Immortal Dao Continent, Nanyun State.
Lingxian Sect, Disciple Recruitment Ground.
From early morning, hundreds of young boys and girls had already filled the square.
“Ninth Elder is here!”
A voice rang out. A striking young man in white robes stepped into the arena.
“That’s the Ninth Elder? He looks so young!”
“And handsome too! I want him to be my master!”
“You’re dreaming! Of all the elders, don’t even think about choosing that one! Ninth Elder of Lingxian Sect, he’s infamous!”
“Infamous? What do you mean?”
“He cultivated himself straight into a Qi deviation. Went from Golden Core to Foundation Establishment overnight. That weird enough for you?”
“Yikes, I’m passing on him then.”
Aaron Grant heard all the whispers around him and could only sigh helplessly.
Even new disciples who hadn't joined the sect yet already knew his reputation.
His predecessor really messed up.
He had come from Earth. Five days ago, he collapsed from a sudden illness, only to wake up in this strange world—in the body of the Ninth Elder of Lingxian Sect, same name and everything.
At first, it seemed like a good deal. Being an Elder? Seemed like a high starting point.
But after merging with the original guy’s memories, his mood soured fast.
Because just two weeks ago, this walking disaster managed to blow his own Golden Core during cultivation.
One moment Golden Core stage, next thing you know, boom—he’s back at Foundation Establishment.
If it were just that, maybe he could’ve coasted on the title.
Problem was, someone had leaked the whole mess. Now the entire sect knew.
Yesterday, in a high-level meeting, a bunch of elders suggested kicking him out of his position.
In the Lingxian Sect, Foundation Establishment was nowhere near enough to be an elder.
Bruce Lambert, the Sect Master, didn’t immediately agree or refuse. Instead, he laid out a condition:
Three months later would be the sect’s grand annual Disciple Tournament.
Elders’ rankings would be based on their disciples' performance.
If Aaron's disciples placed in the top three, he kept his seat.
If not—bye.
No one objected to that.
After all, Aaron didn’t even have a single disciple yet.
Top three? He’d be lucky to have anyone enter at all.
Aaron knew it too.
So much for a head start—this was more like a nightmare start.
Still, he had no choice but to deal with it.
Today was the triennial Disciple Recruitment. It was now or never.
He came hoping to grab at least two apprentices—just in case.
But looking at all the cautious and skeptical eyes aimed his way, Aaron couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.
He took steady steps onto the tall platform reserved for elders.
“Well, look who showed up!”
A mocking voice immediately rang out, sharp and taunting.
“If it isn’t our famous Ninth Elder! Rare to see you at a disciple ceremony. What changed today?”
The speaker was a lean man in green robes, with narrow eyes that screamed petty.
Damon Walker—Tenth Elder of Lingxian Sect.
Jealous, small-minded, the usual.
He and Aaron’s predecessor had clashed from the start.
They’d joined the sect around the same time, both hailed as prodigies.
Both reached Golden Core before thirty, but Aaron’s predecessor beat Damon by three months.
Not just that. In nearly every area, he’d held an edge. People noticed.
Damon sure never forgot.Take the same combat technique—his predecessor mastered it in a year and a half, this guy needed two. Same beast-hunting mission—his predecessor took half a month, he burned through a whole one.
Naturally petty and jealous, Damon Walker wasn’t going to let that slide. When he found out Aaron Grant's Golden Core shattered and his cultivation fell back to Foundation Establishment… he was the first to jump in.
Yesterday, it was Damon who led the charge to strip Aaron of his elder title.
"Whether I accept disciples or not has nothing to do with you," Aaron said with a curl of his lip.
"You—!" Damon snapped, face darkening. He snorted coldly, "Crude!"
Aaron rolled his eyes, couldn’t be bothered. He walked off, found the Ninth Elder’s seat, and sat down like it was still his.
"Hmph, enjoy it while you can. Three months from now, you’ll be gone for good," Damon sneered inwardly.
He came early today, knowing Aaron would show up. He’d already arranged for a fresh recruit—soon to be his disciple—to spread Aaron’s ‘glorious past’ among the newcomers. No idiot would want to apprentice under a fallen elder.
One by one, the other elders of Lingxianzong began to arrive.
A cry rang from the sky—high, piercing.
Everyone looked up. A white crane over two meters long flew in, majestic. On its back stood a man dressed in purple robes, hands clasped behind his back.
"It’s the Sect Leader! Bruce Lambert has arrived!"
"That’s a Nascent Soul expert? No wonder he carries such presence!"
Gasps spread across the arena like fire through dry grass.
In Xiandao Continent, cultivators move through stages: Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul… All the way to Divine Transformation, Void Refinement, Body Integration, and Mahayana.
Nascent Soul—they were already top-tier powerhouses.
In the whole of Nanyun State, those at this level were few enough to count on two hands.
Boys and girls alike stared with awe.
Even Aaron sighed as he watched, envy flashing in his eyes. Here, strength made the rules.
If he was at Nascent Soul stage, would he have to worry about losing his status?
Power. That burning desire lit up in his chest again.
Then, like something clicked, his head buzzed. Some echoing resonance hit him like a bell. He could feel every remnant thought left behind by the body’s former soul merging with his own.
Only now did he feel he had real control over this body.
“Immortal Master’s Realm—activating!”
The voice drifted in from nowhere, lighter than air.
A flash of light—next thing he knew, he was standing in a blank world, white mist swirling everywhere.
Floating in the air around him were glowing orbs, dancing slowly.
"What the hell?" he muttered, confused.
Then it struck him. "Wait... Could this be the benefit of transmigration?"
His eyes lit up.
“System?”
“Old grandpa?”
“Anyone?”
He called out a few times.
No answer. Just the glow orbs silently circling him.
“Maybe I need to touch one?” he murmured.
Frowning, he reached out to one of the orbs.
Buzz!
As soon as his fingers made contact, the orb shattered into light, rushing straight into his mind.
“Ability acquired: Immortal Master’s Eye!”
His head throbbed. A message flashed before his eyes. That voice spoke again: “Next access—after accepting disciples.”
Then—
Flash of light.
He blinked—and he was back, standing in the middle of Lingxianzong’s disciple recruitment ceremony.