Divine Root Bone

Leaving the Qingmang Mountains, the dirt road underfoot gradually widened and leveled, and the number of pedestrians became increasingly dense.

Most of them were young men and women of similar age, carrying more or less the pure and spiritual aura unique to cultivators. They carried cloth bags on their shoulders and walked in twos and threes. Their conversations always revolved around sects, innate talent, and cultivation levels.

Everyone's destination was the same as Zhang Yang's—Qingyun Sect.

Zhang Yang, dressed in faded white coarse cloth, was slender and upright. He walked at the edge of the crowd, neither speaking to anyone nor deliberately avoiding them, always maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far, quietly listening to the idle chatter of those around him.

The black jade pendant around her neck was hidden inside her clothes. Only occasionally, when she walked and swayed, would a small section of its dark edge be revealed. Ordinary passersby would glance at it and think it was just an ordinary ornament worn by a country child, and no one would stop to take a closer look.

He listened to the discussions of the teenagers around him. Su Qingyue had only given a rough outline of cultivation back then, and many common rules and divisions in the world were only being filled in little by little at this moment.

"I heard that the Qingyun Sect only opens its gates once every three years, and all the geniuses from the surrounding three regions have rushed here. Whether or not they can enter the outer sect depends on their aptitude test."

"Innate bones are divided into four grades: ordinary, low, medium and high. Our Southern Region is barren. If you can detect low-grade innate bones, you can stay in the sect to cultivate. Ordinary bones are basically just a formality. In the end, you can only be sent to the back mountain to do odd jobs."

A few casual words reached Zhang Yang's ears, and he silently memorized them.

The conversation was filled with regret and resentment, but no one questioned it.

Zhang Yang remained expressionless, as he had just entered the mortal realm and was focused solely on making his way towards the Qingyun Sect.

After traveling for half a day, a series of panicked screams suddenly came from the forest ahead, mixed with the hoarse growls of monsters.

The group of teenagers on their way panicked instantly, retreating and dodging, not daring to go forward.

Several Tier 1 Fanged Mountain Wolves suddenly appeared from nowhere, staring at a slender girl in the crowd. Their fangs gleamed coldly as they approached step by step.

The girl was dressed in a light blue dress, with a small bamboo basket of herbs hanging from her waist. She held only a thin wooden dagger in her hand. Her face was pale, and she kept backing away, about to be pounced on by the mountain wolf.

The surrounding teenagers taking the exam looked at each other, none of them willing to make a move. The first-level demon beast looked inconspicuous, but its skin and flesh were tough. Making a rash move would easily result in being scratched, which would delay their entry into the sect and be a loss.

Zhang Yang stood at the back of the crowd, watched quietly for a moment, and then slowly stepped forward.

He knew nothing of cultivation techniques and never circulated any spiritual energy. He simply spent many years in the deep mountains with ferocious beasts, so his physical body was far superior to that of ordinary people, and his steps were steady and composed.

Just as the wolves pounced on the girl, they sensed Zhang Yang's approaching presence. Their limbs suddenly stopped, their fierce eyes instantly turning to fear. They tucked their tails between their legs and shrank back, letting out low whimpers, not daring to take another step forward.

In just a few breaths, the once ferocious wolf turned its head and fled into the depths of the dense forest, disappearing from sight.

The crisis was resolved in an instant.

The girl breathed a long sigh of relief, steadied herself by holding onto a nearby tree trunk, and turned to look at Zhang Yang, who was walking slowly towards her, her almond-shaped eyes filled with gratitude.

"Thank you for saving me, young master. If it weren't for you, I would have been in trouble today."

Her name is Lin Wanqing. She is an apprentice at the outer sect medical clinic of Qingyun Sect. She went down the mountain to collect medicinal herbs and happened to be there during the sect's opening ceremony competition. She took the opportunity to rush back to the sect to participate in the assessment.

Lin Wanqing was gentle and sensitive, and humble in her dealings with others. Zhang Yang had driven away the ferocious wolf without making a sound, which made him seem exceptionally reliable and extraordinary in her eyes, and she secretly felt a little admiration for him.

"It was nothing." Zhang Yang said casually, without saying anything more, and turned to continue on his way.

Lin Wanqing quickly caught up with him and walked alongside him, whispering, "Young Master, are you also going to the Qingyun Sect to participate in the sect entrance examination? I am very familiar with the sect's mountain paths, so why don't we travel together and look after each other on the way?"

The boy did not refuse and nodded slightly.

Walking side by side, Lin Wanqing didn't say much, but she was very thoughtful. When she saw that Zhang Yang was only eating wild fruits, she took out some dry food and water from her bamboo basket and handed it to him. When they passed a rugged and steep slope, she would subconsciously reach out and gently support his arm, her eyes full of tenderness and curiosity.

During their journey together, Lin Wanqing took the initiative to tell him about the trivial matters within the Qingyun Sect, the division between outer and inner sects, the temperaments of the sect elders, and the rules for the annual root bone test, telling him everything in detail.

She occasionally stole glances at the boy beside her. He had gentle features and a calm and composed personality. Although he looked plain, he had a calming aura about him, which made her admire him more and more.

"Judging from your extraordinary demeanor, young master, this test of your innate talent will surely reveal your exceptional abilities," Lin Wanqing whispered with anticipation.

Zhang Yang unconsciously rubbed the black jade pendant under his clothes with his fingertips, and shook his head slightly: "I have no talent for cultivation, I'm just ordinary."

Lin Wanqing took it as mere modesty, pursed her lips slightly, and secretly made up her mind that no matter what the final test result was, she would not change her opinion.

As the sun sets and the afterglow spreads across the road ahead, two figures walk side by side on the mountain path, the outline of the continuous immortal mountains of Qingyun Sect in the distance becoming increasingly clear.

With the immortal gate in sight ahead, and all living beings in the mortal world pursuing their innate talents and the Great Dao, only Zhang Yang felt a profound tranquility in his heart, the black jade around his neck resting quietly against his chest.