After a night of rain, the early morning in Pingyang Town already carried the chill of late autumn.

The morning mist dampened the roadside weeds, and cold cicadas chirped intermittently, awakening the entire town of Pingyang.

Today’s Pingyang Town was exceptionally lively, with countless cultivators all heading in one direction. Some passing outsiders, while eating breakfast, asked the shopkeeper at the tea house: “Boss, what are they all running for? What’s so exciting?”

“Today is the day of the Taiyan Sect’s new disciple selection competition,” the shopkeeper replied with a smile. “All the talented heroes of Duzhou are waiting to make their mark on Wangxian Terrace.”

Wangxian Terrace was a flat, elevated platform at the foot of Gufeng Mountain. It was said that, standing on Wangxian Terrace in the evening and looking up, one could see the immortal scenery and rosy clouds of Gufeng Mountain. Today, below Wangxian Terrace, a bustling crowd had already gathered. Zanxing, Hong Su, and Lao Niu stood in the distance, gazing toward Wangxian Terrace in a slight daze.

Throughout the land of Duzhou, the practice of cultivation was prevalent. Among the current major sects, the Taiyan Sect was considered a sect of notable reputation. The sect master Yushan Shengren had established the sect three hundred years ago, and ascended through Spirit Transformation a hundred years ago, becoming the first cultivator in Duzhou’s cultivation world to successfully ascend. After Yushan Shengren’s ascension, his disciple Shaoyang Zhenren took over as sect master. Since the great war between humans and demons twenty years ago, the Taiyan Sect had suffered greatly and had been declining over the years. However, a starved camel was still bigger than a horse—it was still an established sect with rich foundations of secret manuals and cultivation methods within the sect. If one could become a disciple of the sect, there would be endless benefits. Moreover, the Taiyan Sect hadn’t recruited new disciples for nearly ten years. This year’s recruitment brought cultivators who had received news rushing to Pingyang Town, all hoping to leap through the dragon gate and become official disciples of the Taiyan Sect.

“I thought there wouldn’t be many people,” Hong Su said in surprise. “With so many people, can the Taiyan Sect take them all?”

“After all, it’s a prestigious school, so it’s normal for many people to want to come. Besides,” Zanxing glanced around, “they should have expanded enrollment this year.”

While they were talking, they saw a group of people flying from the direction of Gufeng Mountain, stepping on long swords and riding the wind. In just moments, they landed on Wangxian Terrace.

“Ah! They’re disciples of the Taiyan Sect!” a cultivator beside them shouted excitedly. “They’re here!”

Hong Su also became excited: “Miss, those are people from the Taiyan Sect, they’re so handsome!”

Most of this group wore light gray gauze robes with white belts at their waists, their hair tied with dark gray ribbons. Each had proper features and slender, upright figures. As they moved, their gauze robes danced in the wind, appearing extraordinarily otherworldly. Leading them was a young woman who, unlike the others, wore a gray-purple gauze robe. She was also beautiful with clear features and had a heroic spirit between her brows. When she smiled, that bit of aloofness dissipated, making her appear approachable and gentle.

She stood on Wangxian Terrace and called out loudly to the crowd below: “I am Zi Luo, a disciple of the Taiyan Sect. Today, the Taiyan Sect recruits new members, and you all have come from afar, showing your hearts devoted to cultivation and the Dao.”

“The path of cultivation is full of thorns and obstacles, winding and treacherous. Without a heart like a solid rock and the determination of the Foolish Old Man, it’s easy to give up halfway. You all know that in the way of cultivation, the Refining Qi Stage is the entrance, Foundation Establishment Stage is the beginning. In our Taiyan Sect, everyone starts from the Foundation Establishment Stage and above. Today’s recruitment selection competition begins from Wangxian Terrace, but not everyone can ascend this Wangxian Terrace.”

After Zi Luo finished speaking, she flicked her sleeve, and a stream of light shot out from within it. This golden stream of light quickly fell below Wangxian Gate, forming an arch and taking the shape of a “gate.”

“This is the Yuanli Gate,” Zi Luo said. “Only those whose cultivation has reached the Foundation Establishment Stage can pass through. Fellow daoists who haven’t reached the Foundation Establishment Stage may return now.”

Zanxing: “…” Impressive, intelligent security screening.

Among the cultivators present today, many had only reached the Refining Qi Stage in their cultivation. Hearing this, they became dissatisfied: “How can this be? Why look down on people in the Refining Qi Stage?”

“Exactly! How can the Taiyan Sect, a great sect, be so arrogant and dismissive!”

Zi Luo smiled: “It’s not arrogance or dismissiveness. It’s for your good. The trials on Wangxian Terrace are not ordinary tests. If those who haven’t reached the Foundation Establishment Stage attempt them, at best, they’ll be severely injured; at worst, they’ll lose their lives. The sect is also concerned for everyone’s safety.”

Upon hearing this, those cultivators who had just been indignant no longer dared to speak. They truly wanted to enter the Taiyan Sect, but no one wanted to risk their life just to join the sect.

Zi Luo said, “Now then, please let fellow daoists who have passed the Foundation Establishment Stage go through this Yuanli Gate.”

The golden light gate stood below Wangxian Gate, as if crossing this gate would allow entry into the strange and mysterious celestial realm. Some eager volunteers couldn’t wait and ran over first, plunging headfirst into the golden light gate, then laughing heartily from the other side: “Everyone, I’ll go in first!”

Seeing this, the remaining cultivators surged forward, including several cultivators trying to slip through by luck, still harboring hopes of chance. Unexpectedly, as soon as they reached the gate, they were bounced back by the golden light and fell quite hard.

Zi Luo looked at the cultivators who had been bounced to the ground and said with a smile: “Don’t think you can sneak through—the Yuanli Gate is very smart.”

Seeing this, Zanxing said: “Let’s go over too.”

Hong Su and Lao Niu quickly followed. As the three of them approached the Yuanli Gate, before Zanxing could step through, she heard a voice from behind: “Miss Yang?”

Zanxing turned back. Wang Shao and Duan Xiangrao were standing behind her. Duan Xiangrao looked at her in surprise: “How is Miss Yang here too? Could it be,” she glanced at the Yuanli Gate and said exaggeratedly, “you’re also going to participate in the selection competition?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Wang Shao replied without thinking: “She just entered Refining Qi Stage—she can’t even get through this gate.”

“Really?” Duan Xiangrao smiled regretfully: “I was hoping I’d have the chance to compete alongside Miss Yang.”

These two were here just to provoke trouble with their back-and-forth. Hong Su was young and couldn’t handle provocation, saying angrily, “Stop looking down on people! Our Miss is much stronger than you, you fox spirit!”

“Whether she’s strong or not can’t be determined by just having a glib tongue.” Duan Xiangrao didn’t give an inch.

Zanxing couldn’t be bothered with this tool duo and lifted her foot to walk toward the Yuanli Gate.

“Wait!” Wang Shao called out.

Zanxing turned back: “Is there something, Young Master Wang?”

Wang Shao didn’t know why he had called out to Yang Zanxing; he just felt that her eyes seemed to hold no trace of him, which inexplicably annoyed him. After pausing, he mocked: “Yang Zanxing, have you gone crazy from heartbreak after I broke our engagement? Didn’t you hear what was just said? You can’t enter this gate without reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage. Are you deaf?”

“Young Master Wang,” Zanxing looked at him and smiled: “Haven’t you heard this saying? ‘When a scholar has been away for three days, one should look at him with new eyes.'”

Zanxing walked in.