The Immortal Clan begins with deductive intelligence.

Xu Changqing was taken aback. He thought he was bound to have a verbal argument and was even prepared to be harassed.

Surprisingly, this guy, despite his sharp tongue, was incredibly efficient and decisive in his work.

This is truly a business-like approach.

Xu Changqing felt much more at ease. He tightened his grip on the token and said respectfully, "Thank you for your consideration, Your Excellency."

Zhao Yichuan ignored his thanks. After finishing his business, the flying sword beneath his feet lit up with a blue light again, and he turned to leave.

He had just risen half a zhang high when he seemed to remember something and paused.

"There's one more thing."

Zhao Yichuan didn't turn around; he simply spoke with his back to the crowd.

"By order of the sect, this decree is hereby issued to all affiliated families."

Xu Changqing's expression hardened, and he immediately lowered his head to listen.

"Three months from now will be the Qinghe Sword Sect's once-in-a-decade 'Founding Ceremony'."

"The sect has decreed that any member of an affiliated family who is six years of age or older and under the age of sixteen, and who possesses spiritual roots, may bring their family token to Qinghe Market to participate in the selection process."

"If you pass the test, you can enter the outer sect for cultivation."

Xu Dayou's lips trembled, his beard shaking with excitement: "Your...Your Excellency, is this true? Our Xu family...can go too?"

Zhao Yichuan frowned, seemingly displeased by the old man's questioning:

"The sect's decrees are not to be taken lightly."

After saying that, he ignored everyone's reaction, transformed into a streak of light, and disappeared into the vast snowstorm in the blink of an eye.

Xu Dayou slapped his thigh, wincing in pain, but then grinned like a blooming chrysanthemum: "Ouch! Oh my goodness!"

"Clan leader! Did you hear that? This is an incredible opportunity! If any of our younger members, Yanfeng and the others, or even those little ones from the Xi generation, could enter the Qinghe Sword Sect, wouldn't our Xu family be able to walk around this great swamp with our heads held high?"

Xu Changqing held the cold tribute token, but his heart was in turmoil.

Qinghe Sword Sect.

That's a behemoth with a Golden Core Ancestor overseeing it.

In previous years, when these major sects recruited disciples, they only looked at children with clean backgrounds in the mortal world, believing that they would be the most loyal if they were trained from a young age.

Disciples from cultivation families like the Xu family, despite their potential, are generally looked down upon by sects due to their deep family ties, unless they possess extraordinary talent.

Now they've actually opened the floodgates?

Can affiliated families go too?

"Is this a windfall?"

Xu Dayou rubbed his hands together excitedly, having long since forgotten his embarrassment.

Xu Changqing looked in the direction where Zhao Yichuan disappeared, his brows gradually furrowing.

The world is bustling with activity, all for profit.

A behemoth like the Qinghe Sword Sect would never act on a whim.

First, warships entered the Great Swamp; then, they made an exception and recruited members of affiliated families.

This seems more like an urgent need to replenish manpower?

In any case, this was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Xu family, and a turning point that could change the family's fate.

Just going to the market to participate in the selection process, the travel expenses, food and lodging, and bribes all cost money.

There are also those young children of the hope generation who haven't had their spiritual roots tested yet.

If we want to pass this assessment, then getting the Qi-Inducing Powder is even more urgent.

After a while, even five hundred spirit stones might not be enough to stop the fight.

Xu Changqing sighed and put the token into his pocket.

Xu Dayou, still dazed with delight, hummed an unknown tune as he pondered which family's son would be the most promising.

Xu Changqing didn't dampen his spirits, but simply let him enjoy himself, and then turned and went back to his study.

For the next three days, Xu Changqing didn't go anywhere. Except for coming out at noon to handle some important matters, he spent the rest of his time cultivating.

That night.

The Tongtian Mirror, which had been silent for a long time, emitted a clear hum.

Xu Changqing calmed his mind and probed the depths of his consciousness. The mist on the bronze mirror dissipated, and golden light shone brightly.

[The simulation is complete]

[Details of the opportunity: Thirty miles southwest of Cangwu Island, a late-stage Tier 1 "Iron-skinned Bull" froze to death underwater.]

[Value: The cowhide, cow bones, and demon core are all top-grade materials for refining weapons, estimated to be worth 550 low-grade spirit stones.]

[Risk: None. The body is located beneath the ice, and its presence is completely blocked.]

Iron-skinned bull.

This is a real gem; it's thick-skinned and has a treasure trove of benefits.

If it were a living late-stage first-tier demonic beast, Xu Changqing wouldn't dare provoke it even if he had three times the courage. That thing could crush his small body at the fourth level of Qi Refining into mincemeat with a single hoof.

But if it's dead, then it's a windfall from heaven.

"Heaven is helping me!"

With 550 spirit stones, plus some money from my family, the travel expenses to the market and the money to buy medicine are all taken care of.

Xu Changqing took out a set of his most treasured clothes from his storage bag.

This is a set of black fish-skin water armor, made from the belly skin of a first-tier low-grade demon beast called "Black Water Crocodile". It can isolate some of the aura and is most suitable for walking in the swamp at night.

However, this item was an old relic left by the original owner's father, and it has been around for quite some time.

Xu Changqing took off his long robe and struggled to squeeze himself into the tight-fitting water jacket.

"hiss……"

He gasped.

It's a bit tight.

Especially the crotch area, it feels constricting.

Xu Changqing tugged at his collar and walked to the bronze mirror to look at himself.

The person in the mirror was dressed entirely in black, with a hood that only revealed his eyes, looking exactly like a rogue who would stake out a widow's door in the middle of the night.

"If Uncle Dayou saw me dressed like this, he'd probably just crack my skull open with a chisel."

Xu Changqing chuckled self-deprecatingly and reached into his storage bag to pull out a yellow paper talisman.

Tier 1, low-grade "Concealing Breath Talisman".

This thing can suppress the fluctuations of spiritual energy throughout the body, and as long as you don't get too close, ordinary Qi Refining cultivators will hardly be able to detect it.

Xu Changqing slapped the talisman against his chest, activated his spiritual power, and the talisman spontaneously combusted, turning into a gray light that entered his body.

Instantly, the fluctuations of spiritual energy around him vanished without a trace, and even his breathing became barely audible.

After doing all this, Xu Changqing opened the back window.

A cold wind, mixed with snowflakes, lashed against my face, stinging it.

He moved with the agility of a cat, nimbly vaulting out of the window and silently passing through the clan's protective formation.

Once outside the formation, the chill instantly intensified.

Xu Changqing shuddered, not daring to delay, and after determining the direction, sped off towards the rocky beach in the southwest.

Thirty li is not far for cultivators.

In less than half an hour, Xu Changqing arrived at the place indicated by the Tongtian Mirror.

At this moment, the rocky beach was deathly silent, without a sound.

Following the guidance of the Tongtian Mirror, Xu Changqing stopped behind a huge black rock.

He crouched down and gently brushed away the surface snow with his dagger.

really.

Beneath the snow, where there should have been a thick layer of ice, there were ice holes about ten feet wide. Although they had been sealed by newly formed thin ice, it was still clear that they had been hit.

Xu Changqing lay on the ice, pressed his face close to the ice hole, and strained his eyes to look down.

The ice layer was murky and obscured the view.

But a huge black shadow could be vaguely seen, submerged in the shallow water.