Chapter 1

On the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar, it is auspicious to travel.

The rain fell heavily, splashing onto the ground and stirring up the fragrance of the earth, rippling on the lake, and causing passersby to mutter curses as it landed on their heads.

"Who said it was auspicious to travel today? It started raining as soon as I went out," Lu Yang complained, somewhat regretting not bringing a raincoat.

It was his first long journey, and he had no experience. The sudden rain drenched him, and his shoes were caked with mud, making it feel as if the ground was hostile to him—each step required him to pull his feet out of the mud.

The sound of hooves came from behind, catching Lu Yang's attention.

Lu Yang turned his head and saw a carriage approaching. There was no driver on the carriage, and the old horse seemed to know the way, needing no one to guide it.

"What a remarkable horse," Lu Yang marveled. The old horse had a few scales on its forehead, resembling snake scales, clearly indicating it was some kind of rare beast.

Though he didn't understand its value, he knew the horse was precious.

At least, he couldn't afford it with his wealth.

"Sir, you're strolling in the rain, what a refined interest. Why don't you join me in the carriage?" A cheerful voice came from inside the carriage. Lu Yang accepted the man's kindness, pulled his feet out of the mud, and hurriedly got in.

"Thank you, I am Lu Yang." Lu Yang carefully sat down, afraid that the rain and mud on his body would dirty the carriage.

"Meng Jingzhou." The owner of the carriage was a carefree young man, optimistic and cheerful, as if he could chat with anyone.

"Brother Lu, are you also here for the Wenda Sect's selection?"

"Just trying my luck."

Meng Jingzhou laughed heartily, "Brother Lu, what's the harm in being honest? If you were really just trying your luck, you wouldn't be walking in the rain to Wenda Sect."

Lu Yang felt a bit ashamed, "Who doesn't want to enter Wenda Sect?"

Wenda Sect, one of the five major immortal sects in the Central Continent, was home to countless powerful cultivators, extremely prosperous. Today, Wenda Sect was recruiting disciples, and countless people wanted to try their luck.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou were two of them.

Lu Yang had been transported to the Central Continent, where his parents died early. He survived on the inheritance left by his parents and the help of his neighbors.

Living in a small town for over a decade, he had heard stories of immortals wielding swords to knock on the gates of heaven, of river demons causing floods five hundred miles away, of sect disciples flying swords to slay demons and protect the righteous, and of dirty Taoists who swindled and escaped, only to be caught again.

At that time, he knew this was not the world he was familiar with, not any dynasty he knew. This was a world of cultivation, where human power was concentrated.

He wanted to seek immortality and learn the art of long life.

Wenda Sect was his first choice.

He chose Wenda Sect for no other reason than that there were no other sects around his home, only Wenda Sect.

Wenda Sect was here, and other sects wouldn't dare to establish themselves nearby.

In their conversation, Lu Yang learned that Meng Jingzhou came from a cultivation family and had much more knowledge about cultivation than he did.

"Wenda Sect's requirement for recruiting disciples is that they must be ordinary people under sixteen years old. This is true for most sects."

"The path of cultivation is long and arduous, from Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Condensation, Body Fusion, to Tribulation Transcendence. Each realm is a watershed, trapping countless people. One in ten, one in twenty, even one in a hundred."

"Many factors determine one's cultivation achievements, such as luck, wisdom, and spiritual roots... By the way, Brother Lu, do you know what your spiritual root is?"

"While Wenda Sect doesn't have high requirements for spiritual roots, they still don't accept those with very poor roots."

Lu Yang frowned. He had only learned about spiritual roots from the storyteller and didn't know what his own was.

"I don't know, what about you, Brother Meng?"

Meng Jingzhou looked puzzled and shook his head, "I once tested my spiritual root in my clan, but the elders looked worried and didn't tell me the result. They just said my talent was extraordinary, and joining one of the five major immortal sects would be no problem. They said I would know when I joined one of the five major sects. I secretly asked my parents, but they were even more worried and didn't tell me."

Lu Yang speculated, "It's possible your spiritual root is so extraordinary that it could bring disaster to the Meng family. Only a massive entity like Wenda Sect could protect you."

"That's what I guessed." Meng Jingzhou patted Lu Yang's shoulder, looking at him as if he had found a kindred spirit, seeing in him a similarly talented cultivator.

Listening to the rain getting heavier outside, Lu Yang was grateful that Meng Jingzhou had let him into the carriage.

"Stop." Meng Jingzhou suddenly shouted, and the old horse took a few steps before slowly stopping.

The carriage was a rare treasure, allowing Meng Jingzhou to see outside.

Meng Jingzhou saw a woman walking in the rain, just like Lu Yang had been earlier.

"This lady must be heading to Wenda Sect for the test. The rain is so heavy, why don't you come in and rest?"

The woman was surprised by Meng Jingzhou's offer but agreed after some thought.

As soon as the woman got in, Meng Jingzhou and Lu Yang were both stunned.

Meng Jingzhou considered himself well-traveled, but he had never seen such a beautiful woman. Lu Yang, who had only seen the prettiest woman as the widow next door who sold tofu, was even more amazed.

Of course, Lu Yang was a gentleman and had no improper thoughts about the widow.

The woman was like a lotus, elegant but not vulgar, wearing a white dress, standing tall and graceful, with bright eyes and a beautiful smile, giving a sense of otherworldly beauty.

She also wore a string of golden bells on her right wrist.

"Thank you, both of you," the woman said, her voice like a clear spring, pleasant to the ear.

Lu Yang noticed something odd and whispered, "Brother Meng, why is she dry? Could she be a monster?"

In stories, monsters often transformed into beautiful women to lure young, strong men.

Lu Yang had been drenched like a drowned chicken, looking miserable, while Yunzhi was completely dry, not at all like someone who had walked in the rain.

Meng Jingzhou didn't think much of it, "Maybe she has a treasure that can protect her from the rain. It's common in noble families."

Meng Jingzhou wasn't worried that Yunzhi was a monster. This was Wenda Sect's territory, and no monster would dare to cause trouble here.

"Miss Yunzhi, are you here for the Wenda Sect test?"

"Yes."

Meng Jingzhou said eagerly, "I happen to have the test content, which I bought from an elder of Wenda Sect for a high price. Would you like to hear it?"

Lu Yang looked at Meng Jingzhou in surprise, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Yunzhi was even more surprised, "That's cheating. What if Wenda Sect finds out..."

Meng Jingzhou waved his hand, confident, "This carriage is a rare treasure. Even powerful cultivators and reclusive old monsters can't use their divine senses to detect us here."

"Understood. Please tell me the test content, Mr. Meng."

Lu Yang also perked up his ears to listen.

Meng Jingzhou cleared his throat, "The Wenda Sect test has three stages. The first stage tests spiritual roots, which is a hard requirement with no shortcuts. The second and third stages have more flexibility."

"The second stage tests character. A carriage loses control and is about to hit five people lying on the road, who will surely die if hit. There is another person lying nearby, and as outsiders, we can control the direction of the carriage. Do we ignore it and let the five people die, or change direction and hit the other person?"

Lu Yang didn't hesitate, "Hit the other person."

Meng Jingzhou was very surprised. He had been struggling with this question since he learned about the second stage, but Lu Yang made a decision immediately.

Choosing to ignore it would mean watching five people die, which was morally unacceptable.

Choosing to change direction and hit the other person meant that person would be unlucky and die, and it would be your fault.

Meng Jingzhou voiced his doubts, and Lu Yang explained, "There's no time to think. By the time you make a decision, the five people would already be dead. I think Wenda Sect is testing not whether you save five or one, but whether you can make a quick decision."

"I heard from the storyteller that in cultivation battles, a slight difference can mean life or death. The second stage tests not your character but your decisiveness. Making a quick decision is the most important."

Meng Jingzhou was enlightened.

"The third stage tests honesty. Wenda Sect has a mirror that can determine if you're telling the truth. If you lie, you're immediately disqualified."

Lu Yang thought, "This stage is simple. If you weren't warned, you might lie to cover up, but since you know, just tell the truth."

Meng Jingzhou nodded, thinking the same.

They discussed for a while, considering possible scenarios and strategies, feeling confident in their plan.

Miss Yunzhi smiled, seemingly approving of their plan.

"Thank you, Young Hero Lu."

"Hmm, the rain has stopped?" Lu Yang noticed that the sound of raindrops had ceased and looked outside curiously.

The place they had just passed was still drenched in heavy rain, but where they were, the sun was shining, and birds were singing, as if a powerful sword had divided the world into two halves, one sunny and one rainy, never to meet.

Lu Yang looked up and saw countless rare beasts and magical treasures heading toward a towering mountain that reached the sky.

The mountain was bathed in a golden glow, with beautiful patterns spreading out from behind it, blocking the rain.

This was the gateway to Wenda Sect, protected by a powerful array that no one could break.

Out of respect for Wenda Sect, the young geniuses, accompanied by their elders, landed at the foot of the mountain, waiting for the test to begin.

The old horse, already a rare beast, was still inferior to the majestic creatures resting at the foot of the mountain.

"Wow, this is much more impressive than our Meng family's estate," Meng Jingzhou rubbed his hands, feeling nervous but more excited at the thought of soon passing the test and becoming a member of Wenda Sect.

Lu Yang was silent. He could see this mountain from his home, but it was too far away to feel its grandeur. Standing at the foot of the mountain, he realized how massive it was.

He was nervous. He had strategies for the second and third stages, but he still didn't know what his spiritual root was, and he might not even pass the first stage.

Dozens of cultivators floated in the air, guarding the mountain, all emitting powerful auras. Lu Yang suspected that if they fully released their auras, few people could stand.

These cultivators were silent, creating a psychological pressure.

Lu Yang heard an elder introducing the situation to a younger member, "Look at their robes. These are core disciples of Wenda Sect, disciples of the elders. They will be your seniors."

"You don't need to be nervous. They're not intentionally pressuring you. They're waiting for the person in charge of the test. Once they arrive, the test will begin."

Lu Yang turned to see Miss Yunzhi's reaction, whether she was excited or nervous.

She couldn't be so calm, could she?

"Miss Yunzhi, you..."

Just as Lu Yang was about to speak, he saw Miss Yunzhi take a step, and a white lotus appeared to support her delicate body before each step.

The crowd was amazed, and the elders broke out in cold sweat, quickly silencing the younger members.

The white lotuses formed a path, crossing the crowd, and Miss Yunzhi arrived among the core disciples of Wenda Sect, who bowed to her in respect. She raised her hand and faced the crowd, smiling.

"Thank you for waiting. I am the eldest sister of Wenda Sect and the supervisor of this test."

"I declare the test officially begins."

With that, Miss Yunzhi glanced at the stunned Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou with a smile.

She was indeed here for the Wenda Sect test, but not as a candidate, but as the examiner.