Who let him join the Sword Sect?!

Looking at the senior brothers walking towards him, Zhang Ze decided to seek the wisdom of his predecessors.

"What would Xiao Yan do?"

After quickly reviewing "Breaking the Heavens" in his mind, he found the answer to passing the hurdles.

That is, no matter what situation you encounter, always start by pretending to be the pig to eat the tiger.

And the first step to pretending to be the pig is observation.

Zhang Ze fixed his eyes and looked again.

The leading senior brother with the Jade Sword, his gaze was as calm as a deep pool of water, showing no unusual intent.

But upon a closer look, you could find underlying currents beneath his calm eyes.

This indicated that this person had deep scheming, making him unfathomable, but not without flaws.

"Truly a formidable enemy, but I have anticipated his moves and shall win."

The seven people behind him seemed to look up to the Jade Sword senior brother as their leader.

However, their temperaments varied greatly, and their appearances differed, indicating they weren't blood-related brothers.

They deliberately maintained a distance from each other while walking, indicating their relationships might not be stable.

"There must be room for maneuver here, I win again."

Zhang Ze calmed his heart, collected his mind, and prepared to respond to changes without changing himself as the Jade Sword senior brother approached him.

"I am Zhong Hui, may I ask if you're from the Seventh Sword Pavilion, junior brother?"

Zhang Ze, "?"

Pretending to be the pig to eat the tiger hadn't even started, and he was already seen through. What's the point of playing now?

How did he see through it?

Zhang Ze looked down at his own clothes.

The clothes didn't have his class number written on them?

Seeing Zhang Ze's expression, Senior Brother Zhong immediately explained, "Junior brother, these clothes of yours..."

After listening to Zhong Hui's explanation, Zhang Ze understood.

The clothes of the disciples of the Sword Sect's seven pavilions have different patterns on the cuffs and collars, which can be used to distinguish which Sword Pavilion they belong to upon closer inspection. Zhang Ze had been holed up in the Cyan Thorn and hadn't been to the other Sword Pavilions, so he was unaware of this.

As for why Zhong Hui was looking for Zhang Ze, it was indeed because of the matter regarding his junior sister.

However, this junior sister was not that junior sister.

Zhong Hui's junior sister was named Xiaofang.

This Xiaofang wanted a new Heavenly Illusion Pendant.

Among the seven senior brothers behind Zhong Hui, five had junior sisters, and two had senior sisters.

These girls also wanted the latest Heavenly Illusion Pendant.

Although the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion hadn't opened branches elsewhere, fashionable items like the Heavenly Illusion Pendant had already been spread by some middlemen and sellers of counterfeits.

However, they were selling the outdated versions, which couldn't compare to the latest official versions from the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion.

Recently, a senior sister from the Main Pavilion had passed by Cyan Thorn while on a mission and did a big shopping spree at the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, and now she is the most stylish among the entire Main Pavilion.

As these highly competitive senior sisters began comparing themselves, the pressure was passed on to Zhong Hui and these senior brothers.

The spoiled ones made a racket every day.

The considerate ones hinted eight times a day.

For those in affectionate relationships, not getting it meant no intimacy.

Although the expressions varied, the overall meaning was the same.

"I must have the latest one too."

Zhang Ze understood this situation very well.

It's about buying bags.

Without a bag, it's uncomfortable every day; with a bag, all ailments are cured.

"So, you guys should just make a trip to the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion," Zhang Ze said.

"Alas, we really don't have the time," Zhong Hui sighed.

Due to the upcoming big examination at the Main Pavilion's Inner Sect, Zhong Hui and the others simply didn't have the time to go all the way to Cyan Thorn.

And even if they had the time, there just happened to be no available flying ship.

As for the teleportation array connecting the seven Sword Pavilions...

That is a special array that only opens during emergencies.

If they used the teleportation array for such trivial matters without permission, they would be hung at the mountain gate by their master for at least a month.

So, Zhong Hui and the others found Zhang Ze, hoping to ask if he had the new Heavenly Illusion Pendant, and if so, could he sell it to them for triple the price.

If Zhang Ze didn't have that many, they would auction them among themselves, and the highest bidder would win.

Seeing these senior brothers, who had become prisoners of love, Zhang Ze's eyes lit up.

He not only had them, but he also had a pile of them.

Possibly due to his hoarding habit, every time the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion released something new, he would rush to the warehouse to grab two and stuff them in his pocket.

Now in Zhang Ze's Hundred Treasures Bag, there were as many random Thousand Mechanism Tools and Heavenly Illusion Pendants as he wanted.

If he played this procurement deal right, he would definitely profit greatly.

But just as greedy thoughts were about to occupy the intelligence high ground, Zhang Ze calmed down.

"I'm not Lily, and I don't lack money, so why would I exploit my senior brothers' spirit stones?"

"Moreover, could this be a trap set by Old Ascender?"

"Might Old Ascender have changed his appearance and snuck among these senior brothers to secretly observe me?"

"Will there be another eighty-one tribulations when going up the mountain later?"

"Very likely, no, it must be so!"

"Old Ascender is insidious, but luckily, I am resourceful."

With an innocent look, Zhang Ze said, "I have them, I have them. But there's no need for any triple price. Senior brothers can take them at the original price."

After saying this, Zhang Ze took out eight or nine Heavenly Illusion Pendants from his Hundred Treasures Bag for the senior brothers to choose from.

Through a flowery conversation, not only did Zhang Ze blend in with these senior brothers, but he also roughly understood their relationship statuses.

"No flaws? Could these truly be senior brothers from the Main Pavilion?"

"Wait a minute! There's still one more person."

Zhang Ze suddenly remembered the Qi Cultivation Stage junior brother who had guided him earlier.

That junior brother blends in without drawing attention, appearing somewhat dull, much like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"Senior brothers, hold on a moment, I'm going to find someone."

After saying this, Zhang Ze retraced his steps and found that junior brother still in the same spot, staring blankly at fallen leaves.

Zhang Ze found an excuse and brought him to the entrance of the teleportation hall, where these people also knew each other.

"Don't be surprised, Junior Brother Zhang, our Junior Brother Wei is just like that, a bit dull," Zhong Hui said.

Junior Brother Wei gave Zhang Ze a shy smile.

It seemed normal, but Zhang Ze found it quite abnormal.

Because anyone who's played murder mystery games knows you need to chat several rounds, progress the plot, to catch the culprit.

Zhang Ze cupped his hands to everyone, "By order of my master, I'm here to handle some matters, but I'm unfamiliar with the place."

"Could I trouble a few of my senior and junior brothers to accompany me on this journey?" Zhang Ze said, and then took out some small gifts from the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion from his Hundred Treasures Bag to offer.

They were all yellow-skinned rat dolls and Fuji pendants, things that pleased the girls.

Even that seemingly single Junior Brother Wei got a share.

After receiving the gifts, they had no reason to refuse and agreed to accompany Zhang Ze up the mountain.

Entering the teleportation array and opening his eyes again, Zhang Ze's first exclamation was, "So humid!"

From afar it certainly seemed like an immortal mountain pavilion, but getting closer, it felt very uncomfortable.

The clouds and mist between the mountains where the Main Pavilion was located naturally formed due to the earth vein's geographical feature, persisting all year round.

Though cultivators wouldn't catch strange illnesses like rheumatism, the discomfort was unavoidable.

Zhong Hui and the others were long accustomed to it and cast a small spell to remove humidity and miasma for themselves.

Zhong Hui thoughtfully cast one for Zhang Ze as well.

"Junior Brother Zhang, please..."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhong."

Zhong Hui was an amusing person, explaining various matters about the Main Pavilion, along with some taboos and precautions to Zhang Ze along the way.

And indeed, just as Zhang Ze anticipated, there were tests everywhere along the way.

"However, these tests are rather trite; where does an Immortal Sect have a mortal old man?" Zhang Ze sighed inwardly.

"Never mind, as long as the Sect Leader is happy."

Zhang Ze helped an old man who had fallen to the ground up to sit on the stone steps, patting his back, squeezing his feet, and rubbing his legs to ease his fatigue.

The old man recovered and looked at Zhang Ze with a smile, "What a good kid, I must reward you something."

"Do you want this iron sword forged by mortals."

"Or this Foundation Establishment stage Honggang Sword."

"Or perhaps this Golden Core cultivator's Spirit Fox Sword."

"Or rather this Divinity Transformation cultivator's, Wind, Thunder, Fire, and Moon Divine Power Celestial Sword?"

Zhang Ze, "?"

Zhang Ze felt the Sword Sect's Main Pavilion seemed quite strange, and this old man had a few screws loose.

Faced with such a situation, one must not adhere to conventional tactics.

Thus, following the principle of choosing the longest among short options, Zhang Ze picked the last one.

"I want the Divinity Transformation one."

Upon hearing Zhang Ze's answer, the old man changed his expression, "You little rascal? So ungrateful, not giving it to you! Hah!"

With that said, the old man suddenly leaped into the sky.

He just vanished like that.

Zhang Ze was dumbfounded.

What on earth was that?

Only then did Zhong Hui and the others, who had been watching from the side, start explaining to Zhang Ze.

"That was Elder Ma from Sword Forging Peak, he... he behaves like this when he drinks too much, just pretend you didn't see it, senior brother," said the shy Junior Brother Wei.

"What if I chose the iron sword?" Zhang Ze asked.

"He wouldn't give it either, and then suddenly fly away just the same," Junior Brother Wei said awkwardly, hinting that he had chosen the iron sword before.

Zhang Ze scratched his head, still feeling puzzled, but he recalled something else.

"Didn't Senior Brother Zhong say the mountain paths here on Main Pavilion Mountain forbid the use of escape techniques for flying? Yet Elder Ma..." Zhang Ze pointed to the sky.

"Disciples can't, but elders can," Zhong Hui sighed.

"Different rules for different statuses?" Zhang Ze was curious.

"No, it's that the elders accept the penalty, and the elders can afford the fines. Elder Ma... he has a monthly subscription." Zhong Hui couldn't continue as he spoke.

Zhang Ze decided not to dig any deeper, for fear that the shining image of the Sword Sect he held might crumble.

Elder Ma was entirely to blame.

"Let's move on, there's a good spot ahead, I'll take you there to rest, junior brother."

Zhong Hui also thought they should drop this topic, patting Zhang Ze's shoulder and continuing the path upward.

In this upward journey, they didn't encounter anyone else like Elder Ma, and due to the interlude with Elder Ma earlier, Zhang Ze grew closer to Zhong Hui and the others.

As they chatted, Zhang Ze finally noticed an inconsistency in something someone said.

He thought he'd found the hidden Sect Leader.

Zhang Ze sneered inwardly, his expression unchanging.

"Heh, Old Ascender, you're really here."

As they crossed the mountain mist, the view brightened considerably, revealing an observation platform jutting out from the cliff before them.

This place was free from cloud cover, the winter sun comforting, the platform deserted, allowing for a clear view of Anlan City outside the Sword Sect.

Looking up from below had been one spectacle; overlooking from above was an even grander sight.

Zhang Ze resolved to settle the score here, taking one city from Old Ascender.

He took out fine wine and dried fruits from his Hundred Treasures Bag, arranging them on the stone table.

Finally, Zhang Ze brought out the card set for "Duel Inn."

"Senior brother, Junior Brother Wei, want to play cards?"

"What's this?" Zhong Hui asked curiously.

"Something fun," Zhang Ze opened the box and began explaining the game rules to everyone.