a place of opportunity, but reality was inherently cruel to those who could not grasp it.
"The top ten finishers of the ceremony will be granted the privilege to choose which peak they wish to cultivate on," the Sect Master continued, his gaze sweeping over the highest platforms. "Furthermore, they will receive the prestigious title of Disciple of the Golden Belt."
Neither Sect Master Qing Feng nor the other elders showed even a flicker of compassion for the thousands of failures. The Sky Sect was one of the Six Super Sects, a pillar of the Sky Heaven; it was not a charitable organization meant to coddle the weak.
"Mu Chen," Sect Master Qing Feng's voice turned noticeably gentler as he looked toward the golden platform. "You are the undisputed first in this ceremony. Which peak do you choose to join?"
Every disciple in the mountain range leaned forward, their curiosity piqued. Traditionally, the top position came with extraordinary treatment and invitations from every corner of the sect. Even the Sect Master's own Sky Peak, the strongest of the seven, was a likely destination.
Lu Feng, sitting on his lower platform, watched with a complex expression. In his mind, he should have been the one standing there, answering that question.
Before Mu Chen could even open his mouth, the White-Browed Elder stepped forward. "Sect Master, you certainly will not lack any disciples on Sky Peak. Why don't you let this boy come with us instead?"
"He is right," Wu Hong added, his voice vibrating in the air. "Most of the top talents over the last several years have been funnelled into Sky Peak and Sword Origin Peak. It has reached a point where the other peaks have very few outstanding disciples left to mention. Mu Chen meets the standards of the Spirit Rune Peak in every respect, but he also has the heart of a warrior."
"You brute, Wu!" Su Yao said, glaring at the master of Hongya Peak. "Look at the state of your disciples! Mu Chen is a refined genius, not a boulder-crusher. Why are you even joining in the fun? He belongs on Snow Peak."
"What do you know, little sister?" Wu Hong retorted. "The path of external physical training is not limited to muscular men. Big muscles do not necessarily imply great physical strength, and Mu Chen's lean frame hides a terrifying power. He is a natural!"
"Well, this old woman has her eye on him, and I am the junior sister here. What can you do about it?" Su Yao said arrogantly.
Having been pampered by her senior brothers for centuries, she had no qualms about using her status to get what she wanted.
Mu Chen stood on the golden platform, Nibi resting in his arms. He looked at the bickering giants and let out a long, weary sigh. Nibi mimicked the gesture, her whiskers twitching in unison with Mu Chen's breath. Both of them were getting the distinct feeling that this was going to be an incredibly long and noisy day.
"Mu Chen," Su Yao said, turning her full attention back to him and ignoring her brothers. "As long as you come to Snow Peak, I will grant you your own personal Spring Mountain for cultivation. Furthermore, I will personally ensure you become one of the Ten Holy Children within two years. I, Su Yao, always keep my word!"
The offer was so generous that a collective gasp went through the crowd. In the outer sect, a single Spring Mountain was a resource shared by all first-class disciples. To be given an entire mountain for personal use was a treatment unheard of for a newcomer.
"Several Summit Masters," a cold, thunderous voice cut through the air. Lei Li, the Summit Lord of Thunder Peak, finally spoke. He had remained silent and impartial throughout the ceremony, "The fact that you are arbitrarily distributing the sacred resources of the Sky Sect in such a manner is a blatant breach of the rules. We cannot set such a precedent."
"Master Lei Li is absolutely right," Sect Master Qing Feng nodded, his expression turning serious again.
He felt that the promises being made were becoming unreasonable. If they allowed such things, what would the disciples of previous generations think? They could not rewrite the sect's laws just for one person, no matter how talented.
"Mu Chen, the choice is yours. The reward for being first will not be diminished, regardless of your destination."
Mu Chen finally felt a moment of peace. He looked up at the giants and spoke clearly. "Saint Origin Peak."
The silence that followed was absolute.
The Sect Master and the other lords were visibly astonished. Had Mu Chen chosen to join any, others would have been only disappointed but not surprised. However, no one had foreseen him choosing the Saint Origin Peak.
Yet, as the shock wore off, a look of fondness appeared in the eyes of Sect Master Qing Feng and the other direct disciples of the Tian Cang Ancestor. The Saint Origin Peak was their Master's legacy, and Mu Chen's choice felt like a tribute to that memory.
"Haha!" Su Yao laughed, her disappointment replaced by a strange admiration. "If you ever need anything, as long as it is within the rules, you can come find me at Snow Peak. Don't worry about a thing; this old woman will look after you."
"Since you have made your decision, I shall grant it," Sect Master Qing Feng said with a slight smile. "From this day forward, you will cultivate at Saint Origin Peak."
Perhaps a genius like Mu Chen was exactly what that decaying peak needed to see a turning point.
Wu Yan and Lu Feng stared at Mu Chen from their respective platforms. They both remembered him saying the same thing back in the Scripture Pavilion, but at the time, they had assumed it was a joke or a deflection.
Lei Li watched Mu Chen closely, his eyes narrowing. Could it be that Tian Cang left some hidden backup or a secret trick behind at the Holy Origin Peak, and this boy has come specifically to find it? he wondered. He suppressed the thought for now, deciding to observe the boy's actions in the coming months.
"As the first-place finisher, this Heavenly-tier technique, the Divine Record of the Celestial Sun, is the reward you have earned," the Sect Master said, producing an ancient, leather-bound book. A scorching, solar aura emanated from the text, making the air around it shimmered as if a miniature sun were descending.
Mu Chen accepted the book with a simple nod, lacking any of the typical awe one would show a Heavenly-tier art.
The Sect Master's appreciation for Mu Chen only grew. Despite coming from the weakest domain in the Sky Heaven, he remained perfectly composed before such high-level skill.
"As the remaining nine most outstanding disciples, you also have the right to choose your peaks," the Sect Master announced.
The process moved quickly. Wu Yan chose the Sky Peak, seeking the strongest foundation. Lu Feng, as expected, joined the Sword Peak. One by one, they made their choices until only Shen Xi remained.
"Child," the White-Browed Elder spoke, his voice serious and devoid of any humor. "If you are willing to join the Spirit Rune Peak, I will personally guide you. In fact, I can promise that I will pass on the position of Summit Master to you in the future."
The other giants were visibly shocked. The position of a Summit Master was a seat of ultimate power within the continent, yet the elder was offering it as a recruitment incentive. However, they remained silent; the succession of a peak was the internal affair of its master.
Shen Xi looked at the elder and gently shook her head, her beautiful face remaining indifferent. "I have no interest in becoming a Summit Master. Furthermore, I have no intention of being separated from Mu Chen. Therefore, I will join the Summit of Holy Origin as well."
The crowd was speechless. Many disciples were gripped by a mixture of envy and hatred. To think that an elite beauty would reject the seat of a Summit Master just to follow a boy into a decaying, stagnant peak!
If looks could kill, Mu Chen would have been reduced to a bloody mess by the collective glare of the ten thousand disciples.
"Well," the White-Browed Elder sighed, though he didn't look angry. "The library of runes and formations on my peak shall remain open to you. If you ever need anything, you may come at any time."
Shen Xi nodded. This was a practical benefit, so she saw no reason to reject it.
As the Mountain Selection Ceremony reached its conclusion, the six principal figures vanished in a flash of light. The disciples who had passed were told they would be moved into the inner mountain in three days.
Those three days were meant for final preparations, as once they entered the inner peaks, the life they knew in the outer mountains would be gone forever.