Xiao Bang Chui had a series of chaotic dreams, vaguely recalling her master quarreling with her and forcefully hitting her head with a pipe, causing excruciating pain.
“Hmm… old geezer…” she mumbled as she opened her eyes. Her head was still throbbing with pain. She covered the injured area and looked around, only to find herself surrounded by blue skies and white clouds. Clusters of soft white mist floated like little doves—was she still dreaming? Dreaming of flying in the sky?
“You’re awake,” an elderly, kind voice came from above. Xiao Bang Chui was startled, and memories from the previous night flooded her mind like a rushing stream. She jumped up like a rabbit, only to realize she was standing on a large gourd flying steadily in the sky. The white clouds before her eyes were quickly left far behind, yet she felt no wind at all.
So this was what it felt like to fly in the sky.
Xiao Bang Chui looked up at Dongyang Zhenren, wondering if her long chase yesterday counted as passing the test.
“Grandfather, are you taking me to Wu Yue Ting?” she asked softly.
He shook his head, and Xiao Bang Chui’s shoulders immediately slumped. “Did I… fail the test?”
Dongyang Zhenren spoke gently, “Little girl, you have determination and perseverance. I like that you chased so far, but you still can’t go to Wu Yue Ting.”
“Why not?”
“Even if I took you there, you wouldn’t be able to see Wu Yue Ting, let alone enter it,” Dongyang Zhenren patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Wu Yue Ting is a place where the Five Elements’ spiritual energy converges. Mortal eyes cannot see it, nor can they enter. You can’t do it now.”
“I can wait outside.”
Dongyang Zhenren shook his head again: “Do you know how many disciples there are in Wu Yue Ting? Tens of thousands. You don’t know your Senior Brother’s name, appearance, or age. Moreover, disciples often go into seclusion, sometimes for nine years at a time. How could you wait? What’s more, he might be out cultivating, wandering without a trace. How could you find him?”
Xiao Bang Chui was finally dumbfounded. Seclusion for nine years? Wandering without a trace while cultivating outside? Was it really that dramatic? How did they manage eating, drinking, and other necessities during nine years of seclusion? At first, she had been determined to find her Senior Brother, thinking it wouldn’t be difficult once she knew where Wu Yue Ting was. Who knew finding her Senior Brother would be as challenging as ascending to heaven?
“However, it’s not entirely hopeless,” Dongyang Zhenren smiled, seeing her daze. “It would take about a year, though. Are you willing?”
A year? She wanted to refuse immediately. Her master could be in mortal danger at any moment; how could she waste a year?
But… even if she searched everywhere on her own, the chances of finding her master and Senior Brother within a year were extremely slim. Even if she found her master, without any skills, how could she save him? She would probably only be able to die alongside him, or even become a burden during his escape…
Considering this, it might be better to spend a year. At least after a year, the possibility of finding her Senior Brother would be much higher. If she could find her Senior Brother, and if her master was lucky enough to stay alive, there would be hope of saving him. Compared to those vague possibilities, this path seemed the most reliable.
Just as she was about to agree, Dongyang Zhenren continued, “Great calamity is approaching, and the higher-ups of various sects can’t afford to be distracted by recruiting ordinary disciples. Little girl, your aptitude is ordinary, and I’m too busy to take you in as a disciple. However, you now have a place to go. If all goes well, after a year, during the new disciple selection, if you perform exceptionally, I can bring you into Wu Yue Ting. Whether you succeed or not depends on you.”
Xiao Bang Chui was stunned again. Did he mean for her to join Wu Yue Ting as a disciple? But she originally just wanted to find her Senior Brother!
Perhaps sensing her hesitation, Dongyang Zhenren said, “You currently have no foundation in cultivation and need some tempering. Whether you become a disciple of Wu Yue Ting or not, you at least need to enable yourself to see these places where heavenly and earthly spiritual energy converges. If you can’t see or enter, you’ll never find your Senior Brother in your lifetime.”
Xiao Bang Chui nodded silently. What he said made sense.
“I’ll go. Where is it?”
“Have you heard of ‘Chu Feng Academy’?”
It was just past noon, the sun at its most scorching. Various carriages, donkey carts, and sedan chairs were parked in front of the ancestral hall of Lu Gong Town, stretching for over ten miles. The usually quiet and solemn ancestral hall was now packed with people. Despite the crowd, everyone remained silent, queuing orderly to enter the inner hall.
“Is this Chu Feng Academy?” Xiao Bang Chui was surprised to see so many people upon landing. Wasn’t Chu Feng Academy said to be extremely selective, choosing only a few out of a thousand? And wasn’t it supposed to be very large with beautiful scenery? This… didn’t look like it.
“This is the initial selection. These people are all bringing their children to participate. Go over there to get a number, then wait in the courtyard.”
Dongyang Zhenren led her to a corner where a large wooden box was placed. Xiao Bang Chui took out a small copper token engraved with the characters “Three Five Nine.” Before she could speak, a strange cry came from above: “Three Five Nine! Three Five Nine!” Followed by a colorful large bird flapping its wings and flying into the inner hall.
“That’s to mark your number,” Dongyang Zhenren patted her head, smiling. “I’m leaving now. I hope you can pass the initial selection. Take care, little girl.”
Xiao Bang Chui felt a bit reluctant to part. This kind old man reminded her of her master, and he had helped her greatly. She bowed respectfully to him: “Thank you.”
Dongyang Zhenren removed a string of wooden beads from his wrist and put it on hers: “You’re so young and alone, it will probably be very difficult. I’ll give you this string of evil-repelling fragrant beads. Even if you don’t get into Chu Feng Academy, with these beads, you should be able to turn misfortune into fortune.”
The evil-repelling beads were amber-colored, each as big as a pellet. Xiao Bang Chui looked down at them for a while, and when she looked up again, Dongyang Zhenren was gone.
At this moment, and perhaps for a long time to come, she was left all alone. Since she could remember, she had always depended on her master. Even when they were out performing tricks, she had never been away from him. It was only now, truly alone, that she instantly understood the essence of loneliness and helplessness.
Xiao Bang Chui stroked the evil-repelling beads on her wrist, looking around bewilderedly. The courtyard was full of people, mostly parents with their children. Only she was all alone. Occasionally, someone would glance at her, but quickly look away. No one was interested in a dirty child who looked like a little beggar.
“…I have to work hard…” she murmured. Her master’s life hung in the balance; she had to get into Chu Feng Academy even if it killed her.
Dongyang Zhenren had explained Chu Feng Academy to her. There were many celestial sects like Wu Yue Ting, all built in places rich in heavenly and earthly spiritual energy, invisible to mortal eyes. But sects needed to recruit new disciples for renewal, and the higher-ups couldn’t always be out searching for potential children. That’s why Chu Feng Academy was established.
This was a place visible to everyone. The academy was said to be built in a naturally fortified location, inaccessible to ordinary people. Every year, the academy opened for selection, accepting only children under thirteen. Anyone who thought their child had potential could come for the initial selection, with selection sites spread across various locations, Lu Gong Town being one of them.
After the dual selection, children confirmed to have potential would be taken to Chu Feng Academy to begin a year of basic cultivation. After a year, various celestial sects would come to the academy to recruit new disciples, selecting the most outstanding children to become sect disciples. This saved time for the higher-ups of each sect in searching for disciples, ensured the renewal of sects, and provided an excellent opportunity for inter-sect communication.
Although Chu Feng Academy didn’t have any powerful immortals in residence, it was the safest place. No matter what conflicts occurred between sects, they would never affect the academy. Even if the outside world was engulfed in mortal wars and strife, with blood flowing everywhere, it had nothing to do with the academy. The academy was an absolute neutral ground.
It sounded like the academy was a very peaceful and harmonious place… Xiao Bang Chui thought about this while watching the number of people in the courtyard gradually decrease.
Many people had left crying earlier, probably because they weren’t selected. As fewer people remained, she became more nervous. She hadn’t seen anyone pass yet. Was the initial selection that difficult? Could she pass?
“Three Five Nine! Three Five Nine!”
The colorful large bird flew out from the inner hall, calling out in a strange tone. Was it calling for her? Xiao Bang Chui was so nervous her palms were sweating. She slowly made her way through the crowd and saw a table and a chair placed in front of the inner door. Opposite the table sat a woman completely covered in black gauze, with only her hands visible, startlingly white.
“Come, sit down,” the black-veiled woman spoke calmly, though her voice was quite delicate.
Xiao Bang Chui’s heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might jump out of her throat. She sat on the chair, and the black-veiled woman placed her palm on top of her head, motionless.
What would she say next? Not qualified? Or stay? Xiao Bang Chui swallowed.
Whether it was from nervousness or something else, suddenly a strange, hoarse voice sounded in her ear, very faintly: “Hold your breath.”
Xiao Bang Chui was startled and looked around quickly, but there was no one around except the black-veiled woman. Was she talking to her?
“Don’t move,” the black-veiled woman said coldly.
At the same time, that hoarse voice sounded again: “Hold your breath, little girl.”
Never mind who it was! Xiao Bang Chui followed the instruction and held her breath. After a moment, the black-veiled woman suddenly made a surprised sound, as if she couldn’t believe it, and changed hands to place on her head again.
“Hold your breath, don’t stop,” that hoarse voice was still reminding her.
But she was about to run out of air… Xiao Bang Chui’s face was turning red. She was already breathing rapidly from nervousness, and now having to hold her breath for so long, she even felt like she was seeing stars.
“Never seen such a fool,” that hoarse voice said, and then there was no more response.
Xiao Bang Chui felt she was reaching her limit, but fortunately, the black-veiled woman finally lowered her hand. She immediately exhaled a big breath, greedily breathing in air.
The black-veiled woman’s delicate voice said softly, “How strange… Have you practiced any secret techniques?”
Xiao Bang Chui shook her head. She had only learned some magic tricks from her master for a few years, and hadn’t mastered them at all.
“What’s your name?”
“Xiao Bang Chui.”
The black-veiled woman lowered her head and wrote something on a piece of paper. After finishing, she folded the paper and put it into an envelope, lightly scratching it with her fingernail. The envelope floated up lightly and flew into Xiao Bang Chui’s arms. The tightly closed black inner door opened silently amidst the clamor of the crowd, and the black-veiled woman said indifferently, “Go in, you’ve passed.”
…Just like that? Xiao Bang Chui walked into the inner door, completely confused. Was putting her hand on her head the initial test? What kind of mysterious initial test was this? Oh right, who was that hoarse voice that reminded her earlier? Why couldn’t she see him? Did she pass the initial test because that person was helping her?
All of this was too perplexing, and she couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard she thought.