Large-Scale Fan Meeting

["Master! The swords in the Sword Tomb have broken out again!"]

["Ahhh! Don't run! Rainbow Sword! I'm your master!!"]

["Thunderclap Sword! Get back to the Sword Tomb right now! In life, you are a sword of the Wuji Sword Sect; in death, you are the refined gold and profound iron of the Wuji Sword Sect! Where do you think you're going!"]

[You look at this mess and understand exactly what's going on. In your heart, you curse the Myriad Soul Banner once again.]

["Look at what you've done!"]

[The Myriad Soul Banner laughs wildly.]

["Hahaha! This glorious sight is exactly what I wished for! My children, keep it up! Once I, the Ancestor, outlive this Chen Yi, I shall be your king!"]

[Only Chen Yi can hear the voice of the Myriad Soul Banner.]

[In terms of not wanting to be discovered by outsiders, the Myriad Soul Banner is even more proactive than you.]

[If you were caught with the Myriad Soul Banner, you could probably get away with saying, "I was seduced!", since you haven't actually harmed anyone.]

[The Myriad Soul Banner, however, would suffer a miserable fate.]

[You randomly find a white-robed disciple chasing a sword in the mountains.]

["Hey, little brother, I'd like to ask, what's the process for joining your sect?"]

[The disciple is in a frantic rush.]

["Agh! Don't bother me, can't you see I'm busy??"]

[You pull a few high-grade crystals from your storage ring and hand them to him.]

[The disciple catches them with both hands.]

["May I ask what the senior wishes to know?"]

["I want to join the Wuji Sword Sect."]

["As a disciple? Putting aside that it's not the recruitment season, although senior looks young, your martial dao realm must be quite high already, right?"]

[This disciple has a sharp eye.]

[He sees you traveling alone on horseback through the Eastern Wasteland, and since you can hand out high-grade crystals so casually, you're definitely no weakling.]

["Yes, I am not a novice martial artist."]

["The Sword Sect only recruits mortals with potential. Forget high realms; we don't even take those in the Body Tempering Realm."]

["Are there any other ways to enter the sect besides becoming a disciple?"]

["Besides disciples, the sect has retainers. If you are willing to serve the Sword Sect, you can join as a retainer. You'll receive cultivation resources every month, but you cannot practice the sect's sword techniques, and you must follow the sect's orders."]

["That works too."]

[You just want to show your face in front of the Sword Master anyway.]

[The disciple points you in a direction. There's a peak there with the Wuji Sword Sect's Reception Hall, where you can apply to be a retainer.]

["By the way, let me ask, where in the sect do I usually have a chance to see the Sword Master?"]

[The disciple smiles and points at you.]

["Senior must have joined because you admire our Sect Leader, right?"]

["Uh... I guess so..."]

["Don't be shy, who doesn't? Our Sect Leader is handsome, powerful, helps the needy, punishes evil, is strong but doesn't bully the weak, and is very approachable. His personal charisma is off the charts..."]

[This guy spends a full ten minutes praising the Sword Master without repeating a single word.]

[You get the feeling this disciple might not be into women.]

[Failing to hear anything useful, you simply go to process your retainer status.]

[The cultivation of the Golden Body Realm holds significant weight even in the Wuji Sword Sect; it's more than enough to become a sect retainer.]

["Three hundred low-grade crystals per month, your choice of fifty auxiliary cultivation pills, one standard mid-tier spirit sword—if it breaks, you can go to the Sword Tomb to replace it. However, the Sword Tomb is a mess right now, so you'll have to wait a bit to collect your sword. Additionally, there are elder lectures and the 'Sect Leader's Sword Discourse,' which you can attend once a month..."]

[The managing elder of the Reception Hall introduces the benefits you enjoy at this realm.]

[Three full pages, packed with text.]

[Undoubtedly, the benefits of the Wuji Sword Sect are excellent.]

[If it's this good for a retainer, wouldn't official disciples be flying high?]

[But you aren't envious.]

[In this simulation, there's still the great opportunity of the Starry Sky Shen Family waiting for you. You won't stay in the Wuji Sword Sect for long.]

["Elder, I'd like to ask, is this 'Sect Leader's Sword Discourse' where the Sword Master personally gives a lecture?"]

["Indeed. If you wish to comprehend the Sword Dao, do not miss this discourse. You will gain much from it."]

["When is it usually held?"]

[The managing elder smiles and points at you.]

["Presumably, you also joined as a retainer out of admiration for our Sect Leader?"]

["Uh..."]

[You have a bad feeling.]

["Don't be embarrassed, little brother! Any martial artist in the world who uses a sword can be called a 'sword master'—like the Rainbow Sword Master or the Thunderclap Sword Master—but only our Sect Leader holds the title of 'The' Sword Master. Do you know why?"]

[The old man asks and answers his own question, giving you no room to speak.]

["Because all swords in the world obey the Sword Master's command! Yes, who wouldn't admire such a great figure? Not only is he handsome and powerful, saving people throughout the Five Regions, but he's also approachable within the sect. His personal charisma is off the charts..."]

[You are speechless.]

[You feel like the Wuji Sword Sect is just one giant fan club.]

[Everyone here turns into a worshipping fan the moment the Sword Master is mentioned.]

[After a lot of effort, you finally figure out when the Sword Master will appear for a lecture.]

["However, there probably won't be any lectures lately. The Sword Master's favorite sword also ran away, slipping into the depths of the Great Wasteland. The Sword Master went after it and who knows when he'll be back."]

["The Sword Master's sword should have gained sentience long ago and should have a good relationship with him. Why would it run away?"]

["It can't exactly be called running away. The sword said it just wanted to go see the ocean."]

[You realize you still underestimated the trouble the Myriad Soul Banner caused. For low-level spiritual tools, it just granted intelligence, but for high-level ones, the effects seem much more complex.]

["How can a single tool cause such a mess? Unbelievable..."]

[Sixth year, age twenty-four.]

[You have been a retainer at the Wuji Sword Sect for a year. The main task assigned to you by the sect is: catching the swords that escaped.]

[In short: cleaning up after the Myriad Soul Banner.]

[You haven't seen the Sword Master all year. Rumor has it he is still chasing his sword in the Great Wasteland.]

[You can only wait.]

[While out catching runaway swords, you take the opportunity to collect demon souls in the Eastern Wasteland or pick spirit herbs to give to Da Chun for alchemy.]

[Da Chun's alchemy is basically a lottery.]

[What comes out depends entirely on luck.]

[However, as long as the quantity is high enough, he still produces quite a few good pills that boost cultivation, helping you increase your power.]

[Seventh year, age twenty-five.]

[The Sword Master has returned with his sword. Word is they actually went to the seaside and watched the ocean views and sunrises for a long time before agreeing to come back.]

[You can only gaze at him from a distance.]

[Because you can't squeeze through the crowd.]

[There are too many people!]

[The entire Wuji Sword Sect is gathered around the Sword Master!]

[All he could do was bide his time and wait for a chance to show his worth.]

[That opportunity arrived sooner than expected.]