Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 721 Testing the Newcomer, Achieving the Goal (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

When the auspicious time arrived, Elder Yue waved his whisk, and 36,000 high-grade spirit stones lit up simultaneously.

The "Nine Heavens Mystic Gang Array" activated in response, and a pale golden light curtain enveloped the entire Ascension Square, suppressing the noise of more than 300,000 people into a soft hum.

Li Yunjing stood on the "Moon Gazing Platform," his gaze sweeping across the dense crowd in the square, from the scions of noble families in fine clothes to the ragged refugee children, and then to the cultivators hiding in the corners with different auras, finally settling on the three white jade platforms that symbolized hope.

He slowly raised his hand, and the purple lightning talisman in his palm floated up, the lightning patterns flowing in the morning light, making his eyes even more serene.

"Standing here today are the sons and daughters of noble families in the 'Great Ming Cultivation World,' the descendants of the remnants of the 'Youyue Kingdom,' and even the descendants of those who once fought against our sect."

His voice wasn't loud, but it pierced through the light screen and clearly reached everyone's ears: "You might be wondering: Why would the 'Shenxiao Dao Sect' open the Ascension Gate on this land that was once tainted by demonic energy?"

The square was completely silent; even the children stopped sobbing and listened intently.

"Because the words 'Immortal Sect' are not just a cold, aloof facade, but a responsibility to 'sweep away evil and protect all living beings'!"

Li Yunjing's voice suddenly rose, carrying the power of thunder, "Some of you have witnessed demonic cultivators massacring villages, some have lost loved ones, and some have struggled in the mire to survive..."

"That's precisely why we want to take you under our wing!"

He pointed to the "Soul-Nourishing Jade" on the bone-building platform: "Bone structure may be superior or inferior, and talent may vary, but the 'heart' has no inherent value!"

"The thunder magic of the Shenxiao Dao Sect strikes down evil spirits and protects the good; it teaches supernatural powers and transmits the art of 'guarding the heart'!"

“I know some of you are afraid: afraid of the ruthlessness of the immortal sects, afraid of the arduous and lonely cultivation, afraid that in the end you will still be ants at the mercy of others!”

Li Yunjing's gaze sharpened. "But I declare here today: once you enter my Shenxiao Sect, my 'Shenxiao Dao Sect' will protect you!"

"Your families will be exempt from taxes for three years; your hometowns will be protected by our sect's branch; if you encounter danger, even deep in the 'Endless Mountains,' the lightning of the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect' will light your way home!"

Before the words were finished, a cheer suddenly erupted from the west side of the square, it was the refugees from Xizhou.

They had been forced to flee their homes by demonic cultivators, and upon hearing the words "protect their homeland," they were already in tears.

"But I also need to make this clear!"

Li Yunjing changed the subject, his tone stern, "Those who enter my sect must abide by three prohibitions: first, do not bully the weak; second, do not collude with the demonic path; and third, do not forget your roots and be ungrateful!"

"If anyone offends, no matter how talented they are, the lightning of the Divine Firmament Dao Sect will strike them first!"

He raised his hand and waved, and the Purple Lightning Talisman transformed into a stream of light, exploding into countless points of light in the sky above the square. Where the points of light landed, patches of lush green grass sprouted.

That was the first time that life had emerged from the demonic land purified by the power of thunder.

"The path to immortality is not to free you from the mortal realm, but to empower you to protect it!"

Li Yunjing's voice softened again, yet carried an undeniable power: "Now, the test begins. May one of you take the thunder talisman from our hands and bring complete light to the sky of this 'Youyue Kingdom'!"

As the last word fell, the light screen of the "Nine Heavens Profound Gang Array" trembled slightly, and the three white jade platforms lit up at the same time. The star sand on the Root Bone Platform began to flow, the Illusionary Heart Stone on the Mind Platform glowed faintly, and the Myriad Spirit Coral Powder on the Spiritual Affinity Platform shimmered like stars.

The more than 300,000 people in the square no longer had the initial trepidation in their eyes; only a blazing fire remained.

It was a yearning for the future, a determination to protect, and above all, a newfound trust in the four words "Shenxiao Daozong".

After Li Yunjing finished speaking, the people of the "Shenxiao Daozong" organized the more than 300,000 people to participate in the assessment in an orderly manner.

Before the Bone-Bone Platform, as soon as the first child stepped onto the Soul-Nourishing Jade, the Stardust turned a pale red.

Low grade earth spirit root.

"Wow wow..."

The child burst into tears, but the alchemist gently led him aside: "Don't worry, if you pass the character test, you can still enter the outer sect."

As for the outer gate?

It's just a consolation!
In fact, the best place for them is as menial disciples.

Seeing this scene, Li Yunjing vaguely remembered the scene when he first entered the industry. Wasn't he just as nervous and excited as these newcomers?
People lined up in an orderly fashion, and when it was Aman's turn, Li Yunjing paid a little attention to her.

He strode barefoot onto the jade platform. As soon as he stood firm, the Soul Nourishing Jade suddenly trembled violently. The Star Sand surged like boiling water and transformed into a purple lightning pillar that shot into the sky, causing ripples to appear on the light screen!
"A top-grade lightning spirit root! And a 'Thunderous Body' that appears only once every hundred years!"

The elder in charge of the test exclaimed in shock.

This physique allows for twice the results with half the effort in cultivating thunder magic, but it is extremely easy to go astray due to an unstable mind. It is the special physique that Li Yunjing had seen in the sect's ancient books.

Aman was lifted into the air by the lightning pillar, but instead of being afraid, he opened his arms and laughed, his laughter filled with the untamed spirit of the mountains and fields.

Upon seeing this, some of the refugees from Xizhou in the square actually called out his name: "Aman! Keep it up!"

The moment the purple lightning pillar shot into the sky, the entire Ascension Plaza fell into a brief silence, followed by a roaring uproar!
Many elders, deacons, true disciples, and inner disciples within the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" were filled with a mixture of elation and emotion.

The elder in charge of the test was so excited that his beard trembled. He bowed deeply towards the direction of the "Moon Gazing Platform": "Congratulations, Vice Sect Leader Li! Congratulations to the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect'! With such a talented person, our sect's thunder magic inheritance has a worthy successor!"

"Hahaha! Not bad! A talented person has emerged!"

"Yes! If this child is properly nurtured, he might one day be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with us."

"A Thunder Magic Master is enough to handle many things."

"Hopefully he can reach the level of that guy Razer."

……

Ling Xiaozi and the other Supreme Elders exchanged smiles, their eyes filled with satisfaction.

They had initially worried that the "Youyue Kingdom" was unstable and had taken in a bunch of useless people. But now that they saw such talented children coming from refugees in Xizhou, it was enough to prove how brilliant Li Yunjing's strategy of "winning people's hearts with benevolence" was.

An elder with white hair clapped his hands and said, "Although the Thunderclap Body is dangerous, it is subtly in harmony with Vice Sect Leader Li's Thunder Dao. This is the will of Heaven!"

The disciples of the Shenxiao Dao Sect were in an uproar, with the outer disciples looking at Aman with envy.

Perhaps before long, they will be calling this newcomer "senior brother".

As for the spectators from other sects, they also looked on with envy, thinking to themselves, "The fortune of the 'Shenxiao Dao Sect' in the 'Youyue Kingdom' will probably be even greater because of this child named Aman."

As for the families below, their reactions were even stronger.

Because Ah Man's emergence made him one of the biggest competitors of the same period!
"Do you see that? This is the true chosen one!"

The Black Stone Clan Chief suddenly stood up from his seat, stared at Aman laughing loudly under the lightning pillar, and said to his son beside him, "Even if our children can't enter the inner sect, it's still a blessing if they can benefit from this person's influence in the outer sect!"

He immediately ordered the "Thunder Pattern Jade" treasured by the clan to be taken out, intending to give it to Aman as a congratulatory gift when the opportunity arose.

If Ah Man becomes successful in the future, they will have someone to rely on.

The Valley Master of Ten Thousand Poisons hid among the crowd, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

His grandson, whom he had sent, had just passed the root bone test (mid-grade peak wood spirit root), and he was initially thought to be quite good. However, compared to Aman, he seemed utterly unremarkable.

He gritted his teeth and said to his attendants, "Go back and dig up that 'lightning-avoiding grass' in the valley, and say it's to congratulate...the future master of thunder magic."

"Thank God!"

The refugees from Xizhou were already in tears, and some kowtowed in the direction of the thunder pillar, saying, "Our Xizhou can produce an immortal too!"

"Ah Man!"

Some people even shouted excitedly, "Don't forget you came from Xizhou!"

A senior elder of the Yuanyang Dao Sect stood on the viewing platform, raised his cup to Li Yunjing from afar, and smiled sincerely: "Vice Sect Leader Li, congratulations on gaining such a fine disciple!"

His disciples behind him quickly wrote it down: "Upon returning, immediately reduce the trade tax on the refugees of Xizhou by another 30%."

As the sect that actually controls Xizhou, the Yuanyang Dao Sect naturally holds a higher regard for a place that can produce a genius like Aman.

Even the experts of the "Yuanyang Dao Sect" have decided that once they return, they will immediately conduct a nationwide inspection to see if they can discover any new talents with greater potential.

"The Divine Firmament Dao Sect is about to soar to the heavens..."

The Supreme Elder of the Yuanyang Dao Sect, stroking his beard, sighed to his disciple beside him, "Back then, we thought it was risky for them to accept disciples from the Youyue Kingdom. Now it seems we were short-sighted."

A figure stared at Aman, memorizing her features, trembling all over: "Top-grade lightning spirit root... Thunderous Body... a physique specifically designed to counter my Demonic Sect..."

He dared not delay, turned around and transformed into a wisp of green smoke, leaving "Shenxiao Pass".

We must tell Wei Henian about this as soon as possible. This Aman cannot be allowed to live!

In a secret room of an inn in Shenxiao Pass, a spy from the Tianluo Dao Sect relayed a message back to the sect: "If this child grows up, the Shenxiao Dao Sect's foundation in Youyue Kingdom will be as solid as a rock. Perhaps...?"

Every ten thousand miles, the messages were quickly relayed back from each outpost.

There were tens of thousands of strongholds along the way!

This is the foundation of a powerful sect. Only they could build such a vast information network.

"Don't act rashly!"

The command came quickly from the other end of the communication talisman: "Keep a close eye on him! If such a genius can be used by us, that would be best. If not, we'll devise a plan to frame and kill him."

……

Li Yunjing was unaware of these conspiracies, and he paid no attention to the praise that everyone gave to Aman and the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

Whether Aman can become a useful person is not in his eyes.

Having another top-grade lightning spirit root would indeed be of great benefit to a sect, but it wouldn't play a decisive role.

As his cultivation level increased, his knowledge broadened. The strength of one's spiritual root was only one aspect. To realize his talent and truly stand at the right level, he needed to make efforts in all aspects.

Li Yunjing did not like Aman's personality.

He had no intention of taking Aman as a disciple. This unruly boy still needed to be trained and gradually influenced within the sect.

As for the future?

As for how far Aman can cultivate, let nature take its course!
As each participant underwent spiritual root testing, the heated discussion in the square subsided.

As more and more people were eliminated, people realized just how precious someone like Ah Man was.

Li Yunjing, on the other hand, remained calm and chatted amiably with the Supreme Elders, True Persons from other sects and families around him.

It seems they don't consider this selection process to be an extremely important matter.

The selection process is still proceeding in an orderly manner, and the hustle and bustle in Dengxian Square is gradually settling into a tense anticipation.

The area in front of the root bone testing platform was bustling with people. Occasionally, a mid-grade spiritual root would appear, drawing a small chorus of praise, but no one could shake the shock brought by Aman.

Li Yunjing chatted with Ling Xiaozi and others at the Moon Gazing Platform, his gaze occasionally sweeping across the square, but more often he was pondering the defense of Xizhou.

"Old Yue!"

He suddenly turned to the master of array formations, “The ‘Nine Heavens Profound Gang Array’ is powerful, but it is afraid of one thing.”

Elder Yue was taken aback: "The deputy sect leader refers to..."

“'Soul-devouring worm'.”

Li Yunjing lightly tapped the railing with his fingertips. "If the remnants of the 'Netherworld Ghost Sect' want to cause trouble, this insect is the most troublesome. We need to bury 'insect-repelling talismans' at the base of the formation in advance."

"I had completely forgotten about that!"

Elder Yue was startled: "Thank you for the reminder, Vice Sect Leader. I will make the arrangements immediately."

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out at the character testing platform.

Aman was already standing in front of the Illusion Stone at some point. The illusion that appeared on the stone was not gold, silver and beautiful women, but a scene from the Xizhou Mine.

A group of demonic cultivators were whipping refugees with bone whips, and among them was a small, thin figure—it was Aman as a child.

"kill!"

Aman's eyes were bloodshot, his fists were clenched so tightly they cracked, and a faint purple lightning swirled around his body.

Everyone on the viewing platform held their breath.

The biggest taboo for those who "explode with explosive emotions" is losing control of their emotions, which is precisely the key to the test of their character.

The Illusion Stone suddenly flashed violently, alternating between red and blue light.

Just when everyone thought he was going to fail, Aman suddenly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the crimson in his eyes had faded by most: "I want to learn thunder magic, not to kill all my enemies, but so that no one will be a mine slave anymore."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Illusionary Heart Stone lit up with a bright blue light.

The elder in charge of the test breathed a sigh of relief and announced loudly, "The test of character is passed!"

Cheers erupted again in the square, and the refugees from the West were moved to tears.

This child is not only talented, but also has a protective heart.

At this moment, in front of the Spiritual Affinity Platform, a little girl wearing a coarse cloth skirt timidly reached out her hand.

Her root bone test showed she only had a low-grade water spirit root, but the moment she touched the Myriad Spirit Coral Powder, the powder transformed into a crystal-clear water bird that circled her wrist three times.

"Affinity with superior water elemental root!"

The testing elder exclaimed in surprise, "This child can communicate with water spirits; he's a promising talent for alchemy and weapon crafting!"

In the crowd, a woman covered her mouth in excitement.

She is the girl's mother. Three years ago, she fled from the North with her daughter and never expected to have this opportunity.

"Not bad, not bad. Being able to enter the outer sect is already a blessing."

Several children from the Black Stone family passed the test one after another. Although they were not as amazing as Aman, they were all of medium-grade spiritual roots. The patriarch looked at the registration book and his face was full of smiles.

With these children joining the "Shenxiao Dao Sect", over time, the Black Stone family will become a familiar face within the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" and will not be targeted for elimination.

This is a real and tangible benefit!
When the grandson of the Valley Master of Ten Thousand Poisons underwent a character test, he hesitated for a moment when faced with the illusion of "exchanging the lives of a hundred people for the peace of the valley." Although he passed the test, he only received a "medium" rating.

The Valley Master frowned in the shadows, knowing that this child was unlikely to amount to anything.

As the sun began to set, the new disciples, who were being led into different areas, continued to wait for the tests to proceed.

Cultivators have no problem and can persevere, but it's more troublesome for ordinary people and children, who need the care of outer disciples of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

Fortunately, before the grand event began, the Shenxiao Dao Sect had made thorough preparations, including providing food and water in advance, so that mortals would not go hungry.

The entire testing process lasted seven days.

Making everyone wait for seven days is also a test!

If you don't even have the patience for seven days, you probably won't have much of a future on the path of cultivation.

Seven days later, the light curtain at Dengxian Square slowly faded away, and the queue of more than 300,000 people had shrunk to less than 1,000.

These 1,000 people are the final selections.

Of course, these are not all spiritual root cultivators, but rather the seeds of mid-grade spiritual roots or above selected by the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" through its pursuit of excellence.

People with low-grade spiritual roots are not accepted by the Shenxiao Dao Sect. They are not even wanted as menial laborers. This has always been the standard of the Shenxiao Dao Sect.

There were also some with good spiritual roots, but they couldn't overcome the mental hurdle and had to be eliminated.

Character is of paramount importance. The Shenxiao Dao Sect would rather give up outstanding talents than fail to ensure that those who join are morally upright.

Otherwise, if they recruit some disgraced disciples, sooner or later the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" will be turned into a mess.

This is something that the entire sect cannot allow.

Li Yunjing stood on the "Moon Gazing Platform," looking at the neatly lined-up new disciples below, and announced in a loud voice: "After seven days of assessment, seventy-two inner disciples, six hundred and eighty outer disciples, and two hundred and forty-eight miscellaneous disciples have been selected!"

"Dong dong dong..."

As soon as the words were spoken, the drums thundered, and the disciples of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" brought out seventy-two tokens, each engraved with the name of a new disciple. Aman's token was placed separately in the center of the tray.

This is the symbol of an inner disciple.

At this moment, Ah Man received the token, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

In his opinion, someone with such talent and a special physique should be accepted as a true disciple, right?

Unexpectedly, there was only one spot available for an inner disciple.

In fact, what Aman didn't know was that an elder had asked Li Yunjing about his promotion.

After thinking it over, Li Yunjing decided to grant one spot as an inner disciple.

A true disciple of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" is extremely distinguished.

If someone who knows the rules gets promoted, it's fine, but this wild kid can't be given that much power. He still needs to be tempered and refined within the sect.

At this moment, Aman was unaware of Li Yunjing's good intentions and could only stand sullenly in the line, waiting for instructions from above.

The new disciples were divided into classes according to their status. The inner disciples went to the "Lei Ze Academy" with Ling Xiaozi, the outer disciples were led by Lin Xuan to move into the "Qing Yun Academy", and the miscellaneous disciples were assigned to the "Wu Ben Hall".

(End of this chapter)