One of my fairy-like friends

She sat inside the Holy Lord's Hall, with a water curtain floating in front of her. Within the water curtain, Ming Yan was ascending upwards.

She is the Moon Shadow Saintess of Wind Spirit Moon Shadow. As a cultivator in the Human Welcome Realm, her divine sense covers an exceptionally wide area. When she first met Ming Yan in the Rain Terrace Blessed Land, she marked him. It was just a casual act that day, but now she has discovered Ming Yan's approach.

Mingyan was only a cultivator at the Taixi Realm, and he could not change the appearance reflected in his divine sense. Naturally, he would be discovered by the Moon Shadow Saint Lord if he got too close.

She received Huang Junru's letter, but that didn't stop Mingyan from skipping this round of selection. Feng Lingyueying doesn't accept useless people. If Mingyan isn't the kind of talented person they say he is, she won't accept him even if the Huang family makes a request.

With the help of the vast array formations beneath the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land, she could easily observe a scene through the formations. After confirming Ming Yan's location, the Moon Shadow Holy Lord kept observing Ming Yan.

But Mingyan's performance did not disappoint her, and they reached the summit with exceptional ease.

The Moon Shadow Saintess opened her beautiful eyes, which gleamed with a divine light, as if she were pondering something...

Ming Yan, who had just reached the summit, was unaware of all this. Looking down at the cultivators who hadn't even reached halfway, he scratched his head, wondering if he had gone a bit too far.

No, coming here means showcasing your talent. Better talent means better resources. If you're worried about standing out now, you'll only be holding yourself back.

"Congratulations, you have passed the first test." The two male cultivators at the foot of the mountain had already reached the top. One of them smiled and said to Ming Yan, "Go this way. This is the place for the second test of the Wind Spirit Academy. As long as you pass it successfully, you will be able to join the Wind Spirit Academy of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land."

Mingyan nodded and walked toward the place he pointed to.

Chapter Forty-One is rolled up

Upon reaching the summit, the intense pressure vanished, and Mingyan felt his body become lighter. At that moment, he thought it was simply because he had just experienced immense pressure that he felt so light, unaware of the subtle changes in his body.

He followed the direction pointed out by the male cultivator Feng Lingyueying, and when he reached the edge of the cliff, he saw an iron chain bridge. The iron chain bridge was fixed with four iron chains and had wooden planks as the bridge surface. The cold wind howled on the mountaintop, but the iron chain bridge did not move, as if it were fixed in place.

Mingyan could see on the other side of the bridge a plaque with the words "Fengling" written on it. The characters shimmered with light and were very beautiful.

He stepped onto the suspension bridge and looked down.

I felt unusually relaxed when I was climbing the mountain, but now I realize how high the summit is. I can't see the bottom at all. It's shrouded in mist, creating a hazy and mysterious atmosphere.

Mingyan stepped onto the iron chain bridge and walked to the other side, arriving at the plaque with the words "Feng Ling" written on it.

Two young disciples were guarding the front. When they saw Mingyan coming, they nodded to him without saying anything and let him enter the courtyard alone.

Mingyan then entered the Fengling Academy.

After passing the plaque, Mingyan felt as if he had entered another world. The rich spiritual energy made him feel extremely comfortable. The concentration of spiritual energy far exceeded the spiritual energy he had felt in the outer courtyard of the Huang family. Even breathing was more comfortable than outside. As a cultivator, spiritual energy is as indispensable as air. The higher the quality and the richer the spiritual energy, the more obvious the benefits to the cultivator.

Mingyan felt that if he had started his cultivation at the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land, he might not be at Taixi now, but at a higher level.

At least, in the realm of "Spring Drawing," where quantitative change leads to qualitative change, he will definitely reach the maximum level much faster.

However, the difference in spiritual energy concentration between the outside and inside of the plaque was so obvious. Was it because some kind of formation was used to lock the spiritual energy in the courtyard?

Mingyan had a sudden thought. Xia Yanming had previously used the formation left by the Xuanji Realm Ancestor to buy enough time, which made Mingyan think that formations were really a good thing...maybe he could spend some time learning them.

In truth, Mingyan could have informed Huang Junru that she had written a letter to the Moon Shadow Saintess, but he didn't. Firstly, he was genuinely curious about the level of his talent, and secondly, the Moon Shadow Saintess should know about his arrival at Wind Spirit Moon Shadow. Since she hadn't made any statement, perhaps she wanted to see his talent before making a decision.

He looked around but didn't see any disciples. Before long, an old man with white hair flew over from a distance and landed in front of Ming Yan. His expression was serious. "Are you the one who passed the first test?"

Mingyan nodded. "I'm here to participate in the second test."

"Follow me." The white-haired old man walked behind Ming Yan, grabbed his collar, and leaped into the air... Ming Yan was taken aback; this method of leading the way was rather simple and crude...

The white-haired old man carried Mingyan through the air for a while. As they ventured deeper into the "Wind Spirit Academy," Mingyan saw more and more disciples. The lowest cultivation level he encountered was the same as his own, and the cultivation levels of the vast majority were unreadable, meaning that the majority were more powerful than Mingyan...

Sure enough, places like the Holy Land are never short of geniuses... Even if you have great talent, you can't ignore hard work. You have to do well enough to achieve something in the Wind Spirit Academy.

Huang Feiyan said that a year and a half later, Yaochi Holy Land would hold the Peach Banquet. Fenglingyueying Holy Land would definitely participate, but the number of participants was limited. Mingyan had to get this spot within a year and a half, not only to reunite with Huang Feiyan and Huang Junyi, but also to get closer to Ning Feixuan.

The white-haired old man led Ming Yan to a plaza in the center of the Fengling Academy. There were many people standing in the plaza, among them a beautiful, dark blue jade stone.

Upon arriving at this place, the white-haired elder put Mingyan down and explained briefly, "You will wait in line here. The second test is very important. When it's your turn, simply place your hand on that jade stone. There is a special formation inside the jade stone that will detect the speed at which your body absorbs spiritual energy and how quickly it circulates within your body to determine your cultivation talent. This will serve as a supplement to the first test you passed. Afterward, the jade stone will light up, divided into ten layers. The higher the light, the better your adaptability to spiritual energy, which naturally proves that your physical condition is suitable for cultivating immortality."

Mingyan nodded, and the white-haired old man continued, "Of course, this can only test your body's adaptability to spiritual energy, not your talent for cultivation. So even if you get good results now, it doesn't necessarily mean you're a genius. So don't be arrogant. On the other hand, even if your results aren't very good right now, there's no need to be sad. Perhaps your talent for cultivation can compensate for your body's adaptability to spiritual energy... Of course, if your physical condition is too poor, you won't pass the test. In that case, I don't need to say more about the result."

Mingyan clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Thank you for the reminder."

The white-haired old man nodded gently, then took to the air again and left the square.

Mingyan's arrival did not attract much attention; everyone had been dragged over by the white-haired old man, so it was nothing unusual.

Mingyan followed the crowd and joined the queue.

There were so many people ahead of us? Looks like they were people who had already gone up the mountain. There are so many people coming to the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land...

The competition is fierce, and things are getting heated.

Ming Yan roughly counted and found that there were forty or fifty cultivators ahead of him, most of whom were younger than him, and some even looked to be only seven or eight years old. Their cultivation levels were no less than his. If we only consider age and cultivation, he was probably the weakest one in the group.

Above the Wind Spirit Stone, a dozen or so elderly cultivators sat cross-legged, looking down at the newcomers undergoing their entrance examination. Ming Yan guessed they were likely elders from the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land...

A number of disciples dressed in uniform were gathered around. The uniforms were blue with the words "Feng Ling" sewn on the chest. They were probably disciples of the Feng Ling Academy who had come to watch the excitement. They were whispering among themselves.

"It seems I haven't seen any particularly outstanding disciples today? Hmm, why is there such an old Taixi?" A disciple noticed Mingyan and, upon discovering that Mingyan was only at the Taixi realm, couldn't help but express a hint of disdain in his tone.

"It's not easy to pass the first test. Don't look down on people. Maybe when they touch the wind spirit stones later, they'll give you a tenth-level stone. They're actually a top genius. Wouldn't you be slapping yourself in the face then?"

"Hmph, if he can reach the tenth level, I'll go and confess to Senior Brother Yue later."

"...? You don't like Long Yang, do you?"

Mingyan was sharp-witted and perceptive. He had initially remained calm when he heard the man look down on him, but as the conversation progressed, he sensed something was amiss. This male disciple was going to confess his feelings to his senior brother... How could there be so many strange people in this world? It was truly frightening.

Mingyan peeked over and saw a seven-year-old boy at the front. He stretched out his hand and placed his palm on the jade stone called the Wind Spirit Stone.

The Wind Spirit Stone appears to be clearly divided into tiers, indeed into ten sections...

The jade did not react immediately, but as time passed, the wind spirit stone gradually began to glow from the bottom.

The first layer lit up first, with a faint blue light that wasn't very strong.

Then came the second, third, and fourth layers.

The blue light grew increasingly dazzling, and a magnificent radiance emanated from the area around the Wind Spirit Stone, imbuing the boy with a touch of divinity as he placed his hand on it. However, the boy kept his eyes closed. After reaching the fourth level, the light gradually slowed down, then moved to the fifth level... the sixth level... and finally barely broke through the sixth level, reaching the seventh level.

"Seventh level?!" A disciple nearby exclaimed in surprise. "Senior Brother Yue is only at the eighth level..."

"It's only the seventh level, what's so surprising? It's worlds apart from the eighth level. Besides, just because someone's physique is suited for cultivation doesn't mean they're a genius." The disciple who had previously shown disdain for Ming Yan snorted coldly when someone mentioned Senior Brother Le.

"Senior Brother Zhang... it's not surprising that you're at the seventh level yourself... but most disciples can't even reach that level..."

When the little boy opened his eyes and found that he had actually been detected as having reached level seven by the Wind Spirit Stone, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief and a smile appeared on his face.

Several of the elders in the sky soon descended and extended olive branches to him.

"Lin Zhongdao! How many disciples have you taken in all these years? I haven't taken in any new disciples for years, and you're still trying to compete with me?!"

Upon hearing this, Ming Yan looked over. It seemed that because the new disciple was exceptionally talented, he had caught the eye of an elder, and a quarrel ensued. A middle-aged, bald cultivator looked at the elder next to him, who looked like an eighty-year-old man from the mortal world, with a hint of anger on his face.

"Hmph... This kid will surely achieve great things if he follows me. Follow you? Follow you and the Northwest Wind? A hundred years ago, you threw your disciple into the wild forest to test himself, and the disciple disappeared. This caused panic and people jumped ship. You don't really think anyone likes your laissez-faire approach, do you?"

"The Holy Lord trains the Holy Maidens in the same way, so why can't I?"

"Do you think everyone is as gifted and intelligent as the Holy Maiden?" Lin Zhongdao snorted coldly, showing no sign of weakness despite the other party mentioning the Moon Shadow Saintess.

“Although Brother Zhen’s methods of training disciples are indeed flawed, Elder Lin, you have already recruited seven or eight disciples over the years, and you really shouldn’t be competing with us for them anymore,” another elder who looked quite young said.

"...Hmph." Lin Zhongdao turned and left. The last little boy seemed to have followed the young elder, and someone took him away.

Seeing the elders vying for disciples, the candidates were quite excited, hoping their talent would be outstanding enough to attract the elders' attention.

The second person then began their own test.

He looked to be around twelve years old, and his cultivation level was similar to Ming Yan's. After placing his hand on the Wind Spirit Stone, it didn't take long for the Wind Spirit Stone to gradually light up, one layer... two layers... three layers... The light stopped abruptly and didn't go any higher.

The elders remained calm and unmoved. The young man opened his eyes nervously and discovered that he was only at the third level. He immediately broke down emotionally. He looked around and saw that no one was willing to extend an olive branch. Only one disciple stepped forward and said something to him. The young man broke down emotionally and burst into tears.

It's normal for a young person to be unable to handle setbacks... Ming Yan, with his sharp ears and eyes, heard what the disciple said. The disciple told the young man that the minimum standard was the fourth level. If he did not reach the fourth level, he would be considered as not meeting the standard, and the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land would not recruit disciples who did not meet the standard.

Ming Yan's eyes flickered slightly. Judging from this, the fourth level was the minimum standard, the fifth level might be considered ordinary, the sixth level was considered excellent, the seventh level would already attract the attention of the elders and even be fought over, the eighth level should be highly valued, and going higher might cause some sensation.

Chapter Forty-Two: Becoming an Apprentice

The emotionally distraught teenager was quickly taken away, and the testing continued smoothly.

During this time, the white-haired old man in charge of sending people over brought another young cultivator, who stood behind Ming Yan. This was the same young man who had been so surprised that Ming Yan had turned two steps into one that he had cursed. He was speechless when he saw that he was behind Ming Yan.

As one cultivator after another placed their hands on the Wind Spirit Stone, the results were quickly revealed. Of the dozens of people ahead of Ming Yan, five were eliminated, half of whom were around the fifth level, and the other half were at the sixth level. No one at the seventh level emerged...

The dozen or so elders waiting in the air looked disappointed, clearly dissatisfied with the quality of this batch of newly recruited disciples.

Those young cultivators on the fifth and sixth levels will not be chosen by the elders, but will directly become ordinary disciples of the Wind Spirit Academy and cultivate together with the other disciples.

After about an hour, it was finally Mingyan's turn.

"Taixi, who is fifteen or sixteen years old, is probably going to break today's record for the lowest level." The Zhang disciple, who had not thought highly of Mingyan before, snorted coldly when it was Mingyan's turn.

The boy behind Mingyan, who had witnessed Mingyan's extravagance before, rolled his eyes upon hearing this. He had thought so before, but the result was that this person charged straight up without stopping, which would probably shock the group.

The lowest level is the third level detected previously. If you can pass the first test, your talent is generally not too bad. It is rare for someone to only reach the second level in the second test.

However, Mingyan's situation was indeed quite special. He was the oldest among the new disciples, and there was no one close to his age. Those close to his age were all eliminated in the first level... Those who remained were basically no more than thirteen years old, and there were even a few, such as the boy who was fought over by the elders before, who looked no more than seven or eight years old.

"Since he could get through the first level, he must be able to get through at least the third. I don't think he'll break the record." Another disciple next to the Zhang disciple shook his head and said, "Besides, maybe we've all misjudged him? Doesn't it happen every year? The disciples we looked down on turned out to be incredibly strong in the actual tests..."

"Then I'm not at a loss either, since I've wanted to confess to Senior Brother Yue for a long time anyway." The disciple surnamed Zhang snorted.

"..." Another disciple silently distanced himself from the disciple surnamed Zhang.

Ming Yan remained unmoved. He stretched out his hand and placed it on the Wind Spirit Stone.

The dozen or so elders above were somewhat disappointed to see Ming Yan's age and cultivation level. One of them sighed, "What's going on this year? Why are all the candidates so lacking in talent? I heard that the new disciples recruited by Moon Shadow next door are all very talented, with many at the seventh level and even a few at the eighth level... Although they don't have the tenth level like the Holy Maiden, they're still quite good..."

"Yes, if this continues... how can we possibly compete with Moonshadow..."

"Be careful what you say!" Another elder glanced at him and reminded him, "Besides, what's the rush? I think this person is quite special. I just heard from the people at the front gate that someone walked on flat ground during the first test. That's this person. Perhaps his talent is beyond your imagination."

"...Ahem...Really?"

"You'll find out as you watch."

The Wind Spirit Stone has a very unique feel, like... when you're moving at extremely high speed, you open your hand and feel the wind blowing in your palm...

A disciple beside him reminded him, "Circulate the spiritual energy within your body as quickly as possible. The Wind Spirit Stone can sense it. Begin."

Mingyan nodded, closed his eyes, and began to circulate his spiritual energy.

Mingyan's spiritual veins were naturally formed, which was a special feature of his physique. Others had to create their own spiritual veins, but he already had them. Moreover, his spiritual veins were wider, and the spiritual energy circulated extremely quickly within his body. The wind spirit stone quickly reacted and began to tremble slightly.

The first layer of the Wind Spirit Stone lit up rapidly, then the second layer lit up, then the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth...