"Aunt Hong, Village Chief, Uncle Tie Hu, Uncle Tie Niu, Grandpa Yu, I'm leaving!" Wang Mu waved to the group of people standing at the village entrance and set off on his journey.
This being his first long journey since transmigrating, Wang Mu felt a certain reluctance to leave Anle Village; life there had been exceedingly peaceful and leisurely. At the same time, he harbored a keen curiosity and excitement about the world beyond.
After bidding farewell to the Village Chief and the others, Wang Mu departed from Anle Village, passed through the Divine Wood Forest, and headed towards the base of Gu Yun Mountain. According to custom, disciples from the Immortal Sect would be there to receive those arriving to pay respects at the mountain gate.
Anle Village is hundreds of miles from Gu Yun Mountain, and if you factor in the winding mountain paths, it's even farther, Wang Mu mused. He traveled light, still clad in the simple cloth clothes and straw shoes of Anle Village, carrying a small bundle with some basic food. Everything else was stored in his Storage Bracelet. To any observer, he would appear to be nothing more than an ordinary villager.
Wang Mu journeyed over mountains and across valleys, following the route on the beast skin map provided by the Village Chief. By nightfall, he had reached the base of Gu Yun Mountain.
Gu Yun Mountain was a vast mountain range, with the main grounds of the Sword Sect situated at its very center. Dozens of peaks surrounded Gu Yun Mountain, with cliffs plunging thousands of feet and an endless sea of clouds below. To wander aimlessly here would be to easily get lost.
However, upon entering Gu Yun Mountain's territory, the path became much easier to discern. The closer one drew to the heart of Gu Yun Mountain, the more vivid the phantom image of a Divine Sword became in the sky. According to the Village Chief, this signified that the Sword Sect Mountain Gate was open and the Mountain Protection Array was semi-active. Therefore, if one truly didn't know the way, following that sword shadow would lead them there.
From the base of Gu Yun Mountain, the majestic, continuous mountain range ahead was clearly visible. Looking back, one could see distant landscapes with patches of fields and water; among them, a few small squares marked the location of Anle Village.
An ordinary person would take at least several days on foot, Wang Mu estimated. For him, at his current level, such a distance wasn't very demanding.
Along the way, Wang Mu encountered quite a few people. They were likely Loose Cultivators from various places, all hoping to join the Shangxiao Sword Sect. Unfortunately, these individuals all possessed noticeable cultivation. Not to mention Sword Flight, they all employed Talismanic magic, seemingly wishing they could teleport to Gu Yun Mountain in an instant. Others traveled with great fanfare on Flying Artifacts, soaring through the sky—distinguished figures from who knew where. They vanished in the blink of an eye.
Upon arriving at the base, Wang Mu finally saw a diverse crowd. Their clothes varied: some vibrant, some plain, others bizarre, each with a distinct style. Fortunately, most possessed the typical, well-proportioned facial features of the Dongfang ethnicity. Though their hairstyles differed, Wang Mu could still generally recognize their race.
That is, until he saw a man and a woman with wings on their backs.
These aren't humans, are they? Wang Mu wondered. A sense of unease crept into his heart. Something isn't right. Why are demons coming to pay respects when the Shangxiao Sword Sect is recruiting disciples?
While Wang Mu was merely pondering this, some people at the foot of Gu Yun Mountain had already started shouting, "Are you demons? You've actually come to Gu Yun Mountain hoping to enter the Sword Sect for cultivation?"
A buzz of voices instantly filled the air.
"Hmph! My sister and I belong to the Spirit Clan, the Feathered People lineage from Tianyu Mountain in Qianzhou! What demons?" the winged man retorted coldly, his voice loud and his presence commanding, carrying an air that common folk couldn't match. "How ignorant! The Shangxiao Sword Sect has never discriminated between humans and demons when recruiting disciples, let alone us, who are Spirit Clan beings born from the confluence of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi!"
The person who had cried out was struck speechless, pointing at the pair for a long moment, unable to form any words. From his attire, Wang Mu deduced he was likely a villager from near Gu Yun Mountain. He looked quite young and had probably seldom ventured far from his home.
In contrast, the two Feathered People, in both attire and appearance, were far beyond comparison with ordinary villagers. The man and woman were both nearly two meters tall, with excellent body proportions and outstanding looks. The pristine white wings on their backs exuded an aura of purity.
Qianzhou, Tianyu Mountain, Spirit Clan… Wang Mu thought, suddenly recalling the Jinmao Rat that could speak human language and possessed extreme intelligence.
At that moment, a light curtain appeared ahead, shimmering with several figures. One of them was quite familiar to Wang Mu: Su Yu, from the Sword Sect Sky Sword Peak.
"Everyone, please look this way!" Su Yu called out loudly. Behind him, a few disciples gently formed several spells. The light curtain transformed into a rippling, door-like portal. "This is the Magic Treasure Mystic Water Sect. It can automatically identify your information and general background. Only after passing through this Mystic Water Sect can you bypass the restrictions outside Gu Yun Mountain, truly enter its interior, and participate in the sect's entrance examination."
"Once you enter, the examination officially begins. Those who wish to withdraw should leave the mountain now, before nightfall."
Su Yu scanned the crowd. Seeing no response, he nodded slightly. "You are the fifth group today. It seems no one wishes to withdraw. In that case, please follow me in an orderly fashion into the Mystic Water Sect."
"My name is Su Yu, and I am one of the examiners for this entrance examination."
The Mystic Water Sect, Wang Mu mused, eyeing the Magic Treasure. Automatic information identification, huh? That's quite something. So damn mystical; it actually has such a function?
The crowd began to enter. Wang Mu followed the line, slowly approaching. The presence of restrictions indicated that this area was still outside the sect proper.
The instant he stepped into the Mystic Water Sect, Wang Mu felt as if his soul had been momentarily scrutinized, sending an inexplicable tremor through him. But this sensation was fleeting. The Mystic Water Sect merely rippled slightly; otherwise, there was nothing out of the ordinary.
Su Yu glanced at Wang Mu and gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
After passing through the Mystic Water Sect, Wang Mu's vision blurred for a moment before quickly refocusing.
Gasps and shouts of awe erupted from the crowd:
"Wow...!!"
"Is this the interior of Gu Yun Mountain?"
"Such an otherworldly scene! It truly befits the abode of Immortals!"
"Cultivation! I want to cultivate!"
"What's that surging through the Cloud Sea?"
"Look, it's flying!"
"This must be 'Lone Cloud and Sinking Glow,' one of the Huaintian Ten Sceneries! It's truly an Immortal Realm!"
...
As his vision cleared, Wang Mu gazed ahead. Before him lay a vast sea of clouds. In the forefront, a crimson sunset glowed, and at its center floated a lone cloud. Light converged upon this cloud, forming a main peak. Atop this main peak, splendid pavilions and jade palaces seemed to float like an Immortal Palace among the clouds. Several other peaks also flanked the central lone cloud, wreathed in mist.
Occasionally, Immortal birds would fly past, weaving between the lone cloud and the sunset. Rows of Immortal Sect disciples, neatly arranged, performed Sword Flight amidst the clouds, seemingly engaged in Cultivation, adding to the beautiful scene and enhancing its Immortal Energy.
It had to be said, this scenery strongly resembled the computer-generated imagery from the cultivation-themed online games Wang Mu knew from his previous life, only far grander. Looking at this vista evoked a powerful sense of the profound separation between mortals and immortals, kindling a deep yearning to pursue cultivation and attain the Dao.
"This entrance examination is divided into three major challenges," Su Yu announced to the hundred or so people, smiling faintly as he spoke with practiced ease.
"Those who pass all three will be permitted to join the Sword Sect as Outer Disciples."
"Hurry, Great Immortal Su Yu, I can hardly wait!" a young man exclaimed excitedly. "Let's start the examination! Is the first step testing Spirit Roots? My Spirit Root is very good!"
"Not at all," Su Yu said, waving his hand. "None of the three challenges involve testing Spirit Roots."
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