Chapter 10

In early March, the gate of Xuanzong Mountain was opened.

Countless people poured into the mountain gate, and the sect was extremely lively.

Jitang looked out from the window of Xin Pavilion.

She hasn't had any dreams about Su Jinzhou recently. She is in good spirits and looks at the people waiting to take the test.

"The difference in cultivation is that, whether you're a noble young man or a beggar on the street, they're all 'ordinary people' here. There really are all kinds of people."

Yang Xiaoluan walked out from behind the wooden shelf, holding an envelope. "It's always like this when the sect recruits people. There are all kinds of people. It's not just them, our sect is the same. Here, look up at Wansong Tower."

Jitang looked over and saw that the windows on the upper floors of Wansong Tower were open, and many disciples were sticking their heads out.

Yang Xiaoluan: "Those are the disciples who want to see if there are any handsome young men or beautiful young ladies."

Jitang seemed to be smiling.

Yang Xiaoluan continued to speak, "Look down at these buildings again."

Ji Tang leaned half of his body out and saw many powerful outer sect members of Su Xuan Sect under several buildings, including Sun Qichou and Jiang Tianhe.

"The assessment hasn't even started yet, and the seniors are already selecting people."

He came to Jitang and said, "A lot of spiritual power appeared in the outer sect today, and these can still be discovered. I think there are still many spiritual powers that we can't see or perceive, all of which come from the various spiritual peaks in the inner sect."

Ji Tang: "They are just newcomers, why is it necessary to mobilize such a large force?"

Yang Xiaoluan touched the spirit pigeon and said, "Don't be fooled by the fact that there are so many people taking the entrance exam now. After the exam is over, it would be great if only five people can stay."

Ji Tang couldn't help but ask: "How many people were left behind two years ago?"

Yang Xiaoluan said helplessly, "Two people. Just these two. Another one went wrong during his retreat and lost his life. The Ten-Year Competition will be in a year, and the masters want to find a few more good seedlings this year."

He put the spirit pigeon into Ji Tang's arms. Ji Tang grabbed it casually. The spirit pigeon seemed dissatisfied and pecked at the back of her hand a few times.

Ji Tang: "Since it's a ten-year competition, just leave more people behind."

Yang Xiaoluan couldn't stop and started working again, just asking: "What sect are we from?"

Jitang was confused, "Tracing back to Xuanzong."

He turned his back to Shi Yu and said as he shared the letter, "Yes, because it's about Su Xuanzong, we only want the best."

"..." Ji Tang was speechless, "Brother, do you think too highly of Su Xuan Sect?"

Yang Xiaoluan turned around and smiled at her, "Don't you think so? This is your home too!"

Jitang didn't answer and put down the spirit pigeon.

Seeing this, Yang Xiaoluan asked: "Are you ready to go down?"

In preparation for today's assessment, Jitang did not wear the outer sect's blue and white disciple uniform, but instead changed into the cloth dress she wore when she came.

"Well, if I see a good seedling, I will lure him to my senior brother's Xin Pavilion to help."

Yang Xiaoluan didn't hold out hope. "All the good seedlings have entered the inner gate, so don't worry about me. Go quickly and don't waste time!"

Jitang came out of Qingbai Tower and joined the assessment team.

The assessment started at 9:00 PM. Before that, the newcomers waiting in the outer gate square were forming cliques and finding teams in advance to deal with the assessment together.

Although the cloth on Jitang's body was not made of refining material, it was also a good material with a silky and delicate texture and a bright luster.

In a short while, several groups of people asked her if she wanted to join them.

Jitang refused them all.

She knew some inside information. The sect assessment did not allow forming cliques or factions, and one had to rely on oneself. These people searched for a long time, but in the end it was useless.

When the time came, Sun Qichou flew to the front of the people on his sword.

His face was serious, and his Jindan stage cultivation was released, and a heavy pressure suddenly spread across the square.

The originally noisy square suddenly became silent, and they all froze in place, unable to move.

Sun Qichou glanced at the crowd sharply.

"The Xuanzong sect's biennial founding examination begins now."

Dozens of Suxuan Sect disciples wearing blue and white disciple uniforms shuttled among the crowd.

Sun Qichou: "Give all your life-saving items, weapons, magic treasures, and elixirs to the disciples of Suxuan Sect. During the assessment, you are not allowed to bring anything that will affect fairness!"

The disciple came to Jitang, and Jitang smiled and took off the storage bag and gave it to him.

The other party used a detection spell on her, and after confirming that she didn't have anything else hidden on her, he went to take the next one.

The detection technique could not detect the Wanyinzhao, the life-saving magic weapon on Jitang.

She also added a restriction to the storage bag she handed over as an extra layer of insurance.

Seeing that the collection was almost complete, Sun Qichou said, "There are three test locations. Those who don't know their own spiritual power should go to the first location for testing first, and then go to the second location after the test."

"Those who are already aware of their own spiritual power can go directly to the second arena area."

"Those who have learned magic, go to the third Secret Mist Forest." He said, looking at them with a warning, "Especially those of you who know magic. If you conceal your knowledge and go to the competition area, once discovered, you will be disqualified from the assessment and must leave the mountain immediately!"

After collecting their things, the disciples returned to the front and stood in different positions.

Next to them stood a golden lacquered sign.

Sun Qichou finished explaining the assessment requirements before he put away his external cultivation.

Everyone was finally able to move around, and for a moment they were filled with sighs and groans.

Shi Yu went straight to the third place.

The gatekeeper disciple gave her a few routine instructions and then let her stand on the small magic circle leading to the Secret Mist Forest.

Jitang soon appeared in the Secret Mist Forest.

"Make way, don't block the way!"

Magic circles lit up one after another, and the person behind her made a move to push her.

Ji Tang took a step forward, moved aside the magic circle, and pushed into nothingness behind him.

The man staggered forward with a ferocious look on his face, pointing at Jitang and about to speak.

Ji Tang made a hand gesture with his right hand, and the other person's open lips suddenly closed.

When low-level monks cast spells, they must use hand gestures to convert spiritual power into spells.

The same naturally applies to the monks in the 'late stage of enlightenment' of Jitang.

"Seeing you like this, I know you have no good words to say." Ji Tang nodded his lips, "The silence spell will be lifted in a moment, just keep quiet and calm your heart."

She stepped into the forest and a wind blade attacked from behind. She did not turn around, but made a protective gesture behind her back, changed the hand gestures again, and cast a binding spell on the other person.

She waved her hand backwards and said lazily, "Just be quiet."

A laugh came from the side, "Miss, do you know what purification means?"

Ji Tang turned around when she heard the voice. The man walked out of the magic circle and clasped his fists towards her. "I am a descendant of the Xue family in the imperial city of Dongqi Kingdom."

There were bursts of exclamations all around.

It looks like it has a great background.

Jitang had no impression of Xue.

She slept for four hundred years, and the world changed dramatically. The people she knew might have turned into a handful of earth long ago.

Jitang clasped his fists casually, "The Ninth Clan of Tiaotiao Village."

Unlike Xue, everyone else laughed when they heard the introduction, most of them laughing at the joke.

Xue and Jitang entered the forest together.

"Miss, you can just call me Xuemao. I don't know what I should call you."

Jitang: "Nine waters deep."

"This name is quite interesting." Xue Mao opened his folding fan and fanned it in front of him. He looked like a young master.

"Miss Shuishen, the Secret Mist Forest is full of dangers. It's very difficult to find the Mist Flower deep within. Why don't we travel together?"

The passing standard for the Secret Mist Forest assessment is based on picking the Mist Flowers.

The mist flower grows deep in the forest. Its petals close up late at night, and the fragrance it emits easily attracts nearby spiritual beasts.

When the first rays of dawn appear the next day, the mist flowers will be in full bloom, and this is the best time to pick them.

If you miss it, the petals of the mist flower will gradually close and the potency of the elixir will be reduced by half.

Ji Tang gestured behind him, "Young Master, perhaps you didn't listen carefully to the words of the great master before you. You must take the assessment alone, not with a companion. The disciples of Su Xuan Sect are watching you all the time."

Emperor Xuanzong assigned his disciples to different assessment locations, one for supervision and the other for protection.

The sect took away all the offensive and defensive items from them, but they couldn't really let them go and die.

Xue Mai said calmly, "I have participated in the Su Xuanzong examination three times in a row. I am well versed in it and can help you solve your doubts."

"You know the art so well but haven't passed the test yet?"

"..." Xue Mai paused as he fanned himself, then gave a bitter smile. "Miss, what you said truly stung my heart."

It was more convenient for Jitang to act on her own. She was eager to get rid of this person and didn't want to say more.

"Hey girl! Don't step on the grass in front! The juice is poisonous..."

He said that Shi Jitang had stepped on the grass sideways, and the juice fell on the surface of her shoes, but did not stain the cloth.

Xue Mao looked closely and found that both of her feet were protected by a layer of spiritual power, which was a self-protection technique.

Jitang kept walking, said "goodbye", and quickly disappeared behind the overlapping shadows of the trees.

Xue Miao put away his folding fan, waited for the person behind him to come over, and then used some hand gestures to remove the silencing spell and binding spell on him.

The person who came was the man who had just caused trouble for Jitang.

"Young Master, that woman who came out of Qingbai Tower must have some connection with the Suxuan Sect. We weren't able to find out what she was talking about just now. Should we continue to follow her?"

Xue Mai fanned the air and brought it down on his palm. "Don't follow me anymore, or we'll become enemies."

"yes."

*

Ji Tang slowed down when he saw Xue Mai didn't catch up.

She walked slowly into the forest, not looking like she was there for an exam, but rather for a leisurely stroll.

While others were cutting through thorns and exploring deep into the forest, she was picking flowers, playing with butterflies, grilling fish and taking a nap by the river.

At the same time, tracing back to Xuanzong's inner gate, there are thousands of miles of smoke and waves.

Three people were sitting at the chess table high on the mountain.

The leader of Qiongxu Peak, Liu Xinmiao, holds the white pieces, while Su Jinzhou holds the black pieces. Both of them are looking down at the chessboard.

Yu Jixian, the master of Yunxia Peak, watched the chess game without saying a word.

Standing behind Liu Xinmiao and Yu Jixian were Lang Yu and Tan Wen respectively.

The two juniors exchanged glances, both revealing helplessness.

Yu Ji first observed the Border Immortal's move before asking, "What do you two want?"

Lang Yu and Tan Wen saluted quickly.

Tan Wen said, "Master, Lang Yu and I are curious about this entrance examination and would like to go and take a look."

"Oh? Is there anyone you know among those taking the test?"

The two looked at the Border Immortal Lord cautiously.

Yu Jixian saw it and smiled, "What's the connection with Immortal Venerable Bian Jing?"

Tan Wen: "That's the girl my disciple mentioned to you when I came back. She's also taking part in this assessment."

Yu Jixian touched his chin and said, "I have some impression of it. It's in Xin Pavilion, right?"

The two looked at the Border Immortal again.

Liu Xinmiao put down the chess piece and asked, "Why are you looking at him again?"

Su Jinzhou quickly put down Heizi and said, "She is currently working in Qianli Yanbo."

The chess piece Liu Xinmiao picked up slipped out of his hand and fell onto the chessboard, bouncing slightly and knocking several nearby chess pieces into disarray.

He ignored the chess game and asked, "What's so special about this doll that you let her stay in Qianli Yanbo?"

Su Jinzhou put the chess piece back in place, "For some reason, it's your turn."

Liu Xinmiao shook his head, looked at the chessboard for a while, and began to think hard.

Since the matter concerned the Immortal Master Bian Jing, Yu Jixian was quite curious and released his spiritual power.

A shadow immediately appeared in the open space around them, and soon the image became clear. It was the third place for the entrance examination, the Secret Mist Forest.

The scene quickly passed through the forest. While Yu Jixian released his spiritual power, he also sent it to the Secret Mist Forest to look for Jitang's trace.

Yu Jixian: "What does the doll look like?"

Tan Wen described him as "short, dark, and average looking, but he must be easy to find!"

Yu Jixian was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, "You are such a stubborn person, describing a little girl like that, I wonder if you will ever find a Taoist partner in the future."

As he searched, he asked, "If this doll is so ordinary as you say, why is it so easy to find?"

Tan Wen laughed and said, "That's a conspicuous bag!"

Yu Jixian's spiritual power quickly covered the entire forest and finally landed on the bank of a river in the forest.

The Secret Mist Forest is shrouded in mist all year round, with towering ancient trees and numerous branches and leaves.

The sunlight shines through the layers of leaves, falls on the mud, and is broken into stars.

The river water is crystal clear, and fish swim in schools, creating a natural scene.

In such a scene, a wisp of white smoke rises up, destroying the quiet and elegant scene.

On the shore, a conical fire was built with branches, on top of which was a thick pole with a half-cooked fish stuck on it.

Then several people heard the girl humming out of tune. They couldn't make out what tune it was. The sound was sometimes loud, sometimes soft, and intermittent.

In her hands she held three or four large leaves stacked together and were fanning the fire.

The white smoke became thicker, and the flames shot up high, burning the fish skin to a char.

It even made her cough.

Yu Jixian was very interested. "Just as you said, it's really a small conspicuous bag."

Rather than watching the master and apprentice enjoying the fun, Lang Yu was still thinking about her entrance exam. "This time, the exam is to go deep into the forest to pick mist flowers. Why is she grilling fish..."

Tan Wen couldn't help laughing, "That's her style, I don't find it strange at all!"

Lang Yu felt helpless and subconsciously looked at Immortal Venerable Bian Jing.

I saw the Immortal Master Bian Jing dropping a child.

He still had that nonchalant look on his face, his eyes fixed only on the chessboard, with no interest in the people in the picture.