Chapter 11

The distinction between immortals and mortals is no exaggeration.

After carefully studying for five days, the time passed quickly. For a cultivator, such a short period was like a mere blink of an eye, but for Gu Xuyao, it was like seeing a whole new world.

"The time has come; it's time to start the hunt."

Gu Xuyao closed the introductory book, which he had read thoroughly and memorized. To commemorate the lost time, Gu Xuyao liked to refer to important matters as "hunts," so he wouldn't forget the blacksmith couple who had taken care of him for over a decade in the Red Clay District, and his best friend, Muyu.

In the cultivation world, cultivators are divided into two types. Those who enter villages each year to search for talented children are Dao cultivators. They value talent, and without it, one is worthless. Dao cultivation emphasizes perception and enlightenment. If one cannot perceive the surrounding elemental energy, they cannot become a Dao cultivator, and Gu Xuyao was one of them.

The cultivators of Taiheng Sect, on the other hand, are Force cultivators. Force cultivators do not need to perceive elemental energy; they control it!

"I can definitely do it..." Gu Xuyao pushed open the door and looked at the sky, which was faintly brightening.

The path of Force cultivation is entirely different from that of Dao cultivation. They forcibly absorb elemental energy into their bodies for their use. Compared to Dao cultivators, who guide elemental energy into their bodies through perception, the method of Force cultivation is more brutal and difficult, requiring cultivators to have extraordinary willpower.

Before long, Gu Xuyao had arrived at the array leading to the upper level. He glanced at the sky and took out his token.

Just as when he came down, a gentle breeze steadily lifted him and delivered him to the upper level of Taiheng Sect.

"Yesterday, I fainted on these stairs. It must have been because the elemental energy was too dense..." Standing on the upper level of Taiheng Sect, Gu Xuyao recalled the events of that day. Now, he knew the reason.

The air in the mortal area also contains elemental energy, but it is far less dense than outside, leading to the accumulation of impurities in mortals' bodies.

Elemental energy is pure and likes to cleanse. When mortals enter the cultivation world and breathe the dense elemental energy, it inevitably collides with the impurities in their bodies. Over time, this can cause harm to mortals. Since their bodies become chaotic like a battlefield, without the help of cultivators, prolonged suffering can lead to death.

Direction is never a problem for a hunter. Following the path, Gu Xuyao quickly arrived at Tu Ye's residence. The sky was now at the first hour of the morning.

"Headmaster Tu Ye, Gu Xuyao pays his respects." Gu Xuyao bowed, though separated by a door, he was genuinely grateful to the headmaster who had brought him out of the mortal area and cleansed the impurities from his body.

The door opened gently, and Tu Ye walked out, his face still stern. However, if Gu Xuyao observed closely, he could see a hint of approval on Tu Ye's face.

"Follow me." Without further words, Tu Ye led the way.

Gu Xuyao said nothing more and closely followed Tu Ye, fearing that he might disappear like the woman he had encountered before, who vanished in a blink.

Since it was still dark, the upper level of Taiheng Sect, which was shrouded in mist during the day, now looked somewhat eerie. However, this did not dampen Gu Xuyao's excitement. He memorized the path while looking forward to the upcoming test.

"Given my familiarity with that book, I should be able to satisfy everyone..."

During the five days, Gu Xuyao had slept for less than a day, dedicating the rest of his time to the introductory book. For a hunter like him, staying awake all night was nothing unusual.

After many twists and turns, they finally arrived at their destination. By instinct, Gu Xuyao roughly determined that Tu Ye's residence was in the far east of the upper level, and he was now in the far west, though not in a straight line.

"Here we are, Gu Xuyao. Go in by yourself; I'll wait outside." Tu Ye stopped in front of a house similar to his own, which was larger and more mysterious than those on the lower level.

Gu Xuyao glanced at Tu Ye, who showed no expression, and nodded firmly. He pushed open the door and entered the room.

As soon as he entered, Gu Xuyao smelled the scent of sandalwood, similar to that in Tu Ye's room. Before he could react, the door behind him closed automatically, followed by a stern voice.

"Who are you! Speak your name quickly!"

Gu Xuyao was startled. The voice was louder than thunder in the Red Clay District, but since he had been in the cultivation world for a few days, he was mentally prepared for unexpected events.

"I am Gu Xuyao, a mortal saved by Headmaster Tu Ye, and I am fortunate to participate..."

"Enough talk! It begins now!"

The voice interrupted Gu Xuyao, and he felt a sudden dizziness. The originally empty room transformed into a barren desert.

"This..." Gu Xuyao, though mentally prepared, was still taken aback by the sudden change. However, he had no time to marvel.

"Rumble..." An earthquake, the rumbling sound came from all directions. Gu Xuyao, unsure of the cause, but guided by his hunter's instinct, knew it was unwise to move around. The sound was indistinguishable in direction, so staying put and waiting was the right choice.

The earthquake continued, and the sky suddenly darkened. Gu Xuyao struggled to maintain his balance and looked up.

It was better not to look. The sight made Gu Xuyao lose his composure!

It was a mountain, though still far away, it was indeed a massive mountain pressing down on him!

There was no time to wonder why a mountain would fall from the sky. Gu Xuyao ran forward desperately, ignoring the potential dangers of the shaking ground.

However, despite his agility, the soft sand hindered his escape, and he could not escape the mountain's grasp from the sky.

"Bang!" A dull sound, and a cloud of sand and dust enveloped the area.

As the sand settled, it became clear that the mountain covered an area of over twenty miles. Gu Xuyao, though not crushed into a pulp, had almost escaped.

"Spit..." Mouth full of sand, Gu Xuyao spat it out. "I didn't die. The world of cultivators is indeed wondrous, but the pain is real..." Finally, he cleared the sand from his mouth and thought to himself.

The shaking stopped, and time seemed to stand still, except for the scorching sun, the heavy mountain, and the real pain.

Every part of Gu Xuyao's body ached, and he could feel every bone shattered and every muscle deformed. As a common saying goes: a person like Gu Xuyao, if not dead, is useless.

Ironically, Gu Xuyao was indeed not dead, helplessly tormented by the mountain and the sun.

This situation lasted for about half an hour, and Gu Xuyao was drenched in sweat, whether from the heat or the pain.

Suddenly, a dagger embedded itself in the yellow sand in front of Gu Xuyao, very close to him. His only movable part, his neck, seemed to be just within reach of the dagger's blade.

Gu Xuyao found this somewhat strange, but since the sky could "fall," a dagger falling was not surprising.

As Gu Xuyao pondered, the sand around him began to flow downward, slowly pulling the dagger out of his reach.

"Is this giving me a chance to end my suffering..."

This was a choice: to die or to live in pain. When one has no choice, even the most unbearable pain is helpless. But with a way out, the pain seemed to double, tormenting his nerves.

The scorching sun seemed to sense Gu Xuyao's torment and intensified its heat.

The pain grew more intense, and Gu Xuyao's mind began to blur. The thoughts that involuntarily arose kept telling him to end his life.

"End it..." He muttered, and began to stretch his neck toward the dagger's blade.

But soon, the action stopped abruptly, clearly a result of intense inner conflict.

The sand gradually carried the dagger away, and Gu Xuyao's will to live and the desire to end his suffering fought for control of his neck. The struggle was so intense that his entire head began to tremble.

"No..." Seeing the opportunity to end his suffering slipping away, the pain intensified. But Gu Xuyao knew he was in a test at Taiheng Sect. If he were really to die, he wouldn't be able to become a cultivator.

He held on for about fifteen minutes, almost twisting his neck, but his will to live finally overcame the desire to end his suffering. The dagger moved out of his reach.

The dagger's speed increased, and Gu Xuyao, regretting the missed opportunity, felt the pain intensify.

His consciousness began to fade, but a smile appeared on his lips.

The scorching sun remained, and as his consciousness left his body, the last thing he saw was the dagger sinking into the sand, with a golden glint on its handle, blinding.

The surroundings began to dissolve, the sand and the mountain breaking down into threads of elemental energy. Gu Xuyao, now with closed eyes, felt his pain fade, and darkness gently embraced him, like a mother's warm arms.

"Passed!" The thunderous voice rang again, and Gu Xuyao's eyes snapped open. He found himself back in the room, his bones intact.

Though just waking up, he clearly heard the word "passed." Overjoyed, he was about to thank the voice when it spoke again.

"Out!"

Without giving Gu Xuyao a chance to refuse, the door behind him opened, and a force pushed him out of the room, followed by the sound of the door closing.

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