Chapter 10 Test (Part 1) The Inner Gate Test Begins, Qingxing Nearly Gets Injured...

Normally, Mount Taihua holds an inner sect test every year. However, this year, only the top six will qualify for the final competition, and many disciples have come from far and wide to participate. As a result, there have already been more than a thousand people who have registered for this inner sect test.

Jiu Chaoying disliked making things too grand. Even for the selection of the inner sect, this year's inner sect test still only had three procedures: flight test, martial arts competition among disciples, and subduing demons at Jade Tiger Peak.

The imperial examination is held once every ten years, with the most recent one to be held in the Northern Wilderness Continent in a year. Since it is an individual competition, the disciples of Taihua Mountain who rank in the top six in the test must go there on their own, and the sect leader can at most send a few elders to watch over them.

The Northern Wilderness Continent is located at the northernmost edge, far from Mount Taihua, and passes through places teeming with demons, such as the Blood Peach Forest and Jade Lake. For the safety of the participating disciples and to help them gain travel experience, the sect leader and elders specially set up the "Flight Test" project, setting the starting point and finish line at Qiyun Peak and Shaoyang Peak respectively.

The two peaks are fifty kilometers apart. Although this is nothing to cultivators with various spells, the elders have placed all sorts of obstacles. Some disciples were flying on their swords when they were suddenly sent away by a magic array that appeared out of nowhere, without even having time to cry out for justice.

The test is not difficult overall, but the competition is quite fierce, with only the first 100 disciples to reach Shaoyang Peak advancing to the next round.

Therefore, three days before the test began, Qingxing could see her fellow disciples flying around in the sky every day as she walked on the road. There were also many disciples using the "Travel a Thousand Miles a Day" talisman, their afterimages rushing past like tornadoes, leaving Qingxing alone standing in place to be baptized by the strong winds.

Of course, some disciples also planned to use the teleportation array. For example, yesterday, Qingxing was almost hit by her junior brother who fell from the sky as soon as she left Tingyu Garden.

"Sigh, what a blatant example of what not to do."

Thinking of that blushing junior brother, Guda couldn't help but tease him. Taihua Mountain didn't have any rules about whether book spirits could enter the test, so early this morning, it followed Qingxing to the front gate of Qiyun Peak.

As it was the first test, all the disciples arrived early to prepare. Most of the participants were young people, and they chatted excitedly, making the area in front of the mountain gate quite lively.

With half an incense stick's time still to go before it started, Qingxing, carrying the new cloth bag that Jiuquchen had given her, sat on the large stone in front of the door, swinging her legs listlessly.

Guda imitated Qingxing's leg swinging in a very convincing way, but its legs were too short, making it look rather comical.

It looked down and saw figures dressed in the robes of Taihua Mountain disciples coming and going. Everyone was excited. When they met someone they knew, they would go up and say hello. They would gather in twos and threes, either exchanging information or laughing and joking, just like people going to a market.

Suddenly a familiar figure came into view, and Guda's eyes lit up. She exclaimed happily, "Hey, it's someone I know!"

"Junior Sister Qingxing, it's been a month! How have you been?"

A very familiar voice came from below. Qingxing looked down and met Su Lin's gaze.

Since their last battle, she hadn't seen him again, whether in the kitchen or the library. Gudako would often mutter in her ear, "Hmph, that coward, he's probably up to some dirty tricks again, waiting to trick you during the inner sect test."

Sure enough, his words came true. Before the test even started, Su Lin came knocking on their door.

Qingxing said expressionlessly, "Greetings, Senior Brother."

"I lost to you in the last competition because I was careless." Su Lin had a smile on his face, but he spoke through gritted teeth. "Junior Sister Qingxing is always using opportunistic methods. I wonder how you will pass the inner sect test with so many eyes watching?"

Qingxing had humiliated him last time, so it was understandable that he was resentful. For the past month, he had been working hard in his cultivation, waiting to teach Qingxing a lesson in the inner sect test.

"There's no need for you to trouble yourself, Senior Brother." Qingxing didn't want to get entangled with this person any further. She jumped off the rock and brushed past him. "I have my own way."

Su Lin hated Qingxing's indifferent attitude and mindset the most. He scoffed disdainfully, his eyes following Qingxing's receding figure.

"Why is he so persistent?" Guda looked at Su Lin's gloomy expression and suddenly remembered a certain rumor about Qi Yunfeng. She then teased, "Master Qingxing, could it be that he really loves you but can't have you?"

It clicked its tongue twice, and its gaze toward Su Lin held a hint of pity: "Poor thing, poor thing, young man Su Lin, it's not your fault that you fell in love with a strong person!"

"Don't talk nonsense." Qingxing always felt that someone was watching her, so she simply found a less crowded place to be alone. "He probably just wanted to be Master's disciple, but I beat him to it."

So he held a grudge against Qingxing and tried to trip her up at every turn. If we're talking about liking someone, Qingxing felt that Su Lin was more likely to like Jiuquchen than she was to like her.

"Oh dear, the love-hate relationship between three people." Guda stretched and chuckled, "Master, have you never paid attention to the gossip about the disciples of Mount Taihua?"

Qingxing: "No."

She doesn't pay attention to the daily lives of her fellow disciples, let alone their gossip.

Gudako: "That's such a shame. Haven't you noticed that you've been getting a lot more stares when you're walking down the street lately?"

"Um?"

That's something I really didn't notice. After all, it's been like this in previous lives, and Qingxing never paid attention to it. She thought that everyone was probably just curious about what Jiuquchen's closed-door disciple looked like.

"You're really ignorant!" Guda said smugly. "Last time you fought Su Lin, you used the high-level magic artifact, the Spirit Locking Pearl, which attracted a lot of attention."

"Besides..." it hopped around a couple of times, "Master, you're a stunning beauty! Plus, you have a master who's dominated the 'pretty face list' for years, it's hard not to attract attention!"

A huge question mark appeared above Qingxing's head: "A list of 'flower vases'?"

Gudako: "That's right. Cultivation life is boring and tasteless, so everyone has to find some fun. Every year, your fellow disciples will make some lists such as strength list, wealth list, and vase list. Jiuquchen has topped the vase list for three consecutive years."

"Everyone agrees that he looks good, but this is just a popular, unofficial ranking, so take it with a grain of salt."

"Ah." Qingxing's mind conjured up her master's face, and she was speechless. "You should probably read less gossip in the future."

"No," Gudako firmly refused. "I am, after all, a book spirit, and I need to absorb knowledge!"

What kind of knowledge is this, Bagua? Qingxing shook her head helplessly, deciding not to argue with Guda anymore.

A sudden commotion arose in the crowd, and the chatter around them abruptly subsided. Qingxing looked over and saw a young man and woman slowly emerging from the bamboo path.

The girl was short, with delicate features and sparkling eyes. Her two braids hung obediently in front of her chest as she tilted her head and smiled, talking to the person next to her. The dimples on her cheeks were very cute.

Standing next to her was a young man with a cool and aloof demeanor. He had a high nose bridge and slightly upturned thin lips. At this moment, he tilted his head slightly, listening attentively to the girl's words.

As soon as the two appeared, everyone made way for them, casting admiring or envious glances at them.

Gudako nodded her chin in that direction: "Look, the great male and female leads have arrived."

"Um."

Qingxing withdrew her gaze. Even if Guda hadn't said anything, she could tell that the aura surrounding these two was almost blinding her.

The sun grew higher and higher, and Qingxing watched it rise to its zenith. Only after the last incense stick in front of the mountain gate had burned out did the supervising official or elder slowly descend the stone steps, reach for a piece of paper with an amplification symbol, and begin to announce the rules:

"The phoenix cries as the signal; the first one hundred to reach Shaoyang Peak wins."

As soon as the words were spoken, a fire phoenix descended from the sky and landed steadily in front of the Taihua Mountain gate. It arrogantly scanned the area below, disdainfully flicked its feathers, scattering countless sparks, seemingly mocking the disciples' tense expressions.

The once lively front mountain suddenly fell silent, and the atmosphere became tense. Many disciples immediately pricked up their ears, forgetting to breathe, and their palms were sweating profusely.

Huo Feng remained silent for a long time, and Gong Cheng was not in a hurry either. He even reached out and slowly stroked his beard.

The disciples stood close to the cliff in front of them, and some even tried to push forward to get closer to the starting point.

After a while, the fire phoenix seemed to have finally grown tired of watching. It slowly raised its neck and let out a sharp, long cry under everyone's gaze.

swish swish swish —

Almost simultaneously, countless sword cultivators flew up with their swords, raising a cloud of dust.

Qingxing choked several times, but she expressionlessly reached out and softly called out, "Endless Wood."

With a "whoosh," a staff gleaming with a bluish light appeared before them. It seemed to know it was about to be put to use, and excitedly circled around Qingxing several times.

"Alright, let's go."

Qingxing gently patted the wooden staff to soothe it, then sat down sideways on it. The Endless Wood slowly floated up, and once Qingxing had a firm grip, it suddenly accelerated with a "bang," even overtaking many of the sword cultivators who had set off earlier.

In the first test, due to the numerous obstacles set up by the elders, caution was more important than speed.

So Qingxing flew at a steady speed, constantly observing her surroundings, and even taking a quick glance in the direction of the male and female protagonists.

The two main characters had such a powerful aura that Qingxing could spot them in the crowd at a glance. She patted Bujinmu and said, "Follow them."

"Your magical artifact is really obedient." Guda flew next to Qingxing, almost unable to keep up with the speed of the Endless Wood. "What do you call this now? Flying with a staff? Hmm, that sounds a bit too awful."

"Flying with wood, perhaps?"

Qingxing responded to the sound of the wind. Her hair ribbon was blown up by the strong wind, and her robes fluttered behind her. The wind blurred her vision, so she squinted slightly to see more clearly.

The inner sect tests of Taihua Mountain are never categorized according to cultivation system, but are based solely on the disciples' strength. Moreover, the test questions are different every year, which means that there will always be cultivators who have a natural advantage in a certain test.

For example, the sword cultivators have really benefited from the current flight test.

With her inexhaustible wooden staff, Qingxing was quite relaxed and more than capable of handling flight. Some body cultivators, relying on their physical strength, could barely leap between trees, but some disciples, such as sound cultivators and puppet cultivators, were not so lucky.

For example, right now, Qingxing saw a cultivator holding a guqin, who was squatting on a sword with trepidation, constantly muttering, "Please, please fly more steadily," and "I can't fall off."

"Oh dear, they've had some bad luck this year. The exam just had to be held in such a faraway place." Guda glanced at the man. "If it were held at Mount Taihua, who knows, maybe Jiuchao Ying would come up with a 'vocal duel' or something similar, and they would be better off."

Qingxing: "Maybe there will be more spots available for the competition."

"ah--"

Qingxing was staring intently ahead when a scream suddenly came from below. She looked down and saw that the sound cultivator who had just performed "prayer-style flight" had inexplicably lost control of his sword and was falling rapidly, sword and all.

Below was a freshly cut bamboo forest; if one were to fall like that, blood would likely splatter everywhere.

In the past, there have been cases of disciples losing their lives during the inner sect tests. Qingxing glanced around and estimated that it shouldn't be too late, so she swooped down with Bujinmu, intending to help the person.

"Hey, are you crazy?!"

Gudako chased after her, shouting. Qingxing, riding the accelerating Unending Wood, reached out a hand towards Yinxiu. Just as their hands were about to touch, Qingxing's collar suddenly shrank back, and her neck tightened—someone tugged at her from behind.

Qingxing turned around and met a pair of smiling eyes.

The person pulled her back and slowly spoke:

"No, you can't."