Chapter 69: Elder Godfrey

The following week at the Fallen Sword Sect was quiet.

Kael, Selene, and Seraphine spent most of their time locked away in cultivation, coming out only to eat and exchange a few words at the end of the day.

Seraphine had completely stabilized her foundation and was already beginning to prepare for her next breakthrough.

Selene, for her part, took another step forward, advancing to the third stage of the Spiritual Transformation Realm.

Many in the sect expected Kael to advance as well, stepping into the Golden Core Realm at last.

After all, he had seemed to be at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm for quite some time, and everyone thought it would be just a matter of days.

But, to everyone’s surprise, he remained stuck at that bottleneck.

The elders observing him could even tell that his foundation was far more solid than before. Still, the fact that he simply wouldn’t advance left a strange feeling in the air.

Whispers followed him wherever he went.

Kael ignored every one of those looks as he walked through the gate into the courtyard of the sect leader’s palace.

Dorian Ashen was already there, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the horizon.

Upon hearing the approaching footsteps, he merely gave a slight nod to Kael, Selene, and Seraphine, without taking his eyes off the sky for long.

In recent days, the sect had taken over the treasures that Kael and Seraphine had planned to sell in the future, purchasing everything directly from them for an amount equivalent to what they would have received at auction.

In total, more than ten thousand lower-grade spirit crystals had changed hands.

Within the Fallen Sword Sect, that was a legitimate fortune—enough to support a small family of cultivators for generations. But where they were headed, it was nothing more than small change.

Fortunately, along with the delivery of the token, a very generous pension for the next ten years would also be provided.

Dorian let out a long sigh, turning his attention to the horizon once more.

In the distance, a bright spot pierced through the clouds.

A flying ship.

It was quite small.

Even the Fallen Sword Sect’s only flying ship—currently parked for repairs at the back of the sect’s grounds—was much larger than that one.

Still, Dorian didn’t doubt the vessel’s value for even a second.

Their ship was an old model, purchased thousands of years ago—large, heavy, and slow as a turtle.

That one over there was infinitely faster, and just from its appearance alone, it was clear that it was also far more luxurious.

Cutting through the air toward the sect, it left a trail of blue light in its wake, as if painting the sky with a brush.

At the top, a tall mast rose up, and on it fluttered the banner of the Golden Alliance Sect, its fabric shimmering in the sun.

The ship kept accelerating until it was about one kilometer from its destination.

Only then did it begin to slow down and descend. A powerful surge of Qi swept across the entire courtyard, kicking up dust, ruffling hair, and causing more than one disciple to stagger backward.

A low hum filled the air, growing louder with every second the hull drew closer.

When the craft finally reached the center of the courtyard and began to land, its hull creaking softly as it touched the stone, everyone bowed.

Disciples, servants, elders—even the sect leader himself.

The sect’s ancestor, who had been in secluded cultivation, hurriedly left his chamber, revealing his aged face after so long in hiding.

Without saying a word, he stood beside Dorian Ashen and bowed along with him.

The only ones who remained standing were Kael, Seraphine, and Selene.

A loud click echoed through the courtyard.

Finally, the ship’s side hatch opened, slowly lowering and revealing the illuminated interior.

There stood an old man.

He had gentle, calm blue eyes, elegant, impeccably tailored clothes, and a carefully trimmed beard.

He stepped off the ship without even touching the ramp, his body floating naturally, his robes swaying in a gentle breeze that seemed to exist just for him.

His eyes swept over Seraphine and Selene for a brief moment—just long enough to acknowledge their beauty—and then moved on as if they were merely part of the scenery.

All his attention was fixed on Kael.

"Introduce yourself, young man," the elder said with a serene smile.

Inside, however, he felt a twinge of disappointment as he gauged the young man’s cultivation level.

Merely the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

The disappointment was short-lived.

It lasted exactly until he studied the young man’s aura more carefully. Then his eyebrows shot up before he could stop them.

It was powerful. Terribly powerful.

Without a doubt, it was on par with that of a Golden Core Realm cultivator, and the young man’s control over that aura was, quite frankly, far superior to anyone else at that stage.

"Senior, this junior is Kael Ashen, heir and disciple of the Ashen family of the Fallen Sword Sect!"

Kael clasped his fists in greeting, then raised the golden token with both hands.

The elder let out a loud laugh that echoed through the silent courtyard.

"Very good, very good!"

He took the token from Kael’s hands, twirling it between his own wrinkled fingers.

"It will be returned to you shortly after you arrive at the sect—don’t worry."

First, he verified the token’s authenticity. A faint pulse of Qi coursed through the golden metal, and he narrowed his eyes, sensing every trace of that energy.

It was real, and it still carried the aura of the sect’s ancestor, intact.

The old man had to rein in his excitement, coughing lightly and closing his hand around the token.

The sect’s artifact would have another chance to grow even more powerful.

Regaining his dignified composure, he looked around calmly, nodding to the leader and the ancestor of the Fallen Sword Sect.

Both men trembled slightly at the gesture, bowing even deeper.

Soon after, his eyes returned to Kael.

"Very well, young Kael. I am Elder Godfrey, master of the Recruitment Pavilion of the Golden Alliance Sect."

"From this moment on, with the presentation of this token, you will be temporarily recognized as a core disciple."

"You will have to choose from among ten elders who currently have no disciples. At the end of ten years, based on your performance, they will decide whether to keep you as a core disciple or release you, allowing you to become an ordinary inner disciple."

Then he stepped forward and gripped Kael’s shoulders firmly, his hands surprisingly strong for someone who looked the way he did.

"Welcome to the Golden Alliance Sect, young man."