“My mother first moved us from the edge of Filth Valley on Mount Biqiu to the lychee-rich Southern Ridge. When lychee season ended there, we moved to Kong State. We loved the storytelling in Kong State, so we stayed for a year. Later, we left Kong State because the landlord next door wanted to discuss remarriage with my mother, which she looked down upon. My mother fell ill several times in between, saying that mortal doctors couldn’t cure her. She hoped I’d enter an immortal sect, cultivate, and obtain elixirs to cure her. Hearing about this recruitment for immortal children, she brought me here.”
While waiting in line to test their spiritual roots, Nan Yan briefly explained her background and then glanced at Ji Yang.
She thought this older brother was quite handsome. His features weren’t particularly striking, but he had a refined air. With his eyes closed, he even exuded a dignified nobility that contradicted his claimed vagrant background.
She couldn’t help but feel that Ji Yang was now surrounded by a cold aura. Yet when he looked at her, it seemed like an illusion.
“I see,” Ji Yang said, carefully examining Nan Yan. “Your mother mentioned you’re eight years old?”
“I lost my teeth early. I’m eight and a half,” she replied.
Ji Yang paused, then patted her head. Sensing her decent spiritual roots, he said, “I’m six years older than you. From now on, you can treat me as an elder brother. If you have any questions or difficulties, consult me first.”
Mu Zhanting, listening nearby, said emotionally, “Then you two should become sworn siblings. I’ll be your witness.”
Ji Yang hadn’t expected this ceremony, but seeing Nan Yan already kneeling dramatically facing the sun, he sighed, “The sect gates will open soon. Please be quick, Brother Mu.”
Mu Zhanting cleared his throat and began, “First, bow to heaven and earth…”
Nan Yan and Ji Yang stared at him.
“Is that wrong?” Mu Zhanting asked.
Nan Yan replied, “I seriously doubt your witnessing skills. You must be a spy from the ‘Romance of the West Chamber’ circle infiltrating our ‘Three Kingdoms’ circle.”
To prove his innocence, Mu Zhanting knelt too. “Who says? I’m highly skilled. I’ll even become sworn siblings with you. Ji Yang, how old are you?”
Ji Yang, not much older than his current body before the possession, thought and said, “Fourteen.”
“Then you’re fourteen, I’m fifteen. I’m a year older, so you should call me big brother.”
Ji Yang looked at Mu Zhanting strangely. “Brother Mu, didn’t you say you didn’t want any involvement with A-Yan?”
Mu Zhanting replied, “No, I just didn’t want to marry her. I didn’t say we couldn’t become sworn siblings. Look at this ugly girl, fat as a ball. If no one looks after her, she’ll be bullied like a punching bag in the sect. Taking her as a sworn sister is a good deed.”
Nan Yan, who had indeed been bullied like a ball before, was deeply moved by Mu Zhanting’s righteousness.
“My dear brothers, your kindness overwhelms me. I can’t repay you. Please accept my bow, First and Second Brother!”
As they acted out this sworn sibling ceremony, nearby candidates waiting to test their spiritual roots had long grown impatient. Someone sneered:
“How interesting. The immortal sect selects only the best, one in a hundred. These two boys aside, if this fat girl gets chosen, won’t it shame us future cultivators?”
“What do you mean?”
“In the sect, after entering Qi Refining, one needs to fly on a sword. Most female disciples are light and graceful, like immortals. But this girl? Ha! She’d be like a chicken among cranes. Even with wings, she’d be a delicious dish.”
The speaker was a young man in silk clothes from a wealthy family. As he spoke, several pretty girls nearby giggled softly.
… The village bullies who mocked her for being fat and weak were everywhere.
Nan Yan rolled her eyes, pretending not to hear. But then Ji Yang calmly spoke up: “Brother, you have keen insight. May I ask which noble family you’re from?”
By asking about noble families, he meant immortal sect families, not mortal ones.
In the cultivation world, apart from sects, there were noble clans. Most were descendants of great cultivators, controlling vast territories. Besides the main family line, there were many branches. Children from such families were much nobler than ordinary cultivators. In wild encounters, mentioning one’s background could often make inferior opponents retreat.
“You seem quite knowledgeable,” the silk-clad youth said, surprised. Seeing the admiring gazes of the girls around him, he straightened up proudly. “I’m Chu Jing, from a branch of the Chu family in Hai State.”
The mortal world was surrounded by twelve cultivation states, named after the Earthly Branches. Each state was ruled by either a major sect or a thousand-year-old family. Cultivators from the mortal realm would cross the sea to seek orthodox immortal cultivation in these twelve states after achieving some success.
Most of the young people around were confused, but some knowledgeable ones looked shocked, their gazes towards Chu Jing filled with more awe.
However, Ji Yang remained unmoved and continued asking, “How does the Chu family of Hai State compare to the Imperial Ao family of Chen State?”
Chu Jing’s face stiffened. “The Imperial family is at its peak. We can’t compare.”
“Then how about the Red Emperor’s Jade Palace of Yin State or the Heavenly Dao Birth of Zi State?”
“… The ants of Hai State dare not compete with the upper states.” Perhaps due to Ji Yang’s calm tone, Chu Jing was momentarily stunned. But he quickly recovered, annoyed. “You nameless boy, knowing a lot means nothing. With such a big attitude, tell us your background.”
Instead of answering him, Ji Yang turned to Nan Yan and said slowly, “A-Yan, this brother considers his third-rate background as lowly as an ant. Earlier, when he called you a sun-calling bird, he was praising you too highly. You should thank him.”
Nan Yan thought, “Well done, applause for the cultured one.”
Those who heard Ji Yang’s words were stunned, their gazes focusing on Chu Jing’s face. His complexion turned purple with rage. “How dare you insult my Chu family!”
Ji Yang smiled silently as if he had timed it perfectly. It was Chu Jing’s turn to test his spiritual roots. Forced to swallow his anger, Chu Jing placed his hand on the Spirit-Testing Jade, his face full of resentment.
The Spirit-Testing Jade, a foot-long square piece, lit up with a misty blue light from within as Chu Jing touched it. Three faint halos appeared around the jade.
“Water attribute, three spiritual roots,” the testing cultivator, initially indifferent, now smiled and gestured. “Go stand behind the elder. You’ve qualified for the inner sect.”
His aptitude was impressive.
“You’d better pass the entrance test safely. We’ll settle our score later,” Chu Jing told them, his mood improving. With a cold laugh, he stood behind an elder.
Mu Zhanting, who had been observing Chu Jing intently, stepped back and asked Ji Yang, “Are three spiritual roots considered powerful?”
“Fewer roots mean purer talent. However, water attributes are weak in attacks. Unless he reaches Foundation Establishment and learns water arrow techniques, he’ll be most useful watering spirit fields.”
Mu Zhanting nodded. “Then I can beat him up before he reaches Foundation Establishment.”
Huh?
It was Mu Zhanting’s turn. As he stepped forward, he asked, “How many inner disciples is Yangyue Sect recruiting this year?”
“Based on aptitude, we can accept three inner disciples and over twenty outer disciples.”
Inner disciples focused solely on cultivation, while outer disciples had to labor for the sect to earn spirit stones for cultivation. The difference in treatment was vast.
Seeing three potential inner disciples behind the Yangyue Sect elder, Mu Zhanting asked, “If my aptitude is better than his, can I replace him as an inner disciple?”
Chu Jing exploded, “What did you say?!”
Mu Zhanting replied, “Just curious. Can’t I ask?”
The Yangyue Sect elder, displeased, said, “Young one, mind your words. Test quickly, don’t waste time.”
Mu Zhanting shrugged and slapped his hand on the Spirit-Testing Jade. Instantly, a dazzling red light burst from the center, then retracted, forming a ten-foot red halo around him.
“H-Heavenly spiritual root?!”
The previously impatient elder rushed over like lightning, grabbing Mu Zhanting’s wrist. His face lit up with joy. “It is a Heavenly spiritual root! Unseen for a century! Heaven favors our Yangyue Sect! Come with me quickly to meet the Sect Leader!”
The elder, all excitement, pulled Mu Zhanting away.
Mu Zhanting, not forgetting his newly sworn siblings, shouted as he was dragged off, “What about my brother and sister? You have to accept them too!”
The elder glanced over, realizing they weren’t blood relatives when he saw Nan Yan. His enthusiasm waned. “Zhu Feng, continue testing. Even if they have useless roots, let them in.”
With that, he scooped up Mu Zhanting and flew off on his sword back to the sect.
“Wow, Big Brother is so cool, much cooler than that pig spirit,” Nan Yan admired sincerely, earning a tap on her head.
“Watch your words,” Ji Yang cautioned.
“Oh, right.”
The testing cultivator, invigorated by the recent events and aware of a potential reward, yet slightly envious, gestured to the remaining candidates:
“Come on, next.”
Ji Yang stepped forward, glancing at the Spirit-Testing Jade’s material. He lowered his eyes and placed his hand on it.
As expected, four spiritual roots: gold, wood, water, and fire—the most common combination.
The cultivator’s eyes dulled again. He had seen countless such roots, seemingly able to predict this youth’s future of slowly aging in the lower ranks of the cultivation world. “Go stand with the outer disciples. Next.”
Nan Yan approached, but the Spirit-Testing Jade platform was slightly too high. She had to stand on tiptoes to barely touch it with her chubby little hand.
The jade didn’t light up.
“Mortal,” the cultivator concluded indifferently. “Next.”
“Wait,” Ji Yang suddenly spoke up. “Apologies, senior. My sister didn’t quite reach the jade. Could she try once more?”
The cultivator began to sneer but remembered the boy with the Heavenly spiritual root who seemed loyal to them. He withdrew his mockery and said, “Be quick. Others are waiting.”
Ji Yang nodded and whispered to Nan Yan, “Is the necklace uncomfortable on your neck?”
“It’s a bit pinchy, but it’s fine.”
Though only thumb-sized, the pearl was still uncomfortable. Nan Yan twisted her neck uneasily, letting Ji Yang temporarily remove the necklace. After a moment’s hesitation, she again stood on tiptoes to touch the jade.
Suddenly, the jade burst with white light. Five dim halos seemed to be forming, but before anyone could notice, the jade cracked with a sharp sound, splitting down the middle.
It happened so fast that the cultivator barely saw it.
“What just…”
The cultivator examined it closely. The jade had cracked from its core, rendering it useless. Unsure how to explain this, as he’d be punished for damaging it, he hesitated. Then Ji Yang spoke:
“Perhaps Brother Zhanting’s Heavenly spiritual root damaged it earlier, and our attempts just now finished it off.”
Nan Yan lamented, “I had five rings, but couldn’t see them.”
That would mean useless spiritual roots, capable of cultivating to the Qi Refining stage at most.
The cultivator said, “Go on, join the outer sect. Though that prodigy knows you, your talents differ greatly. Don’t expect much help from him. The cultivation world is far harsher than the mortal realm.”
After thanking him, they joined the other twenty-odd selected outer disciples entering the sect gates.
All the selection cultivators flew up, instructing the new disciples to wait before the gates.
“Hey, Brother Ji Yang,” Nan Yan called him for the first time. “You didn’t want to be involved with me either. Why did you speak up for me?”
“Why would you think I wouldn’t speak up for you?”
“Because I’m round. Nobody likes me.”
“Oh, so if no one likes you, no one will stand up for you?”
“Isn’t that how it is?”
After climbing dozens of steps, they faced Yangyue Sect’s dilapidated gates. Inside were a thousand stone steps. Those entering the immortal sect had to climb with their mortal bodies.
The fate-binding lock on his back had merged with his sea of qi. Traces of high-level spiritual power seeped out, greedily absorbed by his body. The lock wasn’t without benefits; her mother, clearly extraordinary, wouldn’t mistreat her chosen protector. However, tying his life to an innocent little girl was too risky. It would be best to keep her close, treating it as a fortunate connection.
Thinking this, Ji Yang held the little girl’s hand as they slowly ascended the stairs. Unconsciously, he gripped a bit tighter.
“Then just consider that I like you,” he replied casually.
His words were careless, but they shocked her. After a while, Nan Yan said, “…If I were a bit thinner, you’d be setting my maiden heart aflame right now.”
Ji Yang was speechless. But immediately, a cultivator announced:
“The entrance trial begins now! Climb these three thousand stone steps with your strength. Those who don’t reach the top by sunset are unfit for the immortal path!”