Journey to the West: Starting by becoming an apprentice of Emperor Donghua

It turned out to be a message talisman from Master Hu. The two had agreed that Ji Sheng could attend the trial.

This was a special notification from Master Hu to him.

Baiyungang is a mountain 500 li to the south, often shrouded in mist, and legend has it that immortals lived there.

Ji Sheng had originally planned to return to Jinji Mountain, but seeing the situation, he decided against it.

He immediately stepped onto the fiery cloud and headed south towards Baiyungang.

It was early spring, a chilly time of year, and Baiyungang was shrouded in mist.

In the thick mist, a stone house can be faintly seen.

Hu Gong stood on the steep hill, with Fei Changfang standing behind him.

"Eldest son, I granted your request for the trial a few days ago. Let's begin today!"

Upon hearing this, Fei Changfang immediately became agitated, knelt down, and cried out:

"Thank you, Master Hu! I will certainly do my utmost to live up to your expectations!"

Master Hu laughed and said:

"What high hopes or not? Since ancient times, the opportunity to become an immortal has been hard to find. Even among those who are born with immortal bones, how many can actually attain immortality?"

Only those with great fortune and unwavering perseverance can undergo this trial. Whether you pass or fail, you will be my disciple from now on.

Fei Changfang was deeply moved and kowtowed repeatedly, the sound echoing on the hard stone.

At that moment, a red light appeared in the misty fog, growing brighter and brighter as it approached.

Master Hu laughed and said:

"Stop kowtowing. What if you knock yourself unconscious? How will you complete the trial later? Get up, our friend has arrived."

Fei Changfang stood up and also saw the beam of red light. But when it got closer, he realized that it wasn't a beam of red light at all; it was actually a red cloud.

A cheerful and handsome young man leaped down from the crimson clouds, laughing heartily:

"Master Hu, I rushed over as soon as I received your message!"

Master Hu also laughed and said:

"It's only been a few days, but Master Ji's skills have improved even further. This red cloud is not something an ordinary person can possess."

Legend has it that this pot-shaped immortal was originally a celestial being, but was later demoted to the mortal realm for neglecting his duties.

He could naturally tell the origins of this red cloud at a glance.

Fei Changfang also hurriedly paid his respects. Ji Sheng had only been able to ride the wind when they met before, but today he was already riding the clouds.

This red cloud was clearly extraordinary at first glance, and the praise from Master Hu only made him even more envious.

However, the thought that if he passed the trial, Master Hu would also teach him the methods of immortals filled him with trepidation, but he secretly vowed that he would pass his master's test no matter what!

Ji Sheng returned the greeting. Master Hu said:

"Alright, eldest son, go and wait in that stone chamber. I'll catch up with Master Ji. When it's time to test you, I'll call you out."

Fei Changfang nodded in agreement and entered the stone chamber.

But Master Hu said to Ji Sheng:

"Please, Lord Ji, send a breeze to disperse the thin mist on this mountain."

Ji Sheng was a golden rooster that had become a spirit, and his mannerisms were an innate skill. He didn't move at all, but suddenly a strong wind arose, instantly dispersing the thin mist covering the mountain.

Master Hu exclaimed in praise, "The red sun rises early in the east." As the mist dissipated, the rosy glow spread across the hills, and the dew remaining on the stones reflected a vibrant red color.

The two arrived at a high point on the hill and sat down casually. With a flick of his sleeve, Hu Gong conjured a bronze mirror out of thin air in front of them.

In the bronze mirror, Fei Changfang was sitting cross-legged in the stone chamber.

Fei Changfang's eyes were closed, his face expressionless, and he appeared quite composed.

"Master Hu, although Fei Changfang is not very old, he is quite calm and composed. It seems that your unique skills have a successor."

Master Hu shook his head and sighed:

"The matter of destiny is unpredictable; who can truly say for sure?"

When Ji Sheng heard him mention the chance encounter with immortals, he thought of the Nine Aperture Stone he had obtained before, and a thought struck him:

"What does this mean?"

Master Hu shook his head and laughed:

"I don't understand either."

Ji Sheng was speechless. This pot-wielding master always liked to create mystery, which was quite frustrating.

"Alright, in that case, let's begin!"

As soon as Master Hu finished speaking, a loud rumble was heard from below, and the door to the stone chamber collapsed instantly.

Ji Sheng looked into the mirror, and Fei Changfang opened his eyes, looking somewhat bewildered.

The next moment, several large, white-browed tigers with piercing eyes rushed into the stone chamber and surrounded Fei Changfang.

The ferocious tiger pounced on Fei Changfang. Its face was ferocious, its roar was deafening, and its saliva almost sprayed onto Fei Changfang's face with its roar. A stench assaulted the senses.

Fei Changfang remained completely unafraid. No matter how the ferocious tigers threatened and roared at him, he remained calm and composed, showing no sign of tension.

"Those with excellent character can be taught the art of prolonging life and achieving immortality."

Seeing this, Ji Sheng couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Ji Sheng could tell that these tigers were not real tigers, but rather illusions created by Master Hu.

This illusion is related to Fei Changfang's state of mind. The more fearful Fei Changfang is, the more ferocious these tigers become; the less afraid he is, the more docile they become, like sheep.

Sure enough, after a short while, the tigers quieted down. They lay around Fei Changfang, bored and playing with each other.

Not only has she lost her previous ferocity, but she has also become somewhat charming and adorable.

Master Hu nodded and said:

"good."

Then, the tiger left the room. A huge rock appeared above Fei Changfang's head.

This huge rock is about ten feet in diameter and is suspended by only a single straw rope.

A venomous snake was coiled on the boulder, constantly biting at the straw rope.

With each bite, the straw rope snaps a little, making a heart-stopping sound when it tightens.

If the boulder were to fall, Fei Changfang would surely be smashed into a pulp.

Fei Changfang also noticed this scene. He frowned, but after a moment he relaxed, closed his eyes, and sat calmly.

"Excellent! With this temperament, you can be taught the art of subduing demons to bring peace to the people!"

The tiger's terror is only at the beginning, while this boulder is the complete opposite. The longer it sits, the more frightening it becomes.

The two statements, one positive and one negative, completely revealed Fei Changfang's character.

After observing Fei Changfang for a long time without any reaction, Master Hu finally nodded:

"Excellent!"

He waved his hand to remove the bronze mirror and stood up:

"I have one last try; please come with me, Lord Ji!"

The two walked toward the stone chamber and soon arrived at the collapsed stone door.

"Eldest son, come out!"

Fei Changfang thought he had passed the test and quickly sat up, his excitement evident.

"Greetings, Master and Lord Ji. Have I passed the test?"

Master Hu laughed and said:

"Don't rush, there's one last test. If you pass, I will teach you the path to immortality."

As he spoke, he pulled a large bowl from his sleeve. Ji Sheng smelled a foul stench, but upon closer inspection, he was startled.

The bowl was full of excrement and urine, with maggots wriggling inside, incredibly fat and long. Just one look at it was enough to make one feel utterly disgusted.

Master Hu handed the bowl to Fei Changfang and said:

"Good disciple, eat this, and you will be my official disciple. I will pass on all my skills to you!"

Fei Changfang was also stunned, staring at the contents of the bowl, his eyes blinking rapidly.

"Master, this..."

Seeing his hesitation, Master Hu frowned:

"If you can't even eat this, how dare you claim to be seeking immortality?"