Prophecy Of The Stars

17. LEAVING

The selection test for Celestial Jade Sect came to an end. Seventy-two contestants qualified, to enter the Sect as disciples, out of the thousand people those who participated.

The illusory world disappeared and
the new disciples came out to receive their admit token. The supervisory group of teachers immediately began the process of registration.

The families of those candidates, who qualified as disciples, stood in the gallery, happily waiting for their children.

The participants who didn't qualify left the gallery in disappointment. The masters from other sects who came to recruit potential candidates, got quite a number of new disciples to join their Sect.

Wan Jahao and Patriarch Wan were feeling proud of Wan Bei, who was qualified, to enter the Celestial Jade Sect. Four from Wan family's younger generation entered the Celestial Jade Sect as disciples.

Wan Chao, Wan Chun, and Wan Fang always kept their distance from them, so it didn't matter much, to Wan Jahao and Patriarch Wan that they qualified. The only advantage they gained was how their family's standing would increase in future.

Since Wan Huang disguised herself, and changed her name, to keep a low profile and avoid being found by Wan family, she didn't need to go and greet them. She quietly retreated to a side, waiting for the other fellow companions.

While waiting, she saw Wan Fang walking towards her. She then realised Wan Fang also had an almost similar situation as hers. Wan Fang quietly walked and stood beside her.

Wan Bei, Wan Chao and Wan Chun went to greet Wan Jahao and Patriarch Wan. Both were overjoyed when they knew Wan Bei possessed a cyan ranked aptitude core. They praised her, how she was their family's pride while perfunctorily congratulating Wan Chao and Wan Chun.

Wan Jie was a bit disappointed as he couldn't pass the test. But his disappointment was resolved, as the Jade Tide Sword Sect offered to take him in, as an inner disciple.

He was already an outer sect disciple of Jade Tide Sword Sect. Now that he participated in Celestial Jade sect selections, and persisted till the fourth round, how could the sect let go of such a talent. So they immediately offered him an inner disciple position, without the need for any qualifying tests,  to keep him back at the sect.

His disappointment was resolved, but now on realising  his sister Wan Bei's talent, and how other than him and Wan Bao, rest all became Celestial Jade sect disciples, he couldn't help but feel a bit envious. This motivated him to work hard to reach their level.

Wan Bao's tantrums on being eliminated were appeased. By pulling some strings, Patriarch Wan and Wan Jahao managed to get her, into the Cloud Peak Sect in Xiecheng province of Huanyuan.

The Cloud Peak Sect was hailed as the second best sect after Celestial Jade sect. It was quite coincidental, that one of the scouts from Cloud Peak Sect took an interest in Wan Bao. Following the vine, they managed to get her into the sect as an outer disciple. This also boosted their Wan family's pride.

Wan Chao and Wan Chun after greeting the elders, bid farewell to them and joined the departing group. These two sibling, although belonged to the Wan family,  their personalities differed greatly from that of the second branch.

They never cared about the status of young master or miss of Wan family, nor were they interested in any schemes or plots, to pull down one another. Just like their father, all they cared about was cultivation.

Their father Wan Zijin was the first born son of the Wan family. From a young age he was interested only in cultivation, unlike his brother Wan Jahao, who had the brains for politics and business, which earned their fathers affection and favour.

He was thus reduced to being used as a pawn, for his father's schemes and to thread relations with the royal family.

He married the younger sister of the current emperor of Chang'an. Although it was a loveless marriage for them, she birthed him a son and a daughter before passing away due to complications during childbirth.

Wan Zijin greatly loved and cherished his children. He didn't want them to be manipulated and used by the Wan family, like what happened to him.

So he trained them hard, in the hope that, they will grow up strong and stay away from the Wan family's schemes.

He tried to protect them so hard, but still the Wan family didn't give up, and tried to use them, to form new relations through marriage. He could thwart their plans once or twice, but after that?.

Therefore he decided to send them away from Wan manor and coincidentally, the Celestial Jade Sect announced its selections. Wan Zijin knew his children's potential, so he adviced them to take part in the selection test.

Wan Chun and Wan Chao understood their fathers concerns. They followed and learned from him wholeheartedly, tried hard and now they entered the Celestial Jade sect as its disciples.

Wan Bei was informed of her mother's death. Yan Wangyin was suffering from a mysterious illness when she left, which worsened over the month and finally took her life.

Wan Jahao and Patriarch Wan received the news, just before the selection test. They temporarily hid it from Wan Bei, Wan Jie and Wan Bao  so that they won't be distracted.

Since her body couldn't be kept for a long time, those at home immediately performed a funeral for her.

Strangely, Wan Bei didn't have much grief over her mother's death, but still shed a few tears in front of them. Wan Jahao and Patriarch Wan consoled her, and told her to focus on cultivating at the sect.

All the new disciples bid farewell to their families. They would leave to Celestial Jade Sect the same day. With the masters and escort team leading them, they proceeded towards Celestial Jade sect.