"I permit him to join the sect! From now on, he is a disciple of our Dayuan Sect's Piaoxue Peak!" Emily Foster didn't even look back, swiftly ascending more than ten steps in an instant and disappearing into the sky. It wasn't until that figure entered the main hall that Brian Harris burst out laughing, doubling over, "Are you crazy? Recruiting this kind of trash into the sect? I could pick anyone at random from the Servant Quarters, and they'd be a hundred times better than this kid!"

Amidst his unrestrained laughter, Brian Harris also flew upward. "Senior Sister Foster, how about we make a bet? Since you're letting this kid into the Servant Quarters, I'll also pick a disciple at random from there—someone who, like him, just started cultivating a few days ago. Let's set a two-month deadline and see who leaves the other in the dust! Anyway, in two months, it's time for the big competition among the servant disciples."

Inner disciples do have the privilege to make exceptions and recruit disciples into the mountain, but this privilege is limited to servant disciples only.

Dayuan Sect has thirteen peaks, each overseen by a sect master or elder. The inner disciples under them are their true protégés, the outer disciples are registered disciples, and the servants are just servants.

Inner disciples cannot overstep and recruit disciples on behalf of the elders; they only have the authority to recruit servants.

Laughing without restraint, Brian Harris continued, "If you agree, then I won't give him any trouble for these two months—I'll let him cultivate in peace. How about it? Honestly, I'm quite looking forward to a good competition with Senior Sister Foster. Let's see if the disciple you carefully selected is better, or if the one I pick at random turns out to be more outstanding?"

His words were completely mocking, causing Emily Foster, who was carrying David Clark, to pause. She stopped, turned to give Brian Harris a deep look, then turned and walked away again.

She had instinctively wanted to refute this rotten idea—everyone already knew about David Clark's poor aptitude; would she really be that foolish? But after a moment's thought, she realized that not refusing was also an option.

Brian Harris had said that if she agreed, he wouldn't trouble David Clark for a while. That was a good thing for David Clark, because while she could be kind-hearted and pity him enough to let him join the sect, with his aptitude, it would be hard for him to achieve anything, and she couldn't help him too many times.

She allowed David Clark to join but never intended to give him special treatment. Otherwise, with his aptitude—having been rejected by forty or fifty sects—he'd still be at the bottom even in Piaoxue Peak's Servant Quarters. If she gave him special treatment, it would only make the other servants resentful and would ultimately harm him. After all, she had no relationship with David Clark, so there was no need, nor was it possible, for her to always protect him.

Since it couldn't last, it was best not to give him any special treatment at all.

And with six or seven hundred servants in Piaoxue Peak's Servant Quarters, one more David Clark made no difference, nor did one less. In this situation, if David Clark joined the sect without anyone to look after him, Brian Harris could easily say a word and have the other servants torment David Clark to death.

If she tacitly accepted Brian Harris's proposal, at least David Clark would be safe for the first two months. A two-month safety period? That was already enough. Two months would give David Clark some time to cultivate and understand what that meant. As for whether he could survive after that, it would be his own fault for choosing a path he shouldn't have insisted on.

"You actually agreed? I say, Emily Foster, you are just too... Fine, fine! Good!" As Emily Foster turned to leave, Brian Harris was stunned again, and even his gaze toward her was full of contempt. Was this woman stupid? Was she as foolish as that idiot?

Even if that kid David Clark had some tenacity and persistence, did she really think some things could be achieved just by persistence? How absurd!

A servant—he was just in it for a bit of fun. But Emily Foster was different. Emily Foster, like him, was an inner disciple of Piaoxue Peak. Their strengths were about equal, and they usually didn't get along because they belonged to different factions. Being able to thoroughly embarrass Senior Sister Foster—now that was something that would truly delight and excite him!

Chapter 003: Strange Black

"You’re awake?"

He didn't know how much time had passed. When David Clark regained consciousness, his first reaction was pain—his whole body ached everywhere. Amidst the pain, a gentle voice sounded not far from his side. Turning his head, David Clark saw a man in a gray robe sitting a few meters from the bed, about forty years old, with a dignified square face that exuded authority even in calmness.

It was only then that he realized he was in a stone house. There were about three rooms with no real partitions in between. On the left was a bedroom with a bed and a bedside table; the living room had a table and four stools; the farthest room was completely empty. Where was this place?

"I am Eric Smith, the fourth disciple of Piaoxue Peak's Servant Quarters in Dayuan Sect. From now on, you are also a member of our Piaoxue Peak Servant Quarters. This is your residence." As David Clark struggled to sit up, the middle-aged man with the square face smiled at him, leaving David Clark dumbfounded with his words.

"It was inner disciple Emily Foster—Senior Sister Foster—who made an exception to let you join the sect, and she even gave you some healing medicine. Your injuries should be almost healed by now, right? But Senior Sister Foster was just soft-hearted for a moment, so you won’t receive any special treatment in the Servant Quarters. Now that you’re one of us, you can call me Senior Brother Smith from now on." Eric Smith smiled again, pointing to the stone table in the center of the living room, where several scrolls and palm-sized, clear, sparkling crystals lay.