A trial had come to an end, and everyone’s circumstances were different.

Those who passed the trial would enter the renowned Taiyan Sect of Duzhou’s cultivation world, formally stepping onto the long path of cultivation from this day forward. Among those who failed, some refused to become disheartened, deciding to return and cultivate diligently, waiting a few more years to seek another opportunity for a comeback.

Initially, Hong Su had only hoped that Zanxing would enter the selection trial and dampen Duan Xiangrao’s arrogance. She never expected that Zanxing would pass the trial. She held Zanxing and wept tears of joy. Lao Niu was even more emotional, his old tears streaming down as he knelt on the ground at his advanced age, thanking heaven for its protection. The passing cultivators looked over curiously at this scene, making Zanxing quite embarrassed.

Just as she didn’t know how to comfort them, a surprised voice came from behind: “Miss Yang?”

Zanxing turned around and saw a woman in a yellow dress standing before her – it was Liu Yunxin, with whom she had had a brief encounter before.

In the book “Nine Heaven Summit,” male characters were responsible for fighting monsters and leveling up, while female characters were responsible for developing romantic storylines with the male protagonist Mu Cengxiao. The male protagonist Mu Cengxiao married a total of eight wives, each one stunningly beautiful with different styles. This Liu Yunxin was Mu Cengxiao’s childhood sweetheart’s little sister – pure and gentle, weak and obedient, belonging to the “white moonlight” type of existence. Although she quite despised this kind of setting, when she saw Liu Yunxin, Zanxing still had to praise in her heart – what a beautiful girl.

Liu Yunxin lived up to her name – graceful as a swaying willow, light as drifting clouds. Seeing Zanxing, she said in surprise: “You… are still alive?”

“Yes,” Zanxing smiled and replied, “I was fortunate to escape from the demon beast’s mouth.”

“I’m sorry,” Liu Yunxin felt somewhat uneasy upon hearing this, wringing the corner of her clothes as she lowered her head: “If it weren’t for saving me at that time, you wouldn’t have…”

“Don’t be polite, it was the right thing to do.” Zanxing thought to herself that if she hadn’t saved Liu Yunxin at that time, she would already be dead now.

“But your face…” Liu Yunxin looked at her with concern.

Zanxing touched her face and comforted: “It’s nothing, just need to find spiritual medicine for treatment.”

Just as she finished speaking, Mu Cengxiao saw Liu Yunxin talking with Zanxing on the side. He walked over in a few quick steps, grabbed Liu Yunxin’s hand, protected her behind him, and scolded: “Yunxin, come here, don’t get too close to her!”

She didn’t look that frightening, did she? Mu Cengxiao didn’t need to be so vigilant.

Just as she was about to speak, Zi Luo on Wangxian Terrace spoke again: “Fellow sect members, pack up immediately and follow me to Gufeng Mountain to officially register at the Taiyan Sect mountain gate.”

The crowd below immediately erupted in cheers.

Suddenly, Zanxing found a bunch of Mountain Chain Flowers in her hands. Zi Luo on the platform smiled: “These Mountain Chain Flower stamens contain rich Yuanli. After the trial, the Mountain Chain Flowers picked will be given as rewards to everyone. You may refine them to help with breakthroughs.”

Now Zanxing understood – indeed, the Yuanli in those flower stamens could be absorbed.

“Well then, there’s no time to waste.” Zi Luo raised her hand, and the “Yuanli Gate” was retracted into Zi Luo’s sleeve. The Taiyan Sect group once again rode their swords on the wind, about to head toward Gufeng Mountain, where the sect was located.

Zanxing quickly stuffed all the flowers in her hands to Lao Niu. The Yuanli in the flower stamens had been absorbed by her by half, so they wouldn’t transform into “ghost hands” again. She said, “Lao Niu, the sect doesn’t allow outsiders. Take these flowers to Huajin Tower and exchange them for Spirit Stones, then temporarily find a place to stay in town. After I settle down in the sect, I’ll come down the mountain to see you.”

Schools didn’t allow family members to accompany students, so this was the only way for now.

“Don’t worry, Miss,” Lao Niu put away the Mountain Chain Flowers and pulled Hong Su. “This old servant will have someone send word back to Yue City right away. Once the city lord knows that Miss has been chosen by the sect, he will surely reward the entire Yang family!”

“Miss, you must cultivate well in the sect,” Hong Su said earnestly: “Don’t forget you promised this servant that you would find a better son-in-law for this servant.”

Zanxing: “…” Was this setting carved into her bones and blood?

She said: “I know.”

…

The Taiyan Sect was established in Duzhou’s cultivation world.

The former sect master, Yushan Shengren, founded the sect three hundred years ago and ascended to Spirit Transformation one hundred years ago, becoming the first cultivator in Duzhou’s cultivation world to successfully ascend.

With such a living advertisement as their founder, Taiyan Sect couldn’t keep a low profile even if they wanted to.

“Taiyan Sect hasn’t recruited new people for ten years,” the man beside her laughed. “I heard there are countless martial arts manuals in the sect. Any one of them taken to the trading center for auction would be worth hundreds of Spirit Stones. What do you say, if we secretly take one to sell…” he smiled somewhat lewdly: “Could we get rich?”

Zanxing: “…” She felt worried about the quality of this year’s recruitment for the Taiyan Sect.

Everyone was sitting on the transportation spirit boat heading to Taiyan Sect’s mountain gate. This spirit boat could carry dozens of cultivators at once. Most of these cultivators had not yet formed Golden Cores and couldn’t ride swords, so they could only take the spirit boat.

The man beside her was called Tian Datou, the same brother who couldn’t read when the results were announced. At that time, no one paid attention to Tian Datou. Zanxing felt sorry for him and helped him find his name. This brother then regarded her as a kind-hearted, good person and automatically considered her a friend.

Tian Datou’s real name wasn’t Tian Datou, but Tian Fangfang. He thought this name was too girly, so he simply called himself “Tian Datou.” Tian Fangfang’s family was also a cultivation family, but he was from a side branch and couldn’t get good resources, so he simply left to make his way in the world when he was young. Over the years, he had quite a few fortuitous encounters. In today’s Mountain Chain Flower trial, he obtained thirty-nine Mountain Chain Flowers, ranking second.

“Heh heh heh,” Tian Fangfang laughed: “If I absorb all these flowers, I can enter Foundation Establishment Third Level. Once I enter the sect, I can form a Golden Core. Junior Sister Zanxing,” he said: “When this brother forms a Golden Core, I’ll be the first to show you!”

Zanxing: “…Thank you.”

As they were talking, they saw in the distance, among the clouds and mist, a dangerous peak stood tall, shaped like a brush, as if writing with bold strokes from the ninth heaven above. Purple mist shrouded the peak top, and a giant yellow dragon coiled around the peak, its eyes like torches, staring at the passing cultivators as if it would take flight among the clouds at any moment. Only when they got closer could they see that the giant dragon was carved from stone, lifelike. In the dragon’s eyes burned two clusters of blazing fire, as if capable of burning everything to ashes.

When they reached the peak, the spirit boat stopped. Everyone disembarked, and looking forward, they saw a white jade staircase stretching open before them, leading straight to the sea of clouds. On both sides of the jade steps were carved spirit turtles and toads. Looking up, at the end of their vision was a vermilion great hall, serene and magnificent under the sunlight.

On the golden plaque in front of the great hall were written three large characters: Taiyan Sect.

The calligraphy was elegant and dynamic, like phoenixes soaring and dragons dancing.

Zi Luo walked down from the spirit boat and smiled: “We’ve arrived.”

Zanxing looked toward the great hall.

This was the place where the original male protagonist Mu Cengxiao would rise to prominence, the first stop where the plot officially began – Taiyan Sect.