Ascension of the Silent Guardian

[NAME: TIAN LING
AGE: 27 YEARS
RACE: MORTAL
REALM: SECOND LEVEL OF FOUNDATION
SPIRIT ROOT: HIGH GRADE
TECHNIQUES: PATH OF INTERNAL FLOW
ABILITIES: HEAVENLY TEMPEST SWORD (SPIRITUAL GRADE)
EQUIPMENT: SPIRITUAL SLIPSTREAM BOOTS (SPIRITUAL GRADE)
BLOODLINE: MEDIOCRE]

"Mediocre? How is that possible? What does that even mean? And why isn't there more information about my background, like the sect master's?" Tian Ling wondered, feeling uneasy. His heart filled with questions, but the guardian system remained silent.

With no way to find answers at the moment, he took a deep breath and decided to let it go for now. Perhaps, with time, he would better understand what this "mediocre bloodline" evaluation meant.

Thus, everyone bid farewell to the sect master with a bow, following their respective elders to the islands where they would live and cultivate.

As Tian Ling followed the others, he couldn’t help but admire the surroundings. The sky was filled with disciples flying on swords, moving gracefully from one place to another. He had never seen anything so magnificent before. "This is incredible..." he thought, enchanted by the sight of the vast sea of clouds and the floating islands scattered across the horizon.

Upon arriving at Mei Lianhua’s palace, Tian Ling was impressed by the grandeur and simplicity of the place. Although smaller than the central sect palace, its rustic and mysterious structure exuded a welcoming and ancient feeling. The walls were adorned with ancient inscriptions, and the soft glow of lanterns illuminated the space with an almost ethereal light.

The elder calmly walked to the center of the palace and sat on a mat. Her movements were graceful but carried authority. The disciples immediately knelt, bowing to officially acknowledge her as their master.

"From now on, you three are my disciples. I expect you to cultivate well. I don’t care for unnecessary fights, but I won’t restrict you. If you wish to complete sect missions to acquire secret techniques, the choice is yours," Mei Lianhua said, her voice firm yet calm.

Tian Ling pondered for a moment. "Should I do missions for techniques? No... That goes against my previous decision. I’ll focus on cultivation and becoming stronger. Later, I’ll think about venturing out." His thoughts were firm and full of determination. However, he quickly remembered the system, glancing at his master.

[NAME: MEI LIANHUA
INTERNAL ELDER OF THE SERENE MIST SECT
AGE: 602 YEARS
REALM: THIRD LEVEL OF TRUE SOUL
SPIRIT ROOT: AVERAGE
BLOODLINE: DESCENDANT OF A POWERFUL FIGURE FROM THE UPPER WORLDS. HER POTENTIAL IS VAST, BUT HAVING BEEN BORN IN A LOWER WORLD, HER ADVANCEMENT IN CULTIVATION IS SLOW.
AFFINITY: SHE IS VERY INTERESTED IN YOU FOR REACHING THE SECOND LEVEL OF FOUNDATION AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE. SHE EXPECTS GREAT THINGS FROM YOU.]

"Descendant of a powerful figure? What an incredible bloodline!" Tian Ling thought, amazed. He could hardly believe that his master possessed such an extraordinary lineage. This made him even more determined to follow his own path.

"Qing Xuan, take your junior brothers and sisters to their caves and give them the Serene Mist technique. You may start cultivating now or choose to take on missions. If you have any doubts, come to me," the elder instructed, turning to her eldest disciple.

Qing Xuan, a young woman with a serene expression, approached with light steps and bowed to her new junior disciples.

"Greetings, everyone. I am Qing Xuan. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please, follow me."

The three new disciples introduced themselves briefly before following Qing Xuan. As they walked through the floating islands, Tian Ling marveled at the surroundings. The disciples’ caves were located on a quieter, more secluded island, which, according to Qing Xuan, pleased Elder Mei Lianhua.

"This is the quieter side of the sect. Master prefers silent cultivation, so avoid conflicts nearby. Once you reach the Spiritual Core Realm, you will need to choose an element to cultivate. When that time comes, speak with Master. But it will be some time before you reach that point. If you wish to take on missions, simply go to the central island and choose one from the mission board."

"Senior Sister, we still can’t fly on swords. How will we get to the central island or speak with Master?" Jin Yu asked curiously.

Qing Xuan smiled softly before replying.

"Here are the Sword Path technique and the Serene Mist technique. With them, you’ll be able to move between islands and begin your cultivation."

After distributing the techniques, she led each of them to their respective caves. The caves were simple, with no extravagance, but they were perfect for cultivation. The environment was quiet and conducive to concentration. Everyone bid farewell and retreated to their caves.

Tian Ling, on the other hand, as soon as he entered his cave, sat in a lotus position in the center and began to contemplate the techniques. "Should I switch to the Serene Mist technique or continue with the Path of Internal Flow?" he whispered to himself. After careful thought, he decided to continue using the Path of Internal Flow, as he felt this technique suited his cultivation style better.

Focusing, Tian Ling began his cultivation. He felt the dense flow of spiritual Qi around him, entering his body at an impressive speed. "I don’t think it will take long to reach the Spiritual Core Realm," he thought, satisfied with how quickly he was absorbing the Qi.

Meanwhile, in Elder Mei Lianhua’s palace:

"Master, the new disciples have been taken to their caves and have received their instructions," Qing Xuan said, bowing.

"Very good. What do you think of your new junior brothers and sisters?" Mei Lianhua asked, her gaze distant.

"They all seem very promising, Master," Qing Xuan replied firmly.

"Promising..." the elder murmured, her thoughts seemingly elsewhere as her eyes drifted toward the horizon.

Three years passed quickly. Still in a lotus position, Tian Ling slowly opened his eyes, feeling refreshed.

"This is amazing! In just three years, I’ve reached the fifth level of Foundation. At this rate, in another three years, I’ll be able to advance again!" Tian Ling exclaimed, excited about his rapid progress.

Suddenly, the familiar voice of the system echoed in his mind, and a new screen appeared before him.

[IT HAS BEEN DETECTED THAT THE HOST HAS REACHED 30 YEARS OF AGE AND ADVANCED IN THE PATH OF CULTIVATION. REWARD: ONE HIGH-GRADE SPIRITUAL TREASURE AND ONE SPIRITUAL-GRADE MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE.]

[CONGRATULATIONS ON RECEIVING THE EARTH BRACELET AND THE CELESTIAL LIGHT MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE.]

Looking at the screen, Tian Ling thought to himself: "Celestial Light Movement?" Before he could fully process the information, the screen changed.

[CELESTIAL LIGHT MOVEMENT: A SPIRITUAL-GRADE DHARMIC TECHNIQUE. THE USER UTILIZES SPIRITUAL QI UNDER THEIR FEET, MOVING LIKE THE WIND, AND CAN CREATE ILLUSIONS DEPENDING ON THEIR MASTERY.]

[EARTH BRACELET: A HIGH-GRADE SPIRITUAL DEFENSIVE ITEM. IT CREATES AN AUTOMATIC BARRIER WHEN THE USER IS ATTACKED, RESISTING COMMON ATTACKS FROM THE TRUE SOUL REALM.]

Seeing these new abilities, Tian Ling was shocked but also thrilled. He immediately put the Earth Bracelet on his arm and felt a sense of security and comfort, as if a protective aura enveloped him.

"Quick, let me inherit the Celestial Light Movement technique," he said eagerly, speaking directly to the system.

Immediately, a golden light shone in his mind, and a flood of knowledge washed over him. Tian Ling entered a deep state of comprehension that lasted for three days. When he finally opened his eyes again, he was amazed by what he had learned.

"Simply incredible! Depending on my mastery of the technique, I can even create something close to a clone..." he murmured, surprised by the possibilities.

After three years of intense cultivation, Tian Ling decided to take some time to master the sword technique and explore the sect’s floating islands. He had been so focused when he arrived that he hadn’t had the chance to see everything.

To his surprise, it took only one day to learn the sword technique. It was incredibly simple, allowing him to fly easily between the islands. Flying on his sword was a unique sensation, and Tian Ling couldn’t help but smile as he soared through the skies, enjoying the views he had only observed from afar before.

Tian Ling quickly made his way to the main island. Upon arrival, he didn’t go unnoticed, attracting curious glances from all around. His presence was striking, and his unparalleled beauty only drew more attention to him. With calm steps, he approached the mission board, carefully examining it.

"Should I accept a mission now? No... It’s better to wait until I reach the Inner Core," he murmured to himself, reflecting.

He was about to leave when a soft and familiar voice echoed in his ears.

"Brother, you finally left your cave," Jin Yu said with a gentle smile as she approached.

Tian Ling turned, surprised by her presence.

"Sister, what are you doing here? Are you picking up a mission?"

"I’ve already completed mine. I just came to collect my spirit stones. I’ll be heading back to my cave soon."

"I see. I won’t hold you up any longer, then. Take care, sister," he said, bowing slightly in respect.

As Jin Yu's figure disappeared into the crowd, Tian Ling made his way back toward his cave. The tranquility around him masked the storm of thoughts swirling in his mind. He knew that greater challenges lay ahead. But for now... the silence of cultivation would be his only companion.