Chapter 1000: Outer Sect Disciple

"Thank you, Elder!"

He Pingsheng bowed respectfully to the steward elder, then walked leisurely to the stone tablet not far away.

He raised his head and carefully examined every character on the tablet before him.

The Immortal Transformation method recorded on it was identical to the one He Pingsheng had obtained on Piaomiao Mountain.

Clearly, all Immortal Transformation methods in this Immortal Realm were this same one.

To avoid arousing suspicion, He Pingsheng still stood beneath the tablet for a long time before leaving it and approaching the small house marked with the characters “Thirteen” on its door.

The steward elder had said this house was for his temporary residence, to serve as a place for transforming Immortal energy.

He Pingsheng did not refuse, and pushed the door open directly.

No formation protected it.

Just an ordinary house!

Inside, it was roughly three zhang square, with a meditation cushion placed in the center.

Nothing else was present.

He Pingsheng meticulously inspected every corner of the room and found no issues.

When he sat cross-legged on the cushion, he suddenly remembered the buildings he had encountered on Piaomiao Mountain.

So the house closest to the tablet wasn’t meant for the residence of outer sect disciples—it was a temporary place to transform Immortal energy!

Never mind!

Don’t think about it too much now.

Close your eyes and meditate.

He Pingsheng began “transforming Immortal energy”—something he had done before; now he was merely putting on a show.

Moreover, He Pingsheng knew that transforming Immortal energy could roughly judge a cultivator’s talent.

Ordinary ascended cultivators could complete the transformation within three days.

Those with extraordinary talent might take half a year.

The longer the process lasted, the more abundant the Immortal energy within the body, and the higher the talent rating assigned.

Wait!

While pretending, He Pingsheng also used the [Sensing Immortal Talisman] to sense the aura of Kong Jiaojiao, the Great Lunming King.

But there was nothing!

He also tried using the [Heavenly Dao Slave Seal] within his body to locate Jin Ku, that old rascal—but found no trace whatsoever.

This meant Jin Ku either hadn’t ascended, or was extremely far away.

After this pretense lasting roughly six days, He Pingsheng rose from the cushion and walked back toward the steward’s hall.

"Greetings, Elder!"

He Pingsheng bowed respectfully.

The steward elder sipped tea as he watched him and smiled: "You completed Immortal energy transformation in six days—your talent is slightly better than the most ordinary disciples, but still not good enough!"

"Therefore, in our Red Lotus Immortal Valley, you can only be an outer sect disciple!"

"Pity—if you had lasted over ten days, you could have become an inner sect disciple!"

Upon hearing this, He Pingsheng immediately regretted it.

Damn!

Who knew this single test directly determined whether you were outer or inner sect? If I’d known, I’d have stretched it out to ten days.

Ugh!

But now it was too late to say anything.

"This... sigh... it must be my lack of fortune," He Pingsheng forced a bitter smile.

The steward elder said: "From now on, don’t call me Elder—all outer sect disciples address me as Master Shu."

"The Immortal Realm is different from your previous True Spirit World—it doesn’t care about fortune!"

"Only talent matters!"

"Before reaching Golden Immortal realm, your talent is determined solely by how quickly you transform Immortal energy!"

"Only upon reaching Golden Immortal realm can you use special methods to measure your bloodline rank!"

"At that point, talent level will be defined entirely by your bloodline rank!"

"But for you, that’s still far off!"

"Or put another way, your chance of breaking through to Golden Immortal realm won’t exceed one in a million!"

Hearing the steward elder’s words, He Pingsheng’s expression remained utterly calm.

He showed no emotion whatsoever.

"Liu Liu..." As he spoke, the steward elder looked toward the staircase and called out.

Immediately, an immortal clad in dark green robes hurried down the stairs and bowed to the elder: "Master!"

"This is He Pingsheng, a newly ascended immortal!" the elder said. "He has just completed Immortal energy transformation. Assign him a Dao field, provide him the sect’s allotted supplies, and explain all the rules to him!"

"Go!"

"Yes!" The immortal named Liu Liu bowed, then led He Pingsheng out of the hall.

"He Brother, I’m Liu Liu..." Liu Liu said. "You may call me by my name directly, or address me as Brother Liu Liu."

He Pingsheng replied with respectful deference: "Understood, Brother Liu Liu!"

"Follow me!"

Liu Liu led He Pingsheng away from the hall, ascending higher up the mountain. Soon, they reached the foot of a massive mountain and saw a cluster of buildings.

The spiritual energy here was abundant; on the artificially leveled ground stood dozens of buildings.

Each building was an immortal’s Dao field.

"These few here are vacant!" Liu Liu pointed to a group of roughly seven or eight buildings on the left. "Brother, pick any one you like!"

He Pingsheng casually pointed to one: "This one."

"Good!" Liu Liu pulled out a golden token. "This is the key to enter and exit your Dao field. Keep it safe—without it, you can’t activate the formation!"

"Also, I have a few more things to tell you," Liu Liu continued. "First, don’t wander around casually. As outer sect disciples, you’re forbidden from crossing the Immortal Gate into the rear areas!"

As he spoke, Liu Liu glanced toward the valley’s rear.

There stood a massive, majestic gate.

On the gate were four characters: Red Lotus Immortal Valley.

"I understand," He Pingsheng nodded.

"Also!" Liu Liu pulled out an object resembling a storage bag from the mortal realm. "This contains your supplies... oh, this thing is called a Qiankun Bag!"

"The steward elder’s hall has various Immortal arts and techniques—if you wish to learn them, you must exchange them for merit points!"

"There are many ways to earn merit points!"

"Inside the bag is a jade slip—read it, and you’ll find all the instructions recorded there."

"If you encounter difficulties or questions in daily life, you may come to the front hall and find me."

"Within my ability, I will assist you."

"Good!" He Pingsheng bowed. "Thank you, Brother Liu Liu!"

"No need to thank me!" Liu Liu waved dismissively. "I’m off now... oh, remember to change into the sect’s Immortal robes!"

With that, Liu Liu departed.

He Pingsheng looked at the items in his hand, then at the Dao field before him. He pulled out the golden token, activated the formation, and stepped inside.

The Dao field was a decent courtyard.

The courtyard was roughly thirty zhang across, with a three-story pavilion inside.

Besides the pavilion, the yard contained several low-grade Immortal herbs and Immortal fruit trees.