Chapter 5: The Jade Serpent Sect

The journey to the Jade Serpent Sect was arduous, winding through treacherous mountain paths and dense forests. Ye Tian walked in silence, his sharp eyes taking in every detail of the terrain. Every step forward felt like the opening of a new chapter in his life—a step closer to reclaiming the power and authority he once wielded as Luo Chen.

Zhang Wei, still nursing his injured body, would occasionally shoot venomous glares at Ye Tian. The other Jade Serpent Sect disciples whispered among themselves, casting sidelong glances at the mysterious young man who had unexpectedly defeated Zhang Wei.

The envoy, however, remained quiet, occasionally glancing at Ye Tian with a faint smirk on his lips.

The Jade Serpent Sect's Gates

By midday, they reached the towering gates of the Jade Serpent Sect.

Ye Tian stopped to take in the sight—two massive jade-colored doors adorned with intricate carvings of serpents coiling around a mountain. At the top of the gates, a plaque read "Jade Serpent Sect – Where Power Reigns Supreme."

Disciples clad in jade-green robes bustled about, and the aura of cultivators filled the air. It was clear: the sect was a place of hierarchy, power, and competition.

"Impressed?" the envoy asked, his tone mocking.

Ye Tian's expression remained indifferent. "It's big. That's all."

The envoy's smirk faltered slightly before he gestured to his men. "Open the gates!"

The jade doors groaned as they swung inward, revealing a sprawling compound of pagodas, training fields, and stone courtyards. Streams of disciples moved like ants, each engrossed in their own cultivation or duties.

The sect exuded both majesty and cruelty. Weaklings would be crushed here—Ye Tian could feel it in the very air.

Entering the Beast's Den

"Follow me," the envoy said. "Your fate begins here."

Ye Tian walked at his own pace, unhurried and calm. Around him, other disciples stopped to gawk. Murmurs erupted as his presence drew attention.

"Who's that?"

"Is he new? Why does he look so… ordinary?"

"I heard he defeated Zhang Wei. How is that possible?"

Zhang Wei, trailing behind, barked at them. "Mind your business! He's nothing but a lucky dog!"

Ye Tian ignored him entirely. His thoughts were already focused elsewhere—evaluating the sect's layout, strength, and weaknesses.

This place will serve me well—for now.

The Outer Disciple Selection

The envoy led Ye Tian and several other recruits to a stone courtyard where dozens of new disciples were gathered. Before them stood a tall, sharp-eyed elder dressed in flowing green robes. His mere presence exuded power—Qi Condensation Stage, Ninth Layer.

"I am Elder Wei," the man announced, his voice booming. "You stand before the Jade Serpent Sect, where only the strong survive. Weaklings will be cast out. Failure will not be tolerated."

Ye Tian listened with calm detachment, his eyes narrowing slightly. Elder Wei's words confirmed what he already knew: this was no place for hesitation or mercy.

"The Outer Disciple trials begin now!" Elder Wei barked. "Those who pass will be accepted as outer disciples. Those who fail…" He paused, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd. "…will be discarded."

At this, a nervous hush fell over the recruits. Several exchanged fearful glances. Ye Tian, however, smirked inwardly.

Interesting. A trial to weed out the weak.

The First Trial: The Path of Serpents

Elder Wei raised his hand, and the stone floor of the courtyard trembled. Slowly, a section of the ground shifted, revealing a dark tunnel that led into the mountain beneath the sect. The air around it was cold, oppressive, and heavy with danger.

"The first trial," Elder Wei said, "is simple. You must walk the Path of Serpents."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"The Path of Serpents is a series of underground tunnels where serpent beasts reside," Elder Wei continued. "Your goal is to retrieve a serpent scale and return here alive. Fail, and you will never be heard from again."

Several recruits paled at his words. Serpent beasts were known for their venom and speed, and even a single misstep could mean death.

"Those who fear can leave now," Elder Wei said, his voice sharp. "Cowards have no place in the Jade Serpent Sect."

A few recruits hesitated, then turned and fled. Elder Wei watched them leave with a look of disdain. "Trash," he muttered.

Ye Tian remained unmoved. Instead, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Beasts, danger, and death? This suits me perfectly.

"Enter!" Elder Wei commanded.

The recruits began descending into the tunnel, one by one. Zhang Wei shot Ye Tian a sneer before heading in. "Try not to die, cripple," he spat.

Ye Tian followed, his gaze calm and predatory.

The Path of Serpents

The tunnels were dark, damp, and reeked of decay. The faint glow of luminescent moss cast eerie shadows on the walls. Sounds of hissing echoed faintly, growing louder with each step.

Other recruits clustered together, their breathing ragged with fear. Ye Tian, however, moved alone, his steps steady and silent.

His instincts sharpened as he sensed movement ahead. A serpent beast slithered into view—a three-meter-long monster with glistening black scales and glowing red eyes. Its forked tongue flickered as it tasted the air.

The beast hissed and lunged at Ye Tian with terrifying speed.

Most recruits would have panicked. But Ye Tian's mind was clear, his body moving on instinct. He sidestepped the strike at the last moment, the serpent's fangs missing him by mere inches.

Shadowstep.

With a burst of unnatural speed, Ye Tian appeared behind the serpent, his hand already in motion. He struck the beast's head with pinpoint precision, shattering its skull with a single blow.

Boom!

The serpent collapsed, its massive body twitching before going still. Ye Tian knelt, his hand running over its scales.

"Too weak," he murmured. This is the trial they fear?

He cut a large scale from the serpent's back and slipped it into his robe. But rather than return to the entrance, he looked deeper into the tunnels, where darker shapes writhed in the shadows.

A Predator Among Beasts

While the other recruits struggled with basic serpent beasts, Ye Tian hunted deeper into the tunnels, his aura cold and ruthless. The Shadowstep Technique allowed him to move like a ghost, striking before the beasts could react.

Serpent after serpent fell to his hands, their scales harvested with meticulous precision.

By the time Ye Tian emerged from the tunnel, his black robe was stained with blood, and his hands carried not one scale, but ten.

Elder Wei's eyes widened slightly as Ye Tian approached. Around him, other recruits gaped in disbelief. Some had barely returned with a single scale, and others were still missing.

"Ten serpent scales…" Elder Wei muttered. He looked at Ye Tian, a glimmer of something dangerous in his gaze. "What's your name, boy?"

"Ye Tian," he replied, his voice calm and unwavering.

Elder Wei's lips curled into a faint smile. "Interesting. Very interesting."

As Ye Tian stood beneath the judging gaze of the Jade Serpent Sect elders, he felt it: the beginning of his rise.

This is only the start.