Chapter 118: with translation of chapter title

February 21.

Spring Equinox, light rain.

The road from Golden Light Prefecture to the mountain gate of the branch sect of the Primordial Origin Divine Sect is completely jammed; even on the narrow stretches, carriages are overtaking each other, with nobody yielding.

Inside the carriage.

Li Che, Zhang Ya, Granny Mu, and Xixi rode in a carriage; Xixi was lively and active, feeling very excited.

He didn't feel at all that taking the Divine Sect's examination was something worth being nervous about; it felt like going out for a spring outing, full of curiosity and eagerness to explore new things.

She looked out through the carriage window at the endless stream of vehicles outside, as well as many people walking while leading children, heading toward the destination, and kept exclaiming in astonishment.

"Dad, there are so many people!"

Xixi had never seen so many people before; she felt amazed, realizing that the world could actually have this many people!

"This year, there are indeed many more people taking the examination than in previous years." Granny Mu looked at Xixi affectionately, though she actually felt a bit reluctant.

After today, Xixi will surely enter the Divine Sect; she will have to go up to the Divine Sect's towering Green Peak that pierces the clouds, and the days she can return home will become few.

However, Granny Mu being able to let Li Qing Shan take her to visit Xixi also helped dispel some of her worries.

"Li Qing Shan said, this year's examination seems related to the Four Sovereign Guiyi Miao located on the islet in the middle of the Nine Dragon River outside the prefecture; dealing with matters involving the Guiyi Miao carries risk, but also great opportunity."

Granny Mu said.

Zhang Ya's eyes showed worry: "Is it related to that Four Sovereign Guiyi Miao? That sounds too dangerous."

"But Xixi cannot avoid going to the Divine Sect..."

Zhang Ya's eyes were full of anguish as she turned to look at Li Che, pleading for help.

"Don't worry; since the Divine Sect dares to open the Four Sovereign Guiyi Miao to test these children, they naturally have some means."

Li Che smiled and reassured them.

Li Qing Shan said, the Divine Sect's branch sect has deployed the Hell Lotus Wind Fire Golden Light Wheel, which is one of the Four Sovereign Divine Weapons!

It is clearly very important; since they dare to open it, they obviously have confidence, and this is not the first time they have done such a thing.

Since Li Che said there was no problem, Zhang Ya also believed him.

She simply trusts Li Che without thinking.

"This carriage is completely blocked; we can't move forward even after half a day... Let's just walk."

Li Che glanced at the sky and then said.

If we get stuck on the road and miss the appointed time, that would be disastrous.

Not only did Li Che have this plan, but everyone else in the carriages also got off, some leading or carrying children, and headed toward the Divine Sect's mountain gate.

Zhang Ya and Granny Mu had no objections; they were cultivators, so a little walking was nothing to them.

Li Che hoisted Xixi onto his back, let her hold up a small paper umbrella, stepped down from the carriage, strode forward, basking in the spring wind and rain, as if on a spring outing.

After getting off the carriage and walking, their speed actually increased.

Soon after, they passed through the bustling district of Golden Light Prefecture City and arrived before the Divine Sect's mountain gate.

The lawns on both sides stretched out, green grass swaying in the spring breeze, dotted with clear, sparkling raindrops.

A prominent Green Peak rose straight from the ground, piercing the heavens; even before passing through the imposing city gate, one could see this peak, and the entire Golden Light Prefecture City seemed to be built around it.

However, only upon getting closer did they discover that the area surrounding the peak was extraordinarily vast.

Looking up at the Green Peak, it stood tall and majestic, with lush green vegetation; amidst the misty rain, blue smoke could be seen coiling around its mid-slope.

…… (ellipsis) No.

By the banks of the Nine Dragon River, a mountain peak rose abruptly; it is the main peak of the station of the Primordial Origin Divine Sect's branch sect in Yúnzhōu, Lingnan Circuit, known as Golden Light Peak.

Around Golden Light Peak there are many smaller peaks, but they are not conspicuous, completely overshadowed by the brilliance of Golden Light Peak.

Those peaks are where, in the Divine Sect's branch sect, only cultivators at the Void Phase can establish their cave abodes.

Like Li Qing Shan, who possessed Void Phase combat power and thus qualified to open a cave abode, his cave abode peak was named Positive Thunder Peak.

After passing through a stretch of green grass, they saw at the foot of Golden Light Peak a huge white jade archway.

Before the archway lay an enormous clearing of green grass, on which a massive and exquisite wooden platform had been constructed.

Around the wooden platform, various forces had taken up positions, all being top-tier powers from Golden Light Prefecture City.

The Five Great Clans—the Qin, Gong, Hai, Shangguan, and Gongyang clans—attached great importance to the event; not only did the clan heads come, but even the Divine Physique Elders from each clan appeared in person.

For example, the Qin Clan's Divine Physique Elder Qin Dikun appeared at the platform erected by the Qin Clan's forces, eyes lowered, seated in a high position.

Beside them were the Qin Clan's patriarch Qin Cang, and peers of the deceased Qin Yuqing—Qin Hao Nan and Qin Lei Xiao, among other younger-generation figures.

The Five Great Sects also each sent representatives.

Experts from the Golden Rift Sect, Bamboo Forest Academy, Watch Tide Pavilion, and Sand Scorpion Forest all came; although they did not send their Divine Physique Elders like the Five Great Clans, each had Void Phase masters holding the fort.

The Black Flood Gang and Beggars' Gang, originally part of the three gangs that had become two, also dispatched experts, with the leaders of both gangs appearing as well.

Although the Divine Physique aura had been somewhat restrained, the mutual leakage and collision still formed a terrifying atmosphere that left people breathless.

Li Che, holding Xixi, arrived at the venue; the open space beneath the wooden platform was already packed with people.

Suddenly, Lu Chi popped his head out from the crowd; today he wore the inner disciple robes of the Divine Sect, a striking blue-green outfit that made many people instinctively make way for him.

"Uncle Li, Aunt Zhang, and Xixi, come over here, follow me."

Lu Chi waved excitedly.

Li Che knew there was special treatment, but he didn't care about the onlookers' gazes; wearing a gentle smile, he used his concealed qi and blood to part the crowd, bringing along his wife and daughter, Granny Mu, his uncle's family, and Old Chen, as he followed Lu Chi.

Just as he started walking with Lu Chi, Shangguan Qinghong jumped up and down in the distance, flustered: "Brother Li, I'm over here! There's also a good spot here!"

Beside them, Liu He and Hai Chuan Ying couldn't help but laugh: "I didn't expect Brother Li to have connections inside the Divine Sect either."

"That is Lu Chi, disciple of Li Qing Shan; he was one of the three who caused the temple god to resonate in the previous session, with a resonance rate of sixty-five percent. Among the three, he is the one who still persists in cultivating the Furious Third Prince Divine Law, nurturing the Furious Third Prince's divinity, aiming to forge the Six Offices Furious Third Prince Divine Foundation, following his teacher."

Hai Chuan Ying, from the Hai Clan of the Five Great Clans, rich in experience, explained.

"Li brother's daughter seems to be one of the three outstanding spirit children among the thirteen cities under the prefectural capital, right?" Liu He thought of something and couldn't help saying.

Yes, Li Nuanxi, a top-tier spirit child… but the hope of becoming a true successor is slim; generally one must first enter the inner sect, then slowly strive for true succession—she is simply too young.

The five great clans, as well as the many medium and small families within the prefectural city, have brought out all the spirit children they hide; it is heard that this year the number of top-tier spirit children exceeds fifteen, while the Divine Sect only accepts five true successors.

Hai Chuan Ying said lightly.

Liu He sighed and shook his head: "Not easy, after what happened to Flying Thunder City, Li Brother still managed to bring the daughter of a top-tier spirit child to the prefectural city, having endured so much hardship…"

Being able to enter the Divine Sect's inner sect is already not bad.

Shangguan Qinghong, listening nearby, instantly became displeased, clenched her fists: "My little sister Xixi will surely become a true successor; you have no idea how strong Xixi is!"

Hai Chuan Ying snorted: "A three-year-old brat who doesn't even know how to pee properly—how formidable could they be?"

Our Hai family's top-tier spirit child, Hai Chaosheng, the Divine Ancestor elders only brought him out as if cutting flesh; if not for the need of the Third Prince's Guiyi Miao deity resonance, the elder would truly have continued hiding him, personally teaching him.

Shangguan Qinghong glanced at Hai Chuan Ying: "You have no idea of the value of achieving bone-tempering perfection at three years old."

She also didn't shout beforehand, you petty scoundrels…

Wait to be frightened by Xixi the Great Emperor!

……

……

On the blue stone steps beneath the stone archway of the Divine Sect's mountain gate.

Chairs were set up, and figures in flowing robes sat, possessing immortal wind and dao bones, as if merging into the spring breeze; the fine rain pouring down had not yet fallen on their bodies before being twisted by an invisible qi mechanism.

This session is indeed lively… so many people have come; likely all the gifted spirit children of the entire Jin Guang Prefecture have been brought here.

The old man seated in the main position, with white hair and beard, lightly stroking it, gently gazed at the dense crowd.

This person is precisely the sect master of the Yúnzhōu branch of the Qian Yuan Divine Sect, Nan Lihuo, whose cultivation is unfathomably profound.

That naturally calls for liveliness, after all… the Third Prince's Guiyi Miao this time has opened deity resonance; it likely won't open again for another twenty years, missing this opportunity means it will be hard to obtain the Third Prince's Guiyi Miao deity inheritance for the next twenty years.

Li Qing Shan lazily sat in the chair and spoke.

Li Qing Shan, you're ruthless indeed—just after returning to the prefectural city, you lashed out with a hammer, forcing out an Eight Extremes Corpse God Envoy of the Corpse God Sect, nearly causing a great disaster!

As soon as Li Qing Shan finished speaking, a gaunt old man dressed like a scholar not far away suddenly shouted sternly.

Li Qing Shan immediately became dissatisfied: "What do you mean by causing a great disaster? Don't you know what kind of trash the Corpse God Sect's Corpse God Envoys are? You let them wander within the prefectural city, spreading deceit and corrupting all factions…"

This is the real disaster!

What's the situation in Ji Province, don't you know? It has already become a den of the Corpse God Sect! The populace have been turned into tools for the Corpse God Sect to distill deathly qi, dying in droves… Do you want Jin Guang Prefecture to also fall into such a state?

The scholar-old man's face flushed red: "Naturally the Corpse God Sect must be stopped, but strategy is needed; your open-and-above-board hunting of Corpse God Envoys in the city leaves the Si Zhu, Jian Zheng, sect master, and us Divine Ancestors unable to return from the Gui Que…"

If the other side decides to throw caution to the wind, not choosing to flee but instead massacring the populace on a massive scale… how many would die?

Li Qing Shan lifted his eyelids slightly: "That's the incompetence of the Divine Ancestors left to guard the city."

In the distance, a red-robed woman opened her eyes, flames flickering in her pupils, her tone gloomy.

Li Qing Shan, are you saying I, Zhu Hongdou, am incompetent?

Li Qing Shan immediately shut his mouth.

This woman has spent sixty years contemplating the Eight-Armed Prison Lotus Furious Third Prince; she is a ruthless woman, showing how obstinate and vengeful she is—he'd better say less.

Sect Master Nan Lihuo gently raised his hand and pressed: "Alright, evil-doers like the Corpse God Sect—once found, they must be eliminated; Qing Shan's actions are indeed correct."

It's just that the methods are rather harsh; afterward, being more steady will do.

Elder Zhang, being a present-degree jinshi, you are suitable to serve as the supervisor for this sect examination; be steady, set some examples for the younger generation, and don't always wear a grim face that frightens the children.

That scholar-like old man is Zhang Zhengqing, one of the four great Divine Ancestor elders of the Divine Sect; at this moment he clasped his fists in assent, sat in the chair, and then rubbed his face like a bitter lotus, trying to force a smile.

Unfortunately, he became even more frightening.

Li Qing Shan glanced and almost laughed out loud.

The si hour has arrived; prepare to open the mountain gate and begin the sect entrance examination.

Sect Master Nan Lihuo, with a solemn visage, glanced at Li Qing Shan, causing him to involuntarily hold back his laughter.

Dong——!

The red-robed elder Zhu Hongdou rose, walked to the enormous black bell erected on the archway behind him, grasped the mallet, and lightly struck it.

In an instant, he unleashed power through vibration, shaking the black bell and exploding with the sound of thunder!

The sound wave rippled like a wave, stirring up a gale that instantly spread across the venue, causing the entire crowd to fall silent in an instant.

The Lingnan Dao Qian Yuan Divine Sect Yúnzhōu Branch conducts the selection examination of sect disciples.

Begin!

……

……

Fine rain drizzles, the spring breeze brushes.

Before the Divine Sect's mountain gate, accompanied by the resounding of the huge black bell, the sound wave it burst forth like the surging waters of the Nine Dragon River, rolling outward, causing the surrounding rings of parents and children to quiet down.

The black bell rang three times, and the voice of the stunning red-robed woman actually reached every corner; despite being hundreds of zhang away, the sound could be heard clearly.

Li Che held Xixi and sat in the prepared position at the lower left of the wooden platform erected before the Divine Sect's mountain gate.

Several wooden chairs were placed here; Li Che's group, led by Lü Chi, just happened to occupy the spots.

Besides Li Che's family, there were also a few figures in fine robes, holding children, sitting upright and silent in the chairs.

When Li Che's family appeared, those people's gazes all swept over; several women in gorgeous, luxurious attire, seeing the plain-dressed Zhang Ya, couldn't help but furrow their brows.

Judging by their attire, Li Che's family obviously were not of any notable status.

What status, even sitting together with them?

Li Che keeps a low profile; very few in the prefectural city know him, mostly just knowing he is a woodcarver who survived from the sacrificed Flying Thunder City.

Even the fact that Li Che joined the Imperial Observatory as a third-rank guest official is known to very few.

However, Li Che's entourage was brought by Lü Chi; although those fine-robed people felt displeased, they endured it and did not provoke.

Li Che noticed the gazes around him, but he didn't care.

"Uncle Li, this seat was specially reserved for you by the teacher; these people in fine clothes are from the thirteen prefectures under the prefecture city, and those two top-tier spiritual children are among them."

Lu Chi approached Li Che's side and whispered.

Li Che held Xixi, found a seat and sat; his brow twitched—just that… the one Li Qingshan mentioned, rated higher than Xixi, a top-tier spiritual child?

"Huang Sixiang?"

Li Che spoke softly.

Lu Chi immediately pointed to the little boy standing about three or four spots away.

That little boy followed beside a strikingly beautiful woman, very well-behaved, sporting a rare crew cut, his skin a bronzed hue; though only five or six, he exuded a sharp, restrained aura.

As if sensing Li Che's gaze, Huang Sixiang turned his head; his eyes instantly fell on Xixi. Seeing her pink, three-year-old toddler self, he scornfully lifted his chin and looked away.

"A mere three-year-old brat, nothing to worry about."

Huang Sixiang instantly made that judgment.

Xixi felt slighted, instantly angry: "Dad, he's looking at me!"

Li Che ruffled the little girl's head: "Later you'll strike back—did you learn everything I taught you?"

"I've learned it! I can now throw a little cat." Xixi clenched her fists, blinked her big, sparkling eyes, and said proudly.

Lu Chi beside them was baffled: "What little cat?"

"During this time, what has Xixi learned on his back?"

"That one is from the Thirteen Cities; aside from Xixi and Huang Sixiang, another top-tier spiritual child—a genius from the Liu family of East Ring City, Liu Changqing—the teacher's evaluation says he's not as good as Xixi."

Li Che heard that and nodded.

"How old are they?"

"Huang Sixiang is six, Liu Changqing seven."

Lu Chi rattled off the information like counting his own treasures.

After they chatted a while, they fell silent, for on the high platform a woman in a fiery red dress slowly walked to the edge of the wooden stage, holding a roster of the spirit children selected from all regions and cities.

"This is Red Bean Elder, one of the sect's four great elders—a divine-physique old monster!" Lu Chi cocked his head and introduced her to Xixi and Li Che.

However, as soon as Lu Chi finished speaking, Zhu Hongdou's sharp gaze swept over and landed on him.

"Nonsense, this elder is stunning beyond compare, a peerless beauty like an eighteen-year-old blossom—don't spout nonsense." Li Che patted Lu Chi's head, speaking solemnly.

For his daughter, he praised someone against his conscience, feeling no chill.

Lu Chi also sensed killing intent, only belatedly realizing he might have spoken wrongly.

"Now, when a name is called, the spirit child steps forward."

Zhu Hongdou seemed to hear Li Che's insincere praise, pursed her lips in disdain, but had to admit, pleasant words are pleasing to the ear.

"Elephant Ring City, top-tier spiritual child, Huang Sixiang."

The words fell.

The well-behaved Huang Sixiang sitting beside the strikingly beautiful woman suddenly sprang up, lifted his head, his bronzed skin in the spring rain looking as if oiled.

Raising his head, as the first to be called, he strode forward proudly.

He, Huang Sixiang, will forever be first.

"Fēiléichéng, top-tier spiritual child, Li Nuanxi."

Zhu Hongdou consulted the roster and read again.

"Dad, I think they called me." Xixi exclaimed excitedly.

Li Che set her down, smoothed the wrinkles on her tiny training uniform, gentle and encouraging: "Go on, Dad's cheering for you!"

He patted Xixi, then placed two 【Chess Saint】 pieces for extra safety.

Xixi nodded and immediately pattered toward the wooden stage.

Three-year-old Xixi, a tiny figure, stood on the wooden stage beside Huang Sixiang, much shorter.

Below, an uproar rose at once, even laughter rippling.

"A three-year-old top-tier spiritual child has good talent, but… she's just too small."

"Entering the assessment so young offers little advantage; better to train another year and join at four."

"Fēiléichéng's here, so it's fine—I heard Fēiléichéng was bewitched by demonic cultists of the Corpse God Sect, who held a Thousand Infant Festival, causing many spirit children to die unjustly; for this child to survive and reach the prefecture city is no small feat."

……

The murmuring below continued without cease.

However, a three-year-old top-tier spiritual child will hardly become a True Transmission contender; more likely she'll become an inner sect disciple, train for a year, then see if an elder favors her for promotion to True Transmission.

Zhu Hongdou gave Xixi an interested glance, then continued calling names.

"East Ring City, top-tier spiritual child, Liu Changqing."

"Qin Family, Qin Fenghuo…"

Soon, after fifteen names were called, fifteen children stood on the wooden stage in formation.

There were boys and girls, but at a glance they were all six or seven years old.

Xixi stood among them, a head shorter, tiny, her presence completely suppressed.

Xixi didn't mind, blinking her big eyes as she sized up the boys and girls standing beside her; she lingered on the handsome ones, quickly looked away from the ugly ones, unable to bear even a second.

Meanwhile, below, a commotion had already begun.

"The first round—does it jump straight into the top-tier spiritual child assessment?"

"That means the True Transmission assessment is opening directly; these fifteen top-tier spiritual children vie for five True Transmission spots!"

"Four elders, and… the Sect Leader!"

"Altogether five True Transmission spots!"

Li Che sat below the stage, his palms involuntarily clenched; he had to admit… he was also a little nervous.

Even though he already knew the outcome in his heart, and was very confident in Xixi's talent and strength, he still couldn't help feeling nervous.

This is the emotion of being an old father, uncontainable; looking at his own daughter standing gracefully on the stage.

Looking around at those tall and sturdy spirit children, his own daughter was short and small, glancing left and right, her eyes seeming to carry fear…

Li Che's heart involuntarily trembled, with an urge to pull his daughter away.

Zhang Ya didn't know when she had grabbed Li Che's big hand, also sweaty, her nervousness plainly visible.

"Husband, can Xixi enter the True Transmission?"

"I've heard that entering the True Transmission and entering the Inner Sect are two different worlds; after entering the Inner Sect, wanting to advance to the True Transmission becomes very difficult."

Zhang Ya was very nervous, and her words suddenly increased.

Li Che comforted her for a while.

"Don't worry, Xixi's performance won't be bad."

"After all, she's our daughter."

Beside them, Chen Lao trembled all over from nervousness, more nervous than when he had fled and killed bandits, constantly rubbing his hands and constantly drinking the wine from the gourd.

Mu Popo showed no nervousness, just constantly rubbing Lu Chi's big head, leaving Lu Chi speechless.

But faced with the mistress's affection, Lu Chi could only purse his lips and endure.

On the wooden platform.

The elder in charge of overseeing this examination, Zhang Qingzheng, with a face as bitter as a lotus, walked up to face all the children.

Immediately, the fifteen spirit children dared not breathe.

Xixi almost covered her eyes, what a stinky face.

Zhang Qingzheng stood with his hands behind his back, feeling his face about to freeze into a smile; how could these little rascals still not feel his amiable approachability?

"The first round of the sect examination is for the True Transmission selection."

"The True Transmission selection consists of three segments; the first segment is the duel platform."

"On the wooden platform are set up five fighting platforms; I have fifteen folded papers here; you draw, selecting five to stand on the platforms as defenders, the rest as attackers, with the victor continuing to defend."

"Whoever remains standing on the fighting platform is the victor of the first segment of the True Transmission examination."

"The second segment tests divine talent, using the Divine Sect Hope Technique to observe, scoring according to the height of the divine purple aura."

"Graded as upper Jia, middle Jia, lower Jia—three evaluations."

"As for the third segment, we'll discuss it after the first two are finished."

Zhang Qingzheng's two eyebrows drooped, like the bitter hairs of coptis.

He looked at the fifteen top-tier spirit children on the platform and said.

The fifteen spirit children were intimidated by Zhang Qingzheng's stinky face, each hastily standing straight and shouting that they understood.

Afterwards, Zhang Qingzheng violently threw out the fifteen folded papers in his hand.

Invisible qi surged, and the fifteen folded papers seemed to be enclosed by an invisible transparent sphere, flying about chaotically inside.

"Each person draws one; after opening it, they can know whether they are a defender or an attacker."

Zhang Qingzheng said.

Xixi curiously gazed at the fluttering folded papers hovering before her, reached out her chubby little hand, and grabbed one.

The rushing airflow struck her chubby arms, making the flesh tremble, feeling itchy yet pleasant.

After taking the folded paper, Xixi opened it, full of curiosity.

Then her eyes went blank, because written on it was a character she didn't recognize.

He glanced over, his eyes and eyebrows slightly twitching, imperceptibly shaking his head.

A three-year-old spirit child becoming a defender will inevitably be seen as a soft persimmon, becoming the target that many spirit children vie to attack.

Unfortunately, the rules of the True Transmission examination are just like that…

A three-year-old daring to compete for the True Transmission must show some skill.

His face, as bitter as a lotus, was solemn, his scholar's robe fluttering, as he spoke in a deep voice.

"The defenders of the first segment are, respectively, Huang Sisiang, Qin Fenghuo, Hai Chaosheng, Gongyang Xiu…"

"Li Nuanxi."

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