They all knew very well—just with the strength of their sect alone, they couldn't afford to attack the Demonic Sect.
Most of the major demonic sects were located in the Heavenly Demon Continent. While that continent bordered the Central Continent, the two were separated by a vast sea. If they acted rashly and launched an attack on their own, the entire Heavenly Demon Continent would retaliate. That would cripple their sect completely.
There was an agreement—formed long ago between the main pillars of the Central Continent. According to it, if any demonic sect attacked one of their own, all the major sects would unite and strike back at the demonic factions.
But the reality was far from ideal.
Even with that agreement in place, those other sects were not true allies. In fact, they were competitors. Seeing Thousand Peak Pavilion weakened might even make them happy. And if they tried to start a war now, the other four major sects would definitely demand solid proof that the Demonic Sect was behind this incident—proof they simply did not have.
"We don't have any evidence," the Sect Master said with a sigh. "And without evidence, none of the other sects will support us in taking action against the Demonic Sect. We might suffer even greater losses than we already have."
"Then... are we just going to let it go? Forget about revenge?" one of the elders asked, his body trembling with suppressed rage.
"I never said we would give up on revenge," the Sect Master replied, his eyes turning cold. "But instead of rushing in blindly, we must wait for the right opportunity,Like the Demonic Gathering—it happens once every few hundred years in the Heavenly Demon Continent. That will be our chance to make them taste their own medicine."
He paused for a moment, looking up at the sky, his expression heavy. "But for now... we will begin recruiting new disciples, only then we can soon fill the lack of deciple in our sect .In six months, open the gates of the pavilion."
Then, turning to the elders, he added, "Spread the news. The age limit will be sixteen years old. Cultivation must be at the Qi Refining Realm middle stage or higher."
"Yes, understood," the elders all responded in unison—even the Supreme Elder and the Law Enforcement Elder gave a firm nod.
[Of course, none of them could have guessed that the woman they were talking about wasn't even from this realm but let them guess what ever they want]
And so, the very next day, news spread across the entire Central Continent:
In six months, the Thousand Peak Pavilion would begin recruiting disciples.
Qualifications: under sixteen years old, Qi Refining Realm middle stage and above.
Many people across the continent were both shocked and overjoyed by the news. After all, powerful sects like the Thousand Peak Pavilion rarely opened recruitment, and even when they did, it was never easy to get in. Not only did they demand high cultivation talent, but they also tested for combat ability, technique comprehension, and even willpower.
This time, there was no mention of special tests—just an age and cultivation requirement. Naturally, this gave hope to countless young cultivators who previously wouldn't have stood a chance.
However, not everyone was celebrating. Some were disheartened by one particular change—the age limit had been reduced to sixteen, when in the past, it was usually twenty. Those just above the new age cutoff found themselves excluded.
Even in Green Willow City, the news had spread like wildfire. The topic was being discussed in every tea house, marketplace, and alleyway.
In one such tea house, a round wooden table was occupied by four young men sipping hot tea.
"Hey, brother, did you hear about the Thousand Peak Pavilion's recruitment?" one of them asked casually, raising his cup and speaking between sips.
"Of course I know," another replied with a bitter smile. "But sadly, I'm already seventeen. According to their new criteria, I won't qualify. And by the time recruitment begins in six months... I'll be even older."
He lowered his head slightly, his voice tinged with disappointment. Clearly, this was a blow to him.
"Hey now, don't cry," one of his friends said, reaching over and patting his shoulder. "Men don't cry over this sort of thing. So what if you don't fit the criteria? Who says you can't still join?"
He spoke in a warm, supportive tone—but there was also something firm and serious in his voice.
The first boy, Chen Dazhu, thought his friend was just trying to comfort him with empty words. But then he noticed something in his friend's expression. A glimmer of confidence—almost like he was serious.
Chen Dazhu froze for a moment. His eyes widened.
Could it be...? Was his friend implying he had a way to get in through the back door? In a place like Thousand Peak Pavilion, where rules were strict and corruption was nearly unheard of, that seemed impossible.
But if it were true...
How could he not feel shocked—and more importantly, thrilled?
Chen Dazhu was so overwhelmed with joy that he accidentally shouted, "Really?!"
His voice echoed through the tea house, drawing the attention of nearly half the patrons. Conversations paused, and many turned to look in his direction.
Only then did Chen Dazhu realize how loudly he had spoken. Embarrassed, he quickly slapped a hand over his mouth, scooted his chair closer to his friend, and leaned in.
He lowered his voice and asked again, "Seriously... is it true?"
His friend gave a smug nod, lowering his voice as well. "Hmph... of course, not just anyone can do it. But someone like me, who has a distant cousin as an inner sect disciple of Thousand Peak Pavilion... it's possible."
He spoke with a hint of pride, glancing around before adding, "But there's a catch. There's a fee. Can you afford it?"
Chen Dazhu straightened his back and patted his chest with confidence. "Don't worry about that. As long as I can enter the Thousand Peak Pavilion, I'll pay any price!"
The two of them continued whispering in low tones, excited and secretive.
But what they didn't realize was... someone nearby had been quietly listening the entire time.