29: Tianji City

At the other end of the token was a Golden Core Cultivator, dressed in a white robe, with white hair and a white beard, holding a Horsetail Whisk.

This Old Daoist, who possessed an ethereal and transcendent air, had originally thought that escorting the New Disciples would be a very simple task.

However, upon hearing the instructions from the other side of the token, he immediately sensed that this mission was not as simple as it seemed.

He then extended his right finger and began to perform a divination calculation.

The result showed that the heavenly secrets were in chaos, and he could calculate nothing.

Cold sweat began to break out on the forehead of the Old Daoist in White Robe; it seemed there was some great figure on that boat.

Or perhaps a key figure, carrying a massive heavenly secret, was on that boat.

Regardless, the difficulty of this mission had been raised to the absolute maximum.

The Old Daoist in White Robe first spoke respectfully to the token, "Saintess, I will do my utmost to protect ship b!"

After saying this, he pinched a hand seal and vanished in a flash.

When he reappeared, he was already on the deck of ship b.

The Old Daoist in White Robe's Divine Sense swept across every inch of the deck and every room of the flying boat.

Everyone's appearance was clear to him, but he found nothing unusual.

There were only a few fellows covered in a Bloody Aura.

The Old Daoist in White Robe was just about to drive them off ship b when he suddenly paused.

What if those key figures were precisely these fellows covered in Bloody Aura?

If he drove them off the flying boat, wouldn't he be ruining the Saintess's plans?

He then steadied himself and left a thread of Divine Sense beside each of those fellows with the Bloody Aura.

Should any irreversible danger arise during the journey, he could protect their lives.

He would strive to ensure that every Disciple participating in the trial was alive by the time they reached Tianji City.

Gu Changan honestly found a room and stayed inside.

The shock of the auction had not yet passed, and it happened to serve as motivation to increase his Cultivation.

Gu Changan placed a top-grade qi gathering pill in his mouth and began to Cultivate.

He was completely unaware that just because he had boarded ship b...

Luo Li had transferred the Golden Core elder to ship b.

The series of changes caused outside had nothing to do with Gu Changan.

The Tianji Pavilion's flying boat traveled very fast, reaching Tianji City in less than a few hours.

Seeing the flying boat enter the outskirts of Tianji City, the Old Daoist in White Robe's tense Divine Sense finally relaxed.

This mission was a close call but without actual danger; or rather, that person whose fate carried a heavenly secret possessed immense fortune!

Gu Changan had swallowed a top-grade qi gathering pill, but it hadn't been fully digested yet.

Vast spiritual power surged wildly within his body; the Five Elements Qi Refining Art operated on its own, but without Gu Changan's guidance, it moved very slowly.

Gu Changan was relieved to see his body absorbing the medicinal power on its own.

Stepping off the flying boat, Gu Changan was completely shocked by the scene before him.

The tall city walls nearby were not at all inferior to those of Wenxing City.

The Cultivators here, as well as the prosperity of the architecture, were at least a bit better than in Wenxing City.

Looking further into the distance, a massive mountain range stood right behind Tianji City.

Tianji City was situated at the foot of this mountain range; could it be that this mountain was Tianji Mountain?

The headquarters of the Tianji Pavilion?

Gu Changan's gaze began to move upward; at the mountainside, a flock of White Cranes circled.

The flock of White Cranes had long wings that flapped continuously, their two slender orange legs swaying like chopsticks with the movement of their wings.

Occasionally, the crisp cries of the White Cranes could be heard.

Above the White Cranes was a thick layer of clouds surrounding the entire mountain.

The scene above the cloud layer could not be seen clearly.

Only when an occasional ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds and spilled onto the earth could one see through the gaps to the mountain above, where pavilions stood like a forest, resembling a fairyland.

Gu Changan took a breath; although he was now at Level 3 Qi Gathering...

But compared to the Immortals above, he was still like someone in the mortal world!

A massive city and a layer of mist that blocked the view vividly illustrated the difference between the Immortal and the mortal.

Gu Changan felt a hint of longing; when would he be able to stand at the summit of the Tianji Pavilion and look down upon all other mountains!

Next, the New Disciples with Spiritual Roots were gathered in a square.

The Old Daoist in White Robe appeared at a high vantage point, and the square fell silent instantly!

The Old Daoist in White Robe said, "The Wenxing Grand Ceremony has ended, and you, this batch of Disciples with Spiritual Roots, have been selected!"

"Next, I will introduce the process for the Tianji Pavilion to recruit Disciples!"

"First is the Wenxing Grand Ceremony, where Disciples with Spiritual Roots are selected from various cities and brought to Tianji City!"

"This step is the screening of Spiritual Roots."

"Next, upon arriving at Tianji City, do you see the jade steps in the center?"

"There are 9,999 steps there, within the range covered by the Tianji Pavilion's Mountain Protection Formation."

"Every step on the staircase is subject to the suppression of the Formation."

"All of you Disciples must ascend the Tianji Platform!"

"Only by climbing more than 300 steps will you pass this stage!"

"This step is to screen your Heart-Nature and identify those with ill intentions toward the Tianji Pavilion!"

"If you now feel that your Heart-Nature is inadequate or if you have thoughts of harming the Tianji Pavilion, please withdraw immediately!"

"Don't blame me for not warning you if you end up dying on the steps later!"

"After testing your Heart-Nature, the final test will be for Opportunity."

"As you know, the Tianji Pavilion is a place that emphasizes Opportunity!"

"In the Dharma-Ending Age, only those with profound Opportunity can have a smooth journey in their Cultivation."

"And then progress all the way through Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul!"

"If your Opportunity is shallow, you will lose your life early on."

"It would be better to end it early so as not to waste the resources given to you by the Tianji Pavilion!"

The Old Daoist in White Robe spoke these words cold-bloodedly, causing an uproar among the Disciples below!

However, most of them quickly composed themselves, each feeling that they were the one-in-a-million child of destiny.

They must surely have profound Opportunity!

Gu Changan also felt a hint of cruelty; but then again, such was Immortal cultivation! It was an act of going against heaven!

Snatching the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi for oneself was a process of constant contention.

If you cannot compete with others, it means you are weak and your Opportunity is insufficient.

Only the strong can obtain Opportunity time and again, growing continuously in the face of adversity, like a rolling snowball getting larger and larger.

Gu Changan believed in himself; although he was not yet a powerhouse...

But it would be soon, as long as he was given time!

With a command from the Old Daoist in White Robe, the second step, the Heaven-Ascending Stairs, began.

Looking at the 9,999 white jade steps in the center, everyone was dazed.

It was like looking at a heavenly chasm; standing at the bottom, one could only see 999 steps, while the part further up was covered by the Formation, showing only a vast expanse of white!

It seemed that this Tianji Platform had conditions or reasons he didn't know about to climb beyond 1,000 steps!

Gu Changan then turned his head to check the New Disciples preparing for the trial.

Except for a very few New Disciples who withdrew, the rest were all enveloped by the Formation.

It seemed the Formation isolated them from outside interference and cut off the possibility of external forces cheating through high-level Cultivators.