Chapter 284: Words Put Into Action

As for the reason, Jiang Yu can only guess, but for the disciple‑recruiting test she did not follow the notice to line up on the north and south streets of the capital city.

Instead, together with Jiang Tu, she saw many youths from the Dragon Monument, five per line, either standing or sitting on the west side of the road, queued from the North City Gate to outside the South City Gate, while on the east side their families crowded excitedly, faces full of hope that the children might be chosen.

Jiang Yu had, as early as yesterday afternoon, locked the gate outside the main gate to leave the city; she is now just outside the city, hiding inside a Dragon Pearl.

"How tight the gate is, and they don't even set up a spatial formation to let people line up outside the gate."

"The spring chill is biting; I see those at the front have pale, frozen faces—must have started queuing at midnight." Jiang Tu muttered inside the Dragon Pearl, constantly complaining.

In response, Jiang Yu could only say, "A rare celestial affinity—don't go look at the testing platform, in case a Nascent Soul is present."

Jiang Tu nodded, "Don't worry, I won't look at them. Huh, that village chief is looking for you again."

"He really is something—he's already said you're an outsider and too old, why does he insist you take the test."

"It's nothing more than seizing the chance for some benefit." Jiang Yu had noticed yesterday that the village chief had merged her into the roster.

Then she heard Jiang Tu's transmission, "Jiang Yu, I just thought—when cultivators in the Spirit Realm test spiritual roots, do they also test bone age?"

"That's why I slipped away midway." Jiang Yu wasn't planning to test her spiritual root; back then Jiang Bai could enter the Grand Void Sect not because he was exceptionally clever at hiding his bone age, but because the Dao Gate had recruited free cultivators who could already pass.

Meanwhile, Jiang Bai, who had just broken out of Demon Mountain, felt his nose itch and swiftly invoked the Pure Dust Technique to clear the leaves from his body.

Not far from him, Companion Lu was questioning two fellow Golden Core cultivators about the nearest cultivation city.

One of the Golden Core cultivators asked with slight doubt, "Companions, didn't you come into Demon Mountain from the City of Cultivators?"

Lu hurriedly replied, "We encountered a demon cultivator who captured us and brought us here."

But before he finished speaking, the two Golden Core cultivators who had earlier broken out of Demon Mountain suddenly attacked him and Jiang Bai.

"Companions, what do you mean?" Jiang Bai summoned his Original Law, and with a whoosh teamed up with Lu in offense and defense.

Another Golden Core coldly rebuked, "Hmph, any cultivator would know this mountain is the boundary between the Human Race and the Yao Race."

"You two must be bodies possessed by the Demon Race."

Having said that, they unsparingly waved their blades in attack.

Jiang Bai and Lu first defended, then, seeing the two's ferocious assault, they ceased holding back and turned defense into offense.

Clang clang

Clang clang clang

Amid the flash of swords, a deafening beast roar erupted from the forest, and a massive pressure instantly swept over them.

"At least it's the Eighth Tier, companions, I'm taking my leave!" Jiang Bai declared outright, signaling Lu to retreat.

The two withdrew their swords and fled in perfect sync, while the remaining two Golden Core cultivators, also fearing for their lives, fled in another direction.

When a massive tiger demon arrived, its divine sense scanned over two hundred li, finding no human prey on either side, and with a boom it felled a stand of towering trees before retreating back into the forest.

After a long while, Jiang and Lu, hidden deep underground dozens of li away, finally dared to slip out, and Jiang Bai exhaled foul breath, "Phew, luckily the Eighth Tier didn't persist in chasing."

"The outer rim of Demon Mountain is already at the Sixth to Seventh Tier; the City of Cultivators must be far from here."

"We must fly away at full speed, one defending, one wielding a sword; I'll go first." Lu thought himself lucky, released his Original Sword and leapt up.

Jiang Bai didn't dawdle, jumped up as well, sent a transmission to Jiang Tu without reply, and after failing to locate Jiang Yu, began to worry.

Meanwhile Jiang Yu and Jiang Tu were both hidden inside the Dragon Pearl, waiting for the spiritual‑root test to finish, so they naturally didn't receive any messages.

Unfortunately, the test lasted until dusk; among tens of thousands of youths, the cultivators only received a dozen or so with spiritual roots.

Jiang Tu was even more eager than the disciple‑recruiting cultivators, "Why haven't they left yet?"

"They're giving the children and families time to say goodbye." Jiang Yu, standing again before the Soul‑Nurturing Tree, whose roots, after years of care, had grown a few inches tall.

But she was worried, because her older brother and the Dragon Soul's spirit body had grown a bit weaker, "Jiang Tu, do you think we should move them out of the Soul‑Nurturing Tree?"

"After moving them out, they might fade even faster."

"Could it be that they're being repelled by the domain? This old Dragon King, when we try to use him, he's nowhere to be found." Having never heard of a place that nurtures the spirit more than the Soul‑Nurturing Tree, Jiang Tu feared she would regret moving them.

Jiang Yu couldn't make up her mind and could only wait quietly; fortunately, two days later, the townsfolk in the central city each returned to their hometowns, and the cultivators also brought the newly received disciples and departed by celestial boat.

But Jiang Yu could no longer live openly in the original courtyard; she chose to slip back quietly.

In the cellar, Jiang Tu leapt out of the Dragon Pearl, "Finally I can come and go freely, I…" before he could finish, not only his transmission jade talisman flashed repeatedly, Jiang Yu's did the same.

Seeing it was a message from Jiang Bai, the two immediately replied, "Don't mention it, we haven't dared to go out these past days; have you left Demon Mountain?"

"I'm searching for a cultivation city; you all be careful." Jiang Bai did not recount his own ordeal.

Jiang Yu asked Jiang Tu to inquire about her brother's soul‑nurturing matter, and unexpectedly Jiang Bai knew something: "Probably the soul should reincarnate; if delayed, under certain circumstances he might start cultivating on his own and turn to the Ghost Path."

"How long?"

"At most three months; we'll find someone quickly to guide his reincarnation."

"Thank you." Secretly, Jiang Yu did not wish her brother to become a ghost cultivator; few ghost cultivators can forge a flesh body, and they are more prone to be struck down by calamity thunder than cultivators.

Therefore, in the following days, after each medicinal bath, she would talk more with her older brother, hoping he stays lucid and does not enter the Ghost Path.

Half a month later, the old shopkeeper Thunder Dragon King finally contacted Jiang Yu, telling her that this is the Spirit Realm, home to many sects and often high‑ranking Yao Race walking among the Human Race.

He also said that from the county town in a certain direction, after traveling a number of li there are cultivation markets where one can discern the locations of various sects.

The meaning was clear: he had important business, and future life in the Spirit Realm would depend on Jiang Yu's abilities.

Jiang Yu was still recuperating, so she wouldn't ride a carriage around looking for markets; her main concern remained her brother's soul.

The answer she received was broadly similar to what Jiang Bai had said.

"The Underworld and Ghost Realm are hard to locate, but they occasionally manifest among mortal dwellings."

"The easiest method is to go to a City God Temple with strong incense, and see which City God is willing to appear and give guidance."

Upon receiving this information, Jiang Yu stopped hiding; she immediately went to the market, bought incense, yellow paper and offering fruits, and without hesitation went to the City God Temple to burn incense.

Naturally, there was no result, so she bought a carriage set and rode it herself toward the capital city.

"Why go to the capital?" Jiang Tu didn't understand, but immediately relayed the news to Jiang Bai.

Jiang Yu explained, "The capital has many people, so the incense should be abundant; if Qi Nation doesn't work, we'll go to another country."

"Of course, we must also pay sincere respects along the way."

She followed through on her words; over a journey of nearly a month, upon entering each city she paid respects to the City God, inquiring which place was more efficacious.