Chapter 138: Ling Qinghe’s Intentions

“As the commander of nearly half the Windcloud Guards, I naturally have to scrutinize every cultivator who takes part in the examination. I won’t allow any pretenders to slip through!”

Ling Qinghe spoke with a solemn expression, while secretly casting a glance at Luo Tian, who was deep in thought. He sneered inwardly.

Dream on if you think you can join my Windcloud Guards!

As the deputy commander of the Windcloud Guards, Ling Qinghe possessed a certain air of authority. His black robe made the skin of his neck and face appear even fairer. Though he was not particularly broad-shouldered, his thin lips and sharp gaze lent him an imposing presence.

“Ordinary cultivators who are merely making up the numbers aren’t frightening,” Liu Changtian said bluntly, showing Ling Qinghe not the slightest courtesy. “It is those high-ranking men with crooked minds who truly ought to be driven out!”

Liu Changtian could afford to show anyone in the Windcloud Guards some respect—except Ling Qinghe. That was absolutely impossible.

Whenever he recalled how Ling Qinghe had snatched a prize from his grasp during a previous expedition into a secret realm, anger surged in Liu Changtian’s heart. He immediately turned to leave, unwilling to look at Ling Qinghe’s disgusting face any longer.

Although he had only been a Meridian Flow cultivator at the time, now that he had reached the Origin Core realm, he still could not let the matter go. He would remember it and hold a grudge for the rest of his life.

“Master Liu, wait!”

Ling Qinghe gave a cold snort. “Leaving so soon? Wouldn’t it be troublesome to come back in a few days to collect your disciple? Why not stay at the Windcloud Guards’ quarters for now? We can still spare a few lower-grade rooms.”

Liu Changtian felt the anger in his heart on the verge of erupting. Without even stopping, he waved a hand.

“If Luo Tian cannot become a member of the Windcloud Guards, then I’ll have to return with the other sect masters to collect our disciples.”

The great sects always left immediately after delivering their disciples. The Windcloud Guards were hardly a place for idle conversation.

Even so, no matter how little time they had, the sect masters still had to make the journey in person, both to show how seriously they regarded their disciples and to demonstrate their respect for the Windcloud Guards.

Ling Qinghe curled his lip in disdain. He understood Liu Changtian’s meaning perfectly: if even Luo Tian could not pass the Windcloud Guards’ examination, then no one could.

Hah. Was he not afraid that the wind would lash his tongue for boasting so shamelessly?

Everyone knew what sort of sect the Sunlit Yang Sect was. How many years had it been since they had produced a disciple of any real merit? And yet Liu Changtian still dared to spout such nonsense without embarrassment.

Besides, even if this boy called Luo Tian managed to pass, he would never get through Ling Qinghe.

Ling Qinghe cast a somewhat pitying glance at the disciple sent by the Sunlit Yang Sect, then shook his head regretfully.

Poor child. If you must blame someone, blame yourself for following the wrong master.

“Stand with the others and come along with me,” Ling Qinghe said coolly to Luo Tian. “Hmph. Liu Changtian is quite clever after all. Afraid of being mocked for arriving too early, he deliberately came last.”

The Five Great Sects and the Four Great Families of the city naturally communicated with the Windcloud Guards in advance each time to inform them whether they would be sending suitable disciples. Once such notice had been given, the Windcloud Guards were obliged to wait for them.

As for cultivators from other factions or unaffiliated cultivators, they had to arrive early. Otherwise, if they missed the examination, they could only wait until the next one.

Naturally, not just any worthless straggler was qualified to come. Candidates had to be Meridian Flow cultivators no older than twenty.

That was merely the minimum requirement. In reality, apart from someone like Luo Tian, who had somehow broken through to the Meridian Flow realm at sixteen, every year the great families of the city sent teenagers no older than fifteen to take part in the examination.

After saying this, Ling Qinghe walked inside without looking back.

This was the headquarters of the Windcloud Guards. The outermost perimeter was enclosed by high walls, and moments earlier Ling Qinghe and the others had been standing beneath the sign bearing the organization’s name.

Seeing Ling Qinghe lead the way, the dozens of youths behind him hurried after him in a noisy wave.

Luo Tian, however, deliberately fell behind without any haste. It would make no difference whether he went first or last. He might as well observe what the people ahead encountered and prepare himself in advance.

Ling Qinghe looked as though he meant no good. Though his hostility was not directed at Luo Tian personally, he clearly could not bear the thought of the Sunlit Yang Sect producing an outstanding disciple who entered the Windcloud Guards.

A little extra preparation could do no harm.

“Are you Luo Tian from the Sunlit Yang Sect? You’re quite impressive!”

One of the youths deliberately slowed down and struck up a conversation with Luo Tian.

“My name is Feng Renliang. I’m from the Feng family of Ten Thousand Winds City.”

Feng Renliang was thin and ordinary-looking, but from time to time a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.

“What makes me impressive?” Luo Tian asked, somewhat baffled.

Feng Renliang chuckled. “The Sunlit Yang Sect is famous for being a sect of useless people. For you to distinguish yourself there naturally makes you impressive!”

Luo Tian was momentarily speechless and curled his lip.

When Luo Tian did not respond, Feng Renliang continued without minding.

“Are you the only one your sect sent? Then you really are somewhat inferior to the other sects. The other four great sects have at least five disciples each, and the one with the most has eight.”

“How many people did the families of Ten Thousand Winds City send?”

Luo Tian asked curiously.

“Four from the Hua family, four from the Han family, and three from the Ling family!”

Feng Renliang knew the details by heart and did not conceal anything.

“Why so few?”

Although Luo Tian could roughly estimate the numbers with a glance, he was still surprised that the native families of Ten Thousand Winds City had sent so few people.

“What use is having a large crowd?” Feng Renliang curled his lip disdainfully. “The Windcloud Guards do not set a fixed limit on how many people they recruit each time, but they will undoubtedly choose the most talented and outstanding cultivators among those in the Meridian Flow realm. Take the Golden Light Pavilion, for instance. They sent eight disciples. They’ll have to burn incense in gratitude if even two of them are accepted!”

Quality matters more than quantity. That was only natural, especially for the Windcloud Guards.

Luo Tian nodded in agreement.

“Look at the Hua, Han, and Ling families. At most, one person from each family will be eliminated this time. It’s even possible that everyone they sent will be accepted.”

Although the Feng family had not reached such a lofty level, it was still a force based in Ten Thousand Winds City, and Feng Renliang understood these matters well.

“To take part in the Windcloud Guards’ examination, you first have to pass the tests conducted by your family elders. Basically, anyone selected and recommended by the great families has an eighty- or ninety-percent chance of getting in. Otherwise, bringing a large group of people here only to have most of them leave would be far too humiliating!”

The more powerful the family, the more it cared about its reputation.

Luo Tian felt the same way.

“This is the living and residential area,” Ling Qinghe explained with practiced ease. “Those who pass will live here. Each person will have a room, and only the corresponding identity token can open the formation at the entrance. No one else can get inside.”

It was clear that Ling Qinghe knew the place extremely well.

That was hardly surprising. Anyone who had risen to the rank of deputy commander and still did not know the headquarters would be a fool.

Still, his words surprised Luo Tian somewhat. Every person had a room, and every room had its own formation?

In Qin Tianyu’s eyes, a mere formation was nothing more than an advanced application of runecraft. But for a sect of the Sunlit Yang Sect’s standing, formations were extravagant luxuries.

When even the sect’s Spirit-Gathering Formation developed a problem, they could only send disciples to inspect it one by one. If they actually discovered somewhere in need of repair, they had to ask Ten Thousand Winds City to send someone over. The Sunlit Yang Sect itself was utterly incapable of handling it.

This was the bearing a proper city ought to possess. From this, it was perfectly understandable that the Sunlit Yang Sect did not command much respect in Ten Thousand Winds City.

All along the way, Ling Qinghe continued introducing the various functional areas within the Windcloud Guards’ headquarters in a calm voice. He did not stop until they reached the foot of a pitch-black mountain.

“What I told you before applies only to official members of the Windcloud Guards,” Ling Qinghe said. “If you fail the examination, you’ll still have to get out.”

His gaze swept over Luo Tian almost imperceptibly.

“The great black mountain behind me is the first trial you must pass!”