Over the next few days, more and more disciples and servants reached out to Bai Feng. Soon her small little courtyard with one large rock became too crowded. They had to take over a training field near the center of the fortress.

  It was an empty field filled with some rocks. A few of the other disciples jeered at them when they gathered. At least at first.

  Yu Di had the unfortunate task of sorting them. First, he had to weed out the ones that were there for quick benefits. It was easy when he required all new applicants to pay one simple spirit stone up front and one every month for the lessons.

  He then allowed those that couldn’t pay to do hard labor for the faction as payment instead. In a sect stretched so thin, that would mean many of them would have to work twice as hard doing their own tasks for the sect as well as for Bai Feng’s faction.

  Finally, after a week of endless bureaucracy that Yu Di never had to do before, they had a lean faction of people.

  Yu Lin helped, of course. Yu Di gave her the ultimate stamp of approval as she greeted each applicant and talked with them all.

  After all, they weren’t joining Bai Feng’s faction, but Yu Lin’s protection squad. They just didn’t know it yet.

  Yu Di made sure to show off the little girl as much as he could. Having a cute mascot like her could only help their cause. She would ride atop his shoulders everywhere they went. He made her pass out water and food whenever she could.

  There were other little children as well, most of them older than her.

  It made Yu Di so happy to see his daughter happy. Even if he were to die tomorrow, he knew that she wouldn’t be alone and that would be enough.

  Yu Di took out his jade tablet:

  Current Power: Realm 1, Stage 1, Peak level (Qi condensation)

  Remaining Lifespan: 13 years, 4 months.

  Current Status: Cursed (11.1% lifted)

  Overall Power: Fourth Realm, End Stage, Peak level

  Creating this faction and helping a few of the unfortunate servants has further unlocked his curse. He’s also lost quite a bit of his lifespan since joining the sect. If he pushed himself to his limit, he might be able to break the curse before he died.

  But he would have to abandon his daughter.

  “Baba, what is that?” Yu Lin asked. She had brought over a bun to him. They were on the training field.

  “This is Baba’s jade tablet,” Yu Di said. He took a bite out of the bun. “It tells Baba about himself.”

  “Like how big your eyes are? Or how squishy your arms are?” Yu Lin grabbed Yu Di’s underarm and squeezed.

  “No, and you have to stop that. It’s not polite to squeeze people’s arms like that.”

  Yu Lin flashed a smile, but kept squeezing his underarm.

  “Squish.”

  Yu Di sighed. Maybe it was time to teach her proper manners before she became some savage. Although it would be hilarious if she did when her mother was so uptight. When they met again, Yu Di wondered how she would react to this child.

  “Anyway little Lin, how do you like these aunties and uncles?” Yu Di patted her head.

  “They are really nice.” Yu Lin finally stopped squeezing her father’s arm before going back to her other favorite pastime, eating more buns. “I like playing with the older brothers and sisters.”

  “That’s good. In a few years, you will help Elder Bai run this sect. How would you like that?”

  Yu Lin tilted her head.

  “I don’t want to run anything. I want to have fun.”

  “You will have to if you want a peaceful life. Baba won’t be around forever.”

  “But auntie Bai said that people who cultivate can live for a long time. You’re not that old.”

  Yu Di leaned in.

  “I’m actually really old. So I want you to be safe with Elder Bai.”

  Yu Lin frowned. Tears formed in her eyes.

  “No, I want to stay with Baba.”

  “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. I just wanted to prepare you, that’s all.”

  Yu Lin wiped her tears.

  Maybe it was too early for a four-year-old to be told that her father would one day leave her. Hopefully, she will be old enough when he does to understand it.

  A loud boom sounded above the sect.

  Yu Di grabbed his daughter and ran toward Bai Feng’s home. It was the fastest he had run since he joined the sect. That increase in his cultivation level helped tremendously.

  “Baba, what’s going on?” Yu Lin asked. “Are we being attacked again?”

  “I don’t know. But let’s not take any chances.” Yu Di ran into Bai Feng’s home and slammed the door. He flicked a finger at the wards on the door and activated multiple formations.

  Bai Feng’s home turned into a fortress where those even at the peak of Core Formation like Sect Leader Gu Zi would have trouble entering. The only people that were allowed in without a pass were Yu Di, Yu Lin and Bai Feng.

  Yu Di thought about excluding Bai Feng, but it was her home so that would have been awkward.

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  Speaking of the woman, she was cultivating in the middle of the home, oblivious to everything going on. Ever since she read Yu Di’s cultivation manual, she had been making leaps and bounds of progress. It was as if her decades of stagnation fueled her rise.

  “Elder Bai, we have a problem,” Yu Di said.

  Upon hearing those words, Bai Feng’s eyes popped open. She stood up and took out her sword. A purple aura wrapped itself around both sword and Immortal.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  “A loud boom sounded outside. We’re not sure if it’s another attack.” Yu Di wrapped Yu Lin up in his arms and sat next to Bai Feng.

  “Disciples of ‘Forgotten Spirit Sect,’ hear my call.” The voice of Sect Leader Gu Zi ran throughout the fortress. “Meet at the amphitheater in front of our sect’s most prized jewel in five minutes.”

  Bai Feng’s purple aura disappeared from her sword. She put it away and took a deep, cleansing breath.

  “Congratulations Elder Bai on reaching level 3 of the third stage,” Yu Di said.

  Bai Feng looked down at her hands that still glowed purple.

  “I can’t believe I’ve finally made it. I never thought I would.” Bai Feng made a fist and palm salute toward Yu Di. “Thank you venerable master for teaching me.”

  Yu Di waved her off.

  “As long as you promise to protect my daughter in my place, then that’s all I can ask for.”

  Bai Feng smiled.

  “I would have done that even if you never asked. Let's head out.”

  “Do you know why the Sect Leader called us to the amphitheater?”

  “I don’t know. He’s never done that before ever since I joined the sect.”

  “Baba, let’s go!” Yu Lin broke from her father’s grasp and pulled his hand. “Uncle Gu is waiting for us.”

  “I guess we’ll find out when we get there.”

  Yu Di and Yu Lin flew on Bai Feng’s flying sword. She summoned one that was broader that allowed the father and daughter to fly with her.

  Yu Lin giggled and shrieked as they flew faster and faster, cutting through the air. Bai Feng’s aura made it easier to breathe for Yu Di.

  Otherwise without her, the speed would have probably killed him. He had a sinking suspicion that his demigod body had been deteriorating along with his lifespan. The only grace he had was that he didn’t suddenly age to his actual age, but he feared that was only a matter of time.

  He found a few white hairs on his head.

  When the trio arrived, the center of the amphitheater was packed. A sea of blue and purple tunics sat in neat rows, facing a large stage. The grays of the servants were in the furthest back rows. The green tunics representing the Elders sat on the stage. The sect’s large blue diamond floated in the sky as the backdrop.

  They chose one of the seats in the back to land on. Even though they were sitting with the servants, no one batted an eye once they saw it was Bai Feng, the collector of the hopeless. Many of the servants that were a part of her faction surged over to surround them, giving them a sort of honor guard.

  A glance from the sky told Yu Di that the amphitheater could have fit so much more. It reminded him of when he was in this sect so many years ago. So many of his brothers and sisters filled it to the brim so much that they needed to construct floating structures to house them all. Seeing how far his former sect has fallen has made him wistful for the past.

  Yu Di still couldn’t believe that this fortress was his former sect. He also couldn’t believe how he forgot about it so easily. Whatever the case was, he had a few years at least to fix it back to its former glory.

  Not for Gu Zi, but for his daughter.

  Gu Zi was still a mystery to him. He couldn’t remember the guy. Was he one of his juniors that he taught? Was he one of the seniors? He couldn’t have been any of the former sect leaders or Elders.

  They all ascended along with him.

  Gu Zi arrived on his golden disk, gleaming from the midday sun. He hovered above the stage with his hands held behind him like a general about to direct his troops.

  Every disciple settled down.

  “Disciples of ‘Forgotten Spirit Sect,’ today we settle old scores,” Gu Zi said.

  Yu Di felt his gaze land on him, despite being so far away and all the way in the back. It was chilling to be stared at by someone so much stronger than him.

  But this wasn’t the first time this had happened to him.

  All the other ones who stared at him like that ended up dead. Yu Di had a feeling that by the end of his stay in the ‘Forgotten Spirit Sect,’ Gu Zi will end up dead too.

  “Baba, are you okay?” Yu Lin asked.

  Yu Di smiled and nodded.

  “You don’t feel okay,” Yu Lin squeezed his arm. “You feel kind of… like you want to do bad things.”

  Yu Di took a deep breath. He had to remember he wasn’t a demigod anymore and he couldn’t silence Gu Zi forever. He had to play by his rules and hopefully the old man won’t expose him as he promised.

  “We have been wronged by cowards,” Gu Zi continued. “It is time for us to repay their favors tenfold.”

  Yu Di didn’t like where this was going. If Gu Zi brought them into a war with them, they would surely lose. None of the Elders knew much more than bickering among each other. They wouldn’t know how to lead an army.

  “Which is why we plan on holding a festival,” Gu Zi said.

  “Ooh Baba, a festival. I want sweets!” Yu Lin was tugging her father’s sleeve now.

  “I don’t think he means the same thing,” Yu Di said. The first clue came from Bai Feng’s face when Gu Zi mentioned the word. “What does this mean, Elder Bai?”

  “It means we’re going to be killing each other again,” Bai Feng said. “It's what the sects call a competition among each other. The last time we had a festival, we lost almost half of our disciples. We were not prepared. That's why no one wants to join our sect.”

  “Disciples, this festival will be different from the last one,” Gu Zi said. “I will personally join this one. We will be facing off the three despicable sects that invaded us a week ago. We will make them pay with blood for everything they took from us.”

  Many of the disciples cheered in the front.

  “What happened last time?” Yu Di asked.

  “Sect Leader Gu gave the orders for the formations my juniors took during the last festival,” Bai Feng whispered. She pursed her lips before continuing, “He’s not a strategist. It ended in a draw only because the other sects fought each other for the honor of ending our sect.

  “This year, we are changing the rules,” Gu Zi continued. “We are going to allow everyone to join this festival.”

  Again Yu Di felt the cold stare coming from the Sect Leader. He felt like he was being singled out from all the others. Many of the servants took a few steps away.

  “This year, everyone will be entered into the lottery to be chosen,” Gu Zi said. “If you are chosen, you will represent our sect to reclaim our glory. Your sacrifice will not be in vain for when we win this year, we will take over all the other sects.”

  There was a collective gasp. The murmurs followed in waves.

  “Yes, this year is a winner take all festival. Whichever sect wins this competition, they will be the official leader of all the competing sects. This is to prevent needless deaths and strengthen this region.”

  Bai Feng shook her head.

  “This is needless slaughter. We’re all Immortals. We should sit down and discuss this like civilized people.”

  “You’re right,” Yu Di said. “But these Immortals have lived for too long, chasing for a peak they will never reach. They will keep going because they fear falling. And that fall is terrifying. I would know.”

  “Baba, does that mean more aunties and uncles dying?” Yu Lin gripped Yu Di’s sleeve. Any harder and she would rip them off.

  Yu Di picked his daughter up and hugged her close to his chest.

  “I’m sorry little Lin, but that’s inevitable. People are very selfish.”

  “I don’t want to see any aunties and uncles hurt, Baba. Please make them stop.”

  “The only way to do that is to become the strongest. Then you can make the rules.”

  “Which is why this year, the festival will be run by a government representative,” Gu Zi said. “He is here today to select those of you to go on this mission to ensure no bias.”

  A man wearing a navy blue military uniform flew onto the stage with a simple flying sword. Gu Zi got down from his golden disk and bowed to him with cupped hands.

  The man looked down the center of the amphitheater. He waved a hand in the air and a light blue particle washed over the crowd.

  A beam of blue light shot down and illuminated specific members.

  Yu Di’s daughter was one of them.