Chapter 6

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou squatted on the ground, digging holes with the dagger, burying the bottom of the ladder into the holes, and stomping on the ground to pack it down.

Lu Yang kicked the ladder, and it didn't move at all, instead vibrating his right foot until it went numb.

"Not bad, very sturdy. I'll try it first; you go after I succeed."

"No problem." Meng Jingzhou nodded.

Lu Yang rubbed his hands, climbed the ladder in three steps, and when he climbed to the corner of the ladder—that is, the height parallel to the fiftieth step—he secretly said "bad."

Lu Yang forced himself to look forward, not looking down, arching forward like a caterpillar.

The people on the stairs looked up at Lu Yang approaching the fiftieth step step by step, dumbfounded.

What did they see? A huge ladder stuck in the ground, with a ninety-degree bend, and the end was the finish line—the fiftieth step.

It wasn't that they hadn't seen Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou making the ladder below, but they hadn't thought much about it.

They had finally reached the fortieth step; if they went down to care about what the two were doing, and it turned out they were just acting crazy, they wouldn't have the strength to return to the fortieth step, and this test would truly be a complete failure.

Man Gu was the fastest among them, already at the forty-ninth step position, but this fiftieth step was like a natural chasm, difficult to cross. He felt as if he were carrying a mountain, about to be crushed.

Then he watched helplessly as Lu Yang climbed past him and reached the fiftieth step.

Lu Yang succeeded in passing the test without any danger.

Meng Jingzhou followed closely behind and also succeeded in passing.

The first and second places were born.

At the same time, outside the Heart-Questioning Mountain, the Profound Heaven Sect disciples were in chaos.

"Don't stop me! Today I must teach these two guys a lesson. I promise I won't beat them to death!" Dai Bufan's muscles bulged with anger, like a bear whose honey had been snatched.

The junior brothers and sisters hurriedly stepped forward to dissuade him:

"Senior Brother Dai, you can't hit them!"

"Senior Brother Dai, you must calm down."

"If something happens to the people participating in the test and it gets out, our Profound Heaven Sect's reputation will be ruined!"

"Bullying the small with the big, it won't sound good if it gets out, Senior Brother Dai!"

"Senior Brother Dai, don't forget, the third test is a test of the heart of seeking the Dao. You must not get angry!"

Hearing the last sentence, Dai Bufan calmed down.

That's right, the third test is a test of the heart of seeking the Dao. Being so irritable is not conducive to future cultivation.

"...No, the third test is to test them, not me!"

The Profound Heaven Sect disciples were in chaos again.

Seeing this, the River Spirit felt much more balanced, retreated into the river, and no longer troubled the two.

Perhaps the example of Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou's sincere cooperation and success encouraged the crowd. The disciples participating in the test shouted one after another and finally rushed to the fiftieth step.

Man Gu was the first, followed by people Lu Yang didn't know. They were all people ranked behind Lu Yang, and Lu Yang didn't know what was special about their bone structure. Finally, there were a few dual spiritual roots, all of whom Lu Yang had seen.

The remaining people kept trying but could never take another step. They wanted to go down the mountain and use the ladder Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had made to climb to the fiftieth step, but unfortunately, going down the mountain also required bearing great pressure, and their bodies could no longer move up or down a step.

"The third test is over. Those who remain on the mountain lose their qualifications." Yun Zhi announced coldly, asking Dai Bufan to bring the people down.

The Heart-Questioning Mountain forcibly pulled people to a level where mortal ability could not remove them. Even Dai Bufan couldn't do it. To fetch people on the mountain, one could only climb the mountain step by step, bearing the pressure of the Heart-Questioning Mountain.

Dai Bufan glared fiercely at Lu Yang before climbing the Heart-Questioning Mountain.

He looked calm and climbed to the fiftieth step in one go.

The disciples who had just passed the third test saw Dai Bufan looking so relaxed, and thinking of how they had fought for their lives to climb to the fiftieth step, they felt a huge sense of disparity.

"There's nothing hard to understand. You are only fourteen or fifteen years old. Even if you have family support and have been exposed to cultivation early, it's still like a moon in the water or a flower in a mirror; you have no real feeling and cannot truly understand what the Dao is or what an immortal is."

"Cultivating immortality is also cultivating the heart. When you have achieved success in your cultivation, climbing the Heart-Questioning Mountain will no longer be a difficult task."

Explaining to the end, Yun Zhi seemed to remember something and added symbolically: "Congratulations on becoming Profound Heaven Sect disciples."

Yun Zhi waved her slender hand, and the bells on her wrists jingled. Water mist rose, forming clouds that lifted everyone up.

Lu Yang stepped on the clouds, watching the distance from the ground getting higher and higher. He tried hard to swallow, his heart in his throat.

Mom, cultivating immortality is really exciting.

Yun Zhi stood on the clouds and said to the junior brothers and sisters doing the finishing work below: "You've worked hard today. After cleaning up, you can continue with your own business."

The junior brothers and sisters said "Yes" in unison, and then shouted "one, two, three, one, two, three," dismantling and moving the ladder Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had made.

What was the point of having a ladder on the Heart-Questioning Mountain?

On the clouds, Lu Yang didn't dare to open his eyes, but he heard others excitedly saying something, praising the beautiful scenery. He couldn't suppress his curiosity, opened his eyes, and was immediately shocked by the scene before him, staring blankly.

A mountain was located in the center of the mountains, standing a thousand feet tall, straight into the clouds. The four sides were steep and vertical, like a hundred-refined immortal sword, magnificent. Eight mountains emitting strange auras arched the central mountain, and the outermost layer had rolling mountain ranges, surrounding these nine core mountains.

The mountains were layered, like a blooming lotus, making one's heart yearn!

Hazy mist shrouded the nine mountains, adding a touch of mystery.

Yun Zhi said indifferently: "The Profound Heaven Sect has nine core peaks. The middle peak is where the Sect Master resides, called Tianmen Peak. The other eight peaks are under the names of the eight elders. Each of the eight elders has their own strengths, and accordingly, the functions of these eight peaks are also different."

"Besides these peaks, some are places for sect trials, some are extensions of the elders' peaks, some are places for Profound Heaven Sect disciples to cultivate, and some are dangerous places where you will die if your cultivation is insufficient... It cannot be explained in a few words. You can explore gradually in the future."

"Cultivating immortality emphasizes the word 'fate'. In the next month, you can move freely within the Profound Heaven Sect, visit peaks, go to the Scripture Pavilion, or ask senior brothers and elders for advice."

"After a month, you must choose an elder as your master. Of course, the premise is that the elder agrees to take you as his disciple."

Man Gu asked whatever he wanted: "Can we only choose elders? Can we choose the Sect Master?"

"You can, but the Sect Master has never liked teaching disciples, so the probability of your success is very small."

Even though Yun Zhi said this, many people still wanted to cultivate under the Sect Master.

The Profound Heaven Sect is one of the five great immortal sects of the Central Continent. Its Sect Master has a transcendent status, and his strength is beyond doubt. He has few opponents in the cultivation world. Being able to worship under such an expert, the obvious and hidden benefits are countless!

"Someone will take you to your respective caves later."

"Lu Yang, Meng Jingzhou, you two stay."