Due to Elders Wu Ying and Zhang Jichen “accidentally” consuming the elixirs Bai Ye had refined, Qin Jue was forced to become the person in charge of this training expedition.
To be honest, Qin Jue hadn’t wanted to agree at first, but then he suddenly remembered the young girl named Luo Weiwei.
Though they rarely spoke, they were at least acquainted.
Coupled with Bai Ye’s desperate pleas, Qin Jue reluctantly agreed.
“Little one, I might be away for a while starting tomorrow. Practice well on your own.”
Qin Jue said to the “weed.”
As if understanding his words, the “weed” obediently nodded, indicating it understood.
“Ah, having such an unreliable senior brother is truly difficult.”
Sighing helplessly, Qin Jue unrolled the scroll Bai Ye had given him and began reading it carefully.
Although Qin Jue was the youngest Arch-Elder in the history of the Mystic Unity Sect and the honorary deputy sect leader, he had almost never participated in the sect’s internal meetings, let alone taught martial arts courses or led training expeditions.
In fact, since Bai Ye became sect leader, Qin Jue had rarely even left the Silent Cliff.
After reading the scroll, Qin Jue finally understood what this training expedition was all about.
The path of martial arts is like rowing against the current—either you advance or you fall back.
Beyond cultivation, the most important aspect is practical combat.
Only by experiencing true life-and-death battles can one be considered a qualified martial artist.
Every year, the Mystic Unity Sect organizes its new disciples to go to the Black Forest for training.
Disciples are ranked based on the number of demon beasts they slay.
The top three receive spiritual energy infusions, greatly boosting their strength.
The training lasts for three days.
Disciples who slay fewer than three demon beasts can enter the outer sect.
Those who slay three or more are directly promoted to the inner sect.
The demon beasts counted are of the lowest Yellow-rank.
Although Qin Jue was replacing Wu Ying as the main person in charge of this training expedition, his task was simple: he only needed to ensure the safety of the disciples going to the Black Forest.
As for other matters, Qin Jue didn’t need to worry at all, since several instructors were accompanying them.
“Consider it a trip.”
Putting away the scroll, Qin Jue comforted himself with this thought.
…
The Black Forest was a full thousand miles away from the Mystic Unity Sect.
Traveling on foot would take at least half a month.
Therefore, specially tamed griffins were necessary to reach it quickly.
It’s worth mentioning that griffins are not considered demon beasts.
However, they are massive in size, capable of carrying dozens of people and covering a thousand miles in a day.
They have long been the Mystic Unity Sect’s chosen means of air travel.
When Qin Jue went to attend the Demon-Slaying Grand Conclave before, Bai Ye had assigned him one, but Qin Jue ultimately refused.
The next day, when Qin Jue arrived at the departure point, several griffins were already filled with disciples.
The leaders were several Mystic-rank instructors.
Bai Ye stood in the distance, waiting for him.
“Junior Brother, you’re finally here!”
Seeing Qin Jue appear, Bai Ye immediately breathed a sigh of relief, almost rushing over to hug him.
“So many people?”
Qin Jue glanced around, quite surprised.
“These are all the new disciples recruited this year. They represent the future of our Mystic Unity Sect, Junior Brother. I’m entrusting them to you!”
Bai Ye said with a grave expression.
Rolling his eyes in exasperation, Qin Jue said, “Understood. Don’t worry.”
“Oh, right. This is for you.”
Bai Ye took out a jade vial and handed it to Qin Jue.
“What is this?”
“An elixir I refined. If any disciples get injured, they can take it.”
“No, you should keep it for yourself.”
“……”
After saying this, Qin Jue ignored Bai Ye and flew to land atop one of the griffins.
“Arch-Elder.”
The instructor standing on that griffin immediately bowed in salute, causing a stir of murmurs.
“Mmm. Let’s go.”
Qin Jue sat cross-legged and took a sip of wine.
“Yes, sir!”
That instructor immediately raised his voice and announced, “We depart!”
Whoosh—
Several griffins beat their wings, stirring up a fierce gale. They quickly ascended into the high sky and flew toward the horizon.
“Hold on tight. We will reach our destination in one day.”
The instructor continued.
It is worth mentioning that over two hundred new disciples were participating in this training expedition.
They were divided among six griffins for transport, and Luo Weiwei was not on the same griffin as Qin Jue.
“Hey, did you guys hear that? Just now, Instructor Chen addressed that senior as ‘Arch-Elder’—could he be the Sect Master’s junior brother?”
Someone couldn’t help but whisper.
“I heard it too, but he looks about the same age as us.”
Another chimed in.
“What do you know? Martial artists can maintain their youth. What if he just appears young?”
“Huh… you have a point.”
Many new disciples buzzed with discussion.
They had all recently joined the Mystic Unity Sect and did not recognize Qin Jue, so they were full of curiosity.
Qin Jue paid no mind to this at all.
After all, he had encountered similar situations countless times.
When he attended the Demon-Slaying Grand Conclave before, people had mistaken him for a disciple from another sect.
At the same time, Luo Weiwei, seated on another griffin, lifted her gaze to look in this direction.
She had noticed Qin Jue the moment he appeared but hadn’t been sure.
The distance was too great, and she hadn’t clearly heard the instructor’s words, so she had been somewhat bewildered.
“Why is he here?”
Luo Weiwei was utterly puzzled.
Given the strength Qin Jue had displayed before, it was clearly impossible for him to be a new disciple.
After all, how could a new disciple be free and idle every day?
He couldn’t be an instructor either.
Luo Weiwei had basically met all the instructors of the Mystic Unity Sect.
Besides, even if he were an instructor, he shouldn’t have been able to see through her cultivation method.
Suddenly, Luo Weiwei had a bold thought.
Could he be the Martial Elder in charge of leading this expedition?
But yesterday, wasn’t it said that the Martial Elder couldn’t lead the team for some reason and a replacement had been found?
And one was surnamed Wu, the other Qin—their surnames were completely different.
Thinking of this, Luo Weiwei suddenly realized.
Right, there was a personnel change.
It was very possible that Qin Jue had replaced that Martial Elder.
In other words, Qin Jue was at least an Elder!
Luo Weiwei found this somewhat hard to believe.
This youth, who looked about her age and seemed to only know how to drink and sleep all day, was actually a high-ranking powerhouse?
Although she was very reluctant to accept it, at the moment, this seemed to be the only plausible explanation.
“Just who exactly is he…”
The girl bit her lip, her expression extremely complex.
On the other side, Qin Jue was completely unaware that he had already caught the girl’s attention.
He was calmly drinking his spirit wine.
The breeze blowing toward him stirred his hair.
His white robes fluttered, untouched by any worldly cares.
Especially those eyes—clear and profound, like a starry sky, vast and boundless.
Many female disciples sitting farther back saw this scene and all revealed enchanted expressions.
Even though they couldn’t see Qin Jue’s face, his aura alone was already extraordinary, like an immortal descended to the mortal world.
This was also the biggest difference between Qin Jue and other transmigrators.
Who said being invincible meant you had to look ordinary?
