Chapter 6 The Path of Inquiry: Senior Sister is My Dao Heart. There's no need to ask...
The content of Emperor Taihui's examination was not difficult for those with cultivation qualifications; there was only one item: ascending the Heavenly Ladder.
The Heavenly Ladder is connected to the sect's main formation and is usually shrouded in white mist formed from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It is located at the foot of the sect's main peak.
Legend has it that the founder of the sect met with an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao and borrowed a fragment of its divine consciousness to build this Heavenly Ladder, so that future generations could undergo trials before embarking on the path to immortality. Therefore, the Heavenly Ladder does not test cultivation level, but rather the cultivator's willpower and true nature.
Therefore, the ladder to heaven was given a more elegant name: Asking the Heart.
Shen Lixia and Qiao Yanshen were lucky; they arrived just as a group of newcomers were joining the sect. They were led to the Heavenly Ladder and followed Tang Huairou. Behind the steward, they saw a group of about a hundred people, mostly children. Some were dressed in fine clothes and had fair skin, while others had muddy hands and carried bags of coarse bread, perhaps having climbed the mountain step by step. A few were teenagers, but they looked no more than eleven or twelve years old. The group of little ones huddled together like uneven bean sprouts.
In comparison, the two of them seemed rather out of place.
Moreover, some of the children had already reached the initial stage of Qi Refining. Facing each other, someone immediately recognized Qiao Yanshen's cultivation level and snorted disdainfully.
"Useless trash, you still have the nerve to join the sect."
Shen Lixia clenched her hands behind her back with a forced smile.
So she really hates children.
Especially those who can't control their mouths, they don't seem to be born from their mother's womb, but rather like they were pulled out by their father's force.
Qiao Yanshen seemed not to hear, her gaze fixed on the Heavenly Ladder, as if trying to discern something from the slowly shifting milky-white mist. Pale blue light emanated from her fingertips, which were tucked into her sleeves, attempting to draw the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered on the Heavenly Ladder.
Standing beside her, Tang Huairou noticed the faint fluctuation of spiritual energy and couldn't help but cough. She whispered, "Miss, that spiritual energy lingers on the Heavenly Ladder and cannot be taken away. It's more like an illusion that conceals the original appearance of the Heavenly Ladder."
“I know,” Qiao Yanshen nodded, “but you can’t even push it aside?”
Tang Huairou shook her head, then began explaining the rules to the two. The steward on the side also began speaking to the children.
"The time limit is before sunset. Those who complete the Heavenly Ladder will become official disciples of the sect and can have their spiritual roots tested on the stele behind the Heavenly Ladder. There is an array on the stele that will record all the disciples' information when they entered the sect during the test and extract your spiritual power to make a token. If your cultivation level advances in the future, you can inject spiritual power into this token, and the records on the stele will be updated accordingly."
Tang Huairou raised her hand, and emerald green spiritual energy gathered, condensing into a token in her palm, on which her name was engraved.
"Look, that's how it is. After sunset, those who haven't climbed the Heavenly Ladder to the end, or those who have only reached halfway, can do odd jobs."
After speaking, she remembered that Qiao Yanshen had said that he had inner demons, and her expression became serious. She said, "Miss, remember to hold fast to your original intention and do not be swayed by what you see on the Heavenly Ladder. At least go halfway."
Qiao Yanshen nodded gently, but reached his hand from behind to Shen Lixia and took her little finger.
Shen Lixia was fiercely glaring at the boy who had spoken rudely earlier when suddenly her little finger was touched by cool fingertips. She immediately looked away and smiled at Qiao Yanshen beside her.
Seeing this, the boy became inexplicably annoyed and muttered something under his breath. Shen Lixia ignored him, feeling Qiao Yanshen's gentle movements, and heard him whisper in her ear, "Don't argue with anyone later, focus on climbing the stairs. I'll wait for you."
After gently stroking her fingernail with the hand that was holding her little finger, Tang Huairou let go. Both of them heard the manager announce the start. Tang Huairou didn't say anything more and patted their shoulders heavily.
"I'm going back now. If you need anything in the future, you can find me at the Medicine Pavilion or Guyu Peak." After saying that, she summoned her longsword, lightly leaped onto the blade, and headed into the vast white mist.
Qiao Yanshen walked towards the Heavenly Ladder first, but then heard Shen Lixia call out, "Senior Sister!"
She paused, waiting for Shen Lixia to circle around to her again, then extended her hand with a smile. The young man's long hair, bathed in the moist mist, had a faint sheen, like beautiful ebony, with stray strands at the edges that weren't suppressed, making him look like a cunning black cat. Her smile was exceptionally beautiful, one corner of her mouth turned up slightly higher, her eyes narrow and long, revealing an untamed air.
“Come on, pinky promise. See you upstairs,” Shen Lixia said.
Qiao Yanshen chuckled softly, causing Shen Lixia's hand, which was suspended in mid-air, to tremble slightly.
"Okay." The two hooked their little fingers together, pressed their thumbs together firmly, and then released. Shen Lixia's gaze swept across Qiao Yanshen's eyes, only to see a patch of blue hidden beneath his slightly trembling eyelashes, soft like a lake rippling with gentle waves. Her heart stirred; she was surprised that Qiao Yanshen didn't find this little trick childish, and she felt inexplicably excited.
Since she could remember, no one had ever made any promises to her. This was the first time.
It seems she has to catch up, even if she has to cheat.
The other children climbed the ladder one after another, and Qiao Yanshen followed suit. The moment her feet touched the steps, the figures of the others disappeared into the thick white fog that surged upwards, and when she looked back, she could no longer see the ground that had been so close to her.
The ladder to the heavens was shrouded in white mist, with only a short section in front of her clearly visible. Qiao Yanshen circulated her spiritual power, attempting to draw in qi, but a strange force blocked her, preventing her from using her spiritual power or absorbing spiritual energy. Feeling the slightly cool spiritual energy around her slowly brushing against her body, a hint of regret flashed in Qiao Yanshen's eyes, but she continued upwards without hesitation.
The spiritual pressure, initially weak, gradually surged as she ascended the steps, crashing down on her spine like a tidal wave, forcing her to kneel on the cold steps. Qiao Yanshen seemed completely oblivious and continued upwards. Apart from her trembling legs and the thin layer of sweat on her forehead towards the end, her expression remained extremely calm, as if she were simply taking a leisurely stroll, without the slightest wavering.
Currently, physical exertion is being used to test willpower; what comes next? She doesn't believe that carrying heavy loads is the only challenge on such a high ladder. Great responsibilities are being bestowed upon those who are capable, and only now is she truly experiencing the physical and mental toil.
The spiritual pressure grew heavier and heavier. Qiao Yanshen looked up ahead and saw figures in the surging clouds, like children who had stopped or simply lay down on the steps. Fatigue surged through her body, quickly pressing down on her taut nerves, pounding against her and urging her to stop.
Qiao Yan sighed, stretched out his sweaty hands as if he were tired during class, patted his face, shook his head vigorously, and continued walking uphill.
The figures of the children who had fallen or stopped disappeared into the white mist, leaving her alone on the steps once again.
The sound of her labored footsteps echoed in the drifting white mist. After walking for a long time, a thought suddenly occurred to her—she wondered how things were going with Li Xia.
Just as she thought of this, a sudden cloud of mist swept in, enveloping Qiao Yanshen before she could react. Unable to activate her spiritual power, she could only watch warily as the thick, milky-white mist coalesced into a vast ocean. However, the ocean was so vast that no movement she made within it could create even a ripple.
A moment later, the fog suddenly dissipated, and the view became clear. Qiao Yanshen looked closely, and his expression became even more solemn than before.
For before her were no longer steps, but a vast, empty expanse of sky and earth. A woman, also dressed in white, stood with her back to her, her deep blue hair ribbon and white robes fluttering. A faint, steady, silvery-blue light shimmered on her body, yet upon closer inspection, it possessed the power of countless ocean currents, like the deep sea, its surface shimmering calmly without wind or rain, yet lurking beneath the surface, concealing countless dangers.
Qiao Yanshen opened her mouth, wanting to call out. The name was stuck in her throat, like ink heavily smeared with water, twisted into a mess, leaving only its outline. Even without the name, she could sense a familiar aura, the restless spiritual energy within her, rejoicing at approaching its essence.
The woman before me is water.
It is the ever-flowing water, from a single drop to a babbling brook, from the brook to the river, and the river to the lake and sea, never ceasing. The underground water, in the changing temperature, rises as mist, drifts in the air, and then condenses into rain. The soft, silky drizzle, like satin, gently caresses the world, bringing countless poetic scenes and a renewed vitality. When a sudden downpour arrives, insects rustle and crawl, and leaves are knocked off their leaves by the swirling wind.
And there was rain that lasted for a very long time.
Qiao Yan closed her eyes tightly, concealing the bright, aquamarine color flowing within them.
Water elemental energy broke through its shackles, flowing continuously within her body and frantically condensing in her dantian, absorbing the pure and primal intent emanating from the person before her. The previously decorative spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged in, cleansing and purifying her body, filling every meridian.
Mid-stage Qi Refining.
With just one glance, she leaped to a higher realm.
But she knew so clearly that the woman before her was just a phantom, or even a phantom of her inner demons, pulled out of her consciousness by this heavenly ladder.
Just as Qiao Yanshen was thinking this, the woman turned around, her dark blue ribbon tracing a graceful arc.
Her face was blurred. Something strange and invisible veiled her features, preventing Qiao Yanshen from seeing her face.
The woman didn't approach her, but stood still. Her voice sounded ethereal and distant, yet so gentle that it made one involuntarily relax: "Do you want to continue going up?"
Qiao Yanshen nodded.
The figure that had appeared in her dreams since childhood seemed so unreal, like a fleeting epiphyllum blooming under the pale moonlight. Her voice was equally soft and without a fixed point, reminding Qiao Yanshen of the fine snow that melted before the arrival of early spring and the revival of all things.
Qiao Yanshen never knew why she lingered in her dreams, but her subconscious felt a sense of familiarity with her. Instinct told her that this person—or at least a part of her—existed within her body and had become one with her.
Therefore, she would not harm Qiao Yanshen.
In her dream, she taught Qiao Yanshen how to cultivate qi, watching the girl sit down and slowly draw the ethereal spiritual energy from the dream into her body and condense it. Each time Qiao Yanshen came, he was different; in the woman's eyes, he grew from a child into a boy, and then from a boy into a handsome and outstanding young man just like her.
Do you know what lies ahead?
"I don't know," Qiao Yanshen answered honestly. "I'm new here and know very little about this world. Did you bring me here?"
"no."
"I don't know what lies ahead, but I must go back." Qiao Yanshen lowered his eyes and placed his hand on the long sword at his waist.
"The path to immortality is not as easy as you think. You are no ordinary person. Once you decide to embark on this path, there is no turning back. Why not stop now, return to the common people, and spend the rest of your life carefree?"
The second half of life.
Qiao Yan took a deep breath, but many images flashed through her mind.
On New Year's Eve, the sound of firecrackers outside was incessant, rising and falling. She sat at her desk in her room, looking out the window. It was a small window, separating the quiet of the room from the joyous festivities outside. She was immersed in this quietude; the cold silence seeped into her ankles, up her chest, and overwhelmed her mouth and nose.
Suddenly, a bright burst of fireworks burst open, filling the entire window and illuminating Qiao Yanshen's calm face.
It also reflects the empty room where she is all alone.
She and her family lived on two isolated islands, calling out to each other across the vast ocean. By the time their voices reached the other side, all warmth had long been lost.
The woman's sigh brought her back to her senses.
“You don’t want to go back,” she said, “but you don’t want to stay here either. You have nowhere to go.”
Qiao Yanshen remained silent.
"You just wanted to protect someone, to send someone home. But you weren't in love with that person, and your foolish kindness caused you a lot of suffering... But the next time you hear someone calling out, you will still rush over to help without hesitation."
Amidst the shifting clouds and mist, Qiao Yanshen still couldn't discern what kind of face was hidden behind them.
"But what if one day, the cry for help is no longer from one person, but from the entire world?"
Then let it be all people under heaven. Qiao Yan pondered deeply.
"You might say, 'Then you'll save all the people of the world.' Qiao Yanshen, are you crazy? Do you want to become the embodiment of Heaven's will? You don't have that kind of destiny." The woman laughed. "Because you have nowhere else to go, you'll make the whole world your home and save all living beings?"
A sword was pressed against the woman's neck.
Qiao Yanshen's voice gradually turned cold, and the light blue in his eyes flickered, almost washing away his original gloom.
"You are not her, you are the Way of Heaven."
The sword slowly cut inward by one point.
Meanwhile, below the Heavenly Steps.
"What is this thing? It keeps kicking me out!"
Shen Lixia plopped down on the ground, staring at the Heavenly Ladder shrouded in white mist with a terrible headache.
The steward had already flown away on his sword, and all the new students had entered, except for her, who tried again and again but failed to be enveloped by the mist. The moment she stepped onto the steps, an invisible force slapped her out, causing her to tumble several times on the ground.
She paced back and forth, sometimes pleading with Nuwa and the Queen Mother of the West, sometimes calling out "Heavenly Mother" and "Heavenly Goddess" in a high-pitched voice, and then, fearing that they would think she sounded too old, she changed her address to "Heavenly Goddess Sister".
There was no response.
She then recited a string of divine names rapidly, as if chanting, hoping to stumble upon the right answer and then step onto the stairs again.
boom.
An unqualified person gets slapped once, but Shen Lixia gets slapped twice.
After getting a mouthful of dirt, Shen Lixia finally couldn't hold back and grabbed a stone, throwing it forcefully. The stone disappeared into the white mist and didn't bounce back.
Shen Lixia's lips twitched violently.
Fine, then we'll just not let her in. We'll put up a sign that says, "Shen Lixia and dogs are not allowed."
She paced anxiously back and forth, her gaze wandering aimlessly. Suddenly, the boy's eyes lit up, and he locked onto a spot near the steps.
The area was covered by thick weeds, but Shen Lixia could tell that something was buried underneath.
She walked to the weeds, broke off a branch, and knocked it down, hitting something solid. Parting the weeds, she saw a narrow path, without steps, more winding and meandering than the bright and open ladder to heaven; it would probably take quite a while to climb it.
Shen Lixia gripped the branch tightly and carefully stepped onto the path.
It's only morning now, and sunset is in the evening, so there's plenty of time.
However, the main peak is steep, so she needs to be extra careful.
Her physique and agility, honed since childhood, allowed her to move nimbly along the path, without the slightest hesitation. The white mist from the Heavenly Ladder did not spread over her; Shen Lixia's vision was excellent, and the thin veil of mist did not hinder her.
Halfway up, Shen Lixia turned her head to look at the Heavenly Ladder and suddenly exclaimed "Eh!"
The fog has lifted.
Between the steps, different people stood on different steps; some stepped up, some stood still, and some even cried with their heads in their hands.
She saw the whole scene of this group of people undergoing trials clearly.
Shen Lixia's gaze swept up and down, then suddenly stopped.
—Qiao Yanshen was not among them.
A note from the author:
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