Chapter Twenty-One: Flying Sword Obscuring the Sun, The Great White Sword Scripture

As he had expected, following Xu Bochen’s initial approach, members of various independent squadrons within the guild contacted Su Yu, offering all sorts of terms to recruit him. Yet, none of these offers could match what Xu Bochen had proposed.

That was until someone from the First Main Regiment reached out to him.

It was not the guild leader, Ding Hao, but a squadron leader from the First Main Regiment:

"Little brother, if you join the First Regiment, you will receive a sixth-tier magic treasure, a high-level sword manual, and twenty taels of gold upon entry. We guarantee you elite member status by the end of the year, and once your cultivation reaches level fifty, we guarantee you a position as a squad leader."

"Hmm."

The conditions were not much different from the Third Regiment’s offer, but it lacked the sincerity of the Third Regiment. One had been a vice-regiment leader reaching out personally, while the other was merely a squadron leader. Su Yu was already leaning toward the former.

"Additionally..." the voice on the other end continued, "Our First Regiment leader is a Loose Immortal. If you join, you will receive one free spot to attend her lectures every month for the next five years."

"Oh?"

Su Yu paused in thought. After a moment of hesitation, he replied, "Please allow me some time to consider. I will give you an answer by tomorrow night."

"Very well."

After ending the communication, Su Yu rubbed his brow. "That is indeed slightly better than the Third Regiment. But not by much."

"Whatever. I'll wait until tomorrow. If the Second Regiment doesn't come forward, I'll choose between the First and Third."

Rubbing his face, Su Yu pushed the matter aside and prepared for sleep. The night was dark with few stars, and the rest of the night passed in silence.

Early the next morning, Su Yu noticed a new message. He opened it to find: "Little Brother Su, I am Fang Yuan from the First Battalion of the Second Regiment. Do you have time for a brief discussion?"

Su Yu washed his face and went straight to the point: "May I ask what the Second Regiment is offering?"

Fang Yuan paused for a moment before stating their terms: "A sixth-tier flying sword, a high-level sword manual, twenty taels of gold, guaranteed promotion to elite member by year's end, and a guaranteed squad leader position once your cultivation reaches level fifty."

It was nearly identical to the offers from the First and Third Regiments; they had clearly coordinated. After all, without restrictions, they would only end up hurting themselves through malicious bidding.

"Furthermore," Fang Yuan added, "our Vice-Regiment Leader Chu is an inner-sect disciple of the Xuanzhen Immortal Sect. She holds a quota for recommending disciples into the sect, and she can guarantee your entry into the Xuanzhen Immortal Sect as a formal disciple in one year."

"This..." Su Yu shook his head. "That is of no use to me. I can enter the immortal sect on my own merit."

"That is where you are mistaken. Entering on your own means becoming an outer-sect disciple. Vice-Regiment Leader Chu is an inner-sect disciple with her own master in the sect; with her help, you can bypass that and enter directly as a formal disciple."

Su Yu’s heart stirred. He immediately asked, "Can you guarantee that I will be a formal disciple upon entry?"

"I can guarantee it!"

"Can you speak for Vice-Regiment Leader Chu?"

The person on the other end hesitated for a moment before replying: "If you are free, come to the Qingxin Teahouse. Vice-Regiment Leader Chu wishes to meet you."

"Very well, I will be there immediately."

Closing the communication, Su Yu clicked his tongue in surprise. "If that’s the case, then it has to be the Second Regiment."

Under normal circumstances, unless one possessed heaven-defying talent and was personally scouted by a high-ranking master within the sect, a newcomer would always start as an outer-sect disciple. His own talent, while good, certainly didn't reach the level required for sect masters to take him on as a direct disciple.

For an outer-sect disciple to become a formal member, they had to undergo at least three years of observation before even qualifying for the assessment. That three-year observation period was a hard gate that could not be bypassed without connections. Outer-sect disciples were restricted to standard sect cultivation techniques—usually of high grade—while more refined techniques and various lightning or forbidden arts were reserved for formal disciples.

Three years of stagnation was a terrible waste of time. Every step ahead was a step gained; if he could save three years now, he could save even more time and effort in the future.

Su Yu had heard of the Qingxin Teahouse. It was an upscale establishment located in the west of the city, nestled within a private estate surrounded by gardens and a quiet, secluded atmosphere.

The rose garden was filled with roses of every color, blooming in a vibrant display. Yet, when he saw the graceful figure standing amidst the flowers, he felt as though the entire garden dimmed in comparison. Behind her stood a delicate and beautiful young girl who walked over to greet him: "Are you Young Master Su Yu?"

"I am."

"Please, this way."

In the garden stood a gazebo containing a stone table set with tea and various refreshments.

"Please sit, Young Master Su."

The girl poured out the old tea and brewed a fresh pot, her movements fluid and pleasing to the eye.

"May I ask how to address you, Miss?"

"Chu Xiaoyu."

"Sister Xiaoyu."

As they spoke, Su Yu felt a presence and looked up, his eyes instantly lighting up. Chu Xinyue had approached. She set down her kettle and said gently, "Su Yu, your talent for swordsmanship is exceptional. Even within the Xuanzhen Immortal Sect, it would be considered above average."

Her stunning, cold beauty was dazzling. Su Yu was momentarily dazed, but he quickly regained his composure, took a deep breath to suppress his racing heart, and asked calmly, "Only above average?"

The girl beside them explained in a crisp voice, "Young Master Su may not know, but as one of the top immortal sects on Lanshan Island, the Xuanzhen Immortal Sect’s influence spans over a hundred million square kilometers. Millions of newcomers apply to join every year, and among them, only a dozen or so possess top-tier sword talent. Being 'above average' is already quite remarkable."

"Oh, I see."

Su Yu pursed his lips and asked, "I heard from Captain Fang Yuan earlier that Regiment Leader Chu can guarantee my direct entry into the Xuanzhen Immortal Sect. Is that true?"

Chu Xinyue nodded, her voice gentle: "My master is an elder of the Qionghua Peak within the sect. I can have you admitted directly under the Qionghua Peak."

"However, there is one thing I must tell you in advance: my Qionghua Peak is not particularly specialized in swordsmanship. While you may transfer to another peak in the future, it will take five years. This might affect your growth."

"I see..." Su Yu hesitated.

After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Is it possible to obtain high-level or top-tier sword manuals at Qionghua Peak?"

"You cannot practice the exclusive top-tier sword manuals of other peaks, but our own sect possesses many general top-tier sword manuals that are quite formidable. The only drawback is that there are no sword masters to guide you; you would need to use sect contributions to exchange for lectures from sword masters of other peaks."

"That is not a problem."

Having a teacher in the early stages was irrelevant. His current level of swordsmanship had been achieved through self-study, after all. What he lacked was not a teacher, but an opportunity—a platform, and access to top-tier Daoist methods and sword manuals. Besides, the issue of a teacher wasn't a major one; if he showed enough promise in the future, the high-level experts would eventually notice him. Rules were only meant for ordinary people; once your talent was great enough, the rules could always be broken.

With the terms agreed upon, Chu Xiaoyu produced two copies of a contract. Su Yu scrutinized them carefully. It specified the Second Main Regiment, Second Battalion, and clearly detailed his benefits and obligations, including the promise to bring him into the Xuanzhen Immortal Sect in one year as a formal disciple. It also stipulated a penalty of five hundred taels of gold if the terms were not met.

Finding everything in order, Su Yu signed his name. There was no need for further consideration; aside from the fact that his regiment leader was so beautiful that simply seeing her was a pleasure, the terms were clearly the best he could find.

After Chu Xinyue signed, they each took a copy.

Chu Xinyue put her copy away and asked, "I have a 'Refining Demon Sword Sutra' here as a basic manual. Additionally, the guild possesses two others: the 'Taibai Sword Sutra' and the 'Illusion Moon Sword Manual.' If you want, I can help you exchange for one."

"I would like the Taibai Sword Sutra."

"Very well." She glanced at Chu Xiaoyu, and the girl turned and left.

Chu Xinyue then flipped her hand, produced a silver ring, and pushed it across the table. "Your sixth-tier flying sword and twenty taels of gold are inside. Elite member status will be granted at the end of the year, regardless of your ranking."

Su Yu took the ring and discovered, to his surprise, that it was a piece of equipment with twenty internal storage slots that could be worn in a ring slot.

"This ring?"

"A gift for you."

"Thank you, Regiment Leader."

Opening the ring, he found the twenty taels of gold and a flying sword that shone like jade. His gaze fell upon the sword, and its attributes appeared:

*Yari (Sixth-Tier Flying Sword):* Fine quality. A sword forged from a mixture of sun essence gold and star iron. When activated, it is as dazzling as the sun across the sky.

*Attributes: Attack 360-460, Attack Speed 320-360, Sword-Flight Speed 330-380, Basic Sword Manual Bonus +50%.*

*Special Traits: Armor Piercing +3, Brilliant Change.*

*Armor Piercing +3: Attacks ignore 30% of the target's defense.*

*Brilliant Change: Channel a trace of Great Yang True Fire, adding 100% extra Yang-attribute damage for 15 seconds. Cooldown: 60 minutes.*

*Equipment Requirements: Basic Qi Refining Manual level 40, Basic Sword Manual level 50.*

"Top-notch!"

He couldn't equip it yet, as neither his Qi refining nor his sword manual levels were high enough. However, at his current rate of growth, he would be able to equip it in less than two months.

As he toyed with the sword, Chu Xiaoyu returned and handed him a jade slip—the Taibai Sword Sutra.

*Taibai Sword Sutra (High-Level):* Basic sword manual of the Xuan Sect, total of twenty levels.

*Each level increases flying sword damage by 30, attack speed by 20, and sword-flight speed by 20 km/h.*

*Cultivation Requirements: Innate Root Bone 15 points, Innate Comprehension 15 points.*

Chu Xinyue’s melodious voice sounded in his ear: "There is one thing I must make clear."

"The contract you signed is with the Second Regiment's Second Battalion—it is with me, not the Second Regiment."

"???"

Su Yu looked up in surprise. He was met with Chu Xinyue’s exquisite face, flawless from every angle. He asked, confused, "The contract clearly states 'Second Regiment'."

"The contract says that, but in reality, I am the one signing you. The resources provided come entirely from my own pockets, not the team treasury."

"I see..."

"Does this mean I don't have to listen to the Regiment Leader, only to you?"

"The Second Regiment has no Regiment Leader."

"Ah?"

Chu Xinyue sighed softly. "There are some things you do not need to know right now. You are a newcomer; you do not need to participate in any guild activities for the first year. By the end of the year, you will head to the immortal sect. By the time you return, it will likely be the third year, and by then, you will know everything you need to know."

"Very well."

"Cultivate diligently. Try to raise your cultivation and sword manual to level fifty or higher by the end of the year, and bring your 'Sword Qi Thunder Sound' to a state of mastery."

"Add Xiaoyu as a friend later; if you have any issues, you can contact her."

"Understood."

After saying this, Chu Xinyue left, adding him as a friend before she departed. He then added Chu Xiaoyu as well and asked curiously, "Sister Xiaoyu, does our Second Regiment really have no Regiment Leader?"

"No."

"Could you give me a brief overview of the current situation in the Second Regiment?"

"The Young Lady told you to focus on your cultivation; you don't need to worry about these things for now."

"I'm just asking for the basics. I can't be completely in the dark after joining."

"Fine... I suppose you have to know eventually."

"The Second Regiment consists of five battalions. We are the second. The first regiment leader was the Young Lady's father, who passed away over a decade ago. The second leader was her eldest brother, but he perished five years ago after failing his tribulation."

"Logically, the Young Lady should have succeeded him, but there is opposition within the team. Furthermore, the guild's higher-ups have been stalling ever since she returned, using the excuse that the position must be decided by a consensus within the team."

Hearing this, Su Yu understood the situation. "Sister Xiaoyu, do none of the five battalions support the Young Lady now?"

"Except for the fifth battalion, which was formed by her brother and remains loyal, the other three battalions no longer take orders from her."

"I understand."

"You are part of the second battalion now. The Young Lady is very busy, so just contact me if you need anything."

"Understood."

After chatting for a while, Su Yu took his leave. It was just as Fu Ping had said—the Second Regiment was complicated. But it was not a major problem. He wouldn't need to get involved for at least two years, and by the time he returned from the immortal sect, his strength would be vastly different, giving him the power to handle anything.

"In this world, truth follows the strong!"

Back at his residence, Su Yu pressed the Taibai Sword Sutra jade slip to his forehead. It shattered into light and merged with his mind. On his opened interface, the Qing Shan Sword Sutra began to distort, and the Taibai Sword Sutra appeared beside it, slowly leveling up while the Qing Shan Sword Sutra gradually faded away.

By the time the level 40 Qing Shan Sword Sutra was reduced to level 1 and finally vanished into chaos, the Taibai Sword Sutra had reached level 20, with a cap of level 30.

The Taibai Sword Sutra's first level granted *Sword Glow*, adding a sharp edge to the flying sword and extending its attack range. Each level increased the glow by three centimeters.

At level five, it granted *Sword Qi*, allowing him to condense spiritual energy to strike enemies from a distance, dealing 40% of his maximum attack damage per strike.

At level ten, it granted *Sword Flight*, allowing him to ride his sword through the heavens.

These were the stats after his "Goldfinger" enhancement, and both their power and effects far surpassed the Qing Shan Sword Sutra. Looking at the Taibai Sword Sutra, now at half its potential levels, Su Yu smiled.

"Excellent!"

"Now, I just need to accumulate cultivation points to raise the levels."

He closed the interface and, after a moment's thought, sent messages to Xu Bochen and the squadron leader of the First Regiment, informing them that he had joined the Second Main Regiment.

After a brief silence, both replied with the same question: "Can you tell us what terms Regiment Leader Chu offered?"

Su Yu replied honestly: "Regiment Leader Chu guaranteed my entry into the Xuanzhen Immortal Sect and promised to bypass the outer-sect disciple stage to make me a formal disciple. I couldn't refuse that."

"Hmm..."

"Indeed, that is impossible to refuse."