Walnut used me to boost her sales performance.

Hu Tao often liked to go to the mountains and hummed the strange songs she made up. After seeing her many times, I got to know her and learned about the existence and purpose of the Hall of Rebirth.

Upon hearing that she was from the Hall of Rebirth, she was willing to stay a while and answer her questions.

What do you want to ask?

"I would like to ask this fairy, where is the legendary Trial of Heaven?" Jiang Bai took out his notebook and handed it to her. "And what is the meaning of this poem that opens the location of the trial?"

"My name is Shen He, you can just call me Shen He." Shen He took a step back; she wasn't used to getting too close to people.

“Okay, Miss Shenhe.” Jiang Bai looked at her expectantly with his bright, clear eyes.

What business do you have seeking this trial of heaven?

Because many people had come to the mountains seeking immortality and enlightenment, Shen He had inquired about this matter with his master.

The past war between demons and gods brought many calamities to the land of Liyue. These calamities were difficult to eliminate by ordinary people alone. Therefore, immortals taught skills to mortals so that they could exorcise demons themselves. People like the Hall of Rebirth and the Fangshi Family all have skills for exorcising demons that originated from immortals.

As time passed, most of the evil spirits on the land of Liyue were cleared away, and the immortals gradually retreated. Seeking immortality and enlightenment was no longer as easy as it used to be.

The immortals set up two trials for those who wished to seek immortality: one was the trial of Heaven, and the other was the trial of Earth.

Those who seek immortality and enlightenment must search high and low, going to heaven and earth, in order to gain the favor of immortals and learn some magic.

However, a thousand years have passed, and immortals rarely appear in the mortal world. The trials of heaven and earth have long been abandoned. Although the venues still exist, they no longer serve their function as trials.

Jiang Bai scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "It's like this, our hall master's birthday is in a few days. I heard that the scenery at the [Heaven] Trial Site is very beautiful, so I thought I'd take the hall master there to see it and celebrate his birthday."

He didn't hide anything and spoke his mind honestly.

“Birthday…” Shen He murmured softly.

My master said that a birthday is a day worth remembering.

However, she did not pursue worldly things, nor did she intend to pursue a long life, so her master would give her a blessing on this day every year.

Unexpectedly, I overheard that someone I knew was about to have a birthday.

"The Trial of Heaven is located on Qingyun Peak. It no longer serves as a training ground; all that remains is a platform and some scrolls left behind by my master. It is not easy for mortals to go up, and it is very difficult for you to do so."

Jiang Bai waved his hand dismissively, "Difficulty is nothing. Why should I back down just because it's difficult? Since someone has been able to go up before, I can naturally go up too. I just don't know how."

Shen He nodded and looked towards Qingyun Peak in the distance.

The platform, which should have been exposed in the sky, remained hidden in the clouds because no one had reached it, waiting for someone to arrive again.

"There are three peaks surrounding Qingyun Peak. At the top of each of these three peaks is a stone carving of a crane. Turn the stone carving and point the crane toward Qingyun Peak. When the sun, moon and stars appear at the same time, the path to the top will appear."

Shen He also visited Gyeongyun Peak and would sit there to watch the sunset in his spare time.

However, she possessed the magical arts taught by her master, so she did not need a path to ascend.

Upon receiving the method, Jiang Bai was overjoyed.

"How long will this road show up? If I go there once, do I have to drive it all the way again next time?"

This is very important; it determines whether this birthday gift will actually come to fruition.

"If the crane is not moved, the road will remain."

Thank you.

"No need to thank me." With nothing else to say, Shen He turned and left.

Seeing that she was about to leave, Jiang Bai quickly called her back.

"Please wait a moment!"

He also wanted to ask about the [Earth] trial. It was a rare opportunity to meet a disciple of an immortal, and he couldn't be satisfied without asking!

Although he wasn't in a hurry to find the Earth Trial, he felt he had to repay the favor of Wu Cong giving him the notes, and informing him about the Earth Trial would also fulfill one of his wishes.

Shen He turned his head, somewhat puzzled, "Is there anything else?"

She should have already answered.

"I would like to ask where the trials of [Earth] are located."

"At the bottom of the lake amidst the towering clouds."

"Which lake is in Jueyun?" Jiang Bai asked again.

There are several lakes in Jueyun, he needs to confirm.

"The largest lake. At the bottom of the lake is a secret realm called [Taishan Mansion], but it is now an ordinary secret realm."

"Any more questions?"

"Yes, I do, but it's a personal matter. Do you know our hall master, Hu Tao?" Jiang Bai used the formal "you" to show respect.

"We've met a few times." Shen He nodded, his expression still indifferent.

Since she began practicing under her master, she has rarely experienced emotional fluctuations, and very few things can stir her emotions.

Jiang Bai clicked his tongue inwardly.

I never imagined there would be someone even the hall master couldn't handle.

Given the leader's personality, if he encountered Shen He multiple times in the mountains, he would definitely try to befriend him. However, judging from Shen He's lack of reaction to the leader's name, it's clear that the leader's negotiation efforts have failed.

Given the other party's indifferent attitude, it's understandable that the negotiations failed.

"Is there anything else?"

"That's all. If you have something to do, please go ahead and take care of it."

Honestly, it was no wonder that Hu Tao failed; Jiang Bai was quite reserved when speaking to Shen He.

That sense of distance made her feel like she was very far away, even when she was standing right in front of her.

Shen He nodded and left.

She came here simply to find a place to cultivate herself; now that this matter is over, she will naturally seek out other quiet places.

Chapter 178 Is this what it means to be cold on the outside but warm on the inside?

Seeing that Shen He had left, Jiang Bai returned to the place where the group of treasure hunters were, looking at the ice sculptures with some curiosity.

These members of the treasure-hunting team, frozen into ice sculptures, were clearly not yet unconscious. They cautiously stared at Jiang Bai, their eyes following his every move.

Unable to speak, they naturally couldn't ask Jiang Bai for help; they could only look at him with pitiful eyes, trying to move him.

Jiang Bai is no saint; how could he possibly let these people go just because of a few pitiful looks?

Although we don't know what they did, it's certain that these people offended Shen He.

Why would he risk offending Shen He to save these people?

He was just curious and came to take a look.

Seeing that these people's eyes could still move even though they were frozen, Jiang Bai curiously poked the ice with his finger. It was cool and definitely ice.

This magic is truly amazing; it can freeze a person while still keeping them conscious.

These people have been frozen here for a day; they should learn their lesson.

Seeing that the treasure hunters were indeed frozen in place, Jiang Bai searched their camp to see if he could find anything valuable.

However, these people were so poor that he could only find half a processed rabbit leg.

The other half is roasting over the fire.

"Hey, why are you so poor?"

Amidst the shocked gazes of the treasure hunters, Jiang Bai took away the food they were about to roast—half a rabbit leg from the grill.

While munching on a rabbit leg and complaining about how bad it tasted, Jiang Bai found an anchor point and teleported from Jueyun Pass to the Seven Gods Statue near Qingyun Peak.

This seven-day statue is located on a large floating stone, floating in the sky and not touching the ground. Jiang Bai spent some time and effort when he started making this statue.

Standing at the statue, he looked into the distance. The towering Qingyun Peak pierced through the clouds, and there was an anchor point faintly visible at the summit.

"Having an anchor point makes things much easier."

He took off from the statue and flew toward the anchor point.

Shen He also arrived at the location of Qingyun Peak, intending to find a place to cultivate nearby and secretly keep an eye on Jiang Bai, who was coming here, to prevent him from accidentally falling to his death.

She didn't have any feelings for Jiang Bai; she just thought that the sentiment of preparing a gift for someone she cared about was precious, and she would help him out if she had the ability.

But Jiang Bai's appearance in the air at this moment was truly unexpected.

Even with her magical powers, it still takes her time to travel.

Why is Jiang Bai so fast?

Jiang Bai was unaware that Shen He was watching him. He landed on the rocks at the top of Qingyun Mountain and began to climb up little by little, clinging to the cliff face.

Liyue has a lot of mountains, especially those that rise like swords from the sea of ​​clouds, with an endless sea of ​​clouds below and an unknown height difference. Ordinary people would hardly have the courage to climb them.

Jiang Bai climbed up the protruding rocks bit by bit, and the onlookers couldn't help but feel nervous as he did so without any safety precautions.

Shen He appeared on a branch of a pine tree rooted in the rocks on the cliff face, pointing in one direction, his tone still cold and indifferent.

"There's a road next to it that leads directly up."

Jiang Bai was taken aback when he saw Shen He suddenly appear.

Why is she here? And why did she specifically come out to remind him?

Is this what they call having a cold exterior but a warm heart?

"I really do not know."

Jiang Bai climbed onto a small platform where he could stand, took a breather, and looked in the direction Shen He pointed. Sure enough, there was an uneven path over there, like steps.

Without hesitation, Jiang Bai moved directly in the direction of the road until he stood on the steps, at which point he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Each step of the staircase is very spacious and carved with auspicious clouds. It doesn't seem to be man-made, but rather as if it was created by immortals using their magic.

Jiang Bai was about to thank Shen He when she turned around and found that she had already disappeared.

"He certainly has character; he came in a hurry, and he left in a hurry..."

Muttering something under his breath, Jiang Bai ignored it and continued walking upwards.

The hall master's birthday is just a few days away, and it will take time to bring him here. If he doesn't open this road before sunset today, the plan will be ruined.

This mechanism can only be opened under the illumination of the sun, moon, and stars. That is to say, it must be opened between sunset and sunrise. If you miss it, you will have to wait until tomorrow.

Reaching the summit and activating the anchor point, Jiang Bai truly stood above the sea of ​​clouds.

Standing here, the distant mountains and rivers resemble a watercolor painting with varying shades of ink, and the three stone cranes needed to activate the mechanism also come into view.

Jiang Bai spread his wings of wind and flew toward a stone peak. After adjusting the angle of the crane, he flew back and slowly climbed up, then continued to fly toward the next mountain peak, repeating this process.

In the days before the Wings of Wind appeared, those who wanted to seek immortality had to risk their lives climbing one mountain after another.

Jiang Bai's method is practically cheating.

Shen He stood in the shadows, silently watching Jiang Bai climb one mountain after another, then rush to the next without stopping.

He was drenched in sweat, but his face was beaming with excitement, and the light in his eyes was even brighter than the sun.

Shen He tilted his head, finding it strange.

Why would he be so happy about something that is clearly so dangerous for an ordinary person?

Is it because you feel you are doing something meaningful?

But what is meaningful?

The red rope binding her trembled slightly, as if some kind of emotion was stirring within her.

......

As evening approached, Jiang Bai, drenched in sweat, finally adjusted the positions of the three cranes, waiting for the sun, moon, and stars to shine upon them and open the path to the sky.

He didn't have to wait long; the sun gradually moved lower and became less dazzling and bright.

In the opposite direction from the sun, a new moon appears silently, along with the stars, which are not bright but are always present in the sky.

Under Jiang Bai's expectant gaze, a strong wind surged from beneath his feet, as if to carry him into the sky.

He spread his wings of wind and rose into the sky under the influence of the wind, with the steps made of floating stones slowly emerging from the clouds.

He descended onto the stone steps and climbed them one by one, until a vast flat area entirely constructed of floating stones appeared before him.