Chapter 286

They had indeed seen the legendary Shushan Sect Leader, a cultivation master.

But it was just a fleeting glimpse...

Even though they had expected that Jiang Yan wouldn't meet with them much; such things were common in cultivation novels.

Which Sect Leader would have nothing better to do than meet a group of ordinary disciples every day?

Even elders had to report in advance if they wanted to see the Sect Leader.

Moreover, they were just a group of ordinary people who hadn't started cultivating immortality.

Whether they could join Shushan was still an unknown.

Being able to see him once was enough to brag about for a lifetime.

The grace of a cultivator was truly breathtaking.

It was just a pity...

This glimpse of Jiang Yan's grace was engraved in countless people's hearts; who knew how many stories of "one glimpse of the Sect Leader ruins a lifetime" would happen later.

Zhongli turned back, looking at these Teyvat people who were lost in thought.

His voice spread to everyone's ears.

"In the name of the acting Peak Master of Shushan's Dragon Head Peak and the Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall, Zhongli, I announce that the first Shushan gate-opening ceremony officially begins!"

177. Hu Tao is stunned: I have to live three lifetimes to join the Shushan inner sect?!

"This Shushan gate-opening ceremony will recruit a total of one thousand inner and outer sect disciples."

"Those with decent talent will temporarily remain in the Shushan world to practice martial arts in preparation for the next Shushan gate-opening."

"From those remaining in the Shushan world, three thousand more will be selected to form the servant disciples."

"After the gate-opening ends, inner sect disciples will be managed by the Peak Masters and elders of each peak; if a Peak Master has not returned, the head disciple of each peak will temporarily act as the manager."

"Outer sect disciples and servant disciples will be managed by the Outer Sect Elder Council."

"This gate-opening will comprehensively assess the disciples' talent, character, willpower, and comprehension."

"The disciples' assessment will be tested by the Shushan Heart-Asking Array."

"Passing the first level of the Heart-Asking Array makes one an outer sect disciple of Shushan; passing the third level makes one an inner sect disciple of Shushan."

"The Sect Leader has said that Shushan disciples value quality over quantity; if one thousand people do not pass, there is no need to fill the quota."

"You have one stick of incense time to prepare. After one stick of incense, step into the Heart-Asking Array to accept the assessment."

After Zhongli spoke at length, he returned to his seat and closed his eyes to meditate.

Ningguang and the others also stood on all sides, found their positions, and began to cultivate.

Gradually, outside the Heart-Asking Array, sounds of conversation rose one after another.

However, the commotion was ultimately small, for fear of disturbing Ningguang and the others.

"Ms. Furina?"

Clorinde gently pushed Furina, who then came back to her senses.

"What's wrong?"

Clorinde pursed her lips. Furina, who was usually always aimless, now had eyes that were terrifyingly deep.

It was as if she had become a different person, or...

as if she had taken off a mask of disguise.

But Clorinde had no time to think about it and hurriedly said:

"We have one stick of incense time to prepare, and the assessment will begin in fifteen minutes. Ms. Furina..."

"Prepare?"

Furina looked at Clorinde strangely.

"Do you know what the Heart-Asking Array is? How are we supposed to prepare?"

"This..."

As soon as the words fell, Baiwen at the side looked over and, after thinking about it, still spoke up:

"The so-called Heart-Asking Array is a large-scale array used by Shushan to identify the character of disciples."

Furina turned back, looking at Baiwen with some surprise.

"You know?"

As soon as the words fell, she patted her head with some annoyance.

"I forgot, you are Ningguang's secretary; you must know some inside information."

Baiwen smiled and didn't say anything.

Not far away, other smart people noticed Baiwen and the others and the the Liyue Qixing on this side.

They all moved closer to Baiwen and the others.

Being able to get some information was a good thing.

Childe, Hu Tao, Xingqiu, Chongyun, Xiangling, Tighnari, Alhaitham, Collei...

A group of people gathered quietly, and soon, this area actually became an area where elite small groups gathered.

Baiwen and the others didn't mind and, after a pause, continued:

"Lady Ningguang once said that the Heart-Asking Array is 'one step, one lifetime'."

"Every time you pass a level of the Heart-Asking Array, you have to walk through a lifetime."

As soon as the words fell, Hu Tao exclaimed, and after reacting, hurriedly lowered her voice:

"What the hell! Every level of the Heart-Asking Array requires living through a lifetime? Then we have to live three lifetimes to successfully join the Shushan inner sect?"

Hu Tao's words made the others feel heavy as well.

They had thought it was just a simple character assessment, but they didn't expect...

it was such a magical power; in a fleeting moment, one lived through a lifetime like a horse passing a gap.

This kind of thing...

was truly unimaginable.

Baiwen nodded slightly and sighed:

"Lady Ningguang said that upon entering the Heart-Asking Array, everyone will forget that they are cultivating immortality and will just continue along their original life trajectory."

"Once, twice..."

"Especially after walking through three levels, every level after that is an even more difficult test."

"Perhaps you will be reincarnated as a beggar in the cultivation world, living a hard life, or perhaps you will become a genius disciple in a sect, facing all kinds of hardships."

"Or perhaps, you will become an ordinary person, living an ordinary and boring life."

"Every time, it is a lash to our Dao heart."

"But if the Dao heart is unstable, you will inevitably be addicted to it and unable to extricate yourself, and from then on, you will lose the qualification for the assessment."

Furina frowned slightly, feeling some fear of this kind of thing from the bottom of her heart.

After a long silence, she whispered:

"In other words... we might become an ordinary human, experiencing all kinds of trivial matters and ending our lives?"

"Not just that."

Baiwen looked at the Heart-Asking Array with some awe.

"Everyone has obsessions in their hearts: immortality, power, money, authority..."

"The Heart-Asking Array will let us see the life we desire most."

"Those who desire power will become invincible experts in the Heart-Asking Array."

"Those who desire money will become wealthy merchants with wealth rivaling a nation in the Heart-Asking Array."

"Those who desire authority will become emperors with overwhelming power in the Heart-Asking Array."

"For example..."

Baiwen pursed her lips and looked at Hu Tao.

"Hall Master Hu dreams of expanding the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to all of Teyvat, right?"

Hu Tao's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly.

"This is this Hall Master's dream!"

"Then..."

Baiwen sighed.

"In the Heart-Asking Array, you will personally push the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to all of Teyvat, enjoying the happiness and sense of achievement of your dream being realized."