In the sky, two figures stood facing each other, thousands of miles apart. One of them, standing on seven-colored auspicious clouds, continuously emanated a gentle golden radiance from his entire body. He appeared to be in his early twenties, with a dignified face and a tall stature, his entire being enveloped in a faint aura of immortality.
The other figure was a complete contrast, standing on dark clouds, clad in black robes with a red cloak fluttering behind him. He looked to be in his thirties or forties, with a fierce expression.
The young man said indifferently:
"Having met today, it's time for our business to conclude!"
The middle-aged man snorted and replied:
"I thought you were dead. In that case, this venerable one shall grant you your wish."
Although thousands of miles apart, their voices seemed to encounter no obstruction.
Golden light and black-red radiance flared simultaneously, as the seven-colored auspicious clouds and dark clouds swiftly closed in on each other.
"Boom!"
The golden light suddenly became dazzling. In an instant, ten thousand rays of brilliant light erupted.
"Ah! Impossible, you, how could you... could it be that during the Nine Heavens Tribulation, you already..." The middle-aged man's voice was filled with extreme horror.
"That's right, you guessed correctly. Above the heavens and below the earth – I alone am the immortal. Go to your death!" Ten thousand rays of light merged with the golden radiance, transforming into a transcendent energy that shot forth...
"No, don't..."
The sun hung high, radiating scorching light. In the sweltering midday heat, the parched yellow earth held no trace of moisture; even a slight breeze would kick up clouds of dust, forcing people to hold their breath —
"Damn it, this cursed weather is truly stifling, getting hotter by the minute. It's going to kill this old man!"
An angry childish voice rang out. Two shirtless children were seen sitting under a large tree by the roadside, seeking refuge from the sun in its shade. The one who spoke was the older child, appearing to be around eight or nine years old, small and slender, with turmeric-yellow skin, a high nose, and small eyes. His short hair was a messy tangle on his head, standing up like a pile of dry grass. Sweat beaded on his forehead and temples, and his expression was one of extreme vexation.
"Long-ge, don't complain so much. We can't control the weather. They say a calm mind naturally feels cool. Still, I do hope it rains heavily right now to soothe this stifling heat."
The child who just spoke sat beside him, a little younger. Compared to the child he called Long-ge, he was much more pleasant-looking, with a clean burlap shirt draped over his shoulders, a fair complexion, large double-lidded eyes, and long hair neatly tied at the back of his neck. He was about seven or eight years old, much smaller than the other child.
Long-ge glanced at the child who had just spoken, then cleared his throat and said:
"Alright, Xiao Dou Ya, then can you please stop with all that flowery talk? It's annoying to listen to. Your family isn't exactly well-off, yet you cry every day, demanding to go to school. In this godforsaken place, what's the use of studying? I think it'd be better if you came with me to collect firewood; that way, you could help with the family's daily expenses."
These two children both lived in the village. Long-ge's name was Hai Long. He lost his parents when he was very young, leaving him only a straw hut that couldn't keep out the rain in summer or the wind in winter. He often had to rely on supplies from the villagers to survive to this day. Currently, he gathered firewood daily to make a living, exchanging the collected wood with villagers for food. The child he called Little Bean Sprout also lived in the village, named Zhang Hao. The two had been close brothers since childhood. Zhang Hao's family circumstances weren't much better than Hai Long's; his parents relied solely on the most barren and infertile plot of land in the village to eke out a living. They were both children from impoverished families, having learned to be thoughtful long before they turned ten. They considered themselves adults, their very tone of voice mimicking grown-ups.
Hearing Hai Long speak, Zhang Hao's refined and polite demeanor immediately vanished, and he cackled, saying:
“Long-ge, no matter what, I have to learn some characters from that old scholar. Why would you tell me to drop out halfway? Only that can truly show my caliber! I don't care about gathering firewood. You know I'm very lazy; besides eating, drinking, and sleeping, I don't think about anything else!”
Long-ge tapped Zhang Hao's head, sneering:
“I know what kind of kid you are. What 'studying' are you talking about? You're clearly just making excuses because you dislike farm work. I think your knowledge isn't much better than mine. And for us brothers, even characters as big as watermelons probably wouldn't stick in your head.”
Zhang Hao yelled irritably:
“Hit my head again, and I'll hit you back! Even though I have grand and lofty ideals, and I'm idle, everything I do has a main purpose.”
Hai Long cackled, and under Zhang Hao's watchful, wary gaze, he tapped his head again, this time with noticeably more force. Zhang Hao cried “Ow!” and ferociously lunged forward. The two boys fought and cursed at each other crudely. Hai Long was clearly a bit stronger than Zhang Hao; in an instant, he pinned his opponent to the ground, laughing heartily as he shouted:
“Had enough yet?!”
Although restrained, Zhang Hao refused to admit defeat, grunting and saying unwillingly:
“It's too hot. I was afraid you'd overheat, so I let you cool down a bit. And you didn't even realize it.”
“Hmph!” Hai Long tossed Zhang Hao aside, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and flopped down at the base of a large tree, saying:
“You're always right, kid. It's too hot; I'm not messing with you anymore. Oh right, what was that grand and lofty ideal you were just talking about? Tell me, just how far-fetched and magnificent is this idea of yours?”
Zhang Hao said smugly:
“My ideal is naturally incredibly lofty.”
He looked mysteriously at Hai Long beside him and whispered:
“Boss, do you remember what Grandpa Sun in the village used to tell us about immortals? I have some accurate news.”
Hai Long was startled. He sat up straight. The Grandpa Sun Zhang Hao mentioned was the village's storyteller king, who often told strange and captivating tales that delighted the children, with stories about immortals being the most fascinating to them. Hai Long looked at Zhang Hao strangely and said:
“You're not going crazy, are you, kid? That stuff can't possibly be real! There's no such thing as people who can fly!”
Zhang Hao replied:
“Why wouldn’t there be? Of course there are! My ideal is to be like those immortals, to learn how to fly. Then wouldn’t the heavens and earth be ours to roam? About a year ago, two people in splendid clothes rode horses to our village. They seemed to be from far away, coming into the village to ask for water. You know, my father is very hospitable; he welcomed them warmly. I was sleeping in my room then, but when I heard there were guests from afar, I ran out to see what the fuss was about, and just happened to overhear their conversation. Before, I didn’t believe in immortals or anything like that, but from what those two said, I learned it’s true! They said that on Lianyun Mountain, over a hundred miles away, there’s a sect where some immortals still live. They had come this time to seek a master there. That sect has many immortals who can fly! From their tone, it must be true.”
Hearing Trương Hạo say this, Hai Long immediately became agitated, his eyes wide as he asked:
“Really? There are really immortals?”
Trương Hạo replied smugly:
“Of course it’s true. Besides, those two also said that this sect accepts disciples once every five years, and apparently, there are no special requirements – you just need to be literate. Even age isn’t a restriction. How great would it be if we could become immortals! Whatever you want to eat or drink, you can just conjure it up with a flick of your hand, *hehe*. A life of eating a lot and doing little work suits me best. Xiao Chong, now do you know why I’m studying with that old scholar?”
Hai Long was stunned by Trương Hạo’s words. He seemed not even to care that Trương Hạo had called him by that detestable nickname; he hadn’t expected Trương Hạo’s aspirations to be so grand.
Seeing Hai Long’s jaw-dropped, surprised expression, Trương Hạo became even more smug. He patted Hai Long’s shoulder and said:
“Xiao Chong, this is my secret. If I didn’t consider you a good brother, I wouldn’t have told you. So, what do you say? Will you start studying with me from now on? In four years, you’ll be thirteen and I’ll be twelve. We’ll go to that sect together and ask to become disciples. Who knows, after a few years of learning, we might return home in splendid robes. When we get back to the village, I’ll conjure up a mountain of gold for our parents, so they can enjoy their good fortune.”
Dreaming of it, Trương Hạo couldn’t help but smile.
Hai Long blinked, muttering:
“If we go there to seek a master, will they provide food? As long as they can feed me until I’m full, I’ll go with you.”
For some reason, the legend of immortals didn’t cross his mind at all.
Trương Hạo replied:
“Of course they’ll provide food, and delicious food at that! Didn’t Grandpa Sun say that immortals eat immortal fruits and drink fine wine? Come study with that old scholar and me. Once we both become immortals, even becoming an emperor wouldn’t be impossible, *huh*?”
Hai Long scratched his head and said:
“Aren’t there still four years? Besides, I find such vague and ethereal stories hard to believe.”
Though he said this, seeing Trương Hạo’s smug and confident demeanor, he actually believed him somewhat.
Trương Hạo huffed, losing his enthusiasm:
“That was a waste of breath. If I’d known you had no ambition, even if you came with me, they’d probably only accept me and pay no attention to you.”
Hai Long’s expression suddenly changed as he said:
“What did you say? I’m not as good as you? Aside from looks, what part of me isn’t as good as you? Hmph, what’s so great about you, Zhang ‘Pale Face’? Going to apprentice under a master? Fine, I’ll go with you. We’ll see who gets sent back then! Tomorrow, after I get the firewood, we’ll go learn to read together. After all, I’m the smartest kid in the village!”
Zhang Hao chuckled to himself. Having grown up together since childhood, he naturally understood Hai Long’s competitive nature and how easily he was provoked. He put an arm around Hai Long’s shoulder, holding the coarse cloth shirt that was already covered in mud, and chuckled, saying:
“Alright, alright, smartest kid in the village, let’s go to my place. Uncle Li brought some sweet potatoes yesterday. I’m inviting you to eat them with me today.”
Sweet potatoes were even more appealing than immortals to Hai Long. His previously dull eyes suddenly shone brightly: “Wow, sweet potatoes to eat! That’s great! I can’t miss out on a feast like this. Finally, a chance to have a decent meal! Come on, hurry up, let’s go to your place and eat sweet potatoes.”
The two boys, joking around, walked towards the village not far away.
—
Four years later, in the Lianyun Mountain Range.
The Lianyun Mountain Range is located on the western border, thousands of miles from the Central Plains. It is formed by seventy-two undulating peaks. Each peak soared into the clouds, with strange rocks scattered everywhere and small streams gurgling all around. An endless sea of clouds, like a rainbow connecting the peaks, drifted along their slopes. Thus, it earned the name Lianyun Mountain Range.
The Lianyun Sect, located within the Lianyun Mountain Range, was one of the Seven Great Cultivation Sects. However, due to its remote and desolate location, its influence was not as great as the other six major sects in the Central Plains. Nevertheless, it remained a major cultivation sect with a long history. Legend has it that ten thousand years ago, Patriarch Lianyun attained enlightenment and ascended to immortality while meditating on Jie Tian Peak within the Lianyun Range, leaving behind a precious cultivation manual. A thousand years later, a few fated individuals stumbled upon this place and discovered the Patriarch Lianyun’s writings. Out of admiration for him, they stayed and established the Lianyun Sect. On normal days, the seventy-two peaks of the Lianyun Range were enveloped by an immortal formation left by Patriarch Lianyun, making it impossible for outsiders to enter.
Today was precisely the day the Lianyun Sect accepted new disciples, an event that occurred once every five years. Jie Tian Peak radiated ten thousand rays of light. The mist shrouding the seventy-two peaks seemed to undergo a transformation; it gradually dispersed, revealing a small path outside the mountain range. Following this winding path would lead directly to the twelve outer peaks of the Lianyun Range, which served as the testing grounds for new disciples.
The Lianyun Sect’s requirements for accepting disciples were even stricter than those of the other six great sects. Each time disciples were accepted, many would sign up, but very few met the conditions to pass the examination. Originally, this place was far from the Central Plains, sparsely populated, and the conditions were harsh, causing fewer and fewer people to come and register. The prosperous era of thousands signing up several millennia ago was long past. Five years prior, fewer than a hundred people had registered, and in the end, not even a single one passed.
On Diling Peak, one of the twelve outer peaks of the Lianyun Range, four middle-aged men in simple attire stood silently on the mountaintop. Their appearances were all very ordinary, dressed in plain cloth robes, and each carried a longsword on their back.
“Senior Brother Lu, the Lien Van Immortal Array has been open for four days now, and not a single soul has shown up at our Earth Spirit Peak. Are we really out of people coming to register? I recall five years ago, there were barely a hundred people who signed up. If this keeps up, I fear our Lien Van Sect will have no one to carry on its legacy.”
The middle-aged man addressed as Senior Brother Lu sighed softly and replied:
“Ninth Junior Brother, you need to watch your tongue. What’s this talk of ‘ghosts’? If Master hears you, I’m afraid you won’t escape his punishment. Ah, then again, we’ve been at this Earth Spirit Peak for twenty years, and we haven’t taken in more than ten disciples. The number of those who can pass the examination is truly too small, so much so that our Lien Van Sect currently doesn’t have a single fifth-generation disciple.”