Zhao Ren was feeling the weight of expectation. His family had just sent him off with Uncle Tai to be enrolled in the Heavenly Sword Sect, and it was up to him to live up to the wealth, fame, and power of his ancestors. Ren belonged to the Hui family, a declining cultivator family that hadn’t produced a single talent of note for many centuries until he had come along, and even he just barely qualified. He wasn’t even a great talent, much less a generational talent, but that was how he was treated. His entire clan had pinned their final hopes on him because they couldn’t afford to nurture more than one or two more new generations. Even those who were currently cultivators barely had enough wealth to send home.

  Since birth he had been fed ‘beneficial’ herbs, slept in qi gathering formations, or had one quack fortune teller after another proclaim him to be the one who would turn around the fortune of his family. There were only two reasons he hadn’t become a silk pants or an arrogant young master.

  The first was the fact that the resources channeled toward him gradually dwindled over years and finally stopped as he approached the optimal age when he could begin cultivating. Ren knew that by then the Zhao family was basically just like any other somewhat rich merchant family but with a storied history. Honestly, he was grateful for their support until then, but the burden of his family’s desperate expectations only felt heavier knowing he couldn’t live up to them.

  The second reason was his childhood friend from the Xi family, Xiyuan, who was the true genius. It was his misfortune, or rather fortune, that their ancestors had been friends, and the Xi family was the last of those who still bothered to interact with the sinking ship of the Zhao family. Growing up around her was to know what true talent was, and Ren, who had been on the verge of having his nose eternally pointed to the sky, had been disillusioned and humbled. After a certain incident, his own pride had been permanently curbed.

  He had faked a smile and all the confidence of a heavenly genius and said farewell to his family, who had just had a celebration to send him and his uncle off. He couldn’t bear to shatter their dreams and hoped that either he really would succeed or something terrible would happen to him that couldn’t be foreseen and absolve him of his duties. On top of all the expectations, he felt even guiltier for his despondent thoughts. Uncle Tai, who was a very savvy adult, noticed his mood and tried to cheer him up and gave him the highlights of the cultivation sect that could possibly lead him to immortality.

  “After they test your potential, you’ll be living all by yourself in a hut while managing a plot of land. It’s a bit strange, I know, but the founders’ teachings say that having responsibility can help you achieve your true potential. Though they leave it up to you how you want to manage your household.”

  “Most disciples grow herbs, but some use it as space for a workshop or forge, some use it to practice formations, some grow food, but some just leave it fallow. Don’t tell others, but the elders keep an eye out for those who use this opportunity well.”

  “What should I do about money, Uncle? This currency my father gave me is only used in the mortal world.”

  “Since our family can no longer send funds, be sure to find ways to earn contributions, which you can exchange for spirit stones. The qi those stones contain can be used to cultivate, or the stones themselves are used as currency for resources.”

  “Be smart, and you can find small ways to profit. Right now I’m earning some contribution points for bringing in potential recruits for the sect.”

  I thanked him for his advice but asked, “Do we get any tasks other than managing the land?”

  He laughed and said, “Of course, the more talented ones just prioritize other tasks that afford the most contribution points. I hire some of the poorer disciples to manage it for me when I would rather hunt beasts or have to travel out of the sect.”

  While they traveled, Uncle Tai showed him some of the more practical skills one needed as a cultivator that most of his family would have looked down on as menial tasks, like how to set up camp and cook on a campfire. Even as the young master of a declining family, he had never had to take care of himself and was grateful to his uncle for not laughing too much when he made charcoal of the first fish he had caught. The first fish, which had taken him as long as Uncle Tai had taken to catch 4 fish. After all, he had been raised to hunt beasts and duel, not fish.

  Ren was mortified, but his uncle pointed out that making that mistake would help him learn, and he was right. The second fish was more of a dried plank and had more salt than a preserved pig but ultimately was still edible. He didn’t force Ren to eat it, but when he didn’t offer any of his, Ren’s pride, meager though it was, didn’t let him ask for his uncle’s share. In the future he would absolutely pay more attention to cooking.

  As they traveled to the sect, his uncle picked up 3 other recruits from other cities and villages. The lessons became more general to avoid showing overt favoritism. Despite all that, he was learning a lot. He was still very glad to see the rise of the fantastically tall mountain ranges that were home to the Heavenly Sword Sect after almost 3 weeks of travel.

  As they approached the gates, the scale of it caught Ren by surprise because they continued to walk for hours more after first spotting the entrance. The gates were truly gigantic and beautifully made with the characters "Heavenly Sword" carved into them in powerful strokes. Just looking at them made him dizzy, and he had to avert his eyes.

  Ren’s uncle guided the potential recruits to the guards dressed in impressive armor and presented his identification jade. Despite knowing they should be welcome, the guard’s piercing gaze made him nervous. In front of him were these stairs that stretched into the clouds ahead. In the front of each stair was a character carved in. Before they began ascending, Uncle Tai turned to them all.

  “Now this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You can only climb these stairs for the first time once. Don’t waste it.”

  It took Ren a second to puzzle out his meaning, but by then he had already turned and started. Ren turned to the first step, and on it was carved "immortal." It didn’t make him dizzy like the gates, so he took that as a good sign and followed after him. He tried hard to understand each character, but some of them were hard to recall or had greater meaning that he couldn’t immediately understand. He saw his uncle was almost a hundred steps ahead and only getting farther away and hurried to catch up.

  After a few steps, he recalled his uncle's words and paused.

  “So what if he climbs ahead? He’s probably done it countless times. Like he said, this is my first, and he should savor it.”

  With that he felt a bit free to ponder on each step as he climbed. His traveling companions had long since gone ahead. After a few hundred steps, he felt himself enter an almost meditative state and started to understand the theme. They were lessons. They told of mistakes made and treasures gained. They told of companions found and lost. Of the purity of the Dao and the freedom the sword gave from worldly ties. They also mentioned many things. Things he felt he could barely understand. It was a shock when he stumbled and realized he had climbed the last stair. He turned and looked behind him and saw clouds hiding the number of stairs he had ascended. In a daze he turned to his uncle, who was patiently waiting.

  “I’m proud of you, little Ren. I hope you learned something from the experience.” Then he turned and led Ren to another gigantic gate.

  In a daze, Ren saw the characters engraved on the gate. He saw the characters “Cultivating Immortality” for a second before he had to look away again. There, in a little area, waited a middle-aged man who could only be described as well-fed or maybe steady as a mountain without sounding unkind. There was a small crowd of other hopeful potentials lined up before him, and he joined in. As he leaned to observe what was happening, he saw the elder's chubby hands engulf the wrist of the young man before him and proclaim,

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  “Bone age 15, spirit roots of the 4th order, Outer Sect pass ”.

  Ren already knew from his own education that 4th order spirit roots were the worst spirit roots one could have. Since cultivators drew in the same type of qi through their roots, those with a mixture of the 5 types would be the least efficient. 4th order indicated a mix of 4 to 5 types, and most cultivators with those never broke through the very first stage of qi gathering or took so long that the ideal age to cultivate was past them.

  From what Ren observed from those ahead of him, disciples up to the age of 17 were accepted, and spirit roots were a must. Those without were instantly failed. He could see some who were dressed as peasants looking in equal measure hopeful and terrified. They probably didn’t know their future. In this aspect, Ren counted himself lucky, for he had his measured every year until it was confirmed that he had spiritual roots, meaning a mix of 2-3 spirit roots. His were of earth, metal, and wood. It was hopeful that he might reach the second, foundation establishment, or even the third stage of cultivation, core formation, which would be counted as the beginning of cultivation and thus the minimum his family expected of him. Ren already knew the chances were slim for 3rd order spiritual roots to reach such a stage, but that didn’t stop them.

  When his turn came, the chubby elder's hands covered over half his forearm and pronounced exactly what he knew.

  “Bone age 14, 3rd order spiritual roots of earth, metal, and wood. Outer Sect Pass.”

  There were some murmurs, but nobody gasped with surprise even though he was the first one to pass with 3rd order roots. Ren was a little hurt even though he expected it. As he walked past, he wondered who was outshining him. He approached Uncle Tai and asked him.

  He gave a small smile, which faded quickly, and replied, “You are now a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect. If you are to become independent, it must start now. I’ve given you all the help I should. The Hall of Registration will take care of your needs. We shall part ways now. Only approach me if your life is in danger from things completely out of your control. Otherwise know that I shall turn you away. Or you may approach your older cousin once you enter the inner sect.”

  Ren was taken aback, but he knew his uncle meant no joke here. He watched the back of the man who had been his practical introduction to the world of cultivation and maybe his final haven of safety walk away. Ren walked back to the much-reduced crowd of accepted disciples feeling a little somber. He quickly shook it off, for he was still much too excited about becoming a new disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Ren asked one of the disciples if they knew who the impressive new talent was, who had more impressive origins than him.

  “It was this fellow called Jian Feng who was of the 2nd order with dual roots of fire and metal. He shocked everyone, and he was only 14 years old! The elder proclaimed him to directly be an inner sect disciple. I’d like to get close with him, but I don’t think he’d accept me even as a follower.”

  Ren looked at him in surprise at his words. He was clearly an older boy. “You’d accept a younger boy as your boss just based on his spirit roots?”

  The older, bulkier boy gave a rueful smile and said, “I’m sixteen with 4th order roots. 4 types without metal. I wonder how much further I can get without a big tree to provide me shade.”

  Ren nodded in understanding and learned his name was Bao Hua from Green Fields village. He introduced himself politely. He looked around and saw that quite a few had no idea what was next. Ren had learned that the next step was the Hall of Registration, but clearly the chubby elder hadn’t bothered to inform them and maybe would do so after he was done testing the line that seemed to only grow. Ren took pity on them and said aloud, “We should probably head to the Hall of Registration now; they’ll give us our sect introduction and assign us a place to live. It should be over there.”

  Having said this, he led the way, and the vast majority followed him, muttering sounds of gratitude. Bao Hua matched his stride and said, “That was nice of you to show the way. I saw some of the rich-looking ones head in this direction earlier, but I wasn’t sure why they were leaving or if I should follow.”

  Ren smiled and said, “That elder would have made us wait for hours before he pointed the way. I couldn’t leave you all shivering in the mountain air until you froze!”

  Before long they were approaching the hall, and Ren took the lead to approach the rather unfriendly-looking older lady at the desk.

  “Greetings, senior, we are the new disciples of the sect, seeking our identification and housing. She looked me up and down and saw my clean robes and then saw the crowd behind me and said in a neutral voice,

  “All of you gather up; I don’t want to repeat myself. Line up and put your hand over this formation.”

  While Ren did so, the lady spoke without pause.

  “You will be assigned to a plot of land in your courtyard. Manage it how you will. You will be provided 2 spirit stones and 1 qi boosting pill every month. For this first month only, you will receive 5 spirit stones, which are the only accepted currency. You can go to the Hall of Learning for lessons or access the sect library, the Hall of Scriptures for a cultivation method, and the Hall of Contribution to take up tasks that will earn you contribution points. These points are used to enter special classes and purchase items. It is up to you to make your own fate.”

  By the time she was done, the formation had stopped glowing below Ren’s hands. The lady at the desk took out a jade from out of sight below and handed it over along with a small pouch.

  “This jade is your identification jade. It will guide you to your plot. It also has the basic tenets of the sect in it. Make sure to learn and obey them. Next!”

  As Ren stepped away, he realized she hadn’t told him how to read the jade. It was fortunate he knew to hold it and focus on it. The natural qi in his body would follow his mind and would link him to it. He felt a rush of information enter his mind. He could only make out one thing for sure: a path to his new home. The rest felt like a haze and would take more careful effort. By then Bao Hua had joined him, looking supremely confused. Inwardly disapproving of the receptionist, Ren said in a slightly loud voice for the benefit of all nearby,

  “Just hold it in your palms and focus on it. The information should appear in your mind.”

  Most of the lined-up new disciples looked gratefully at him. Ren felt he had done his duty and said farewell before heading out. After a few minutes, he realized Bao Hua was still trailing behind him. He paused to let him catch up and said, “Are we heading in the same direction, friend? Let’s walk together.” Bao Hua looked so relieved as he began to walk alongside him.

  “You know, you’re alright! I know I have 4th order roots and might not amount to much, but you can count on me for any help you need. My parents always said those who help without seeking gain are good people.”

  Ren was a little embarrassed but glad for the company. While he knew many things from his family’s training and his uncle had given him a lot of helpful advice, this was still his first time alone, and he was glad for the company. And since they had gone one after another to register, it looked like they would be neighbors. It always paid to be polite to one’s neighbors. As they walked, Ren learned that Bao Hua was nervous and had a tendency to talk a lot. By the time they had hiked past the huge buildings and the crowds and reached the remote lower mountains their guides directed them towards, he had learned a lot about life as a farmer and the burden of being the eldest brother in a large family. Though Bao Hua made it seem dreadfully boring to look after farms, herds of cows, or his younger siblings, he still had a thoughtful smile on his face as he spoke. That alone told Ren that the older boy was missing home.

  Ren might have been raised a young master, but he had learned long ago that everyone had a life of their own that they took pride in. Being a little kind hurt no one and instead made them very grateful when he took interest in them. Ren’s siblings had mostly driven their servants away but gravitated toward him just because he knew his limits and seemed more humble compared to them.

  When they reached their destination, they found they were indeed neighbors, and Bao Hua said to him, “Let’s be good to each other. You can count on me for help anytime, neighbor,” before heading off to his own.

  Ren’s little plot of land had a short wall marking the land, which looked like a small courtyard with a little stone hut that looked like it could crumble at any moment. A small spring up the mountain was diverted to provide water. He paused for a minute and remembered that it may be small to him compared to his ancestral home but was probably considered a large field to a farmer. Taking a deep breath, he walked in. The hut was indeed tiny and had just a cot, a raised platform to meditate on, and a small area for storage with some pots. There was nothing else in the barren little cottage, and Ren gave a short sigh before realizing it was a lot like camping and suddenly felt a lot more grateful to his uncle for showing him the ropes.

  It was getting to be sunset, and the storage had around a week’s worth of food with a single iron pot to cook in. Ren set about building a fire and cooking his meal for the night. As he sat there before the bubbling pot, he looked up at the stars above, and instead of feeling the discomfort of preparing his own simple meal outside and the definitely uncomfortable bed he would have to sleep in, Ren couldn’t help but admire the stars above. They certainly put things in perspective. He couldn’t help but feel a little free. There was no one here but him. He had no servants, no proud parents, no snobby aunts or uncles, and no jealous cousins. Just him. On a whim, he moved his little cot outside and laid his camping mattress on it and decided to sleep under the stars despite the chill in the air. His first day as an independent man, a cultivator of the Heavenly Sword Sect. It felt special. He found it hard to sleep that night, but that had nothing to do with the cold.