Reincarnation Immortal Venerable: Starting from the Ninety-Nineth Incarnation

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Li Yanzhou led Su Qingyao and Shi Dazhuang out of the inn and headed towards the Qiyun Sect's mountain gate.

The road was full of cultivators taking the assessment, gathered in twos and threes, all looking very nervous. Shi Dazhuang looked around curiously, but luckily Li Yanzhou held his hand the whole time and kept him from running off.

"Remember, when we get to the mountain gate, don't say a word. Just follow behind me and don't give anything away." Li Yanzhou repeatedly instructed Shi Dazhuang. They were remnants of the Qingxuan sect, and it would be troublesome if they were targeted.

Shi Dazhuang nodded as if he understood, and tugged at his sleeve, muttering, "Dazhuang, be good."

Su Qingyao straightened her clothes and hid the pill book carefully: "I am Yinggen, mid-stage Qi Sensing Realm, just perform normally. You are pretending to be a mortal, but you have late-stage Qi Sensing Realm cultivation. Don't be too flamboyant during the assessment, lest you arouse suspicion."

"Don't worry, I will conceal my strength." Li Yanzhou nodded, thinking to himself: It is indeed conspicuous for someone with only mortal roots to have such cultivation. I must hide it well.

The three followed the crowd to the gate of Qiyun Sect. Two large pillars stood on either side, engraved with the three characters "Qiyun Sect". Two disciples in green robes stood at the entrance with calm auras, at least at the late stage of Qi Sensing Realm.

"Everyone participating in the assessment, line up! First, we'll test your spiritual roots, then your cultivation techniques, and finally your character. Those who fail will be eliminated!" one of the disciples shouted.

A long queue formed, and Li Yanzhou and his two companions stood quietly at the end, trying to keep a low profile. The test for spiritual roots was done with a black spiritual root stone, which reflected the corresponding spiritual root level: Dao Seed (dazzling golden light, never seen before), Yi Root (pale golden light), Ying Root (yellow light), Xiu Root (pale yellow light), Liang Root (white light), and Fan Root (faint light). Those that did not emit light were either barren roots or had no spiritual roots.

"Next!"

Su Qingyao stepped forward and placed her hand on the spirit root stone, which emitted a yellow light.

"Yinggen, mid-stage Qi Sensing Realm, exceptional talent, go wait for the next round." The disciple in charge of registration paused for half a second, and placed a subtle mark next to Su Qingyao's name on the roster.

Su Qingyao turned around, playfully stuck out her tongue at the two of them, and smiled with a hint of smugness, like a little fox who had stolen candy.

Next up was Li Yanzhou. He secretly circulated his chaotic energy, making the spirit jade disguise the root as a mortal root, and also concealed his aura, only revealing a trace of the late stage of the Qi Sensing Realm.

The spirit root stone emitted a faint glow. The disciple was taken aback: "Mortal root, late stage of Qi Sensing Realm? And so young, rare indeed. Qualified. Go and wait!"

Li Yanzhou secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He quickly led Shi Dazhuang to Su Qingyao's side, saying, "I'll be more discreet during the martial arts assessment later."

At this moment, a disciple stopped them: "Who is he? No unauthorized personnel are allowed near the assessment!"

Li Yanzhou quickly explained with a forced smile, "Senior brother, he is my younger brother. He is mentally challenged but has no intention of harming anyone. Moreover, it's not safe down the mountain. Please let him come with me. I promise he won't cause trouble. Senior brother can arrange some hard and tiring work for him in the sect. Please grant my request!"

Su Qingyao quickly chimed in, and the disciple hesitated for a moment. Seeing Shi Dazhuang's honest and simple nature, and remembering the recent crackdown on demonic cultivators, he relented: "Remember, although our Qiyun Sect is not a major sect, we don't tolerate idlers. If you cause trouble, you'll be eliminated along with everyone else!"

Soon, more than a hundred people had their spiritual roots tested. The rest either had no spiritual roots or only ordinary roots and had just begun their cultivation, so they were all eliminated.

Next is the skill assessment. There are many wooden stakes in the square. You are required to run to the other side of the stakes within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. If you are hit by the stakes three times, you will fail. You also need to match your cultivation level with your spiritual root.

"start!"

The first group of cultivators rushed forward, causing the wooden stakes to sway densely, and many were eliminated after only a few steps.

Soon it was Su Qingyao's turn. She moved nimbly and carefully avoided the wooden stakes. Although slow, she was steady and passed through smoothly.

When it was Li Yanzhou's turn, he deliberately slowed down and acted clumsy, occasionally almost bumping into the wooden stakes. He managed to reach the other side just before the incense stick finished burning. The disciple didn't pay much attention and waved for him to wait.

Just then, an accident occurred. A cultivator at the mid-stage of the Qi Sensing Realm, who was about to reach the finish line, slipped and crashed into a wooden stake. The stake suddenly accelerated, and he was so frightened that his whole body stiffened, and he had no time to dodge.

The surrounding people exclaimed in surprise, and the disciples didn't even have time to react. Suddenly, Shi Dazhuang rushed over, his huge body blocking the cultivator's way. He grabbed the wooden stake, pressed it down hard, and then snapped it in two with a "crack"!

Everyone was stunned. Li Yanzhou quickly ran over and pulled Shi Dazhuang aside to apologize, "Senior brother, I'm sorry. He's not very bright and didn't mean to damage the props. I'll definitely keep an eye on him!"

He thought to himself: This strength is terrifying; it almost made things worse.

Su Qingyao chimed in, and the rescued cultivator quickly expressed his gratitude. The senior brother, seeing Shi Dazhuang's innocent expression and astonished by the immense strength displayed by someone without spiritual energy, refrained from losing his temper: "Don't let this happen again. If you cause trouble again, you'll be eliminated!"

Shi Dazhuang scratched his head: "Dazhuang saves people, he won't cause trouble."

Su Qingyao smiled and said, "Good boy, I'll buy you two candied hawthorns after the exam." Shi Dazhuang's eyes lit up and he immediately quieted down.

After the skill assessment ended, more than sixty people remained and entered the final round of the mental test—entering the illusion. Those who could maintain their original mind and not be confused would pass, while those who were trapped inside would be eliminated.

The disciple led everyone to a misty mountain cave: "Anyone who emerges within half an hour is an outer sect disciple!"

The three followed the disciple into the cave. The light inside suddenly dimmed, and a strange spiritual energy surrounded them. The surrounding scenery instantly distorted and changed. Su Qingyao and Li Yanzhou were each trapped in their own illusions, while Shi Dazhuang remained standing in place, seemingly unaffected.

Before Su Qingyao's eyes, the familiar Qingxuan Sect's herb garden was right there, with lush and verdant spiritual herbs. Her master from Danfeng was standing by the herb field, his smile as gentle as ever, beckoning to her softly: "Qingyao, come back quickly. Your master is not dead, and the sect is doing well. Come back to Danfeng with your master to refine medicine." The familiar voice and the familiar scene instantly shattered her psychological defenses. Tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably, and her feet instinctively wanted to rush forward.

At the same time, the scene before Li Yanzhou changed. On the edge of the cliff, Li Yanran, dressed in white, stood alone. When he turned around, his eyes were filled with guilt and pain: "Brother, I was forced. Mo Yuan planted a demonic seed, and I had no choice but to feign betrayal. Come back with me, and I will take you to find out the truth and avenge the Qingxuan Sect!"

Li Yanzhou felt a sudden pain in his heart. The words "Brother was forced" struck his deepest obsession. He subconsciously stepped forward, his fingers about to touch the figure in front of him, when the spiritual jade in his sea of ​​consciousness suddenly became slightly hot, and the pork octopus beside him also emitted a gentle warmth. The two auras intertwined, instantly dispelling the confusion in his heart.

Li Yanzhou suddenly snapped out of his daze and realized that he had almost fallen into an illusion. He turned his head and saw Su Qingyao with tears streaming down her face, staggering forward with a dazed expression, clearly trapped in an illusion.

Without a second thought, he strode forward, gently patted Su Qingyao's shoulder, and interrupted her urgently, "Wake up! Qingyao, this is an illusion, don't go any further!"

Su Qingyao shuddered, pulled back to her senses by his voice. The herb garden and her master's figure before her eyes instantly became illusory, eventually dissipating into a wisp of green smoke. She wiped away her tears, filled with lingering fear, and tightly gripped Li Yanzhou's arm: "I...I think I saw Master."

Li Yanzhou nodded gently, a trace of lingering fear in his eyes: "I saw my brother too. This illusion was too realistic. I almost fell for it just now. Fortunately, the spiritual jade in my sea of ​​consciousness and that seal emitted warmth, which brought me back to my senses." He didn't ask Su Qingyao what she saw, assuming that she had fallen into an illusion similar to his own. His tone softened, "Don't panic, we're both awake now."

Su Qingyao gritted her teeth and shook her head forcefully, tears blurring her vision. The herb garden and her master's figure gradually became illusory, eventually turning into a wisp of green smoke and dissipating, leaving her with a heart full of bitterness. She tightly held Li Yanzhou's hand to steady her mind.

Shi Dazhuang remained standing in the same spot, his eyes empty, only occasionally muttering "candied hawthorn." With a mind as simple as a child's, he had no worries and was completely unaffected by the illusion.

In the cave, exactly fifty people passed the test, and the three of them were among them.

"Congratulations! From now on, you are outer disciples of the Qiyun Sect!" A disciple handed over a cyan token. "Take this token to collect your lodgings and resources. Gather at the outer sect hall early tomorrow morning to begin your cultivation!"

Just then, Li Yanzhou sensed a chilling aura. He turned around without making a sound and saw a black-clad cultivator in the corner of the crowd, who seemed to be a member of the demonic path.

Li Yanzhou quickly pulled Su Qingyao and Shi Dazhuang, lowered his head and strode into the mountain gate. His heart sank: Sure enough, they hadn't gotten rid of it yet. Even after entering the sect, he couldn't be careless.

He knew that entering the Qiyun Sect was only a temporary safety measure; the demonic path would not let it go. The truth about the Qingxuan Sect, Li Yanran's secret, and Shi Dazhuang's unusual behavior were all waiting for him to investigate.

Shi Dazhuang, clutching the token, skipped around, muttering about candied hawthorns. Li Yanzhou and Su Qingyao exchanged a smile and followed the crowd into this temporary haven.