Chapter 76: A Carefree Disciple Test

Heng Xian's expressionless, silent demeanor did not provoke any displeasure among the recruiting disciples.

"Wow! So classy, almost a match for that senior brother from the Da Luo Holy Sect!"

The female disciple curled her hands into tiny fists and said, "All of you step aside, let my junior brother in!"

The black‑clouded candidates, with black lines over their heads and faces full of envy, jealousy and hatred, obediently made way.

Su Wan'er clenched her fist: "Young master, go for it! You're the best!"

"Just a small scene, go in and see, I'll be waiting inside!"

Heng Xian stepped onto the white jade staircase, reached the female disciple, and gave a slight nod: "Thank you!"

"Junior brother, so polite! I'm Qing Zhu, a true‑line disciple of the Tianyuan Sect." The female disciple's eyes shone as she pointed upward: "Junior brother, go up; there are two more gates above, and of course, with your talent there's absolutely no problem, haha."

Heng Xian fell silent and leisurely continued upward.

"I object!" someone below protested: "Why was he the first to be chosen? Just because he's handsome? Is your sect that shallow?"

Qing Zhu replied coldly: "Is he only handsome? Didn't you notice he also has great poise, culture, compassion, and cleanliness,"

his nails are not a speck of dirt; he is literally a one‑in‑a‑million cultivation prodigy in the cultivation world,

while you're all scruffy, nose hairs sticking out, you stupid pig, get out!"

The scolded person shrank his neck and slipped back into the crowd.

Xu Wei stepped forward a few paces, flicked his flowing hair lightly: "Senior sister, look at me how—"

Before he could finish, a burst of crying came from beside him.

Everyone turned to look in unison.

They saw Su Wan'er sobbing, snot and tears streaming, looking pitifully helpless.

Qing Zhu, surprised, asked: "What are you crying about?"

Su Wan'er choked out: "My family is extremely poor; when I was very young my grandfather died, my father's health was bad and at thirteen he was bedridden,

my mother was born with a chronic cold leg, and survived by doing odd jobs for Uncle Wang next door, just to support me,

pity the hearts of parents everywhere; their greatest wish is to see me enter the Tianyuan Sect…"

The candidates were collectively petrified!

Crying so blatantly tragic—so over‑the‑top, right?

Unexpectedly, Qing Zhu locked eyes with the drinking male disciple beside him, coughed, and said: "This junior sister is so sincere; given your tragic past and devotion to cultivation, you'll surely become a great cultivator in the future—go up!"

"Thank you! Wuaaa…" Su Wan'er wiped her tears and climbed upward.

The swarming candidates fell silent.

Xu Wei, looking constipated, stepped forward: "Senior sister, don't be fooled by my striking handsomeness; my family is actually terrible,

my mother died in a difficult birth when she gave birth to me; before the seven‑day mourning was over, my father remarried a thirty‑eighth concubine… wua…"

Qing Zhu sighed: "It's rare to have both, go up!"

"When my grandfather was nine, a demonic cultivator brutally killed him!"

I, my grandfather at nine years old, was brutally killed by a deviant cultivator!

"I always thought I was extremely beautiful, but everyone says I'm a dinosaur, eee—"

"You're really ugly, go up!"

One by one, over a hundred youths were permitted to step onto the staircase.

Immediately the white jade staircase vanished, and Qing Zhu's group of Tianyuan Sect disciples disappeared with it.

Only the rushing river and mountains remained in place.

The black‑clouded crowd in the plaza let out sighs and turned to leave.

Come again next year!

……

The white jade staircase wound steeply, leading straight to the summit.

On one side were green pines and cypresses, jagged rocks; on the other, valley mists, white cranes calling, and monkeys howling.

In the distance, purple peaks appeared and vanished, intermittently flashing with strange light.

Over a hundred youths ascended step by step, each spirit buoyant.

Heng Xian led the way, back straight, expressionless, even the strands of his hair blown by the wind all pointed the same direction.

Su Wan'er caught up: "Y-Young master, I've passed the gate too! As you say, it's the first step of a ten‑thousand‑li Long March, and from now on we'll start being awesome, right?"

Heng Xian looked toward the end of the staircase: "Stay low‑key! There are still a few gates above; we're still a ways from being awesome!

Also, you're a girl; when you're out, you need to be modest, don't utter such coarse words!"

Su Wan'er paused: "Young master, if you hadn't said that, I'd almost forget I'm a girl!"

While the two were chatting, Xu Wei, Ye Ling'er and Zhao Ying, out of breath, ran up: "Bro—brother, ahaha…"

Heng Xian lazily turned back: "If you're weak, stop talking!"

The three were stunned, Xu Wei said: "Ah, that's not it; I'm just excited, but brother, your constitution is especially good!"

Su Wan'er snorted: "Of course! Our young master is a genius!"

The three laughed: "Genius brother, excuse us! Excuse us!"

Ye Ling'er's eyes rolled: "Brother, do you have some special connection with the Tianyuan Sect?

Otherwise that recruiting senior sister wouldn't be so neat and efficient!"

Heng Xian nodded: "Yes! The sect leader is my cousin!"

The three were taken aback: "You're joking, right?"

Heng Xian, surprised, replied: "Wasn't it you who started the joke?"

Heng Xian, surprised: "Wasn't it you who started the joke first?"

"Uh…" The three wore bewildered expressions.

Xu Wei glanced at Su Wan'er and said dryly, "Brother, you're quite a character! Running for a sect while bringing a maid!"

"I accept!" Heng Xian looked at him, "You're of royal blood; your household must have plenty of palace maids and handmaidens, right?"

Xu Wei chuckled arrogantly, "Three thousand graceful ladies, all like nightingales and swallows; I can command them by day and play with them at night!"

Heng Xian nodded, "Your brag is huge—have you ever played eighteen p? If you don't tell the truth, your whole family will die!"

Ye Ling'er and Zhao Ying looked at Xu Wei with curiosity.

Xu Wei's face flushed bright red: "I… I've only ever played six p, and my father the emperor scolded me, so I haven't tried a p‑group since!"

Heng Xian nodded: "Your rank is too low!"

At that moment, the staircase ahead ended, revealing a five‑sided, eight‑cornered glass pavilion.

Inside the pavilion sat four middle‑aged male and female cultivator elders in purple robes.

Each exuded a heavy aura, steady as a mountain.

Xu Wei whispered, "Attention! The second trial has begun!"

As soon as he finished, a middle‑aged female elder beneath the pavilion rose and said, "Very simple! We'll ask one question; everyone steps forward in turn to answer, but no duplicate or similar answers, or everyone will be eliminated! Alright, begin!"

A Xiao Hei Pangzi at the back rushed forward first: "I'll go!"

An elder in the pavilion asked, "Why do you wish to join the Tianyuan Sect for cultivation?"

Xiao Hei Pangzi thought for a moment, then replied, "The Tianyuan Sect is powerful; I really love it!"

An elder waved his hand: "Go down; Qing Zhu and the others will see you out!"

Xiao Hei Pangzi was stunned: "Did I… answer wrong?"

No one responded; a gust of wind blew, and Xiao Hei Pangzi was flung backward.

The line of candidates froze.

At that moment another stepped forward, gritting his teeth, "For revenge! Someone slaughtered my entire clan; I will cultivate in the Tianyuan Sect, and once my cultivation is complete, I will slaughter all four directions, and then…"

At this moment another person stepped forward, gritting his teeth and said: "For revenge! Someone killed my entire clan; I will cultivate in the Tianyuan Sect, and when my cultivation is accomplished, I will slaughter in all directions, and then..."

The crowd of candidates was stunned, not knowing how to answer, hesitating and daring not step forward.

The middle‑aged woman beneath the pavilion pointed at the frontmost Heng Xian: "You!"

Heng Xian stepped forward a few paces, without hesitation, "I simply seek to be wildly cool and unstoppable, to roam the world unchecked!"

Heng Xian stepped forward a few paces and said without hesitation: "I'm simply doing it to be wildly awesome, cool, and badass, to roam the world unhindered!"

(End of chapter)