Bio-engineered Dinosaur in the immortal world-Chapter 69: Acceptance

Zou Fang stumbled slightly as he was led deeper into the sect grounds, his steps heavy with both caution and exhaustion.

The path they walked on was made of smooth, polished stone, though cracks and dried bloodstains hinted at the chaos that had recently unfolded.

Lanterns hung from curved wooden beams, their soft, flickering light casting eerie shadows against the grand structures of the Autumn Dragon Sect.

Towering pagodas stretched into the sky, adorned with intricate carvings of coiling dragons, their eyes glinting in the moonlight like they were alive and watching.

Smoke from incense burners drifted lazily in the night air, carrying a faint scent of sandalwood and herbs.

As they approached a vast open courtyard, Zou Fang’s gaze swept over the scene before him.

Dozens of in-name disciples were gathered here, some sitting against pillars, others lying on cloth mats hastily laid out by sect attendants.

Many of them were covered in bandages, their robes torn and stained with blood, signs of the recent battle evident on their weary faces.

Murmurs filled the air as the injured spoke in hushed voices.

"Did you see it? That creature... it tore through them like paper!"

"I barely escaped! If it weren’t for the elders arriving, we’d all be dead."

"I saw senior brother Lu Feng take on three demonic cultivators at once. He was incredible! But... he didn’t make it."

Zou Fang swallowed hard, his heart pounding.

Every disciple here had their own horror story, their own brush with death.

Some were clutching talismans, their hands shaking as they whispered prayers.

Others sat silently, eyes vacant, still processing the trauma of what had transpired.

A group of disciples were gathered around a makeshift healer’s station, where a young woman was applying medicinal salves to a man’s shoulder.

He winced but didn’t make a sound, his face set in a hard grimace.

Suddenly, a deep, commanding voice boomed through the courtyard, silencing all conversation instantly.

"Attention, disciples!"

Everyone turned toward the grand staircase leading to the sect’s main hall, where a figure in ornate robes stood tall.

His flowing white and gold robes shimmered under the lantern light, the insignia of the Autumn Dragon Sect embroidered in shimmering thread upon his chest.

His face was stern, his long beard neatly combed, his piercing gaze scanning the assembled crowd with authority.

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"We offer our deepest regrets for the turmoil that has plagued our sacred grounds.

"The infiltration of demonic cultivators into our sanctuaries was a tragedy that should never have occurred. We acknowledge the fear, the suffering, and the losses that many of you have endured."

His voice was steady, unwavering, yet filled with an undercurrent of controlled fury.

"The demonic cultivators who desecrated our sect have been dealt with. Some were slain on sight, their cursed bodies left to rot under the heavens.

"Others managed to escape, but rest assured, our elite disciples and elders are already tracking them down as we speak. They will not evade justice. We will cleanse this taint from our lands!"

The gathered disciples murmured among themselves, some nodding in solemn agreement, others exchanging wary glances.

The sect elder raised a hand, and silence fell once more.

"We understand that this event has shaken many of you. Some of you were forced to fight before you were ready. Some of you witnessed horrors no disciple should see. We do not take this lightly.

"And so, in light of your perseverance, your survival, and your unwavering spirit despite overwhelming odds, we, the elders of the Autumn Dragon Sect, have come to a decision."

A pause. The tension in the air thickened.

"All those who have endured and survived this ordeal shall now be formally accepted as full disciples of the Autumn Dragon Sect!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd, followed by a stunned silence. Then, murmurs of disbelief, shock, and for some, quiet excitement.

"We’re… real disciples now?"

"I thought we’d be sent away or tested further!"

"This… this means we’re part of the sect for real!"

The elder continued, his gaze sweeping over them all.

"You have proven yourselves in the fires of battle. You have shown resilience in the face of death. It is not merely talent or background that determines one’s worth—it is the will to persist, to rise, even when everything crumbles around you.

"You all have earned your place among us. From this day forward, you are no longer in-name disciples. You are true disciples of the Autumn Dragon Sect!"

A few seconds of stunned silence followed before a ripple of cheers and applause burst forth.

Some disciples cried openly, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten in the euphoria of acceptance.

Others clenched their fists, a newfound determination igniting in their eyes.

Even those who had been gravely injured managed to sit up, as if this declaration alone had given them strength.

Zou Fang felt an odd mix of emotions bubbling in his chest.

Relief, pride, but also unease.

He glanced at his shoulder and wondered about Red’Ribbon and Wei Long, who was already inside his spiritual sea.

As the cheers continued, the elder held up his hand once more, and the courtyard quieted again.

"Tomorrow at dawn, you will all be given your sect robes, spirit tokens, and designated training halls. Rest well tonight. The path of a true disciple is long and arduous. Your trials have only just begun."

With that final decree, the elder turned and strode back into the grand hall, his robe billowing behind him.

Disciples slowly began to disperse, some too injured to move much, others still basking in the reality of their newfound status.

Zou Fang exhaled slowly, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I can’t believe it. We actually made it."

…

Not long, as others were sent to their respective abodes.

Zou Fang let out a long sigh as he sat cross-legged on the floor of his new abode.

The air was rich with cultivation energy, a subtle hum resonating from the deep veins beneath the sect.

It was undeniable—this was a place designed for disciples to grow stronger, a stark contrast to the wild dangers of the sanctuaries where they had struggled to survive.

But despite the luxurious conditions, Zou Fang felt a lingering bitterness in his chest.

He turned his head slightly, watching as the thin wisps of smoke began to swirl in the air beside him.

Slowly, the smoke coalesced, forming into the familiar shape of Red’Ribbon.

The dragorooster’s eyes gleamed as he regarded Zou Fang with a calm but knowing gaze.

"How is Wei Long? Did he become crazy again?" Zou Fang asked, stretching out his legs. He was still sore from everything that had happened, and his body ached as if reminding him that his survival had not been easy.

Red’Ribbon let out a small sigh, shaking his feathery head. "He’s still crystallized. It really looks like he’s breaking through the ’Awakening Temporal Qi Realm.’ and not going crazy. But honestly, I’ve never seen a breakthrough like this before. It’s... strange."

Zou Fang frowned, rubbing his chin in thought. "Crystalized, huh? That makes sense... But that just means we have to wait until he wakes up."

There was a brief silence before Red’Ribbon tilted his head. "So? What’s the situation with you? What’s your standing in the sect now?"

Zou Fang scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Outer disciple, of course. Did you really think they’d make me an inner disciple? I barely passed the trial!"

"Outer? But you survived the attack of the demonic cultivators! I thought you’d at least be given a better ranking."

Zou Fang crossed his arms and huffed. "Yeah, well, I only managed to collect fifty beast cores. That’s barely enough to get by. The ones who did really well, who managed to kill dozens of beasts or even demonic cultivators, they got promoted straight to inner or even core disciples. Me? I’m just lucky they didn’t throw me back into the in-name disciple ranks."

Red’Ribbon furrowed his brows. "That’s ridiculous. The fact that you’re still alive should count for something. What about the hunt for demonic cultivators? Surely they’ll send you out for that, right?"

Zou Fang let out a loud groan, throwing his hands up in frustration. "Are you kidding me? That’s going to take forever! Outer disciples don’t just get sent on cool missions! We’re glorified errand runners and cleaners!"

Red’Ribbon blinked, taken aback. "Wait... what?"

Zou Fang inhaled sharply, readying himself for a long rant. "Outer disciples are basically at the bottom of the food chain. You think they let us go on missions to hunt demonic cultivators?

"No!

"We’re stuck cleaning the sect grounds, running messages for the elders, delivering herbs to the alchemy department, and doing all the menial tasks that the higher-ranked disciples don’t want to do!

"And do you know how long it takes before you even get a chance to prove yourself? Months! Years, even! And that’s if you’re lucky!"

Red’Ribbon’s expression darkened. "Wei Long is going to hate this."

"Oh, absolutely," Zou Fang agreed, shaking his head. "Can you imagine him running errands for some self-important inner disciple? He’d lose his mind."

Red’Ribbon sighed. "So what’s the plan? Are we just going to sit around and wait?"

Zou Fang smirked, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Not exactly. You see, I might be an outer disciple for now, but I have something that most of them don’t."

Red’Ribbon tilted his head. "And that is?"

"I have a high-level class beast." Zou Fang pointed at Red’Ribbon with a grin. "You."

Red’Ribbon blinked in surprise. "So? What does that mean?"

Zou Fang leaned back, stretching his arms.

"If I tell the sect that you’re a high-level type of beast, they’ll raise my standing. Having a powerful contracted beast means that I have more potential, which means they’ll want to keep me closer and monitor my growth.

"Maybe even give me better resources. And if I manage to show them what you’re capable of, they might just fast-track me past all the useless grunt work."

Red’Ribbon’s eyes widened slightly before a slow smirk formed on his beak. "I see. That’s actually a pretty smart move."

Zou Fang grinned. "Of course it is. I may not be the strongest, but I’m not stupid. I know how to work the system. So don’t worry too much. We’ll find a way to get Wei Long what he needs."

Red’Ribbon chuckled. "Well, I’ll admit, I didn’t expect you to come up with a plan this quickly."

Zou Fang scoffed. "When your life depends on it, you learn to think fast."

The two exchanged a knowing look before Zou Fang leaned back, letting out a relieved sigh.

The road ahead was still uncertain, but at least now, they had a direction to follow.

And for now, that was enough.