novelraw Chapter 205 — The True Pillars of the Sect
Chapter 205 — The True Pillars of the Sect
The silver formations surrounding the Heaven Measuring Monument continued glowing intensely as spiritual pressure lingered heavily across the training grounds. After witnessing the disciples shatter every reasonable standard of combat evaluation, the atmosphere within the sect had changed completely.
Earlier, the administrators stood with confidence.
Now—
They stood cautious.
Because the disciple generation alone already possessed strength capable of terrifying ordinary sects.
And yet the true pillars of the Sanatan Flame Sect still had not moved.
Xu Wen slowly adjusted the scroll in his hand before speaking.
"...Begin Elder Evaluation."
The disciples immediately straightened with visible excitement.
Even Wang Tian’s eyes lit up.
"Oh this is gonna be good."
Luo Chen folded his arms beside him with a grin.
"Finally the real monsters are stepping up."
Nearby, Xiao Rui looked toward Sheng Lu seriously.
"If the monument explodes, do we still have classes tomorrow?"
"...That should not be your first concern."
At the front rows, Elder Wan sighed softly before shaking his head with helpless amusement.
"You children are treating this like a festival."
Wang Tian immediately pointed toward him.
"Elder Wan! Show them despair!"
Elder Wan blinked once.
"...That escalated quickly."
Even Xu Wen’s expression twitched faintly.
Compared to Elder Jian Fan’s terrifying pressure or Elder Liya’s overwhelming aura, Elder Wan carried an entirely different atmosphere. He looked approachable. Relaxed. More like a scholar enjoying retirement than a cultivator capable of standing among the strongest experts within the sect.
Which somehow made the administrators even more cautious.
Because after everything they had witnessed today—
No one trusted appearances anymore.
Elder Wan stepped forward calmly, the sleeves of his blue elder robes swaying lightly beneath the mountain wind as he approached the Heaven Measuring Monument.
No dramatic pressure emerged.
No spiritual storm.
He simply walked.
And that calmness itself drew attention.
Xu Wen narrowed his eyes slightly while observing him.
"...His spiritual fluctuations are perfectly concealed."
One administrator nodded carefully.
"I can barely sense any aura leakage."
"That level of control..."
Meanwhile, Elder Wan stopped before the monument and looked at it thoughtfully for a moment.
Then he turned toward Xu Wen with a small smile.
"If I accidentally break this thing..."
His gaze shifted briefly toward the monument.
"...will the sect receive the bill?"
Several disciples burst into laughter instantly.
Even King Tian Long chuckled openly.
Xu Wen rubbed the side of his forehead.
"...Please avoid destroying government property."
Elder Wan nodded seriously.
"Understood."
A brief pause followed.
Then he added casually:
"No promises though."
One administrator looked physically stressed hearing that sentence.
Meanwhile, Wang Tian cupped his hands around his mouth dramatically.
"Elder Wan! Don’t hold back!"
Luo Chen immediately joined him.
"Make the old men cry!"
"...We are standing right here," one administrator muttered tiredly.
Shaurya folded his arms proudly nearby.
"That’s sect spirit."
Xu Wen decided not to acknowledge that statement for the sake of his remaining sanity.
Then—
Elder Wan finally raised one hand toward the monument.
And instantly—
The atmosphere changed.
Not violently.
Quietly.
The spiritual energy around him began gathering in complete silence, streams of silver aura flowing toward his palm with impossible smoothness. There was no wasted pressure. No overflowing force. Every strand of energy compressed inward perfectly, layer after layer folding into itself until even the surrounding air began trembling faintly from density alone.
Xu Wen’s expression sharpened immediately.
"...Incredible."
One administrator leaned forward unconsciously.
"He’s compressing spiritual force without leakage..."
Another stared at Elder Wan’s hand.
"...How is the energy this stable?"
The disciples gradually quieted as well.
Because unlike the younger generation’s explosive displays—
This felt refined.
Experienced.
Dangerous in a completely different way.
Elder Wan himself remained smiling casually throughout the entire process.
Like this required no effort at all.
Then—
Instead of punching—
He simply pressed his palm forward gently.
THOOOOOM.
The sound that followed was deep.
Heavy.
The Heaven Measuring Monument trembled violently as compressed force exploded inward through the stone itself before erupting outward in a delayed shockwave that swept across the training grounds a second later.
BOOM.
The disciples’ robes fluttered sharply from the aftershock.
Several administrators’ eyes widened instantly.
Because they had barely seen the attack happen.
The monument glowed brightly.
Silver inscriptions ignited one after another before finally stabilizing into a single number.
61,000
Silence spread across the mountain peak.
One administrator lowered his recording brush slowly.
"...sixty one thousand..."
Another swallowed dryly.
"That force compression..."
"...He released almost no wasted energy."
Xu Wen continued staring at the monument with narrowed eyes.
Because this score felt more frightening than the disciples’ explosive outputs somehow.
There was refinement behind it.
Control.
The strike carried no instability whatsoever.
A veteran expert.
Not a reckless genius.
Meanwhile, Elder Wan simply looked at the result calmly before rubbing the back of his neck with a faint sigh.
"...Only sixty one?"
The administrators almost collapsed emotionally.
ONLY?
Wang Tian immediately shouted from the disciple rows.
"ELDER WAN YOU MONSTER!"
Luo Chen pointed dramatically toward the monument.
"That was terrifyingly smooth!"
Even Xiao Rui nodded seriously.
"He attacked like someone paying taxes."
Nobody understood what that meant.
Not even Xiao Rui himself.
Elder Wan chuckled softly before stepping away from the monument and glancing toward Shaurya.
"Well, at least I didn’t embarrass the sect."
Shaurya gave him a thumbs up immediately.
"You emotionally damaged the administrators. Excellent work."
Xu Wen slowly closed his eyes for one brief moment.
Then exhaled deeply.
The elder evaluations had only just begun.
And already—
The situation was becoming unreasonable again.
The glowing number above the Heaven Measuring Monument slowly faded, yet the pressure left behind by Elder Wan’s strike still lingered faintly across the training grounds.
61,000.
Even after several breaths, the administrators still looked disturbed by it.
Not because of raw destruction alone.
But because of how effortless it had appeared.
Elder Wan returned toward the elder rows with his usual relaxed smile while several disciples immediately erupted into cheers.
"Elder Wan is terrifying!"
"That attack looked casual!"
"He hit the monument like he was greeting an old friend!"
Elder Wan laughed helplessly.
Wang Tian immediately pointed toward him in disbelief.
"You nearly folded reality politely!"
"That sounds unhealthy," Elder Wan replied honestly.
Then—
A Xu Wen voice interrupted the noise.
"...Move."
The disciples instantly quieted slightly.
Elder Liya stepped forward.
Her silver-white robes shifted softly beneath the mountain wind as she walked toward the Heaven Measuring Monument with steady, elegant steps. Unlike Elder Wan’s approachable warmth, Elder Liya carried a naturally commanding presence around her.
Cold.
Refined.
Sharp enough to silence noise without trying.
Several younger disciples unconsciously straightened the moment she moved.
Near the disciple rows, Wang Tian folded both arms behind his head before sticking his tongue out toward her shamelessly.
A complete mockery.
"...Old Witch finally taking turns."
Luo Chen immediately stepped two steps away from him.
"I don’t know this man."
Elder Liya glanced toward Wang Tian calmly.
Just once.
No irritation.
No anger.
Only a quiet look that somehow carried enough pressure to make nearby disciples stop breathing for half a second.
Then she ignored him completely.
Which somehow felt worse.
Nearby, Lin Shu watched the entire exchange before sighing softly.
"You really enjoy provoking her."
Wang Tian grinned proudly.
"Life becomes boring without danger."
"That explains many things," Lin Shu replied immediately.
Meanwhile, Elder Wan suddenly cupped his hands around his mouth dramatically.
"Liya! Destroy their confidence!"
The entire training ground froze for one second.
Then—
Several disciples exploded into noise instantly.
"ELDER WAN!"
"THAT WAS TOO DIRECT!"
Even Luo Chen looked emotionally invested now.
"...Wait."
His eyes widened slightly.
"...Was that flirting?"
Lin Shu slowly closed her eyes.
"...Hopeless."
Elder Liya herself paused briefly before turning her head slightly toward Elder Wan.
A faint smile appeared near the corner of her lips.
Small.
Barely visible.
But real.
"...You’re embarrassing yourself."
Elder Wan looked completely proud instead of ashamed.
"Worth it."
Several disciples immediately looked spiritually injured.
"This sect is attacking single people again..."
"I came here to cultivate..."
"...not witness elder romance."
Xu Wen stared at the Sanatan Flame Sect with the exhausted expression of a man who had stopped trying to understand anything several hours ago.
Then—
Elder Liya stepped before the monument.
And instantly—
The atmosphere changed.
The mountain wind slowed.
Spiritual pressure spread silently outward from her body in smooth violet currents, dense aura flowing around her silver robes like mist wrapping around moonlight. The pressure was not explosive like Wang Tian’s nor violent like Luo Chen’s.
It was overwhelming.
The kind that settled onto the body naturally until breathing itself felt heavier.
Several younger disciples unconsciously lowered their heads slightly beneath the pressure alone.
Even the administrators straightened instinctively.
Xu Wen’s eyes narrowed sharply.
"...Her spiritual density..."
One administrator swallowed quietly.
"It’s far beyond ordinary Nascent Soul standards."
Behind Elder Liya—
Eleven deep purple spirit rings manifested silently one after another, rotating slowly behind her like dark moons suspended within the sky.
The pressure intensified immediately.
Stone beneath the monument cracked faintly without her even attacking yet.
And throughout all of it—
Elder Liya remained completely calm.
Her gaze steady.
Her breathing smooth.
Absolute control.
Then—
She raised one hand.
Pink spiritual energy gathered instantly around her palm, compressing layer after layer until the surrounding space itself distorted faintly from pressure.
No wasted movement.
No dramatic declaration.
Only power refined through experience.
Then—
She struck.
BOOOOOOM!
The Heaven Measuring Monument shook violently as an enormous shockwave erupted across the training grounds, powerful enough to send dust spiraling high into the air while nearby formation arrays flickered heavily beneath the impact.
The mountain itself trembled faintly.
Several disciples instinctively shielded their faces from the pressure wave.
Even Wang Tian’s grin disappeared briefly.
Silver inscriptions across the monument ignited brilliantly before stabilizing into glowing numbers.
67,000
Silence.
Then chaos exploded instantly.
"She surpassed Elder Wan!"
"That pressure was insane!"
"Was that really Nascent Soul power?!"
Several administrators physically looked shaken now.
One slowly lowered his scroll while staring at the monument blankly.
"...Sixty seven thousand..."
Another spoke quietly.
"That strike carried almost perfect spiritual balance..."
Xu Wen continued staring at Elder Liya with growing seriousness.
Because unlike the disciples—
These elders possessed terrifying mastery alongside raw strength.
That combination was far more dangerous.
Meanwhile—
Elder Liya calmly lowered her hand before slowly turning toward the disciple rows.
Toward Wang Tian.
Then—
A wide mischievous smile spread across her face.
She opened both arms slightly.
"Well?"
Her voice carried smooth satisfaction.
"Have you seen real power now?"
The disciples exploded laughing instantly.
Wang Tian looked personally attacked.
"...This is elder oppression."
Luo Chen immediately lost control laughing beside him.
"She’s been waiting the whole time!"
Even Xiao Rui nodded emotionally.
"Revenge truly is the strongest cultivation technique."
Nearby, Elder Wan clapped proudly without hesitation.
"Amazing!"
Elder Liya glanced toward him briefly.
"...You’re still embarrassing."
Elder Wan smiled peacefully.
"And yet you smiled."
Several disciples collapsed dramatically after hearing that.
"This sect has no normal elders..."
Lin Shu rubbed the side of her forehead while trying not to laugh.
But despite the chaos spreading once more through the training grounds—
The administrators remained silent.
The laughter across the training grounds gradually settled after Elder Liya’s performance, though the glowing number above the Heaven Measuring Monument still lingered heavily within everyone’s minds.
67,000.
Even Wang Tian looked personally offended by it.
Luo Chen laughed loudly beside him.
"You deserved it."
Meanwhile, Elder Liya calmly returned toward the elder rows with the satisfied expression of someone who had accomplished exactly what she intended.
The moment she approached—
Lin Shu raised her hand silently.
Elder Liya looked at her once.
Then—
Smacked her palm lightly against Lin Shu’s.
A clean high-five.
Simple.
Natural.
Yet somehow elegant.
Several disciples immediately pointed in emotional disbelief.
"THE ELDERS ARE CELEBRATING!"
"This sect really has no dignity left!"
Even Xu Wen blinked once seeing the interaction.
Because none of the sects he had evaluated before behaved like this.
At all.
Lin Shu herself smiled faintly before stepping away from the elder rows and walking toward the monument.
And instantly—
The atmosphere changed again.
Quietly.
Naturally.
The mountain wind slowed around her as strands of dark hair drifted softly behind her shoulders. Her pale blue robes moved gently beneath the sunlight while calm spiritual pressure spread outward with every step she took.
No overwhelming dominance.
No explosive aggression.
Only stillness.
The kind that made people unconsciously lower their voices.
Even the disciples gradually became quieter watching her approach the monument.
Because unlike Wang Tian or Luo Chen—
Lin Shu never needed to demand attention.
It simply gathered around her naturally.
Xu Wen’s gaze sharpened immediately.
"...This aura..."
Then—
Light blue spiritual energy flowed outward from Lin Shu’s body.
Pure.
Beautiful.
The spiritual aura spread across the training grounds like moonlight touching calm water, soft at first glance yet impossibly dense beneath the surface. The surrounding air trembled faintly as spiritual energy gathered around her in flowing currents.
And behind her—
Spirit rings manifested.
One.
Two.
Three.
Twelve deep purple rings appeared silently behind Lin Shu, rotating slowly around her like celestial halos suspended beneath the sky itself.
The pressure across the mountain instantly deepened.
Nascent Soul Realm.
Twelfth Level.
Several administrators physically straightened.
One inhaled sharply.
"...Peak Nascent Soul..."
Another stared at Lin Shu in disbelief.
"So young..."
Even King Tian Long’s expression became more serious now.
Because this cultivation level already stood at the peak of what smaller kingdoms could normally nurture.
Yet inside the Sanatan Flame Sect—
She stood merely as one elder among many.
Near the disciple rows, Wang Tian immediately shouted proudly:
"SENIOR LIN SHU! DESTROY THEM!"
Luo Chen joined instantly.
"BREAK THE MONUMENT!"
Even Xiao Rui cupped his hands around his mouth dramatically.
"WE BELIEVE IN YOU!"
Meanwhile, Shaurya stood near the front with both hands around his mouth like an excited sports spectator.
"COME ON LIN SHU!"
Elder Liya sighed beside him.
"...You are literally the sect master."
"And?"
"You’re acting like her biggest fan."
Shaurya looked genuinely confused.
"Because I am."
Lin Shu heard that.
A very faint warmth touched her expression for exactly half a second before she calmly looked forward again.
Xu Wen silently observed the entire interaction with growing exhaustion.
This sect truly operated on completely different logic.
Several single disciples looked emotionally exhausted.
First disciple romance.
Then elder romance.
And now—
Sect master cheering.
One outer disciple slowly covered his face.
"...I’m never finding love in this sect."
Sheng Lu patted his shoulder solemnly.
"Cultivate harder."
Then—
Lin Shu raised her hand.
Light blue spiritual energy gathered instantly around her palm, spiritual force compressing layer after layer with terrifying precision. The pressure spread silently through the air until even the formation arrays surrounding the monument began trembling faintly.
No wasted movement.
No unnecessary aura display.
Just perfect control.
Then—
She struck.
BOOOOOOM!
The Heaven Measuring Monument shook harder than before as a colossal shockwave erupted outward across the training grounds. The surrounding formations flashed brightly while spiritual pressure spread across the mountain peak like a tidal wave.
Several younger disciples nearly lost balance.
Even the stone beneath the monument cracked further under the impact.
Light blue spiritual energy surged upward into the sky beautifully before gradually dispersing into glittering fragments.
Then—
The number appeared.
72,000
Silence.
Then absolute chaos erupted.
"She surpassed Elder Liya!"
"That’s peak Nascent Soul power!"
"How is this still a Level Twelve Sect?!"
Several administrators looked completely shaken now.
One lowered his recording scroll slowly.
"...These elders..."
His voice sounded strained.
"...Their combat standards already rival upper-ranked sect guardians."
Xu Wen remained staring at the glowing number for several long seconds before finally speaking quietly:
"...No."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Some of them exceed even that."
Meanwhile—
Lin Shu calmly lowered her hand before turning back toward the others.
And immediately—
Shaurya started clapping loudly.
"THAT’S MY—"
Elder Liya grabbed his shoulder instantly before he embarrassed himself publicly again.
"...Control yourself."
"I AM controlled."
"You were one sentence away from declaring eternal devotion."
"...Fair point."
The disciples immediately burst laughing again while Lin Shu quietly looked away to hide her expression.
Even Wang Tian pointed dramatically toward Shaurya.
"Master lost composure faster than me!"
"That’s because Senior Lin Shu scored seventy two thousand!"
"That is unfortunately understandable," Luo Chen admitted seriously.
Xu Wen slowly exhaled.
Then looked toward the elders once more.
Elder Wan.
Elder Liya.
Lin Shu.
Three Nascent Soul elders.
And every single one possessed force values capable of terrifying ordinary sects.
The realization settled heavily inside his chest.
The Sanatan Flame Sect was no longer merely impressive.
It was dangerous.
Dangerously abnormal.
Finally, Xu Wen turned his gaze toward the one person he had unconsciously avoided evaluating this entire time.
Shaurya.
The young sect master stood near the front rows in his black-and-gold coat while mountain winds moved softly through the loose strands of his dark hair. Golden patterns across the fabric shimmered faintly beneath the sunlight, and despite standing casually with one hand inside his pocket—
Every disciple’s attention was already fixed on him.
Xu Wen studied him carefully for several long seconds.
Then finally spoke.
"...Sect Master Shaurya."
The training grounds gradually quieted.
"It is your turn."
For exactly one second—
Silence covered the mountain.
Then—
The entire sect exploded.
"MASTER!"
"SECT MASTER!"
"DESTROY THE MONUMENT!"
The roar that erupted from the disciples shook the training grounds itself. Hundreds of voices thundered together beneath the sky while spiritual vibrations spread visibly through the mountain air.
Some disciples jumped to their feet.
Others slammed fists against their chests while shouting his name repeatedly.
Even inner disciples who normally maintained calm composure completely lost restraint now.
Because this was different.
The elders were respected.
The senior disciples were admired.
But Shaurya—
Shaurya was something else entirely.
To many disciples of the Sanatan Flame Sect, he was the person who had changed their lives completely.
The one who accepted broken talents nobody else wanted.
The one who gave abandoned disciples cultivation resources stronger sects would never waste.
The one who stood in front whenever danger appeared.
The one who built this place from nothing.
And most importantly—
The one who genuinely believed in them long before they believed in themselves.
That kind of loyalty could not be forced.
It could only be earned.
Several administrators visibly stiffened at the sheer intensity of emotion erupting from the disciples.
Because this no longer resembled ordinary respect toward a sect master.
This was devotion.
Pure belief.
Near the front rows, Wang Tian cupped both hands around his mouth immediately.
"MASTER! IF YOU DON’T BREAK THE MONUMENT I’LL BE DISAPPOINTED!"
Luo Chen laughed loudly beside him.
"Forget breaking it! Blow the mountain away!"
Xiao Rui pointed dramatically toward the sky.
"SHOW THEM WHY WE HAVE MEDICAL DEBT!"
"THAT IS NOT SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE!" Sheng Lu shouted instantly.
Even the outer disciples had completely lost control now.
"SECT MASTER IS THE STRONGEST!"
"NO ONE FARMS AURA BETTER!"
"BLACK-AND-GOLD COAT SUPREMACY!"
One administrator slowly lowered his scroll.
"...What kind of popularity is this...?"
Another answered blankly without looking away from the crowd.
"...This looks closer to worship."
Even King Tian Long laughed openly seeing the absolute chaos erupting around Shaurya.
"...This sect really loves him."
Xu Wen remained silent.
Because unlike everyone else—
He was observing the disciples carefully.
Not their volume.
Not their excitement.
Their eyes.
None of them looked forced.
None of them looked fearful.
They looked proud.
Proud of standing beneath the banner of this sect.
Proud of the man walking toward the monument now.
And somehow—
That unsettled Xu Wen more than overwhelming power ever could.
Meanwhile, Shaurya himself looked completely accustomed to the madness.
A grin spread across his face as he finally started walking toward the Heaven Measuring Monument.
And immediately—
The cheering grew louder.
Every step he took across the stone platform seemed to pull even more excitement from the disciples around him. Some shouted his titles. Others simply screamed nonsense from pure hype.
Shaurya casually raised one hand toward the crowd like someone greeting fans during a grand performance.
The disciples nearly exploded again.
"MASTER WAVED AT ME!"
"HE DIDN’T WAVE AT YOU SPECIFICALLY!"
"LET ME BE DELUSIONAL!"
Even Elder Liya rubbed the side of her forehead while watching the spectacle unfold.
"...This is becoming a cult."
Lin Shu quietly looked away to hide her smile.
At the center of it all—
Xu Wen watched Shaurya continue walking toward the monument beneath the deafening cheers of hundreds of disciples.
And for the first time since arriving at the Sanatan Flame Sect—
He finally understood something clearly.
This sect did not revolve around power alone.
It revolved around him.
Then—
Shaurya stopped before the Heaven Measuring Monument.
The mountain wind swept past him slowly.
His black coat shifted behind him.
And gradually—
Golden spiritual energy began flowing outward from his body.
Soft at first.
Then heavier.
Denser.
The golden aura spread around him like rising sunlight, spiritual pressure thickening steadily while the surrounding air distorted beneath its presence.
Then—
Spirit rings appeared.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five deep violet-black spirit rings manifested silently behind Shaurya, rotating slowly beneath the sky while golden spiritual energy erupted upward around him like flames ascending toward the heavens themselves.
The pressure across the training grounds exploded instantly.
Several disciples unconsciously stopped breathing.
Even the administrators stiffened sharply.
Because the aura surrounding Shaurya felt completely different from everyone else.
Ancient.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Shaurya slowly inhaled.
Lifted his head.
Then opened his glowing golden eyes.
A grin spread across his face.
"Alright..."
Golden energy surged violently around him.
"...let the show begin."
To Be Continued.....