Later that night, the figure of the old man appeared once again, sitting on a chair on the sides of a big, round table. Although the round table symbolized fairness and equality, his chair was much, much more refined and of higher quality than the other people's, shattering that image.

"... And that is why I am focusing on helping the talented fighters instead of less talented ones. I mean, wouldn't that help us grow quicker? And we must remember that Zhao Bu is a potential enemy! If we do not act fast, in a few years..." A hot debate was taking place in the room.

The person arguing was standing up, on his white elder robe there where 4 black stripes went from the left shoulder to the right ankle, meaning he was a Core Elder. When this Elder finally noticed the presence of the newly arrived old man he couldn't help but immediately shut up and bow.

"Third Protector Lao! We are happy to see you are in good health! What brings you here today, to listen to our worthless chatting?" The man cupped his hands and respectfully bowed to the old man he referred to as Third Protector Lao.

"I am here because I, Lao Jianghu, am in quite the good mood today..." at those words, every single person in the room's face lit up.

The Elder couldn't help but enthusiastically ask again "Senior Lao, could it be... A good disciple has actually come into our school? A talent has been discovered? Is he perhaps incredibly powerful?"

Lao Jianghu leaned back into his chair and muttered "Indeed... Not only that. Three words: eight years old..."

At that, the face of the Core Elder couldn't help but change as his expression turned into a surprised, hesitating, happy and disappointed ones all at the same time. "Elder Lao, it might be that the person simply used some..." He scratched his neck "Special methods to..."

Lao Jianghu only smiled a bit before adding "Two of them. Both of their bodies show no trace of having consumed elixirs or strength enhancing pills"

His voice lowered but could be heard clearly anyways "Twin Stars have appeared in the night sky that is our Mysterious Light-Shadow Sect..."

Hearing this, every single person in the small room stood up "Twin Stars??? The legendary Twin Stars???"

Everyone was excited, doubtful and hopeful at the same time and some couldn't help but shout and yell, letting out all the bottled feelings inside themselves.

Some rotated their cultivation base and strong wind currents sent all the papers on the round table flying through the air: they would not let paperwork hinder this happy moment!

"Everybody, you are esteemed elders, please, show some respect towards Third Protector Lao and tone down a bit!" The man that had stood up previously tried to stop the cheering to no avail. As he looked towards Lao Jianghu and bowed slightly in apology, he could only sigh as he, like the others, seemed extremely happy and allowed himself to also smile.

Fortune had truly struck them big.

+++

That room was actually what seemed to be a worn-out warehouse in the middle of a vast courtyard: two tall walls could be seen in both directions and they were so tall they either seemed to be the waves of a tsunami, ready to rain havoc amongst the lands or they looked like tall mountains, rising to touch the sky.

At the moment, Lao Jianghu was standing on top of one of these tall walls. His gaze was lost in the multitudes of small houses and huts that were built in the castle, seemingly searching for someone.

*creak*

The door of the warehouse opened for a brief time before closing again. The Core Elder that was trying to calm the situation also stepped out from the madness inside the room and allowed himself a chance to take a breather.

When he noticed the old man standing on top of the tall walls, he smiled and kicked off the ground: he flew like an arrow, whistling through the air and soon landed next to the older man.

The Core Elder patted away some dust off his robes and then asked at once, his heart throbbing "Third Protector... Is this information truly worthy of our trust?"

Lao Jianghu smiled, warmth clear on his face, and nodded "I verified personally. How long have you been following me for, Bi Liang?"

"Thirty years, Protector" the man answered. Sadness flashed through Bi Liang's eyes but he hid it very deeply.

The old man nodded and then said "I've got my eyes on one of the two kids. It looks like he karma connected to me and he seems incredibly sharp as well as polite... He is the perfect disciple for an old man like me to pass down my knowledge to..." he closed his eyes and sighed.

"I have to give it my best, just like him, and become the Top Protector, so that I can accept him as a personal disciple. But to do that, I have to go into seclusion and perform closed-door training, and I won't be able to come out any time soon. Even though I hid my strength, it doesn't mean that those two old monsters didn't..."

"Bi Liang, I have always thought of you as my son, and now you will soon have a younger brother to care for... I ask of you... Is that really fine with you?" Hearing Lao Jianghu's question, Bi Liang's face immediately brightened, his expression turning happy and he immediately nodded.

"Please, Protector! No, Father! Tell me where I can find my new younger brother!" Bi Liang was truly happy: he was raised as an orphan and he was picked up by the already aged Lao Jianghu that raised him just like a true son.

He became a core disciple at the age of twenty and was now an honorary elder at the age of thirty-six... To now have a new brother, he would do anything in his power to help and protect him!

"Looking from up here, I think you will probably soon find out... About now..."

Just then, a pillar of energy emerged sending the nearby clouds in disarray.

It emanated faint black, white and purple light and it had risen from a certain house in the sixth layer... Although it was not that large, it could still clearly be seen from a long distance away!

Bi Liang was shocked: a Qi Sensing apparition! Only once someone with incredible talent senses the Qi for the first time will such a powerful apparition appear in the sky!

That kind of power was something that he could never expect from a Vacant Disciple, let alone, from what he understood from his master, an eight years old boy!

Bi Liang gaped and then excitedly spoke "This is... A great understanding of the Way! An enlightenment over the martial arts, Dao Enlightenment!!! Only such an understanding of the Sensed Qi would allow such an Apparition to appear!"

Lao Jianghu suddenly frowned, as if he had eaten something sour. He then relaxed, laughed and then exclaimed "This was the other kid... Not bad, but I expect the one I have chosen to do better! Here comes... the second!"

Another pillar of light, this time a completely golden pillar, extremely dazzling and blinding to the sight, rose beside the first black pillar. Simply comparing the radiuses, it could clearly be seen the superiority of the second pillar over the first, which was by no ways low on energy output or small in size.

Lao Jianghu stroked his long white beard "I think you may have quite some trouble with those two kids... But now you will have two younger brothers. You will soon find out that having a brother is not always so easy!" With that, Lao Jianghu left, leaving behind a still wide-eyed and absolutely shocked Bi Liang.

The old man flew into the air and muttered to himself "They must be two. Two friends, two comrades, two rivals. To help each other, to aid each other and to surpass each other until they reach the pinnacle. One must rely on themselves on the road to immortality and cultivation... This does not mean though, that they cannot receive help from external resources, for one's connections and luck are still part of one's power! Two beings completely compatible and at the same time completely different, yet still the closest of brothers... That is the true meaning of Twin Stars!"

The two pillars of energy finally shrank down and the starry night sky returned to its former appearance.