Supreme Taming Authority

Chapter 80: Meeting With Other Inner Sect Disciples

Xian Tiandi closed the gate and returned to his cultivation room. He settled back onto the meditation cushion and resumed circulating his spiritual energy, letting the rich spiritual energy of the sect flow through his meridians.

’It won’t be too long before the sect competition. Three months at most.’

’That will be my chance to enter the sect’s secret realm and acquire that treasure for my foundation establishment.’

’Perfect... hehehe.’

The hours passed slowly as he cultivated. The sun moved across the sky, casting changing shadows through the windows. Xian Tiandi’s breathing remained steady and controlled, each breath drawing in spiritual energy and refining it through his meridians.

His peak Qi Condensation realm was already stable. The battles at the Crimson Ruins and the consolidation afterward had ensured no cracks or weaknesses existed in his foundation. But cultivation wasn’t just about maintaining what you had. It was about constant refinement, making what was already strong even stronger.

His Force Condensation body cultivation also required attention. The dual cultivation paths demanded twice the work of normal cultivators. Most people would find it exhausting and inefficient. But Xian Tiandi knew better. In his past life, he’d reached the peak through unconventional methods. Dual cultivation was one of those methods that seemed difficult at first but paid enormous dividends later.

The Five Element Lotus hidden in his spatial ring would be the key. When he broke through to Foundation Establishment realm, he’d use the lotus to simultaneously advance his body cultivation to the next stage. The synergy between both breakthroughs would create a foundation far stronger than normal cultivators could achieve.

But that required perfect timing. And perfect preparation.

The sect competition in three months would provide both.

Evening arrived. The sky outside turned orange and red as the sun set behind the peaks. Xian Tiandi finally opened his eyes and stood, stretching his muscles.

His stomach reminded him he hadn’t eaten since morning. Inner disciples received meal tokens that could be used at the sect dining hall, but there was also the option of cooking in your own courtyard if you preferred.

A knock at the gate interrupted his thoughts.

Xian Tiandi opened it to find Wei Chen standing there again, this time with another young man.

"Brother Tiandi," Wei Chen greeted him with a friendly smile. "This is Liu Feng. He’s also an inner disciple. We’re heading to the gathering now. Thought we’d see if you changed your mind about coming."

Liu Feng was taller than Wei Chen, with a lean build and sharp features. His cultivation base radiated late-stage Qi Condensation realm. He nodded politely to Xian Tiandi.

"Pleasure to meet you," Liu Feng said. His voice was calm and measured.

Xian Tiandi considered for a moment. The gathering could be useful. Meeting other inner disciples would help him establish connections and identify potential problems. Like Four Spirits Sect spies.

"I’ll come," he decided.

Wei Chen’s face lit up. "Great! It’s not far. Just a side hall near the main pavilion."

They walked together through the inner sect residential area. Other disciples were also heading in the same direction, most in small groups. The atmosphere was relaxed, very different from the formal sect activities.

The side hall was a large open building with no walls, just pillars supporting a roof. Cushions and low tables were arranged throughout the space. About thirty inner disciples were already present, talking and laughing in small clusters.

Food and drink were laid out on tables along one side. Nothing fancy, just simple dishes and tea. The sect didn’t provide alcohol, which made sense given that these were still young cultivators who needed to maintain discipline.

"The unofficial rule is that everyone brings something to share," Wei Chen explained. "But since you just arrived today, no one expects you to contribute this time."

Xian Tiandi nodded. He’d remember that for next time.

Wei Chen immediately began introducing him to people. Most were friendly enough, greeting him with genuine warmth. A few were more reserved, sizing him up with calculating eyes.

"This is Senior Sister Mei," Wei Chen said, gesturing to a young woman with her hair tied in a high ponytail. "She’s been an inner disciple for three years. One of the strongest among us."

Mei studied Xian Tiandi with sharp eyes. Her cultivation base was at the absolute peak of Qi Condensation, just like his. But there was a depth to her spiritual energy that suggested she’d been at this level for quite some time.

"New inner disciple on your first day," she said. "That’s rare. You must have impressed the examiners during the trials."

"I did my best," Xian Tiandi replied neutrally.

Mei smiled slightly. "Modest. I like that. Too many young cultivators let early success go to their heads." She paused. "You’re at peak Qi Condensation already. Planning to break through to Foundation Establishment soon?"

"When the time is right," Xian Tiandi said.

"Smart answer." Mei nodded approvingly. "Rushing breakthrough is the fastest way to cripple your future potential. Better to build the strongest foundation possible."

She moved on to talk to someone else. Wei Chen leaned closer to Xian Tiandi.

"Senior Sister Mei is aiming for core disciple status," he whispered. "She’s been preparing for her Foundation Establishment breakthrough for over a year. When she finally makes the attempt, it’ll definitely succeed."

Liu Feng added quietly, "She’s also one of the few people the sect elders trust with sensitive missions. Very capable and reliable."

Xian Tiandi filed that information away. Mei didn’t seem like a spy, but you never knew.

The introductions continued. He met Zhang Wu, a young man with an easygoing smile and friendly demeanor. But something about Zhang Wu made Xian Tiandi’s instincts alert. The way his eyes moved, constantly scanning the room. The way he asked questions that seemed casual but probed for specific information.

"So where are you from originally?" Zhang Wu asked with a friendly smile.

"Xian Clan territory," Xian Tiandi replied.

"Oh? I heard the Xian Clan sent several disciples this enrollment. You must know them?"

"Some of them."

"That’s great! Having clan members around makes adjusting to sect life easier." Zhang Wu’s smile never wavered. "I’m from a smaller family myself. No connections here, so I had to build everything from scratch."

The conversation seemed innocent enough. But Xian Tiandi noted how Zhang Wu was gathering information about clan relationships and connections. Useful intelligence for someone with ulterior motives.

’Possible spy,’ Xian Tiandi thought. ’Or just someone who likes to know everything. Either way, worth watching.’

He met several others. Chen Rou, a quiet girl who specialized in formation arrays. Fang Yu, an arrogant youth who clearly thought highly of his own talents. Wang Lei, a practical-minded cultivator focused entirely on advancement.

The gathering continued for about two hours. People ate, drank tea, and talked about various topics. Training methods. Mission experiences. Upcoming sect events.

The sect competition came up frequently.

"Three months until the competition," Fang Yu said loudly. "I’ve been training specifically for it. This year, I’ll definitely place in the top ten."

"Top ten isn’t good enough," Mei said calmly. "Only the top five get access to the secret realm. That’s where the real rewards are."

Several people nodded agreement. The secret realm was clearly the main prize everyone was aiming for.

"What’s in the secret realm?" Xian Tiandi asked, playing ignorant.

Wei Chen explained eagerly. "It’s an ancient inheritance site that the sect discovered decades ago. The formations only allow entry once every three years, and only disciples below Foundation Establishment can enter. There are treasures inside that can help with breakthrough, rare spirit herbs, and even technique manuals."

"Of course, it’s also dangerous," Liu Feng added seriously. "The last time it opened, two disciples died inside. The rewards are great, but the risks are real."

"That’s why they only let the strongest disciples enter," Mei said. "The sect doesn’t want to waste the opportunity on people who’ll just die immediately."

Xian Tiandi absorbed this information, pretending it was new to him. In reality, he knew exactly what was in that secret realm. He’d explored it thoroughly in his past life, though under very different circumstances.

The treasure he needed was hidden in a specific location that most disciples would overlook. It was perfect for his planned dual breakthrough.

The gathering eventually wound down. People began leaving in small groups, heading back to their courtyards.

Xian Tiandi walked back with Wei Chen and Liu Feng.

"So what did you think?" Wei Chen asked. "Not too overwhelming, I hope?"

"It was informative," Xian Tiandi replied.

"That’s one way to put it," Liu Feng said with a slight smile. "The inner sect politics can get complicated. But overall, people here are decent. Just focus on your own cultivation and you’ll be fine."

They reached Xian Tiandi’s courtyard. He bid them goodnight and entered, activating the protective formation behind him.

The courtyard was peaceful in the evening darkness. Xian Tiandi stood in the garden area for a moment, looking up at the stars.

’Zhang Wu is definitely suspicious,’ he thought. ’And there were two others who asked too many questions. I’ll need to keep an eye on them.’

’But that can wait. For now, I need to focus on maintaining my cultivation and preparing for the competition.’