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‘Hm?’

The old man looked confused for a second, then said in a resigned tone, “Xiao Zhao, was that supposed to be a bedtime joke for me to sleep on?”

“Hehe, nothing gets past you. It’s an online gossip.” The assistant chuckled embarrassingly, then added, “But the rain-praying is really happening. We have contacted the monastery, but they didn’t know the details, and only heard the news in passing. We’ve also talked to Phoenix Mountain, but they wouldn’t let us in on the plan.”

“…”

The old man pondered it for a moment before saying, “If it really rains tomorrow, remember to take measurement of the rainfall and the range. Rain-praying should be quite an advanced skill, and even a Human Immortal cannot simply have it his way, not to mention the vast area of our country… keep an eye on it.”

“Yes!” The assistant left the room with the order, and the old man shook his head, resuming his task of falling asleep.

One had to admit that in the past few years, the central leaders of the country were the ones that psychologically improved to the greatest extent, and transformed the fastest in their way of thinking.

Their position naturally provided them with a much wider scope and stronger cognitive ability. Take the concept of rain-praying as an example: the common people would react with much alarmed exclamation, while the leaders could soon analyze and evaluate the impact of this action.

Meanwhile, on Phoenix Mountain.

Xiaozhai sat calmly in the inner hall with Li Dong standing in front of her, looking all jittery. “We have asked around: Priests Zhang Shouyang and Chao Kongtu probably made their guesses after hearing about it and discussed it among themselves when they got back to the manor, which was overheard by some staff members, who then posted it online.”

“Some staff members?”

“Um, six of them were the first ones talking about it, but the post was put up by Xiao Gong alone, without the knowledge of any others.”

“He can go, then. Take care of it.”

“Yes!”

Li Dong walked out of the inner hall. Only when the cool night wind brushed against his face did he wipe the fine sweat from his forehead. He had no objection to Xiaozhai’s decision—no one liked an employee with a loose tongue and a discipline issue.

He was actually very afraid back there.

It was such a strange thing, for Xiaozhai was frightening last year as well, but it was nothing like the oppressive feeling she was giving off now. Something had definitely changed, and she was more brilliant yet intimidating than ever before.

He had heard the rumors about their female master making major progress in the Thunder Technique again, and that feeling was probably the proof.

“Ha…” Li Dong let out a breath of relief, and hurried down the mountain. Even he himself had failed to notice that his own personality and mindset were changing in a subtle way as well.

‘That Xiao Gong had it coming,’ thought Li Dong without the least bit of sympathy or pity.

***

Morning of the 8th of June.

You Yu was so excited that he did not sleep at all the previous night. When they set out before dawn, he saw that Tao Tong and Tao Yi also showed up with bloodshot eyes, apparently equally excited.

Same as the first day, they headed towards the foot of the mountain among the surging crowd, which was even more sizable than on the first day because of the additional local residents. All the elated crowd talked about on the way was the pupil selection and rain-praying.

They reached Phoenix Mountain when the day was just breaking. Miraculously, the pit that Xiaozhai blasted open had been filled up already. The surface was not perfectly smooth, but it was level enough for people to stand on.

According to the fellows sleeping over on the square the previous night, they heard a shuffling sound in the middle of the night. When they got up to check, the pit was already filled.

It got everyone amazed. Naturally, they had no idea that it was a simple application of the Small Moving Technique.

Let’s forget about the trivial details, and turn our attention back to You Yu and the other three. Looking around, they saw that the layout of the square had finally changed a little today.

A high platform was set up at the front, on which was a microphone and a loudspeaker. Had there been a banner, it would look exactly like one of those “Guinness World Records” challenge events of something like “ten thousand people square dancing all at once”.

As time passed by, more people were pouring in. The crowd was once more in the number of tens of thousands.

At exactly eight o’clock, the fog rolled and separated, revealing four people, who were none other than Old Shui, Li Dong, Yan Han, and Guo Fei.

The crowd watched quietly as the four men stepped onto the platform. Old Shui then took the microphone, with the other three standing behind him; all four men felt their palms sweating a little.

The square was packed with the dense crowd, and the tens of thousands pairs of eyes all landed on them.

“I’m Shui Yao, the person in charge of external affairs on Phoenix Mountain.”

Thanks to Brother Shui’s tough nerves, the grand scene did not scare him off. He began by saying, “As you all know, today is the day we select pupils for Phoenix Mountain, and we will be the ones taking care of the actual procedure. Before we begin, I need to make one thing clear: cultivation is probably the toughest thing you can ever imagine and for which, now trial is difficult enough.

“However, we have set the standard at the lowest possible level.

“Listen carefully! The first year of your joining the mountain is the screening period—or probation period, if you like. That means even if you manage to get in at this stage, it is not once and for all. By this time next year, those qualified will stay on the mountain and officially become pupils. Those that do not qualify, well, goodbye!”

Buzz!

The crowd erupted after those words, but not to challenge that arrangement—the mountain was going to teach them for free, and it was only natural that they should set up their rules. Everyone was instead shouting out questions.

“What are the criteria?”

“That’s right. How is one qualified or disqualified?”

“Can the disqualified ones have another chance? Even the imperial examination of the ancient times did not stop one from taking the exams repeatedly.”

“If we’re chosen, are we inner pupils or external ones?”

Just like so, everyone was yelling at the top of their voice at the same time. Old Shui frowned, then activated the little acquired state spiritual essence he could muster, and spoke to the microphone. “Silence!”

Squeak… squeak…

A jarring sound was amplified by the loudspeaker, and forced its way into every pair of ears instantly. The shouts died down right away.

“I’m only here to give the instructions, not to answer questions. Now that you’ve been told them, anyone who cannot accept the rules is free to leave this moment!” said Old Shui.

“…”

There was an unusual quietness, and the crowd moved slowly. Maybe some knew themselves too well to see any hope of being selected, or maybe some were so used to comfortable life that they found the hardship unbearable, but people were indeed beginning to leave.

Old Shui estimated that about one-tenth had left in the end, which was neither too high nor too low a proportion.

“Now, those that decided to stay, form lines along the square from this end to that end. Those that don’t have enough room, wait at the back… Move!”

The crowd then rushed to form the lines as instructed, and rows upon rows of people squeezed together into long queues, which filled the square. Immediately after that, Li Dong, Yan Han, and Guo Fei jumped off the platform, shouting, “The first row, move forward with us!”

Shuffle!

The long line of people walked past the platform and reached the edge of the fog in a few steps. A little bit further in was where the mountain gate used to stand, which was obviously inside the fog now.

“Stand still and don’t move!”

“Stand still and don’t move!”

“…”

The row of people stood motionless as told and squeezed together, looking rather dumb. They had no idea what was going to happen.

The next second, boom!

That familiar pressure was back, which was even more formidable than on the first day. It rushed towards them like a torrential wave, wrapping them up from head to toe.

Zeng Ke, Lei Xiao, and Yuan Lingshan, who were in this first row, were chilled to the bone, with goosebumps all over their skin. It was as if someone had gotten under their skin and scanned them thoroughly from inside out.

Zeng Ke—the only girl among the three—felt her legs giving out, and almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, the sensation came and went very quickly, and vanished in a few seconds.

“…”

Li Dong and the other two leaned forward slightly with a solemn look on their faces, as if they were listening to some instruction.

A moment later, Li Dong went up to Zeng Ke, and said, “Step out!”

“Huh? Oh!”

Zeng Ke was still dazed, and stepped out despite herself. Li Dong then announced loudly, “Stay!”

On the other side, Yan Han and Guo Fei went up to Lei Xiao and Yuan Lingshan, respectively, announcing with the same words, “Stay!”

After the three was selected, Li Dong turned to face the row of people. “Those three are qualified. The rest can go back now!”

Buzz!

The square of people felt they could go insane at that moment! Excuse me? What kind of ratio was that? Three out of a long line of people?

They had come all the way to Bai Town and lived like dogs for seven days, only to be told to go back without any explanation?

Sh*t! Seeing that the crowd was stirring up again, Old Shui shouted right away, “Silence! Silence! Behave yourselves!”

“!!!”

The words were like a bowl of cold water pouring over their heads, reminding them of the divine lightning descending upon them the previous day. The crowd quieted down right away.

“…”

However disgruntled the disqualified the lot felt, they dared not make any trouble, and scattered immediately. Some left promptly in a fit of pique, while some stayed and waited at the back of the crowd with a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

***

Back when the Taiqing Palace selected their pupils, the candidates were led into small rooms, where old priest of acquired state examined their bone structure and natural endowment. The qualified ones were then given a name plate.

As a Human Immortal, Gu Yu had made the job much easier.

He was now sitting in the pavilion halfway up the mountain, with a burning little clay furnace and a pot of spiritual tea. Reaching out with his mental force, he could cover the entire area at the foot of the mountain. Xiaozhai was keeping him company, sighing at what she was seeing. “We have set the standard to the lowest possible level, but it’s still so hopeless.”

“Choosing the right talent for cultivation could be a one-in-a-million thing, and there are only tens of thousands down there. We’re lucky to have one out of ten,” said Gu Yu.

The principle they set beforehand was that as long as one was with an ordinary endowment, they could be taken in.

Exactly what did they mean by an “ordinary endowment”? Well, one did not have to be excellent in it, but they had to have something! For instance, if the benchmark was set at a 2, when Old Gu scanned the line just then, he saw mostly 1 and 0.

How hopeless was that!

For those with no or little endowment, cultivation was simply impossible, for no organization or country would waste valuable resources on training talentless people.

Gu Yu was not a saint. Even when he was trying to give the people a little more chance by lowering the standard, there was still a bottom line.

They were still chatting when the second line moved forward. Sweeping his mental force across the line, he sensed the fluctuation of each of them clearly, and nodded. “This batch is much better.”

He sent the message to the ears of the three men in charge down there right away.

Li Dong and the other two moved along the line and picked people out as instructed, then announced, “32 are qualified!”

‘Wow!’

The announcement raised the spirits of the crowd, and everyone was much more hopeful now. The chosen ones were overwhelmed with excitement, and eagerly gathered behind the high platform.

Momentarily, they were set apart from the rest of the crowd.

The two groups of people looked at one another across the platform, one side envious and the other proud. They were in two different worlds now.

“One qualified!”

“23 are qualified!”

“58 are qualified!”

Just like so, people moved forward in rows for the inspection, but most came back disappointed. When enough room was made, those waiting at the back formed their lines and followed up, ready to try their luck.

Joy and sorrow filled the air, both part of life.

“Ha… ha…”

You Yu was breathing deeply repeatedly to slow down his thumping heart. Tao Tong and Tao Yi also clutched tightly onto their cousin’s arms, almost shaking with anxiety.

One more line and it was their turn.

You Yu finally managed to adjust his breath. When he looked closely at the line in the front, he winced a little, for a tiny figure stood among them—it was An Susu, that small girl he ran into the other day.

She looked like a little hobbit among all the adults, and had to hop along to keep up with the rest of the line. A few minutes later, Li Dong stood in front of her, and announced, “Stay!”

You Yu let out a breath of relief. For some reason, he really hoped she could stay… no, it was not loli-complex ¹ thing.

“Xiao You! Xiao You! It’s our turn!”

Just then, Tao Yu shook him by his shoulder, at which he came to himself, and moved forward with the line.

Theoretically, all three kids should be confident enough in getting in, for both Gu Yu and Xiaojin had given them hints. However, with the grand scene and the atmosphere, they couldn’t help but be nervous.

Boom!

When that pressure descended upon them, all three kids felt their knees giving up a little, and almost collapsed onto the ground. They exchanged a look when that sensation passed, only to see three pale little faces.

The selection process was actually very efficient. Each line would only take minutes at most from moving forward to being dismissed. You Yu watched Li Dong with unblinking eyes; he paused a little before turning, then walked to his side.

His heart was thumping against his chest again as the voice resonated in his ears. “Stay!”

You Yu felt all the pressure leaving him at that moment, and was overwhelmed with a feeling that he could not describe, which filled him with content and satisfaction.

Looking around, he saw that Tao Tong and Tao Yi had both stepped out as he did.

The three kids could not hold back their excitement, and clutched one another’s hands in utter delight. They then walked to the back of the platform, where they joined the others. Without knowing it, they were now watching those on the other side with pity.

Whoosh…

Just then, there came a breeze, and they turned around in unison. The fog separated all of a sudden, and a figure flew out like a sparrow.

Elegant (not very busty) and dignified (like the teaser she was), it was none other than Patriarch Sky-turning herself!

“Follow me!”

The face she wore today was that of an ice queen. After giving them the two-word instruction coldly, she flew back into the fog.

“Um…”

It baffled the group of people, who stood there dazed for a few seconds before following her in. They stepped gingerly onto the passageway in the formation and dared not touch the thick, rolling fog on both sides.

A while later, they suddenly walked into a clearing, where surrounding them was no longer the fog, but the most beautiful landscape.

Inside was also a small square with seven or eight houses, pavilions, and sheds. A bridge straddled a gurgling stream, connecting paths which both led deep into the woods. Looking ahead, they saw a wide path and stairs paved with bluestone, which wound all the way up into the clouds.

Looking up, they realized that they could only see a blur. They knew the mountain was there, but there seemed to be layers of misty barriers between them. When one was here below, this was all they could see. Only by moving up the mountain could they get to see the whole picture.

“Stay here! Someone will come to collect you!”

Xiaojin disappeared after those words, then brought in the next batch in a moment.

There were fewer and fewer people outside, and more and more people inside. The selection process was carried out from the morning all the way to the dusk when the sky was darkening.

Old Shui and the other three were exhausted, but exhilarated. After all, what they had taken part in was a milestone project, which might earn them a place in history one day.

“Dao lies in oneself, and the skills in Nature. In this time of chaos, I hope you could all see the truth through introspection and live your life fear-free…”

In the end, when the selection was finished, the square remained as boisterous, for those that did not get picked had stayed behind. As expected, that voice rang out again.

“A total of 1008 people have been selected today. As chance would have it, we have a rain-praying spiritual talisman for this occasion. Let’s celebrate!”