Chapter One: The Dan Cliff Sect’s Favoritism Toward Men Over Women

Dan Cliff Mountain, Endless Sea.

Today, the weather was clear and bright. Qu Changhe, a Foundation Establishment cultivator from Dan Cliff Sect, was in a rare good mood. He piloted his magical artifact, the Cloud-Dragging Boat, carrying dozens of young men and women from the sect out over the Endless Sea behind the mountain for cultivation practice.

Among them was thirteen-year-old Hongjian, who was dutifully listening as Master Qu taught the intricacies of manipulating water more delicately with the Water Condensation Art.

The Water Condensation Art was a basic technique, easily mastered by Qi Refining disciples with the water spiritual root. All the dozens of disciples aboard possessed this root. Last year, Hongjian had advanced to the fourth level of Qi Refining, making her quite average in both age and cultivation among her peers; nevertheless, she found today’s lecture by Master Qu easy to grasp and felt she had gained much.

"Hongjian, Sister Hongjian?" A sweet-faced girl with an oval face leaned over.

Hongjian kept her eyes on Master Qu, her reply barely audible: "Sister Yao, what is it?"

The girl whispering to her was named Yao Zhen. Dan Cliff Sect was a renowned Daoist cultivation sect, its strength rooted in its proximity to the Endless Sea. With profound resources and a long history of talented disciples, the sect particularly excelled in water and wood techniques, attracting many from cultivation families and wandering cultivators, who sent their talented young with matching spiritual roots to apprentice there. As long as one’s aptitude sufficed, Dan Cliff Sect would accept them, teaching all together until they reached Foundation Establishment, at which point the elders would take notice and select individuals for personal instruction.

Among the dozens of water-rooted apprentices training under Qu Changhe, only three were girls, despite the water spiritual root being more common among female cultivators. Like other sects, Dan Cliff favored male disciples over female when recruiting. In the past hundred or two hundred years, not a single girl with a spiritual root had been brought back from the mortal world.

Yao Zhen was already fifteen, still stuck at the fourth level of Qi Refining. While Hongjian could focus on her cultivation, Yao Zhen had grown restless.

"Sister, have you heard? At the end of this month, the sect will hold a very important assessment."

Hongjian had not heard this news. Seeing that Master Qu was far enough away not to notice, she shook her head lightly and whispered, "How important? Do you know what they'll test?"

As a female disciple, her interactions within the sect were limited. Yao Zhen’s situation was similar; both were children of wandering cultivators, sent to Dan Cliff Sect by their parents and not having seen their families in years. They received little attention, and perhaps because of their similar backgrounds, Yao Zhen was eager to befriend her.

Yao Zhen pursed her lips, her expression complicated, hesitating before finally replying softly, "I don’t know the exact content. Just do your best—it’s said to concern our futures."

At the mention of the future, a shadow flitted across Yao Zhen’s face. The sixth level of Qi Refining was a major hurdle, the tenth another. Yet she herself was inexplicably stuck at the fourth, unable to break through, while peers of her age had already reached the sixth level, and even her junior by two years, Hongjian, had reached the fourth. Would she really be left to languish until her twenties, then be abandoned by the sect, marrying another Qi Refining male cultivator and spending her life doing menial tasks for the sect?

Hongjian was startled by her solemn tone, her wide eyes flickering over Yao Zhen’s face before she looked away.

Yao Zhen’s unease unsettled her as well, and for the rest of the day, she learned little.

When Qu Changhe judged his disciples had grasped enough, he recited an incantation, suspending the Cloud-Dragging Boat a yard above the sea. He casually called out a few names, choosing them to demonstrate the Water Condensation Art. Hongjian merely watched in silence from the side, for as always, Master Qu named only the boys, ignoring the three girls altogether.

Sixteen-year-old Chen Zaizhi was the star among these youths—a scion of a cultivation family, tall and handsome, and already at the sixth level of Qi Refining. Elders predicted that if he broke through to the seventh level by age twenty, he might reach Foundation Establishment before thirty, becoming a rising star of Dan Cliff Sect.

Chen Zaizhi stood with one hand behind his back, his expression solemn. With his free hand, he drew a circle in the air, and a crystalline ring of water appeared out of nothing. The disciples held their breath, eyes wide. All could conjure water using the Water Condensation Art, but none could wield it with such finesse as Chen Zaizhi.

After a moment, the ring shattered. Master Qu nodded approvingly. "Not bad, Zaizhi. You’ve progressed quickly. Remember, with water techniques, balance is key—do not force them."

Hongjian, her mind previously unsettled by Yao Zhen, slowly grew calm again. The water ring did not seem so difficult. At thirteen, she was competitive and playful. Watching Chen Zaizhi's demonstration, her fingertips itched to try. But even without being taught, she knew this was not the place to experiment—failure would be embarrassing, and success might only breed resentment. She suppressed the urge, resolving to practice privately later.

Just then, Yao Zhen tugged her sleeve. Hongjian turned to see Yao Zhen casting her a meaningful glance.

Following her gaze, Hongjian saw that Qi Xiuning, who was half a year older, had quietly approached Master Qu. With a respectful demeanor, she fetched a cup from the table, then skillfully performed the guiding gesture. The distant teapot quivered, and a silvery stream of spirit tea arched perfectly from the spout into the cup. Qi Xiuning offered it with both hands, her voice clear: "Master, please have some tea."

This, too, used the Water Condensation Art. While not as refined as Chen Zaizhi’s display, Qi Xiuning was young, and her control was admirable. It was no wonder she was eager to show off before the master.

Master Qu accepted the tea. Without comment on her performance, he took a sip and set the cup aside. His gaze settled on Chen Zaizhi and the others as he spoke in a stern voice, "I have heard some among you complain that the sect is slow to teach you martial techniques, and that some have secretly practiced methods brought from home. That is utter folly! If you wish to practice on your own, why bother joining Dan Cliff Sect? Let me remind you again: without reaching Foundation Establishment, how can you know which martial path best suits you? Do not let ambition lead you astray!"

Whatever their thoughts, all disciples replied in unison, "Yes, Master." Qi Xiuning’s face paled as she withdrew to the back.

Yao Zhen smirked in schadenfreude. This Sister Xiuning was from a minor cultivation family, and already at the fifth level of Qi Refining at such a young age—her aptitude clearly surpassed Yao Zhen and Hongjian. No wonder she was aloof. But now she had been put in her place.

Hongjian, however, sighed inwardly. Master Qu’s rebuke was not directed at Qi Xiuning alone, but at all the ambitious female disciples. With Dan Cliff Sect so partial to its male students, the days ahead would only grow more difficult for her.