Chapter 1: Today is Good for Travel, Not for Cheating

The second day of the second lunar month is a good day for travel.

A moderate rain falls with a pitter-patter, splashing onto the ground to stir up the fragrance of soil, onto the lake to ripple in circles, and onto the heads of passersby, drawing low curses.

"Who said today was good for travel? It rains the moment I step out," Lu Yang complained, regretting not bringing a straw raincoat beforehand.

This was his first time traveling far from home, and he lacked experience. The rain had come suddenly, soaking him through. His shoes were caked in mud, and every step felt like the ground was showing its malice toward him—he had to pull his feet out of the mud pits.

A *clatter-clatter* sound came from behind, catching Lu Yang's attention.

Lu Yang turned his head and saw a carriage approaching. There was no driver; the old horse seemed to know the way, requiring no one to guide it.

"What a miraculous horse," Lu Yang exclaimed. The old horse had several scales on its forehead, resembling snake scales; it was clearly some kind of exotic beast.

Though he didn't understand its specific value, he knew this old horse was precious.

At the very least, his own financial means could not afford it.

"This brother, walking in the rain—what a refined interest. Would you care to sit in the carriage?"

A man’s hearty laughter came from inside the carriage. Lu Yang accepted the man’s kindness, pulled his feet from the mud, and hurried onto the carriage.

"Pardon the intrusion. I am Lu Yang." Lu Yang sat down cautiously, afraid that the rainwater and mud on his body would dirty the carriage.

"Meng Jingzhou." The owner of the carriage was just like his voice—a carefree youth, optimistic and hearty, as if he could strike up a conversation with anyone.

"Is Brother Lu also here to participate in the Profound Dao Sect’s selection?"

"Just trying my luck."

Meng Jingzhou laughed heartily: "Brother Lu, what’s the harm in being honest? If you really only wanted to try your luck, you wouldn't be walking in the rain toward the Profound Dao Sect."

Lu Yang felt a bit ashamed: "Who doesn't want to enter the Profound Dao Sect?"

The Profound Dao Sect was one of the five great immortal sects of the Central Continent, possessing countless powerful cultivators and immense strength. With the sect recruiting disciples today, there was no telling how many people wanted to give it a try.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou were two among them.

Lu Yang had transmigrated to the Central Continent. His parents died early, and he had survived on the small inheritance they left behind and the relief of his neighbors.

In the dozen years he lived in the small town, he had heard the storyteller speak of immortals striking the Heavenly Gate with swords, heard of river demons turning over five hundred miles away causing floods, heard of immortal sect disciples slaying demons with flying swords to uphold justice, and seen a disheveled Daoist priest swindling people, rising into the air to escape prison, only to be caught and brought back by officials who also rose into the air.

Back then, he knew this was not the world he was familiar with, nor any dynasty he knew. This was an immortal cultivation world where individual might was concentrated in one's own person.

He wanted to seek the Dao and learn the immortal arts of longevity.

The Profound Dao Sect was his first choice.

There was no other reason for choosing the Profound Dao Sect; it was simply that there were no other sects around his home, only the Profound Dao Sect.

With the Profound Dao Sect here, other sects would not be so foolish as to choose to establish themselves nearby.

During their conversation, Lu Yang learned that Meng Jingzhou came from a cultivation family and possessed far more knowledge about cultivation than Lu Yang.

"The Profound Dao Sect’s requirement for recruiting disciples is mortals under sixteen. It’s not just the Profound Dao Sect; most sects have this requirement."

"The path of cultivation is long and obstructed. Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Refinement, Body Integration, Tribulation Crossing—each realm is a watershed that traps countless people. One in ten, one in twenty, or even one in a hundred—that’s how rare they are."

"There are many factors that determine cultivation achievement, such as luck, wisdom, spiritual roots... By the way, Brother Lu, do you know what your spiritual root is?"

"Although the Profound Dao Sect doesn't have high requirements for spiritual roots, they don't want ones that are too poor."

Lu Yang frowned. He had only learned the term "spiritual root" from the storyteller and didn't know what his own was.

"I don't know. What about you, Brother Meng?"

Meng Jingzhou’s expression became very confused, and he shook his head as well: "I once tested my spiritual root in the clan, but the clan elders wore worried expressions and wouldn't tell me the result. They only said my talent was astonishing, that joining the five great immortal sects would be no problem, and that I would know when I joined them later. Privately, I secretly asked my parents, and they were even more worried than the elders, also refusing to tell me."

Lu Yang speculated: "It’s possible your spiritual root is too shocking, easily bringing disaster to the Meng family. Only a behemoth like the Profound Dao Sect can protect you."

"That’s what I guessed." Meng Jingzhou patted Lu Yang on the shoulder, looking like he had met a soulmate. The more he looked at Lu Yang, the more he felt this person was as talented as himself, a natural seed for the Dao.

Lu Yang listened to the increasingly heavy rain outside, glad that Meng Jingzhou had let him on the carriage.

"Stop." Meng Jingzhou suddenly shouted. The old horse walked a few steps and slowly stopped.

The carriage was a magic treasure, allowing Meng Jingzhou to see the situation outside.

Meng Jingzhou saw a woman walking in the rain outside, just like Lu Yang had been.

"This sister is walking in this direction; she must also be going to the Profound Dao Sect to participate in the test. The rain is so heavy, why not come into the carriage to rest your feet?"

The woman was somewhat surprised by Meng Jingzhou’s proposal, thought about it, and agreed.

As soon as the woman got on the carriage, Meng Jingzhou and Lu Yang were both stunned.

Meng Jingzhou considered himself worldly, but he had never seen such a beautiful woman. As for Lu Yang, the most beautiful woman he had seen was the young widow who sold tofu next door.

Of course, Lu Yang was a gentleman and had no improper thoughts about the widow.

The woman was like a lotus flower, enchanting but not gaudy. Dressed in white, she stood tall and graceful, with bright eyes and white teeth, giving people a feeling of being in another world.

The woman also wore a string of golden bells on her right wrist.

"Yun Zhi thanks the two of you."

The woman’s voice was like a clear spring, very pleasant to hear.

Lu Yang noticed something strange and whispered: "Brother Meng, why is she dry? Could she be a demon?"

In storybooks, demons often transformed into beautiful women to lure young, strong men like them.

Just a moment ago, Lu Yang had been soaked like a drowned rat, looking miserable. In contrast, Yun Zhi had no rain on her at all, not looking like she had walked in the rain.

Meng Jingzhou didn't think much of it: "Perhaps she has a magic treasure that can avoid rain. That’s common in cultivation families."

Meng Jingzhou wasn't worried that Yun Zhi was a demon or ghost. This was the Profound Dao Sect’s territory; what demon would be so suicidal as to come here to cause trouble?

"Is Miss Yun Zhi here to participate in the Profound Dao Sect’s test?"

"Indeed."

Meng Jingzhou said diligently: "I happen to have the content of the Profound Dao Sect’s test. I spent a lot of money to buy it from a Profound Dao Sect elder. Would Miss Yun Zhi like to hear it?"

Lu Yang looked at Meng Jingzhou in surprise. Why hadn't he told him?

Yun Zhi was even more surprised than Lu Yang: "But that’s cheating. What if the Profound Dao Sect finds out..."

Meng Jingzhou waved his hand, looking confident: "My carriage is a magic treasure. Even those great immortal cultivators or reclusive old monsters cannot probe inside with their spiritual sense."

"I see. Then please, Young Master Meng, tell me the content of the test."

Hearing this, Lu Yang also pricked up his ears to listen.

Meng Jingzhou cleared his throat: "The Profound Dao Sect test is divided into three stages. The first stage tests spiritual roots. This is a hard test; there is no possibility of taking shortcuts. The room for maneuvering is in the second and third stages."

"The second stage tests character. A carriage loses control and is about to hit five people lying on the side of the road; hitting them means certain death. There is another person lying not far away. As outsiders, we can control the direction of the runaway carriage. Do we choose to ignore it and let the five people be hit, or change the direction and hit the other person?"

Lu Yang answered without hesitation: "Hit the other person."

Meng Jingzhou was very surprised. Ever since he learned the content of the second stage, he hadn't thought of a solution. How could Lu Yang make a decision so quickly?

Choosing to ignore it meant watching five people die, which was unacceptable both logically and emotionally.

Choosing to change direction and hit the other person meant that person was just unlucky and deserved to die, and it was his own hand that did it.

Meng Jingzhou voiced his doubt, and Lu Yang explained: "There isn't enough time for you to think. By the time you think of a result, those five people would have already been hit. I suspect the Profound Dao Sect isn't testing whether you choose to save five people or one, but whether you can make a decision quickly."

"I heard the storyteller say that in a cultivator's battle, a hair's breadth is the difference between life and death. What the second stage tests is character—whether you are indecisive or decisive. Making a decision in the shortest possible time is what matters most."

Meng Jingzhou suddenly realized.

"The third stage tests honesty. The Profound Dao Sect has a mirror that can judge whether you are telling the truth or a lie. If you are found to be lying, you are kicked out of the test immediately."

Lu Yang pondered: "This stage is simple. If we weren't warned in advance, it would be easy to lie to cover ourselves. But since we know in advance, we just need to tell the truth."

Meng Jingzhou nodded; he thought the same.

The two discussed for a while, proposing many possible accidents and countermeasures, and after totaling them up, they felt it was flawless.

Miss Yun Zhi showed a hint of a smile, as if she thought they had a good method.

"Many thanks to the young hero Lu for telling me."

"Hmm, has the rain stopped?" Lu Yang noticed that the sound of rain falling outside had stopped, so he curiously leaned out.

The place they had just passed was still experiencing a downpour, while the place they were in was sunny with birds singing and flowers blooming, as if a peerless sword energy had split the world into two halves, yin and yang, never to intersect.

Lu Yang looked up and saw countless exotic beasts and immortal magic treasures rushing toward the towering mountain that reached the sky.

The towering mountain was plated with a layer of pale gold by the sunlight, and gorgeous patterns spread out from behind the mountain, covering the sky and blocking the heavy rain.

That was the Profound Dao Sect’s gateway mountain, and above it was the sect-protecting array, which no one could break.

Out of respect for the Profound Dao Sect, the cultivation geniuses, led by their elders, landed at the foot of the mountain, waiting for the Profound Dao Sect to open the test.

The old horse was already a rare exotic beast, but compared to the divine and handsome beasts resting at the foot of the mountain, it was still lacking.

"Mother of god, this is much more imposing than our Meng family’s mansion." Meng Jingzhou rubbed his hands, feeling a bit nervous. Thinking that he would soon pass the test and become a member of the Profound Dao Sect, he felt more excitement than anything else.

Lu Yang remained silent. When he was at home, he could see this mountain, but it was too far away, and he didn't feel much. Standing at the foot of the mountain, he realized what a behemoth it was.

He was a bit nervous. He had ways to deal with the second and third stages, but he still didn't know what his spiritual root was. Perhaps he wouldn't even pass the first test.

Dozens of cultivators stood in the air, guarding the front of the mountain, all exuding powerful aura fluctuations. Lu Yang suspected that if they fully released their aura, there wouldn't be many people left standing.

These cultivators were silent, giving people psychological pressure for no reason.

Lu Yang heard a family elder introducing to a junior: "Look at the style of the Daoist robes; these are the core disciples of the Profound Dao Sect, all apprenticed to the various elders. In the future, these people will be your fellow disciples."

"You don't need to be nervous. They aren't intentionally putting pressure on you. It looks like they are waiting for the person presiding over this test. Once the presiding person arrives, the test should begin."

Lu Yang turned his head, wanting to see Miss Yun Zhi’s reaction—was she excited or nervous?

She couldn't still be looking so indifferent, could she?

"Miss Yun Zhi, you..."

Lu Yang was about to say something when he saw Miss Yun Zhi take a light step. Before each step landed, a white lotus would lift her delicate body.

The crowd was in an uproar. The family elders broke out in cold sweat and hurriedly told their juniors to be silent.

The white lotuses paved a path, spanning across the crowd. Miss Yun Zhi arrived among the core disciples of the Profound Dao Sect. The Profound Dao Sect disciples bowed to her to show respect. Miss Yun Zhi raised her plain hand, faced the crowd, and pursed her lips in a smile.

"Sorry to have kept everyone waiting. I am the eldest senior sister of the Profound Dao Sect, and the presiding officer for this test."

"I announce that the test officially begins."

After speaking, Miss Yun Zhi still gave a half-smiling glance at the stunned Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

She was indeed here to participate in the Profound Dao Sect’s test, but she was not a candidate; she was the examiner.