Beichen Feng led Chu Lingwei to a wooden door. As they approached, the door opened, revealing three men standing on either side.
"Master."
"Hmm."
Beichen Feng nodded slightly at his three disciples and led them into the courtyard.
The moment Chu Lingwei's right foot stepped into the courtyard, the scenery instantly transformed. What was just an ordinary courtyard a moment ago was now replaced by towering mountains, swirling immortal clouds, flocks of spirit beasts in flight, and cascading waterfalls.
This place was no less impressive than her own space.
"Weiwei, come here and meet your senior brothers," Beichen Feng said, chuckling at Chu Lingwei's stunned expression.
It seemed she was intimidated.
"Yes." Chu Lingwei quickly regained her senses, took two steps to stand beside Beichen Feng, and then smiled as she looked at the three stunning individuals standing before them.
"This is your eldest senior brother, Leng Xingzhi," Beichen Feng said, pointing to the most handsome of the men.
"Greetings, Eldest Senior Brother."
Leng Xingzhi was clad in white, his face adorned with a gentle smile, and even his eyes flowed with warmth.
"A handsome man like jade, a peerless young master."
The phrase suddenly surfaced in Chu Lingwei's mind, though she felt it might not be entirely appropriate. In the presence of the eldest senior brother, those words seemed to lose their luster.
"Greetings, junior sister," Leng Xingzhi said, looking at the new junior sister with a smile. He casually flipped his right hand, and an Ice Jade Frost Sword appeared in his grasp. "This is a gift from Eldest Senior Brother to junior sister."
As the Ice Jade Frost Sword materialized before them, the surrounding air seemed to grow colder, and waves of water element spiritual energy emanated from it. The sword also emitted a low hum intermittently.
"It seems this sword likes junior sister very much," Leng Xingzhi observed, feeling the sword in his hand tremble slightly as if eager to leap from his grasp and fly towards Chu Lingwei. His smile deepened.
"Thank you, Eldest Senior Brother."
Chu Lingwei took the sword, and a chill swept over her. However, the chill soon turned into warmth, and the sword seemed to stir, drawing closer to Chu Lingwei.
This sword already possessed a sword spirit.
Chu Lingwei clicked her tongue inwardly, marveling at her eldest senior brother's generosity for gifting her a sword with a spirit.
"Junior sister, I am your second senior brother. This is a gift from your senior brother."
Before Chu Lingwei could react, the man with a roguish grin stepped forward and pressed a storage bag into her hand. "Second Senior Brother is an eighth-grade alchemist. If junior sister ever needs any elixirs in the future, just tell your senior brother."
An eighth-grade alchemist was unheard of on the Profound Sky Continent.
To think that this seemingly young second senior brother was an eighth-grade alchemist was truly...
"Thank you, Second Senior Brother," Chu Lingwei managed to suppress her astonishment and thanked him.
She couldn't entirely blame herself. In her memories, the Profound Heart Sect was a formidable sect on the Profound Sky Continent. However, after meeting Beichen Feng and returning to the Spirit Cultivation Academy with him, she realized the Profound Heart Sect was not even on the same level as the Spirit Cultivation Academy.
"Junior sister, I am your third senior brother, Su Yan."
Su Yan was dressed in a flamboyant red robe, his appearance quite striking. Yet, his voice was softer and more courteous than anyone else's, a stark contrast to his attire.
"This is a gift from Third Senior Brother to junior sister." Third Senior Brother handed Chu Lingwei a spirit beast bag. "There are some interesting things inside to keep you entertained."
"Thank you, Third Senior Brother."
Chu Lingwei accepted the gifts from her three senior brothers and put them away.
Seeing that they had introduced themselves, Beichen Feng nodded. "Xingzhi, Weiwei needs to enter the Eternal Heaven Secret Realm in three months. Take her to the Profound Fire Abyss for her trial."
"Yes."
Beichen Feng vanished instantly after speaking.
"Junior sister, please follow me." Leng Xingzhi saw a flicker of curiosity in Chu Lingwei's eyes and a smile touched his lips. He wondered if she would still be curious after this.
Chu Lingwei followed Leng Xingzhi, listening as her eldest senior brother briefly explained some of the rules and precautions of the Spirit Cultivation Academy.
"So the Spirit Cultivation Academy is this powerful."
As she listened to her eldest senior brother's introduction, Chu Lingwei finally found some scattered memories of the Spirit Cultivation Academy in her mind.
To the disciples of the Profound Heart Sect, the Spirit Cultivation Academy was the most coveted place. Every thirty years, each sect was allowed to send five disciples to the Spirit Cultivation Academy for exchange.
Any disciple who entered the Spirit Cultivation Academy invariably became a powerhouse in their sect.
Leng Xingzhi smiled. "It's not about being powerful or not. Here, everyone is simply working hard to cultivate their own path."
Chu Lingwei looked at Leng Xingzhi. She couldn't discern his cultivation level, but it was certainly not low.
The cultivators from the Spirit Cultivation Academy who went on to the Profound Sky Grand Academy were all prodigies of their generation. The fact that the Dean of the Spirit Cultivation Academy had taken him as his eldest disciple spoke volumes about his immense talent.
"We're here."
Leng Xingzhi paid no mind to Chu Lingwei's scrutiny as they stopped before a stone gate.
"This is the Profound Fire Abyss?" Earlier, her eldest senior brother had explained that the Profound Fire Abyss was a trial ground specifically designed to test a disciple's ability to flexibly utilize spiritual power.
"Yes." Leng Xingzhi nodded and sent a surge of spiritual energy towards Chu Lingwei. She felt as if she were enveloped by something, but the sensation quickly disappeared.
"Junior sister, the Profound Fire Abyss has a rule: only one weapon can be brought inside," Leng Xingzhi patiently explained, gazing at Chu Lingwei's exquisite beauty. "Master feels your combat ability is relatively weak, so this place is very suitable for rapid improvement."
Chu Lingwei nodded, understanding her master's intentions. With the Eternal Heaven Secret Realm approaching in three months, a place where the crème de la crème of the Spiritual Movement Realm and Spiritual Wheel Realm on the Profound Sky Continent would gather, she needed to be strong.
"I suggest junior sister use a sword, because within the Profound Fire Abyss, spiritual power can only be output at thirty percent," Leng Xingzhi kindly advised.
Chu Lingwei, who had initially intended to summon her Illusionary Gauze Ribbon, paused. After a moment's hesitation, she took out the Ice Jade Frost Sword her eldest senior brother had just gifted her.
"Junior sister, remember, in the Profound Fire Abyss, spiritual power can only be output at thirty percent. Other spiritual artifacts cannot be summoned, and elixirs can only be retrieved once per hour. Junior sister, remember to allocate your time wisely."
Leng Xingzhi opened the barrier to the Profound Fire Abyss, and a powerful gust of hot, spiritual energy surged forth. Chu Lingwei gasped.
This place was more terrifying than she had imagined.
"Thank you, Eldest Senior Brother."
Chu Lingwei expressed her sincere gratitude, hefted her sword, and strode into the Profound Fire Abyss.
As her foot crossed the threshold, the surroundings shifted, and she found herself in a fiery cavern, with countless third-tier Scarlet Blade Wolves lunging at her.
Chu Lingwei quickly brandished her sword, engaging in battle with the wolves.
"Master, junior sister has entered the Profound Fire Abyss," Leng Xingzhi said respectfully, approaching his master's dwelling.
"Hmm, watch her carefully and ensure she doesn't get hurt," Beichen Feng's voice echoed from within the house, though he did not appear.